Magick and your mental health

One of my nice followers ask me if I had any experience with depression and how it pertains to magick. They gave me permission to share this in case it helps anyone else.

…

Short answer, yes, absolutely I have dealt with depression. In fact, almost all of my early magical breakthroughs were associated with depression. And I am not saying that magick necessarily causes depression or is a cure for depression. All I can say is what I experienced which may be much different for you. 

I think that when Crowley talks about crossing the Abyss, he is talking about depression. In spiritual terms it is often called the Long Dark Night of the Soul. Depression is what led me to decide to become a magician in my late 30s. I was in a terrible place, a place of my own making. I had the realization that I was not the person I thought I was, and that I had to figure out who I am. Becoming a magician helped. 

Going through my training in the Illuminates of Thanateros triggered a major bout of depression, as I was very much adrift and doing the exercises brought me to a lot of uncomfortable realizations.  I also had a major depressive break right in the middle of my initiation. I was a total blubbering mess. 

Magick taught me that I could create my own narrative. The motto I use now, shamelessly stolen from Miguel Conner is: “Write your own story. Live your own myth.” I am also a big Joseph Campbell fan, and believe that every mythic journey is a trip through the underworld. Being able to mythologize my life and see the threads of myth in my own experiences has helped a lot. Also, I am able to have magical breakthroughs now without a full blown bout of depression because I work with a solid group of magicians who care deeply for each other. 

Also, if you are suffering, please look for help. I was lucky. Although I never sought out professional help, I have a lot of strong supports in my life. I know that not everyone has that, and there’s no shame in going to a professional. I would say that the support of caring and understanding people helped me more than magick did in going through depression.

Hi! Hope you’re doing fine. I’m sorry to ask this, I’m just really curious about occult and magic. I wanted to know why the wand is useful (sorry I’m ignorant!). Is it really necessary? Why or how can you use that? Do you need to create it? Again: sorry! I hope that I’m not disturbing you or something. I’m not from north America or England, so maybe my English is kinda awful, I hope that is not. By the way, you seem a lovely person, so I’m sorry if I disturb you, have a lovely day! 💕

jakattax:

Hello!

Your English is wonderful so don’t worry ☺️

Not disturbing me at all, please don’t worry about it. I try to reply very quickly to all asks, sometimes it takes a little longer than usual but I never ignore my asks. So don’t worry your not disturbing me.

Yeh the wand is vital, an incredibly important tool, a must have tool in the occult arsenal. Classicaly the wand has been representative of the element of air (I think other sources say fire too) but the wand or staff is one of the tools, in my opinion that can’t be skipped. I think in some paths the athame substitutes for the wand but the both essentially carry out the same purpose, being energy direction. The wand or staff is representative of the authority rod of power, the symbol of the magicians power and control over the spirits we can command.

Wands are largely used to create the circle in which we work, if it’s a long enough wand you trace the circle on the ground. Not every minor spell requires the use of the wand, but pretty much every classical grimoire has instructions on how to make one And when it should be employed. The vast majority call for virgin hazel wood, cut with a single stroke and inscribed with symbols and godnames. I’ve been meaning to write a long post about my own wand, but I’m slight hesitant as pretty much all of the books state that the wand should be kept in the upmost of secrecy. They are a very personal and powerful tool.

So yeh sorry in brief the wand is just one of the tools you need to have and in my opinion it’s absolutely necessary.

Thank you so much for your question!

Great question and answer.

May I also recommend this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMV9exTl0LU&t=1112s

I just want everyone who has suffered from sexual assault to know that what you are feeling right now is totally justified. I can only imagine what it is like to watch our society belittle the pain that you and millions of others have endured. Just remember you are strong, people believe you, and we recognize your pain.