So by now, you’ve thought about it…I can tell you are more curious about magick.  Here is an article I have written about the basics of practicing Western Ritual Magick.  These conclusions are based on my experiences with actually doing these things, as well as research I have done…about 15 years worth.

In our modern magick of the west, what we have is essentially, an amalgam of what has been recorded, set down in word or translatable symbol, of times and cultures past.  It is a blend…heavy on western civilizations’ traditions obviously, but with other cultures now thrown into the mix.  There is no one way or right way…whatever works is whatever works, magick is all is the same…..eastern vs western, reconstructionist, neo…whatever..those arguments are lame and ineffectual (I want results…do you?) But it is mainly Western Modern Magick I will speak of today.

In this magick, there are building blocks.  Four “elements”, plus the addition of what is called “spirit”, which could be said as the activator, the force behind energy, a god-energy, or the ability we possess (given to us from our creator) to do magick..(it may be likened to ”the force”, in the movie Star Wars).  The elements are fire, earth, air, and water.  As the physical realm we live in could be said to have these physical elements, so it is said that these elements exist on another plane, in which they are slightly different.  They are finer, lighter, more subtle, they are blueprints…guidelines…we can manipulate things easier, perhaps, in this other “plane”.

This plane of existence is thought of as astral, or ethereal….whatever term you want to use…perhaps we go there, or through there, upon entering our dream state.  But the in human mind dream state, the ego sleeps, and the “Id” is left untrained, uncontrollable, it is the childlike aspect of our brains, that Carl Jung speaks of.  It takes run of the roost…the super-conscience is slowed down, repressed, or angered, by the childlike control of the Id.

So dream-time is perhaps, theoretically, a place where you could use your will in accordance to get what you want, causing change to occur in whatever situation, in whatever way you wished, and then see it physically manifest in this plane we are in.  Perhaps we could train to do this, but dream-time is still chaos for modern man at this time, and I don’t see that as an easily changeable thing.

That brings me to chaos… an important term.  I create order out of chaos as a magician.  I create a circle around myself, energetically, to divide the chaos and order.  Because what I’m doing is creating order out of chaos.  The physical realm (or conscience state) is, like the astral or ethereal “realms”,  a sea of chaotic energies,  an ever changing energetic ocean, where order or structure must be created, to achieve some sort of manifestation, or solidification, in this physical world.

I use the word realm, as a way to describe the mind state we need to get to, to start causing changes around us.  In the beginning, by “drawing” or “cutting” a boundary around ourselves, or by simply thinking it to be there, and then knowing it is there,  we are creating the place where we can control everything, our own castle in a way. (I will get to the ‘towers in another article…too much for one day).  So now, we are in the mind state where we can control everything, and then with efforts, actually see it manifest outside the circle (in the physical realm, or conscience state).  That is why the circle is so important, in my experience, because trying to do magick without a circle is like trying to drink a glass of wine under the water.

So in our circle, then we must have some sort of source for energy that we can manipulate, because we cant use our own.  Maybe that is why I call upon the element of “water”.  I’m calling something to myself, that I may change, alter, manipulate, to make into what I want.  But why water?  Because I use the term water to describe what I am calling to myself…if I need a source of energy that is refreshing, healing, revitalizing, then I use the word water to describe this.   In the astral realm, or, our little castle-like circle, I can do whatever I want with “water”.  It responds to me, and only to me.  I program it to do something, the energy remembers, I open my castle gates, and let it out on its merry way in the physical realm, to do as I have programmed it to do.

So technically, you don’t have to use “fire, earth, air, water and spirit”, but I find these 5 terms (now, by constant repetitive use by us humans, and having derived its own special power from our repetitive use of it) to be of special effectiveness.  Yes I have called 4 winds, 4 watchers, 5 colors, three norns, dragons, gods, etc.. I have called limitless “things” and “energies” into my circle, and you will perhaps do that too.  But with these basic, and by now familiar, 5 aspects of  magick (hence, the 5 pointed star) I recommend starting out with these, and of course, using the circle too.

The circle should be drawn clockwise, or deosil (pronounced jessil) for rituals that need to attract or grow things.  Traditionally, you start your circle in the quarter of the east, but it is up to you to decide what feels best. For rituals or spells that need to repel or reduce, or banish, cast it counterclockwise, if you are brave enough, called widdershins.  When you are all done with your magical ritual or endeavor, you need to release or send out what you have called forth.

