Magic and Gods?

[eloyeli]

My question is simple(well I hope). Is magick always connected to a deity or spirits? How do you go about doing magick from within yourself? I know my questions may seem dumb and I apologize in advance.

[Garm]

It's not always connected with deity or spirits

Doing it for yourself?

You probably already are

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synchronicity

Magic is just applied synchronicty

Meditation and prayer are ways of amping up the energy behind it

It's up to you to learn how to find the switches and that is a long phase of trial and error, it's never quite the same for any two people

Bringing it under conciouss control is not always a good thing, sometimes it is better to let the process work unhindered by your inevitably limited perception of things

[Daecon]

Magic that comes from an explicitly divine source is termed thaumaturgy. It is by no means the only magical paradigm that exists, but it is the only form of magic that is endorsed by the Christian Bible.

[Faelyn]

I very much agree with the previous commenters. Magick can come from you, diety, and even a mixture of both. You can direct energy from yourself to help in a magickal endeavour, and call upon the energy of a diety for help if needed. Energy can come from multiple sources.

[IanCorrigan]

Not a yes-or-no question...
Commonly there are two big models of magic on the planet - spirit-model and energy-model magics.
Energy-model magic assumes that the magician uses impersonal 'forces' or 'energies' to influence events. In that model of the presence of the divine is often referred to as the 'energy' of a god or goddess.
Spirit-model magic assumes that the magician is making alliances and arrangements with a variety of spirits, from the Dead to the various devas or daemons or angels or fairies, to the divine themselves.

In either case, while the individual may have power or authority all on their own, it is usual to hook into or make alliance with a power greater than the apparent 'me'. Philosophers argue about whether or not such powers are 'really' outside of the self, but in the practice of magic they generally seem as if they are.

So in energy-work one 'grounds and centers' making contact between the personal energy and greater cosmic sources of power.
In spirit-work one makes alliances with the Gods, and then can act among the spirits with some of the gods' authority.
In both kinds of magic, the whole business is still done under one's own personal will, even when making deals with the Gods. That's what makes it magic more than religion, imo.

So I guess I'd say that most magic doesn't come strictly from 'within yourself', though the will to do it, and the skill to accomplish it, may be all your own.

[Tahroh]

I view the divine as being a form of energy. That by naming it, I am giving both form and personality to that which has none. So when i am working my craft, and i call upon a specific deity i am merely giving the divine energy the form and traits that suit my need at the time. I relate it to creating thought forms.

When i direct energy, i am always using most of what i need from within myself. Believing that i am the one wanting the change, so i should be the one sacrificing the energy needed. At the same time, Some workings require more energy than i have. In those cases, I create a thoughtform and then draw on the energy from that. I dont think i answered the question. hrm.

[Robertus_]

My question is simple(well I hope). Is magick always connected to a deity or spirits? How do you go about doing magick from within yourself? I know my questions may seem dumb and I apologize in advance.

In my view Magic comes from the God and Goddess, not like a projection but another aspect of reality like matter and energy.

So in my view when any magic is done it is from the God and goddess but if you don't hold that view magic is still out there and can be done with no religious or deity-based overtones.

[Louisvillian]

Magic isn't purely rooted in the gods, though I do view the gods as "magic incarnate" of sorts. They're magical forces given form and name (or commonly-accepted names). I see the gods, consequently, as the most powerful source of magical energy for rituals and such. But they're not the only one.