Monday, May 11, 2009

True Magical Creation - Leap Before You Look

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary rule - the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans; that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now." -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Goethe's quote above really sums up the difference between true magical creation, and false creation. You see, in this society, we've got a major part of the creation sequence backwards -- we are all afraid to commit to creating anything, and we base commitment on the wrong things.

Don't Be Afraid to Commit
How many times have you come upon an opportunity, but been afraid to commit because you didn't have "all the facts"? Well, guess what? By the time you gathered all the facts, the opportunity has either disappeared or you no longer felt like jumping in with both feet. In a society based around "insurance," we are taught to be cautious, to do good research and to gather all the facts. That's all well and good, but it means that we never create anything real -- and we never get to experience the magic in life.

In the creation sequence that is at the heart of magic (after all, what is a spell but a program to create something you want?), commitment comes from your desire, not from an assessment of the facts. Why? Because in this Universe the facts are quite irrelevant. In this Universe, literally anything and everything you want is possible. If you want something, the Universe will bring it to you. According to Emmett Fox, the Universe is "plastic" or bendable to our wishes. So the "facts" are irrelevant. If you want it, the Universe will give it to you.

For Real Magic, Leap Before You Look
So in the true creation sequence, the steps are "leap before you look." Looking doesn't do anything except slow you down, create doubt and hinder your desire. The so-called facts are only the result of other people's creations. They are irrelevant to your own creation. True creation is the result of feeling a rush of desire and saying "yes" to that desire -- regardless of what society or the facts tell you about the situation. True magical creation is uninhibited, free-flowing, wondrous desire.

So what happens when you stumble on an opportunity that you really want to say "yes" to but lack the resources to jump in? Practice saying "yes" to that opportunity internally. Whether you follow up on that opportunity or not, it's the "yes" part that matter. Leaping before you look takes practice, and saying "yes" allows you to flex that part of your psyche that's been dormant for so long.

The goal is to practice letting that desire flow. If you keep practicing flow, one day a huge desire will come up and grab your attention and you'll literally leap before you look -- and you'll create in a most spontaneous and unbelievable way. Have a wondrous time experimenting with this!

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Photo credit: Leap of Faith

Monday, May 4, 2009

Ask Alan: Why Use Magical Tools?

We just got an email that raises an interesting question. The author of the email says, "We don't need any sticks or wands or anything. We have the powers in are hands just as well in are head."

This raises an interesting question:

Why use magical tools?


This is a great question, and the author of the email is right. Everyone possesses and can channel magical energy using their hands, directing the energy with their intention (head). In fact, most magicians learn to handle the four elemental energies-Air, Fire, Water, and Earth-bare-handed, without the benefit of tools. It is best when you are first starting out in magic to handle these energies directly, with your hands, and throughout your body. We call this hand magic, or the direct handling of elements.

Magical Tools Give You More Reach
However, as you advance your skills, the use of magical tools is important. Magical tools extend our "reach," since they can handle more energies than we can handle with our hands. This greater level of energy means that we can reach further with the elemental energies to accomplish more.

For instance, you can easily to put up a personal magical shield around your body using your hands. It is simple to summon and direct enough energy through your hands. However, if you wanted to shield a house or a large property, you can do it much more easily with a tool, like a Wand. With the use of a properly made and keyed Wand, you can easily shield a property that includes many acres. It's possible to do the same using just your hands, but the level of force is much greater. The Wand saves you quite a bit of exertion.

Each of the four magical elements has its own corresponding tool, as follows:

Air element = Wand
Fire element = Athame

Water element = Chalice

Earth element = Plate


By using magical tools, experienced practitioners can affect situations on many levels, ranging from the personal level to the global level.

Learn more about Tools.

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Photo credit: 4C7H0892