People often ask me what it is that got me so curious about magickal practices and altered states. The question brings me to gratitude and curiosity as to why this path has mysteriously unfolded before me. My first response to the question is a drive down reminiscent lane to an experience I had in Grade 4. At the time I was attending Catholic school and my parents were diligently taking us weekly to an Anglican church. A group of friends in school were beginning to gain interest in the recently released cult classic, The Craft, which my parents (God bless their hearts) did not approve of me to see. Feeling partly left out of the group's conversation and also being intensely drawn to the world of all things supernatural, I proceeded to say, "Let's start a coven."
So it began. At home I would pray and go to church and behave like the kind of angel my parents wanted me to be...meanwhile, at school I was taking part in calling in the four directions, playing with the elements, and attempting to hypnotize and levitate my peers. This sparked a new sense of excitement in me. I remember going to the school library and looking up books on witches. One particular encyclopedia caught my eye and upon its pages were medieval images of witches riding broom sticks with the devil and being burned at the stake. Shortly after that it all came to an abrupt end when the group of us were called into the principal's office and reprimanded for our apparently 'bad' behavior.
Over the years I found myself naturally drawn to magickal practices, yet the results have not always been the most positive in terms of receiving acceptance from others. I have realized that for many folks, magickal practices (and altered states) is still very much the object of criticism by society. Having worked with others who are curious about using magick to live their life more fully, I can tell you that for many this sense of judgement is still a part of the experience.
If you are someone who feels unfulfilled in life, wants to have a bit more zest and fun, wishes to see the sparkle of magick in your every day, and come into alignment with YOUR personal truth, then perhaps calling more magick into your life is just what the metaphysical doctor ordered. Here are some ways you can begin living a purposeful and magickal life.
So how do you overcome these fears of magickal practices that are meant to enliven and bring more purpose and meaning into your life?
First step is to acknowledge that these fears exist through the shadow.
This is about recognizing where your life is at. Who/what has been putting a layer of control over you? Are there religious or societal programs that you are operating under? What do these look like and do you really believe them to be true? This is part of the investigative work of healing - you must examine your life and ask question, after question, after question.
My experience of religious trauma has led me to realize that many folks are still fearful that a red pitchfork-wielding, goat figure is impatiently tapping his foot, waiting for them to screw up and join him in eternal flames. If you grew up in a home where talk of satanic chaos and brimstone were common dinner conversation, then you may have experienced programming that demands a life on the straight and narrow - or else!
Coming from a place of question, you can begin the process of uncovering the shadows and programs that you operate from. For many people, they play small because of fear of being perceived as bad or wrong, or for being judged as not meeting the divine expectations of admission to heaven. Or if you're like me, you feel that in order to keep everyone safe, you have to play within the boundaries of the proverbial sandbox of life.
Whatever the belief - a great way to shift your programming is to ask "What is it I believe?" and then "What about this belief is true?" and "What about this belief is false?"
Step two is to accept where you are coming from so you can BE the change YOU need.
When you do any form of healing work such as asking questions and exploring the shadow, you may find yourself swimming amongst a wide range of emotions. From grieving the past, to having the desire to experience life differently, to anger, hatred, denial and even confusion.
The path of acceptance is part of the healing journey and with magick we are asked to be willing to accept what it is life has given us without attachment. This does not mean to give up and not try a ritual again. But rather to be willing to acknowledge where we have come from and where we are and to then do the work to create the changes necessary. It also means to call upon those divine spirit guides and energetic powers (whether planetary, elemental, etc.) to harness what energy sources may be of support.
Self acceptance of one's perceived shitty religious upbringing can mean the difference of throwing out everything or being empowered with the wisdom of All.
For instance, it took me quite some time to come to a place of more positive acceptance of my Christian-faith upbringing. Initially when I had my spiritual emergence, I felt deceived and wanted to go against the religious beliefs of my past. When I began the healing work and self-reflective process, I started to step into more self-acceptance and acceptance that my journey through Christian belief systems has contributed greatly to my knowledge and understanding of both the Bible and what is meant in various magickal texts/workings. For this I am forever grateful to Spirit for being so thorough in the blueprint of my life.
If you feel that coming to a sense of acceptance of your past is too far-fetched, I invite you to pray and ask Spirit to help you to step more into this acceptance. Ask and the Universe will answer you. Please know that you are not alone in this process.
