Consequences of Black Magick
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93,
In my training the ranks of Wicca, we had a general (well-known) rule that what you put out returns in three-degrees. It it called the Law of Three. The number three seemed so arbitrary to me that I did not take it very seriously in the start of my study. It was later described to me this way: If one manifests energy for harm, they must first manifest that energy within themself for focus prior to projection. This would account for the first degree. Next, your Will knows that you have bent the Will of another and there will be a schizm between our higher self and your ego which could cause a breakdown in cooperation between the two. That might be the second degree. The third states that because you are creating a negative turn of events in someone else' being, and since we are all one on the collective (astral?) plane. You will also be doing harm to yourself inherently. This would give us our third degree.
Is there any such concept in Thelema to this (mostly wiccan) rule? I only can assume since Garner took so much from Qabalistic theory when conceiving his new religion.
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I like Crowley's treatment of it in one series of newspaper articles he wrote in the '30s. The gist is that black magick is stupid because it's bassed on a philosophical fraud, and to pour one's magick into it is to bind up one's freest and most sacred essence with a pack of lies. The punishment is self-inflicted.
In one of my unpublished writings, I made the observation that black magick isn't so much a danger or threat to the person targetted by it, but, rather, to the magician - it often isn't true that the self-identified "black magician" is really doing evil, but it's essentially always true that they think they are doing something bad, and that fucks them up.
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@Jim Eshelman said
"I like Crowley's treatment of it in one series of newspaper articles he wrote in the '30s. The gist is that black magick is stupid because it's bassed on a philosophical fraud, and to pour one's magick into it is to bind up one's freest and most sacred essence with a pack of lies. The punishment is self-inflicted.
."Great stuff. Would you happened to know if he touch on this in any particular books? Or if that magazine is in electronic print somewhere?
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@HWNH said
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@Jim Eshelman said
"I like Crowley's treatment of it in one series of newspaper articles he wrote in the '30s. The gist is that black magick is stupid because it's bassed on a philosophical fraud, and to pour one's magick into it is to bind up one's freest and most sacred essence with a pack of lies. The punishment is self-inflicted.
."Great stuff. Would you happened to know if he touch on this in any particular books? Or if that magazine is in electronic print somewhere?"
Can't think of it ... in these terms, anyway. IIRC there is a brief section on black magick in Chapter 21 of Magick in theory & Practice. - I'm not aware that the London newspaper from the '30s is in electronic form. I just have preserved clippings from the time.
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@gmugmble said
"Crowley's newspaper essay "Black magic is not a myth" can be found here -- billheidrick.com/tlc2003/tlc0403.htm -- at the bottom of the page."
Yeah, that's one of them. (It was part of a series.) Excellent.
I completely love his opening summary:
@Crowley said
"Black magic is not a myth. It is a totally unscientific and emotional form of magic, but it does get results -- of an extremely temporary nature. The recoil upon those who practice it is terrific.
It is like looking for an escape of gas with a lighted candle. As far as the search goes, there is little fear of failure!
To practice black magic you have to violate every principle of science, decency, and intelligence. You must be obsessed with an insane idea of the importance of the petty object of your wretched and selfish desires.
I have been accused of being a "black magician." No more foolish statement was ever made about me. I despise the thing to such an extent that I can hardly believe in the existence of people so debased and idiotic as to practice it."
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@gmugmble said
"Crowley's newspaper essay "Black magic is not a myth" can be found here -- billheidrick.com/tlc2003/tlc0403.htm -- at the bottom of the page."
Great, thank you. I have always felt somewhat incompetent in defining black magick. Without a clear sense of what it even is, I have a hard time coming to any opinions as to its existence. Thank you for providing this. I am sure that this will help me sort things out pending some reflection.
93 93/93
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@Crowley said
"Black magic is not a myth. It is a totally unscientific and emotional form of magic, but it does get results -- of an extremely temporary nature. The recoil upon those who practice it is terrific.
It is like looking for an escape of gas with a lighted candle. As far as the search goes, there is little fear of failure!
To practice black magic you have to violate every principle of science, decency, and intelligence. You must be obsessed with an insane idea of the importance of the petty object of your wretched and selfish desires.
I have been accused of being a "black magician." No more foolish statement was ever made about me. I despise the thing to such an extent that I can hardly believe in the existence of people so debased and idiotic as to practice it."
This quite blunt in terms of Crowley's feelings towards the Black Arts. I'm sure he's thankful to not be around in the WORLD today seeing as how the ENTIRE social/economic structure of the EARTH is so blatantly Black...
Cheesburger anyone?
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wow wow wow i just stumbled on this and i just thought, how could you seperate "magick" into black or white, good or evil, (except by levis standard, but his condratictions are clearly set straight in the veil of isis where we enthrone the devil into the sun!) it has to must be one, or else it gives rise to results none! you cannot serve two masters you hate the one and love the other. one is the magus, two his forces, 4 his weapons, these are the seven vultures of evil, and the magus is love and by love he bindeth this and that!