Hidden Children of the Goddess
Today I received an email from a person inquiring whether magic was real. Reading it made me realize something about myself, which I'm not sure is all positive, but probably does worth looking into.
That person writes, "so many people seem to believe in magical stuff, so there must be something to it, but I just don't buy into all those stories of telekinesis, mind-reading, changing one's eye color and astral travel. I read in your website that magic is the art of causing change in accordance with will, but this seems like an empty and arrogant slogan. Could you please provide me with some examples of how magic is used to cause actual changes?"
Of course, I could. I could do the whole "inner change as a catalyst for external change" spiel. I could talk about where magical comes from, how it's raises, and how it's used. I could give examples of spells and magical workings that worked for me. But I don't want to. I don't want to spend half an hour of my time carefully phrasing thought-out sentences for a person who wants "proofs" for magic, and who's attracted to things like changing one's eye color. He's not kin. He's not priests and kings. He's not into the magic that I know and love, and that I see working and manifesting in the real world *every day*.
I used to care that the general public is not informed about the true nature of magic and witchcraft. Today I realized that I don't care so much anymore. I think it's even convenient for me now that people are not informed. They think it's all hogwash anyway, so they don't bother me. I end up with enough time to actually do the work of walking between the worlds instead of wasting my time informing the idly curious. Deep down, I think that I'm even glad to see scam "witches" selling telekinesis and instant astral travel for the masses. They get background noise. I get privacy. I get to do work. I get to learn from other witches. I get to share information with other practitioners in peace. I get to experience magic undisturbed.
I'm probably exhausted by being at the forefront of witchcraft in my country for 3 years. I'm probably burned out by too much contact with the media, and teenagers, and atheists, and people looking for a new hobby. And I can't help thinking: do non-practitioners really need to be informed? Am I truly obliged to explain the mechanics and details of magic to the public? Why is it any of the its business anyway? These days, It is very tempting for me to give the impression that really, magic doesn't work, there's nothing special about it, move on, move along, nothing to see here.
That person writes, "so many people seem to believe in magical stuff, so there must be something to it, but I just don't buy into all those stories of telekinesis, mind-reading, changing one's eye color and astral travel. I read in your website that magic is the art of causing change in accordance with will, but this seems like an empty and arrogant slogan. Could you please provide me with some examples of how magic is used to cause actual changes?"
Of course, I could. I could do the whole "inner change as a catalyst for external change" spiel. I could talk about where magical comes from, how it's raises, and how it's used. I could give examples of spells and magical workings that worked for me. But I don't want to. I don't want to spend half an hour of my time carefully phrasing thought-out sentences for a person who wants "proofs" for magic, and who's attracted to things like changing one's eye color. He's not kin. He's not priests and kings. He's not into the magic that I know and love, and that I see working and manifesting in the real world *every day*.
I used to care that the general public is not informed about the true nature of magic and witchcraft. Today I realized that I don't care so much anymore. I think it's even convenient for me now that people are not informed. They think it's all hogwash anyway, so they don't bother me. I end up with enough time to actually do the work of walking between the worlds instead of wasting my time informing the idly curious. Deep down, I think that I'm even glad to see scam "witches" selling telekinesis and instant astral travel for the masses. They get background noise. I get privacy. I get to do work. I get to learn from other witches. I get to share information with other practitioners in peace. I get to experience magic undisturbed.
I'm probably exhausted by being at the forefront of witchcraft in my country for 3 years. I'm probably burned out by too much contact with the media, and teenagers, and atheists, and people looking for a new hobby. And I can't help thinking: do non-practitioners really need to be informed? Am I truly obliged to explain the mechanics and details of magic to the public? Why is it any of the its business anyway? These days, It is very tempting for me to give the impression that really, magic doesn't work, there's nothing special about it, move on, move along, nothing to see here.