Nine Things to Know When Starting Magic

Thinking about starting out in Magic? I have been in Magic for about 15 years now and I thought I would write a post on things I wish I knew when I started. The occult is a very strange place and hard to understand, but Magic is what attracts people to the occult. If you are just starting out or looking to get into Magic, here are some things that might help. These are critical for anyone who is starting out on the Magic path.

Magic is a lot simpler than you think. People think Magic is unnatural and complicated. They believe it is a bizarre way to manipulate Nature and the Universe into getting what you want. In truth, Magic is very natural and simple. The more natural and simple it feels when you cast a spell the higher chances it will work. Magic is a personal expression of one’s will on the universe too manifest a desired result. It is the desired effect you want on your reality. People who are new to Magic tend to be mechanical in the way they want to enforce change on their reality. They try to force their will and when it doesn’t work they think it won’t work or its too hard. The most effective Magic is when the rules are narrowed down and the Magic you are putting out comes from a place of complete and total authenticity. People think Magic is complicated because of the techniques practitioners use. All the props and costumes have to do with peaking the interest of the subconscious, but are not needed. The complexities are good but not needed. Focus on what makes your Magic work. Use the KISS Method. Keep It Simple Sweetheart for females. Keep It Simple Stupid for males. When starting out, focus on what is taking place in your own mind. Your mind is what is actually making the Magic work in the first place. So focus on your own energies, emotions and thoughts.
Follow your own path. This is the single most important thing you can do to develop at a rapid rate. Most think Magic is a lot of rules that you have to follow step by step and that you have to perform rituals an exact way. Magic becomes effective when you follow your own internal guidance system. Listening to your inner voice. Each one of us has our own path and things that call to us. When you start out things are going to call to you. That is your inner voice pushing you on a personal path and is crucial that you follow it. The more personal you make your Magic the more effective it will be.
Use whatever type of tradition that calls to you. I used the Hermetics. Now my Magic is all Nature Magic. This will give your Magic structure and room to grow. The tradition will give you a system to help you go from beginner to adept. You do not have to follow the tradition step by step or to the exact wording. Use it as guides. You can even mix traditions together. Whatever helps you personally. Be flexible while learning the structures and basics of Magic.
Embrace the elements. Those elements being Earth, Air, Water, Fire and the last one is Spirit. I did not understand the elements starting out, so I’m going to give you a big cheat right here at your beginning stages. Earth is your body. Air is your thoughts, Fire is your intellect. Water is your emotions. All of them effect your Spirit. Mastering all of them makes your spirit a Dragon. The pentagram represents the elements and spiritual maturation. You will need the sacred feminine to become spiritually mature. Go out in nature and experiment with the elements. Your inner voice will show you what elements you need to work on. Gaze and listen to the elements. I over looked the elements when I started and it stunted my growth. Embrace the elements, they are Magic. Tune into Nature. It gives you the personal connection. The elements will effect your mind. Doing your Magic outdoors will magnify it. There is a reason why the Witches and Wizards of the past used the elements for symbols.
Have a personal place. Most use an alter but you do not need an alter. A personal spot outdoors is just as good. Somewhere you can go and gather your thoughts. Some place that is just for you. If you want to set up an alter then go ahead. Just make it your own personal alter. The look and feel of your personal space needs to be what resonates with you.
You don’t need a lot of tools. Over time you will collect tools and gems that resonate with you. All you need to perform Magic is your mind. If gems and tools help you then use them, but don’t think you have too. Finding stones and gems out on a hike is great. As you progress in Magic the correct gems and tools will show up at the right time. Don’t fall into the trap of people trying to make money off you. The energies you will use in your Magic will manifest all you need naturally.
The path of Magic is not for gain of material wealth. It is about personal self transformation. The results of your transformation may bring wealth or other physical things, but if you are in the mindset to get rich quick, sorry it won’t work. This may seem contradictory to Magic because it is used to get the things you want, but Magic is not for the lazy. Magic will bring opportunities to you to get what you want. You must act on those opportunities in order for your Magic to work. Understand things are just not going to manifest out of thin air. The garbage of the Law of Attraction is a lie. You get from Magic what you put into it. If you just sit there and visualize (feminine energy) and don’t act on the opportunities (masculine energy), then you will just become lazy and have a vivid imagination. As you get better at Magic you will have a personal transformation and your wants and needs will change. Magic at its deepest core is about self transformation.
Don’t let correspondences take over your Magic. Just because someone does something one way does not mean it will work the exact way for you. Reading things in books may not get you the results you want. Magic is all about doing it your way. Use others and books as guides. Use me as a guide only. Copying someone else’s magic just lets others into your Magic. Make your magic your own. I can not stress that enough. Magic is not mechanical. The items and procedures you use are only tools to help bring out your subconscious. They are not the practice itself. Never let something outside of you tell you what to use or how to do something. Always embrace your Magic from within. Don’t be obsessed with being perfect.
Listen to your intuition. Your intuition will never steer you wrong. Make it your internal compass. You know what is best for you. If you do something that seems wrong at first most of the time you will find out it was what you needed to progress. If something does not feel right, don’t do it. Get in touch with your intuition and you will do things that feel natural to you. Never do things that others tell you that you have to do and it doesn’t feel right. That is a recipe for disaster in not just Magic, but in life. Following your intuition is the only way to put yourself where you want to be. Your intuition will navigate you correctly.

I hope this helps. The main thing to know is make Magic your own. Group think is not Magic. It is okay to work with others who have a common goal, but other people do not want the same thing for you that you want for your self. Only you can create the life you want. That is what Magic is all about.