Step three is build trust by aligning with practices that feel right for YOU.
Scrolling through YouTube or Reddit search results on 'magickal practices' may leave your head spinning for days. There is an almost endless amount of content out there and an equally vast amount of differing perspectives on how to go about practicing magick the "right" way.
My first word of advise is to put other peoples' opinions to the side and explore what feels right for you! That includes this article - if anything on these pages doesn't resonate for you, then know that that is okay. We are all on this learning journey together and so it's important that we don't take another person's word as gospel truth, but rather hold it up to a lens of skepticism, question, and a blend of faith that perhaps there's something Divine in everything.
On my YouTube channel I share a variety of practices, rituals and recommendations for folks to begin diving into their unique magickal practice. From clearing your energy with the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (LBRP), making sigils for drawing in more abundance & love, to working with the Divine names for a deeper sense of fulfillment, there are so many ways to explore the esoteric and access deeper levels of your consciousness.
The first thing I tell people is to make sure you feel prepared for the magickal working/ritual. Have you gathered all the elements/items you need, do you have a quiet & private space to practice undisturbed, is your intention clear as to what you want, and lastly, be aware of the thoughts and fears that may be arising as this is most likely resistance - the ego wanting to keep you contained in your comfort zone.
Time and time again people show their interest in magick and yet they back away. And I get it! When I first began really practicing I felt it was a constant exploration of my fears. "What if I let this demon in?" or "What if someone dies!?" - these are the beliefs that have been part of my internal dialogue since I was a kid. If this is the case for you, I invite you to return to Step 1 where you ask some questions and find out who's thoughts these really belong to. Most likely - they aren't yours!
Then come back to prayer to the Divine source of all - know that there is no harm to befall you, especially when you come from a place of love and light. Now if you're carrying out a ritual to harm someone, then I can't say it's all going to be okay for you - the law of cause and effect is a real thing - are you willing to live with the consequences?
Magick creates ripples in our world - and any ritual or magickal working we take part in will do just that: create ripples. This means your world will start to shift and, for the most part, these shifts are meant to align you with your true purpose. Sometimes what you think is your purpose isn't actually YOURS. It ends up being everyone else's hopes and dreams for your life. Recognize that Spirit may shake things up for you and this is part of the journey. Return to self-acceptance and acceptance of what is so you can acknowledge life's lessons and know you don't have to be stuck in it forever.
The more you practice what feels good for you, the more fun you'll have and the more results you'll see in your magick. This will mean greater fulfillment and a return to joy and peace in your life even when shitty things show up (because trust me, they will).
And finally a bonus step: Practice with like-minded Folks
My memories of Grade 4 where my friends and I would perform magick during recess still brings warmth to my heart. We were in the flow together and unbelievable things happened around us. I did not know it then, but now I realize that there was a deep connection going on beyond the physical realm of our relationship. We had created this experience for each other from past lives and the Fates had brought us together again. This has been my experience with every magickal or shamanic group I have been blessed to be a part of.
Being a magickal practitioner can be fun and exciting, yet a lonely existence. Connecting to a group of like-minded individuals who share common values, attitudes, and beliefs about magick and life can be a great addition to your stepping into a fulfilled life as a magus. There are various organizations and spiritual groups that exist out there. It's a matter of you putting it out to the Universe and trusting that you will find the open door.
Wherever this group practice evolves, having others to share in your magickal wins, loses, and hopes is sure to leave you feeling a sense of community and purpose.
TLDR:
As a review, the steps are:
Ask questions to uncover your beliefs and release old programming
Accept where you're coming from and know you can BE the change
Build trust by practicing magick in alignment with your beliefs
Bonus step: Practice with others
If you are curious about diving into your own magickal practice and aren't sure where to start, I invite you to join my YouTube Channel by either subscribing or joining our Community page HERE. I share all matter of topics on magickal practices and altered states. We also have our Ouroboros 713 gathering on Saturday mornings, where we talk all things magick and esoteric. You can sign up for the circle on the Events page HERE. Looking for one-on-one support? I offer individual and group sessions to explore ritual training, heal from past wounds and help you align with your personal truth. Hop on a Free, 15-minute Meet & Greet call with me HERE.
Love is the Law. Love under Will.