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6 January 2020 00:57I wonder how true it is that a "magician's personality" ia necessary to do magic. Most sources kinda concur that you need to be one part diplomat, one part gangster, one part gambler to work with spirits or traverse the otherworlds. It's so restrictive that I'm curious to see if there are alternatives. Just as there are alternatives in our world, about how to work with people and partners and get stuff done. The magician's personality valorises certain qualities; Part of me is tempted to say "male qualities", although I'm not sure how far I believe that. In terms of: I don't believe that only men have those qualities. I think what im gesturing at is...as a marginalised person...thst kind of ballsy confidence to threaten and double deal and nimbly dodge and deal-make and bluff with spirits feels completely inaccessible to me. In many ways, the magician personality is the CEO personality, The "went to Eton then Oxford then became Prime Minister, because that's the kind or thing which just happens to you when you have thst kind of background" personality.
I'm wondering whether there are other functional models of mage-ship where other qualities are valued. I'm an Englishman. I'm extremely apologetic & wouldn't dream of asking for anything, let alone demanding it. And yes, in the physical world,this does make me godawfully vulnerable to parasitic behaviour. But I have friends and loved ones too. Am I wrong to be seeing othwetowldly relationships as so akin to human ones? Are we commanding and compelling because these are ultimately not people but energies, and you wouldn't speak kindly to your toaster? But I do. I chit chat to my toaster and art materials, my plants, the birds,and so on. And I want to believe one can find a different kind of power and strength in the otherworlds, by being the kind of benevolent, well-intentioned, harmlessly friendly thing that I am.
We were talking yesterday about fights, and how I've never won a fight. My husband asked, how many did I want to win? And that's the case in point, really. I have never wanted to "win" a fight, can't really imagine what that would look or feel like. Its not in me. So...is there a magic out there where this would be not a weakness, but a strength? not to hear some people tell it, that's for sure.
I'm wondering whether there are other functional models of mage-ship where other qualities are valued. I'm an Englishman. I'm extremely apologetic & wouldn't dream of asking for anything, let alone demanding it. And yes, in the physical world,this does make me godawfully vulnerable to parasitic behaviour. But I have friends and loved ones too. Am I wrong to be seeing othwetowldly relationships as so akin to human ones? Are we commanding and compelling because these are ultimately not people but energies, and you wouldn't speak kindly to your toaster? But I do. I chit chat to my toaster and art materials, my plants, the birds,and so on. And I want to believe one can find a different kind of power and strength in the otherworlds, by being the kind of benevolent, well-intentioned, harmlessly friendly thing that I am.
We were talking yesterday about fights, and how I've never won a fight. My husband asked, how many did I want to win? And that's the case in point, really. I have never wanted to "win" a fight, can't really imagine what that would look or feel like. Its not in me. So...is there a magic out there where this would be not a weakness, but a strength? not to hear some people tell it, that's for sure.
