In my experience, spells are prayer by other means, and the magician's most important magical tools are his/her mind and body.
In my observation, the biggest motivation for claiming that one is not a "fortune teller" is that in certain states and cities, "fortune telling" is prescribed by law and "spiritual advice" is not.
But if one more of you tells me that you don't have to learn to divine properly because your "gift" comes "directly from God", I am going to have the 10 of Swords tattooed to your ASS while you sleep. Then I will laugh myself off my crystal ball when you DON'T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS!
"God gifted, no tools". You just make it all up.
This isn't only a pagan/new age problem!!! You mentioned preachers...hmm, could they be the ones who make up traditions in the name of "heritage", claim that they have a direct line to God and are thus accountable to no one, and insist that they don't need ritual because spontaneity is less pretentious and therefore superior? And then their spontaneous public prayers not only all sound alike, but all sound like recruitment drives?
Last night, for the second time in my life, I heard prayers of this kind offered at what was supposed to be a secular public memorial gathering. The speaker also came dangerously close to boasting of having "saved" the absent guest of honour in a most timely way. And here I'd been, constantly reminding myself that the tragic loss of someone who'd been my friend for seven years was Not All About Me! My friend was a human being, not a trophy cup or a first round draft pick for someone else to show off. My friend did not need to be "saved", never having been lost; one of the most spiritual people I've ever met, whose heart was too big to fit into the tiny display-case of anyone else's philosophy.
My friend was a good witch. The best witch, really. My friend's mum was a good witch too; fortunately the speaker backed off and admitted that they were now both in Heaven together.
The speaker is still a friend of mine, who I understand meant well, and with whom I do not intend to discuss last night, ever.
If this reply is too heavy and self-absorbed, I will replace it upon request with suitable Harry Potter and BtVS quotes.
In my experience, spells are prayer by other means, and the magician's most important magical tools are his/her mind and body.
I's sure that if some pray-ers thought more like 'magicians', they would have better luck with praying, and maybe even a better relationship with their God/s. There have been a few books like that, actually. Explaining the mechanics of 'prayer' and how to do it effectively, using principles that anyone whose experience and emphasis was termed 'magical' would recognize. Of course how well it works depends on your approach. There is a certain arrogance to some 'magical' procedures, that might not score you any points with the divinity of your choice. *g*
Anyway, I am tangenting, and probably about to inspire someone reading this stuff to ask me questions I don't feel inclined to try to answer.
Your comment is fine. It's great. :) Of course, I wouldn't mind a few HP and VS quotes in addition to what you already contributed. *g*
Ron: "Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow!"
Hermione: "It's not a very good spell, is it?"
***
BUFFY: So not stellar, hunh?
WILLOW: Talk, all talk. Blah blah Gaia Blah, blah, moon, menstral lifeforce power thingy. You know after a couple of sessions I was hoping we would get into something real but...
BUFFY: No actual witches in your witch group
WILLOW: No, bunch of wanna blessed bees. You know nowadays every girl with a Henna tattoo and a spice rack thinks she's a sister to the dark ones.
BUFFY: Will I'm sorry it was a bust. I know you were looking to go farther in that department
WILLOW: I'd just like to float something bigger than a pencil someday.
***
WILLOW: When you brought me here, I thought it was to kill me or to lock me in some mystical dungeon for all eternity or--with the torture. Instead, you go all Dumbledore on me. I'm learning about magic. All about energy and Gaia and root systems.
GILES: Do you want to be punished?
WILLOW: I wanna be Willow.
GILES: You are. In the end, we all are who we are, no matter how much we may appear to have changed.
***
Buffy: That doesn't really work for me. We're just going to the magic shop. No school supplies there. Dawn: Yeah, mum, I'm not going to Hogwarts. (She giggles at her own joke till she notices Buffy looking annoyed and confused.) Geez, crack a book sometime.
***
DAWN: I cast you out with every prayer from every god that walked the Earth and crawled beneath. I cast you out with the strength of those who love me. I cast your out with the strength I have inside me! I cast you out into the void. That's right! Die, you bastard!
