Lesson 1: Understanding Real Magic
By Ian Allan
When I was first learning about Witchcraft I was always concerned about doing majick the right way. As time would go by I would learn all of the different definitions of majick, and all the different ways to create it and wield it. Ultimately, the best lesson that I feel is important is understanding energy flow and work. Specifically, how the energy flows through a person, a tree/plant/etc, and how it connects to the Divine. A Witch connecting to their Divinity (however, you define that as such) is where power can be greatly magnified and focused for the Witch's desired goal.
Aleister Crowley wrote that magic is “the science and art of causing change to occur in conformity with will.” Dion Fortune and Starhawk wrote that magic is the art of changing consciousness at will.” Both definitions are accurate and helpful.
Aleister Crowley wrote that magic is “the science and art of causing change to occur in conformity with will.” Dion Fortune and Starhawk wrote that magic is the art of changing consciousness at will.” Both definitions are accurate and helpful.
However, real magic is more than just changing consciousness and reality at will. Magic is truly more than projecting will into thought forms. It doesn’t just happen in the mind or just on astral planes of existence. It is also more than just something we do to control the world around us or to manifest our desires (Curott, p28).
Magic is what happens when you have encountered the Divine. It becomes a life changing experience of connecting to the divinity that lives inside you and the world. Real magic is your relationship with the immanent divinity, and it how you craft yourself as a Witch (Curott, p29).
When we craft magic it is a co-creation of reality between the Witch and the Divine. Real magic becomes a manifestation of the Divine in the world.
So how does one encounter the Divine?
The Divine is encountered by shifting our perception (altering our consciousness). Meditation can create this. Meditation, however, does not need to always be Zen meditation. Meditation happens in different ways. But it happens when we can get our minds clear enough to focus on only one thought or idea thus creating a sacred space inside ourselves. Creating a sacred space within yourself is helpful in that it is like building a temple where we can realize the Divine dwells.
Opening yourself up to the Sacred, you will begin to see that you don’t have to be in an altered state to have magical experiences to know that the Sacred is present.We all have magical encounters everyday regardless of how psychic we may think we are.
Exercise: Finding the Divine Presence
Begin with a quiet meditation. Count yourself down with the Alpha meditation if you need to. Or use another way to slip into a meditative state. As you feel peaceful and calm focus on a memory of an occasion when you were aware of the presence of the Divine. What did it feel like? When did it happen? Focus on the physical and emotional responses of that encounter. Allow yourself all the time you need to feel now as you did then. Take your time with this meditation. Ask the Divine, the God and Goddess, or both to be with you and to guide you. Stay in this physical and emotional state until you are ready to return to your wakeful state.
Exercise: Grounding and Centering
It is important to know how to ground and center yourself especially when working magic. The act of using and moving energy can sometimes leave residual energy in the Witches’ body, and this can sometimes make the Witch feel sick or dizzy. Knowing how to ground the energy and center the body is helpful in avoiding these reactions. One way to ground and center the energy is the Tree Meditation
The Tree Meditation
After doing any meditation or magical work you may find it necessary to dispel some left over energy.
Sit quietly (if you can sit outside by a tree all the better, but if you can’t you can sit where you are). Feel your body and your seat. Breath deeply and visualize roots growing from your seat down through the floor reaching to the ground. As they puncture the ground visualize a green energy flowing up the roots, and into your body.
As the energy fills your body visualize branches growing from your head, and reaching up into the sky. Continue visualizing the energy flowing up the earth, through your body, into the branches, and see the branches reaching back down to the earth where the energy then flows back out into the ground. Continue with this visualization for a few minutes or until you feel your body returning to normal. When you are ready visualize the roots and branches pulling back into your body. Once fully retracted. Take a deep breath and slowly return to the space you are in.
This mediation can also be done to heal your body with the energy of the earth. However, instead of growing branches out and back to the earth you will pull the energy up from the earth and move it to the area of your body you need healing, and allow it to fill the space with its earth energy. And then create a cycle of the earth’s energy filling the space, and the illness’s energy being cycled down to the earth.
Source: Witch Crafting; Curott, Phyllis
