Vensul, a member of the Celtic Connection message boards, and I had a very interesting e-mail discussion that I want to sum up for you:

Magick--part coincidence? Part superstition? What's the whole point of magick for personal reasons when there are other people out there suffering?

His point is that with no scientific proof of magick working, why would I, as a Wiccan, bother wasting time, energy, and money on spells? I think I shocked him when I said I don't.

Like Vensul, I'm a skeptic as far as spells are concerned. I could light a green candle and chant until I'm blue in the face for a "money spell," but Vensul is absolutely right--that kind of action without further aid to help my goal come true is little more than superstition.

Crowley defined "magick" as "The Art and Science of causing Change in conformity with Will." Magick also tends to take the path of least resistance. You want to move a water glass from one side of the table to the other? Let's break the method and possibilities down to better understand how magick works.

Your Will is for the water glass to be on the other side of the table. The Change will be the movement of the glass. How will that Change occur? Your "magick" is the "Art and Science." In this case, perhaps the word "method" would be best to describe possible various Changes.

These are just a few possibilities. I can think of many other ways to move the glass to the other side of the table, but most involve a physical act done to the glass, such as picking it up and throwing it at my friend on the other side...assuming he will catch it, of course. Very few involve any of my magickal regalia, and considering how impatient I'd probably be to see a result, I'd most likely simply push the glass to the other side of the table with my sword or staff.

There have been accounts of telekinesis and the like working, but the quickest, easiest method--the path of least resistance--is to get up off your butt, pick up the glass, and carry it. You'll save time, energy, and instead of investing in "tools" (candles, incense, parchment paper, etc.) for spell craft, you can even save money. That's not to say that spell craft or other psychic or unexplainable phenomena won't work, but the easiest methods are usually those which are much more obviously proven. Who's to say that picking up a glass isn't magick? Tell it to someone who cannot walk!

The same issue about the use of "magick" goes for "magick" to do something like get a job. Chant all you want, but if you seclude yourself to your house, a job offer for $50,000+ per year probably won't drop in your lap. The focus of your magick should not be on a chant or a knotted rope or a candle. When you raise and release your energy towards your goal, it should be in the form of researching job opportunities, printing out resumes, and delivering them to potential employers. If you get an interview, put your magickal energy towards preparing yourself for the questions the interviewer may ask, proper dress, and arriving on time to the interview location.

Think this isn't magickal enough? Okay, so send your resumes on Thursday during the waxing moon while wearing a lapis lazuli pendant and say a prayer to Jupiter while you place the envelopes reverently into the mailbox. But remember that it's the act of putting the resumes into the mailbox that's the most important act of magick.

But what about those intangible acts of magick? A general spell to end famine all across the world, or even to feed the homeless guy who panhandles near campus is a nice idea. So you created a good spell, cast your circle, and raised a cone of power while visualizing the homeless guy eating a seven-course meal with both, filet mignon and lobster. You let the energy peak, and you relase it towards him and his favorite street corner.

You know what your main result will be? You'll be left with a warm fuzzy feeling and he'll probably still have a grumbling stomach. He may be fed through the generousity of a person, but it will be the generousity of someone else, not you, unless you're the one bringing him the filet mignon and lobster.

"But my spell was a selfless act for the benefit of another!" you may say. True. But it's also a thoughtless act. What did you sacrifice for the guy to eat? A candle? Some incense? Genuine charged-under-the-full-moon-by-a-High-Priestess coarse sea salt? You could spend a lot of money at your favorite witchnook for someone to "empower" these items for you, but your homeless guy has no use for a candle on his plate. The wax just won't digest!

What I'm saying here is that your money, time, and energy would be better spent going to a Subway restaurant, buying a 6-inch tuna sub combo (with chips and a "healthy" drink like lemonade--if he stands out in the sun, caffeine is a diuretic and won't do him much good as far as hydration is concerned), and reverently handing it to him.

Your result now? While your single act won't stop his hunger for all eternity, at least you were the cause of alleviating his hunger that day. Your act made your desired change come true and you have a visible result. The best part is that you are both left with a warm fuzzy feeling, and maybe even a new friend!

Magick doesn't have to work inexplicably in order for it to fulfill Crowley's definition of "magick." There's nothing in there that says magick has to be an unexplainable act. You can jazz up your mundane act to make it feel more like a stereotypical act of magick, but don't forget where the focus of your energy should lie.

A quick word back to Vensul--he's not a Wiccan, but he agreed that these "mundane" acts are just as magickal as stereotypical "spells"...even more so! He did a "spell" of buying a homeless man lunch, as described above, after our discussion. Vensul described what happened, best:

Hey Rhaevyn,

We talked about taking homeless people out to lunch awhile ago- I thought it was a great idea, but it took me until now to actually do anything about it. When it came down to it, I didn't have the guts to ask a homeless guy I didn't know whether I could take him to lunch (and deal with all of the stares a rich-looking kid like me will get for having a homeless guy tagging
along with him for lunch.) But I worked up my courage enough to grab some raisins and peanuts (the stuff probably cost me a grand total of only $2.50 CAN) and give them to this guy who I always walk by and refuse to give change to. I tell you, it made his day, and mine too. He had a big smile on his face, and said "thank you so much" and "god bless you"...

So in other words, how would I describe the man's reaction? I'm sure it was absolutely magickal!