I was a little disappointed with that last post, http://camylleon.wordpress.com/2012/04/13/layers-of-magick-a-theory-in-process/. Not because I didn’t like what I wrote, but because it just didn’t get the readers most of my posts do. (I think I’m a little overly sensitive about this, but that’s another story altogether!)This could be due to one of two things (among many)…either no one’s interested in this topic…or…no one reads this blog on Fridays. Which is possible. I’ve never gotten much traffic on Fridays, so I probably shouldn’t be that surprised.
So I vented about that on Twitter, and got some interesting, and immediate, feedback, which ranged from “read it, loved it,” to “I’m confused.” Which means that of those people who did read it, I must not have expressed my point well enough.
So much for being a writer. Hmph.
Anywhooooo…
As requested, I’m going to try to illustrate my points with personal anecdotes. It seems the easiest way for me to explain myself…especially since I am the first to admit I don’t necessarily understand the reasons behind these things…I just know they are.
Going back to the good old days of the store and even before that, when I was making jewelry. One of the reasons I got into stone lore was because I was working with semi-precious stones and people would ask me what this or that stone was supposed to be good for. I will admit now that I’m not sure I believed any of it. I loved stones. I always have. I preferred the look and feel of natural stones to plastic, glass, lead crystal, or metal. Knowing the properties of stones and crystals simply enhanced my sales. Nothing more. Pretty mercenary, eh? Yep. Snake oil.
I wasn’t comfortable with snake oil sales, ever, but I convinced myself that if they believed it, that was their problem. And, after all, if they believed it, it might actually do what I had told them it would so it all worked out one way or the other in the end, no harm no foul. I was careful; I never told anyone that the jewelry would do anything like cure cancer, for instance. However, in the beginning, when I was not very knowledgeable about the legendary uses, I admit I made it up on more than one occasion. But it was always logical. You can often surmise a basic stone use just off of the color of the rock. Blue for healing, for instance. It was later in my studies that I was able to suggest smoky quartz or lepidolite for depression (they both contain lithium, giving them a semi-scientific reason for the benefit as well as the legendary one). Or that tiger’s eye is supposed to work with the “self” or “sacral” chakra but be warned…it has a tendency to make you deal with things you might not want to. See, I’ve learned a few things since those beginning days. 
That doesn’t mean I believed it, even after I began learning it. I didn’t believe in the “power of gemstones” for ages after opening the store, even though I would never have admitted that to any of my customers. It wasn’t until we’d ordered pounds and pounds of stones and I encountered Selenite that I trulybelieved.
And I believed because I felt it. Selenite has an amazing effect on me. To call it my happy rock would be an understatement. It makes me giddy. Makes me feel like I could run a marathon. Probably has the same effect on me as a super double big gulp of Jolt cola. Seriously. Don’t believe me? Ask Mousie.
And this is the point I was trying to make. I had no faith in Selenite, I had no belief. I really had no preconceived notion of what its effects would be (it’s not something I ever made jewelry out of or had sold before, so I’d had no cause to study it or commit its effects to memory). But I felt it. I know there is a physical vibration to selenite. I have absolutely no doubt of its effects and how I would use it in spell work if I felt the need.
At the botanica, I learned about Florida Water for the first time. Those of you with a purely Wiccan, suburban, middle class Caucasian back ground probably have never heard of it…or if you have, you probably don’t think the stuff is useful. Let’s face it, it’s mostly alcohol and perfumes…smells flowery and citric, very pleasant actually. But of what use is it?
Now I understand. During a pendulum reading, I encountered a fairly malignant spirit. It left me goosey, spastic, eyes dilated, breathing shallow, and basically panicking. If you’ve ever had anything on your back like that, you know what I’m talking about.
Splash of Florida Water across the back of the neck…and it was all gone.
There was no way I could have “focused” my will in that moment. None. It wasn’tme that got rid of that yuck; it was the Florida Water. Without me, without my intent, it has a certain vibration. As the stones do. As the herbs do. As the incense does.
And that is my point. That without us these things have purposes. Without our intent, they can affect us. Without our belief they can affect us.
We all know how powerful our intent can be. That focusing our Will can bring amazing things into our lives. Now imagine what could be done by combining that will with one or two ingredients that have the same focus as the work we’re trying to attempt. Layers.
I think that in the push/pull “battle” between “high magick” and “low magick” we’ve lost a truth. That there really is no difference between the two. Magic is magic. Most of the time, we need no more than our Will or our Gods to work these feats…but sometimes they help. Sometimes when we’re in a dark place and cannot focus. Sometimes when the panic is twisting our hearts too much to concentrate. Sometimes when we’re tired or hurting or sick. Sometimes when there’s something attacking or on our heads. Sometimes they can be useful and we should not dismiss these things as “not necessary” or “just props.”
The right blend of incense might help bring you money with a minimum of focus; which is helpful when you’re panic-stricken about your bills. The right oil might protect your doorstep, which might help if you live in the “wrong neighborhood” and are losing sleep from fear.
This is what I’m saying. We should give our “props” some “props.” For myself, I know that I will use whatever is available, whatever will help, whenever it is necessary. Because I have proven to myself that these things often work when I don’t believe itat all.
