collapse

* Recent Posts

"Christ Is King" by Altair
[Today at 01:09:34 am]


Re: Cill Shift Schedule by SunflowerP
[Yesterday at 11:04:57 pm]


Re: Stellar Bling: The Good, the Bad, the OMG! by SunflowerP
[March 21, 2024, 11:21:37 pm]


Re: Spring Has Sprung! 2024 Edition by SunflowerP
[March 21, 2024, 10:24:10 pm]


Stellar Bling: The Good, the Bad, the OMG! by Altair
[March 21, 2024, 02:52:34 pm]

Author Topic: Beginning magic  (Read 2296 times)

Sarah

  • Sr. Master Member
  • *******
  • Join Date: Apr 2013
  • Posts: 827
  • Total likes: 4
    • View Profile
Beginning magic
« on: July 18, 2013, 05:20:13 am »
so I have been instructed (by the bossiest Goddess in the Universe) to start doing magic. When I pointed out that I don't know anything about magic I got a terse "learn" as a reply.

so I'm looking for books, web sites, or tips on beginning magic.

For background I'm interested in herbs, candle magic, folk magic (and folklore), weather magic* (I am an uncannily accurate weather forecaster.) Not really interested in ceremonial magic stuff and I don't work overtly with the four elements (in that I don't make sure they are represented in all magic/ritual work)


Also is it okay to talk about magical workings as I am doing them? some say this makes them less effective but I don't understand why this would be?


Thanks!

*That is, not doing magic  to affect the weather but using the weather in magic
« Last Edit: July 18, 2013, 05:22:13 am by Sarah »
Knowing when to use a shovel is what being a witch is all about. Nanny Ogg, Witches Abroad

Fionnbharr

  • Journeyman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jan 2013
  • Posts: 221
  • Total likes: 0
    • View Profile
Re: Beginning magic
« Reply #1 on: July 18, 2013, 06:15:26 am »
Quote from: maybeimawitch;116008
Also is it okay to talk about magical workings as I am doing them? some say this makes them less effective but I don't understand why this would be?

 
From my POV it is quite okay to talk about magic this way, as I read it, it is your way of getting a better understanding of magic which in the end should enhance the effect of it. I have a question: how well are you at sensing the energies within you and around you?
Grief and sorrow grows on the far banks of the river Styx, go there and visit them and you might not find your own way back home. - Achilles

Sarah

  • Sr. Master Member
  • *******
  • Join Date: Apr 2013
  • Posts: 827
  • Total likes: 4
    • View Profile
Re: Beginning magic
« Reply #2 on: July 18, 2013, 06:19:59 am »
Quote from: Fionnbharr;116013
From my POV it is quite okay to talk about magic this way, as I read it, it is your way of getting a better understanding of magic which in the end should enhance the effect of it. I have a question: how well are you at sensing the energies within you and around you?

 
I would say I'm pretty good at sensing energies.I have sensory overload issues (which I manage but they are still there) so I sense pretty much everything
Knowing when to use a shovel is what being a witch is all about. Nanny Ogg, Witches Abroad

Fionnbharr

  • Journeyman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jan 2013
  • Posts: 221
  • Total likes: 0
    • View Profile
Re: Beginning magic
« Reply #3 on: July 18, 2013, 06:42:35 am »
Quote from: maybeimawitch;116014
I would say I'm pretty good at sensing energies.I have sensory overload issues (which I manage but they are still there) so I sense pretty much everything

 
For some years I played around (I say played around because I never did it seriously) and explored what magic is. Today I do not do magic for what I noticed is that it simply is a way of manifesting energy. The way a scent, certain combination of words or a color can evoke something within you, then the point of various tools in magic rituals is simply to evoke a certain mood in you where you are better at manifesting the energies the way you wish them to.

Many successful people in the modern day has come there through some kind of magic simply by being strong at visualizing their dreams and manifesting them through intent. But it is important to add that one should choose the path that comes natural to oneself, if one is not good at this but can do it through rituals, then that is an equally worthy path to take. Repeating mantras is also a way some find valuable, but basically in anything practice makes perfect.

It is good that you are capable of sensing the energies, so my advise is to play (this is not saying not be careful where you place you feet) with the world of magic and notice the energies and find the path of magic that works best for you. Hope any of it is helpful ;)
Grief and sorrow grows on the far banks of the river Styx, go there and visit them and you might not find your own way back home. - Achilles

RandallS

  • Site Admin
  • *
  • Join Date: Jun 2011
  • Location: NE Ohio
  • Posts: 10311
  • Country: us
  • Total likes: 296
    • View Profile
  • Religion: Hellenic Pagan
Re: Beginning magic
« Reply #4 on: July 18, 2013, 07:54:14 am »
Quote from: maybeimawitch;116008
so I'm looking for books, web sites, or tips on beginning magic.

