Question for witches.

[Krazeekkc]

Where do you believe you get your powers from? Like for spells and things.

 

[Myah]

Powers? *blinks* Witches aren't some supernatural beings like the x-men. Spells are much like prayers. In my opinion, and belief, any "power" behind a spell is from the Goddess, or her counterpart.

 

[Sybille]

May I give my opinion even tho I'm not a witch? I agree with Myah. I will also add this... It is also the "power" (nothing supernatural) of the Verb & the Will.


~S

 

[pmarquette]

Authority , dominion , ability , power , effectiveness .... +/- all the same spin ;
whether you call it " mother earth " ; the " force " ; New Age , Secular Humanism ,
Wiccan , Witches ( black and white ) , or satanists .... there is a " power " > our
own that is tapped into , which is the " draw , temptation , fly-paper " that
traps many seekers ...

We are taught there are 3 authorities :
1. God ( trinity ) and His angels
2. devil ( fallen angels ... god's of old )
3. mankind ( nations , kings , government )

If this " celestial-juice " is not of man or of " The God " what's left ?

 

[Thurisaz Sowulo]

We are taught there are 3 authorities :
1. God ( trinity ) and His angels
2. devil ( fallen angels ... god's of old )
3. mankind ( nations , kings , government )

If this " celestial-juice " is not of man or of " The God " what's left ?

There need not be a sentient source of power. What if magic is just a force of nature, not yet understandable to most of us?

 

[Arikay]

pmarquette: Maybe you are taught wrong. where does nature come into those three sources of "power"?

 

[Shekinahs]

Where do you believe you get your powers from? Like for spells and things.

Cute question. Hope it's not a setup question

To me powers come from energy. The energy within us and the energy of God and Goddess. Our energy comes from the one souce of all energy.... the Divine. A good book to read on the subject is "Before You Cast a Spell". It talks a great deal about understanding the source of the power of magick. If you understand your energy and know how to work your energy. You will do amazing workings. But never forget the true souce of the energy and you will stay humble.

 

[Shekinahs]

Authority , dominion , ability , power , effectiveness .... +/- all the same spin ;
whether you call it " mother earth " ; the " force " ; New Age , Secular Humanism ,
Wiccan , Witches ( black and white ) , or satanists .... there is a " power " > our
own that is tapped into , which is the " draw , temptation , fly-paper " that
traps many seekers ...

We are taught there are 3 authorities :
1. God ( trinity ) and His angels
2. devil ( fallen angels ... god's of old )
3. mankind ( nations , kings , government )

If this " celestial-juice " is not of man or of " The God " what's left ?

Why do haters alwayyyyyyyyys show up . If you are not a witch then at least give the thread a few days before you start the flame throwing.

 

[Mylinkay Asdara]

Personal Divine energy (from within yourself), Divine energy (as may be lent to you by your gods), and the energy of the things arounds you (stones, crystals, candles, herbs, and so on) are all sources of the energy that is used to fuel magick (which I assume is what you mean 'our powers' to be)

 

[Heathen Dawn]

Where do you believe you get your powers from? Like for spells and things.

Everything in the universe is interconnected, and the Divine is immanent in everything. Spells and magick are performed by stringing the right connections. The personal faces of the Divine, the Gods and Goddesses, can be invoked to help in the reconnection. (that’s where the term religion ultimately comes from: re-ligio or relinking)

 

[Rae]

Witches aren't some supernatural beings like the x-men.

Awww...but I joined so I could be Wolverine! You guys lied to me! /end silliness

The energy paradigm works for me, but I know there are other witches who use others that work just as well for them.

 

[Isis-Astoroth]

'power', I believe, comes from within your self. It is not a power, but simply the energy in ones body that is trained to do something which it is not usually trained to do. I don't believe in the 'power' of prayer. Prayers are but words. Words can only work if there is the will and the energy behind it, and then, if these two things a person has, words are unnecessery. Real 'magic' is simply the energy within ones self being directed in a way which is not considered 'normal'.

 

[SquareC]

I'll skip the 'power' comments, I see they've already been covered! (I'm tempted to add: What like in 'Bewitched'? Not that kind of witch! I wish!)

As previously mentioned, the source of the energy directed by a witch with magick generally comes from the Divine, from within the caster or from the energy that abounds in the Universe around us. (This 'general' energy is also a form of Divine energy, but with less focus and somewhat harder to direct in specific form)

 

[Shekinahs]

'power', I believe, comes from within your self. It is not a power, but simply the energy in ones body that is trained to do something which it is not usually trained to do. I don't believe in the 'power' of prayer. Prayers are but words. Words can only work if there is the will and the energy behind it, and then, if these two things a person has, words are unnecessery. Real 'magic' is simply the energy within ones self being directed in a way which is not considered 'normal'.

Yep. Well said.

 

[jasalinda]

coming out of the pagan religions, which were based on seeing god/goddess everywhere and in everything, a pagan practitioner (or witch, or sorceror) would use their own meditative spiritual position to attract the powers of god/goddess all around them, and direct them toward a particular goal, such as healing a sick person, attracting rain during a drought, celebrating a joyous event or mourning a sad one...

of course, taking one's own personal power without having to go to church (and pay a priest) was frowned upon by the clergy...it certainly was in the church's best interest to keep the people ignorant, powerless and broke...

pagans lived in harmony with nature; they saw the might and power and grace of god during seasonal changes, astral body movements and in the simplest act of nature...what a lovely, practical way to live...i'm glad we as humanity never outgrew this system...

 

[Heathen Dawn]

pagans lived in harmony with nature; they saw the might and power and grace of god during seasonal changes, astral body movements and in the simplest act of nature...what a lovely, practical way to live...i'm glad we as humanity never outgrew this system...

AMEN! That’s what I find so attractive in paganism!

 

[Krazeekkc]

Thank you for your replies.

 

[Indigo]

coming out of the pagan religions, which were based on seeing god/goddess everywhere and in everything, a pagan practitioner (or witch, or sorceror) would use their own meditative spiritual position to attract the powers of god/goddess all around them, and direct them toward a particular goal, such as healing a sick person, attracting rain during a drought, celebrating a joyous event or mourning a sad one...

of course, taking one's own personal power without having to go to church (and pay a priest) was frowned upon by the clergy...it certainly was in the church's best interest to keep the people ignorant, powerless and broke...

pagans lived in harmony with nature; they saw the might and power and grace of god during seasonal changes, astral body movements and in the simplest act of nature...what a lovely, practical way to live...i'm glad we as humanity never outgrew this system...

This is good.

Since I always focus on the similarities between religions, I will also add some translation to show Christians that magic is not based on evil, it's just another way to see God.

God/Godesses = God and Saints
Power = "Ask and you shall receive" (be careful what you ask for)
spells = prayers
rituals = mass
energy = Holy Spirit (connection to all of God's creations)

 

[Mylinkay Asdara]

great observations Indigo

 

[nephthys]

Where do you believe you get your powers from? Like for spells and things.

Good question! For the most part, it has already been answered by other Pagans on the board: we believe it is a gift from the Gods, that we all partake of some sort of life-energy that we are able to utilize since the Divine is immanent.

Because of our belief in Divine immanence, mankind and God cannot be truly separated, and there is no "other source" from which to seek energy/power (from demons or Satan, or something not- or anti-God for example). Some witches believe that certain objects or symbols can lend their magic additional energy, which would make sense in a universe where the Divine is in everything, but some merely regard the symbols and objects used in spellwork as "props" which help the pracitioner focus.