Skeptics Advocate?

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Permalink Reply by mystic froggie on June 27, 2009 at 10:54am

I say follow your heart on what you feel is right..Then honestly you could NEVER go wrong...Honestly...

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Permalink Reply by Witch School Administration on June 27, 2009 at 11:41am

It is always healthy to be skeptical, but how one goes about it can make the difference. For instance, a woman doesn't always like a man second guessing her heart! More seriously now, let us see if we can help you.

Are the Gods real? Yes. Now let's continue to your next question to better answer this one.

Do they exist freely and outside ourselves? If you believe them to, yes. Others see them as universal thoughtforms of archetypes all across the globe, hence the similarities in deity structure. It makes you wonder how then, that they sprang up the world over so similarly. Were they real, and visited each people in a way that they would understand? Or do we literally operate on a common level of subconscious on this plane of existence, all free to tap into these thoughtforms and create new ideas and understandings of life?

Attributed existence by the worker? Some would agree. Much the same as we may project our own guardian spirits, animal guides, ancestral spirits at circles or any other thoughtforms. If we thought of Hedwig of Harry Potter as a real thoughtform, as an owl that sends messages via spirit, we give her a real existence and use, hence we give her life. By putting energy into her, she will grow and become as real as a god, for we have given her her very life.

Colors and universal associations? I will break that down by this. In Asian cultures, white is the color of mourning and death, in Western cultures, it is black. That alone breaks down any "universalism" to it all. Now are there common assocations? Yes, of course! But ultimately it is what the user dictates to the candle as its purpose that matters.

Effective magick without spell components? What is meditation? What does it do for the mind and soul? The ultimate goal of ritual is to give you the vehicle to tap into your Will, your higher self, and use it to obtain your desired results. If you can focus Will and energy, and still know when to let it go from thought so as to not harm the casting, then this is fine as well.

Are the guardians real? See above mentioned statement on the Gods and Hedwig.

Your magickal shape can be anything you desire it to be, but circles are commonly seen as holy and used to keep energy within, to protect, and to ultimately mark a sacred place of worship.

Smudging releases scents that calm the mind, and eases it into a peaceful state, thus banishing negativity from yourself, and allowing you to subconsciously rid the room of it as well. Counterclockwise versus clockwise? That may depend on your hemisphere of living, but ultimately, it rests within how you feel it should work as a magician. The magician knows that his Will is the ultimate end, and anything involved his for his own use and understanding as he sees fit.

Magick exists in form, as we see similar practices the world over, others exclusive. These are traditions, traditional spells and castings, rituals, religious practices and more. But its effectiveness rests in the spirit and intentions of the users. Simple enough.

We hope that this helps answer your questions friend.

Many blessings,
Tony Jenkins,
Witch School Administrator

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Permalink Reply by Skyladona on November 25, 2009 at 12:33am

Wow, excellent answer Witchschool!
My view is... we are all working in, around, and with energy. By adding your energy (by way of thought or deed) to a particular deity cannot do anything but make it real (in an energy sense).
I have my own relationship with deity, that is unique to me. I do not discrimnate when relating to deity myself (in the sense that they each have a different energy, and therefore relate to different energies, so I freely work with Buddah to Allah to Jesus to Gaia to cernnunos to Lugh to Isis and all in between - although I have my favourites). The only thing I don't personally do is mix traditions (I would not work with an Egyptian deity like Bastet at the same time as one of the greek gods for example). Pehaps this quote from Buddah will provide food for thought Robert...... "Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense".

Happy travelling :)
Skyla.

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Permalink Reply by Robert Ransom on November 26, 2009 at 8:25pm

Thank you all for your generous responses.

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Permalink Reply by Tony Jenkins on November 27, 2009 at 12:13am

You're welcome bro. Anything we can do to help aspiring Pagans on this site is what we're here for.

Hail to the Hammer,
Herr Wolf

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Permalink Reply by Wren Silverleaf on November 27, 2009 at 9:19am

I believe in Deity and that the Gods are all aspects of Deity. Although they are all part of the whole that is Deity they are independant personalities.

Everything is made of energy. Everything has difffernt vibrations and depending on the vibration there is different density, speed & color. Colors each have their own vibrations and thus own type of influence and associations.

The guardians are, I believe as real as you make it. Since you create the magic circle, how you envision it is how it's created.

Intent is the greatest force in magick. Everything else will help in one's working, but intent is what makes everything work.

Blessings,
Laura

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Permalink Reply by Megan L Herrod on November 28, 2009 at 11:11am

I have a little different veiw on some of theses things...

Yes, I believe the gods our real... and they don exist BECAUSE we think they do. I believe that the gods are independent of our belief. I, personally dont believe that all gods are one god- i believe that the gods i worship are separate from other gods.

No, colors DO NOT have universal associations. That is why some colors mean vastly different things to different people. WHY they mean a certain thing or another has to do with cultural associations and myths. On a personal scale i could have a "lucky blue keychain" that was with my the day i rolled my car and now i say it is lucky- therefore to me that specific color of blue may be "lucky"- In a way- the myth is the car accident, the color is blue and the correspondence is luck.

I think MOST color's attributes start out this way- as a cultural meaning based on a myth or symbol. Like a "peace sign" represents peace to one- but to someone in the amazon rainforest it is "a circle with some lines in it"

The power in spell components is the energy you put within them. They are really just tools. Some people say that specific things have "latent attributes" that lie dormant within things until we invoke them... which is kind of what i feel. Like a light bulb is just a thing until you add electricity- our energy is that spark that hives our tools their power.

The guardians of the quarters are real as much as the earth has polarity and seasonal cycles. If you attribute this natural order to the divine- then they are real.

As fare as cones, circles and spheres- A circle is generally a sphere of energy--- so think of it as a bubble around you. To be more accurate- I see it as a half sphere because it is in contact with the ground. The "cone" is a cone of power in which you fill the sphere with so much energy that it builds into an upwards "cone".

Smudging works if you understand it and I dont think it is often explained. Smudging clears the air... as the smoke fills the room it pushes out negative energy and also neutralizes it. So really you are a little right and a little wrong on all counts!

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Permalink Reply by Robert Ransom on November 28, 2009 at 5:49pm

Thanks for the insight. Its great to be a part of this comunity.

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Permalink Reply by Rev. SilentOwl on November 28, 2009 at 11:23pm

As humans we question everything and from my own life experiences I feel that questioning how things are and will be is something we as humans will always question. Its your heart that finds the truth that is yours only, not someone who is like the guru of all things mysterious to tell you the answers. Find it in your heart what these questions are to you, too me, magick is like being born, not a document telling me how so many chemicals make a person but the beauty of life itself. No I am not going to give you an answer you already have seen around you etc, just find whats in your heart.

RuthAnna

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