Magic vs Logic

The idea about the placebo effect has been crossing my mind lately. You know the experiment, when two groups of people are told they've been given the same medicine (or what have you) when really group A was given the actual medicine and group B was given a sugar pill? This was and still is conducted to test the reliability and effectiveness of medication.

This idea came from logic, right? Logically speaking, if both groups believe they have the real drug, the results should prove whether or not it's effective. After all, group B should definitely show zero effectiveness and group A should show 100% effectiveness, otherwise the drug is a dud. But that's not actually right, is it? Some people in group B will show effectiveness and some people in group A will show ineffectiveness, whether the medication works or not. But how?

This is where magick comes in. No, I'm not talking about the witchy-woo you see in your favorite paranormal television shows. I'm not even talking about craft or rootwork that I, myself, practice. You don't need to believe in the same high frequency magick that I do. Magick is in the human condition. When we believe something, magick happens. When group B believed they had been given real medicine, their bodies reacted in kind. Of course, not everyone in group B will have the same effectiveness, but think about it. If you and I are in the same group in this whole experiment, are you really going to assume you have the placebo or that you have the medicine? If you assume you've been given the placebo, and you happen to be in group B, you're not going to show any effectiveness. Who is to say it's because you didn't actually get the medicine versus you didn't believe you actually got it?

And if you were in group A, but still thought you got the placebo, what then? Group A might have a higher level of effectiveness, but not every person in group A will show it. Does that mean the medicine doesn't work in those who believe they didn't actually take it? Think about it, does Tylenol work for your migraine or backache, or do you just think it works, and your energy and belief in the medication working causes your body to react in kind?

Of course, there are many other things that go into medical research and experimentation and I am in no way discounting all the hard work, measures and protocols that go into that industry. And also, everyone is unique and different. Our bodies don't react the same to everything. Still, it's fun to contemplate how often magic can be found in the most mundane things we do.

Most of my practice really comes down to two things: convincing myself that what I'm doing is working and knowing my intentions are pure. As an intellectual, the former is often extremely difficult to do. Even when I see results, I'm still plagued with imposter-syndrome. I still seek confirmation after every working, and no matter how many I conduct with successful results, something in me is still constantly questioning my own power.

The second side is intent. When I say "pure," I don't mean positive or good. On a soul or spiritual level, I don't believe in good or bad. I see them as social constructs humankind created to grasp an understanding of the universe. Morals are as varied and different as humans are, and almost entirely rooted in perspective. It's the same reason a Christian and a Muslim might see my practice as evil or blasphemous, while at the same time viewing each other's belief system as the "wrong" one. Everyone is, by birth, entitled to their own moral values. No one else can dictate what's in your heart when you truly listen to it.

Morals, like feelings, shouldn't be labelled as "right" or "wrong." So when I say "pure," I mean authentic. I mean honest. When I am angry, I utilize the energy from my anger. There would be no point in attempting to harness joy or positivity when I'm not feeling joyous or positive. But when I act with the belief that my actions will yield the results I seek, and when I act intentionally and intuitively with my feelings fueling my energy, magick happens. My heart, mind and soul connect, and I make waves of my own in the grandeur of the universe.

Whether you're spiritual or not, try it sometime. It doesn't need to go against anything you believe in. If you're religious, the next time you pray, pray with real belief that your prayer will be answered, fuse those thoughts and words with the emotions you feel at that time. If you're not spiritual or religious, try the self-fulfilling prophecy experiment. Convince yourself that sometime good will happen (really make yourself believe it), focus on those emotions you're feeling when you say or think it. Then continue on with life and watch the magick happen. You're more powerful than you give yourself credit for.