The Practice of Magic
"Watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it." -Roald Dahl
Magic is a layered and transformative act. Its power lies in taking the mundane and imbuing it with spirit. Where someone else might see a candle, you see a focal point of power. They see a table covered in various objects, you see an altar of worship. It is this constant internal process of re-framing the world at large that lets us re-enchant it. By using symbolic thinking, you transform iron into gold. A sigil attracts love and devotion, a pentagram drawn in the air banishes bad luck and a spoken word calls in a spirit guide. We give the universe meaning with our thoughts and will. This is the foundation of magic.
Magic is both an act of will
and an act of submission. You
must open up and trust the universe.
Sometimes the practice of magic is something done quietly and internally. Or sometimes it's done during a rite or ceremony. But the underlying process is the same. If you ask a witch when they do magic, most will answer that they do it all the time. That might sound odd. You might envision someone walking around all day muttering spells and incantations. Magic is so much more than casting spells. It’s changing the world and changing the world is a lot of work.
Magic is both an act of will and of an act submission. You must open up and trust the universe. Much of what is below will seem like self-help advice. Magic is a real and subtle force. Our thoughts can change reality, but none of it is easy. You don't light a candle and suddenly get a bank account full of money. It is a life-long practice. And it starts with a foundation of simple exercises.
Finding your path – Following your gut
You won't find a rule book or a single person to tell you exactly how to practice. Even this article can be thrown out. In all cases, you must follow your gut. You may learn a ritual or spell that rings true but in the middle of performing it feel the impulse to improvise or change things. Always, always, always, follow that instinct.
Honing your instinct is one of the most vital aspects of your craft. There are many names for your instinctual self. Some refer to it as their higher self, subconscious, guardian angels, or holy daimons. Whatever you choose to call this guiding force the more comfortable you are with it, the better a magician you will be.
You are the creator of your own journey. Follow your spark, curate your desires, and hone your instincts. Magic can be found everywhere if you trust yourself. Finding alignment with the universe means you can sense the underlying energies and tap into them.
Introspection and Contemplation - Creating truth from chaos.
Witchcraft is a religion of work, and much of that is self-work. We experience life through the lens of self. We are the center of every experience we have. Since the day you were born you've only seen things from your perspective, and through your eyes. Thus, self-work will always be the foundation of your craft.
For example, if you want a loving relationship, the first step of that spell is to love yourself. If you feel unlovable, other people will pick up on that. This doesn't mean that you ARE unlovable, or that you need to change yourself completely. It most likely means you need to take a hard look in the mirror and discover the beauty that is already there. This applies to every spell you do. Most spells require you to start with yourself.
Many religions touch on rules or ethical codes to follow. Witchcraft asks you to find those rules yourself and to embody them in full. It is one thing to abstain from what someone else defines as sin. It's wholly another to discover your darker self and fight the battle there. To wage war on your home turf takes dedication.
Pay attention to how your own thoughts change your perspective of the world. Your perception is your reality. Look at both you inner and outer worlds to find and remove the things that do not serve you.
Rituals & Rites – Celebrating the divine
Rites, ceremonies, and rituals are at the heart of witchcraft. Embracing the changing seasons, or the phases of the moon helps aligns us with the earth. You don't have to honor the Sabbats as written in any book. You could create your own meaningful rites. I live in the northeastern part of the united states and winters are long. Observing the seasons helps me find light when the days are short and the nights are long.
The moon cycles are a perfect time to perform a ritual. These times feel ripe with power. You can look up into the sky and see the source. You can observe the subtle shift in the people around you. Imbuing the world with magic means noticing the small things. Maybe it's a full moon in Sagittarius. Instead of going to work and sitting dully at our desks, we watch the world sing with the Sagittarian power and spontaneity. When we are tapped into these energies, we can keep our balance in our hectic lives.
Rituals can be as elaborate or as simple as you like. You probably have little everyday routines already. Using what we already know, we can enchant them with magic. A facial care regime can become a beauty ritual. A morning cup of tea turns into a daily devotion. And journaling becomes a powerful act of expression.
Look for the quiet places in your life that deserve your honor. Pay attention to the cycles of the earth and how they affect you. This is where you will build your craft. This is your place of power.