Magick White and Black

[Sidhe Ravenwitch]

Okay, im going to start us of with a discussion topic. The following is an essay on white versus black magick. Read it then tell me what you think. There are no right or wrong answers, only personal views and thoughts so dont be afraid to say what you think, just do so politely and without criticizing others views. No one is wrong in that each is entitled to their opinion. The intention here is to learn something about what others think and maybe come across some idea or thought that might not have occured to you before. Most important....Have Fun guys.

Essay follows

[Sidhe Ravenwitch]

'Personal magick' is that magick used to affect the self: often involving affirmation, self-suggestion, and self-hypnosis. 'Active magick' is outer directed magick used to affect someone or thing, or to bring about an event. 'Passive magick' is to be affected (as in ESP) by an outside non-physical cause. Everyone possesses some magickal and psychic potential. Some are especially gifted. Usually people are better at one kind of magick (ie active or passive) than they are at the other kind; only rarely does an individual excel at both. Training and practive will, of course, improve ability somewhat.


Continued in next post...

[Sidhe Ravenwitch]

Although the forces of magick are neutral, various systems may take on the qualities of good and evil. There is so-called white magickor good magick, black magick or evil magick, and grey magick in between them. When many people refer to white magick they mean magick for unselfish purposes, also healing and mental influence with specific permission. By black magick they refer to magick for self-interest and healing *without* specific permission. Using magick to forcefully control another's will is in a sense black magick too.
There are also some people on the occult fringe who claim to be, possibly even think they are, Satanists, devil worshippers, or black dablers, or merely misinformed. They may be attracted by the 'art' of black magick, or even by the 'glamour' of doing something against the 'rules'. But a real black magician is very dangerous. Because he has dedicated his life to evil.

continued next post...

[Sidhe Ravenwitch]

We usually think of white magick as having unselfish intent, and (in the extreme case) of black magick as being actual Satan worship, human or animal sacrifices, dangerous and unconventional mgaickal practices, and other bizarre stuff as makes a nightmare. It is all a matter of degree. Most mild self-interest magick (one of the most common kinds) would be called grey. Better terms may be constructive magick as being beneficial; and averse magick as magick intended to work against the natural order, and to tear down. There is also the high magick of spiritual alchemy (ie spiritual growth), also known as the 'Great Work'; and conversely there is 'low magick' which is concerned with materiality.
Any magick act is likely to produce side affects regardless of whether or not the desire result is achieved. Such side affects are no problem for constuctive magick since they are beneficial as well. However, averse magick can produce aversive side affects which may even harm the witch---aversive magick is dangerous!

Discussion: Postivie and Negative Magick--are they just positive or negative?

Okay guys run with it.

Printed with permission of Rev. Lady Snowflake from snowflakes nature realm at yahoo groups.

[Sidhe Ravenwitch]

Okay, my thoughts on this are that magick itself is neither white or black, positive or negative....it is the intent of the user or the user themself who is negative or positive, white or black. I personally think magick is a grey area until it is used by a person and that their intent decides the realm it lies in....if my intent is a spell to help others or myself and has good energy then its white.....if my intent is to harm myself or others and the energy is negative then its black. For example, a binding spell....i do a binding spell because i am being stalked and wish to protect myself....my intent is not to harm but to bind the person in question from harming me or others or even themselves and i only return his/her actions or thoughts back to him/her without any intent to harm. According to the rede harm none, not even yourself so i am right in protecting myself because if i didnt then id be just as liable for my own harm by choosing to do nothing. As for returning what he/she sends to me back to the sender, what is sent back is their own intent, not mine, thus im only returning their own negativity to them and the only one hurting them is themselves.

So i think the blackness or whiteness lies with the user, not the magick itself.
Thats what I think, but what do you think?

[jadedsage]

Ok, I'll start this by saying that I agree with SR. The intent behind the spell determines whether or not it should be considered "black" or "white" magic. (and I use those terms lightly, as there are any number of ways to look at it)
However, since this is supposed to be a debate, and it wouldn't be much of a debate if everyone agrees, then I'll play witch's advocate for a moment and suggest yet another way to look at this question.
I submit that if the definition of "black" magic is the manipulation of energies to change a situation, possibly without consent, or the manipulation of energies (via spellwork) to change/or control another, and the definition of magic itself is the manipulation of energies
to change or control a situation which would otherwise be beyond our control; then, wouldn't ALL magic have to be considered at least in some part "black"?? If we are not letting nature run its course, but are "taking matter's into our own hands" we are, in effect, manipulating that which may not have otherwise occured. Just food for thought....