What is Practical Magick?
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Practical magick, often spelled "magic" or "magick" depending on personal preference, is a spiritual practice that focuses on the application of magickal techniques and principles to achieve certain desired outcomes or goals. Unlike some forms of ceremonial magick or other ritualistic practices, practical magick tends to emphasize simplicity, accessibility, and results-oriented approaches. It can be as part of every day life and requires little time or money. The most important element of successful practical magick is the intent of the person performing it.
Magickal practices often aim to tap into unseen forces and to influence events and consciousness, similar to how those who believe in Law of Attraction use visualization and affirmations to manifest desired outcomes in their lives. This can be done through ceremonies, like casting a circle with a coven; it can be done through a ritual like setting up an altar and doing spell work, or it can be woven into everyday life, through practical magick.
Practical magick is a flexible and diverse spiritual practice that allows individuals to work on self-improvement, achieve specific goals, or address practical concerns in their lives through the application of magickal techniques. Many different groups including neo-pagans, wiccans and other natured-based belief systems use some form of practical magick as part of their daily spiritual practice. This could look like stirring a pot of soup a certain way, while meditating on a peaceful dinner with your family. Or it could be carrying a certain crystal with you, to protect against as you travel. There are endless possibilities for adding some practical magick into your everyday life.
Magick or Magic?
You may notice that the term Magick and Magic are used interchangeably when referring to witchcraft and the occult and you may be wondering what’s the difference? One theory of why the ‘k’ was added is attributed to the occultist and ceremonial magician Aleister Crowley, who helped to popularize occultism and alternative spiritual practices in the 20th century. Crowly wanted to differentiate illusionary magic (think of a white rabbit being pulled out of a hat) and mystical magick that is associated with spellwork, spirits and the supernatural. However, like many aspects of neo paganism and modern witchcraft, this isn’t a universally accepted truth. As such, some authors opt to omit the ‘k’ from and go with the traditional use of Magic.
Easy Ways to Add Practical Magick to the Everyday
Practical magick is meant to be integrated into everyday life. It doesn't require elaborate rituals or complex ceremonies, making it accessible to people with busy schedules. Here are some easy and inexpensive ways to imbue a little magick into your everyday.
Morning Affirmations: Start your day with positive affirmations, focusing on your goals and intentions.
Candle Magic: Light a colored candle that corresponds to your intention or desire. As it burns, visualize your goal manifesting.
Crystal Charging: Carry a small crystal with you that aligns with your intention. Hold it and infuse it with your desires regularly.
Herb Magic: Use herbs or spices in your cooking that are associated with your goals. Focus on your intention as you prepare and eat your meal.
Moon Magick: Spend a few minutes each night looking at the moon. Focus on your desires and imagine them being drawn towards you with the moon's energy. Read more about the different phases of the moon and how they correspond to attracting and letting go.
Visualization: Before sleep or during meditation, visualize your goals as if they have already been achieved. Feel the emotions associated with your success.
Salt Cleansing: Sprinkle a bit of salt around your home or workspace to clear negative energy. Sweep it up after a few minutes, symbolizing the removal of obstacles.
Charging Water: Place a glass of water in the moonlight or sunlight and set an intention for it to carry that energy. Drink it the next day to absorb its magickal properties.
Gratitude Journaling: Keep a daily journal where you write down things you're grateful for. This positive energy can attract more of what you desire into your life.
Intention and Focus
Practical magick is meant to be integrated into everyday life. It doesn't require elaborate rituals or complex ceremonies, making it accessible to people with busy schedules. Practical magick can be as simple or as complicated as a person wants to make it. Some folks opt to align their magickal intentions with the lunar phases, astrology and planetary activity. Others focus on the Wheel of the Year and different seasons and sabbats. The most important aspect of practical magick is the intent and focus of the individual. Essentially you can have a very witchy aesthetic happening, but if you are not really focusing on what you want to achieve through the use of magick, it likely won’t be very effective.
Ethical Considerations for Practical Magick
Many practitioners of practical magick emphasize ethical principles such as the Wiccan Rede "An' it harm none, do what ye will" or the Law of Threefold Return, which suggests that the energy you put out into the world will return to you threefold.
Practical magick is a results-oriented spiritual practice that seeks to manifest desires through the application of magickal techniques. It can be seamlessly integrated into everyday life and doesn't require elaborate rituals or ceremonies. This flexible practice is embraced by various spiritual groups, such as neo-pagans and Wiccans, and offers countless ways to infuse a touch of magick into daily routines. From morning affirmations to crystal charging and moon gazing, practical magick empowers individuals to work on self-improvement and achieve their goals through focused intent and positive energy. Ethical considerations often guide practitioners, emphasizing the importance of doing no harm and understanding the principle of energy return. Ultimately, the effectiveness of practical magick hinges on individual intent and focus.
How I Deal With Contrast in Life
Hello Friends,
I hope this finds you well and safe wherever you are. The sun is shining here in Maine and the weather finally feels like it is turning. Stubborn ice is slowly giving way to the warming earth and I can feel the release of some of the tension I’ve been carrying around. Life has been full of contrast the last few weeks and I’ve been trying to approach unexpected hurdles with a better attitude. I tend to be a bit of a control freak about my schedule and plans; when these get interrupted I may look cool on the outside, but on the inside I am spiraling like a toddler who needs a nap.
Over the years I’ve gotten a lot better about being less reactionary to unwanted situations and going with the flow of life, instead of fighting it. This has taken a lot of practice and I am still a work in progress. But I’ve found that life is infinitely better if I can keep my thoughts in check and take a beat to assess what is really going on, versus what the hyper-anxious voice in my head is telling me. Yes, I am a joy and delight to be around when the unexpected happens.
