Stoplights, the Universe, Magic, Etc.

[vegatog]

I have a good friend who happily reported to me yesterday that she's been using a spell to change stoplights from red to green. My first reaction was to think that by the time you get done chanting the spell, the light would probably have been green anyway. My second reaction was that my friend is very impatient by nature and if she could come up with a spell to make stoplights stop existing for her altogether, she probably would.

And now for my third reaction.

Stoplights are not nessecarily the most fun devices in the world, but they are definitely useful and important. They serve a purpose. They maintain order in streets where without them, chaos would reign. (Or they would just put stop signs up, but you catch my drift. :smile: ) And unless the stoplight is plain old not working, in just a few seconds, it's going to turn in your favor, and the people perpendicular to you have to wait. I kinda feel bad for the stoplight, getting cursed at all day long, when the poor thing is just doing its job.

So what do you folks think? Anybody here using or have used this type of spell? Would my friend be better off doing a spell for patience? Is this all a weird metaphor for magic versus the laws of the universe? Share your perspective, please!

Thanks for sitting through my really long post,

~V~

[semi]

Most traffic lights are timed. She probably is aware of the timing and probably hasn't actually altered them with a spell.

[misschief]

bah. who would take the time to mess with such a thing?? no offense.. that was just my first thought.

[-Ember]

I confess to having done something similar (usually to change all the lights on my route to favorable to me.) Parking spaces too. Sometimes convinence is needed. Or at least justifiable ;).

As for magic versus the laws of nature... well, there isn't much that is contrary to nature if you know how to ask her right. Sometimes a bit more expensive than warranted, but not against nature....

[Aidron]

I do it. In fact, I have designed several spells around this.

One so that I will only encounter green lights (hasn't failed me yet, but as usual I rarely remember to cast it. I'm lucky to remember to have my license on me).

One to turn a traffic light from red to green, which I use religiously. They are in fact timed, this much I know. However, I influence them regularly. There is one about 10 minutes from my house that you are lucky to get literally no more than 2 cars through when it turns green. I however, keep it green (via my third spell in this series) long enough to get myself through even if there are eight cars in front of me. It's one of my few spells that makes non-believer sit back and begin to take me seriously.

I rarely have trouble with them to be honest, and can't recall the last time I sat at a traffic light for more than 3-5 seconds. I've been doing this for years though so I've had a lot of practice. Admittedly, I am impatient. I'm in no mood to sit there burning gas while some light dictates when I go, so I'll dictate when I go and that's that.

[Blondie]

I'd believe it would work.

I'd love to try it sometime.

[Eudaimonia]

I find these sort of things rather useful.

Gas here is 2.53 a gallon for the cheap stuff.

[Gede]

MM~
I find little charms and Spells like that very handy, especially if I am just in a hurry, being particularly impatient or just want to see if I can do it ;) For instance I have adopted a little car-park charm and it has yet to fail me (or rather my mum, since I can't drive). And I've cast my fair share of "fast-crowd" Spells, while I am waiting in the cafeteria line and things usually pick up from there. These are methods that I believe many modern Witches have forgotten or just ignore because they are afraid of 3-fold repercussion. We have the knowledge of how to influence situations and to work with energy in accordance with our desires and will, we have to be able to apply that practically and in daily life.

Namaste, Gede...

[9-2-2]

Is that all? :)

We use magick to make yellow lights hold longer, to mana gas, and to set up an aversion ward that makes cops look the other direction. n_n

[Pandoras]

I confess to having done something similar (usually to change all the lights on my route to favorable to me.) Parking spaces too.

I admit it, I've done it too, when I find myself running late for something important. I mean, don't you ever have one of those days where you catch every single red light? I have and most of the time, I don't care. But sometimes I just need to be somewhere at a certain time and I can't be late so I usually just cast the little spell before I even leave home. Generally though, I just try to leave a litte earlier. ;) I've also done little spells to find a good parking spot.

I don't really see a problem with it provided one doesn't use magic as a crutch all the time when most things can be easily handled mundanely and with a little patience. I don't think abusing anything (including magic) is a good idea.

