You've heard the old cliche pondering why all psychics and witches don't win the lottery. If they are so psychic and magical, why aren't they rich? If you've been a student of magic, you know the answer to that can be complex. Magic actually is quite simple in theory, but theories need to be put into practice in order to be tested.

The famous occultist and magician, Aleister Crowley, stated "Magic is the science and art of causing change to occur in conformity with will.". Simple right? We will something and it happens. Not quite. One problem is that many of us have been raised in a culture that tells us our will is different or beneath the will of God. Therefore, who are we to impose our will on the world around us? There are also many every day distractions and expectations that others place on us. We tend to let ourselves be overcome by what others say is good for us.

Below are five practical steps to magical work for the aspiring magician. Practical does not necessarily mean simple. However, practicing these techniques will help you clear away some of the obstacles keeping you from doing your will. I am using the example of doing magic to attract a new job.

1. Set a realistic goal. I know this may seem boring, but this is especially important for those new to magic. Say the job you want is something that is completely out of your skill range. You could be setting yourself up for failure and attracting disbelief in your own magical ability. At this point, it is best to think of magic as that nudge you need in the right direction instead of the only avenue open to achieve your goal.

2. Develop relaxation skills. Many ignore this step, but you will need to be able to still your mind and body in order to perform the rest of the magical work. Meditation, yoga, grounding and centering, and visualization are all good techniques. In fact, visualization may be easier to begin with than meditation. It is difficult to get to a completely blank state of mind for a sustained period of time that meditation reaches for. Taking a few deep breaths, closing your eyes, and visualizing yourself in your favorite spot relaxing such as near a lake or in the woods is a good place to start.

3. Concentrate on your goal. This is where your visualization and meditation practice is invaluable. Think of that job you want in as much detail as you can. Include specifics such as the location, the money you wish to make, daily tasks you will be performing, etc. The goal here is to build energy around your desire.

A simple concentration technique to practice before you even attempt magic is to stare at an object such as a candle flame as long as you can. Thoughts will enter your mind. Don't try to force them away. Gently push them out of the corner of your mind and refocus your attention on the object.

4. Release the energy. One method you can use to do this is to place the energy you have raised into a ball of light and send it off into the universe or earth. If you are performing magic in a ritual space, then you can release this energy to the deities you are working with trusting them to use it properly. It is important to let go of what is called the lust of result. This is one of the biggest obstacles many magicians face. If you continue to obsess about your goal after this step, then you haven't truly released the energy to do your will.

5. Take action. This is another step that is sometimes forgotten. The most practical way to go after the goal you want is to take real world steps in getting it. In the case of the example, apply for the job and follow up with the prospective employer.

Keep a journal of your experiments and results. This way you can eliminate techniques that don't work for you and make notes of what you would like to try in the future.

As you can see, none of these steps are necessarily Pagan or use any of the stereotypical witchy tools associated with magic. In fact, techniques such as creative visualization are used by people the world over to obtain their goals. Pagans use ritual and tools to aid in visualization.

By all means, cast a circle, use herbal and color correspondences, and ritual to help you concentrate on the goal at hand. Part of the beauty of magic is that it is universal. It can be designed to our tastes and applied within or without a belief system.


Sources:
Lon Milo DuQuette. The Magick of Aleister Crowley: A Handbook of Rituals of Thelema. Weiser Books, 1993, 2003.
Phil Hine. Condensed Chaos: An Introduction to Chaos Magic. New Falcon Publications, 1995.