When I start to feel overwhelmed by things happening around me, I try to take some time to refocus on my personal goals and general vision for my life - what I want to be, do and have. And how I want to feel in my life. Some might refer to this as the Law of Attraction, or faith, or being in the vortex. I think of it as giving myself a reminder that even if the present moment isn’t great, that it will pass. Good things happen all the time and I am not obligated to carry on in despair just because one area of my life is out of alignment.
Note - this isn’t about being happy all the time or ignoring glaring problems in life. Toxic positivity is just as bad as constant negativity.
When an unwanted situation comes up and there is an immediate action I can take to feel better, I take it. But if the problem is more in my head, like when I start to ruminate about all the things that could go wrong in life, I gently release the worry as much as I can. I get busy with other things and focus my attention on areas that bring me joy. Does this work every time? Absolutely not. Do I still carry around more anxiety than I want to at times? Heck yeah. But I am definitely able to keep a better perspective about what is happening and acknowledge that whatever the problem is, it’s a passing cloud in life and the sky isn’t actually falling. And, as an additional affirmation, I remind myself even if the sky did fall, I am incredibly resourceful and creative and could put it back together in some fashion. ;)
This Week’s Free Printable
All of this pontification about contrast and flowing with life rather than paddling upstream, as Abraham Hicks likes to say, inspired this week’s printable: A day planner that focuses on what you want in life, rather than all the to-dos, must-dos, should-dos that often weigh us down. In our quest to conquer our schedules we often forget about what really lights us up. So, I hope this printable helps you focus on your spark and light in life.
Along with making printables as a distraction from life, I’ve been enjoying a new channel on YouTube - Roaming Wild Rosie. If you have ever dreamed of escaping to the woods and living in a little cabin by yourself, you might like Rosie’s content. She recently purchased a little red cabin in the woods of Sweden and is fixing it up by herself. I found it was the perfect antidote to life at the moment.
I hope that your corner of the world is safe and you are able to take a moment and enjoy the approaching spring equinox and Ostara celebration. I’ll see you next week!
Recommended Reading
Creating Intentional Joy in Your Life
Over the years I have learned that, when it comes to most parts of my life, I am the maker of my own happiness. While I would love for my family to clean the house without me asking (just once!) or receive an impromptu bouquet of flowers from my partner, I find that if I wait on other people to make me happy, most days are kind of ho-hum. This doesn’t mean that I don’t find joy from the people around me. I absolutely do! But I also know that there are many small ways that only I can make my cumulative days better. And I do that by adding in some intentional joy.
What is Intentional Joy?
I define Intentional Joy as actions I take that make me feel truly happy. Sometimes this means happiness in the moment, like picking up a bouquet of sunflowers at the grocery store or taking a break from the daily grind to wander about my flower garden. Other times Intentional Joy can be doing something for myself that I believe will bring me happiness over the long term. This includes things like regular physical activity, giving myself time to journal each day, keeping my space clean and clutter free, or working toward a personal or professional goal. Each time I create a new piece of content for Mabon House, I file it under Intentional Joy; because even if I don’t feel like writing or doing some design work in that very moment, I know that seeing the finished results WILL bring joy - to myself and my readers.
Sometimes intentional joy shows up as chores, exercise, the apple instead of the cookie (or the cookie instead of the apple). Other times it is take-out for one and a generous glass of wine to celebrate a win at work or other personal accomplishment. For me intentional joy is doing something that I know will make me feel better -sometimes in the moment, other times in the long run. It is about taking time to get clear on how I want to feel in my life and taking steps to feel that way as often as possible.
WHAT DOES YOUR BEST DAY LOOK LIKE?
What does your best day look like? I don’t mean what kind of house you’d live in or the type of car you’d drive if you won the lottery. I mean what would your current real life look like if you were living your purpose and finding happiness and abundance each and every day? What would you be doing? How would each day fulfill you? What kind of intentional joy would show up from day to day? Because, ultimately, that’s your goal – to create a life you love more often than not. To find joy in the small spaces, as well as the big events.
How Are You Spending Your Time?
One of the big problems with building in Intentional Joy, is that it can feel like there isn’t enough time in a day to do all the things you’d like to do.
But lack of time doesn’t have to hold you back from creating some intentional joy in your life. I’m here to say to you, as a kindred spirit, No one is going to give your permission to take time for yourself. You have to TAKE it.
Start making your self care a priority in your schedule. Carve out as much time as you need - no matter if that means half an hour or half a day. Give yourself time to do the things that will make you feel better and bring you joy. This may require letting go of things that don’t serve you (i.e. doom-scrolling before bed every night). You may need to ask for help (can your spouse make dinner and put the kids to bed, so you can have an hour of quiet, once a week?). If life is feeling stagnant, it’s time to get out of your comfort zone/regular routine and shake things up a bit.
Create Your Own Joy
Here is a fun exercise. Find one hour (or more) this week, to do something that will bring you some Intentional Joy. This could be planning a special Ostara meal, creating some spring-themed DIY projects or decor, trying a new beauty routine, reading a new book or simply writing in your journal. Whatever you decide to do, it should be Joyful - not time consuming or complicated. Spend it with your family or friends, if that makes you happy. Or spend solo, if that makes you happy. Mark that time off on your calendar and commit to doing something just for yourself. This small practice is something you can start to do a on a regular basis, to loosen the reigns of a rigid schedule and invite more joy into your everyday.