Lodestone & Lady's Mantle - Finding Real Magic

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Finding Real Magic
by Carmin

    Myriad Traditions give us very specific instructions on the PROPER way to perform magic, usually contradictory, with the assumed purpose of giving us something to fight about. The top three on the list are the PROPER way to cast a circle, elemental grouping of ritual tools, and last but not least, the legitimacy of someone else's degree or Tradition. Lets begin, shall we?

Tools

    A tool is anything you can use to aid a desired end. For example, I doubt that there is one among us who has not resorted to using a shoe in place of a misplaced hammer to hang a picture on the wall. It may take a bit longer, but the desire is fulfilled. Now apply that principle to magic. An improper moon phase, weird astrological conditions, or unreachably rare spell components should not frustrate you to the point of inaction. The Moon is always Full somewhere, there is an accessible point in time when Mercury is not retrograde, and thoughtful substitutions and a bit of extra Will far outshine the rarest mandrake root.

    With that in mind, timing, training, and spellcraft have a place in the life of every Witch worth his salt, namely, the discipline and reality model that the effort begets. One day you may not need tools at all, but the time spent memorizing the traditional uses for herbs, stones, and symbols train your mind to think at the world differently. Tools should not be prerequisite, but used as they are needed. I could spend a few years at a Shao-Lin temple learning to put my fist through a wall in order to hang up my paintings, or I could borrow a stud finder from the neighbors and use a hammer.

    I have met practioners who claimed to have advanced to the point where they only used "pure energy" in their spell craft, but years later, they could not remember how to cast a circle or the words to the "Charge of the Goddess". Their ability to channel energy was neglected as it was perceived as always being present and fully developed, rather than something that required stimulation , or memorizing personal energy flow (their chosen tool). It wasn't the method I argued with, but the ability to use it with our very human tendencies. Shunning the work of those who have come before us also has a dangerous precedent in our society, one that ultimately weakens us.

Not to say that anything that has been done before my time should be taken as holy writ. Personally, I feel that grouping the wand under the element of Fire while leaving the sword to the powers of Air is High Idiocy. Many rationalizations have been fed me, including but not limited to: "wands are made of wood, a living creature, thus containing the divine spark/ fire", and, "fire eats wood, and certain trees cannot reproduce without it, so they have a symbiotic relationship", "Swords are great for communication" "Swords pierce the air and make a swoosh sound" and quite possibly the most popular, "That was the way the book said to do it". These rationalizations of magical technique unfortunately lack both rationale and grounding in the physical world. A sword cannot be made without fire. Argue your obsidian blades, but they too were forged, in the belly of the Earth. Everything pierces the air, and have you ever tried to have in depth, heart-to-heart talk with someone while pointing a yard of solid steel at their throat? Not a great tool for open communication, at least not one endorsed by most therapists.

My point is this: question why something is the way it is, and whether or not it makes sense to you. If it doesn't, either seek another opinion or do something different. Don't be afraid of doing it wrong, or of asking stupid questions. Anyone who can't elucidate their magical technique or tries to make you feel stupid for asking is (A): ignorant and not willing to admit it, (B): asked the question themselves and were brushed off in a similar fashion and made to feel ashamed, or (C): (and this includes all of the above) has serious ego problems and you should run the other
way. A good teacher is not looking for automatons or minions. If they are reacting this way, it is the early warning signal to GET OUT NOW.

Part 2 - Is he a real Witch/Reiki Master?

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