User talk:BlueDargonFire

Hi, BlueDargonFire.

You were asking about manipulating energy and what it's called. There are different names and different philosophies to describe essentially the same thing. Because these energies are mostly sensed and manipulated using quite subjective mechanisms of the individual's subtle bodies, the explanations and terminology tend to be very subjective too. You can call it "magic" if you want -- others talk about prayer, energy-work, psionics and so on. Generally these names connote certain types of method, for instance "magic" tends to use a lot of ritual (and "magic" is, to my mind, more effective than many other approaches, since it a) cuts out all the dogma and pseudo-scientific mumbo-jumbo, and b) works from as many levels as possible: physical, etheric, astral, mental, spiritual).

The big question is, why do you want to manipulate things in these ways? In what way will this improve your life? In what way will this make the world a better place for others? These are important questions because the faculties which can make these things happen for us are deeply impressed upon by our higher faculties: our conscience, our aspirations, our "higher selves". If we aren't working in alignment with these we're going to have a lot of difficulty getting any results. I've seen plenty of people who get fascinated by magic but have no real intentions or philosophy other than "wouldn't I look cool if I could do that". They try for years to achieve results but somehow end up like all the rest: wearing black trenchcoats and hinting darkly at parties about how they know a bit about demonic evocation. They get caught up in the fantasy of it all but lose sight of the reality.

If you feel you have something important and valuable you would like to contribute to the world, which involves magic, then make an undertaking to contribute that to your best ability. This undertaking will become your guidance, your motivation and your safety-net in magic, all at the same time. Everything starts to become possible once you know what you need it for.

Otherwise, you could always invest in a black trenchcoat and a couple of books on demonic evocation...

I hope this helps... Fuzzypeg★ 05:56, 15 June 2009 (UTC)

I'm a witch -- and I chant in extinct languages. And jump around bonfires. It's all good. Now, prayer and magic: prayer can sometimes take specific liturgical forms, and it can sometimes have specific results that "must" occur: such as being saved from hell by atoning for one's sins and accepting Jesus Christ as your personal lord and saviour. When a christian priest changes the wafer and wine into flesh and blood, is that through their skill or through the grace of God in answer to their prayer? It's unthinkable that the trans-substantiation not occur. In reality, most forms of magic (the traditional ones at least) view all magic as occurring by the grace of God, not simply through human effort. However, magical philosophy is also rather different to mainstream Christian philosophy: it holds that all things created in the universe, including humanity, are not just created by God, but are also part of God. For what else can there be, apart from God? Thus, as part of the whole, we share in the divinity of the whole, although by a certain illusion we appear to be separate unrelated entities. Our higher, spiritual faculties are closer in nature to the undivided essence of God/Universe, and hence our spiritual faculties carry greater powers of influence. At the highest levels of our being we are one with God (and are, in fact, God), though it is difficult to raise our awareness to this level, and to do so necessarily requires that we lose all sense of individuality.

So magic occurs by the grace of our higher selves, but in turn their powers are only given by the grace of God/Goddess/the Universe/whatever you want to call it. Not much different from prayer, really.

The magician seeks to raise his awareness to the highest level possible so that he/she can experience and participate in the ongoing process of creation in the world, so that he/she realises his/her own divinity and can use this to the benefit of all. This is where will and self-control come in, because we're trying to overcome our fears and self-limitations that keep us separate, afraid of others, afraid of death, afraid of change, and locked in the illusion that we are creatures made of dust, with no meaning or value to our short lives. That's the meaning of the devil card in tarot: the devil is an obviously ludicrous mish-mash of animal parts, a nightmare, but insubstantial as a nightmare; the man and woman shackled to his throne (us, humanity) are, if you look carefully, free to remove the shackles at any time, since they are very loose. It is only the appearance of limitation that keeps them locked there.

Take your inspiration from what is beautiful, noble, full of truth; what fills your spirit. Let that become your goal. Seek to understand it. What is it about that that inspires you? Once you understand what it is, strive towards it and let nothing stop you. That's how you begin the process of realising your own divinity. That in itself should provide you with plenty of exercise for will and self-control, and the rewards will be great.

There you go. Fuzzypeg★ 23:02, 15 June 2009 (UTC)