MAGICK WHITE AND BLACK

‘Personal magick’ is that magick used to affect the

self; often involving affirmation, self-suggestion, and

self-hypnosis. ‘Active magick’ is outer directed magick (as

in PK) used to affect someone or thing, or to bring about

an event. ‘Passive magick’ is to be affected (as in ESP)

by an outside non-physical cause. Everyone possesses some

magical (and psychic) potential. Some are especially

gifted. Usually people are better at one kind of magick

(ie. active or passive) than they are at the other kind;

only rarely does an individual excell at both. Traning

and practice will, of course, improve ability somewhat.

Although the forces of magick are neutral, various

systems may take on the qualities of good and evil. There

is so-called white magick or good magick, black magick or

evil magick, and gray magick between them. When many people

refer to white magick they mean magick for unselfish

purposes, also healing and mental influence with specific

permission. By black magick they refer to magick for

self-interest and healing *without* specific permission.

Using magick to forcefully control another’s will is, in a

sense, black magick too. There are also some people on the

occult fringe who claim to be, possibly even think they are,

‘Satanists’, devil worshipers, or black magicians. These

people are most likely charlatans, hoaxters, dablers, or

merely misinformed. They may be attracted by the ‘art’ of

black magick, or even by the ‘glamor’ of doing something

against the ‘rules’. But a real black magician is very

dangerous. Because he has dedicated his life to evil. We

usually think of ‘white magick’ as having *unselfish

intent*, and (in the extreme case) of ‘black magick’ as

being actual Satan worship, human or animal sacrifice,

dangerous unconventional magical practices, and other

bizarre stuff as makes a nightmare. It is all a matter of

degree. Most mild self-interest magick (one of the most

common kinds) would be called ‘gray’. Better terms may be

*constructive magick* as being beneficial; and *aversive

magick* as magick intended to work against the natural

order, and to tear down. There is also the *high magick* of

spiritual alchemy (ie. spiritual growth), also known as ‘the

Great Work’; and conversely there is ‘low magick’ which is

concerned with materiality.

Any magick act is likely to produce side effects

regardless of whether or not the desired result is achieved.

Such side effects are no problem for constructive magick,

since they are benificial as well. However, aversive magick

can produce aversive side effects which may even harm the

magician — aversive magick is dangerous!