It’s really great exploring magic and spirituality. I always discover new things which suggest a supernatural universe that we really do not understand. It is amazing seeing rituals work and experiencing spirits appear to alter reality in incredible ways.
While I think skepticism is very important, I believe it is the goal of the skeptic to keep inquiring. Too often people write off magical experiences as the result of hypnotism or psychology which in our modern view does not leave a huge amount of room for god or spirituality. This is fine for them to have that view but far too often these people are the LEADERS of our spiritual groups.
Yes many of our INITIATORS and TEACHERS will confess that long ago they determined that all magic is but the result of self-hypnotism and the magical act is but a willful self-delusion.
I am fine being lead, but I want my leaders to keep inquiring too. When any leader has come to a lot of conclusions about how the universe works whether their answers are spiritual or mundane, I am instantly put off by their arrogance. What if there was more to the universe and they were leading us short of what is out there?
We do not know the true nature of what we are exploring. No matter how many experiences we have of it, it is never certain what causes the experience. All we know is, “we are having the experience”.
The last thing I want is to be lead by someone who doesn’t believe in what they are leading me to or who isn’t open to the possibility that there is more to the experience than the result of the interaction of neurons. If I didn’t want god, spirits of the universe to have anything to do with my progress I would simply seek a hypnotist who would probably sell me some tapes and charge me less!
Even if the experiences an individual obtains in ritual are psychological (which they most likely are) that does not mean they are exclusive to my own mind. In the words of Lon Milo Duquette, “you have no idea how big your head is”. The suggestion is that your mind is bigger, more connected and more encompassing than the skull that contains it. These connections, should they exist, are beyond the limits of current scientific explanation. So those that deny this view of the mind will limit the recognition of some of the effects of the mind or prevent practices which might enable the exploration of these aspects of the mind.
Let no one initiate me who believes solely in mere psychology at its current limits. Should be in the position of initiator, they might initiate no one because they refuse to acknowledge the potential forces that lie behind the mysterious rituals we do. Worse, a person initiated by them may lose their opportunity to be truly initiated. How can a person call upon spiritual forces without the intention to do so? If there is more to the ritual than the psychology which they claim is its exclusive method of initiation, then they did not use that more. They failed to call upon it. Even if they are right, their attitude prevents the respect, awe and fear that might be part of the very psychological makeup which makes the ritual so effective.
So I conclude if you’re in position of authority, or an initiator, you need to work this magic as if it is real, even if you don’t believe in more than mere psychology. You owe it to your initiates. If you cannot convince yourself magic is real then stop wasting your time and other people’s. Remove yourself from the position. I’m sorry, but you only do damage to our groups.