View source for Essay:Significance in magic

What is it which makes the [[symbol]]s in [[magic]] work, whereas mundane actions and objects don't? [[Crowley]] is well known for defining magick as "the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with [[Will]]", but the immediate reaction of most people is to reject this as not making sense. Something about a mundane action like flipping a light switch doesn't "feel" magical, and because magic is  powered by [[belief]], nothing will happen. So why is it that this definition is rejected?

When I think of [[magic]], I imagine rare and unusual ingredients, complex [[ritual]]s, intricate inscriptions, and lengthy incantations. If magic is belief, then none of these are special in their own right, so what do they have in common? Significance. A [[diamond]], despite being a useless lump of carbon, is so "rare" that it's considered extremely significant to the average person. Rituals, by their very nature, are deliberate and breaks from ordinary behavior, making them significant. [[Symbol]]s are significant in their connection to what they symbolize, and magic words are significant for their history and association with their effects.

So, it follows that the more significant something is, the more "power" it can convey in a magical practice.

== Examples ==
* When creating a [[talisman]] or [[fetish]], the more work, effort, and rare ingredients you add to it, the more significant it'll become to the one who made it.
* Complexity and intricacy seems to inspire people, and so is strongly correlated with significance.
* When making [[sigil]]s, significance can be created by finding the unusual correspondences and synchronicities in the symbolism of the sigil in question. For instance, my own name {{user|ConsciousCode}} has meanings on at least 4 different levels from alternate readings and associations, making it highly significant to me.

[[Category:Essays by ConsciousCode]]