Magical Responses

[kokopelle]

I've been wanting to write about magic, particulary from the shamanic perspective. A recent question on nonfluffypagans provoked me to some thoughts about the use of magic. I will do a blog on the nature of magic (source, karma, etc.), both general and shamanic, at another time(s).

The original poster said:

Do You Invoke a Magical Remedy When You've Been Injured?
Let's say that a person has wronged you in some way. You believe that it was an unjust act. You are pursuing your various legal options for remedy, but you want to do more. You want to have justice done, and balance restored, by initiating a magical act against the person responsible for harming you. Do you? Should you?

What is justice and balance? There are paradoxes here that could drive a person crazy or give them complete freedom of action. Ah... that is good stuff for another blog entry. For now I will focus on the possible actions one could take as a remedy to a wronging or attack.

I see responsive magical acts being divided into these areas:

1. do nothing - karma and balance will work themselves out in time


2. healing - this is good for self and may reach out to postively help the person doing the attack


3. defense - deflects/grounds actions of other with minimal (enough) impact on self (one hopes!)


4. justice - a tricky thing as it can impact both self and other


5. retribution - should/could be eye-for-eye; karma can impact self even as other takes the brunt


6. attack - grossly unbalanced retribution or unilateral pre-emptive strike on person after a retribution and before they attack again; damn the karma!

The list is in a sequence that of karmic "impact" on the person casting the magical act. A person still under attack could consider a healing or defensive action. This would be reasonable. Post-attack magic work would be healing and justice, but I have to say that seeking justice is a two-sided sword. Justice can reach back and have unanticipated but deserved treatment to the 'victim' if they had a part in the creating or maintaining the altercation.

Does anybody else have anything to add or detract from my possible magical responses to wrongings?

Comments

[lupagreenwolf.livejournal.com]

I don't really see anything to add; you've pretty much covered everythinbg I could think of.