Why Ritual Magic?

I was recently asked the question "why would I be interested in Ritual Magic" by a friend in the Wiccan tradition. This is a very difficult question to answer since Western Occultism as studied by our tradition is not limited to Ritual Magic. Rather this is but one facet of the great jewel that is the Western Mysteries.

It seems to me that there are two ways of interpreting this question. It could mean, "why would I study the tradition which uses ritual magic (including Tarot, Qabalah, Alchemy, Etc...)" or it could mean "for what purpose would you employ ritual magic as a method?" Both of these are very good questions and I will attempt to answer both as well as possible.

For me the tradition we work with is a path of spiritual evolution. It is not simply a way to get stuff, but it is also a way to reshape the consciousness of the individual in question. When visualising an outcome one may use meditation or ritual. Paul Case once described the difference as meditation being like a pencil sketch with ritual being a painting in full colour, at least to the Subconscious into which we are implanting the image.

Others may use ritual magic as a way to contact parts of the subconscious directly through something called Evokation. The Grimoirs of old are examples of this type of magic. In the end, though, the goal is the same, to shape the universe to conform with an image we have constructed on some level. Personally I find that using forms which have negative connotations within the Human/Western egregore is only asking for trouble as they tend to act on their own, often to disastrous results.

Knowing the methods of constructing and executing a ceremonial with reference to the correspondent symbols of your desire can be a very valuable tool for anyone. Subconsciousness can be trained to work with the symbols of a tradition and can cause change in the universe according to the symbols it is given. In fact, it is already doing it, every day. The fact that most minds are undisciplined enough to give often conflicting instructions is what saves us from manifesting every idle whim which crosses our thoughts.

Yet when we want something to stick out, it can be difficult to get the subconscious mind to tell the difference between one thought and the next. This is where Ritual Magic comes in very handy indeed. As you begin to open the circle the subconscious mind is alerted and begins to pay attention. If you have worked with ritual for a long time it knows immediately that the following symbols are important. The following instruction is an expression of the conscious mind's true desire. It makes a greater impact than the stray thoughts that float across the mind from day to day.

As an extension of this, we study and work with the symbols of Qabalah, Alchemy, Astrology and Tarot in order to better understand our Selves, better communicate with the system behind our conscious minds and learn to create changes as we desire. Through these associated disciplines we learn HOW the system works and then we can use Ritual in order to influence that system.

But what of the person who is very Taoist, who doesn't want to influence external systems, who wants to just let it flow. They may find that parts of themselves do not conform to this ideal. Through ritual they may refine themselves, create new patterns of thought and behaviour. Yet as a path it can also teach us about ourselves and that, perhaps, we are not the ideal after all and need to re-adjust our view of ourselves as well as how we interact with the universe. In the end, one may become "most him/her Self" rather than trying to conform to artificial personality constructs.

It may also be that one is seeing the artificial separation which the community has imposed between "High Magic" and "Low Magic" interpreting Ritual Magic as being something entirely separate from the ritual work expressed within the Wiccan traditions. In this case I can only say that our tradition's teachings give one a wide range of tools with which to understand the individual, both the self and others. One who truly pursues these subjects will gain greater insight into the nature of the human mind and the personality masks which it creates making them, in turn, a greater counsellor and Priest/ess. Once one begins to truly know themSelves they also know that everyone else is an expression of that same True Self and therefore can better understand others as well.

Ritual Magic, as a method, is very powerful when it comes to embedding symbols into the subconscious mind. As a part of our great Western Mystery Tradition, it helps form a practical link between the various symbol structures and methods we use. Ritual can open the gateways to meditation, human metaprogramming or just allow us to slip beneath the mask of personality. There are many reasons to consider both aspects of this tool, but in the end, like so many questions worth asking, one must really answer the question themselves.