As there are many threads on this site about magickal practices, I'd like to supplement them by building up some conversation on the wisdom aspect of our practice, and to consider how we might infuse its power into our broader eclectic work and service. This has been at the forefront of my mind of late after reading the superbly graceful book The Art of Witch (Fiona Horne, 2019), from which I will quote a couple of pertinent gems:
“Service is what a Witch is born to do and to become -- not a finite ego-driven human, but a vessel of transformation and transcendence.”
...
“The secret to making your spells and rituals 'work' 100 per cent is to make them useful in the world, in service for a greater good than your ego. The Universe conspires in your favour and will 'grant your wish' every time, if your magickal goal is truly selfless.”
-- Fiona Horne
To further expand on this direction, and to anchor this discussion with a focusing word, within the book Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard (Oberon Zell-Ravenheart, 2004) -- a key resource used at The Grey School of Wizardry (https://www.greyschool.net), alongside its Companion sequel -- a "wizard" is characterized as a lore-master and practitioner of arcane knowledge and magick. Etymologically and importantly, the book notes the word's origination from the Anglo-Saxon wysard, with meaning of "wise one," where its functional adoption is not presently confined to usage within a particular faith, tradition, or gender.
Wisdom - Sapience; source: Smithsonian; used under: CC0
This term wizard, and its aspects of wisdom and manifestation of service, is of particular appeal, and something that is keenly encouraged at the aforementioned Grey School, particularly by its current Headmaster, Nicholas Kingsley. It speaks to an intentional, dynamic, and empathetic way of living and engaging the world -- with a deep-seated love for Nature's vast mysteries, histories, and wonders -- a framing that cultivates clarity and character, allowing for effective and noble marshalling of intent and abilities, both magickal and practical.
The heart and mind of a wizard becomes emboldened and on fire through diligent, continuous study and application of learning, always sifting through noise and chaff to find graceful purity of knowledge and expression -- the beautiful facets of truth and art in living. The practice of wizardry can, if one allows, bring deeper cohesion and balance between Thought and Act, between the Rational and the Intuitive, refining the qualities one creatively infuses into daily acts of service and engagement, giving strength to living a more transparent, integrated life.
The wizard revels in the pureness and exuberant creativity of a childlike heart, yet balances it with the grounding of practical knowledge and a continued resolve to understand and apply principles of the grand Cosmos and its great Mind. The wizard's soul is fed through a lifetime of exploration, refinement, and transformation, leading to the quintessence of Joy and The Good Life, one of virtuous and loving engagement within the body and soul of this symbiotic world and its diverse inhabitants.
Ultimately the word "wizard" doesn't have full ownership and lock on these various defining aspects; I use it though to draw upon the historical essence and power of its meaning, so to frame its wider application in magickal practice. In balancing the perspective, I married quotes from The Art of Witch into this contemplation, to emphasize that the heart of wisdom and service transcends boundaries of magickal roles and labels, and can be the keystone of a productive magickal transformation. As a reflection of what its essence encapsulates for me at an intuitive level, this very brief stream-of-thought is made available to start this topic, with "wizard" offered as an anchoring point.
As a complementary notion, I find it useful to season one's path with a fair bit of romance and poetry in perspective. It helps enliven the senses to see things about the world that might otherwise be smothered within life's occasional drudgeries. In turn, the practice and the work gets refined into acts of Art that harmonize within a deeper collective experience of this shared sacred Life.
-- Cosmo Rubiconis (Christopher)
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