The Source of Magick

Today, we have a pop quiz. Don’t worry; it’s multiple guess.

Question: What is the source of magick? Choose one from the following options.

A.    Spirits, such as gods, demons, angels, ancestors, etc.
B.    Energy
C.    Placebo
D.    Yet undiscovered natural laws of nature
E.    An interconnected, conscious universe interacting with your divine will
F.    It’s a mystery
G.   All of the above

Answer: G. All of the above.

The reality is that all six options play a role to varying degrees in the function of magick.

There was a tendency to boil everything down to one simple answer during modernity. A hallmark of modernity was the belief that everything could be simplified. “This phenomenon is nothing but (insert simple answer here).” Scholars today are moving away from the simplistic answers that were so popular in modernity. In this postmodern (some say post-postmodern or metamodern) world, scholars today see complexity in nearly everything. When asked to explain something, many scholars now say, “It’s a combination of factors,” before going into a complex answer with caveats that there’s much that we don’t understand. Many scholars admit that the more we learn, the more we realize how little we know.

This metamodern preference for complexity and acknowledgment of our limitations is healthier than the hubris of modernity. It recognizes both the tremendous power of the sciences while recognizing that there’s so much we don’t know.

More and more occultists are going to a complex understanding of magick. We shouldn’t be surprised about this. We’re embedded in this era, so our thoughts tend to match it. Therefore, occult thought usually follows the zeitgeist of the times.

This metamodern complexity is better than the simplistic modernity for the magick user. One advantage is that it allows us to be flexible and pragmatic. Some rituals are more effective if we emphasize spirit work, while others should emphasize energy. Another benefit is humility as the opposite of hubris. Hubris is a form of exaggerated and excessive pride. And while pride is healthy, so is recognition of one’s limitations.     

So, don’t get caught up in simple answers, especially regarding occult matters. Life is messy and complicated. Embrace the complexity.