Does Magic work?

What's the difference?

2006-10-10T13:29:00.000+10:00

The religious, the average day mainstream Christian or other somewhat religious person, who sees no problem in believing in baby Jesus or BVMs or can with a straight face tell us that a god, or gods, are personally monitoring us, laugh and snicker and make sarcastic comments when it comes to Magic.

They’re reasonable, they believe in a book of text as a magical divine object. We’re nuts, we “believe” in Magic.

Witches of Salem

2006-10-09T09:58:00.000+10:00

Witches happened to be the hot issue in a fearful Salem in 1692. It was Jews in Nazi-dominated Germany, communists during the McCarthy legislations, and 'terrorists' now.

The chilling thing about the witch trials was that there was no defense that could be presented. How does one provide evidence that he or she has not met with the devil, or changed into a raven?

By the time the witch hunt frenzy was over, 19 people had been hanged and four more perished in the dungeons.

If it could happen there, then, it could happen elsewhere, since. And has.

Paranormal survey

2006-09-28T01:51:00.000+10:00

Monash University, in Melbourne, Australia is conducting an online survey of the paranormal.

Whether you believe in the paranormal or not, take a few minutes to complete this survey designed to help shed light on what types of experiences people are having (or not having as the case may be).

By paranormal the survey means experiences that cannot be explained using the current laws of science. These events include premonitions, out-of-body and near-death episodes, telepathy and apparitions. Many people believe in the paranormal but this survey is not about beliefs. It is about what people ARE and are NOT experiencing. The survey is open to anyone 18 years of age or older, regardless of whether they have or have not experienced the paranormal. The survey is anonymous and will take only 5 to 10 minutes to complete.

Survey Link

The Moon and the Mainstream

2006-09-26T11:09:00.000+10:00

Astrologers, gardeners, farmers and hunters are well known for working in harmony with the moon's other phases to maximise success. Why should we be surprised when the moon affects us. After all, it pulls the great oceans on the planet, and our bodies are more than 65 per cent liquid.

But the full moon isn't the only moon we should take note of, various projects can be seen to thrive and blossom when done in conjunction with the moon's cycles.

A 2005 study by the Journal Of Empirical Finance found stock returns were consistently three to five per cent lower around the full moon than on the days around a new moon.

But there is a positive side to all this lunacy. Linda Walker, a Melbourne research scientist who worked as a waitress for eight years in some of the city's busiest restaurants, says full moons always meant great tips and a busy night.

"People drank more and were also a bit more over the top. You never knew what would happen," she says

Just as gardeners like to make the most of the new moon to plant, a similar approach can be used in everything from health to business.

Today, the Moon is 11% full and waxing -- a gibbous moon

For more on the moon, see - Working the Moon at All info about Magic

Quotes from news.com.au

The Spell

2006-09-25T12:59:00.000+10:00

For our purpose, to see if Magic works, I'm going to attempt a simple Money Spell

The Moon is still the waxing crescent, now at 6%.

Prayer and Magic

2006-09-25T12:47:00.000+10:00

Prayer is not a power, but a request. It is not so much a technique as a conversation. We cannot guarantee what Spirit will do with our prayers. If we use Prayer as the basis of our Spiritual undertakings we must understand that it's not our will which becomes manifest - but that of the Divine. We may not get exactly what we ask for. We may get more or less.

So if the

belief that supernatural forces can be controlled, influenced and manipulated by executing a ritualistic formula, either physical or verbal

is the basis of Magic, then in order for Magic to be effective, it has to manipulate energy. This may be divine energy, elemental energy, herb energy, planetary energy etc.

This is what takes Magic above and beyond Prayer. The practitioner, rather than the Divine, decides upon the desired outcome.

However, many religions use sacrifices and elaborate doxologies to induce the Divine to favour requests, grant wishes and perform miracles upon demand. Is this magic? Yes. Religion and magic are not mutually exclusive

If you do not ask, you do not receive. If you do not receive, it was not meant to be.

