Reading through Forums, I Just Thought to Myself...

[loreleyjacob]

So, erm, what's the difference between "prayer and energy requests" and "spell-begging"? We forumists gladly give one, but become all self-righteous about the other. We don't give out spells. We don't do spells for other people. Not even spells for "good" purposes like finding a job

Comments

[queenofhalves]

prayers go through deity; very little of the energy comes from me. spells require quite a bit of my time and resources.

maybe?

[kirakira]

I like that idea. Answering an energy-request is sort of like making a wish for that person, and the universe seems generally pro-wish. (That's not to say that they all come true, but it's meaningful to send them out.)

If someone's plight touches my heart and I send them a breath or some energy, that's a lot different than performing a spell for them. "Sending energy" is a way for me to practice compassion, to get to that place where I wish others to be happy, well, and free from suffering. (Regardless of if I think they're excessively whiny or brought their problem on themselves.)

[pjvj]

>>>We don't give out spells. We don't do spells for other people. Not even spells for "good" purposes like finding a job.<<<

I'll give out spells, though I do ask for details and what they have on hand first.

I don't always send energy, either. I guess I'm an odd one.

[jenett]

Writing up rules and guidelines for somewhere, I was very careful to put in something along the following: "We are not a fellowship forum. This doesn't mean we can't offer support, good wishes, or other steps we feel are appropriate. However, please do not offer *other* people's energy (i.e. "We're all wishing you well" or "We're all sending healing thoughts) because that may not be appropriate for the situation, and not everyone approaches these issues in the same way.

Or something like that. Less than coherent right now.

Personally, I rarely send energy *unless* I have an ongoing relationship witht he person directly requesting it. (Or a rare number of times, with the person asking: to the point I feel comfortable with their explantion of consent, specifity, etc.)

I do believe there are some times it's useful - healing, for example, when someone may not have the energy to spare themselves, even when they normally have the skill. But sending willy-nilly never made sense to me either.

[kabuki_no_kaze]

As for energy: what Jenett said.

As for spells, those I'll give out freely. I've never seen why not. I'll give out actual food recipes freely, since it doesn't cost me anything to do so, and I don't think spells are really much different. I guess that's my folk magic background speaking: I tend to assume that most 'practitioners' are amateurs who just want to get something done, not people who have (or want) extensive training in magic. But then, most of the spells I might consider giving them should work just fine for a sufficiently determined amateur; folk magic is designed with such people in mind.

It really is like cooking - yes, someone with enough expertise to improvise their own recipes will probably get better results. But you don't need to be at that level to do the basic stuff, you just need a stove, a bit of sense, and some directions. And it's perfectly reasonable, in my mind, to ask someone more experienced to recommend a good recipe to you.

I also heartily second what chemalfait said: I think it's especially

[eldriwolf]

mmm, Well,-- I tend to send energy to folks I know---or 'tips' on spell casting--(I do not usually give whole spells)--but I also find I do *not* want send anything to *habitual beggars*.
Some people are just energy sinks, You can often tell from the 'tone' of the request.

And I feel like there is a difference between "Do my homework for me" and, "Help me move this rock"