The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum

Almost every author from every magickal book I've picked up, from Scott Cunningham to Silver Ravenwolf, has mentioned something along the lines of "dark magick" being something you very rarely come across, but that it is possible and though highly frowned upon, quite dangerous. And of course, I'm sure we all know plenty of protective spells, talismans, teas, crystals, potions, prayers, etc etc etc to keep all curses and negativity at bay.

With that said, of course I acknowledge negativity in the Universe, which can manifest anywhere from one's own personal thoughts, the "evil-eye", and yes, even negative thoughts from others. (I believe the term is called "astral attack"?)

But as far as "dark magick" is concerned...is it something that I need to be heavily defensive upon and on the alert for, like some Vigilant Witch of Divine Order? Or is it just simply something that needs to be acknowledge and dealt with according if I somehow un-miraculously find myself as the target of a "curse"? And are witches that actively participate, study, and use black magick as common as perceived? Surely not...but do share your thoughts.

Personally, I take into account the information I listed earlier known as "astral attack" and use that as my basis for protective rituals and incantations.

Almost every author from every magickal book I've picked up, from Scott Cunningham to Silver Ravenwolf, has mentioned something along the lines of "dark magick" being something you very rarely come across, but that it is possible and though highly frowned upon, quite dangerous. And of course, I'm sure we all know plenty of protective spells, talismans, teas, crystals, potions, prayers, etc etc etc to keep all curses and negativity at bay

.

I was taught that most will not encounter "Dark Magics" simply from the facet they possess nothing the dark magician would want.  Especially in regards to low magics that are found in folk type practices, many pagan type practices, etc.

There being a greater likelyhood with those who pursue high level or powerful ceremonial magics to attrack the attention of a so called Dark Mage.

As for it being frowned upon, i'd say that depends upon ones personal ethics.  That and if one has a true cause to use such magics.  Which again goes back to the notion of most have nothing desired nor are preceived as sufficiently powerful enough to even warrant a dedicated attack or cursing.

I also think it has a great impact upon where one lives.  For instance go to parts of the Southwest in the US and the odds of encountering a Skin Walker type persona is far greater than say in rural Virginia.

With that said, of course I acknowledge negativity in the Universe, which can manifest anywhere from one's own personal thoughts, the "evil-eye", and yes, even negative thoughts from others. (I believe the term is called "astral attack"?)

But here again one is working against personal ethics.  What one perceives as negative another does not, what one thinks of as an attack would not even warrant a second though from others.

Astral Attack is probably even actually less common than being attacked by a Dream Walker.  Yet those socities where Dream Walking is believed in give it great importance and take great measures to protect against them.

But as far as "dark magick" is concerned...is it something that I need to be heavily defensive upon and on the alert for, like some Vigilant Witch of Divine Order? Or is it just simply something that needs to be acknowledge and dealt with according if I somehow un-miraculously find myself as the target of a "curse"? And are witches that actively participate, study, and use black magick as common as perceived? Surely not...but do share your thoughts.

Magic to me has no color it is the intent of the practitioner who welds it that gives it focus and purpose.  It's sad I suppose but I really believe that many of the so called Pagan author's out there preach about Black Magic and Black Magician's so that Pagansim has thier own form of the devil to be weary of and on constant guard against.

If one gets down to basics all of us are equally Black / White and Grey in our practices.  To do good for ourselves means we must do bad for another, to try and bring money to you is to counter anothers attempts, to get a job means you must make another look worse than you so they don't get it.  It's always two sides to the coin but most Pagan books only want you to look at the supposed good side while they gloss over or ignore the negative componet of any action that seeks to bring something to the caster.

Personally, I take into account the information I listed earlier known as "astral attack" and use that as my basis for protective rituals and incantations.

The odds are you've never been formally attacked.  At best creating your own persception of being attacked and what you believe an attack would look like, how it would unfold and the avenue's of ingress the attacker would take to reach you.  NO one who is going to attack you is going to tell you the avenues they would take to do it nor the degree of intent or power they will place into the attack.

For example if I was aiming at you i'd not waste time or energy on a direct attack, i'd target people close to you and make you suffer through them.  I might target the food you bring into your home to deny you nourishment and cause it to weaken you system, attack you through the water lines coming into your home or the microbes that pass itno your home through the very water you drink or the ground your home sits upon.

But like I said you defend based upon what you think an attack will be like and how it will manifest.  You defend against a chance situation where your efforts at best serve in the hopes of deflecting or changing the pathway of what by chance may come at you.  The windshield of your car stops the rain and other chance elements from coming through but it will never stop something large and compact that is directed at you and placed to penetrate it, either by chance or purpose.

