The Efficacy of Magic

Pt. 1

Wishes, Prayers, Meditation, and Magick Ritual

If Magick is the art and science of bringing future events into accordance with one’s own will, on the scale of effectiveness, wishes have the least power. They are merely desires cloaked with no method of bringing them into actuality, no more effective than daydreams. Often they are clouded by anger, selfishness, acquisitiveness, and aggrandizement. Their chief benefit is to identify and objectify the true will, but they are inefficient even at this. No matter how strong the emotions or the mind power of the person, from a metaphysical point of view, wishes have no effect at all.

Higher on the scale is prayer. Prayer invokes a higher power, but places the person in a submissive position, like a child asking a parent for a favor. It is up to the will of the parent, not the child, whether the wishes are fulfilled. Prayer’s chief effectiveness is to bring solace to the individual when all else has failed and events are out of his control.

Meditation is more powerful. Meditation centers the individual so that the true will can express itself in your mind, and also allows for the intervention of the cosmic, or collective consciousness. There is some evidence that meditation allows the liberation of thought forms and psychic bodies to influence both your own thoughts and the thoughts of others. Meditation will always be beneficial to the individual consciousness, but cannot be depended on to influence future events.

Of the four methods mentioned, Magick Ritual is by far the most powerful, because magick ritual , properly applied and executed, works every time.

Also, it relies on the will of the individual, and is not subject to moral considerations or the consent of an external agency.

Magick traditionally assumes that the magician is the executor of God’s will on earth, hence his power is omnipotent. However, there are conditions on this.

Magick relies on the laws of nature to bring about its effects. Therefore anything “moted” by the magician must be possible under the laws of nature to come about. The magician can no more make the sun rise in the west or call down lightning and thunder from a clear sky than can modern scientists. However, to the extent that random or chance circumstance can change a situation, some influence can be had even on the weather.

Also, time must be considered. Change can only occur as a result of cause and effect. A sequence of events must be put in motion which will take some time to reach it’s target in order to effect change. The concept of causing change at a distance, instantaneously, as if by raising a finger or waving a wand, is a myth.

Magick, the science of ordering future events in accordance with one’s own will, often acts through random circumstance, meaningful coincidence (or synchronicity), misperception or misinterpretation of natural occurrences, and the influence of thought forms and non physical entities on the emotions and intuitions. In other words, it may set up the conditions and circumstances in which change may occur, but without taking appropriate actions and efforts on the physical plane, it may not occur. For instance, one may “mote” that they have a successful career as a popular musician. However, if they do not make the preparation of first learning ho to play, it may still be impossible. One may “mote” that a book they have written be published, but if they never send it into the publishers, it will never happen.

Emotions, wishes, desires may be transitory, but magick is forever. Magick ritual fires off thought forms and non-physical entities, which will hit their mark. Therefore consider strongly your motives before you do it, because if you change your mind later, it will be too late to stop it.

The element of faith is also imperative. The magician must believe unfalteringly in his own abilities and the efficacy of magick. He must believe that to the extent that it is possible under the laws of nature, what he desires will come about, and that if it doesn’t occur immediately, it will occur at some time further in the future.

Magick is both an art and a science, and regardless of natural ability, the talent and skill must be developed. Power in magick is directly proportionate to knowledge. There is a tradition that witches are born or else must learn the craft during this life. But in either case, the techniques of magick remain the same and must be practiced by either. Spells must be consecrated properly during magick ritual to be effective. Spells learned out of a book by novice witches may or may not be effective, and early success may lead to a false sense of power. Excess energy, either positive or negative, will likely recoil against the individual. Magick can be used for either good or evil, and ravages of destruction can be accomplished. However, as in all things, evil may backfire, sometimes with devastating results. False belief, or belief in a false premise, will always lead to your undoing. The study of magick, by its very nature, is fraught with illusion and paradox. Certain practices of a magickal nature, seals, sigils, and invocations, for instance, act as psychic energizers, which unleash forces or energies in the novice, which may be difficult to control. there is nothing frivolous or lighthearted about it. Early successes may be turned against you. No one, regardless of how innocent or pure their motivations, is exempt from the danger of their own actions.

(Also, there is no such thing as White Magick, which would be magick practiced without taking responsibility for your own actions. White Magick does not exist. As soon as you begin dabbling or tampering with the will of others, no matter how self-righteous, you have already crossed the line into the only true magick, Black Magick.)

Once in trouble, no amount of religious piety, good karma, or calling out to Jesus or Jehovah is going to save you. The only weapon you have is knowledge -- right knowledge. Knowledge may be said to consist of study and experience. But no matter how much study, it will be difficult to avoid misunderstanding, because so much information if transmitted symbolically, and is useless without knowing the meaning of the symbols. And no matter how much experience, it will be almost impossible to avoid misunderstanding, because things are not as they appear, and even non-physical entities may be unable or unwilling to reveal the truth to you. Therefore it is incumbent for a magician who seeks to achieve mastery and not just be the victim of his own hallucinations and delusions, at some point in his life to undertake initiation in a duly accredited mystical order, of which there are several. According to Aleister Crowley, the neophyte, before initiation, can have no knowledge, no power, and has a grade of 0°. All he has is his pride, his excessive ego, his foolishness, and his ignorance. After his initiation and subsequent instruction by initiates of a higher degree, he will learn the meaning of the symbols and his understanding will increase. Also , he will align himself with the tradition of the Mystical Brotherhood, and take his place in the lineage of the hierarchy. His ability to control and influence non-physical entities with increase markedly, and his misunderstanding of the nature of reality will decrease. Also, he will have put his feet firmly at last on the path that will lead him to mastery. It is the only sure way to achieve power in magick.

There is no quick fix in magick, no magic wand to wave or magic word to speak which will solve your problems or make you powerful. It is a solemn road, one fought with danger, not for the faint of heart, one far more difficult than the road taken by one who is not a magician, and one that once begun must be continued for the rest of your life. But with the difficulty of the endeavor come rewards proportionate to the task, concerning personal growth, magickal attainment, wisdom, understanding, and peace of mind.