I have always been a researcher. Always looking deeper into the “whys” so I can understand as much of the mechanics as possible. This is especially true when it comes to magic and science.
I learned early on not to take things at face value, the way another presents it, because it is only done through their perspective, knowledge, and possibly experience. This doesn’t make it bad, but doesn’t necessarily make it true either.
I have been researching astrology for a while now due to my experiment with following the moon calendar and not the gregorian. I started with the vedic vs western, understanding differences and why those changes occur between them. Vedic could be considered more the living astrology because the positions of the constellations shift over time and they account for this. While western astrology stays fixed.
That’s a pretty big difference to me if we are talking about energy – and that is exactly what we are talking about with astrology. How the energy of these planets and their positioning affect things on earth. If we are not looking at the exact positioning at a certain point in time, then we are not seeing the real energy at play. Now, I don’t have access to a large telescope to personally observe these movements so I have to rely on other tech such as apps. I have used several different ones, compared them, and started to see discrepancies between them. Sure they seemed small, but again – we are dealing with real energies of planets that have scientific interactions within our solar system – thus the discrepancies matter.
I started using the Stellarium app on my phone that shows you the night sky as it is at that moment. This particular one is fed data from several observatories and satellites and is used by professional astronomers. There are still scientific calculations involved in the creation and data of the tool but it is probably going to be the closest I can get without having my own massive telescope. I started to look at the other apps and tools I had been using and compare them to the stellarium app. The discrepancies started to become blaring to me. Still subtle, perhaps just a constellation off, but when you are talking energies, that is a big difference.
Recently I took all the research and personal work I have been doing in astrology, and decided to create my own birth chart based on this knowledge and using the stellarium program. I was blown away. There were aspects of my birth chart in both western and vedic that didn’t vibe with who I am or my path in life. At first I ignored them, then I tried to rationalize them so I could reconcile them within myself. In essence I tried to push myself in a box to fit. When I put it all together using all of my own research, and using a program that gave me the closest I’ll probably ever get to exact positioning, everything fell into place. I wasn’t forcing a fit anymore, it just all made perfect sense. It made perfect sense with my personality, my flaws, my physical path, my spiritual path, and the way my magic is.
I was shocked and elated at the same time. Those small variations in energy mattered a whole lot more than I even gave them credit for. I mean it mattered sure – but it really brought home just how crucial those variances were. So I’m experimenting now with others on this. Doing their charts with this system to see if it resonates more with them then our standard charts we have gotten so used to that are based either in vedic or western traditions. It has been enlightening to say the least and the findings are holding true.
This is why I am always encouraging people to dig deeper – find your own associations for spell materials – understand the science behind the plants, rocks, crystals, etc you are using in spellwork to understand their full energies – to not take someone else’s word for it. Other people give us a great start, great inspirations, and some even give us solid information – but that shouldn’t be a given. I see too many people just taking the word of another because it is what has come to be accepted knowledge by the community, but that doesn’t mean there are no flaws or new information that supersedes the previous. Many times I see one person or book state something – Then it gets repeated over and over – Until it becomes “fact” that we don’t question. This is a big problem when dealing in magic though.
Magic is the weaving, blending, breaking apart, transmutation of energy. In order to do that you need to understand those energies. You also need to understand, as the wielder, how your own energy interacts with them. If you are allergic to garlic – even though it has some extremely useful energies – it would not be a good component for you. Your energy will not work well with it. If you are like me and do not like the smell of lavender – lavender is not going to do the same job for you as it would for one who is drawn to it. This is another reason that magical practice is personal and should be.
I know many people who get frustrated when I say “You have to do your own research and experiment yourself”. We live in a society that has gotten used to just accepting what’s in a book – to being handed a recipe and not even thinking about how it is all coming together – to getting a spell off the internet and expecting it to work in the intended way. Everything is prepackaged and sellable – but that isn’t how magic works. Sure, you may still get an effect from it, but it will never be its fullest potential – its greatest potential – without these things. I think this is why so many people get discouraged or frustrated when coming into witchcraft. They expect it to be following a recipe and getting the full effects. When it isn’t as powerful as expected, or in some cases doesn’t work at all, they get discouraged. Many times they blame themselves. They didn’t do it right or they don’t have the gift. Others may just assume it’s all fake. All the while the problem really lies in the energies, understanding them, and using them correctly with your own energy.
Yes, this method of learning, experimenting, and it being personal takes time and effort. It takes dedication and time to get good, just like any other skill. It can’t be prepackaged and sold as easily. However, the results will be solid. After all, witchcraft is all about the results is it not? It is why we do what we do – because we are looking for a specific result.
I’m not saying everyone is wrong, the information out there is all bad, books are not useful, posting spells is not useful. There is a wealth of information in them. Giving us various perspectives and knowledge. Inspirations and structures to help us develop our own magic. What I am saying is that taking them at face value, without understanding how those energies are being combined, and how your energy is affecting them is setting yourself up for failure in my opinion and experience.
There is a reason why magical practitioners spent many years in study before actually practicing on their own. It wasn’t to just memorize and learn recipes. It was to gain a deep understanding, the mechanics, the energies, and how to use them themselves. It was a lot of practice and experimenting. Yes, I realize this isn’t sexy or flashy. It definitely doesn’t fit the quick gratification motif of today’s society. However, that does not make it any less true. There is also a lot of fun to be had in experimenting. Figuring out what works for you and what doesn’t. What potential energies hold and how to wield them. Developing your own magic and tools.
It’s up to you what path you choose though. What matters to you, and what kind of power you want to wield. This is just an explanation of why I research – Why I question everything – Why I experiment – Why I am always digging deeper for understanding. I’ve learned these things throughout my life and their importance. I have seen and experienced the differences.