Frequently Asked Questions

   Collated by Rhiannon NosTylluan

   

FAQ for September-October 2005 Do you really believe in magic? Can you really do magic? What'sthe deal with not doing love spells?            Do you really believe in magic? Yes, but not the whole Charmed/Harry Potter type magic. I think that mental ability is magic under a different name. ~ Bill Wolfe Yes - in that I see magic as a word we use to describe something much stronger and more beautiful that the tawdry displays on Charmed and other shows. Not that that isn't fun to watch, but it's not magic. It's illusion - change without real consequence or effort. Magic is like anything else, it takes effort, hard work, and doesn't always work - although usually it's more likely to bring forth what you didn't expect than fail. ~ Catherine M. Not the wizards and witches type. But natural magic yes. ~ Christine Yes and no. I am so on the fence about this. I live my life vacillating. Six months ago I would have said no. The last few months I am seeing things manifesting in my life as a result of spells and rituals I have been doing. Maybe I believe in our ability to influence the unseen forces? If you define magic as waving a wand and poof, stars appear and something happens with no real effort, then no. ~ Josh P. Yes. How can I not? I see it everywhere I look, hear it in the air. I think Magic is a word for the unknown. The unexpected. The seemingly miraculous. Magic is very real. ~ Katya    Can you really do magic? Yes - I heal, I know who's on the phone before I pick it up, I have know a number of things before they have occurred. Under my understanding of magic, I do indeed "do it". ~ Bill Wolfe Yes - everyone is capable, but not everyone believes in themselves enough, or is willing to invest the time or effort. It's like a martial art - looks soooo cool, so easy, so effective. But when you get into it you begin to realise the real journey is not learning to use magic, but learning about yourself. Magic becomes less important the further in you go - and consequently more potent. ~ Catherine M. I hope so. I believe so. I live as if I can. And either coincidence or magic supports my belief. ~ Christine Again, I don't know. I can certainly do something. I like to think it is magic. Prayer and spell have been achieving a lot for me lately. I suppose it's the word itself I have difficulty with. If you asked do I believe in power, unseen force, then I'd say yes. If it's the gods, then yes. But I think I am too rubbed raw by the modern fascination with magic to be comfortable claiming the word. Which is funny because I walk the walk and talk the talk today. I'm a Kitchen Witch, and I certainly practice witchcraft... so I suppose that means I must believe in "magic" then. ~ Josh P. Of course - as can you. There are the little Magics - brewing a cup of tea to help a friend feel better when a heart is broken. There are the big Magics - ritual performed to bless a marriage or keep a love safe in war. Ahh, but if this is so. If this Magic is possible, then why is not every soldier still alive? Every marriage still whole? Well, not every soldier is warded with Magic. But also, sometimes a spell simply fails - it is not that Magic does not exist. It is that sometimes it is not strong enough to hold back the full force of the natural world. Magic is a natural part of things - if it is used to prevent nature taking its path, then the Magic must be very strong to triumph. This is not always possible. ~ Katya    What's the deal with not doing love spells? I think it's a personal decision depending upon your own set of ethics. For me personally, I try not to do things that I would hate being done to me. The fall-out can be nasty and I really don't want to deal with that type of crap. ~ Bill Wolfe I think they are a waste of time. Why pit your will against that of another to gain something by force? What value in that? The classic "verboten" attitude is based a lot on Wiccan practice of "an it harm now" and the three-fold rule. But I think in reality it boils down to what you believe is your path. I can't tell you not to do them - I just think they are wasted effort. ~ Catherine M. I tend to live by the Golden Rule. I'd hate to be under such a thing, so I won't do it to someone else. However, I'm a regular participant in self-love spells. I do things to draw love to me - I just don't specify who or how. ~ Christine Definitions - a spell to draw love into my life is fine - and indeed exactly what I had done the night before I met Katya, the love of my life for so many years now. We all perform rituals and spells to draw love to us - that's what perfume and aftershave are! the "getting ready for a big night out" routine. Love spells. But they are spells created to work upon our inner self, not another person. A spell aimed at a particular person to change their emotional state so they "fall in love" with me would really freak me out. I'd spend my days worried she wasn't really in love. That one morning she'd realise that. And then I'd be feeling the scorn, the pain, the anger. Ethically I don't agree with them as I think they are harmful and dangerous on many levels. ~ Josh P. I have no problem with love spells - as I said, to circumvent nature a spell must be powerful. Go ahead and try a love spell - if it works, you must then spend your time shoring it up to ensure it remains powerful enough to overcome nature. Otherwise your puppet will one day walk away from you. And if you cast a spell on someone who already loves you, you only harm yourself - how will you ever know what they really feel? So go ahead and cast this silly spell. I prefer to let the powerful Magic of Nature have full rein in such cases. ~ Katya

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