The purpose of magic, in the sense of spell-casting and witchcraft, is to focus one’s intent and to magnify one’s efforts to accomplish a result. While the actions taken may look silly to an outsider–lighting a candle, gesturing with a stick or knife, burning incense–each object, each action, each incantation or chant has symbolic meaning to the pracitioner. To cast a spell requires visualization, clarifying what is desired, and specifying the results. It involves setting the will in motion, making a committment to achieve the results, and then with mind firmly set in the direction of success, taking action.
Sounds like goal setting, right?
The difference between magic (or prayer, of which magic is a ritualized form) and magical thinking, is that the practitioner finishes the ritual and then takes action, believing that the success of the action is assured. It is a way of changing vibration, to use the language of the law of attraction, to reduce resistance caused by negative thinking and clear the mind for positive thinking while doing the task at hand.
Magical thinking, on the other hand, is more like daydreaming. It has no focus, not even a clear focus of what, where, when, and why someone would rather be there than here. Magical thinking is about avoiding taking action, or avoiding the consequences of actions already taken, breaking laws of cause and effect. It is said that God(dess) helps those who help themselves. If one does nothing, then that nothing is only magnified by magic…it’s unaffected by magical thinking. Nothing is still nothing squared. Magical thinking is like pretending that everything is all right, when things are falling apart. Postiive thinking takes into account what is, witht he intent of changing it. Magical thinking waits
Prayer, or ritual, or magic, if done consciously, with clear intent and focus, effects the changes that the person prays for, and then accepts with gratitude. If this seems counter-intutitive, think about what happens when one takes the time to clear the mind, narrowing one’s focus to exclude the nay-sayers, the self-doubt and the imagined objections around the goal. Then think what happens if one spends time making excuses for not taking action…the more excuses the less action.
Magical thinking tries to excuse any inconvenient facts and trust that something “out there” will do the work instead of doing it. Magic connects with “that which is within” for the energy, courage and strength to act.
Cast a spell, say a prayer, and then make your wish come true.
You must log in to post a comment.