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    seira's Avatar
    seira Posts: 11, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Feb 15, 2009, 04:46 PM
    Magic black or white
    How does magic work
    seira's Avatar
    seira Posts: 11, Reputation: 1
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    #2

    Feb 15, 2009, 05:03 PM

    Magic as spiritual
    Fr_Chuck's Avatar
    Fr_Chuck Posts: 81,301, Reputation: 7692
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    #3

    Feb 15, 2009, 06:03 PM

    Though belief, it will effect you if you believe it will.
    seira's Avatar
    seira Posts: 11, Reputation: 1
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    #4

    Feb 15, 2009, 06:11 PM

    Hi! So what you are saying is if you believe in magic it will happen and if you don't it won't?
    mugger's Avatar
    mugger Posts: 191, Reputation: 26
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    #5

    Feb 15, 2009, 06:17 PM

    Some people would say that magic will happen IF you deserve it; also, you get what you give sort of thinking is advice I have been given in the past and, for me, it has a better success rate.
    seira's Avatar
    seira Posts: 11, Reputation: 1
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    #6

    Feb 16, 2009, 12:14 AM

    Hello Mugger thanks for that.
    mugger's Avatar
    mugger Posts: 191, Reputation: 26
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    #7

    Feb 16, 2009, 07:26 PM

    My pleasure. You are welcome.
    Alder's Avatar
    Alder Posts: 342, Reputation: 71
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    #8

    Feb 17, 2009, 03:31 PM

    Ok, this is my third try at answering this question. I deleted the first two attempts. The answers you've gotten are good, but there is more to it, in terms of "how" it works. Sorry for sounding cagey or mysterious, but I think I'd like to know more about you, and why you are asking, before going into details.

    Thank you for posting this deceptively simple, but very deep question. It's helped me focus on the issue of when and how to share knowledge that could be powerful or dangerous. I wouldn't want to give that kind of knowledge to someone who might get hurt, or hurt someone else. Even though I think to most people the answer would just sound like gibberish. ;)
    seira's Avatar
    seira Posts: 11, Reputation: 1
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    #9

    Feb 17, 2009, 04:56 PM
    Okay Thanks, I get where you are coming from. I do understand a little about magic as I've always had a sense of knowing that there's more going on behind the veil. I am one of five adult children (a teenager in the sixties) and was labeled different, difficult and sensitive! However, today I am glad that I am not like them.

    My path has had many twists and turns, I am finally learning to do what's right for me, hence my question. I have read some books on magic I know without doubt that there is something there. I can pick up on people but don't always listen to my inner warning. It seems I always have to learn the hard way.

    Alder, you are very astute and I thank you for your letter. I hope mine has given you some insights as to my question.

    Seira
    Alder's Avatar
    Alder Posts: 342, Reputation: 71
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    #10

    Feb 19, 2009, 06:34 PM

    Magic is knowing which butterfly's wings to flap, when. ;)

    You do get into a critical issue, Seira: It's not so much "how" but "why" in magic. That is, using magic responsibly, knowing the consequences of the work, seeing everything in the world including oneself as connected, and understanding that anything one does affects everything else, that is the most important thing to learn. That is even more important than learning good technique.

    I ran across this quote the other day, and liked it so much I might add it as a signature line to my posts:

    "He who works with his hands is a laborer. He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands, his head and his heart, is an artist..." ~ St. Francis of Assisi

    Magic, done well, is an art form.

    One source I've found that has a lot of good advice about magic, especially the "why" of magic, is the Earthsea novels of Ursula LeGuin. These are fantasy fiction, of course, but there is a lot of good, practical wisdom in them.
    seira's Avatar
    seira Posts: 11, Reputation: 1
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    #11

    Feb 22, 2009, 07:37 PM
    Hello Alder, Thanks for your letter, I like that quote it's very true.
    It's very weird that you mentioned butterflies as I've been watching them, as there seems to be so many about! They represent the Goddess energy to me.

    I took your advice and went searching for books by Ursula Le Guin and brought "The Other Wind" I couldn't put it down! So I need to buy another, which one is your favorite?

    Have you read the "Mists Of Avalon"?

    Seira
    Alder's Avatar
    Alder Posts: 342, Reputation: 71
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    #12

    Feb 23, 2009, 05:42 PM

    I liked Mists of Avalon. Very interesting take on the Arthurian legend. I thought the portrayal of pagan Britain and the Celtic bard culture was good. The threesome with Arthur, Lancelot, and Guenevere was a surprise...

