American Warlock

Articles

When They Love You

“When somebody loved me, everything was beautiful. Every hour we spent together lives within my heart.” – “When She Loved Me” We all want to be loved. It’s probably the most human thing we do. Full stop. Like most things in the world though, I’m about to ruin love by dissecting it under the lens…

One of my favorite episodes

I always enjoy doing Magick.TV and hope to continue doing so for many years. Some episodes, however, really speak to my own edification more than others. For example, the episode I’m sharing with you today was about True Will – how to find it, how to do it, all that jazz. See, Aleister Crowley made…

On Aging

Oh my god, do you remember how powerful you used to be? How everyone loved you, or hated you, but never ignored you? Remember how your life used to be neck deep in epic adventures, and everything was incredible?And now you’re old. Everything is greyish and clammy. Your hot and cold have become tepid. Life…

Post-Thelema part I (or Why Jesus gave up carpentry for fishing)

Okay, so you went the distance. You mastered practical magic, did all the self-work, encountered your Holy Guardian Angel (or whatever guide presents you with your True Will) and discovered the meaning of (your) life. By most accounts, your journey is over, right? How come you’re still alive? You’ve completed the Great Work. That’s supposed…

On Being the Ill Wind

Tis an yll wynde that blowth no man to good, men say.” – English proverb      “Times” have always been hard, and those hardest hit have always made a lot of talk about who’s to blame – specifically going so far as to paint them “evil”, naturally positing themselves as “good” by comparison. Without going…

On “Thelema” (or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love my True Will)

“Do what thou Wilt shall be the whole of the Law. Love is the Law, Love under Will.”      Seldom since Biblical times has a more misinterpreted set of words been written. Purportedly originating with Francois Rabelais, the notion of “Thelema” as a philosophy was ideally intended to create an atmosphere of complete freedom and…

The Magical Legacy of Osama bin Laden

“I’m going to do something to you no man should ever do – I’m going to take away your enemy.”Mikhail Gorbachev to Ronald Reagan     Ding dong, the witch is dead? The whole world is abuzz today about the death of Osama bin Laden in a heroic raid by US Navy SEALs. Pictures and video…

Oh look, a butterfly!

Okay, we’ve all been to this particular place. I was working out this morning, and I like to wrap up afterward by “running my chakras”, doing a little energy work to redistribute the extra juice I didn’t use up during my workout. It really helps restore a certain amount of “normal” to me so I’m…

Magical Qualities I – A Mage is Clever

The war that had lasted for nearly ten years was ending this day. The challenge had been laid down, and it was very clear. The two magicians had agreed to meet at a clearing, in the woods near where they both lived. Each of them was allowed to bring witnesses, but no seconds. It didn’t…

Magical Qualities II – A Mage is Truthful

“I always tell the truth. Even when I lie.” – Tony Montana     Once upon a time there was a young man, a purveyor of magical items. Magicians came from all around to buy the wonderous creations displayed on his shelves. Oils and tinctures glittered from bottles and jars. Dirts, dusts, powders and compounds filled…

On Power

Sometimes I sit and muse on the world. I consider its conditions and its residents and the various happentracks the future may take. I compare its current state with the vision of the world I want to create, and I decide what needs to be done. Most of the “evil” in the world stems from…

Opening Rituals

If you pick up nearly any book on the practice of magic, you’ll find several examples of Circle Castings — those rituals magicians use before casting larger spells or performing ceremonies. Often these are not explained in terms of necessity, variation, or the function they serve in the greater ritual as a whole. For this…

The Engines of Magic

A close friend and respected colleague asked me an important question today. He asked me why I organize the apprenticeship grades of training according to the four philosophical elements, earth, air, water and fire. I understand that it seems trite to do it that way because that’s the way almost every major magical tradition does…

Why Magic Fails

In the science of physics, Work is done when the proper force is applied to the proper object in the proper manner. Any failure of force, application or object results in no Work being done. In the art of Magic, the same principle is true. If the proper force is applied to the proper object…

Crafting Tomorrow’s Master

I’ll tell you something that gave me concern when I was just graduating my Apprenticeship and coming into my own as a Warlock. At that point I’d been doing magic for a little over ten years, mostly freelance with no structured learning environment, and I was really starting to enjoy finally being part of a…

The Coyote Effect

“Never tell me the odds.” – Han Solo in The Empire Strikes Back 67 years ago, Wile E. Coyote first ran off a cliff into empty air, kept running until he looked down and realized there was no road under him, and promptly fell. He does it to this very day, and in all that…

Balance and Power

Any martial artist will tell you the value of balance – though you may be able to move, act, advance, retreat and even strike, your actions will mean little unless you come from a position of balance. This is particularly difficult for magicians though, because acts of magic result from the deliberate creation of IMbalance.…

Are You a “Real Magician”?

It’s late. Really late. Tonight was a pretty good night, and you’re driving home in the dark in a great mood. Nobody else on the streets. Favorite song on the radio. Life is good. Suddenly you see a little way up the road, the only flaw in your perfect evening – a red traffic light.…

When Diplomacy Fails

Cursing is a touchy subject in magic-using traditions. Most people you’ll hear talking about it say that they believe people simply shouldn’t use harmful magic at all, just to be safe. After all, according to the Threefold Law, if you only do good things then only good things will happen to you, right? Wrong. Life…

Qualities of a Mage III – A Mage is Polymathic

We all know a “wizard” somewhere – maybe someone in your acquaintance is a “computer wizard” or “schmooze wizard”. We even have little automated assistants in our computers called “email wizards” or “setup wizards”. Because a “wizard” is basically someone who can do it all. Wizards have an encyclopedic knowledge of the most esoteric subjects,…

On Initiation

Initiation. We all think of different things when we hear the word, but there would be few people indeed who had no reference whatsoever for initiation. For some of us, it brings to mind lighthearted pranks on the New Guy, or brutal fraternity hazing, or a series of membership tasks to overcome, or even just…

Butthurt is Not a Magical Element

In a recent editorial column, there was mention made of the storm of outrage concerning, of all things, inflammatory and insensitive comments uttered on Fox News. While some may not be aware of this, Fox News essentially makes a fine living out of the manufacture and distribution of outrage. Even though they have been proven…

Magic is a Bad Decision

Magic won’t solve your problems. Many people get into magic thinking … well, thinking that it works like magic, some miraculous cure-all that fixes every problem with no repercussions. And they’re kinda right. But they’re also kinda wrong. Remember when you were just a wee tot, tooling around the neighborhood on your bicycle? Your effective…

The Spirit Caught Me Walking

It’s probably happened to you. It happens to a lot of people, whether they realize it or not. Most of the time, they don’t. It happened to me. On April 26, the Spirit caught me walking. I was on my way back to the car after Eureka’s Rhododendron Parade, and I found myself nowhere near…

More than Pagan?

About eleven years ago, my entire magical career took a huge left turn. That’s not an entirely accurate metaphor. What happened to me was more like spinning slices of the planet like a Rubik’s cube until a new destination was suddenly within easy reach to my left. THAT kind of “left turn”. I began actively…