Why Bother?

Why would I bother with that stuff? Oh yeah, as if I'd ever use negative magick! That'd just be a waste of my time... Okay, so you're a Wiccan. You follow and believe in the Rede and the Law of Three. Or maybe you're a Witch or some other group that happens to believe those are a good idea. So, as one of the loving and caring Pagans out there, why should you take some of your time to learn about the darker side of things? For the sake of giving everyone a fair chance to know the basis and decide for themselves, here are three reasons that I find compelling to take a moment out to ponder you may think of as negativity. 1. Balance Some of the most wonderful images that we see on nature shows are the scenes of baby animals playing while safely under the protection of their parents. This is a good thing so far as it shows people that animals aren't mindless killing machines. The unfortunate side effect here is that these peaceful pictures make it hard for us to remember that the animals aren't always so peaceful. Aside from the safe and happy moments there are times when animals eat even their own young or siblings in order to survive. The concept of the "Dark Goddess" doesn't have to mean mindless destruction. More often it amounts to things that may not be pleasant but still need to be done. However much it's appealing to think of the Goddess or any divine force only as "sweetness and light" we have to recognize that there's usually more than we may immediately see. 2. Self-Knowledge Let's accept it right off. The odds of someone living their entire life without becoming angry at some point is very low. While anger usually seems to be a destructive emotion, causing people to yell and fight and overreact, it can also be helpful. If we weren't capable of becoming angry what emotion could drive us to fight against injustice? What else is so passionate that it can drive a revolution and then give way to the hope of a better future? The problem isn't so much that you feel anger at something, it's denying that the feeling even exists. Part of being in any religion, but especially being in one that practices something as potentially dangerous as magick, is that you need to constantly work towards knowing yourself better. Any part of yourself that you refuse to face becomes one that you have no control over. 3. Safety Most people who practice some sort of ritual or magick tend to use shielding or protection (like casting a circle in Wicca). If you take the time to understand the energies that you're trying to keep out, you'll have a better idea of how to do it. Not to say that you're completely defenseless without this knowledge, but certainly most people would want to make the odds on their side as good as possible. Another part of safety goes along with self-knowledge. If there are emotions in yourself that you refuse to face it'll almost definitely interfere with your attempts at magick and ritual. A large part of what generates the energy for a spell is the strength of your need for the result. If you have other big issues bouncing around in your subconscious you won't be able to focus as well, and as a result what you're trying to do could sometimes either misfire or fail completely. Obviously how to deal with the parts of yourself that you may not like is a very personal decision, and one which I have no interest in making for you. That being said, I hope that everyone who reads this will pause and think a moment to be sure that they're aware of the path they're on, and the possible consequences of their choices.

This article has also appeared at: The Witches' Voice (Teen Section) Return to the Library. Or go back to the Moonlit Grove main page. This site is Copyright ©1998 Cossie All Rights Reserved The current URL is http://www.geocities.com/Athens/1492/library/whybother.html

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