Quality of life is key to magickal self-assist.
People who lived through the Great Depression claim those were happier times, when things were simpler, and life was simpler. With the hustle and bustle of businesses, especially "corporate America" and competing enterprises, it's no wonder that mental illness is consistently rising, not just in America, but everywhere.
Anxiety -- Depression -- Schizophrenia -- Suicide -- Psychosis
Every mental health condition listed above can be triggered by extreme stress.
Even seasoned practitioners reading this may find themselves so worked to the bone by their day jobs that they can hardly find time anymore to be spiritual.
When quality of life goes out the window, so too can the fundamental principles of wellness.
I've personally seen many people turn to magick in a desperate attempt to fill the emptiness that a "normal" life entails, they seek out love, happiness, and financial gain through "supernatural" means. And some turn to it to heal themselves.
Yet, most of them don't realize the problem. They don't understand that without solving that problem, it will prevent them from ever achieving these goals.
Even if they are the reincarnation of Merlin himself, they would not be successful. Merlin would fail hard as a magician to conjure such things if he had to work for a living, raise kids, and attempt to keep a social life in the typical fashion. But we need to buy a house and a car and have pretty things... or so everyone says.
So the mentally weary magician or witch steps into their circle to summon their hopes and dreams. And the spirits and gods they call on know the root of their ailments. But despite nudges, they ignore the solution because it's too hard/far/risky/unconventional. They focus so hard on their target that they lose sight of the knife (and keep running into it). And then they wonder why they are bleeding.
So why do so many magick practioners' lives spiral down into chronic illness, poverty, and loneliness? Because they never accept the real change that needs to happen for their goals to come into fruition. So instead, they constantly battle with themselves. And when you wage war on yourself, you always lose.
The ones that succeed in their goals understand that they need to sacrifice comfort and security. They need to relinquish the idea of being accepted or approved of, let go of what was, or be willing to exist in a state of chaos until they find their way.
This may need to happen not once, but many times in life as you grow, change, and outgrow the old. We all change throughout the years, but so many people cling to the past, their old identity, or pressure to conform and live like someone else.
So what's a mage to do?
People can do incredible things with magick, and every goal I've mentioned is reachable. So what defines whether you succeed or fail?
Before you step into that circle, ask yourself, am I willing to change my life for this? If the answer is no, then don't even bother.
Illness in every respect is stagnation of energy. When we are unwilling to flow, to move, to change, we cannot heal or grow. Nothing new can come into our lives unless we make room for it.
So how do you know what to change or where to flow?
That's where intuition or a really damn good spirit guide comes in handy. If you're feeling disconnected, keep an ear to the wind and look for opportunities (and refrain from overlooking opportunities that seem too painful, hard, or inconvenient). Consider every door opened as a hint, and listen to people around you. I can't count how many times a random person told me something profound and eye opening. Many times our spiritual allies speak through others to get our attention.
Just like the Fool in tarot, sometimes you got to just dive in and figure out the details later. That's where the faith comes in. Some people put their faith in spirits or gods, other people put all their faith into themselves. I like to pick up a little faith here and there for variety.
It works for me!So now that I went on a long philosophical rant, I'll share some personal experience.
Three years ago, I started doing some introspection. I could sense the tides changing, and knew I had to change with them.
Suddenly, I had the STRONGEST urge to dive head first into a remote career I knew nothing about. I had to "fake it to make it." So I let go of everything besides taking care of my family and becoming really good at something new.
6 months later, just as my skills and knowledge started to shine, the pandemic hit. Then the entire world turned to remote workers and guess who snagged amazing clients?
Now, I absolutely LOVE my job and I'm increasing my profits 30-50% YOY. I've never had so much passion for something before, yet if you told me 4 years ago where I would be today, I would have laughed at you.
Am I rich? No. But that's not my goal.
What is my goal then? Believe it or not, it wasn't money but good health for myself and my family because I firmly believe that good health is synonymous with a balanced life, one with limitless possibilities.
It's your turn.
I would love to hear some stories of the chances you took and the changes you made to manifest your goals. What did you sacrifice? What did you receive in return? Did something surprising happen?