[spirit wind]

One to turn a traffic light from red to green, which I use religiously. They are in fact timed, this much I know. However, I influence them regularly. There is one about 10 minutes from my house that you are lucky to get literally no more than 2 cars through when it turns green. I however, keep it green (via my third spell in this series) long enough to get myself through even if there are eight cars in front of me.
I rarely have trouble with them to be honest, and can't recall the last time I sat at a traffic light for more than 3-5 seconds. I've been doing this for years though so I've had a lot of practice. Admittedly, I am impatient. I'm in no mood to sit there burning gas while some light dictates when I go, so I'll dictate when I go and that's that. I so agree here.
Raven Greywind said it wonderfully! I think his traffic light has a twin here in Perth Australia :uhhuhuh:

[asamananara]

Addressing your third reaction:
Stoplights are useful safety devices during peak traffic hours,
and nothing but a revenue generator for the police at other times.
Case in point: I work third shift, and commute 40 miles each
night to get there. Living in a sparsely populated mountain
region, traffic really isn't a concern. Most of the roads I take
to work are a single lane cut through old growth forest, and
it's a rare night that I encounter more than two other cars on
the way. There are three intersections with stop lights, delaying
me by two to four minutes EACH if I don't catch them when green.
It is a futile waste of precious time to sit alone in the dark
at these intersections for as much as 12 minutes each night waiting for
the lights to change. I can sit there and look at the stars, I
suppose, or balance my checkbook... but there is certainly no
danger in running the red light- or so I thought- until being
pulled over on three separate occasions for doing just that.
The local police park their cars in the woods, sleep until someone
stops at the light, and nail anyone who's impatience gets the better
of them with a $50 fine. Great.
Now, I use the first twelve minutes of driving time to direct
energy towards those lights and let 'em know I'm coming. Haven't
had to stop for a light in a long time.

[-Sky-]

I don't agree with using magic for minor things like this....But this is just my opinion.You see I think magic is to be used for more serious things.And I am also against doing these on-the-minute spells because these spells are why witches are accused.Last time my religion teacher said that witchcraft's followers want everything to happen automatically,but for me this isn't true.We cast spells and wait for them to happen until the moon is full.
~Anna

[Aidron]

I don't agree with using magic for minor things like this....But this is just my opinion.You see I think magic is to be used for more serious things.And I am also against doing these on-the-minute spells because these spells are why witches are accused.Last time my religion teacher said that witchcraft's followers want everything to happen automatically,but for me this isn't true.We cast spells and wait for them to happen until the moon is full.
~Anna


Minor things like this? What is minor and what is serious are entirely a matter of perspective. I for one consider most healing magics a waste of time and would rather spend my time focusing on more selfish ventures. Sit at that red light too long and it could be you who winds up getting hit by the drunk driver flying down the intersecting highway. You could also wind up late for a job interview that could have changed your life immensely. You could have left a bit earlier, but it happens, and I see no reason to not use magic for any purpose to improve your life.

On-the-minute spells? So, magic should not be done in a whimsical fashion? If your reasoning behind this is because you may be unable to see unforeseen consequences, that is true of even the most well planned out magical undertakings. You can do all the tarot layouts you want, swing your pendelum around like crazy, and still you will be uninformed to some extent. I'm not about to plan my magical life out down to the letter and refuse to not use the skills I have when a situation arises that I did not have the foresight to see.

Witchcraft's followers? Your teacher needs a bit of perspective. Look around you, 99.9% of all people-regardless of religion-wish things to come into fruition at the drop of a hat. This is a mindset issue, not a religious one. Of course, I get things at the drop of a hat a lot of time with my magic because I want it, I admit to that, and I work for it to be as such.

[Anahita]

I change stoplights when I want to. I don't see any harm in it. Maybe it is the timer and not me, but hey, I'm amusing myself on my walk to different places. That has value in and of itself. I think little "tricks" like this can actually help develop magical ability. You don't always see the results of a huge working that quickly or that clearly. Having a little insta-magic boosts confidence, which makes all of your workings stronger.

