{"id":3912,"date":"2010-07-01T01:10:46","date_gmt":"2010-07-01T06:10:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/paganpages.org\/content\/?p=3970"},"modified":"2010-07-01T00:19:25","modified_gmt":"2010-07-01T05:19:25","slug":"back-to-basics-of-magick-lesson-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2010\/07\/01\/back-to-basics-of-magick-lesson-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Back to Basics of Magick, Lesson 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

Back to Basics of Magick \u2013 Lesson 1<\/strong><\/p>\n

Class Basics & Etiquette:<\/p>\n

First, I wanted to take a minute and thank each of you for embarking on this journey.\u00a0 As you know this is a year long series of classes that will have us revisiting and exploring in depth topics on magick that we at times take for granted.\u00a0 The hope is that if you are a seasoned practitioner that you will take something new away from each lesson that will deepen your practice.\u00a0 If you are new it is meant to give you a good foundation on which to begin your practice.<\/p>\n

As you can see from the syllabus there are a total of 12 lessons, beginning with the one here.\u00a0 Each month a different aspect of magick will be touched on.\u00a0 Some topics that we\u2019ll discuss are ritual, laws, witches pyramids and more.\u00a0 The lessons are designed to make you think and discuss.<\/p>\n

Each lesson will also contain an assignment.\u00a0 There will be instructions on how to complete these and if you will be asked to email it to me directly or if it will be strictly in the forum.\u00a0 I highly encourage discussion in the forums.\u00a0 The more you discuss with one another the more you will get out of the class.\u00a0 I certainly don\u2019t have all the answers and differing perspectives encourage growth.\u00a0 I do ask that you be respectful of one another.\u00a0 If debate becomes too heated I will step in to moderate the discussion.<\/p>\n

Lesson 1: Ethics of the Witch\/Wiccan Practitioner<\/p>\n

If there is one thing that I have found out over my years as a practitioner of magick is that it requires a great deal of personal responsibility and ethics.\u00a0 This certainly isn\u2019t a light topic for a first lesson but I think it\u2019s a terribly important one.\u00a0 A pagan author, and a good friend, often says being a witch is a lot of work.\u00a0 She\u2019s right!<\/p>\n

For me, personally, I have seen a lot of people looking for the easy way out and they think that magick is the answer.\u00a0 Certainly rituals and spells amplify and enhance our lives, but we must do so responsibly.\u00a0 So, what exactly does that mean?<\/p>\n

First, I am never hasty in casting spells or performing ritual.\u00a0 You want to make sure that you are in the right frame of mind.\u00a0 If you cast in anger or without fully thinking everything through it affects your magick and its outcome.\u00a0\u00a0 A perfect example of why this is important comes from a personal experience.\u00a0 When I was a much younger and more impulsive individual I just decided that I needed a change.\u00a0 So I did magick to help effect that change.\u00a0 I did a spell and it worked, but not the way I thought it would.\u00a0 My life for months was in a constant state of change, I moved and changed jobs. Twice!\u00a0 I also ended one relationship and started another almost instantly.\u00a0 It was crazy, and until I finally connected the dots on what I had done my life was in chaos!\u00a0 Obviously, I did work to negate what I had set in motion and things finally began to settle down.\u00a0 It was a very important lesson that I had to learn the hard way.<\/p>\n

If you are angry, don\u2019t do magick.\u00a0 This is a rule of thumb that I live by.\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 Well it\u2019s easier to take the time and cool off.\u00a0 Rather than cast a spell that would be rash and impulsive and that ultimately you\u2019d regret take a time out.\u00a0 Give yourself at least a day to sit on the situation and think it out.\u00a0 Someone started a personal attack on a friend of mine and her first reaction was to bind them.\u00a0 Well, there is a time and a place for this, but since she acted and did the spell in anger all it did was bind that person to her.\u00a0 It was a mess and took a lot of time to rectify.\u00a0 In retrospect she agreed she should have taken a moment to reflect.\u00a0 The ethics involved here also should deter you.\u00a0 Performing a spell on someone is in and of itself something that should not be done lightly.\u00a0 Add to that the fact you\u2019re emotionally charged and it\u2019s just not a good combination.<\/p>\n

An important aspect of magick is that it follows the path of least resistance.\u00a0 So, make sure that your intent is precise and clear.\u00a0 The more thought you put into your spells the better the results and the more predictable they become.\u00a0 I like to think of spells like recipes.\u00a0 Once you\u2019ve made a recipe a few times you know the basic routine.\u00a0 You know what works and what doesn\u2019t.\u00a0 You know that to get the right results you put in specific ingredients and leave out others. It\u2019s the same way with spells.\u00a0 You have to know what the right correspondences are and those things that work in harmony together.\u00a0 Taking the time to properly prepare your ritual\/spell is the sensible thing to do.\u00a0 You don\u2019t want to do a prosperity spell just to come into a large sum of money because some distant relative passed away.<\/p>\n

