I know there was a tread about this on the old OccultForum, so I wanted to start it again.
What do you think about the rather popular theory that everything is magick? There several of them, one is that magick is changing reality and every action we take changes reality, and in a way most of what we do to day would have been seen as magick 1000 years ago, perhaps what we see as magick to day, are just the magickal acts we can not yet explain, but that the magick is still there, it is still the same thing even when we can explain it. Magick is changing reality and is really drawing up a circle and summoning a Spirit any more magickal than turning hot water and dried herbs into tea? Another theory is that all was created by the Divine, so all is Divine. There are many theories and many who believe all is magick, and perhaps believing so is a good way to make the world around one self feel more meaningful.
Opponents of this theory say that is all is magick, then nothing is magick. Like a river, if there are no river banks to keep it one long stream, if there is no boundaries, then there is no river. I find this debate very interesting. I am not sure what I think about it myself but it makes for a good discussion.
Is Everything Magick?
Is Everything Magick?
*Learn magic for it is the only truth of this reality, become magic and you will become the essence of that truth--Ars Magica
*Cats are magical, the more you pet them the longer you both live--Unknown
*The universe is full of magical things, patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper--Eden Phillpotts
*Cats are magical, the more you pet them the longer you both live--Unknown
*The universe is full of magical things, patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper--Eden Phillpotts
Is Everything Magick?
Personally, I find this to be mainly a semantic debate over the definition of the word magick.
I prefer the Crowley definition.
"Certain things happen, and certain results follow."
This statement, of course, suggests the theory that all is magick.
I support this position BECAUSE it implies that, since all is magick, nothing is magick, not in spite of it.
I believe this for a couple reasons.
One, It discourages pretension. It keeps us from thinking we're "chosen people" "enlightened", or any other such nonsense. We're all people who do certain things, with certain results following. What those things specifically are is inconsequential. This makes for an environment in which dogma is least likely to take root.
Two, it allows us to find inspiration wherever we are, from whatever source is available. We don't need to wade through dense, opaque tomes in order to discover the secrets of magick if magick exists everywhere. If we are to see the universe in a grain of sand, then why not see it in an episode of Futurama, or while cleaning up dog poo? If everything is magick, then all can be opened up. All can be conversed with, and anything can be a teacher, a messenger, or a helper of some kind.
I prefer the Crowley definition.
"Certain things happen, and certain results follow."
This statement, of course, suggests the theory that all is magick.
I support this position BECAUSE it implies that, since all is magick, nothing is magick, not in spite of it.
I believe this for a couple reasons.
One, It discourages pretension. It keeps us from thinking we're "chosen people" "enlightened", or any other such nonsense. We're all people who do certain things, with certain results following. What those things specifically are is inconsequential. This makes for an environment in which dogma is least likely to take root.
Two, it allows us to find inspiration wherever we are, from whatever source is available. We don't need to wade through dense, opaque tomes in order to discover the secrets of magick if magick exists everywhere. If we are to see the universe in a grain of sand, then why not see it in an episode of Futurama, or while cleaning up dog poo? If everything is magick, then all can be opened up. All can be conversed with, and anything can be a teacher, a messenger, or a helper of some kind.
It's okay to have imaginary friends, just don't take advice from them.
Is Everything Magick?
Everything is vibration
Is Everything Magick?
While the notion that "All is Magick" can be helpful (for all the reasons DrMummy stated), without any limitations on scope, the sentiment can become every bit as meaningless and impractical as it can be profound and insightful. If everything is magick, does that mean we should fall into that magickal state of mind whenever we watch an episode of Friends, when we're typing up an essay for class, when we're doing the dishes or when we're pairing socks? If all is magick, would you be alright with finding books by Nigella Lawson and Hillary Clinton in the Occult section of the bookstore? If all is magick, does that make Barack Obama, Bill Gates, Amanda Palmer or Junya Watanabe better magickians than you?
"Magick changes to suit its times. Every earnest young punk has a theory about how magick works and why it takes the form it has, but there's no professor to grade the papers. No one knows nothing dead sure."
Is Everything Magick?
My question is, why not?
A magickal perspective would make watching Friends a lot more interesting and relevant.
I find that I can express my own opinions more lucidly when I'm writing (or speaking, for that manner) in a magickal state of mind.
I also guarantee that, if done in in magickal state of mind, your dishes will be cleaner, and you will lose socks much less often.
If I found a book by Hillary Clinton in an occult bookstore, I would think that it's probably a lot more useful and relevant than to 85% bullshit you find in those places.
Also, I do consider Barack Obama, Bill Gates, Amanda Palmer and Junya Watanabe better magickians than any of us, based on the simple fact that they've produced more results than we have.
The only difference between us and them, is that we identify ourselves as occultists. We both do our best to impose our will upon our surroundings.
As I said before, the notion that, because we're occultists, we're somehow set apart from people who are not "awake" is a something that works against us.
Some people work out everyday, some people make muisic, some people stand in front of a mirror and say, "YOU CAN DO IT!".
We put on robes, draw circles, talk with our imaginary friends, and masturbate.
It's no more or less absurd (or effective, BTW) than the specific methods used by others.
I say, people who realize this fact that none of our methods are really different from each other in nature, are the real magickians whether they know it or not.
A magickal perspective would make watching Friends a lot more interesting and relevant.
I find that I can express my own opinions more lucidly when I'm writing (or speaking, for that manner) in a magickal state of mind.
I also guarantee that, if done in in magickal state of mind, your dishes will be cleaner, and you will lose socks much less often.
If I found a book by Hillary Clinton in an occult bookstore, I would think that it's probably a lot more useful and relevant than to 85% bullshit you find in those places.
Also, I do consider Barack Obama, Bill Gates, Amanda Palmer and Junya Watanabe better magickians than any of us, based on the simple fact that they've produced more results than we have.
The only difference between us and them, is that we identify ourselves as occultists. We both do our best to impose our will upon our surroundings.
As I said before, the notion that, because we're occultists, we're somehow set apart from people who are not "awake" is a something that works against us.
Some people work out everyday, some people make muisic, some people stand in front of a mirror and say, "YOU CAN DO IT!".
We put on robes, draw circles, talk with our imaginary friends, and masturbate.
It's no more or less absurd (or effective, BTW) than the specific methods used by others.
I say, people who realize this fact that none of our methods are really different from each other in nature, are the real magickians whether they know it or not.
It's okay to have imaginary friends, just don't take advice from them.
Is Everything Magick?
@DrMummy: Touché. I gotta say your post made me take a little perspective-waltz right there. Nicely done.
"Magick changes to suit its times. Every earnest young punk has a theory about how magick works and why it takes the form it has, but there's no professor to grade the papers. No one knows nothing dead sure."
Is Everything Magick?
IM SO SMRT
It's okay to have imaginary friends, just don't take advice from them.
Is Everything Magick?
I love your post DrMummy and I agree. What is the difference between causing change to occur in different ways, and looking at the world from a magickal perspective do make things more meaningful. And adding meaning to an task add motivation to itch which betters the result, and no matter what word one use to describe one's actions are not results the ultimate goal?
*Learn magic for it is the only truth of this reality, become magic and you will become the essence of that truth--Ars Magica
*Cats are magical, the more you pet them the longer you both live--Unknown
*The universe is full of magical things, patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper--Eden Phillpotts
*Cats are magical, the more you pet them the longer you both live--Unknown
*The universe is full of magical things, patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper--Eden Phillpotts