What is Magick?
Even many of us who practice magick may be hard pressed to explain it. It is just like plugging into an outlet or being on a computer. One may be able to use it, but don’t know for sure how it works—it just does. We who practice this mysticism spell the word magick with a “k,” to differentiate from illusionists or the entertainers, so not to get the two types of practices confused.
Magick is All Around Us
So, the question is, what is magick? Magick is a sudden sweet breeze blowing through the oak trees. It is the annual appearance of cherry blossoms trees in bloom. It is being at your oldest child’s college graduation. It is playing a number that came to you in a dream, and winning. It is getting the keys to your first new home or brand-new car. It is taking a vacation and finding a beautiful hidden cove. It is the birth of your first child, and seeing into their eyes for the very first time. It is looking up at a starry sky. It is seeing the play “The Lion King.” It is falling deeply in love. Magick is a feeling, an action, and or a success. Magick is also the beauty that is provided for us by human hands or by pure providence. We, as spirits, are having human experiences. And, these experiences are magickal. They are magickal because life happens to us through cause and effect. Some
are intentional and some are unintentional. Either way we manifest with actions or
intentions, which brings about cause, effect and change.
are intentional and some are unintentional. Either way we manifest with actions or
intentions, which brings about cause, effect and change.
Beyond Human Sight
Spiritualists believe there is more to magick than what is seen or what is known. The ancient mystics in Egypt, and as far back as Mesopotamia, believed that there are mystical laws that work for those who are willing to know them and see beyond the veil of Earthly bounds. All one needs to do is look outside the human consciousness and believe in a power that steeps within us, above us and below us. We are taught to believing the we have no true power as human beings, and for us to mystically manifest we must go to someone ordained, or look to a god. But, what we really need to understand is what Dorothy learned when she was in “Oz,” and that is we had the power all along. It is just a matter of getting to know what is needed to ordain oneself, and activate the power within.
What is a Spell?
So what is a magick spell? Good question. The oldest English meaning of the word spell I could find stated that it came from the Old High Germanic word – spellōn meaning communication of thought by words; talk, conversation, discourse, to foretell, to mean, or to promise. This is how the phrase “Sit for a spell” came into being, when someone invited a person to visit them. It meant sit for a talk or conversation. When a Witch casts spells s/he is having a conversation with the Universe. S/he is communicating with the great Divine power much like many do when praying. However, there are some differences between Prayers” and “Spells”. A Prayer asks Deity. Spells affirm their will to deity or the Universe. A Prayer is hope. A Spell is conviction. A Prayer is folded hands and bowed heads. A Spell is open hands, raised heads with various gestures. Neither should be considered right or wrong, they are merely matters of preferences. The total structure of a spell is complex yet simple. It is a matter of balancing tools, incantations, intentions and consciousness. Allowing oneself to go into a meditative, or sacred state to facilitate access a connection to Source. That is why many consider themselves Conjurors because they put themselves in an alternate state, in order to pull from within and connect Source. That is also why many people who intentionally access Spirit or Source call themselves Sorcerers. They believe themselves to be connecting to a source or the Source. Sorcerers apply what they receive from Source to manifest their will. Similarly, Shamans also apply what they learn when they go into alternate states to teach, heal and perform magick.
The true power behind casting spells is knowing what you want to manifest and stating it clearly. Not being clear in one’s mind, and not knowing one’s own intentions, will be at the very least, ineffective. At worst, one may get undesirable outcomes. If the persons desires are not thought out, and they are cloudy, and uncertain, the results of the spell will be the same.
So, what is "intention?" Intention is the formulated thought process of Will. When the thought process is well formulated, imbued with conviction, and is consistent, then intention is a powerful vehicle to achieve goals. The human spirit signals to the Universe, and the Universe response in turn. When good intention is well annunciated with good incantation and spell-work the outcome will more likely be favorable.
For Wiccans magickal spells are often performed with the use of herbs, oils, crystals, cauldrons, athames, wands, pentacles, potions, altars and etc. The tools of the spell-caster are important, but some Spiritualists need very little, if any, articles to cast their spells. It really depends on the skills and the experience of the practitioner.
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So, what is "intention?" Intention is the formulated thought process of Will. When the thought process is well formulated, imbued with conviction, and is consistent, then intention is a powerful vehicle to achieve goals. The human spirit signals to the Universe, and the Universe response in turn. When good intention is well annunciated with good incantation and spell-work the outcome will more likely be favorable.
For Wiccans magickal spells are often performed with the use of herbs, oils, crystals, cauldrons, athames, wands, pentacles, potions, altars and etc. The tools of the spell-caster are important, but some Spiritualists need very little, if any, articles to cast their spells. It really depends on the skills and the experience of the practitioner.
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