As a magickal practitioner, even if you aren\u2019t Wiccan, you\u2019ve probably heard of the Wiccan Rede; \u2018An it harm none, do what ye will.\u2019\u00a0 We\u2019ll discuss this in depth in another lesson.\u00a0 However, make sure that anything you do is for your highest good.\u00a0 If it involves anyone else at all that you have their permission and it is for their highest good as well.\u00a0 I personally do not do work for anyone that I do not have permission from.\u00a0 I find that my magick work best and encounters the least amount of resistance when it is invited and expected.\u00a0 You also need to learn to be specific.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t specify what it is you are working for deities, elementals, fae, or the forces at work must guess.\u00a0 That can have unexpected results.<\/p>\n

Do everything possible, mundanely, to achieve your goals.\u00a0 Magick should always enhance and support your practical work.\u00a0 For example, what good would it do to perform a ritual or cast a spell for a new job if you never put in an application anywhere?\u00a0 However, if you do the leg work and put out a few applications and resumes you can then use magick to make them more appealing to potential employers.\u00a0 It is a much more effective way to use magick and it\u2019s more productive.\u00a0 What does this have to do with ethics?\u00a0 It makes you a responsible practitioner because you don\u2019t always run to magick first.\u00a0 It means you know that sometimes you have to do the knitty gritty work to help things manifest into your life.<\/p>\n

Magick, spells, and rituals are meant to help us achieve and maintain balance.\u00a0 A little common sense goes a long way and shows those you know that you are a dependable and responsible individual.\u00a0 This is important for a couple of different reasons.\u00a0 You\u2019ll encounter those that will come to you for advice and wanting to learn.\u00a0 You want to be a good example for those people.\u00a0 You\u2019ll also come into contact with those individuals that are mundane.\u00a0 They will not be knowledgeable about magick. You will be the person that they associate with Wicca, Witchcraft, or Paganism.\u00a0 If you come across as a responsible and knowledgeable practitioner that carefully weighs the consequences of your actions that goes a tremendous way.\u00a0 You will be, for better or worse, the person that they see as the spokesperson for your religious path.\u00a0 How do you want to be perceived?<\/p>\n

Assignment 1:<\/p>\n

1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Forum: Add to the discussion on the forum a little about who you are, what brought you to the class, and what you hope to get out of it.<\/p>\n

2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Start a journal to track your spells and their outcomes.\u00a0 What was your emotional state when you performed it?\u00a0 When did you cast it?\u00a0 What was your intent?<\/p>\n