And I’m hoping this makes sense this time…;-)
Hm…
Okay, so. Our intent is like wearing underwear, but the addition of herbs would be like putting on pants and a dash of incense to complete the ensemble with a T-shirt? Did I get that right?
That’s a good way of looking at it!
Although I doubt most of us would ever go outside in just our underwear…lol.
You could take it farther and say it depends on where you’re going and what you want from it. If you’re going to prom, t-shirt and jeans won’t normally cut it. Same thing with a wedding…or trolling bars for lose men/women…or job interviews. They all have distinctly different requirements to get whichever outcome you’re trying for. You can go to a job interview in a jeans and t-shirt…and for some jobs that’s all you’ll need. For others though, a power suit might get you farther, combined with the right shoes, maybe a fancy briefcase…you know, stuff. Accessories.
And even though you might not believe that the power suit will win you the second interview/job itself or the pretty, feminine dress will win you the prom queen shtick, it doesn’t matter because its the accessories that aid in the intent. Right?
There you go. In this instance, it might be because of the beliefs of another person; the perspective employer or date, for instance…which I think is another set of variables altogether. But your belief is not necessary…you could argue there’s some intent there since you chose what to wear…but that’s the end of it.
I have mixed feelings about whether intention/will is absent in some of these examples. If I buy money incense and light it, there is at least an unconscious or semi-conscious belief and intention in that action. I do find that props that have been used the same way for a long time (well known prayers, rituals, etc. in any tradition) seem to work pretty much as described. Like a recipe, follow instructions, get results. But the person cooking is adding will and intention merely by doing the ritual (whether it is a complex ritual or just splashing Florida Water). Will and intention don’t have to mean scrunching up your eyes, gathering the power of the universe, and blasting invisible beams of will at a target. What’s interesting is that in practices like Chaos magick, people pretty much make up any ritual they want, using any props they care to, and still get results.
That said, I think props/ritual provide their own beauty and art, and are a valuable thing in and of themselves. Even in situations where I don’t need them, I still enjoy using them. More practically, they can really help bring out focus and intention (even without the person realizing it). If a non-magickal neighbor asked for something to do to solve a problem, I’d give them a ritual with props, because it would be more likely to work for them. Will and intention can work alone, but need to be disentangled from doubt and second-guessing, I think, to work well. And most people, unless they are quite experienced with magick, can’t disentangle easily.
So I guess I agree with you that props/rituals work, and are cool, and are also a useful and traditional part of many practices. But I don’t think it’s because they work “without will” – they just trick the person into focusing clear intention without even having to notice that they just did.
Does that make sense?
Yes…it makes sense!
I will agree that will is always involved at least at a minimum. As you say, buying a candle is intent. Belief, on the other hand…seems almost irrelevant, which is strange considering how important faith and belief is in other parts of my spiritual life. But I don’t think will/intent is the *only* factor. Agreed, chaos magicians get results, sometimes with the most absurd props imaginable. But then, I’ve gotten results as well, with a minimum of will using props. So…to me, it would seem that they are both useful, in and of themselves.
It also seems to me that combining them would be the logical conclusion…but you don’t have to. People can go on lighting their lottery candles, and chaos magicians can do their things…and they will all get results in the end. *shrug*
Another thought that hit me randomly in the wee hours of the morning…
The Selenite incident had no intention what-so-ever…I had bought it, but not for me nor for any use in particular. It was pretty, different, and something I thought would sell well at the store. My reaction to it…was interesting, however.
At least there’s one example with no intent/will/focus involved. *shrug* For what it’s worth!
Magic on the fly. That’s my motto. Being able to adapt whatever you have on hand at the time to do what you need it to do. Witchcraft.:) I consider Wicca the form of paganism that has set props and witchcraft the lifestyle that makes everything a prop because it’s all connected and it all works.:D
YES! The more you know, the more you understand…the more you have at your fingertips to use…the more witchcraft is possible whenever you need it.
I like ljwitch’s comment. That makes a lot of sense to me. Can’t say that I necessarily practice that ideal all the time, but I think I could, if I felt the need to.
As I said in my other comment, I think I struggle with some of this. I’ve never had incense magic something to me. I’ve never felt a stone change anything (despite how much I wanted it to in the past). I’ve never had certain herbs bring me something.. I’ve never really seen my magic produce any real results. I’ve always found more from norito (sacred words, Shinto) and help from gods (sometimes). So idk. I guess each of us is different, and different things work for different people. I wish (sometimes) that I was better with magic, that I could be one of those peoples that pulls stuff out of the cupboard and makes shit happen. But alas, doesn’t seem to be my path.
…and that’s okay!
Not everyone can work with everything…but there’s room for everyone. Not everyone needs to be a witch, or a priest, or a bard…
I’m no good at all at meditating. *shrug* You probably rock at it. See? A place for everyone…;-)
Just remember, when it comes down to it, and you feel the urge or the need to do some sort of witchy thing…look outside the box. Sure herbs, rocks, incense doesn’t work for you…there’s still a world of possibilities out there. Symbolic magic, for instance (most common example would be a voodoo doll but photographs work too), or sigils, water magic, etc., are just a few other options out there…
In fact, it could be argued that sacred words, specific intonations, could be seen as a form of magic when not used inside the religious ritual construct. That might turn out to be your strength. You never know!