So uh, this is probably a stupid question but how does magick work? I've read basic info on magick but how does it work exactly? How does believing and saying things and doing things make things happen in real life? I believe in magick, don't get me wrong, but how does it work? Also, don't call me a "fluff" or bash or hate me or call me stupid etc :/ , but if magick can increase your luck or curse bad luck on someone, then why don't "fantasy" spells work? If magick can increase your luck or decrease someone else's, then why can't it change your DNA and/or get animal ears and tail? I know magick works with nature not against it, but how is changing luck working with nature? I'm pretty sure "fantasy" spells don't work but how does magick work? How is changing your luck working with nature? Any answers would be appreciated. :D
I recommend going to the articles tab and clicking on the SoM survival guide and FAQs. Those explain pretty well what magic can and cannot do. The articles I'm sure will help answer most of those questions.
That's a question which people have to figure out on their own (the how it works part).
"Pray for things possible" is a good Delphic Maxim to hold on to. Essentially, it's much more possible to find a job than say winning the lottery. Magic is worked on for things that can be obtained normally (or things which go more into a spiritual/religious category like cleansing). It's not likely you'd be flying on a broom stick and growing donkey ears. A good rule of thumb: if you can do it without magic, you can do it ALONG with magic. It's a form spirituality that can metaphysically and even psychologically be explained in many different ways.
If it works, it works. If it makes you happy and harms no one (not cursing I mean cults and physical harm), then do it. Just like any form of spirituality, you aren't required to be involved with this process.
There is no big woo, there are no super powers, no flashing lights, no drama. Do you think the secret to curing cancer and stopping aging (which would involve changes in DNA) would be hidden away on some magic site? Or some secret little hermit in the woods? No. If those things were possible, there'd be a good number of families remaining whole because their loved ones would be here.
It's just living life, and trying to get by. And I'm aware I used a lot of fallacies.
The "how" of magic is a very difficult question to answer. Really, you'll get vague and very differing answers from people.
There's a quote out there somewhere about synchronicities which I think rings true for much of external change in compliance with will. I do not remember the exact wording or who said it, but it is along these lines:
Synchronous events (meaningful coincidences; things which seem to be connected to a particular working, or even signs from the supposed supernatural) are things which we decide after the fact are synchronicities, unless we decide they are just coincidence.
So let's say you do some work to attract money. In the next few days you find $20 on the sidewalk. You have a choice to believe, afterwards, that it was in response to your work. Or you can tell yourself that you found it because people drop money all the time.
I believe internal magic is different, in a way. Magic, being change in accordance with will, is something which can be employed to develop as a person. But it can take whatever name you give it. Every time you enforce a behavior, you create or strenghthen neural connections related to that behavior.
So let's say someone wants to tame their temper. They begin to meditatie, which has proven benefits. They also start playing scenarios in their mind, as vividly as they can create, even reliving moments in their past. In these scenarios, they recall things which pushed them to anger. In stead, they in their visualization keep calm and respond rationally or even keep silent. They begin to analyze their own behavior, and recognizing their physical responses of the subconscious anger rising to the top, before they get angry. They learn to redirect their emotions at that point.
They study mindfulness, of observing thoughts and emotions but not getting involved, experiencing only those things which thwy choose to, while acknowledging the others but letting them pass.
Eventually the person starts seeing they remain calm when they used to go off. Thwy have affected a change in compliance with their will. There's not much more magical than that.
If a person believes it is in part due to spirits, gods, or quantum entanglement, or that the (nebulously defined in terms of sublety) energy they exerted caused a result, does it really matter?
