Donald Michael Kraig thought this inadequate because it means that any mundane act can be defined as magick. Kraig missed the greater point. Every act is magick! Regardless, he added the phrase, “using means not currently understood by Western science.” This neatly says we do weird things but I like Crowley’s definition better.
My definition of magick would mirror my definition of spirituality. Magick is the willed act of unfolding the soul. I can also be a bit more detailed. Magick is the willed act of unfolding the soul by creating meaningful change both within and without, using all means at one’s disposal.
My unverifiable personal gnosis is that the entire universe conspires to unfold our souls. While given events may take place on the continuum of painful to joyful, all of them are capable of allowing us to open up to the sun, if we willfully use them to do so. If we don’t, over lifetimes the process will work on its own. Spiritual people just speed up the process a little…or think we do.
This definition is obviously wrong. People use magick to do all sorts of things that does not unfold the soul, such as petty curses, meaningless sex, hiding from consequences, and the like. That said it is pretty hard to do real magick and not change yourself. It is pretty hard not to see the soul-restricting results of petty magicks. That eventually leads to growth a bit faster than the average human. The only people that successfully do magick that do not grow are the mentally ill and the willfully selfish. The latter group is pretty miserable from what I understand. They may look all happy and satisfied on the outside but inside, they know what they are. Observing the great lengths they go to in order to hide who they really are from others reveals their pain.
So, even though my definition is wrong, I feel it is also right. It is the best definition that I have. Allow me to repeat it.
Magick is the willed act of unfolding the soul by creating meaningful change both within and without, using all means at one’s disposal.
By ‘all means at one’s disposal,’ I mean those things that we consider magick; ritual, spirits, herbs, candle work, etc. I also mean the mundane. See everything you do and encounter as a spiritual experience and you will quickly learn what I mean. You will change.
Future posts will provide suggestions for creating change using everything at your disposal.
Next Topic: The Oath of the Abyss
Suggestions on future topics are welcomed.
10 comments:
Still as ableist as ever I see. You'd think your growth would help with that.
Especially when considering the varying people I've known whose psychological structure is of types that would be considered 'mentally ill' who have grown a great deal through magic and in general spiritually to the point that the relation between psi, spirituality and psychosis for example has been a major theme in some literature... literature which, along with some 'traditional' treatment of the matter in some societies, shows ways psychosis itself can be an introduction or means to spiritual emergence(the unfolding of the soul you refer to).
Your statement regarding the 'mentally ill' is wrong and frankly disgustingly ableist, which is a huge issue in the occult community that detracts from any claim it has to being anything close to spiritually advanced.
I have self-reapect. So normally when someone calls me or my ideas digusting or the like, I will not respond. Nor do I care to ne thrust into some politically incorrect category based upon a single statement.
In this case, since I should have said "some of the mentally ill" I will let it slide.
That said, a mental crisis is often the catalyst for growth, a serious illness I am not so sure. Some people with SMIs can be very intelligent and quite magickal but are simply not capable of of long term growth. I will stand by that. Sometimes particular incarnations bar us from doing certain things.
Having just reread your comment where you used "still" I will assune Insaid other things in the past that you have found offensive. So be it.
However, given you post as anonymous you have me at a disadvantage. I have no idea if we have met or spoken before.
Also about the 'disgusting'; I'm worried about what could be considered the genocide of my people since the general consensus in the world seems to be people like me shouldn't be born or should be altered to become more typical and the technology to ensure this is advancing(Crispr for example when combined with the large amounts of genetic research being done on these conditions), you've made statements and performed actions that are basically direct propaganda for that viewpoint and yet I'M somehow out of line when I call that disgusting? There is a real skewed sense of scale in that.
Couldn't you argue that things that others deem 'petty' could be beneficial to the person living that experience? What we see from the outside isn't the whole story. Also I would argue that meaningless sex (sex without the desire for a committed relationship) can have many benefits for the practitioner and can be a tool for personal growth. It doesn't work for everyone, and that is okay, but to put it in the same breath as avoiding consequences seems quick to judge. Actually that whole sentence kind of feels that way.
I don't think it is really for 'us' to decide how quickly someone else is evolving (or whether they are hindering their 'unfolding'). Share the tools to help someone grow but let them decide for themselves how they are getting along on their path. Otherwise you come across as smug and looking down, making assumptions about people that may or may not be true but surely not any of your business. Which I'm sure isn't where you're coming from.
Lastly you might want to consider rewriting your sentence on the definition of magic because read straight across it looks like you are saying 'without using all the means at your disposal'. Which of course isn't what you meant at all.
You could at least explain why you wouldn't post my other comment, since currently my only explanation is that it just seems you are completely unable/unwilling to handle criticism(or maybe you're just completely unwilling to handle criticism from members of groups you consider automatically lesser than you are). Especially since the one you did post makes more sense when combined with the context of the longer post you for some reason wouldn't let get through moderation.
Were the stars in the wrong position when I posted it or something?
I have approved every comment. There is nothing to explain.
I really appreciate this blog, and consider myself very lucky to have found it. Thanks Robert.
Thank you for saying so. Sometimes, I feel as if I am speaking into the void.
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