Crowley saw magick as the essential method for a person to reach true understanding of the self and to act according to one's true will which he saw as the reconciliation between freewill and destiny. In his book, Magick, volume 4, he stated,
"One must find out for oneself and make sure beyond doubt who one is, what one is and why one is. Being thus conscious of the proper course to pursue, the next thing is to understand the conditions necessary to follow it out. After that, one must eliminate from oneself every element alien or hostile to success and develop those parts of oneself which are specially needed to control the aforesaid conditions."
To put it simply, what he was trying to say in effect was, like the example of water I gave, we should be able to know ourselves to that point of what we are capable of. Lack of this knowledge of self has caused billions to rot in hell not knowing that they can transmute their situations into the heaven they dream of. Among those billions are those who have labelled magick as demonic or from the devil. A devil they have never seen but coined in other to excuse their ignorance. The ignorance which has caused many to live in darkness and rot in hell.
So why do we involve in magick? No, the question should be, why shouldn't we involve in magick. It is only a matter of expansion of consciousness for us to see that magick is the blood of life. Life itself is magical. We live in it just as it lives in us. It can't be explained. Scientists and Mystics have done their part to unravel the mystery of life and still, every mystery solved opens the door to untold number of mysteries. Religions on the other other hand, have the wisdom to know that it is a fool's errand to unravel the mystery of life but on the other hand, for whatever reason have decided to remain blind even though their eyes are opened. Greed is also another reason they have remained blind. Each attempt to steal the next soul has caused Nature to act against them. Some are so blind that Stevie Wonder sees better than them.
Enough of the foreplay, what is magick? It is but the art of creation or causing change. Nobody can truthfully say he or she has not been involved in one way or the other in magick. Our religious brothers may want to exempt themselves from this but they forget that even the act of prayer is magical. For to pray is to cause change on the material plane in the very least. Prayer is but a simple form of magick. In this regard, our religious brothers are guilty of dabbling in magick. That aside, magick, the art of creating or causing change for the benefit of the one involved in it, should be seen as natural as the air we breathe. In any magical act, the intention is what constitute the bulk of magic. When we wake up in the morning, and decide to eat breakfast, that intention to eat breakfast is already a magical act. In other words, our thoughts are magical in nature. The same goes for our feelings. It is this sex of thoughts and feelings that determines the effectiveness of the magick. There are different forms of magick but the one thing common amongst all is the thought and feelings involved. In the bible, it is stated that God said, "Let us create man in our own image." At the end of creation, the bible stated that God was pleased. So we see God dabbling in magick or rather instituted the art of magick. First, IT had the intention and then combined this intention with ITS feelings. Now the question is, if we are created in the image of God, what or who is God?
In answering this question or attempting to, meditation becomes very important. Meditation is the one art common among the various schools of philosophy. The answer cannot be found outside. The answer lies within us. The Mystics who contemplated the question all came to the conclusion "As Above, So Below". In other words, "as the universe, so the soul". Meditation is not only for mystics matter of fact, we all, whether we are conscious of it or not, engage in it. So just like God, this ability to create also lies within us. For we have the power to create heavens here and now. This idea of waiting for paradise after death is the one big scam of the millennia.
Now, like I said before, there are different forms of magic and also there is a right way to magick. Naturally, for magick to be sucessful, it has to be done the right way. Since our thoughts and feelings play a great role, it is therefore necessary to guard our thoughts with all our might for as the bible in a different way put it, it is from our heart that living water flows. There are some magical schools that even admonish their practitioners to schedule their thoughts for coming weeks and even months. In other words, one should be able to know what thoughts he or she should be occupied with say tomorrow or next week for that matter. Ridiculous as this might sound, there are people who actually attempt it. How successful they are depends on their self discipline. The goal here is to avoid as much as possible those thoughts that do not aid in our evolutionary growth.
In citing an example of doing magick the right way, lemme use my life experience to shed a light on the subject. As a teenager growing up and believing as most do, as least in the neck of wood I came from, I had the fantasy that if I manage to date a water spirit (popularly known as Mami Wata (Water) or Ogbanje in Nigeria), I would be rich. I pondered on the thought for a long time and even jokingly told friends that I don't mind dating a Mami Wata. Little did I know the energies I was playing with and the vibrations I was setting in motion. For me, it was all fun and game until my wish materialized. (Our thoughts are so powerful that a certain writer once said something in the lines of, if we are scared of the power of lightening, we should be more scared of the power of thoughts for both operate under the same principle). Indeed it was a huge shock for me. All the while I had pondered about it, I had never really believed in it or rather half believed in it. I thought they were just fantasies. In any case, I fell in love with a Water Spirit hoping I would be rich in the process. Before going further, let me bring your attention to the 'Law of Attraction'. The law of attraction operates just like magick but unfortunately most people have misunderstood how it operates. True, the law of attraction can work without us doing anything like in my case. Nonetheless, if we are to expect quick positive results about manifesting our desires, a ritual action is necessary. Even the word attraction hints to us the idea of action. But where most people fail in using the law of attraction is doing nothing. While in my case, it took several years for the wish for a Mami Wata to manifest, the process could have been sped up with a ritual action. Secondly, since I didn't employ the right action I got something entirely different from what I expected. A ritual action can be likened to a catalyst. It speeds up the process of manifestation especially if our energies are in alignment.