Working up to the Moon

2006-09-24T00:29:00.000+10:00

Labyrinth of Learnings has good information on Lunar Energy.

Our processes towards understanding are like the phases the Moon passes through. We begin in darkness, we grow to lightness and understanding and then return again to the dark. If we choose to plot our processes with the rhythm of lunar energy then we are working in harmony with the nature of the night.

Our activity and enterprises are lived by the Solar light, we delve our inner depth by the Lunar night.

At the moment the moon is 1% and waxing. I'm building up energy piece by piece as the moon swells, each night bringing more energy flow. I have just under 2 weeks to prepare for the Full Moon, the best time for a spell of prosperity.

The Silver for a Spell

2006-09-23T23:16:00.001+10:00

I have collected 5 cent coins, ones which I have found, or have been given. It's amazing the number of small coins which I saw just lying about, it must have been that I didn't notice them before.

I have placed them into a glass mug and it's now almost full. I think of these coins as my silver, as in cross my palm with silver and each one that I place into the mug I fill as much energy as I can draw up.

The Goal for a Spell

2006-09-23T23:16:00.000+10:00

I'm going to make a money spell. It's something I need, not something I lust for. I don't want to be rich, merely free of worry.

So, I'm not going to set about a spell which turns me into grasping Miss Millions, I will ask for what I need. Perhaps it's possible to become very rich by spellwork, and perhaps I'm not cut out to be rich in the first place.

Three Components of Magic

2006-09-23T22:34:00.000+10:00

Like anything, magic takes a bit of planning. So I sat down and mapped out the steps to take by thinking about the three basic components that constitute the spell :

Statement of Intention What am I asking for? What do I really want to achieve? What can I do on the physical plane to back up my work?

Raising Energy How will I connect with Universal Energy? Drumming? Meditation?

Projecting Energy Towards the Goal Once I have raised Universal Energy how will I direct it to my goal?

Ritual of Magic

2006-09-23T22:28:00.000+10:00

Ritual is the medium through which the art of magic is practiced. It consists of an action or series of actions, which may be entirely mental, or mental and physical, by which the power of magic is released and directed towards the fulfillment of a specific desire.

The reason most everyday rituals do not bring about desired effects is that they are not understood for what they truly are; therefore, they remain unfocused.

When a ritual is unfocused, it can never accomplish a major purpose. Once you become aware that you are working a ritual, and what the purpose of that ritual is, it becomes effective, and magical power is released and applied to the object of desire.

It is doubtful if magic can be worked without ritual. To work magic without ritual would be like trying to draw water out of a well without a bucket. Ritual is the bucket. The water itself is the magical potency. The act of drawing it forth is the practice of the art of magic.

Define Magic

2006-09-23T22:00:00.000+10:00

Websters : Magic is the art of producing a desired effect or result through the use of various techniques as incantations that presumably assure human control of supernatural agencies or the forces of nature

Aleister Crowly : Magic is the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will.

answers.com : Magic is the practice of using charms, spells, or rituals to attempt to produce supernatural effects or control events in nature.

So, according to this, Magic is the practice of manipulating and controlling the course of nature by preternatural means.

Principles of the Universe

2006-09-23T14:17:00.000+10:00

So what are the principles?

Everything in this Universe is comprised of a mixture of the four elements air, fire, water and earth.

Understanding and directly working with these elements allows us to understand anything in the Universe.

Simple enough so far .......

What is Magic anyway?

2006-09-23T13:53:00.000+10:00

Before starting to find a way to test if Magic works, we should first off have a look and try to work out what magic actually is. We all have an idea of some kind what Magic is, whether it's someone turning you into a frog or it's fairies at the bottom of the garden.

Magic is the science of first understanding and then using to our benefit the principles that govern this Universe.

And then try and find out if we can do it ourselves.

Are you game?

Does Magic work?

2006-09-23T13:42:00.000+10:00

Does magic work? Wouldn't everyone love to know.

So, let's see if we can find out .....