3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Email: What does being a witch\/wiccan\/pagan mean to you?\u00a0 How does personal responsibility play into that?\u00a0 Email me your responses. A minimum of 3 paragraphs are required and discussion on the forum is encouraged.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Back to Basics of Magick \u2013 Lesson 1 Class Basics & Etiquette: First, I wanted to take a minute and thank each of you for embarking on this journey.\u00a0 As you know this is a year long series of classes that will have us revisiting and exploring in depth topics on magick that we at times take for granted.\u00a0 The hope is that if you are a seasoned practitioner that you will take something new away from each lesson that will deepen your practice.\u00a0 If you are new it is meant to give you a good foundation on which to begin your practice. As you can see from the syllabus there are a total of 12 lessons, beginning with the one here.\u00a0 Each month a different aspect of magick will be touched on.\u00a0 Some topics that we\u2019ll discuss are ritual, laws, witches pyramids and more.\u00a0 The lessons are designed to make you think and discuss. Each lesson will also contain an assignment.\u00a0 There will be instructions on how to complete these and if you will be asked to email it to me directly or if it will be strictly in the forum.\u00a0 I highly encourage discussion in the forums.\u00a0 The more you discuss with one another the more you will get out of the class.\u00a0 I certainly don\u2019t have all the answers and differing perspectives encourage growth.\u00a0 I do ask that you be respectful of one another.\u00a0 If debate becomes too heated I will step in to moderate the discussion. Lesson 1: Ethics of the Witch\/Wiccan Practitioner If there is one thing that I have found out over my years as a practitioner of magick is that it requires a great deal of personal responsibility and ethics.\u00a0 This certainly isn\u2019t a light topic for a first lesson but I think it\u2019s a terribly important one.\u00a0 A pagan author, and a good friend, often says being a witch is a lot of work.\u00a0 She\u2019s right! For me, personally, I have seen a lot of people looking for the easy way out and they think that magick is the answer.\u00a0 Certainly rituals and spells amplify and enhance our lives, but we must do so responsibly.\u00a0 So, what exactly does that mean? First, I am never hasty in casting spells or performing ritual.\u00a0 You want to make sure that you are in the right frame of mind.\u00a0 If you cast in anger or without fully thinking everything through it affects your magick and its outcome.\u00a0\u00a0 A perfect example of why this is important comes from a personal experience.\u00a0 When I was a much younger and more impulsive individual I just decided that I needed a change.\u00a0 So I did magick to help effect that change.\u00a0 I did a spell and it worked, but not the way I thought it would.\u00a0 My life for months was in a constant state of change, I moved and changed jobs. Twice!\u00a0 I also ended one relationship and started another almost instantly.\u00a0 It was crazy, and until I finally connected the dots on what I had done my life was in chaos!\u00a0 Obviously, I did work to negate what I had set in motion and things finally began to settle down.\u00a0 It was a very important lesson that I had to learn the hard way. If you are angry, don\u2019t do magick.\u00a0 This is a rule of thumb that I live by.\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 Well it\u2019s easier to take the time and cool off.\u00a0 Rather than cast a spell that would be rash and impulsive and that ultimately you\u2019d regret take a time out.\u00a0 Give yourself at least a day to sit on the situation and think it out.\u00a0 Someone started a personal attack on a friend of mine and her first reaction was to bind them.\u00a0 Well, there is a time and a place for this, but since she acted and did the spell in anger all it did was bind that person to her.\u00a0 It was a mess and took a lot of time to rectify.\u00a0 In retrospect she agreed she should have taken a moment to reflect.\u00a0 The ethics involved here also should deter you.\u00a0 Performing a spell on someone is in and of itself something that should not be done lightly.\u00a0 Add to that the fact you\u2019re emotionally charged and it\u2019s just not a good combination. An important aspect of magick is that it follows the path of least resistance.\u00a0 So, make sure that your intent is precise and clear.\u00a0 The more thought you put into your spells the better the results and the more predictable they become.\u00a0 I like to think of spells like recipes.\u00a0 Once you\u2019ve made a recipe a few times you know the basic routine.\u00a0 You know what works and what doesn\u2019t.\u00a0 You know that to get the right results you put in specific ingredients and leave out others. It\u2019s the same way with spells.\u00a0 You have to know what the right correspondences are and those things that work in harmony together.\u00a0 Taking the time to properly prepare your ritual\/spell is the sensible thing to do.\u00a0 You don\u2019t want to do a prosperity spell just to come into a large sum of money because some distant relative passed away. As a magickal practitioner, even if you aren\u2019t Wiccan, you\u2019ve probably heard of the Wiccan Rede; \u2018An it harm none, do what ye will.\u2019\u00a0 We\u2019ll discuss this in depth in another lesson.\u00a0 However, make sure that anything you do is for your highest good.\u00a0 If it involves anyone else at all that you have their permission and it is for their highest good as well.\u00a0 I personally do not do work for anyone that I do not have permission from.\u00a0 I find that my magick work best and encounters the least amount of resistance when it is invited and expected.\u00a0 You also need to learn to be specific.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t specify what it is you are working for deities, elementals, fae, or the forces at work must guess.\u00a0 That can have unexpected results. Do everything possible, mundanely, to achieve your goals.\u00a0 Magick should always enhance and support your practical work.\u00a0 For example, what good would it do to perform a ritual or cast a spell for a new job if you never put in an application anywhere?\u00a0 However, if you do the leg work and put out a few applications and resumes you can then use magick to make them more appealing to potential employers.\u00a0 It is a much more effective way to use magick and it\u2019s more productive.\u00a0 What does this have to do with ethics?\u00a0 It makes you a responsible practitioner because you don\u2019t always run to magick first.\u00a0 It means you know that sometimes you have to do the knitty gritty work to help things manifest into your life. Magick, spells, and rituals are meant to help us achieve and maintain balance.\u00a0 A little common sense goes a long way and shows those you know that you are a dependable and responsible individual.\u00a0 This is important for a couple of different reasons.\u00a0 You\u2019ll encounter those that will come to you for advice and wanting to learn.\u00a0 You want to be a good example for those people.\u00a0 You\u2019ll also come into contact with those individuals that are mundane.\u00a0 They will not be knowledgeable about magick. You will be the person that they associate with Wicca, Witchcraft, or Paganism.\u00a0 If you come across as a responsible and knowledgeable practitioner that carefully weighs the consequences of your actions that goes a tremendous way.\u00a0 You will be, for better or worse, the person that they see as the spokesperson for your religious path.\u00a0 How do you want to be perceived? Assignment 1: 1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Forum: Add to the discussion on the forum a little about who you are, what brought you to the class, and what you hope to get out of it. 2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Start a journal to track your spells and their outcomes.\u00a0 What was your emotional state when you performed it?\u00a0 When did you cast it?\u00a0 What was your intent? 3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Email: What does being a witch\/wiccan\/pagan mean to you?\u00a0 How does personal responsibility play into that?\u00a0 Email me your responses. A minimum of 3 paragraphs are required and discussion on the forum is encouraged.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":1,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3912","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3912","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/75"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3912"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3912\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3912"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3912"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3912"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}