I've been recommending Mastering Witchcraft by Paul Huson for over 40 years now.
« Last Edit: July 18, 2013, 07:54:49 am by RandallS »
Randall
RetroRoleplaying [Blog]: Microlite74/75/78/81, BX Advanced, and Other Old School Tabletop RPGs
Microlite20: Lots of Rules Lite Tabletop RPGs -- Many Free

Jenett

  • Senior Staff
  • *
  • Join Date: Jun 2011
  • Location: Boston, MA
  • Posts: 3743
  • Country: us
  • Total likes: 1235
    • View Profile
    • Seeking: First steps on a path
  • Religion: Initiatory religious witchcraft
  • Preferred Pronouns: she/her
Re: Beginning magic
« Reply #5 on: July 18, 2013, 08:20:06 am »
Quote from: maybeimawitch;116008

Also is it okay to talk about magical workings as I am doing them? some say this makes them less effective but I don't understand why this would be?


The basic idea about not talking about magic after you do it is two fold:

First, psychologically speaking, there is a lot of potential power in doing something and then letting it go. (Generally, in this case, one does not talk about it until either the thing works or one is certain it's not going to: at that point, you can do further analysis and figure out what happened.)

Second, psychologically speaking again, it is awfully easy to undermine yourself (or to hear something from someone else when you discuss it, that can undermine your belief in the working.)

So, for example, you might do a spell for something, but then you bring it up. Why are you bringing it up? You may well feel, at some level, that you're not sure it's going to work (because that's why you want to talk about it: to reassure yourself it is, or to make sure you did everything you could to make it work.)

This is totally human, and totally reasonable - but it is also exceedingly simple for that to shift from "checking in" to "did it really go well?" And that just gets even easier when you're talking to other people, and especially in more than a very tightly knit setting.

So, for example, I will sometimes talk about ongoing magical work with a couple of close friends, who are extremely familiar with my practice, my life, and my current goals. But I don't talk about it generally, and I certainly wouldn't talk about it somewhere like this forum (much as I enjoy talking to everyone here!) because the chances of someone saying something dismissive or questioning in the wrong way is just too complicated to manage properly.

(and there's a lot of stuff where in one mood, when I'm well-rested and my health is not throwing fits and the weather doesn't have a pressure system forming, when a particular comment might be fine. And at another time - I've had less sleep, I'm stressed about something else, I've got a growing headache, whatever, that exact same comment might make me start doubting whether what I was doing was working.)

Either way, I try to keep that out of my magic. I do usually check in briefly (since a lot of what I do magically is longer-term work, and redirecting some of the energy after a month or two often makes sense) and make brief notes, but I do them privately, and I try to only do it at times when doing so will reinforce the work, not potentially diminish it.
Seek Knowledge, Find Wisdom: Research help on esoteric and eclectic topics (consulting and other services)

Seeking: first steps on a Pagan path (advice for seekers and people new to Paganism)

Tags:
 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
4 Replies
1783 Views
Last post January 28, 2012, 11:22:55 pm
by herkles
14 Replies
2220 Views
Last post October 20, 2012, 05:18:02 pm
by Valentine
1 Replies
1600 Views
Last post November 30, 2012, 07:20:37 pm
by RandallS
9 Replies
1765 Views
Last post October 21, 2013, 05:41:50 am
by Nuummite
97 Replies
12045 Views
Last post July 09, 2014, 08:49:42 am
by sailor

Beginner Area

Warning: You are currently in a Beginner Friendly area of the message board.

* Who's Online

  • Dot Guests: 178
  • Dot Hidden: 0
  • Dot Users: 1
  • Dot Users Online:

* Please Donate!

The Cauldron's server is expensive and requires monthly payments. Please become a Bronze, Silver or Gold Donor if you can. Donations are needed every month. Without member support, we can't afford the server.

* Shop & Support TC

The links below are affiliate links. When you click on one of these links you will go to the listed shopping site with The Cauldron's affiliate code. Any purchases you make during your visit will earn TC a tiny percentage of your purchase price at no extra cost to you.

* In Memoriam

Chavi (2006)
Elspeth (2010)
Marilyn (2013)

* Cauldron Staff

Host:
Sunflower

Message Board Staff
Board Coordinator:
Darkhawk

Assistant Board Coordinator:
Aster Breo

Senior Staff:
Aisling, Allaya, Jenett, Sefiru

Staff:
Ashmire, EclecticWheel, HarpingHawke, Kylara, PerditaPickle, rocquelaire

Discord Chat Staff
Chat Coordinator:
Morag

'Up All Night' Coordinator:
Altair

Cauldron Council:
Bob, Catja, Chatelaine, Emma-Eldritch, Fausta, Jubes, Kelly, LyricFox, Phouka, Sperran, Star, Steve, Tana

Site Administrator:
Randall

SimplePortal 2.3.6 © 2008-2014, SimplePortal