From: ba@mrcnext.cso.uiuc.edu (B.A. Davis-Howe)
Subject: Re: Help
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 14:03:55 GMT

Alex Feely <af2e+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:

>Hello,

>Belive it or not, I'm am a 14 year old tarot reader/rune reader/soon to
>be magick user.   I would like some info on what type of magick to use.

There is no way for anyone to determine from this little information what sort
of path you should be on.  If anyone tries to tell you what sort of magic you
*should* be using based on this note, they are trying to push you into their
path--not your path.  This is what is known as manipulation.  It is a Bad Thing
(TM). :-)

However, if people tell you how they dealt with things at your age, or offer
possibilities for you to try, take the time to listen to them.  Try some of
their suggestions.  Read lots of different books.  Remember that you have a lot
of years to do this in--don't rush it.  Be open to all sources, but be
discriminating in what you choose to use.

There are five general principles which I have been teaching to newcomers to
magic for the last six years.  They are general enough to be useful to anyone--
whether or not the person is practicing magic.  Their main function is to help
the person grow in general, which is the main point of magical practice anyway.
1. "Know thyself" and "To thy own self be true".  Pay attention to yourself--
study yourself as objectively as possible, learning all your strengths and
weaknesses.  Start to address any imbalances in you.  If you are all logic,
pay attention to your feelings; if you are all feelings, think twice before
acting.  Watch how people react to you and your behaviors.  Other people are
the best mirror you have.  However, remember that what you see is filtered
through their personalities.  Pay closest attention to the reactions of those
you respect.  The second part is even harder.  After you have come to know what
is important to you, stick with it.  If you say you are going to do something,
do it.
2. Take time every day to be with yourself.  This can be some form of
meditation, self-examination, a walk in the park, whatever.  However, do it
alone, and don't have any human stimuli such as music TV or books.  It doesn't
have to be a long period every day.  Three minutes while you lay in bed before
falling asleep can be sufficient for many days.  Try to do a longer chunk of
time at least once a week, fifteen to thirty minutes seems like a good range.
Time doing magical exercises or rituals does not count for this time, budoes
add to the benefits of this time.  Remember, you can always do more of this if
you want to, but a few minutes each day is just baseline self-maintenance.
3. Trust your intuition.  Lemme say that again: TRUST YOUR INTUITION.  If a book
you are using tells you to do X then Y then Z, and your intuition is whispering
to do X then P then Z, do X P Z.  (This does not include self-destructive
internal messages--those are not your intuition!)  No matter how wise anyone 
else is, they are not you and what they have found to work is not always right
for you.  Find your own path, from inside yourself.  This does not mean that
you can't work with others, but that work should alwys respect the indiviuality
of each of the people.
4. Talk to sane people, and read sane books.  By sane, I do not mean societally
acceptable.  I mean HEALTHY.  If you meet someone who claims great magical
powers (even if they demonstrate them to you) but they can't keep a job, they
are constantly fighting with people, they always complain about people being 
out to get them, then run--do not walk--to the nearest exit.  I don't care how
much "power" they have, you don't need to be around their shit.  Sane people
will be loving; they will know that they make mistakes; they will listen to you
and respect your individual needs.  They will challenge you to grow, but in a
loving way.  You will get into fights with them sometimes, and you will work it
out.  You will do all of these things both ways, if things are going well.  As 
for same books, use some of the samcriteria.  If they tell you that they have
the One True Magic, or that they have all the answers (e.g. Crowley) there is
a problem.  Take such claims with a grain of salt--better yet, have the box 
with you while reading books on magic.  To find a good starting place in
reading, talk to those sane people you've met.  Find out what books they
respect.  Once you've found a book you trust, look in the bibliography to see
who they consider worth reading.
5. Last but not least: DON'T TAKE ANY OF THIS TOO SERIOUSLY.  Magic should be 
fun.  It is also hard work, but we do it because we choose to.  Always maintain
a sense of humor, for taking magic too seriously leads to powertripping.
Powertripping is the worst possible result of magic, for it turns one into a
leach--draining others to maintain ones own *false* self-esteem.  Be proud of
who you *really* are, not of some role you play to impress others.  Laughter is
a powerful magic which doesn't get enough respect.  Enjoy!

You will not *always* succeed in any of these points, but that's ok.  The point
is progress, not perfection.  Don't beat up on yourself for your mistakes,
just try to do better next time.

              Merry meet, merry part, merry meet again,
                               Br'anArthur

Queer, Peculiar, and Wyrd! :-)