- Anahita

[Blair]

I've used this along with the parking space one. The way I practice there is no difference between the mystical and mundane. Everything I do at least has the potential to be magickal. But a good example of the light changing thing is my mom decides 15 minutes before a store closes that she must have another quart of paint. So I jump in my jeep and drive over there but all the lights I go on are not the main throughfare of their respective intersections. So I use a little magick and get there seconds before they look the doors, I was literally the last one allowed in the building. All the lights had changed instantly eventhough I had barely been sitting there long.

[dr_zeus440]

i agree with ember and raven greywind's most recent post. do it when its necessary/when im impatient, havent been hit by a meteor yet.

[-Ember]

I like doing minor magics. Keeps me in practice, even helps improve my skill (finer touch) so that when the major thing comes along I'm in shape for it. I would much rather practice on stoplights than cancer.

[misschief]

I like doing minor magics. Keeps me in practice, even helps improve my skill (finer touch) so that when the major thing comes along I'm in shape for it. I would much rather practice on stoplights than cancer.hm. not me. practicing on cancer saved my mother.

[tygherrayn]

Most traffic lights are timed. She probably is aware of the timing and probably hasn't actually altered them with a spell.
You call yourself a pagan, but refuse to believe anyone can alter the universe in this way? Pshaw.

I 'blow' the lights. It doesn't always work, but when I need it to, it does. It has nothing to do with knowing the timing, as I can do it with lights I've never been through.

My husband and I also kiss the yellow lights as we go through them, a way of thanking the Lady Traffic for her blessing.

[vegatog]

From semicivilizedman:
Most traffic lights are timed. She probably is aware of the timing and probably hasn't actually altered them with a spell.

From tygherrayn:

You call yourself a pagan, but refuse to believe anyone can alter the universe in this way? Pshaw.

Calling yourself a pagan doesn't mean you have to believe in every thing you come across. In the case of my friend, semicivilizedman is probably on the right track.

From asamananara:

Stoplights are useful safety devices during peak traffic hours,
and nothing but a revenue generator for the police at other times.
Case in point: I work third shift, and commute 40 miles each
night to get there. Living in a sparsely populated mountain
region, traffic really isn't a concern. Most of the roads I take
to work are a single lane cut through old growth forest, and
it's a rare night that I encounter more than two other cars on
the way. There are three intersections with stop lights, delaying
me by two to four minutes EACH if I don't catch them when green.
It is a futile waste of precious time to sit alone in the dark
at these intersections for as much as 12 minutes each night waiting for
the lights to change.

This is a situation where I could understand this kind of spell being appropriate.

Thanks for all the interesting POV's!

~V~

[AuroraSilvermist]

Haha! That's too funny! :lol:

I'm only laughing because I've got my kids convinced that I can magically change stoplights from red to green. All you have to do is watch the light for the traffic coming in the opposite direction. When that light turns red, snap your fingers and...poof!...green light!

The intersections with turn arrows make this a little tricky, though. ;)

[-Ember]

hm. not me. practicing on cancer saved my mother.

I'm not saying one shouldn't work on cancer... I'm saying I'd rather get my practice elsewhere and be well practiced when the hopefully rare extreme crisis comes along rather than only working (and learning/practicing) durring a crisis.

[SacredWithin]

Most traffic lights are timed. She probably is aware of the timing and probably hasn't actually altered them with a spell.

I thought that too. And also, I saw that very same thing happen in the movie The Craft.

[Aidron]

I thought that too. And also, I saw that very same thing happen in the movie The Craft.


And what lesson did we learn from that? No matter how skilled you believe yourself to be at manipulating traffic lights, if you are coming up on a red light do yourself and everyone else a favor-come to a stop. :eyebrow:

[Xentor]

You call yourself a pagan, but refuse to believe anyone can alter the universe in this way? Pshaw.

There are pagans who do not use nor believe in magic.