Kebs, I see your point. but I think all MagickForYou is saying is you can not excel unless you perfect things. And by going back to the basics this is a prefect way of doing so. No matter what your beliefs, path, or practice, you have to have some kind of ground you started from. Me myself I don't do the traditional way either. But I still have things I grew from, and I fall back to every once and a wail to improve my practice, It's just the old saying of Practice makes prefect really. ^.~
That assumes perfection is attainable and should be struggled towards. In the end, all that Magick is bringing forth is an opinion, and one that is little based in actual knowledge of a path. For many people, circle casting, while known, is an unimportant and/or unnecessary practice. Yes, the basics of your individual path are important, however, while they are a foundation for you, they are not the foundation for everyone. The basics are more a guideline of where to start, and you are left to decide which ones to practice or not. This business of chakras, herbs, psi balls, and adding in whatever basic you find important in your path and sending off beginners as if your list is ungodly is both ridiculous and narrow minded. The only basic parts of the basics are energy work, meditation, and maybe visualization, but under certain conditions, all you can really call basic is the energy work.
No, I am not against someone new learning them, or someone old returning to them, I am against the precedent that one must use the basics so often brought up on this site for as long as they use magic. It is mere opinion, and an limited one at that.
Magick, I honestly believe you would better spend your time learning and furthering yourself than spending it on highly opinion based posts that show a limited knowledge base. Perhaps you would find what you are really looking for by doing so.
I read that and it didn't sound like a debate. She was explaining that the basics aren't universal for all paths. She was informing not debating. Kebs what is heka could you explain a little about it? I've never heard of it before
Re: You have to do the basics By: Personified / Knowledgeable
Post # 10 Jan 08, 2013
Kebs made a very good point here that not many people consider. We consistently tell newcomers to learn the basics, when in fact not all practices and paths require you to learn the basics. Yes, I think it's good to know them in general, but there are those paths (even my path) where it is not required, and not always relevant to the work you do.
I think the basics can serve as a good building block, to introduce people to some new ideas and such. And practicing something, such as the basics, can help you to become more proficient, so I think the post was in general a good idea. I simply think "the basics" could be defined differently from path to path, which is what Kebs was saying.
On a side note, regarding Kebs, I believe she is writing more stuff on her practice and you can always mail her to learn more. I find her to be very intelligent.
I am always up for a good mail session. It gets me thinking about what I should write about next.
Basically, heka is the magic of Kemet, Kemet being the ancient Egyptian word for their home. I use the words I use because they are deeper and more than their modern terms, but they still encompass the modern meanings. I call myself a Kemetic practitioner because I base much of my practices off of those of Kemet, or at least what we know of them. No, I do not claim to practice exactly the same, I merely attempt to keep to the traditional aspects as much as possible and when I cannot do so, I keep to the spirit of the traditions. Yes, I use practices there is no direct evidence for, but based on my research, it is no far reach for me to see them doing things like astral projection.
Heka is more than what most will call magic on this site, in that heka doesn't restrict as much as some paths do. I can destroy relationships, run around stealing husbands from wives and vice versa, I can use it against my enemies without a blink, I can do anything with no real limitations beyond nature's laws. Why? Because, heka is natural. Heka is no perversion nor manipulation of the natural world, heka was given to man by Re to protect himself from the dangers of the world (when I get the chance I'll find the actual quote for that). It is speaking, it is thinking, it is doing. In heka, even the words I type now are a form of it, regardless that I attempt to describe and define it. Heka makes the world entirely a place of magic, even for those who don't believe in it or fear it.
I like calling my magic heka, because I don't cast spells, at least, not the ways other people cast them. My heka can be as simple as smiling at someone, as easy as surveying sending energy laced with positive thoughts of healing towards a random stranger. I would rather confuse people with a term more dear to my heart than magic, than not be true to what it is I do.
And yes, heka is also normal magic like using amulets and figures, drawings and words. And I like to use it that way as well. It is just, somehow more than many of those completely new to magic will see it as. It is deeper than how I used to see it as, and I'm sure as the years go on, it will continue to get deeper and more profound than when I first started.
So, maybe I should call heka a process towards a higher understanding of yourself and the world, if I feel the need to be accurate.
It seems heka is more commonly known as strict energy work. I guess it smells just as sweet. The basics may not be required, but remember, whatever you call it, you are using some form of the basics. Many push them on newcomers to help them be able to identify with what is being discussed. They also provide a solid foundation for those who have a tough time realizing the existence of the basics in their everyday life. Personally, by the time I knew there were "basics", I pretty much had them down. It's all about how you process your truth.
Heca is not only energy work, as was said in Kebs post. Anyways, what she was getting at is there is no need to practice the basics religiously. Yes, basics can helps new comers, but they aren't always relevant, at least not all of them. Magick is natural, everything we do, say, even think is magick. That being said, psi balls, circle casting, and ect are great, but not needed. The main point I believe Kebs is trying to get at is that it is not needed. You don't "have to practise the basics all day every on a dialy basis until you give up magick." Because Magick is natural, it is a force of nature, and it is nature itself. I personally do find "The basics great" but there is a saying... "If you are not looking forward, you are looking backwards" meaning, once you are done with your basics you don't have to keep practicing them unless you want to. Your basics should be in the things you do anyways, otherwise, what really would be a point to them? If you don't use the basics when you perform magick, then perhaps you need to re-think what the foundation of your magick is.
