(no subject)

[drydem]

Alright, to understand most of what I am going to say, you need to know the Wiccan Rede and some of the debate surrounding it's interpretations.
The Wiccan Rede is a long drawn out ethical statement that is generally boiled down to the short statement 'do what you will, but harm none.' That statement is generally presented as a moral code in Wicca and it is one of the rules I try to apply to my life. One of the issues of debate with this code is the love spell issue. Some people view love spells as inherently harmful because they remove someone's free will in a situation. This general issue is what I am musing about.

I feel frustrated sometimes with magic and morality. I believe in magic. I believe very strongly in magic. And I also believe in it's moral application. I believe that the only real sin is to harm another. And I believe that taking one's freedom away is one way to harm them. And so I don't do magic that chooses for another person. I don't make people's decisions for them. And sometimes that's just so frustrating. I could do it. I could cast a love spell. I could squeeze the universe into a ball and roll it towards an overwhelming question. But I don't. But I could. And sometimes, I wonder if it is worth it after all, after teas and cakes and ices and so forth.
I'm Prufrocking right now.
I can't do it. I can't bring myself to do any more than remove obstacles and take advice from the universe/faeries/stars/random pieces of stuff. I just can't. Because my temporary happiness is not worth harm. Because if I am going to get some bad karma, I am going to get it preventing someone from getting killed or something, not just making me a little less lonely. And I don't know if that's low self esteem because I don't think I'm worth it, or maybe pessimism about relationships because I've been hurt, or maybe just what I say it is. I don't always know.
"Keep your old love letters"
It's a statement that comes from a speech that is attributed to Kurt Vonnegut. I disagree with it. Reading old love letters just makes me sad. It doesn't evoke feelings of love or contentment, it evokes feelings of loss and loneliness. It makes me feel all fucked up and bad.
Would it have been worth while,
if one, settling a pillow or throwing back a shawl,
and turning toward the window should say:
"That is not it at all,
That is not what I meant, at all."

Comments

[moonandserpent.livejournal.com]

There is, at least according to the honourable Rev. Kevin Schmidt, a big difference between a love spell designed to subvert someone's will and one that is designed to make it more likely you'll find love. One is binding the will of another and one is arranging synchronicity so that she notices the way the street light catches your eye and the way snowflakes glisten on your nose for a brief moment before melting away.

*shrug* That's my philosophy, at least. But I'm a whacky chaos magickian-proto thelemite guy.

[ellegua.livejournal.com]

The eshu seconds that notion. Forcing others to make choices is Not Cool, while magically enhancing your own charisma, on the other hand, is A-ok. One is a curse, the other a prayer. Says me, at least.

[drydem.livejournal.com]

That is a notion that I agree with. I believe in Sychronicity (The Police album and the phenomenon). There is nothing wrong with manifesting synchronicity, it's just less powerful. I am so tempted to use power sometimes. That's my problem.

[ellegua.livejournal.com]

Well, that's the rub, isn't it? Power is often tempting. I don't fall into the "power corrupts" line of thinking, but such vast potential certainly has as much power for Not Good as it does for Good (however you want to define that particular dichotomy). Nothing good nor bad but thinking makes it so, Hamlet would say.

The cautious type in me struggles with the in-your-face magick that other people (or Cats, as the case may be) seem to practice. To add 'if the Universe wills it' seems to me to be writing yourself karmic insurance, and I'm not sure the Universe buys it. Unless you're sending energy out hopefully, like you would a prayer ("please have her/him call me..."), in which case you are simply speaking to the Universe. Otherwise, I look at Magick as a focus of your will to achieve specific goals - ever the hermetic, at heart - and in those cases if you're looking at the subvertive Love Spells, the Universe's silent assent might be a shaky thing to fall back on.

More than anything, I try not to do any magick that I consider negative, and I know when I break that rule. I also know that because I believe in karma (tricky, that), that when I go against my heart it's gonna come back and kick me in the ass, sooner or later. Following your heart seems to be the best guideline involved when practicing. And to me, you seem to be doing a good job of that, Ben. But only you can really say for sure.

In the meantime: Police album synchronicity phenomenom? What?

Release

[thekittyninja.livejournal.com]

For those of us who believe in magic...I approach magic as sex. Surprise. You gotta let a little bit out every once in a while or else you wake up in soiled sheets. Point?
Sometimes whatever it is you use to focus shows up and says do this. Tap in, let it take over, hurl lightning, break the world. I mean, uh... shit.
Seriously, finding someway to incorporate "if the universe wishes it so" into any spell is a good idea. This is how I justify some of my more willful maneuvers.
CAT