Now, talking about doing magick the right way, I could have visualized my desire and work towards my goal. (Not just any kind of work but work which will result in being paid). But because I was lazy, I had visualized the wrong way. So while I got my wish, I got in addition something I didn't bargain for. In the course of our relationship, she began to expose herself to me. From the beginning she told me outright who she is. It was exciting for me. But as we got deeper, she began to expose herself to me. She told me not to try to hide anything from her. Well, I thought she was kidding until she showed to me she can read my thoughts. In another instance, as a young blood, I was involved with other girls. On a fateful day as I visited her, she told me about this girl I had been secretly dating. She described her in details as if she must have just seen her. I was shocked and scared that she could see my every move. That was when fear began to creep in. Although, I knew she would never harm me or so she said, nonetheless, I got scared to my bones. she even said she doesn't have any problem with me dating other girls but that I should give her my undivided attention whenever I am with her. Not only could she read my thoughts, she could see me clearly even in the darkest of nights. In other words, there was no where I could hide from her gaze, there was nothing I could literally hide from her. Then I reasoned, if she could read me with such clarity then perhaps she could read anybody. That was when I began to fear for my family. It was this fear for family that finally decided me to call it quits with her. Of course, not without some struggle. So while I had hoped for money, I got something entirely different and much worse, dread. This is because at the time I had set the law of attraction in motion, I didn't know it will result to fear. This is just to emphasize that when dealing with the forces of Nature, particular care should be taken not to draw upon oneself an undesirable element. In other words, magick should be done rightly for Nature is no respecter of persons. What we sow, we reap whether in thoughts, words or deeds.
The ingredients of magick are thoughts, words, feelings, visualization and action. Under systems of magick we have, but to name a few:
1. Astronomical/Astrological Magick: Using the positions of the planets to influence magical works.
2. Voodoo Magick: Contrary to popular belief, Voodoo is not evil as Hollywood has made us to believe. Voodoo rites, derived from the supernatural, proceed from the influence of the sun in the atmosphere.
3. Witchcraft Magick: We all are familiar with witchcraft. And like voodoo, witchcraft has been misunderstood. First, the word stems from the word 'wit' to have wits means to be clever or wise. A witch is therefore someone who is wise. Anybody who is wise knows better than to harm another living being. Witchcraft is therefore the craft of the wise. Another term that was coined for them is wizard. There is a misconception with the word 'witch', most now seem to think the word refers to a feminine gender. A witch is an androgynous term referring to both sexes. In Nigeria for instance, we have witch doctors. Despite the advancement of science, there are those who will rather patronize witch doctors than the conventional ones. The word witch is now almost universally synonymous with magick. The word is now so broad that under the umbrella of witchcraft or paganism, there are different paths. Some of the these paths to name but a few are: Traditional Witch, Solitary Witch, Green Witch, Sea Witch, Kitchen Witch, Wicca and a host of others. What they all have in common is their love for spell casting.
