"The Occult" - "Concealed"
[1] The dictionary definition of magic is that it is the art of using spells to invoke supernatural powers to influence events. This is the general description and it is important to consider in greater detail what these supernatural powers are and which events are to be influenced. The Encyclopedia of Magic & Witchcraft advocates that magic is a word that describes the inner nature of the beings that make up the universe ~ the spiritual part of all things. The spirit forms a hidden dimension to the ordinary, everyday world that we inhabit. Most of the time we are unaware of it (hence magic often being called "the occult" ~ literally "concealed") and when something uncanny happens, we tend to put it down to coincidence. What we call coincidence today would be interpreted very differently by people of cultures other than our own, or by people from varying times in the past. Unfortunately, magic is often used as a derogatory term used to encompass all that orthodox religion disapproves of or prohibits and is therefore frequently viewed in negative terms.
For me, it makes no sense to think in terms of, "I want to work magick," but rather, "I want to learn to consciously direct the magick I already unconsciously work." Describing the 'Occult, Hidden' part of eating, "I sit down and eat a wonderful meal, I clean the table and dishes.....(occult things happening for a few hours).......then I sh', sit on the throne and eliminate out what I ate. Unless I have something wrong in my digestive system, I don't remain consciously aware of the food, where it is or what is happening to it and my body, as it makes its journey to the finally resting place under the porcelain throne and back to mother earth.
Magick is creating and rather it is liked or not, there is no escaping being a creator. Some will say, "No No!", we are the creation not the Creator, and for them, that is what they have created for themselves, a world and existence where they are blinded to their own powers of creative magick, most have handed their powers over and constantly feed images of helpers in the form of deified powers to take responsibility or blame for them. Even the Christian bible tells of the image that you must give your powers over to so that it can live, the beast that was and is, but yet is not...
Magick, as with decision making, we can't revise our decisions (nor the forms we give powers and life to) until we become aware and see that we are the ones deciding. Creating and directing the course of change (Magick) requires one to become aware that they are in fact one of the vital participating links in directing the creative powers of existence.
I think it absolutely the height of our abilities to form an image and breath life into it, so much so, that we do this without realizing that we are doing it, like a viper, we have bitten ourselves, poisoning our reality with a blind feverish delusion that all we are, is the subject and substance being acted upon, never seeing how we take part in the creative process. Our physical hands, the left and right can come together, working to mold and form beautiful works of art, yet when our unseen hands come together and move upon a form, the art will animate.
Like Marianne Williamson says,
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
So, the art and practice of Witchcraft, for me, is the practice of consciously crafting and directing Magick (creative life force), the tools and methods I utilize in my craft are a reminder that I do not seek communion with the divine as if I were cut off and separate from it, but rather that I am in constant 'communion' (communication, relationship and contact), with the Divine powers of existence and that I can not, in truth, escape participating in that communion, but I can choose to sleep and ignore it for a while.
My true practice is in considering how it is that I am already relating to the Divine, and then consider what direction/changes need to be made.
Many Blessings'
References:
[1] The Encyclopedia of Magic & Witchcraft, Susan Greenwood (Pg. 10)
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