This tangent was inspired by a conversation I had with a fellow Satanist earlier today about episode 62. After listening to the episode for a third time and really paying attention to the discussion I realized that we kept throwing certain words without fully understanding their meanings (IMHO).
Keep in mind, this is just my personal beliefs concerning the definition of the words: “metaphysics,” “energy work,” “magick,” and “ritual” (in the religious sense).
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Metaphysics, energy work, and magick at first glance from a Pagan perspective are very similar, but upon closer inspection one will notice grave differences between them. Yes, I will admit, they can be used to describe the same thing (especially magick and energy work) but that is not the only thing it includes.
In particular, the word “metaphysics.” Metaphysics, to me at least, is more how the Universe itself works on the astral planes naturally while the phenomena we call “energy work”, “magick” and “rituals” (specifically, religious rituals) relate to things that are outside the natural order of things in the Universe. For example, it is a natural unconscious function of the body to breath, but through force of will you can hold your breath, you can force it out of your lungs, you can speed up your breathing, you can slow it down, etc. This is what energy work/magick/religious rituals are, action caused by force of will, not the natural flow of Nature.
So in fact, the only two terms that are synonyms would be magick and energy work. Both words describe action taken by the individual practitioner to forcibly change the Universe in some slight way to suit their needs. While on the other hand, Religious rituals are when the practitioner asks a "higher" power to intervene and change the world in some way to suit their needs. So yes the terms are similar, but they are also very VERY different.
Here’s my perspective:
I prefer to think of metaphysics more in the basic components of the word. Physics is a component of how science explains how things work. It explains why things go a certain way and how things work and how things like friction and such work. Physics explains the physical.
Metaphysics is used to explain what physics alone cannot explain. How would someone with cancer suddenly not have cancer despite a lack of traditional treatment? How would someone feel a “force” curbing them from attempting something. Metaphysics, unlike religion, still deals with “how” things happen, though unlike science, there is no means by which to prove any of this. Hence it’s rather open-ended. A Christian may say something happened because they and a bunch of others prayed for something. A Wiccan may say something happened because of the forces of nature. A more eclectic energy worker may say something happened because of such-and-such energies. They are all explaining how, but in different ways, usually strongly influenced by one’s spiritual beliefs and experiences.
Ritual to me, in the quickest way to explain it, is a sacred song and dance you do to get something done. It’s pre-planned, sometimes rigid in structure and consists of a bunch of stuff you wouldn’t do in mundane life (likely to get you in a mindset that is more focused on energy work than mundane solutions).
Magic and Energy Work aren’t synonymous to me. I’d say that Energy Work is a subset of Magic. Energy Work is very simply the direct manipulation of life energy (chi, aura, whatever you want to call it) to effect something. Magic can include the indirect manipulation of such energies through alternative means such as herbalism (including kitchen witchery) and ritual. I am not saying ritual is a subset of magic but what is done during ritual can be called magic as far as I’m concerned.
*head hit desk* BAH! I completely forgot about herbalism and kitchen witchery! o.< Okay, so you got me there on magick and energy work XD
The way I see it, magick is a subsidiary of energy working.
Energy work can be done for no reason at all, while with magick, there is a “goal,” “desire,” or “intent” established, which you then do magick for.
Please continue discussion on the forum: link