Ethical magic?
Published: Sat, 05/07/22
There was a talk at noon on Sunday on the subject of ‘Hexes, curses, and protection’ which covered pretty much what it says in the title from a Wiccan perspective. The emphasis in such talks often concentrates on the ethics of using such spells and whether or not using them is ever justified. This talk was no exception and so we discussed telling whether or not you are under some kind of psychic attack, or whether you are just having some bad luck. We looked some different ways that curses can be created, there was an interesting one using a candle and crab shells. Then ways to protect against such attacks. Sympathetic magic uses fairly obvious methods such as mirrors to reflect back negative energies. Certain plants are protective too, Rowan trees or wood taken from the Rowan being a good example.
The questions that come up for me are: Do you have to believe magic works? If you do believe in occult powers how and when should you use them? I have known people who think of themselves as witches who have taken against their neighbours and worked magic. The intention has been to make life so unpleasant for the people living next door that they will move. I guess the mentality that takes such an action believes that the magic will have an effect. However, whatever ill effects are caused won’t be attributed to the bolvorker (old Norse word for a worker of evil), because, well there is no such thing as magic is there? When witches were executed for causing harm by occult means it was often because people believed that the witches could do what they claimed they could do.
All influence works on a number of different levels. On the spiritual, psychic, or etheric level the power is subtle and invisible to the eye. However, the effect on emotions and energy can be very real. If we are aware of intent to magically influence it is quite easy to protect and ward off such energies. I was reassured on Sunday by the emphasis on the ethical responsibility which goes with working with any kind of power. A good test is always to ask the witch about her attitude to love spells, a responsible witch usually won’t do them.
The next level is programming is with actual words and communication. We now call it advertising, marketing, public relations, media, or propaganda, but the principles are all derived from ritual magic.
Once Western populations became largely literate, which they have been for well over one hundred years, mass enlightenment was always a real danger if people just read the right books and discussed them intelligently. Instead, today we use mass communication to sell participation in large scale group rituals. You didn’t really think that international sport, mass entertainment, and ‘democratic’ elections which always seem to result in the government getting in for another 5 years, were anything other than distractions? Mass participation in pandemics is a slightly different twist on mass mind control, but the same principles apply. War works pretty well too.
Then you have direct use of force to terrify people into compliance when the subtle and overt magical influences fail to control sufficiently. Of course the problem with using direct force is that when you find yourself on the ground with the jackboot stamping on your head you might realise three very important things: One, there is something very wrong with this situation. Two, the person stamping on your head is not your friend and they do not have your best interests at heart. Three, you should have stayed on your feet so that you could fight back, or at least run away, before you got into a really vulnerable situation. Being incarcerated, tortured, and physically abused is never going to be a pleasant, but it does have the advantage of revealing who your enemy really is. Those who like to think of themselves as the ‘powers that be’ can afford to employ very nasty people with guns who are very happy to hurt or kill anyone they
are told to go after. However, the powers that be persist in investing huge resources into making people believe that they are actually your friend who has your best interests at heart. Why not just kill all the awkward sods who won’t submit? Or at least send them to Siberia or a concentration camp? Simple answer? Because confronting force and being hurt brings a realisation of the truth, the truth sets the mind and spirit free. Once the mind is free and the spirit discovers a thirst for justice then material change is not far behind. Much safer to keep people believing they are free and cared for while evil is either justified as being for the common good, or the bolverks just carry on their work in secret.
Is there any value in understanding magic? It is always worth knowing how techniques of influence work so that you can tell what is being done to manipulate your mind. It is also worth knowing how easy it is to resist or even reflect back malign intentions directed at you. Apart from that? Why not just be honest and accountable for all that you say and do and you won’t need to manipulate anyone?
regards
Graham
PS They say that the first casualty of war is truth and the conflict in Ukraine is certainly being perpetuated by lies. So, couple of videos from people who are actually on the ground and do know what they are talking about.
This brave young woman has previously reported on the Syrian Conflict and now Ukraine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzMLPSXb7RU
Gonzalo Lira with a very interesting take on the real situation that Zelensky in trapped in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tq6LKmsARoc
The Moon of Alabama has a very good update on the real military situation in Ukraine https://www.moonofalabama.org/2022/05/ukraines-forces-are-told-to-hold-the-line-where-russian-artillery-is-pulverizing-them.html#more