so what does it take??

Ravenswing

evening everyone--

I've been working on an English-based gematria system for about 30 years now. It's expanding out to a kabalah using the lurian tree and a tarot that describes it. there's a new slant on astrology-- I've spun the wheel around to account for the move from fishes to man.

as the Golden Dawn uses the RosyCross to draw up sigils, I have what I call the alphabet flower...

anyhow, it seems that I'm slowly building towards a majickal system. so I'd like to ask everyone this:

what do you consider necessary to a system of majick?


fly well
raven
 

Astra

I felt as though I had to reply to this one, although the reply may be at cross purposes to the question.

I don't consider anything necessary to a system of magic, or magick. In general, I have found that working within a system tends to add a greater burden to actually accomplishing anything.

That said, I think that any well-reasoned attempt at cross-connecting the various traditions and symbologies is likely to be worthwhile in itself, simply because it can offer new perspectives, new connections, new starting points for thinking about the possibilities.

So, even though there will never be an end to what you can add, stop when it feels as though it's "enough", and let us see what you've got.
 

Kiama

My fiancé is more into systems of magic than I am, so I asked him what he felt necessary for one.

He said:

"Results"
"A system of verification".

The last is a very good point I think: a friend of mine who has been practising Thelema for 15+ years states that one of the most important things for successful magic of this kind is that you can verify it to make sure you're doing it right.

Although he's also just pointed out that one other possible necessity for a magical system is that it should not be the be-all and end-all. It should help the magician move beyond it, and be able to manifest through the Creative Word alone. (The ultimate goal of a magus.) So, it should give guidelines and boundaries, but also allow the magus to try and move beyond it.

Good luck with you endeavour! I am sure you (and others) will benefit greatly from it.

Blessings,

Kiama
 

zorya

an expression of gratitude and some kind of sacrifice/offering.
 

hedgecub

Kiama said:
He said:

"Results"
"A system of verification".

If you add "repeatability" to the requirements, then you pretty much get the scientific method.. you start with a theory, you find a way to test it, and if it holds up under repeated tests, then you get results which show that your theory works :)

And after you test a bunch of theories, you can start to build a framework from which you can get more theories that are likely to be true.
 

Kiama

Hi Hedgecub,

You make a very good point, and now I come to think of it I would add 'repeatability' to the requirements. And to me, this kind of magic (as opposed to what I would call low magic, e.g. a spell to gain prosperity) is very much an almost-scientific process.

This kind of magic is what is termed 'high magic', and the main purpose of it is to act as a means through which the magus achieves a higher state of being, a bit like the Fool's Journey of the Tarot (or Le Bateleur's Journey if you like. :D)

Results are needed, and that's obvious. A system of verification is needed because without one the magus would have no way to check they are progressing as they should. And finally, as you added, repeatability: this is often one key to a system of verification, but the system needs to be able to be repeated by others to gain the results.

Blessings,

Kiama

Added: The terms 'low' and 'high' magic are not used to degrade one kind of magic, but merely for convenience since this is the most common terms used.
 

jema

with the risk of sounding stupid - what is needed is a heart-connection.
If I am not moved by it, if it does not affect me, it simply won't be something I will use.