When you call something, you will have to be in control, you will have to tell “it” to leave when your all done, otherwise, things do hang around.  Energies have to have a full purpose…they need to know what it is there supposed to do, and they rely upon your completeness in programming to know how to do it  (one exception…don’t ask or tell a god to leave, they’re not the ones that will do your little task for you anyways…they are not servants, and they don’t do our bidding).  Then lastly, open, pull up, or pull in, your circle.  Don’t ever banish it.

By the way, for those of you that want to actually do this, It helps to form your own sort of magical “correspondence” chart.  If you are calling things to your circle, then you must know how to be successful at this.  You want a response..you want to attract a certain thing, or maybe repel….certain things.  Symbols…its about that.  Lining things up…how can I explain this….well, here’s mine.  Just take a look, and let the chart explain itself.

Earth is North, midnight, winter, black, feminine (yin), cold and dry, stable, constrictive/productive, growth or decay, predictable, reliable, hardworking, trustworthy, stubborn, concentrated, Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn, Saturn, Venus, Friday, Saturday.  It is herbs, soil, flowers, stones, gems, food, money, the pentacle, the suit of coins, the pages.

Air is East, dawn, spring, yellow, masculine (yang), hot and moist, invisible, non-conforming, intelligence, poetry, inspiration, objectiveness, thoughts, unpredictable/balanced, clarity, Gemini, Libra, Aquarius, Mercury, Uranus, Wednesday.  It is breath, a feather, a fan, the athame, the suit of swords, the kings.

Fire is South, noon, summer, red, masculine (yang), hot and dry, creative/destructive, purification, power unadulterated, action, the will, determination, war, conflict. Aries, Leo, Sagittarius, Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday.  It is a candle, the wand, the flame, matches, dry branches and papers, the suit of wands, the knights.

Water is West, dusk, autumn, blue, feminine (yin), cold and wet, conforming or uncontrollable, overwhelming, irrational/emotional, refreshing, nurturing, reviving, healing.  There is either too much, or not enough (excessiveness/depletion).  Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces, Moon, Pluto (?), Neptune, Monday.  It is the chalice, wine, water, the suit of cups, the queens.

The more things you can line up, the more success you will have at attracting the right energies to your circle,  controlling and programming them, and then seeing the results manifest.  For if life is a constant sea of energy, then we must have some sort of way to control it.

Maybe some of you are curious about what I call Magick.  I, like many others, add the “k” to this word sometimes, to differentiate between what I do as a practicing witch (I dont really like that term either, I like…magician..or..sorceress) and what the stage artist does, with pulling a rabbit out of a hat.

Magick is, by accepted definition, the process of using ones’ will to cause changes, whether it be change within, or change without, oneself .  Well then, dont we do this on a daily basis, with just any action, to accomplish any goal?  Then am I doing magick right now? As my goal is to educate, so my action is then writing this article.  Then isnt this then, by definition, magick?  I will say No, because I make a differential right here:

A “regular” action is… writing, putting your shoes on, acing an interview cuz you got skills like dat, whatever.  Those are all things we do on a daily basis, our regular actions, to achieve our goals.

But what if I told you there were ways of doing things that were not “regular”, that were not “daily”, that used other means to achieve the same goal, or, more, importantly, that add extraordinary strength, power, and effectiveness to ones success in achieving ones goals?

This may be called a magickal act.  It is different then a regular act, by at least a few ways:
Magick uses a mental process, that could be said to trick the human brain…lull it into a state of being, where the word or concept of “impossible” ceases to exist.  To get to this state of being, people do certain things… ritual processes, drugs, suppression of one or part or all of the 5 senses, or symbolism, that tap into an ancient and prehistoric file, in the human brain, that somehow  restores certain abilities…. that can only be described, in generic terms, as “magickal”.

I mentioned symbolism…Im sure a few of you know…how cute, ….a love spell, light a pink candle, on Friday, when the moon is waxing, preferable in the signs of Taurus or Libra, put roses around the candle.  Slice an apple crosswise, and look at the star…etc…. that is a common spell that works, if done by one who knows what their actually doing.  That is symbolism, and those actions, not exactly “regular”, may somehow lull the magician into a state of being, so that their own mind, their own personal energy, can effect the situation around them, drawing love to themselves. 