4. Hermetic Magick: Although popularly known as western magical system, nonetheless, its root can be traced back to Hermes Trismegistus, who is the greek version of the Egyptian god Thoth, one of the Egyptian incarnated gods who it is claimed brought civilization to Egypt from whose source the world is now civilized and the reason Africa is known as the cradle of civilization. The name Hermes is where hermetic is derived from. According to the myth, he lived such a long time that he was referred to as trice great (Tricemegistus). Some sources claim he was the brain behind the Pyramids of Egypt. Anybody who knows anything about the Pyramid (Pyramid of Giza) knows that it is wrapped in mystery. The design of the Pyramid is so brilliant that it aligns with cosmic features. Till tomorrow, it still remains one of the wonders of the world. Credited with bringing civilization to the world, his system of schooling was unified. In other words, in his system was Mathematics, Geometry, Physics, Chemistry, Astronomy and Astrology, Biology, Arts, Medicine and even religion all as just a subject. The word, "As Above So Below" is attributed to him. There are seven hermetic principles attributed to him and they are:
i. The Principle of Mentalism. (All is mind. The Universe is mental)
ii. The Principle of Correspondence (As Above So Below)
iii. The Principle of Vibration (Nothing rest, everything vibrates)
iv. The Principle of Polarity (Everything has poles, everything has its pair of opposites)
v. The Principle of Rhythm (Everything has its tides, everything flows in and out)
vi. The Principle of Cause and Effect (Every cause has its effect and every effect has a cause)
vii. The Principle of Gender (Gender is in everything, Everything has its masculine and feminine principles)
Under Hermeticism, there are various branches of magick. To name but a few we have, ceremonial magick, an extention of ritual magick, and under this form of magick, we have such organisations like the Freemasonry, Rose Cross, Thelema, and even the Catholic Church. There is also under Hermeticm the transcendental magick and a few more. But the most beautiful aspect of hermetic magick is that unlike the other forms, it is the forces of Nature within the human being that is drawn upon rather than external tools. For instance, in witchcraft, we hear of magic circle (the drawing of a circle to protect one from uninvited spiritual guest), magic wand (that should be familiar from Harry Potter) and a host of other tools. But in hermeticism, one draws from one's power of imagination and visualization and Will. Of course, other tools can be used to aid in some magical work but what hermeticism is letting us know in effect, is that, we are the real magick and not the tools. In other words, our feelings, thoughts, words, imagiantion, visualization and concentration and will are the tools of the craft.
In conclusion, I would like to make something clear. This subject is subject to lukewarm attitude from the general public especially when such verses in the bible made it clear not to suffer witches or people involved in magick to live. As a result of this, so many witches and innocents suspected have been killed. In medieval Europe, so many witches were burnt by Christians even though our Christian brethren are also guilty of dabbling in magick. Any body with any brains at all knows that the translation of one language to another results in a distorted translation. It is my bet that the word translated to witch in the bible meant something else. For instance, most people now classify sorcerers and witches as one and the same thing. But there is a difference. Sorcerers would employ magick to harm an individual whereas Witches, a true witch would only employ magick to help a neighbor. There are even witches who would rather not even use magick for their own good. A growing number of witches are even turning to vegan diets so as not to harm our beautiful and lovely animals sharing the same life as we do. So that is the difference. Using magick to harm others is black magic. This is not the kind of magick this blog is about. Rather, this blog is about using magick for the good of humanity just as our religious brothers may use that primary form of magick known as prayer to help a neighbor or friends in need.
One way we can use magick for our good is in what we know as metaphysical healing. Simply tuning the vibrations of thought, we can easily transmute a negative situation to a positive one. For example, using myself as an example, sometimes, when I have headache, just focusing my attention on something else rather than the headache, I find in most cases the headache gone. Another one, although might not seem like an example but nonetheless effective, is when I am urged to pee. Simply by tuning my thought vibrations from peeing to something else. I can hold that pee for another one or two hours longer. The reason for using this last example is to bring to the notice of the reader the power of concentration. Most people usually take concentration for granted. They underestimate the power of concentration but herein lies a most natural force of Nature. Concentration is like a beam of light that when directed to an object like paper, it bores a hole in the paper. When we direct our concentration or attention on something, it is not surprising what we get as an after effect. Herein lies the difference between the successful and those struggling to be. Herein lies also the power of meditation. In any school of magick or most schools at that, the first things taught or asked to be developed in the individual is such easy (although not easy) task as concentration or attention. It is my bet that you can't achieve the simple task of holding your thought on a particular idea for 5 minutes without other thoughts not bashing in uninvited. Not until one begins to practice these exercises, one finds how difficult they seem in reality than in theory. Although some will find these easier than others. Some simple exercises would be, if you care to do them;
1. Mindfulness. Keep your attention on the physical activity you are engaged in for at least 5 minutes without your thoughts not straying to other things not related to what you are doing.
2. Thought observance. Observe your thoughts for at least 5 minutes without getting involved in the thought. In other words, watch it like you watch a car driving by.
3. Thought concentration. Use your undivided attention to concentrate on a particular idea without straying for a second to other thoughts not related to the idea.
4. Vacancy of mind. Although it may seem impossible, nonetheless, it can be done. Simply allow no thought to find its way to the surface of the mind for at least 5 minutes. Between every thought, there is a space. Just concentrate on that micro second of space in between thoughts and keep the attention there for at least 5 minutes.
These exercises may seem easy. Nonetheless, until you actually practice them, you can't decide how easy or difficult they are. The side effect of these exercises is the development of will power, a very important tool in magick. In magick, there are all sort of exercises to master in other to bring out in one that quality of Nature called omnipotence. For as the Christian bible rightly said, we are created in God's image and if one of the qualities of God is omnipotence, then we too have that quality. As above, so below.
These exercises in themselves are not really magical. They are as natural as can be. Hence my definition of magick is, doing the impossible by simply doing the possible.