We live in a magical universe, and by that I mean that we live in a universe where the laws of magic also apply. In any case, at a certain point I decided to see the world as magical. Before that, I had gone through all the agonies of doubt and belief - can I really "believe" in this, which all "reasonable" people with science in hand say is nonsense and superstition?

But what about my intuition, can't I trust it? And what about all my experiences - should I pretend they never happened, since "science" can't explain the phenomena? At a certain point I decided that I had to choose, plain and simple, and I chose the magical universe, thinking that it would at least make life more exciting and colourful. And it did! Suddenly I was seeing so-called "random" coincidences all the time, and I cut the word "random" out of my vocabulary. Nothing happens by chance. When I start thinking about a person I haven't thought about for a long time, and then she calls me 15 minutes later, that's not a random coincidence. Instead, it shows that there are connections and communication channels between us that science has not yet been able to explain.

"Superstition" has always been that which cannot be explained by the scientific worldview of the time, especially that of physics. Take the phenomenon of ball lightning, for example. It had been observed by a large number of people, but because the phenomenon could not be explained physically, it was simply said not to exist, that it was superstition, until the 1960s, when the number of observations had become so large that it had to be accepted that it existed and occurred as a phenomenon, even though it could not yet be explained in any meaningful way.

Perhaps what distinguishes witches from many other pagans is that we move into the so-called occult realm, that we practise magic. Being a witch is also a practical matter: "witch-craft", or witchcraft as we like to call it. This includes a number of different things, such as acquiring knowledge of different herbs and their medicinal effects and uses, having knowledge of tarot and runes and being able to use them, learning different healing techniques, acquiring some knowledge of psychology and astrology, learning and mastering different magical techniques, etc. etc. depending on the individual witch's interests and inclinations. Some of this falls under what we call magic. Witches are usually also magicians.

So what is magic? - There are many definitions, but the most commonly used is: To cause changes in matter/reality by means of the will/consciousness (A. Crowley).

There is also talk of "bending" reality (in Old Norse we have the word "vikkja" which means to bend - is this perhaps where the word Wicca comes from?)

Healing is often magic, and there are a large number of different magical healing techniques, just as there are an infinite number of ways of doing magic - very often culturally conditioned and coloured, but often with certain common features. A magician from one tradition will usually immediately recognise a magical act from another tradition (as a magical act).

Today, the world has become so much "smaller", and it is possible for a Northerner to learn Native American or Hawaiian or "you-name-it" magical techniques, if they are willing to do so.

Scott Cunningham puts it this way: "Magic is the movement of natural energies. - Orgones, monads - chi - a universal energy - life force - that you can tune into and direct some of it.

Or thought energies/waves that initiate an energy movement, a wave movement that hits the target it is aimed at. I use words like that because I'm not an engineer or a physicist. I also don't really understand how I can get pictures on my television or hear my friend's voice in the US. I understand everything better if I imagine that everything is energy in one form or another. We, our bodies, are composed of cells that are composed of molecules that are composed of atoms, and atoms are energy. I am energy. Everything in the universe is energy, and it's constantly changing energy form, like ice to water to vapour, but the amount of energy is constant (at least that's what we've learned so far). I am energy. My body is energy. When I die, my energy changes form.

I was once hypnotised, not just to before birth, but back to before conception. It was absolutely unbelievably wonderful, - everything was different waves of energy, - I was pure energy! But this energy had a consciousness. Part of the energy that makes up me cannot be weighed with the body. Call it whatever you want. Consciousness. Soul. Consciousness is part of the soul. The brain is the instrument the soul plays when it is connected to a body.

But the important thing is not what you call it - the important thing is that it is there, that it can be used, whether you can explain it or not.

It seems that it's difficult to talk about magic without also talking about white magic and black magic. I don't like the terms, partly because many people associate black with "evil" and white with "good". When it comes to magic, the same applies as for all forms of knowledge - the knowledge itself is neither evil nor good, but all knowledge can be used for good or for "evil" (just think of nuclear physics, for example!).

