Wahya Circle
Thursday Thoughts

Ethics in Magick 101
The Wider World

We have spoken of things to consider when dealing with other Practitioners in the Magick and Medicine Community, such as “gatekeeping” and “decolonizing” but what about the rest of the world?

For many Practitioners, there is strength in only being around “like minded” others but that is not the majority of the world.

No two Paths are the same.

We as Practitioners understand that NO ONE is the “same”, even if they seem “like”. Some simple focal points will help you interact more succinctly with your messages and knowledge sharing with others and help you avoid falling into an echo-chamber of “like-mindedness”.

POLITICAL CLIMATES
Something to consider would be the climate of the politics in your area. Is there decisive political rhetoric? Are you in a minority where you live? While you may have a personal opinion that sways to one side or another, sometimes we are better off simply allowing others to have their feelings without the injection of our own. Even if they are attempting to persuade you to their opinion systems, try to remain polite when disagreeing.

Remember there is a lifetime, or generations, of unpacking one must do to “unlearn” what has been taught by one’s caregivers early in life as well as Community or Culture Shadow.

FALSE DILEMMA
Another type of situation to consider is a false dilemma. This one can be insidious and tricky to navigate. Understand that this is found in a person who is only presenting “two sides” or an “us versus them” type situation. In the reality of others, there are an infinite number of possibilities. Again, those around us may simply need to be heard, or know someone is listening and it helps to repeat back what you are hearing to that person.

This “repeat and verify” is either verbatim or your interpretation WITHOUT OPINION OR JUDGMENT, for clarification. Simply stating something to the effect of, “I understand”, can help immensely when you are at a loss for words to convey but simply understand. Even if you do not understand logically where they are coming from, you can FEEL the emotion and that is what you understand. EMPATHY.

WORLD SHADOW
Long story short, the world has a huge Shadow and we as Wahya Circle are now aware of not only our own individual Shadows, but the one’s that exist for each person/animal, Community Shadow, and World Shadow beyond ours. Spend some time with your Self to solidify what you feel about things before you are of any use to another. Understanding how you feel helps you to map YOUR reality in magick.

Fellowship with our Kindred is important in our practice AND AS HUMANS. It is also smiled upon as our Elders allow us to learn and grow in their presence, their sharing.

Fellowship with other humans is the only way to grow our universal human heart, but as stated, we are wise to be mindful to avoid falling into an echo chamber.

We perceive others as hard-hearted and narrow minded and we question each other’s beliefs sometimes. We shun the practice of Universal Unconditional Love by doing this. It is something to consider if we expect to be accepted ourselves by others “as is”. Do you do the same?

Practitioners delving into Shadow work may ask themselves reflectively, “why do I not accept them?” It does not matter the Path of the other human, the unconditional action does, Universal Love—that energy force, continues to exist regardless. We ALL look for it, but do we ALL embody it? Do we each love the “unlovable”…. probably not. There is always room for growth in mindset.

“The ‘magick’ itself in the Arcane Arts is sensational; I do not have to be.”

Ethics in Magick 101
Avoiding Belief Bashing

Some Practitioners like to bash specific Paths.

READ THAT AGAIN.

While we understand “no two Paths are the same”, we are wise to also act as such – if we believe it as truth, then we are wise to model that as truth. Especially if we are seeking the same.

Each Practitioner has some form of esoteric Shadow attached to their Path, whether it is Christian, Islam, Hindu, Wiccan, Black Witch, Ifa, Taoist, First Nationer, Santeria, etc. Those named are very specific Paths of dogma.

The mainstream or “majority” of Practitioners of the vast respective Paths are not typically radicalized in their views towards Paths different from their own. Most Practitioners of other Paths are simply curious about the ones they are not on, or yours.

As a student of the antiquities and religious studies, Magick and Medicine, those who have the Knowledge of their faith do not misinterpret the purpose or actions of other Practitioners. We merely have different views of the same cosmos…

“no two Paths are the same.”

Think About It

PEOPLE
As a Practitioner your personal brand of Magick and Medicine, when we find something in the wider world, or much less, on social media that angers, upsets, or emotionally moves us in any way,
- KNOW THE WHOLE STORY -
before approaching anyone. Furthermore, try to remain respectful if you expect the same in return.

POWERS
It is not beneficial to assume the entity is telling the “whole truth” ALL THE TIME. There is always more to the story, which often effects us to an even greater extreme when we find it out. Keep that in mind.

If after researching the matter and asking the hard questions, we are still emotionally moved, make contact with that person or entity if we feel we still need. Wait until a cooled, logical, state is present. Approach the person or entity disseminating the bogus information, or the sensationalized information, etc, and express your findings in a cohesive, non-confrontational manner, via a phone call, a letter, or even a face to face meeting, or method of your choosing. If we want to be taken seriously as Practitioners, no matter the case, we must act seriously and as one with the Knowledge at hand.

Ethics in Magick 101
Beware of Labels

Labels most times are damaging to a Practitioner, or individual, especially if they are just beginning their Path. Even after 10 years or more, it can still be considered “beginning” if there is not regular practice and continual Shadow, Ego, and Magickal or Medicinal Work.

We socially marginalize ourselves when we do this too soon or do not fully understand the title, or label, and the connotation of that word with it when we introduce ourselves using these monikers.

Shaman. Healer. Reverend. Priest. Witch. Gothi. Etc. All names for a Practitioner have a story of their own. Do you know yours? Do you know the story of your name, your title? Was it self-given? Why? What moved you to do so?

We at Three Circles Medicine & Magick do not consider ourselves an “alternative” Path because the implied meaning is that we are acknowledging that a Path is more “normative” than the one others are on. This is not the whole case.

We are not “neo-pagan” or any other label that other Paths feel the need to apply to ours, unless YOU the Practitioner have decided to carry it. But dig deep into your reason ‘why’. Know that often, the label, or name, you carry can either tie you to your past or free you from it.

Try not to pigeon hole your practice with a label. Think of it, just because you like using candles today, does NOT mean you will be using them ten years from now. Just because “gran’pa was a Gothi, does not mean you are.

Know WHY you “do what you do.”

World Studies 101
Preparing for Eastern Europe

As some believe in its own right, Eastern Europe is very gatekept, both by those raised in it AND those who “think” they practice it and have the Knowledge to do so. With its traditions and practices of Magick and Medicine, Knowledge of these practices cannot always be obtained outside its origin point.

Eastern Europeans have endured much over the centuries to arrive at what they have — feuding and being colonized by those with other dogmas. What you will find throughout this part of Europe is a beautiful blend of practice, tradition, and often …a mixture of dogma.

So, even though you may see these practices, it is not always as you perceive. Many carry the practices of everything from tasseography to Ancestor veneration without batting an eye at what the Church has attempted to do to this part of the world.