This is the key.
Apr. 1st, 2006 09:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mattlistenerI'd like to say some words about magic.
Start with: magic is the art of changing consciousness.
Then understand that most of everyday reality can be traced back to consciousness. Off the top of my head such effects include:
-Filters (consciousness governs what perceptions are allowed in, and deemed relevant).
-Attraction (changes in your head will change who is drawn to you and how -- and will also change who/what draws you).
-Choosing your reaction (what makes an obstacle, what makes an insult, what makes a vindication, what makes a reward...).
-Past decisions (your choices affect every future state of your universe. What options you conceived, how you felt about them, what information you gathered -- all consciousness).
-How large a net you cast upon the waters of fortune (aka chance favors the prepared mind).
So one conclusion is that changes in consciousness can change the world. And the aspects of the world that are subject to this kind of change are the very ones that impact you most, that you care about most.
Next consider that within you, consciousness is more than the scope of your awareness and self-image. Consciousness includes your unconsidered assumptions about yourself, other people, and the way the world works. It's *all* the words you say to yourself and images that flash through your head and gut reactions to things -- not just the ones you notice. It encompasses your unknown abilities, sabotages, lost memories and secret desires.
Some have referred to this as the shadow self, but virtues and strengths can fall in this space as well as vices and weaknesses, so let's call it (neutrally) the unknown self.
Most important here is that aspects of your unknown self will tend to drive the above-mentioned filter/attraction/etc effects in ways that you do not think you control. These aspects of yourself are 1) quite likely to be at the root of why you're not getting what you want in a given circumstance, and 2) not governed directly by your will since you don't know or won't admit their existence.
Magic is an art of communicating to both the known and unknown aspects of consciousness, engaging the whole self to bring about a desired end. The unknown of oneself need not be made known for magic to be effective -- you can honor and be baffled by your unknown self at the same time.
You can ask for help or intervention from your unknown self and get it. And given the above discussion, that help or intervention can manifest in the world.
Start with: magic is the art of changing consciousness.
Then understand that most of everyday reality can be traced back to consciousness. Off the top of my head such effects include:
-Filters (consciousness governs what perceptions are allowed in, and deemed relevant).
-Attraction (changes in your head will change who is drawn to you and how -- and will also change who/what draws you).
-Choosing your reaction (what makes an obstacle, what makes an insult, what makes a vindication, what makes a reward...).
-Past decisions (your choices affect every future state of your universe. What options you conceived, how you felt about them, what information you gathered -- all consciousness).
-How large a net you cast upon the waters of fortune (aka chance favors the prepared mind).
So one conclusion is that changes in consciousness can change the world. And the aspects of the world that are subject to this kind of change are the very ones that impact you most, that you care about most.
Next consider that within you, consciousness is more than the scope of your awareness and self-image. Consciousness includes your unconsidered assumptions about yourself, other people, and the way the world works. It's *all* the words you say to yourself and images that flash through your head and gut reactions to things -- not just the ones you notice. It encompasses your unknown abilities, sabotages, lost memories and secret desires.
Some have referred to this as the shadow self, but virtues and strengths can fall in this space as well as vices and weaknesses, so let's call it (neutrally) the unknown self.
Most important here is that aspects of your unknown self will tend to drive the above-mentioned filter/attraction/etc effects in ways that you do not think you control. These aspects of yourself are 1) quite likely to be at the root of why you're not getting what you want in a given circumstance, and 2) not governed directly by your will since you don't know or won't admit their existence.
Magic is an art of communicating to both the known and unknown aspects of consciousness, engaging the whole self to bring about a desired end. The unknown of oneself need not be made known for magic to be effective -- you can honor and be baffled by your unknown self at the same time.
You can ask for help or intervention from your unknown self and get it. And given the above discussion, that help or intervention can manifest in the world.
