A little advice for beginners

[long_dead_hero]

here is a little advice for all you beginners out there:

You don't need to have wands, candles altars hooded cloaks, or ANYTHING else to perform magic. you only need yourself

I will be the first to admit that in the beginning, i thought i needed all those items; but after awhile i realized that all i really needed was myself, and all those so called "necessary items" were just props to help one visualize the energy being channeled.

You don't have to agree with me, i know there are those out there that believe these items must be used for their magic to work. i wont tell them their wrong, but i will challenge them to do it my way a couple times and see if it feels right. when i first started using nothing but my own bare hands and the energy that flows in and out of them, it was difficult at first to visualize, but after a while it becomes easier and easier, and the rate at which my magic works is still relatively the same.

well, thats all i can thing of to say for now, if i have more to add i will. good day

[Silverm00n]

Good advice, I totally agree! I was like that too when I first started out, buying wands and cauldrons and other goodies, but it sure didn't make a difference in my magic. If you can't visualize and use your body as a tool, than nothing you buy will help. However, some people do find that props aid them in visualization and get them into a magical mood. Just don't get hooked on needing your this or that with you to perform, you should always be able to call upon yourself anytime and anyplace.

[Sophia]

What about candles?

[long_dead_hero]

candles were one of the items i listed.....

[mybodymyself]

Rob,

Thanx for doing this thread. 2nd everything that you said in your intro post of this thread. Tell you the truth I still feel that I'm an beginner in an way. Since really never felt this is my calling in some form or other.

Think thats it for now.

[RougScorpion72]

its a good thing i read this im gonna try things this way without the extra stuff needed im sure i will do just as good without the things you listed

[Nameless]

Sounds like a deal. I'll do it.

[Vigdisdotter]

here is a little advice for all you beginners out there:

You don't need to have wands, candles altars hooded cloaks, or ANYTHING else to perform magic. you only need yourself

Of course.

But telling the rank beginner to do with out is like telling a kid to do advanced math without a calculator.

Doing without tools is what you LEARN as you progress. It's not where you start.

When someone is starting they need all the help they can get with achieving the right head space for their intended goal be that a spell or a Sabbat ritual. This is what tools accomplish. They are props that act as psychological triggers, getting the rational mind to accept that they are about to do something outside of the norm.

Telling a beginner that they can do without tools--while true--isn't helping them. It's hamstringing.

That said WHAT tools they use is going to be up to them, their needs and whatever path they've chosen to walk.

[Lunacie]

Yes, the tools and props can help get us in the mind set when we're just learning, and aren't needed as we gain experience and confidence. At least not for a solitary practicioner.

They are very helpful in doing group work though, as it helps the whole group focus on the same thing at the same time and mingle their energies with each other.

[Vigdisdotter]

They are very helpful in doing group work though, as it helps the whole group focus on the same thing at the same time and mingle their energies with each other.

Exactly so. Which brings us back to Tools as Props used to reinforce a desired psychological effect. This can't be emphasized enough, IMNSHO. Nor is it a bad thing. The awareness of it and the ability to work *with* it is part of the learning process, regardless of one's path.

[RougScorpion72]

oh so until i get a better understanding of what it is i am studying and can do things with more confidence the props are a necessity . ok then i will use them then till i feel like i can use myself instead of props for certain things if im understanding that right

[White Fox]

Of course.

But telling the rank beginner to do with out is like telling a kid to do advanced math without a calculator.

Doing without tools is what you LEARN as you progress. It's not where you start.

When someone is starting they need all the help they can get with achieving the right head space for their intended goal be that a spell or a Sabbat ritual. This is what tools accomplish. They are props that act as psychological triggers, getting the rational mind to accept that they are about to do something outside of the norm.

Telling a beginner that they can do without tools--while true--isn't helping them. It's hamstringing.

That said WHAT tools they use is going to be up to them, their needs and whatever path they've chosen to walk.

^I agree completely with everything you've just said.

The human mind has to be.. trained, to work as well with magic. Some people are gifted with vivid imaginations, and it may not be as hard for them.

But some people aren't, and they need those tools and trinkets to help them get the right feeling for the right spell/ritual.

Let's say, you're performing a love spell. For the spell to work, you need to be focusing on the smell of a rose. Begginners will probably need to have an ACTUAL rose in front of them to smell. More experienced practitioners might be able to just recall the exact scent of a rose and focus on it in their minds.

Because imagination can simulate anything. It is the ultimate tool for magick because it's the most important part. Trinkets are like road signs, leading the mind where it needs to go for a spell to work. But it you've already memorized the path... :)

My point is, "You don't need all that stuff" is good advice, but not really entirely true at the same time. Some people aren't prodigies of imagination, and they may need certain things to get their heads in the game.

But at the same time, I'd never go around town searching for some exotic herb. The easiest way to sort out fake and real magick is to look at the ingredients.

Anything that requires you to slaughter a goat.... is not likely legit.

[Vigdisdotter]

oh so until i get a better understanding of what it is i am studying and can do things with more confidence the props are a necessity

Yup. But what tools/props those are is really up to you.

Think of ALL the props out there like functions on a cell phone. On mine (and it's not ever a smart phone) I have 36 "basic" functions (messaging, bluetooth, alarm clock, etc) and of them I think I use......4?

So you don't need ALL the tools you'll come across, since many aren't going to be useful for your purposes. Your best best is to figure out what your needs are and go from there. You can always reassess those needs later, collecting new tools, or relegating existing ones to a storage trunk.