Safety Concerns

[Sophia C]

I'm not a fan of escape clauses in magic, or other things.  Some things aren't good for everyone and there's no way to make it so.  Adding "for the good of all" seems, to me, like a way to avoid thinking through the consequences of action.

 
Not to mention that there are some traditions which have no problem with causing harm, and which can be demonised by white-lighters as a result - but which I think are really just more honest about the consequences of magic, personally. The whole point of magic, IMO, is to make changes in the world that benefit me. Is that going to affect someone else? Almost certainly - but then, so does every action I take, magical or not. I'm not a Wiccan and I don't believe in 'harm none'. Actions have consequences.

[Sage]

Not to mention that there are some traditions which have no problem with causing harm, and which can be demonised by white-lighters as a result - but which I think are really just more honest about the consequences of magic, personally. The whole point of magic, IMO, is to make changes in the world that benefit me. Is that going to affect someone else? Almost certainly - but then, so does every action I take, magical or not. I'm not a Wiccan and I don't believe in 'harm none'. Actions have consequences.

"Harm none" is absolutely impossible. Show me someone who thinks their choices don't negatively impact someone somewhere and I'll show you someone with their head so far in the sand they're striking oil. Besides, what about magic to stop a really bad person? Why would I want "and harm to none" anywhere near a spell, say, to catch a campus rapist or to bring George Zimmerman to justice?

The world is full of things that need to be culled back. It is okay to not be peace and love and butterfly farts at people.

[luc798]

"Harm none" is absolutely impossible. Show me someone who thinks their choices don't negatively impact someone somewhere and I'll show you someone with their head so far in the sand they're striking oil. Besides, what about magic to stop a really bad person? Why would I want "and harm to none" anywhere near a spell, say, to catch a campus rapist or to bring George Zimmerman to justice?

The world is full of things that need to be culled back. It is okay to not be peace and love and butterfly farts at people.

Yes, I agree on this. I mean, if I wanted everything to continue as it is going without affecting universal order or whatever, then I wouldn't be putting a spell.
I can't possible think of everyway a spell could go wrong, so I do add the "keeping' it cool, without harm" clause.

The only way a spell has backlashed on me it was my fault, for not grounding, centering and banishing after the ritual. After finishing I was feeling very charged aand... I didn't banish/ground myself to channel all this energy after I was done, which made me dangerously anxious.

[Jabberwocky]

Are there anythings I should be concerned about safety wise when experimenting with magic?

 
Make sure you have something non magical planned for afterwards.  I'm not personally into elaborate banishing rituals.  But a bath, watching Wheel of Fortune, playing computer games, anything that will relax you in a mundane way.

Generally though (and there are people that would disagree with this strongly), I've always taken the approach that it's best to just try stuff, albeit it with a bit of research.  It's near impossible to second guess all the potential pitfalls just deal with them as they arise.  It might make stuff a bit less safe, but it allows for more experimentation.

Apart from leaving candles unattended.  Do not do this.

[luc798]

Make sure you have something non magical planned for afterwards.  I'm not personally into elaborate banishing rituals.  But a bath, watching Wheel of Fortune, playing computer games, anything that will relax you in a mundane way.

Generally though (and there are people that would disagree with this strongly), I've always taken the approach that it's best to just try stuff, albeit it with a bit of research.  It's near impossible to second guess all the potential pitfalls just deal with them as they arise.  It might make stuff a bit less safe, but it allows for more experimentation.

Apart from leaving candles unattended.  Do not do this.

Yes this is great advice!

And also, don't meditate with closed eyes and long hair close to candles... I think you can imagine why :p

[Themagicalone]

Yes this is great advice!

And also, don't meditate with closed eyes and long hair close to candles... I think you can imagine why :p

 
I have heard that one mustn't summon that they can't banish. Don't bite off more than you can chew. I hear people can have their souls and minds tormented over a period of time if they perform a ritual incorrectly even if their intentions were good or use it for bad or unethical purposes. Sometimes I've heard people suffer side effects depending on which kind of magic they use but it's usually for bad or unethical purposes, like nightmares, throwing up, hallucinations, ect. I sometimes see magic as special science experiments. If you add a certain chemical or add too much of something, it can blow up in your face.

[NanLT]

I have heard that one mustn't summon that they can't banish. Don't bite off more than you can chew. I hear people can have their souls and minds tormented over a period of time if they perform a ritual incorrectly even if their intentions were good or use it for bad or unethical purposes. Sometimes I've heard people suffer side effects depending on which kind of magic they use but it's usually for bad or unethical purposes, like nightmares, throwing up, hallucinations, ect. I sometimes see magic as special science experiments. If you add a certain chemical or add too much of something, it can blow up in your face.

I would add a corollary to this. Don't summon anything in a language you can't understand.

[Jack]

I would add a corollary to this. Don't summon anything in a language you can't understand.

 
And don't speak Latin to the books!

[Emma Eldritch]

And don't speak Latin to the books!

 
And before you pick up the books, .

[Jabberwocky]

I have heard that one mustn't summon that they can't banish.

 
That's Lovecraft isn't it?

Never summon anything bigger than your own head.  Or, if you must, bigger than your own ego.