Magick
 

There is no easy way to explain what magic is. However, I will try! The energy of the Goddess and God lives within your body and in everything around you. You can project this energy, i.e., make it move from your body outward and you can receive this energy, i.e., make it move from your surroundings and into your body. The energy has many different aspects, or "personalities." One personality of the energy is that of healing, another is that of protection, etc. When you are isolating one or more of these personalities within the energy and projecting or receiving it you are performing magic. There are many tools you can use in order to project or receive and in order to isolate the "correct" personality. I will discuss these in the "practice" section.

Now, I will discuss the reason Wiccans believe in magic and the things we believe about magic. First, I will ask myself, "why do wiccans believe that magic exists?" This will help to answer questions about the nature of magic.

Wiccans believe that the spirit parts of ourselves are as real and scientific as the physical parts of ourselves. Spirit, after all, is seen by Wiccans as pure energy. If you're reading this on a computer or if you've ever simply seen fire or eaten cooked food, you'd be hard pressed to prove that energy is not natural and scientific or doesn't exist. I can create great change with the physical parts of myself, moving my body or other objects. In fact, I make great change in the physical world with the energy in my body! I think by utilizing electric pulses, and I process food by burning it up. If there is energy in my body and if it has this great power, why can't I use it to change itself; to affect great changes in a completely different way? From this comes the belief in magic, the belief that energy can be directed and utilized to create real (and often physical) change. The best example I can think of is... Have you ever heard of someone gravely ill and in hospital, being told to "think positively"? Many doctors believe (and feel they have proven) that thinking positive helps the body heal much faster. This would be described as magic.

The Nature of Magick

There are many important things to note about magick. Many people describe magick as a cross between meditation and prayer, but magick is very different from prayer in one important way. Prayer is defined in the Merriam Webster Dictionary as:

1 a (1) : an address (as a petition) to God or a god in word or thought (2) : a set order of words used in praying b : an earnest request or wish
2 : the act or practice of praying to God or a god

This suggests that the person praying is asking their god for something or asking the god for help with something. However, Wiccan people do not consider magick to be an asking of the deities. We believe that when we perform magic, we are creating an action ourselves and not necessarily involving the deities at all. This is how non-religious magic can even exist; i.e. how some people can perform magic and not believe in any gods at all (see below). Many people who "pray" consider the answer to their prayers to be supernatural, but Wiccans consider magic a part of the natural scientific world. In fact, recent findings in quantum physics support this view!

Religious and Non-Religious Magic

A belief in magic is considered essential within Wicca because it is the primary tool used to commune with the Goddess and God. Magic is used to tap into the energy that lies within us, and therefore, to become closer to the Goddess and God and all their children. However, magic can be used for many purposes besides to commune with the Goddess and God. Healing, protection, and calm are frequent goals of a Witch's magic. However, a distinction must be made: magic performed to commune with the Goddess and God is religious magic, and the reason that a belief in magic is considered necessary within Wicca. Magic performed with purposes such as healing or protection in mind is not religious magic. This is an important distinction, because it illustrates the fact that it is not the performance of magic that makes one Wiccan, but their theological beliefs and the way they use magic. Wiccans perform both religious and non-religious magic, but people who perform only non-religious magic are still called Witches.

Morality and Magic

The Wiccan Rede directs all aspects of a Wiccan's life. Therefore, we are supposed to harm none in physical action and in magic. Wiccan theology does not allow hexes or curses, love spells, or any other magic that invades a person's will. As in physical life, different Wiccans interpret the magical meanings of the Rede in different ways.

The Effectiveness of Magic

Many doctors tell their patients that thinking positively will help them get well. However, no responsible doctor would ever tell a patient to go home, think positively, and they'll surely be well in the morning--without prescribing any medication. This doctor might surely also tell their patient that they can go skydiving without a parachute if hey only think positively. Though Wiccans consider magic to be very powerful, we never suggest that it should be used as a substitute for more assured methods. A healing spell should never take the place of essential medical care, nor would a spell to find you a job work if you never leave your house and fill out applications. Magic is powerful, but not necessarily more powerful than physical efforts and certainly not a cure-all.