Your probably saying, why doesnt she just go out and meet new people, internet date, blah blah blah…well I say, what if she has tried all those things, done all that crap, and she is still lonely?  What if doing this symbolic gesture, puts her own brain into a frame of mind where it can finally draw to itself, that which the arms, hands, feet, and mouth, have not been able to draw?…love.

The universe is made up of energy, and energy exists in particles and waves.  The human mind gives off energy, and must certainly, then, be capable of effecting the environs around itself, even without physical actions, or physical manipulation of the world around itself,  by its corporeal body (hands, feet, arms, mouth etc)
A pretty spell like the one above is effective, and magickal, but the real goal of the magician is to ultimately be able to simply to think up what the goal is, and then make it happen, without having to light a candle, or slice an apple.

So, is magick then, just doin’ stuff with your brain, instead of your arms, legs, mouth, etc?  Perhaps yes, but, dont discount how much farther, and more effective, the brain can effect its surroundings, then, as compared to ordinary physical maneuvers.
In my opinion, magick assists us, it is there for us to use, there are no secrets…I believe magick is an art form, once learned, can create a thing of beauty, or a thing of ugliness, depending on the artist….and the viewer.

Everyone has the ability to be psychic, and you all know you have “those times” when you just knew what was going to happen, prior to it actually occuring.  Perhaps along the course of human evolution, we have lost some of our psychic faculties, as development in things like language and art, science and reasoning, have shaped and altered human life, and have caused changes to our senses.  Our extra sense does exist, and you can reclaim it, with some efforts.

Here is a brief article on basic divination for begginers….. doing simple things like this does help strengthen your psychism.

The definition of divination is …1.The act of divining; a foreseeing of future events;  2. An indication of what is secret; augury omens; prediction.

That being said, there is usually whats called a “medium” in divination.  The medium is anything you want it to be.  The clouds passing by in the sky, the tea leaves left in a cup and saucer, tarot cards, sticks stones, shells bones….oil on water, and for the advanced diviners…scrying into a flame, a crystal, a dark mirror, a blank computer screen, drops of blood swirled around in a glass of water.  I think you get the point.  Anyways, choose your medium based on what is calling you (ie…the thing you cant stop hearing about inside your head) and try to have an open mind.

Take your medium (shuffle and mix your cards, roll and toss your sticks and bones) put a few drops of olive oil in a glass of water and swirl it.   Clear your mind as you do this..now think of a question…what is it you wish to know?(careful what you wish for)   Look at the oil on the water as it settles into a shape.  What images or shapes do you get from the oil?  Does it resemble an animal?  If so, what does that animal personally mean to you?  If you are a dog person, and you see cat, chances are, the answer to your question is one you wont like hearing.  Do you see a dragon?  Then the answer to your question is that you will have strong success.  Do you see a heart torn apart?  Uhoh.  Basically, look at the shapes, the negative and postive space from the oil and water.  Then interpret the shape based on what value system and symbol correspondance you have in your life.

Here is another example.  Lets say you and a friend are outside enjoying the sunshine, and you are tired of him complaining about when hes going to find a new job.  Try out your diviantion technique with cloud divining.  Clouds are one of the best and easiest ways to learn divination, strengthen psychic gifts, and it does put you in synchronicity with the element of air, making you smarter, more creative, happier, and uplifted.  Anyways, … the clouds…fast moving, billowy, low to the earth, moist…these will yield the most accurate results.  Forget about using high stratus or even slow lumbering cumulous. Low and moist, fast puffy ones are best.

Hear your friends question inside your mind, trust in yourself…now…what is that cloud turning into?  Does it look like a car?  Then your friend will very soon get a job.  Does it look like a boat?  This ship may move slow.  Is the cloud looking like a turtle?  Tell your friend to get off his ass and pound the pavement!  Wait….is the cloud separating?  Into how many pieces?  He may not get the job until as many weeks pass as the cloud has divided into parts.

Give it a try…it takes a few times, but record what you get from your “readings” and check back after a decent amount of time has passed.  As you become familiar with your own symbol system, and you learn to relax, you will see accuracy.