So one can go through life thinking some tree is going to come through thier windshield and try to avoid it or simply drive thier car and know that most things are but chance and occur from that angle than something being purposely directed at them.  That and figure the odd's of actually encountering a dedicated Black Magician who wants nothing more than to harm them is about the same as a passing motorist intending to run you off the road simply because you are there.

Almost every author from every magickal book I've picked up, from Scott Cunningham to Silver Ravenwolf, has mentioned something along the lines of "dark magick" being something you very rarely come across, but that it is possible and though highly frowned upon, quite dangerous. And of course, I'm sure we all know plenty of protective spells, talismans, teas, crystals, potions, prayers, etc etc etc to keep all curses and negativity at bay.

With that said, of course I acknowledge negativity in the Universe, which can manifest anywhere from one's own personal thoughts, the "evil-eye", and yes, even negative thoughts from others. (I believe the term is called "astral attack"?)

But as far as "dark magick" is concerned...is it something that I need to be heavily defensive upon and on the alert for, like some Vigilant Witch of Divine Order? Or is it just simply something that needs to be acknowledge and dealt with according if I somehow un-miraculously find myself as the target of a "curse"? And are witches that actively participate, study, and use black magick as common as perceived? Surely not...but do share your thoughts.

Personally, I take into account the information I listed earlier known as "astral attack" and use that as my basis for protective rituals and incantations.

I do not think that formal curses are at all common in this day and age. Think of the chances- you have to encounter someone who is skilled enough to do it and then really antagonize them to the point of them going through the process. One thing to remember, a person could be the subject of a binding or banishing spell that has the appearance of a curse. A curse is commonly thought of as "person x will have terrible things happen to them for xyz time" and done for vengeance, but a spell done to get the person out of your life or in some other way stop their behavior could have the appearance of a curse.

On the other hand, I do think that what you describe as astral attacks or negative energy  are actually more common than most people believe.

I do not think that formal curses are at all common in this day and age.

 
Maybe in your neck of the woods.  In a lot of parts of the world it is still a practice--I know that when some of my Filipino family were undergoing a feud, it was a morally questionable, but unquestioned, thing that my grandmother went to "one of the old men in the woods" to have a curse worked in retaliation.  There's a guy to go to who will do the job, and it's a known thing.  The family response wasn't "that's ridiculous" or "those don't work" but "Grandma, it's wrong to call one of those guys out on a relative, isn't that a little extreme?"  And these are people who've traveled, who have lived in cities, not just backwoods folks--and further, on that side of the family, they'd all consider themselves Catholic.
I know when my mother and I had our falling out, she hexed the dickens out of me--a friend tried to make me a protective amulet and it literally melted into a lump of slag in front of her eyes.  I have another curandera-trained friend who got in some really ugly witchy back-and-forth over politics down in Arizona, and came out of it with an exploded ovary.  It might be really rare, say, here in urban California, but in places where folkways are still really strong, it comes up, if not frequently, regularly.

I don't mean to wig anyone out, and I'm not saying there's explodey witch wars all over the place, or whatever, but these things do happen, especially in traditions where it's part of the magical education and local culture.  Likewise, the precautions and protective measures are built-in, too.  You have to piss off someone who knows what they're doing--or can pay someone who knows what they're doing--but it does happen, now and then.

And usually stays within such communities, which makes them fairly unlikely for the average TC member or lurker (or any other random "person on the street") to encounter.  But yes, there are knowledgeable people out there who can curse quite effectively and they are more common in some communities than they are in most. I've been cursed semi-effectively a couple of times in my life (and ineffectively more often), but I was a target -- it's just not something the average person needs to worry about.

 
I agree and when I responded, I was thinking only about general US population. I am sure you are very correct that it can/does happen within certain communities and cultures.

I know of a situation in which two individuals are in a field of employment that almost guarantees that they are going to make others angry/upset just by doing their job. About a year ago, they had a very sad tragedy happen to them. It was a very unusual situation and I truly wondered if they had made the "wrong" person mad at them.

In that case, they were not a member of any culture in which this is practiced, but may have run up against someone who was.

And usually stays within such communities, which makes them fairly unlikely for the average TC member or lurker (or any other random "person on the street") to encounter.  But yes, there are knowledgeable people out there who can curse quite effectively and they are more common in some communities than they are in most. I've been cursed semi-effectively a couple of times in my life (and ineffectively more often), but I was a target -- it's just not something the average person needs to worry about.

 
Absolutely true.  I think I mostly just wanted to tweak the generalization for the sake of those of us in those communities.  It's not a concern for most people, at any rate, on any kind of regular basis.