A Common Question and Classic Debate Topic that Relates to Many Aspects of Modern Practice.
I’m going to keep this simple and focused, no wandering down side trails or diving into rabbit holes today. As mentioned, the inquiry at the core of this post easily expands into a greater discussion of overall magical theory and the balance of subjective-objective realities therein. I’ll leave you to fill in the blanks on all that wonderful philosophical maze-touring, and perhaps I’ll revisit the opportunity with a part 2.
To reiterate and expand a bit, the question is:
When using a crystal or stone for magical purposes, does the energy for this work emit from the mineral in question, or is the object a mere catalyst for the magic or psychic energy inside of you, which actually performs the magical work to be done?
Yes.
It seems clear in my experience that both scenarios, plus more, are in play, Below is a brief verbal diagram that should help you dig into the substance of your practice and derive the greatest possible effect.
Please recognize (as you probably do) that I can’t prove any of the mechanics I’m about to lay out. This is an example of magical theory, and the ideas & terms below are based on well-demonstrated, widely accepted lore that has survived dozens of centuries and crossed multiple cultures during that time. It’s as sound as can be, in my opinion, given the drawback that I can’t raise the hood, so to speak, and point to each component part as it performs measurable work in an exactly specified, observable manner.
Don’t confuse the last statement with an admission of unreliability. I didn’t say magic is unreliable, nor do I need to say that because the opposite is true. Magic is quite predictable and repeatable, we just can’t be sure exactly how and why it works, or even what specific forces are doing this work.
The Magic Within You
Some degree of magical energy, however little, must be present within the operator, either by way of his/her genes or as the result of cultivation through study and practice, before any sort of spell or magic operation can hope to succeed. The question is really just a consideration of how or in what manner said energy will be deployed.
In our example scenario, Sedona the Sorceress may use her innate ability to initiate the attributes of her Amethyst, which she has chosen for a specific undertaking. Alternatively, she may apply her intent to the task of drawing the desired energy out of the crystal and then directing it from there as she sees fit.
The Magic of the Stone or Crystal
It’s safe to assume that every gemstone and crystal contains some quality and quantity of magical or metaphysical energy. In fact, over the centuries magicians have gone to great length and trouble to catalog and cross reference these energies with lists of corresponding powers and spheres.
Side note or teaching moment: When I say “energy” I’m referring to the potential for or ability to work, i.e. move a thing, shake a thing, influence emotional states, attract another type of energy, and so on & so forth. When I say “power/sphere” I mean to indicate the control center or directing intelligence of energy/energies and, in magical context, this often refers to what we call Planets, Gods, Angels, Sephiroth, and the like. Such powers or spheres may be free-thinking entities like but much greater than people, or they could be “blind” forces of nature, or even (and most likely) some combination thereof.
Again, the question used as the title of this blog post is really an invitation to explore your perspective of the matter. In what way do the energies of the mineral and its human user interact to create the magical effect to be used in the spell or operation?
Considerations for interacting with the energy of stones and crystals may be arrived at intuitively, in the moment. Or you may study a particular method or idea and enter an operation with the plan of applying this approach to your magic. Useable methodology can include the following:
1. Building up a current of raw will, “placing” this within the crystal/gemstone (C/GS hereafter) and next using the mineral as you would a wand to project and direct your magic.
2. Drawing energy or force out of the C/GS, programming this with your intention and a bit of your own mojo, and then releasing or sending the combined energies into the astral (or wherever appropriate) to carry out the change you desire.
3. Sending a beam of fully formed intent and magical will, as if “through” your C/GS (or a whole bag of them!) and toward the vision of your target result. It’s as if the minerals behave like a “filter” that correct, perfect, and help direct your magic after you push it through them.
4. Conducting your magic however you will, and “inhabiting” the C/GS during the process. That is, imagining yourself actually inside of the object, surrounded by its color, hardness, aura, and etc. as you work.
5. Similar to 4, perform your operation and then push your perfected vision of the ideal outcome deep into the heart of the C/GS. Think beyond the molecular and into the quantum field*, uniting both vision and C/GS at the most fundamental of levels before releasing the work to magical Nature for completion.
I understand how abstract this all sounds and I acknowledge that most of these items are essentially repeating one-another in slightly different language. It’s a blog about magic, what were you expecting if not abstract and imagery-centric language? Use your intuition and emotion, if you’re an artist in the traditional sense (meaning only if you use pen and paint, clay, etc. of the allegedly non-magical sort) apply that warm current of whatever it is that drives your art projects, totally put that to work following the instructions above and you’ll totally get it, I believe. 😉
* I apologize to physicists everywhere, and to physics as a whole for my abuse of the term quantum. This was a legit effort to convey meaning and not some pretense of understanding (of physics) on my part.