In my observation, the biggest motivation for claiming that one is not a "fortune teller" is that in certain states and cities, "fortune telling" is prescribed by law and "spiritual advice" is not.
But if one more of you tells me that you don't have to learn to divine properly because your "gift" comes "directly from God", I am going to have the 10 of Swords tattooed to your ASS while you sleep. Then I will laugh myself off my crystal ball when you DON'T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS!
"God gifted, no tools". You just make it all up.
This isn't only a pagan/new age problem!!! You mentioned preachers...hmm, could they be the ones who make up traditions in the name of "heritage", claim that they have a direct line to God and are thus accountable to no one, and insist that they don't need ritual because spontaneity is less pretentious and therefore superior? And then their spontaneous public prayers not only all sound alike, but all sound like recruitment drives?
Last night, for the second time in my life, I heard prayers of this kind offered at what was supposed to be a secular public memorial gathering. The speaker also came dangerously close to boasting of having "saved" the absent guest of honour in a most timely way. And here I'd been, constantly reminding myself that the tragic loss of someone who'd been my friend for seven years was Not All About Me! My friend was a human being, not a trophy cup or a first round draft pick for someone else to show off. My friend did not need to be "saved", never having been lost; one of the most spiritual people I've ever met, whose heart was too big to fit into the tiny display-case of anyone else's philosophy.
My friend was a good witch. The best witch, really. My friend's mum was a good witch too; fortunately the speaker backed off and admitted that they were now both in Heaven together.
The speaker is still a friend of mine, who I understand meant well, and with whom I do not intend to discuss last night, ever.
If this reply is too heavy and self-absorbed, I will replace it upon request with suitable Harry Potter and BtVS quotes.
Reply
I's sure that if some pray-ers thought more like 'magicians', they would have better luck with praying, and maybe even a better relationship with their God/s. There have been a few books like that, actually. Explaining the mechanics of 'prayer' and how to do it effectively, using principles that anyone whose experience and emphasis was termed 'magical' would recognize. Of course how well it works depends on your approach. There is a certain arrogance to some 'magical' procedures, that might not score you any points with the divinity of your choice. *g*
Anyway, I am tangenting, and probably about to inspire someone reading this stuff to ask me questions I don't feel inclined to try to answer.
Your comment is fine. It's great. :) Of course, I wouldn't mind a few HP and VS quotes in addition to what you already contributed. *g*
Reply
Hermione: "It's not a very good spell, is it?"
***
BUFFY: So not stellar, hunh?
WILLOW: Talk, all talk. Blah blah Gaia Blah, blah, moon, menstral lifeforce power thingy. You know after a couple of sessions I was hoping we would get into something real but...
BUFFY: No actual witches in your witch group
WILLOW: No, bunch of wanna blessed bees. You know nowadays every girl with a Henna tattoo and a spice rack thinks she's a sister to the dark ones.
BUFFY: Will I'm sorry it was a bust. I know you were looking to go farther in that department
WILLOW: I'd just like to float something bigger than a pencil someday.
***
WILLOW: When you brought me here, I thought it was to kill me or to lock me in some mystical dungeon for all eternity or--with the torture. Instead, you go all Dumbledore on me. I'm learning about magic. All about energy and Gaia and root systems.
GILES: Do you want to be punished?
WILLOW: I wanna be Willow.
GILES: You are. In the end, we all are who we are, no matter how much we may appear to have changed.
***
Buffy: That doesn't really work for me. We're just going to the magic shop.
No school supplies there.
Dawn: Yeah, mum, I'm not going to Hogwarts. (She giggles at her own joke
till she notices Buffy looking annoyed and confused.) Geez, crack a book
sometime.
***
DAWN: I cast you out with every prayer from every god that walked the Earth and crawled beneath. I cast you out with the strength of those who love me. I cast your out with the strength I have inside me! I cast you out into the void. That's right! Die, you bastard!
Reply
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