Writing About Real Magic: A Conversation with Hecate

Circle Of Crones

Contributed by Mama Dragon

I think I need a little magic to help me with this article on ‘real magic’ for writers,” Mama Dragon sighed. “ Let’s see, a clear quartz crystal for clarity of course, and maybe a candle. Yes, definitely a candle. Always used to write my rituals with a candle burning nearby. Used to help my concentration. White, no black for the ‘occult’ or ‘those things hidden.’ Seems such a cliché though!”

“Since when did clichés and real magic not go together?” purred Hecate, Queen of the Witches as She stretched Her lithe form along a couch near Mama Dragon’s desk.

Mama Dragon rolled her eyes and went down the hallway to rummage around in her cluttered bedroom for the box of black candles.

“You know, this would be easier if you cleaned your room once in a while, “ Hecate drawled.

“Yeah, well, since you haven’t seen fit to teach me a cleaning spell,” Mama Dragon grumbled irritably as she poured through boxes strewn on the floor. “Besides, I’ve been just a wee bit busy you know. I’ve been ‘in your service’ for a while now.”

“Duly noted and appreciated,” Hecate laughed as She followed Mama Dragon back up the hallway to the computer.

Mama Dragon lit the black candle and placed it, with a clear quartz crystal on the computer tower. She sighed again.

“What is so hard about writing this article?” asked Hecate, feigning innocence. “You’ve been teaching magic for years!”

“Oh, you know darn well what the matter is!” cried Mama Dragon. “There’s a world of difference between teaching magic and telling someone about magic! And how do you explain this to a writer who has never done real magic! It’s not like you wave a magic wand and things happen…well, at least not 99% of the time. Real magic is work. Hard work. Remember? ‘Magic is moving energies to create a change in reality according to one’s will.’ It takes concentration! Not only concentration of the mind, but of the heart and soul as well! It takes research! Not only research into the possible tools to use to create an effective spell, but research as to possible consequences of a spell! It takes practice and using props like candles and crystals to get one’s entire will focused on a single goal! And then it takes energy! And the gods forbid that one uses one’s own energies instead of the energy of the earth! YOU taught me that one!”

“Yeah,” mused Hecate. “As I recall, you transferred your energies to a friend who was sick to help combat the disease. You were barely alive there for a few minutes.”

“Right!” exclaimed Mama Dragon. “And thank the gods I was willing to listen when You whispered in my ear to draw some energy from the earth. It wasn’t until years later that I realized what a ball of energy the earth really was, and the fact that using myself as a channel to draw on that energy was much more effective and didn’t deplete my own store of energy that I need to live. And besides, my drawing on the energy of the earth has as much effect on the earth as a mite biting an elephant.”

“True…” began Hecate.

“And what about the natural laws and how magic will always follow the natural laws?” interrupted Mama Dragon. “I remember THAT lesson really well!”

“I remember that winter,” said Hecate, remembering. “It was a particularly cold and rainy one in Memphis and you pined so for the sun…”

“And I stood out on the porch at work and called the sun, yes, I did,” pouted Mama Dragon. “I looked up at all those grey clouds and called with all my heart. And I was rewarded with the weak smile of a watery sun. And it only lasted a few minutes. And you let me do that for two whole weeks before You bothered to mention that a little tweaking of the storm fronts would reward me with a full day of strong sun.

“And what about ethical considerations while we’re at it?” stormed Mama Dragon. “Wasn’t it the very next year that you taught me about fooling with the weather too much? Remember the three weeks of rain that we had? And how sick I was of it? And how I wanted to push the jet stream every so gently to the north so we could get some relief? And how You showed me that if I did that that there would be tornados in Ohio? And asked me if I wanted to be responsible for that instead of waiting just two more days for Nature to take her course?”

Hecate chuckled. “That was a lesson you learned quickly!”

“Yeah,” agreed Mama Dragon. “It’s easy enough to see that manipulating people through love spells, etc. is wrong, but sometimes manipulating other energies can have disastrous results as well. And frankly, I wasn’t ready to accept the responsibility for the loss of life or property just to get a little sun.” Mama Dragon shook her head. “All magic has its price.”

“Oh?” Hecate’s eyebrows rose nearly to the ceiling. “How so?”

“You know very well, ‘how so!’” protested Mama Dragon. “Now, there’s a lesson that took me a while to learn. Subtle, that one. Much easier to realize that if one can create one’s reality, then one is responsible for one’s reality.”

“But back to the price…” started Hecate.

“ All magic has a price. Look, the definition of “work” is energy applied to an object, right? And the definition of real magic is “moving energy to create a change in reality according to one’s will,” right? So, in order to move energy, you use energy. “

“Ok,” agreed Hecate, “I’m with you so far.”

“Well, I already stated that You taught me to use the energy of the earth to do my spells with, and that I channel the energy. Well, that “channel” happens to be me! And as such, that channel is my body and mind and soul. And as a result, I’ve…changed. I’m not the same person I was when I started.”

“Oh? How so?” inquired Hecate.

“Well,” sighed Mama Dragon, “for starters my hair is a lot greyer than when I stared doing real magic on a conscious level. Mind you, some of them I DID get from my children, but not all of them!”

Hecate ruffled Mama Dragon’s hair. “But I like the grey!” she laughed.

“Oh, me too!’ laughed Mama Dragon. “Though sometimes I wish it was white…”

“It’ll get there…”

“But that’s not the only way I’ve changed. Real magic invades you. It becomes part of you. You can’t escape it! It changes the way you think. Your world becomes larger. You start noticing the world around you all the time: The movement of the winds and the trees and the animals. Even the flight of birds! Colors take on meanings they never had before Scent evokes memories and correspondences they never had before! Even food takes on a “magical” quality as one uses ordinary herbs and spices in recipes….

“And then there’s having a ‘foot in both worlds…’” sighed Mama Dragon.

“Mmmm?”

“Not only do you become aware of the world around you, become aware of the ‘otherworld.’ You live your life not only in the world of men, but in the unseen world of the gods.”

Hecate let out a belly laugh that filled the worlds. “That’s why I love you, little one!” She kissed Mama Dragon lightly on the cheek. “You get it. You really get it! See you next Dark Moon!” With a twinkle in Her eye, Hecate disappeared as quickly as She had appeared.

“Love you too, Hecate!” Mama Dragon said with a smile. “Thanks for Your help!”