Infidelettante

Thank you Leah for this
I think this is the only justification religious thought requires, that it works.

I practice a form of ritual which would be recognized by any Witch or Wiccan as magical. In fact much of what I know about ritual and magic came from the study of Wicca and Witchcraft. Is it magic? Yes, it is magic. Does it work? For me, yes it does work. How does it work? That is more difficult to answer. Most here on IIDB would require cause and effect evidence for the existence of magic and I fully understand that demand but I can�t answer it in any meaningful way. That is because magic_as I understand it_does not work by cause and effect. It works through pattern and form and requires intent and a desired result all of which are expressed in symbol and metaphor.

To understand magic we must understand ritual. And we must understand myth and its relationship to the unconscious. Myth employs the same symbolic lexicon as dream. The difference between myth and dream is that dreaming is the unconscious raised to the surface of mind as symbol while myth is the conscious use of those same symbols to express an understanding of reality. Ritual is one way ~the most powerful way~ we employ mythological symbolism to explore the interior landscape and attempt to apply the power of those symbols to our lives.

Myth is not superstition. It is not archaic and useless stories we can discard without penalty. Rather, myth is the record of human fears, desires, and aspirations come down to us as vast symbolic constructs we can use to reinforce, reaffirm, and solidify our lives as individuals and as social beings.

Mythology is humanity acted out, written down, sculpted, and formed. And ritual is mythology made real and tangible. Ritual is myth brought into the here and now and put to the service of the mind it sprang from. Ritual is the cycle of dream and myth come round to reveal us to our selves.

Magic is the use and manipulation of these symbols to realize the abstract form of intent as the concrete form of desired result. We compose rituals of patterns that hold meanings reflective of our intent. Those patterns are then used to strengthen and focus the will upon the desired result. Magic is the ritual application of the will to a condition, situation, or event one seeks to influence or change. This is all magic is, the total involvement of the mind with an idea, concept or motive one wants to realize.

All things being the same magic makes for an interesting and novel approach to life. I can't find anything wrong with that.

JT

reverendmoss

'Faith' is a loaded word. Rest assured I don't use it to convey the same meaning that Benny Hinn would. Faith is a degree of belief, not a badge of single-minded worhip.

I'm hesitant to jump to the defense of the Athame-Wavers, but I wouldn't be so hasty too deny scientific support. There are areas of Quantum Physics and Mathematics which are crossing over into places once considered metaphysical. Just as in the REG experiments science is rediscovering old conundrums.
Anyone seeking to cure cancer with aromatherapy is seking a grand disappointment, but as I'm sure any doctor will tell you, the patient's mind-set is also important. Positivity and the desire to be healthy are huge factors in combating disease. Faith can be powerful.

(PS-It's an absolute scandal that the first world nations aren't spending billions on humanitarian aid in Africa and elsewhere, instead of war in Iraq for oil and enriched uranium.)

You cannot prove the non-existence of a thing. You can only keep looking for it.
No one deserves to stay an Orthodox Jweish Theist. That's just cruel.

reverendmoss

Well said! Bill Moyers would be proud.