Introduction to Magick: Lesson I The Journey Within
Witch: what an incredibly powerful word. From the depths of our subconscious, it conjures images of a cackling crone hunched over a bubbling caldron. For individuals trapped in the dogma of religion, witch repels; it draws forth feelings of fear and foreboding. For individuals searching for a more meaningful spiritual experience, the word witch excites and fascinates; it draws forth feelings of hope when there is nowhere else to turn.
Which association of the word witch is correct? Truth being told, both may be correct. A witch is a person (especially a woman) who is credited with having malignant supernatural powers. But it also refers to a practitioner of witchcraft, especially in adherence with a neo-pagan tradition or religion. It is the second definition that Wiccans identify with.
All Wiccans are witches, yet not all witches are Wiccans. What differentiates the two is that Wiccans choose to walk a path of love and light, a path of ethics and of personal responsibility based upon our relationship with the Great Goddess, the Creatress of the Universe. Unlike those who walk the unmerciful path, we believe that magick is a sacred tool to be used to create, to build, to heal, and to protect. For all Wiccans, magick is powerful… IT IS REAL… and it should never, ever be taken lightly.
How does one become a witch and learn to wield the most powerful tool available in the universe? It begins by understanding what magick is. The technical definition of magick is, “the use of means (such as charms or spells) believed to have supernatural power over natural forces.” While on the surface that definition seems fairly accurate- because witches do use charms and spells- it’s actually wholly inadequate because there’s nothing “supernatural” about magick at all! “Supernatural” implies a force beyond the scientific laws of nature, and true magick has everything to do with the universal laws.
Modern science has taught us that all things in the universe, both seen and unseen are composed of energy. Light, for example, may be considered insubstantial (lacking a solid form); however, it is composed of energies held together at a subatomic level that are vibrating, or moving, at different frequencies. Electromagnetic light frequencies can be perceived by the human eye; infrared and ultraviolet light frequencies cannot. Likewise, a stone or rock, as solid as they may seem, are composed of vibrating energies held together at subatomic levels. And while the human eye does perceive the rock or stone, it does not perceive the energies radiating from it.
The science of physics confirms what the sages, shamans, and witches have always known: the universe is made up of both seen and unseen energies; energies are held together and move according to universal laws; energies can be altered or changed when subjected to other natural laws; energies can be influenced by the power of the human mind and emotions.
This is the art of Magick: intentionally manipulating the energies of the universe by utilizing the laws of nature in conjunction with the power of the mind and emotions! At a surface level, this is seen as the power of positive thinking, of manifesting through vision boards, of collecting charms and crystals that will help you attract what you want. All that is good and helpful- and all can be considered practicing magick. However, if that’s all it took to create or change circumstances, anyone who played the lottery would win. There is a secret key to wielding truly powerful magick, and that secret can be found in the Wiccan story of creation (read Article 1- How to Harness the Magick of the Dance: A Wiccan Guide for the Wheel of Life).
According to the Vangelo delle Streghe, the first of all creation was Primeval Deity. In the beginning, Primeval Deity existed in an unconscious state. After eons, Primeval Deity became conscious and began to think and feel. Her emotions created a vibration that resulted in the formation of the material world. To magickally reunify with the physical world and experience life, She journeyed within and consulted Primeval Deity, which is the Goddess’ higher self. This is the key to wielding magick- we must do so from our higher selves. And to learn how to access our higher selves, we must first journey within.
Numerous mythological tales chronicle the inner journey. Mirroring the Goddess in the Vangelo, the archetype of the Hero/Heroine sets off on a quest to obtain spiritual knowledge or magickal objects. During the expedition, the Hero faces seemingly insurmountable challenges that ultimately teach prudence, justice, perseverance, and patience. These lessons allow the Hero to honorably utilize the magickal powers or knowledge acquired from their victorious quests.
In the Vangelo, the first step towards magickal creation began with the Goddess transforming from an unconscious state to a conscious state- self awareness. In Hero’s Journeys, the Heroes gain self awareness by traversing through the desolate terrain of the unconscious. This inner journey is the lesson behind the inscription on Apollo’s Temple in Delphi: Gnothi Seauton (Know Thyself).
If we, too, wish to wield the power of creation and gain access to wisdom and magick, we, too, must become consciously aware and know ourselves. This journey, if you wish to undertake it, is a maze of never-ending roads all leading to the ultimate treasure of self awareness.
One path to self awareness can be found by studying astrology. As above, so below– most witches believe in astrology and understand that the position of the planets at the time of our births influence our personalities and life events. With a few free online tools, you can cast your own natal chart, which will be specific for the time and place of your birth. A natal chart can pinpoint strengths and weaknesses, as well as fated lessons for this life, and karmic lessons carried over from past lives.
Past-lives work is another path on the inner journey to self awareness. You can delve into your past lives through hypnosis, aura and tarot readings, as well as your natal chart. Quirky things said or done in early childhood can also give you clues into past lives, as can dream work.
Dreams reveal many things besides our past lives. Dreams and their symbols are communication from the Goddess, the universe, your spirit guides, and your own subconscious to you. They can enlighten us on our life patterns, unhealed wounds, provide solutions to our problems, and unveil the future through premonitions. Dreams are highly symbolic, and since the spirit realm speaks predominantly through symbolism, understanding the communication is imperative to your spiritual journey.
Another tool that is imperative for becoming self aware is Shadow work. Psychology has taught us that if our “shadow side” runs amok it can causes pain and injury to ourselves as well as others. However, unlike psychology, the goal is not to eradicate or conquer the shadow, but to integrate it. Our shadow selves are our protectors, and we must tame it before we can be trusted with magick!
Of all the paths along our inner journey to self awareness; meditation and mindfulness are the most important. There is a reason why all the spiritual sects include a rigorous regimen of meditation. Meditation is the integration of the conscious and subconscious, the physical with spirit. Meditation trains you to connect with your higher self. If you already meditate- then wonderful! It won’t be difficult for you to add additional exercises to prepare you for harnessing energy. If you’ve never meditated before, start with reasonable goals, perhaps five to ten minutes, and try meditating everyday at the same time and place.
Begin by getting into a relaxed position and focus on your breathing. Once you are fully relaxed, allow your mind to wander while paying attention to your thoughts. This will help you to differentiate between thoughts generated in your mind versus thoughts implanted from external sources. After a week of practice, add the exercise of connecting with your spirit guides by requesting a recognizable sign indicating that they are communicating with you. This sign will be very personal; air brushing across your cheek- a tingling sensation down your spine- a slight onset of goose bumps. This exercise will train you to be able to communicate with your spirit guides outside of meditation.
After you have become adept at recognizing spirit communication, the next step you will add to your meditation practice may be one of the single most important lessons in magick! This step involves developing the skill of visualization for grounding, clearing, and shielding. You must become adept to the practice of visualization before you can ground, cleanse, shield objects, a space, or other people- and before you can even attempt to begin working with energy. Energy work will open doors that may attract countless sorts of entities and spiritual phenomena that you may not necessarily want to welcome!
Becoming a witch and walking the path of the Wicca is not always easy, and the very first steps of inner work and self awareness are the most difficult. But the journey is well worth it, and at the end of your quest, you will hold in your hands a treasure more valuable than all the gold in the world- You will have the ability to tap into the energies of the universe because you will have learned to “Know Thyself.”
– The Goddess Kingdom© 2022
