There are so many systems of magick to choose from it can be overwhelming for the new comer to find their way to a system which they can work with harmoniously. This problem is compounded by the fact that a system that has an underlying philosophy that be work very well for a person may not posses a magickal system that said individual can work with easily. For example, consider hermetic kabbalism, a system whose fundamental goal is individual spiritual development through the training of magickal/psychic abilities. Astral travel, evocation, energy work, and divination have been thoroughly explored from the perspective of hermetic kabbalism. Yet this very individualistic system of development is highly structured and ritualized. Strong structural elements in a magickal system can be very valuable for the right people, but can be confining to others who prefer a more free-form practice and still desire a system of development. Other systems such as neo-paganism can have a very free-form approach to magick which may be perfect for some, but it’s philosophies concerning spirituality can be seen as wishy-washy by those who want a little more of a roadmap.
In essence it can be very difficult to find a good fit. It seems like systems need to be meshed together so that an individual can have a system which suits their needs. This can be a problem when the systems have inherent conflicts or contradictions. For example, imagine someone who is focused on the spirituality of the new age global consciousness movement, what if the magick that feels right to them happens to be Lovecraftian themed rituals… seems kinda tricky to mesh those together without ripping one system apart. And people are tricky like that, we are by no means consistent. Hypocrisy and contradictions are what make up individuality. If we didn’t contradict ourselves, we’d just be stereotypes.
In lieu of trying to piece together a system of magick from where others have tread before, why not start anew? Primitive man was fortunate in not being overburdened with the multitudes of assumptions and structures placed upon the universe that we all inherited. Our progenitors were free to explore their universe with very little preconceptions.
Imagine two people meeting without language and being attracted to each other. Having no words or prior experiences to classify the effects they have on each other. They don’t know anything about each other or the sensations they are experiencing for the first time. They would experience being drawn to each other without understanding why and yet feel it as the most natural thing in the world.
This is the same approach our proto-shaman ancestors must have taken towards what we now consider the supernatural/magickal/occult and whatnot. First not being burdened with a materialistic mindset, they would not have seen “magickal” experiences as other. They would experience it as yet another wondrous facade of existence, another mystifying experience. Magickal structures came through experimentation starting with almost no preconceptions towards what was possible and what would work.
By using the magickal system of another, you assume that those who have come before you have had the same goals as you and that these methods are universal, what works for one should work for all. Most occultists have had the experience of that very first spell working out great, thus drawing them into the work of magick. But they assume the spell worked because they saw the desired results. But really, did the spell work because it was a good spell, or because we open ourselves up to the possibility that the events could be manifested, or maybe something else happened, who knows? But from then on, most people put their faith in that magickal system because it worked.
The next mistake comes in assuming that the person who wrote the spell knows more about spirituality and stuff than you do, because they can cast spells and get results (allegedly). But just because a physicist can show you how to smash atoms and release energy, that doesn’t mean you should listen to the dating advice they give you.
My suggestion, approach magick as though you were falling in love for the first time. No preconceptions, just enjoyment of the experience without knowing where you’re headed, but trusting your instincts. Don’t approach with fear, don’t approach with expectations. You don’t have those when you first fall in love, everything is new, seen through new eyes and the experience rocks your whole life for years to come. After your first love, you’re never the same. If you trust in yourself and you trust in magick, you’ll never find yourself pouring over arcane tomes looking for the lost knowledge of another when you can be obtaining better info from the source. Why go with second hand material? Unless of course pouring through forgotten tomes is how magick really manifests for you, then you’ll find all sorts of things in there. More or less, if you do what feels natural and trust you instincts, you’re way better off than following a system that may only be hindering your magickal development.
Good luck and keep up the good work,
N.
Boston's Magick 