Black Magick & Crushing a "Dark" Rumor

Three prim and proper ladies were huddled together all pointing and gossiping across the street from a neighbors house. Through the chatter a snippet could be heard from lady #1: “The other day at church Robby the electrician told me that that infernal woman uses BLACK electricity in her house. It's her dirty little secret. Not the only one, I'm sure!” Lady #2 is beside herself with shock. “My lord, I heard the same thing!” Lady #3 chimes in, “Remember a few weeks back in that big snow storm? Her tree came crashing down and killed their dog. Our minister told us it was God's punishment for her and her little demon children using Dark, evil gravity! Dark forces and her fell ways will be the death of them I tell you.” Turning her nose up as high as she could manage, an eyebrow rose up her forehead in very Spock-like fashion. With a superior air of already saved self-righteousness lady #3 continued; “You know that storm brought down one of my trees too. Of course, I walk in the pure white light of righteousness and I wouldn't be caught dead using Black electricity or Dark gravity. My tree fell harmlessly onto my evil neighbor's fence. He came to my door ranting and breathing threats because of his crushed property. I told him God had chosen to smite him and he needed to repent from his evil ways before something even worse befalls him. Would you believe he was blaming ME for what happened!?? I explained that I was already forgiven for my sins, thank you Jesus, and he needed to take up his damages with his insurance company. I sent him on his way with the Devil's rage still fuming in him!” This was followed by resounding laughter and a round of “Praise the Lord!” and “Thank you Jesus!”

Sure, this little tale was exaggerated a bit to emphasize a point. The scary truth is that I have witnessed very similar conversations in real life so it is fair to say that it is only slightly exaggerated!

Allow me to lay the issue of so-called 'White' and 'Black' magick out plain and simple: magick is neither white nor black, good nor evil. It is a neutral power, a force. How you USE that power is what makes it positive or negative. To use a well-worn analogy, electricity is neither good nor bad. Arbitrarily calling electricity 'black' or 'white' just makes you sound ridiculous.

The 'good' 'bad' labels we assign to things are all about personal perspective. Don't you agree? Let's say you're strapped into an electric chair with a deputy poised to pull down the power switch that will end your life. Guaranteed you're thinking, 'this is bad!!' That is your value judgment and you're entitled to it. From a different point of view, in all likelihood the society that brought you to justice might consider it an excellent use of electricity to fry your ass to death. So what is electricity in this case, good or evil? It's your call. The labels you choose are always your call. Fortunately for the rest of us, your value judgment of what is good and bad doesn't constitute ultimate truth and it is not binding beyond the tiny confines of that space between your ears!

For people like me who use what I like to call “practical magick” everyday, the INTENT of my work as well as the results achieved are what determine if it should be labeled black or white. The labels I have chosen for myself are 'wizard and sorcerer.' Now, speaking for myself alone, my intentions toward people are usually rather altruistic. It makes me feel good to make you feel good. Naturally, there are those individuals who believe ALL magick is “Black Magick” regardless of its intent and purpose. To my mind that is like saying using ANY knife, even if it's used to prepare dinner for your family or as a tool in your workshop is evil because knives are sometimes used to stab people. Sorry, I don't buy that. I see the world in color and many shades of gray, not black and white.

RE: The Rumor

Let us wrap up this post by setting a nasty rumor to rest. A faint whisper has gone out into that nebulous area where “they” have something to say about everything. The individual who started this rumor has not the valor or courage to reveal himself to me. In the interest of full disclosure, however, it should be made clear that I know precisely who this person is. He was counted as one of my friends. He was also my student for quite some time. I respect him, his intelligence and his viewpoints. Notwithstanding all of this, it is equally true that he has chosen to start a rumor that I am a “dark magickian” and that my works are categorically “dark,” ie, harmful.

The gentleman in question claims that I follow the “Left Hand Path,” aka LHP, which can roughly be described as the darker more self-serving philosophy, the negative side of magick. For the record: I do not follow the LHP. The actual truth is quite to the contrary. Anyone who knows my works, my classes, my writings, my students or even what is written about me over many years will find my record of achievements to be quite out of character for someone who supposedly follows the LHP. The individual who started these whisperings knows me and my work well enough. He really should know better. What may have happened here is that certain comments I made in private about my own practice were misconstrued.

My practices aren’t a secret. They have been discussed in my blogs here and elsewhere for all the world to see! For example, I prefer to work my magick at night. My primary robes are black. On special ritual occasions I can be seen sporting faux horns. I revere Hekate and Tehuti (Thoth) who both have connections to death and the underworld among other things. If you didn’t know anything about me or my work I could see how these sparse details could suggest something sinister.

So here, for your reading pleasure is the “reveal.” The truth of the matter is that I prefer the night for my workings because it is a calmer, more settled time when the day’s labor is done and the world begins to wind down and relax. Candle magick is a big part of what I do and the dark is perfect. My concentration is greatly improved while working over an altar that is illuminated by candle light alone. My robes are black and purple which have nothing at all to do with evil but are the colors of the adept. My black robes symbolize profound spiritual mysteries and the primordial state from which all manifestation springs. My horns are a symbol of the masculine aspect of divinity. I honor and revere Hekate, queen of the witches and of the moon and Tehuti (Thoth) as a moon god. Tehuti also corresponds to Hermes Trismegistos and Mercury who both have special significance to me. As with most gods and goddesses, Hekate and Tehuti have many attributions and only one of which relates to death and the underworld/afterlife.

Gossip may be fun but those who perpetrate hurtful rumors, like my friend, are more guilty of “Black Magick” than anything I’ve done. My record stands as the best possible rebuttal to people who make false accusations.