MakoShark asked this question on 4/28/2000:

Hi there-

My name is Daryl and have an idea for fantasy novel where some of the characters will have magical powers.

Since this is fantasy fiction I can make up anything I want as far as their powers go, but I wanted the magicks to be as real and realistic as possible.

I mean no disrespect for your religion. Were I doing a novel involving Catholics or Buddhists, I would send a similar question so I do not do a disservice to the subject matter.

I would like to know more about your religion. Do you pray? To whom? To what end? Is there an afterlife?

How does magick work? Where does the power come from? Where does it go when you are done with your spell? Do you have to use a spell? Are there different kinds of magicks? Can anyone do magicks with training? Or only a select few? How old must you be to do magicks? How long does it take to learn to do magicks? Are you aware of instances where people are born with the powers and abilities without much training?

I have heard of covens and wicca groups. Is there strength in numbers? Are some people more powerful than others?

As with all things there are good and bad people. My guess is that magick is neither good or bad--black or white but that it conforms to the person using the power. Is this true or are there different types of magick for different types of actions? (e.g. murder, plague, etc. vs. healing, love, etc.)

I know this is a bit long and I am sure more questions will arise from your answers. If you are willing to talk, I appreciate your input.

Thank you Daryl

minerva gave this response on 5/1/2000:

Pagan paths are very diverse and varied; there are as many different ways of "worship" (and I use that term very loosely) as there are practitioners. I guess you could say that some of us do pray, although most of us meditate instead, as opposed to a traditional prayer. Meditation and visualization are used to accumulate, concentrate and direct energy for a chosen purpose. This is what is now known as magic, which pagans see as a perfectly natural (as opposed to "supernatural") part of their lives. These magical rituals, which have come to be known as "spells", are used to heal, to "predict the future", etc.

A vital part of Wicca is about striving to become aware of Nature and its cycle (the seasons). This connection with Nature is manifested in the form of the deities of the ancient mythologies (Greek, Roman, Celtic, Norse, Hindu, etc.). However, these are only symbols or aspects of divinity, which although expressed as male and female (Father Sun and Mother Moon, Father Sky and Mother Earth, etc.) is nonetheless viewed as One. The reason why I hesitate to call it "worship" is because most pagans understand that the myths that they incorporate in their lives are precisely that: myths. And that it is only the *lessons* derived from these elaborate metaphors that we take to heart. In other words, we have no conflict with evolution, cloning, or any other scientific breakthrough or world view.

(I have images of Hermes and Athena on my personal altar, but I don't see them physically creating the Universe. They represent Wisdom, and also the polarities of life--night and day, male and female, etc.)

On one hand, we are pantheistic. Everything in nature (the plants we brew for teas, the gemstones, the colors of the candles) has a lifeforce of its own--a "vibration", if you will (though some pagans will object to the use of "New Age" terminology), a special power which we can draw upon to help give energy to our magic. On the other hand, the intention, the purpose... the *will*, comes from us. The different aspects of humanity are visualized by the use of the five elements and the five directions: East - Air (Mind) South - Fire (Will) West - Water (Emotions) North - Earth (Physical body) Center - Spirit or Love (Soul) [Called by some "Akasha"] (Remember the movie "The Fifth Element"? Well, believe it or not... that's a pagan concept.) So, it is both--we use our own energy, plus the energy from nature. (The altars, tools, and other props may look pretty dramatic, but in reality they are there just to help us to concentrate and visualize--any magic in a "magical item" usually comes from the intention of the person who uses it, plus the belief of the "collective unconscious"--if enough people believe that mugwort tea, amethysts and blue candles help to enhance your psychic abilities, then that may be enough, even for a skeptic, to make it work).

Most of us have been taught that residual energy remains even after the spell is cast, so we "ground it" after releasing the power to do its work. Also, it follows that when we take energy from mother earth, we "use what we need, then give the rest back". It is a way of thanking the Mother for helping us out. In my experience, magic is not instant, and works very subtly. Unless you're looking for it, you probably won't notice its effects except as a series of "fortunate coincidences". We don't necessarily *have* to use a spell. It's usually a "last resort".

Yes, there are different kinds of magic, and anyone can use it. Where the training becomes important is more as far as ethics are concerned. While it is true that the only good or evil is in the intention of the worker, it is also true that no deed (selfless or selfish, mundane or magical) goes "unpunished" (or unrewarded, as the case may be).

Each one of us is responsible for our actions, thoughts, wishes--and their repercussions and consequences. Like the song goes, "everybody rides on the Karma train". Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, right? It's a universal law. It happens whether or not you "believe" it will. We don't need to know how gravity works to be affected by it; we just have to live on this planet. We call it Threefold Return, or Law of Three: all action, thought, or word decreed returns to its source, triplicate (to heal or to harm). Mother Nature always keeps the balance, in this life or the next (some neo-pagans, though not all, believe in reincarnation).

We live by a code that advises us to harm no one. Not for fear of retaliation (that's a Christian thing). It's because we fancy ourselves the spiritual descendants of a people who wanted to heal and generally make the world a better place. And, if one good deed generates another, once we've piled them up enough, even one person could make a difference.

Not believing the embodiment of "evil" in an object or entity, we had to get used to changing the vocabulary from "good and evil" to "selfless and selfish". This doesn't mean, however, that when you do something that helps only yourself you're being selfish. It just means you should take care that when you do get what you want, you won't be walking all over other people in the process.

Free will is just about as sacred as the deities we worship are. It's the greatest gift of the gods, and you don't mess with something like that. It is a big deal, and you don't interfere with someone else's, like you wouldn't want anyone to interfere with your own ("Do unto others", oddly enough). Well, magic is but the changing of reality by force of Will. The art of transforming your physical reality to match the one you can visualize in your mind. The reason why sometimes it takes longer than other times is because at that point you have to consider what other Wills around you might be disposing while you're busy planning your own thing ("Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans"). So we have to look at the big picture: is it for the good of all, or are we trying to step on someone else's will? What are be the consequences we'll have to face? More importantly, are we ready and willing to face them? Because once the spell is done, it's coming to us, even if we change our minds later on.

Then there's the Law of Attraction: what is thought of or said with a strong enough intention or purpose (willpower) carries with it energy that will eventually find the way to manifest in the physical world. Same attracts same (the only time when opposites attract is when you hold two magnets together). That's why we go through the mechanics with all those props--to create a tangible model of the reality we wish to shape and mold to our liking. But the possibility, the potential, must already exist there, or the results will not be at all what you're expecting. That's part of the energy we're working with, the secret ingredient that completes the recipe and makes it all happen. These are some of the reasons for the secrecy, and for some groups forbidding entrance to anyone under 18, for example. They want to be sure that the people who will be wielding the powers will do so responsibly.

Of course, the energy is intensified even further when you're talking about a group working together for the same purpose.

I hope this wasn't too much... if you should need anything else, let me know an address where I can email you.

The average rating for this answer is 5.

MakoShark rated this answer a 5.