Witchvox Article

Author: Amorgen [a WitchVox Sponsor]
Posted: August 22nd. 1999
Times Viewed: 6,050

"What is magick, and how do you think it works? Is it a form of prayer that leads to the intercession of higher beings to create change, or does the change occur through as yet undiscovered natural law that is put in motion by your focused thought? Or is it simply a change that occurs within you?"

Your question reminds me of the Three Powers. Divine Power, Natural Power and Personal Power. Certainly a Prayer is focused thought, as is a Spell. To consciously invoke and implore a Higher Being for intercession in any matter is referred to as a Prayer by most of the people on this planet and they think of the prayer as a vehicle used only in a religious context.

For some time now, most people think of religion as being "Abrahamic" in essence. In other words, Judaic, Christian or Muslim. The seeking of needed change through intercession is sometimes a point for admonition by certain Christian Preachers. They contend that seeing God as merely a source for what one wants out of life is to dishonor God. They contend that we also must recognize those gifts that we have received through the benevolence of God and be thankful. Certainly a valid point, I think.

Practitioners of Magick use visualization and Spells as the vehicles for focused thought. Of those religions that include Magick as part of their overall ethos, most of them ALSO include the invocation of Higher Beings. These Beings can be either defined by persona, such as a particular Goddess or God, or by attribute, such as an Elemental Being, i.e. Water.

In order for a system of belief to be a religion, deity(ies) must be worshiped. In order for that religion to be Pagan, it must be polytheistic; having more than one Deity. It has been proposed by some that for a religion to be Pagan, the hallmark is the inclusion of the practice of Magick, not a Polytheistic Pantheon. I disagree for the simple reason that the three Abrahamic religions all include the practice of Magick, but call it by another name. Let me explain a little.

The prolific author and respected student and teacher of the Zen Arts, Alan Watts, once commented that when babies are learning to walk, they don't THINK about letting go of their parent's finger, they just DO it. For them, thought and action are one and the same. Some people work their whole lives trying to get back to that simple yet elusive ability. Mr. Watts was using this example as a lesson on how to use our minds instead of our brains. If you learn anything from Hermetic Law, learn, "As Above, So Below". Your mind is a fragment of THE mind. The Divine Mind. The All. You are a cell in a huge organism, just as there are cells in the organism that makes up your physical body. You know how people always say, "It's up to you if you are going to be well or ill"? It means you have the Power to dictate to your body (the cells that make it up) how they are going to be. Gaia and the rest of the universe dictate to YOU how YOU are going to be. That really was relevant, keep reading.

The only reason Magick works is because of the Three Powers. Divine Higher Beings created the universe as we are allowed to know it and the environment we live in. These Beings imbued this universe and our environment with Powers of its own. Those Powers cannot be changed or removed by the Higher Beings without unraveling the fabric of the All. The Higher Beings also created us and bestowed upon us Powers of our own. Since our Powers are designed to interact with our environment, we have the ability to manipulate it. Since our Powers were bestowed by Divine Beings, we have the ability and privilege to call upon them for guidance, help and to give thanks. We call out to invoke the Elements and the Gods, we make requests and or give thanks. The only difference between Pagans and non-Pagans is that Pagans recognize and accept their role in the Triad. To know about your Power and then refuse to use it is to dishonor the Gods.

What is Magick? It is the recognition of your Personal Power and that it is not only from a Divine source, but meant to interact with your environment. It is also a current that flows through and is a part of the All. It is the current of both Divine empowerment and Natural Law which we can draw from and direct with our Knowledge and Will. All will stay in balance so long as we accept the responsibility for Daring to effect change (plus our mistakes) and stay Silent within ourselves, listening to the quiet current running between our thoughts. Magick is simply a name for something that ultimately transcends language or religion. It is both the noun and the verb. No matter where you are or what state your being is in, Magick is there, running through and behind everything. It is not so much a tool for our use as it is a part of who and what we are. Through Magick, we are enabled to serve the Old Ones as a conduit between the Ethereal and the Natural.

Thank you for listening, see you next time.

Steve McManus

ABOUT...

Amorgen

Location: Conway, New Hampshire

Author's Profile: To learn more about Amorgen - Click HERE

Bio: Born 03/31/60 in Bangor, Maine. Raised in the Irish Catholic Tradition. Raising Daughter and Sons to understand and respect all positive paths. Has a strong background in professional security operations, law enforcement and private investigations. Was called by the Goddess and God in 1990 to follow the path of Wicca and to practice positive magick to effect needed change in himself and the World. Was self-initiated in 1994. Practices the Craft with his beautiful partner and wife, Suzanne with whom he has been pairbonded since 1994. Steve is an ex-WLPA rep. for Maine and continues to work for Witches everywhere. He and Suzy have worked since 1995 to foster more open communications between Pagans across the northeast United States. They now make their home in north/central Florida. Steve and Suzy are owned by 18 pounds of Maine Coon/Persian feline who allows humans to address him as Zeke.

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