Makin' Magick!!

[HippieGeek!!]

HI!!! Im 14, and am new to paganism. I bacicaly belive that god/ess is everything and dont really worship a specific one- i worship everything!! Thats pretty much as far into Paganism as I have gotten- I am trying to start some magick learning but how would I go about that without a specific god/ess?? I can feel energy in my hands and fingers... but I cannot seem to do anything with it... What should I expect to be able to do?? I really have no idea... Any help what so EVER in getting into this I thank you for!!! =D

[cherrywind]

Before you start performing magic and playing with energies, you really have to have a firm grasp on your beliefs and ideas about your spirituality, whatever those may be.

From your post it sounds like you should do some meditation, visualization, and self-discovery before you leap ahead and try to grasp magic. If you are serious, the self discipline you develop now will help you immensely when you start to perform magic later on.

[HippieGeek!!]

Hmmm... maby I should have said more HAHA!!! I DO meditate regularly.... how do I go about doing the rest of the stuff?

[cherrywind]

Well, there are several techniques for practising visualization. Here are some links that might help:
http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10986
http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14065&highlight=visualization+techniques

Self-discovery on the other hand can't be achieved quickly, and you can't be told how to do it. You have to forumulate your own concrete beliefs and ideals and truly understand yourself. Of course that constantly goes through evolution, and I'm not saying you have to come to any stationary idea of that to perform magic. However, I am saying you can't just sit down and decide that you're going to perform magic if you don't even have a good grasp of what you think it is.

From your posts I would suggest maybe laying off on performing magic at this point. Research, meditate, visualize, formulate strong beliefs and ideas. Magic will always be there, you don't have to rush into it right away :).

(PS- sorry if this sounds a bit confusing my head feels like a bowling ball on account of the fact I'm sick right now).

[HippieGeek!!]

Thanks!!! =D Yes... me thinks more research is deffenatly nessesary. Whaile I am hear i have been researching a lot and there is tons of beliefs I have to make... to bad I cant find one big book of them all and pick and choose =(
Im having a hard time finding large sorces of information =/ Its not like Christianity where all you need is a bible lol. I have a cold too!! =D
Thanks!!!! =D

[Raevyn]

I agree wholeheartedly with cherrywind. There's no reason to rush magic or spellwork and if you do without even understanding what magic you want to do you're probably wasting your time.

You don't have to have a religion to practice magic, though for many it provides a very solid basis, and besides you should take time to formulate your own philosophy on what magic is, how it's used, why, and so on.

What kind of information are you looking for here? Stuff about Paganism, Wicca, Witchcraft, magick, energy work? I think there's a thread or two about "where to start" that will be of interest.

[Raevyn]

Check out the threads stuck to the top of this forum; a lot of them are for people who are just starting out.

[Nina]

Keep reading, keep meditating. Question everything you read. Ask yourself whether it 'feels' right to you.

One of my favourite techniques is to visualise a special place in my mind. Mine is a cave, in the middle of a wood, and I have quite a long mental ritual to reach the cave. Once I am there, I sit in the middle of the cave, surround myself with candle light, and visualise the thing I want to create. I visualise it actually happening, seeing how I will feel, how I will react, how it happens. Then I take the image out of my mind, and transfer it to a piece of paper (this is still within the original visualisation!). I can 'see' everything happening on this piece of paper, and I burn it in one of the mental candles, watching the sparks, ash and smoke rise up into the cave. I then let my Goddess and God take my desires and do with them what they see fit!

Sometimes when I return from this visualisation I write down a few words that describe my desires and I carry this paper with me. I DON'T look at it. The times when this has worked extremely well, I have even forgotten about the paper, and then I come across it and see just how well the Higher Power in my life has interpreted it.

This is something that I've developed that works better for me than elaborate rituals. I think it works for me, because I am not concentrating on the ritual itself, just focusing all my intentions and attention on the desire itself. I do not do magick within my circles - my circle rituals are for worship and celebration only. This is just MY way, and isn't for everybody! I think my meditation and going into my 'cave' is analogous to a circle - it is my mental sacred space and it is where I am most safe.

You have to find your own way - that's what is so freeing, and so confusing about walking this path!!

Good luck, and bright blessings to you!

[materra]

Howdy :wave: Hope you find good info here to help. The threads above really cover things. BB

[Pan]

Hello and Welcome! I think you've got some good advice here in these replies. No need to rush into magick like it won't be there. ;) Take your time to enjoy all aspects of the craft and the path you've chosen.

[BrotherKrys]

Can you imagine, sitting at the research & development table at some huge car company like Ford or Honda (I think honda is still a big car company right?) and the conversation goes something like this....

Joe : "So Bob, we have dived into this car thing and we think about it... we think alot about it... and we want a really good stereo.. we know we want it to sound good so we know it needs good speakers, but how do we begin to build the car arround the speakers"

Bob : "Well Joe, we could put doors arround the speakers, that way, when the doors are shut, the person will be able to listen to the sound arround them"

-------
STOP!!!

Ok, whats wrong with this picture? Simple, if your designing a car arround the stereo then your missing the point.

Same with Magick. Magick is a small feature in, what is to become, a way of life. I have been practicing for a short 11 years and I have found that "Magick" occures all the time. Sometimes it requires more organization like candles, dimmed light and detiled visualization with a goal.. at other times, I can think of someone and Poof!! they call.

Magick, how I and many others define it, is the use of will inline with the divine to create change. There is no limit to the distance of your change however it is not lightening shooting out of the end of your finger (except for a good imagination). It is participating in the "Ironic Coincidences" in life. The subtle participation in the ebb and flow of the energies that effect all of us. Of course when these "Ironic Coincidences" happen over and over its no longer Coincidence, its just not easily proven otherwise.

Either way, you cant possbily expect magick to work if you dont have your head in check and have a good spiritual connection going on. And this requires an education of yourself and how your head works as well as the effect the world arround you has on your mind, emotions and actions. Its a tough subject to master but it is critical to truely coming to know your will and how to use it on the subtle realms.

If you find this answer to be underwhelming then magick, wicca, druidism etc isnt for you. However, if you see a challenge in what I just said, then you will most likely stick with it and reap the rewards of the journey travelled.