What Is Magick

I spell magick with a ‘k’ to create a clear separation between it – the occult, the mystical – and the illusion, sleight of hand, entertainment sort of magic. And, I rather like the way it looks. But why do I feel the need for such a distinction?

Indubitably, magick is one of the subtlest and most difficult of the sciences and arts. There is more opportunity for errors of comprehension, judgement, and practice than in any other branch of physics. Aleister Crowley, The Confessions of Aleister Crowley

One of my favorite definitions of magick comes from the Lesser Key of Solomon:

Magick is the Highest, most Absolute, and most Divine Knowledge of Natural Philosophy, advanced in its works and wonderful operations by a right understanding of the inward and occult virtue of things; so that true Agents being applied to proper Patients, strange and admirable effects will thereby be produced. Whence magicians are profound and diligent searchers into Nature; they, because of their skill, know to anticipate an effort, the which to the vulgar shall seem to be a miracle.

Don’t you love the way the authors of old wrote?

I find magick at once miraculous, awe inspiring, and terrifying. Even now, after dabbling in it for years, I still get goose-bumps. Never experienced it yourself, and want to? I’ll leave you with this:

Sometimes the dim veil between sanity and insanity is perception. Luis Marques