What Is Magic?
Magic isn’t a practice that uses powers derived from the “Devil.” It isn’t antireligious or anti-God; it's simply nonreligious (though it can be used in religious ways). Magic isn’t a weapon. Magic isn’t a supernatural tool to be unleashed against those we dislike. It isn’t an instrument of manipulation, destruction, or death. Misuse of magic destroys its misuser.
If there is one universal rule among magicians, it is this: harm none.
The Goal of Magic
As described above, magic is utilized to bring about needed change. The needed change is often termed the goal. This goal may involve love, protection, health, peace, prosperity, increased spirituality, psychic awareness, or other changes. The goal of magical rites should always be positive.
From a broader perspective, the ultimate goal of all the magic is the improvement of our lives. We can create this improvement through the use of magic. We decide what’s best for us, and magic is a tool that we can use to obtain it.
Working Magic for Others
Magicians aren’t selfish. They utilize magic to improve their lives, yes, but they also help others who come to them with problems. Before performing magical acts for other persons, inform them of your intentions, and receive permission for the working. If you’re making a magically charged object for a friend, ask before creating it if such and object would be accepted. Such measures will ensure that you’re not influencing and altering others' lives without their consent.
Magical Energy
The energy used in magic is natural. It's present within our bodies as well as in physical objects such as sand, wood, stone, clay, fire, air, feathers, and every other part of the earth
Magic is simply the use of these powers. It seems mysterious today only because most of its techniques have been forgotten.
Some people claim to have magical powers. I certainly hope they don't consider themselves to be anything special. We all possess this power, and we can learn how to use it. All that's required is an open mind and a willingness to practice.
What is magic?
The most popular definition of magic at the moment seems to be ‘the art of changing consciousness at will’. It may be all too easy, however, with this definition in mind, to dismiss magic as self-delusion. Of course, working magic can involve self-delusion, and that is something that all practitioners need to bear in mind, for there is a fine - but significant - line between delusion and creative use of the imagination. The power of belief is certainly part of working magic, although this sort of belief is better called ‘inner knowledge’. However, there is rather more to it than that.
Changing our consciousness is no small thing. We are apt to believe that our perception of the Universe is ‘real’ and down-to-earth people stress the importance of what they apprehend with their five senses. This attitude is upheld by a materialistic culture. However, our impression of the world around us is a construct of the brain. It would be more ‘real’ to regard the solid desk where I sit as an energy centre, a localized disturbance in some cosmic continuum. So when we change our consciousness even by a small shift we may open up exciting, undreamed perspectives, and we may see that things are possible to which our former limited prospect was blind. This may be rather like a man lost in a labyrinth who suddenly finds himself lifted vertically into the air, from where he can see quite clearly the way out. Hamlet spoke truely when he said “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy”.
In addition, the new physics seems to corroborate what mystics have always known - that observer and observed are linked, are one. When we observe something we are part of it, and we affect it, however minutely. Our picture of the Universe filled with discrete entities and objects, going their own ways, occasionally colliding but otherwise separate is another mental construct. We are all part of the web of existence, a person’s life is an expression of his or her essence, rather than a chronology of events, and when we change our consciousness beyond our human limitations, and that is something to which we may all aspire in time.
To effect change in consciousness we use ritual, for ritual is an outward sign of inward change. By ritual and symbols we find ways to speak to our unconscious - called “Younger Self” by Starhawk in The Spiral Dance. This is where herbs come in. used in incense, oils, sachets, or just growing strong in the soil for us to touch, smell, look at and partake of, herbs are a great help in altering consciousness. They speak directly to Younger Self, for although ‘younger’ in the sense of playfulness, spontaneity and creativity, Younger Self is closer to our most ancient origins, way before the Paleolithic cave days. Herbs also have powers of their own, by virtue of their own unique essence. (In addition, the substances in some plants are hallucinogenic, able to alter the chemistry of the brain directly. These plants were ingredients in the ‘flying ointments’ used by the witches of yesteryear, and of course some people still use these substances today. However, we are concerned with more subtle uses, where the herbs gently help to effect change at a spiritual level, for this is much safer.)
Magic is the connection we have to the earth, the universe, the multiple realms, each other, all living things, the spirit world, and the past, present and future.
Magic is healing, using nature and remedies from the earth.
Magic is communication with energy, and multiple realms of existence.
Magic is using tools of divination.
Magic is anything that you use your energy for, such as writing, artwork, love, communication, kindness, exercise, and education.
Magic is a way for us to move, transfer, channel, and charge energy from within ourselves and within the universe.
Magic is understanding the hermetic laws.
The Seven Hermetic Laws
The Law of Mentalism- The universe is made up of minds or ideas in minds.
The Law of Correspondence- As above, so below; as below, so above.
The Law of Vibration- Nothing is at rest, everything vibrates.
The Law of Polarity- Everything is dual; all truths are half truths; everything contains its opposite; extremes meet; and every pair of opposites can be reconciled.
The Law of Rhythm- Rhythm is the measured motion between two extremes. All opposites flow together and into each other; everything is continually becoming its opposite. Heraclitus said, “Because everything is in perpetual change, everything is in a continual state of ‘becoming,’ a cyclic interplay of opposites.”
The Law of Gender- Everything has both masculine and feminine components; force and energy; Yin and Yang
The Law of Cause and Effect- Nothing happens by chance; for every effect there is a cause; every cause is, in itself, an effect of something else.