Friday, August 15, 2008

As long as I am ranting

Since my last post was a bit of a rant, I thought I would take the opportunity to rant about another silly platitude:

"Its better if you make you magickal tools/curios yourself. No matter how shabby they seem they will have more power because you made it..."

BOLLOCKS!

Yes, its wonderful to make something yourself and have it come out well. It gives a good bit of satisfaction to make something with your own two hands. But that doesnt necessarily translate into magickal power. A lot of these Occult/Pagan platitudes started in the 50's and 60's when the average occultist stopped being a fairly well-off, perhaps even trust-funded, person and started being hippies. Anti-commercialism counter culture just sort of started becoming the norm in occult circles around that time, but it wasnt always thus.

As yourself the following question: Does it inspire faith and a sense of power?

Personally I would rather consecrate a wand or dagger that is made by a master craftsman than to make one myself. I do make my wands, but only because I enjoy it. I dont think that they are better because I made them. Some of the most potent magickal tools that I have in my possession were either made by friends, or purchased than consecrated.

If your crappy looking, half-assed dagger that you chiseled out of a lawn mower blade really does it for you, than I leave you to it. If not, than spend some dough and buy something.

When it comes to spell components like incense, powders, oils and such I feel the same way. If you like mixing them, than go for it. But if you are like me, you barely have enough time to do the magick work itself, much less mix every ingredient by hand. Find a masterful and reliable supplier than use thier stuff. Really, its ok.

There are certain exceptions to the rule, such as when the building of a tool is part of an initiatory journey like in GD, as well as some Druidic, and Craft work, but those are the exceptions to the rule.

3 comments:

Monsignor Scott Rassbach said...

I have to agree. I didn't make my chalice or paten, yet the Eucharist is still as effective.

I do think for many tools, this is true, that you can get as good results from a purchased tool than a created one. However, I like creating the tools. I may purchase a water chalice, though. That thing is taking a lot of time.

corvusbrachyrhynchos said...

The make-your-own-tools vibe is not all that different from the DIY mentality, no doubt about it. I think you hit the nail right on the head. If you could not buy it - build it yourself.

That being said, I do enjoy building my own tools - when and where applicable. The act of creating ones own tools is a magickal act. The ritual of the creation, the time/effort, and the passion act to charge the tools for future use. My wand contains the seeds (get your mind out of the gutter) of those magickal intentions, a sigil/trigger-type-thing, that gives me a more charged feeling to my workings; however, this makes the tool a more specific tool, useful only in certain circumstances...
You can't use one wrench for every nut. I have three tools that could be considered "wands", but serve three distinct purposes.

I find no fault in purchasing ready-made tools, other than the price tag.

I do sometimes wonder if people who purchase spell-kits actually learn anything about their chosen paths... but then again not everyone wants to be a mechanic in order to drive a car.

Jason Miller, said...

Spellkits are designed specifically for people that want a result in a given situation, not a path.

That said, if someone were to invest in say, every spell kit that Lucky Mojo makes, they would get a heck of a good education in hoodoo.