So what is black magic? The answer is not simple: the "popular" definition of black magic is magic performed with the intent to harm others, but for magicians and witches the answer is not quite so simple.

Most schools of magic teach that black magic is any magic performed for personal gain. So performing a magical act or ritual to get a new place to live, a new job or a boyfriend would also be black magic.

And there are those who believe that doing healing for someone is also black magic, because you are interfering with (or trying to interfere with) that person's karma.

And then there's not much left if you want to be "nice" and "white"!

Magic is a very effective, but at the same time very demanding form of self-development! That's why there are very few really "black" magicians, because few people bother to do all the work required, over all the time needed (several years), to become a useful magician. And if you start out with that in mind (to become a black magician), then with 99% probability your view will change as you learn and begin to understand how the laws of magic work, including the law of karma, which states that what you send out, you get back threefold, and then the "black" magic does not seem quite as alluring.

Donald M. Kraig, author of the book "Modern Magick", introduces the term "grey magic", and in his opinion, most of the "magical" things we do lie within this grey area, and he may well be right...

Aleister Crowley (whatever you think of him, he is the grand old man of magic) said: "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole law", and there are few quotes that have been so thoroughly and so often misunderstood and misused as this.

What Crowley meant was that you should search for your inner divine will, which in its innermost being will strive to be in harmony with the cosmic laws, and then you should act accordingly. And that is something far more and demanding and something completely different than running around being totally selfish! It also means that if you claim the right to your own will, you must also accept and respect the will of other people, and on a magical level not do anything that violates the other person's will.

In Wicca we say "Do what you want if it harms no one", but how can I be sure that what I do does not harm anyone else?

To take the examples I mentioned earlier - magic in one form or another to get a job, a house or a girlfriend. How do I know that no one else needs that job or house more than I do? Are there more people in love with the same man?

You can avoid some of the "dangers" by, for example, not doing magic for that particular job or house (I'll come back to love magic later).

If you're going to do magic to get a new job, the most important thing is that you know exactly what you want - what kind of requirements you have for your job and workplace in order to thrive, and then have as detailed a picture as possible of the job you want. Then you can start making magic. The same goes for houses, for example. Get a good idea of what you want it to look like, location, etc.

We are also often asked why we are not filthy rich if we are really able to perform magic, so a few words about so-called money magic.

It's fine to "ask for" or "request" money, but there are many ways to receive money. Let's say I wish for half a million. Then my parents die in a car accident and I get paid 500,000. Is this what I wanted?

And why did I want this money? What were my true innermost motives?

- Alas, life isn't easy, and neither is witchcraft!

And then love, and all the love magic. And now we're perhaps on even more dangerous ground!

The most important thing to remember abpu that is that when you try to magically bind someone else to you, you are also binding yourself!!! And such bonds can be quite difficult to undo - far more difficult than creating them! And then there is this: what right do I have to try to bend another's will? Would I like it if someone tried to do that to me?

There's a big difference between wanting a man, or that particular man! (Suddenly you may find yourself so surrounded by men you don't want that you can't breathe!)

When it comes to all magic, it's important to know exactly what you want. The more specific a 'wish' is, the more likely you are to succeed. And for all practical magic, the intention of what you do is more important than mystical incantations and magic tricks. And the motive, the intention, usually also has influence on the result - not whether there is a result, but what kind of result. And you should think about that too!

Otherwise, I would say that you shouldn't use magic in excess. Magic is something you resort to when all other "normal" methods fail. You can't expect to get something for free. You have to contribute yourself as well. As the Muslims say: "Trust in Allah, but tie your camel." If you want your bike not to be stolen, don't just trust in the gods, but lock it too!

Finally: This is not written to scare anyone from trying their hand at magic, just know what you're doing! And remember:

Be careful what you wish for - you might just get it!

Good luck!

The Crone