First things first, I want to let you know straight off that I don’t believe in spell casting per say. I don’t think that I can change myself, let alone the world, just by waving a wand, burning some herbs, and saying a few magic words. There is a lot more to magic then all the fluff you see on TV and read about in books.

True magic is about you. It is about knowing who you are and what it is you really want. On the surface this might sound easy. I mean, of course you know that you want a new job/boyfriend/red hair/world peace, right? No questions asked! I think, though, that you would be quite surprised to if stopped to examine your motives and actions.

For example, say you want to cast a spell to find a new job. That is a pretty good idea, right? The job market is hard, and it sure would be great to have a divine edge. But, have you done everything you can to help yourself first? Have you posted your resume on job websites? Have you told all your friends and family that you are looking for a job? (Networking is rough but necessary.) Have you actually applied to any jobs? If you haven’t done these things then magic isn’t going to help you at all.

Magic was defined by Aleister Crowley as “The Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will.” You may think that getting a new job is your Will, but if you have not made a real attempt to achieve it then you are only fooling yourself. Magic can help you achieve your goal, but you must be willing to do everything (mundane) within your power first, and continue to do these things even after the spell is cast. The universe/divine/whatever is not just going to drop that job in your lap because you’ve said some pretty words in a ritual. Things don’t work that way. The universe/divine/whatever recognizes hard work. In casting your spell, your aim should be to draw attention to the hard work you have already done, not to ask for the work to be done for you.

By this point you might be wondering about all those spell books out there. They sure make things look easy, and they must get results otherwise who would write them, right? Well, no. See, a lot of authors and book publishers are out there to make money. They really don’t care if you get a boyfriend/find a job/end world hunger (or maybe they do). They rarely mention hard work in their books. This could be because they figure that an intelligent person would be able to figure out that part. Or it could be that they figure you don’t need it. See, occasionally you can get lucky and cast a spell or two without hard work and they will work. Oh, maybe not quite the way you intended, like getting a job at the company you want… sweeping the floor, or getting the cute guy’s roommate to fall for you. Almost right, but not quite. And for some people that is okay. But if you really know yourself, really know your true Will, than the almost right outcomes aren’t good enough.

So, how much experience do I have with casting spells to make such bold statements? Well, not a lot. You see, I am more interested in knowing myself and discovering my true Will than in casting a spell. To me, the hard work is more satisfying. And, more often then not, I find that I have accomplished my goals through hard work and there is no need to cast a spell. I am, however, quite familiar with spell casting techniques and methods, so I feel confident enough to share my opinion.