    Mary Stewart did a good job with the Arthur story, too, I thought. Her series is The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills, The Last Enchantment, and The Wicked Day

    LeGuin's Earthsea series includes the following:

    A Wizard of Earthsea - This one starts with Ged as a boy, and covers his initial training in magic. It has some really good quotes about magic that I find myself using all the time, like "To hear, one must be silent," and "To light a candle is to cast a shadow." LeGuin gave a talk a few months back that I attended (she lives right here in Oregon). She mentioned that when she wrote this book, everyone thought of wizards as old with long beards, like Gandalf. I mean, who ever heard of a 13 year old wizard? Of course, that got some laughs, since nowadays everyone's heard of a certain 13 year old wizard with a scar on his forehead. She's got a point, though--she came up with the idea of a young wizard going to a school for wizards first (and Ged even got a scar, but that's because he screwed up bigtime).

    The Tombs of Atuan - which further explores the idea of the Nameless, the Old Powers of the Earth. Although Ged shows up in this story as a fairly major character, it revolves around Tenar, whom you met much later in her life in The Other Wind. LeGuin's description of the Old Powers is surprisingly accurate. I have met those beings in their own high places, and it left me wondering where Ursula does her research! Maybe she just has a really good imagination.

    The Farthest Shore - this is after Ged becomes archmage, and is the story of how he and Lebannen "crossed the dark land living and came to the far shores of day" when Lebannen was just a boy.

    Tehanu - which LeGuin originally sub-titled "The last book of Earthsea" is mostly about Tenar, and what happened to her while Ged was with Lebannen, and how they got together after he came back. And, of course, it tells the story of Tehanu, the burned girl who has some pretty amazing secrets. The witch Moss, who makes a cameo appearance in the book you read, has some great things to say about the difference between men's magic and women's magic. If you read this, I'd love to know if you agree with her assessment.

    Tales of Earthsea - is a bunch of short stories. The first is a novella that tells of the founding of Roke (by a bunch of women, ironically, since Roke ultimately became men only). The last story is about Dragonfly (true name Irian, or Orm Irian), and how she became the first woman in a long time to go to the wizard's school on Roke.

    The Other Wind - which you read. Glad you liked it, but it will make a lot more sense if you read the others. Then you'll know all the history of these people. Ged and Tenar are in their golden years by this story. It kind of freaked me out when I picked this one up and found out it was about a guy called Alder. I'd been using that name for years. Not the first time my life has imitated LeGuin's art. ;)

    Butterflies are a symbol of the mage, since they can cross into the death of the chrysalis and come back into life. They symbolize the Goddess' power of transformation.

    I'm glad I've made your acquaintance, Seira. I'd love to hear more about the path that lead you hear, and I'd be happy to tell you about some of my adventures as well. As LeGuin would say, "Few of a mage's meetings are by chance." Drop me a line sometime. You can click on my icon and send me a private message if you like. I'm happy to chat in this public forum, too, up to a point. But it's true that magic can be dangerous (in my time I've screwed up worse even than Ged). Some of the "how" of magic is stuff I would not want to share with just anyone who might happen to click on the page.

    By the Lady of Life,
    Source of the Springs of Being,
    Mother Earth,
    And Queen of Heaven,
    May you be Blessed.

    Alder
    seira's Avatar
    seira Posts: 11, Reputation: 1
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    #13

    Mar 16, 2009, 04:20 PM
    Hi Alder,
    Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you:) but you've started me on a path of reading Ursula Le Guin's books! I finished reading "The Tombs of Atuan" loved it. Especially the part when Tenar refused to be afraid and intimidated by the darkness... I loved the entire book and you are right there are so many nuggets of gold/magic in those books!

    I decided that it would be a better idea to go back and start with "A Wizard of Earthsea":p So I'm half-way through that book. I so appreciate you taking the time to tell me about those wonderful books and I too am glad to have made your acquaintance Alder!
    I couldn't work out how to send a private message:confused: Otherwise I certainly would have.

    Glad you liked the "Mists of Avalon" where I live it gets extremely cold and misty but I love it!
    There's always crows and magpies flying about stealing my cat's food, his name is Casper. Yep you guessed he's a grey cat. Koala's cruise by at night making their weird grunting sound, scared the hell out of me the first time I ever heard them!

    Stay in touch Alder

    Many blessing to you

    Seira
    jammixmaster's Avatar
    jammixmaster Posts: 282, Reputation: 15
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    #14

    Mar 21, 2009, 07:18 AM

    To fully explain magic could take a while. There are entire books written on the subject. To simplify it magic can be defined as: "The raising, directing, and releasing of energy to accomplish a desired goal". To explain how it works could also take a while. Just know that it works
    seira's Avatar
    seira Posts: 11, Reputation: 1
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    #15

    Mar 23, 2009, 05:20 AM
    Hi thanks for replying to my question.:)
    Seira
    jammixmaster's Avatar
    jammixmaster Posts: 282, Reputation: 15
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    #16

    Mar 23, 2009, 12:37 PM

    Yes... you're welcome

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