Rich magicians, poor magicians, & all shades in between

I have recently discovered this excellent blog: http://gleamingsfromthedawn.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/poor-magicians.html?m=1  The link is to a specific post discussing differences in why we are magicians, & particularly whether it is for 'spiritual' reasons or for purely 'practical' reasons.

'Talk to most people in the Golden Dawn/Western Mystery Tradition community (and this includes Thelema and Wicca) and you will hear that the purpose of the mysteries is spiritual development and service to mankind. In fact, there are groups that will bar you from entering if you say anything other than those two reasons for wanting to join. Anything else, especially practical magic, is viewed as black magic and power seeking.'

Of course it would be too much to hope that I could resist putting my oar in here, but for me this isn't quite the point. I am fortunate that I have never been poor so that is not the reason why I would practice magic. The reason I personally am a magician is that people think they'll take the piss. The direct experiences that pushed me into witchcraft were people taking the piss with me, when I wouldn't have had any legal redress, so magic was the only way to go.

In this I can sympathise with Eckstein's position - that he is a magician to escape poverty - because there is exactly the same sensation of having your back to the wall. However, I would like to think that probably the magic you're pushed into at a certain time is to do with where you are. I suppose I'm trying to say that there may be a bigger overall outcome for you in the longer time - lifetimes - than is apparent in a single magical act.

I feel the division here is wrong: it creates a dichotomy between 'higher' & 'lower' purposes that I'm already writhing under, just thinking of it. Here's the thing: even the most lackadaisical magician will be changed by the simplest magical act for whatever purpose. Magicians of any experience often speak as if magic is some entity outside of themselves. And make no mistake: to get good at magic you have to give your life to it. No, I don't mean that, I mean the power that is in us is so great we are -almost - its servants. We may be the vessels for the power, we direct it.

This is why seeking magic for purely 'spiritual development' is asking the wrong question. Crowley said that ultimately the object of all magical acts is the magician himself. Whatever the act, it will change you. Similarly magic for purely 'spiritual development' will cause material changes on this plane for the magician, quite frequently a string of disasters. Fortune thought that this was because you get more karma back in proportion as you develop. The point of magic is the unification & interconnection of all things. But it seems some people miss the point.

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