Practical Magick FAQ

Questions about the practice of magick, using Gallery of Magick books.

Q: Can I perform several rituals at once, or from several books at a time?

A: Many people find exactly what they’re looking for using one book alone, while others get the best results using combinations. You might use the Cashbook, Magickal Riches and the Job Seeker if that suits your circumstances. Other people want to try seduction at the same time as money magick. This is all fine, so long as you feel you have the energy to commit to the magick with full concentration. Given the relative ease of the rituals, that is ok for most people. When it comes to angelic work, one of our books says, ‘One perfectly chosen angel will do a better job than three that might help the situation.’ This is true, but if you feel the need to combine several angels, or several forms of magick, you can do so. Ensure that you don’t do this out of desperation or to make the magick happen faster. It’s better to take a calm approach to getting results in stages than to do everything at once. Please see A Rush of Occult Power and The Abundance of Magick to get a better understanding. It’s also worth reading Targeting Your Magick to see how you can combine rituals in various ways.

Q: Do I have to choose between working with angels and demons?

A: If you use the methods in our books, absolutely not. You can work with angels and demons on a problem, or you can use them at the same time on unrelated problems. This causes no issues. Remember, the demons are called with the help of angels, and this arrangement has proven to be productive for centuries. Although some occultists like to remove the angelic aspects of demonic work, we think this is largely ineffective and leads to a weaker connection to the demons. Also, there are some who see demons as pure evil, hissing at the constraint of angels, but we believe this is based on fiction rather than reality. We have found demons to be dignified (yet mighty) beings, who work in accordance with set hierarchies, willing to take their place in the process. And although they can be seen as mirror images of angels, we should not forget that angels can be filled with wrath. We have often said magick is neutral, and that how you use it defines whether an act is good or evil, more than the spirit you call upon. There is no need to choose one ‘path’ or another, and most people find that although they may get better results in one area of magick, the flexibility to use all magick is more important than choosing a single way of working. If you’re only interested in one type of magick, that’s fine too.

Q: I missed out part of the ritual by mistake and only realized later. What now?

A: It is important to read the instructions in full, and feel confident that you understand them, before you start. If you have missed part of a ritual out, you can carry on until the end, but be aware that the results may have been affected. The rituals in these books are simplified as far as possible. Simplification can be a good thing, but it should not be assumed that the magick is so simple that it can be taken lightly. You can not rush the magick or expect it to work if performed without disipline and accuracy. Experimentation is encouraged once you are familiar with the work, but at the outset you should adopt a more thorough approach.

Q: I missed a few days of the ritual. Should I carry on or start again?

Ideally, you should plan ahead so that you can work the full number of days, in order, without any breaks. If you can’t do that, do what you can. Sometimes, rituals are repeated to make sure you’ve done sufficient repetitions of the ritual so that just one will be right. Sometimes you do several repetitions to make sure the spectrum of your emotions is communicated to the spirits. There are many other theoretical reasons for repetition. This is why some rituals need no repetition at all, while others go for over a month. If you miss days due to unavoidable life issues, just carry on a best you can until you’ve hit the right number of days. (If the ritual suggests finishing on a certain day, make sure you do one ritual on that named day.) If you miss days because you became lazy or forgot, you should probably start again with more focus and commitment.

Q: Can I modify the ritual using different words, spirits, meditation and other forms of magick?

A: Of course you can, but consider it an experiment, and know the results may not be as strong as when you do what’s written in the books. The magick has been simplified as far as possible and usually works when carried out as described. If you feel a strong urge or intuition to change something, go ahead, but we cannot predict the results when you modify the process. We do know, however, that experimentation can be fruitful.

Q: What happens if I perform a ritual and then change my mind?

Make sure you know what you want before you ask for it, so that your magick is sincere, and you will avoid this problem most of the time. If you change your mind because circumstances change, the best solution is to perform a ritual (from any of the books) to produce the new result you do want. You don’t actually cancel the magick, but seek a new result. With angelic magick, you can call the angel, just once, and ask for the magick to stop.  If the result has already manifested, of course, that won’t work; you’ll need to see a new result.  It’s worth noting that with a lot of magick, when your heart goes out of it, the magick stops working by itself and there’s nothing you need to do. But if change is in motion, or complete, you’ll need to counter it.

Q: Can I do magick for other people?

