Introspection – Having done the above work, provide detail of your understanding of why self-knowledge and introspection are critical for working with magic and how you intend to pursue your own course of self-understanding. (min. 350 words)
Self-knowledge and introspection are important when working with magic because the types of energies and outside influences you allow in your magical working can directly affect the outcome of the finished work. If I go into ritual with negative thoughts and distractions, then I am not putting my focus on the work at hand, and am in fact, changing my intent for the magic by allowing alternative influences to take part.
It is also important to have a working knowledge of preparation to make sure the magical working stays course. Cleansing yourself of impure intents or negativity is one way to help the magic do what you want it to do. Protecting the sacred space, or yourself, help to ensure that outside influences don’t change the course of the rite and working.
As I mentioned in the beginning, magic is not a huge part of my work in ADF, though throughout my work here I’ve realized I probably do more than I think when it comes to ritual. Initially, when I thought of magic, I thought of specific magical working and hadn’t thought that the important preparations in ritual were also a part of those magical workings. Purifying the space, for example, was not an act I had initially included, and that is something I feel strongly about. Even when I moved into my home I made sure to cleanse each corner of each room before we made ourselves at home so that we had a clean plate to start with in creating our hearth and home.
So, knowing that, I will likely move forward paying more attention to the magical workings I already do, but also look at other magical workings that maybe I should no longer ignore and make sure I continue this path with more knowledge to better prepare myself for future magical work. I also need to keep in mind that my energies will also directly affect the outcome of magical workings that others may be attempting to do in ritual, and vice versa. Having a clean understanding of how magic works will allow me to either enhance their work, or protect myself from it if the intent is not something I want to incorporate in my life and wyrd.
(Word Count: 374)
