I wanted to share this lovely write-up on how the Norse and Germanic peoples viewed magick, as I’ve experienced some amazing breakthroughs in my own understanding of magick and how it works.
- Everything in the world has a spirit: rocks, rivers, weather, animals, trees, humans, gods, etc. I’m personally unclear on whether man-made materials, such as plastic, have a spirit, or highly processed things like buildings and machines. My gut says yes since houses can be haunted, which in some cases could be a disturbed spirit of the house itself, not a ghost of a deceased human.
- Magick works by aligning the will of the practitioner with the will of all spirits involved in the working.
- Fate is a fixed concept, but through divination, one can discern how to work with the laws of fate.
For example, when you light a candle, place a gemstone on a crystal grid, or place magickal herbs in a spell pouch, the spell is formed from the combined wills and energies of spirits: the spirits of the flames and candle-wax, the spirits of the crystals, the spirits of the herbs, all directed to an end by the will, consciousness, and energy of the witch, within the terms and boundaries set forth by fate.
This is why obtaining the highest quality spell ingredients in the most ethical way possible, and asking permission before foraging or harvesting, are so important.
A spell works best if: every spirit involved consents to the magickal working (which is why respect, gratitude, generosity, and offerings are so important), if the spell-working aligns with fate, and if the witch’s focus, energy, and will are strong enough.
Consent is obviously missing from the recipient when it comes to baneful magick, so I suppose there is a point where the energetic potency and will of the practitioner outweighs the magickal protection of the victim. It would also be successful if fate says it will happen. That’s where it gets a bit fuzzy for me, but I think in general these rules are good to keep in mind for most types of beneficial magick, at least.
If you call upon deities for your spells, the spell will also need to align with the will of the deities involved. I learned an important lesson about obtaining permission and consent, so I encourage everyone to give offerings to your deities and gain their consent for the types of spells you want to cast, if you involve deities in your magick.
This is according to the Norse and Germanic view of spirits, fate, and magick, and your individual belief system may have different parameters. Ever since I’ve been journeying down the path of the animist, my sense of connection to all life has deepened, and my understanding of how magick works has improved a lot.