A: You can, and it often works well if they don’t know you’re doing magick, because they have no resistance to the results. On the other hand, if you don’t ask them whether they want help, you might not be giving them what they really want. It is very difficult to know what you want from magick, never mind somebody else, so proceed with caution. Be sure you know what that person really wants, rather than what they say they want. With that said, doing magick for others can be a beautiful gift, and many people find their magickal abilities improve if they perform magick for others. The process is quite simple – instead of intending the result for yourself, your intend it for somebody else. You can project your emotions, or what you imagine their emotions will be, into the magick. There are many ways to do this, depending on which book you are using, but if you want to help others just trust your instincts and have a go. See Doing Magick For Others.

Q: Can I perform magick with other people?

A: This is up to you, and should be seen as an experiment. You can invent whatever ritual structure you want and see how it works. Avoid doing this to ‘add more power’, because the desire to add more power is often a sign of doubt and fear, and it’s better to just do the magick confidently. If you have other reasons for sharing a ritual you should feel free to experiment, but ensure you do this with someday you trust.

Q: Should I rehearse rituals first or just read from the book? 

A: This is a personal choice. Some people like to practice a lot, and others dive straight into a ritual. The authors recommend that you are familiar with the required steps to avoid becoming focused on the technical details while within the magick. A ritual should be a time of magickal experience and not a time where you are trying to work out how to do the ritual. However, you do not need to attain perfection, and it is far better to perform an imperfect ritual than to keep putting it off.

Q: How do I know the magick is still working?

A: People often worry that the magick wears off, but if you’ve caused a change, you’ve caused a change. Even with protection magick, it usually stays in place unless your life changes in some way, which is why we rarely suggest repeating magick. If, however, circumstances change, you can perform new magick to meet the new need, but don’t think of it as repetition, so much as doing magick to get the new result you’re seeking, in light of your new situation.

Q: Do I need to fast, cleanse, meditate, abstain from sex or perform the Lesser Banishing Ritual of The Pentagram for your magick to work?

A: No. It won’t do any harm, but it’s not required.

Q: I can’t say the words of the ritual out loud, for reasons of privacy. Will it still work?

A: Yes, so long as you imagine the sound of the words clearly. It is recommended that you say the words out loud where possible. If you whisper, do so loudly enough so that you can hear what is being said. If you can hear the words, that is enough.

Q: I have a disability that makes it difficult to perform the magick. Will it work for me?

A: Yes, we know it can work even when there is a diminished ability to see sigils, speak names, or hear what you are saying.

Q: Is it OK to use sigils and talismans on computer screens, iPads, phones and other devices?

A: Yes. So long as you can see it, it will work. Any device is fine if you can see it. Use the same device each time you use that particular sigil for the best results.

Q: I’ve been doing the ritual for a few days, and no results yet. What’s going on?

A: The more patient you are, the faster results come. When you can genuinely wait a year, you get results in hours. If you want results in hours, you might have to wait a year. Never write off a ritual as failed, because you never know when it will bring you a result. When you complete a ritual, move on to something else, and avoid lusting for the result. We often talk about the magick working instantly or in days because often, that’s exactly how it is. But it’s important not to get trapped into expecting an instant result. There are many posts on this website that can help. See Magick Blog Posts.

Q: Can the rituals be written/performed/spoken in a language other than English?

A: Yes, but only change the English parts to your native tongue. The non-English parts should be spoken as they are written.

Q: Do the rituals need to be memorized?

A: No, you can read them from the page.

Q: What do I do with printed sigils or talismans once I’ve finished using them? Do they have to be buried at a crossroads or can I throw them in the trash?

A: Sometimes there are specific instructions on getting rid of a sigil, such a burning or burial, but if this is impractical (if you can’t find a discreet crossroads, for example) you can simply dispose of them and no harm will come to you or your magick. There is a key to this – stop thinking of them as magickal and then simply dispose of them. For angelic sigils, however, many people like to store them and reuse them. If you feel an urge to keep a talisman or sigil that is fine, unless the book specifically says that it should be destroyed.

Q: I used the sigils in the book (or the ebook) so how do I destroy them?

A: Stop thinking of them as magickal, stop using them, and leave them where they are.

Q: You seem to ignore astrology. Should I time my magick to planetary influences or the phases of the moon?

A: If it matters to you or worries you, then go ahead and use planetary correspondences and timings, but unless specifically mentioned, you can work the magick at any time. We do.

Q: How often do I need to repeat the ritual?

A: Follow the instructions for each book. If the magick was well chosen, for a situation that was susceptible to change, there’s no need to repeat. If the magick completely fails, because you lusted for result or asked for something too far from current reality, you can modify the ritual and repeat. Otherwise, only repeat a ritual when the circumstances change. Repetition will not force a result out of nowhere, but choosing magick well, will. See this post.

Don’t forget to check out the information in our Magick Blog Posts.

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