Jan
The Power of Wanting
The development of magickal expertise is not a thing to be taken lightly. There are many who dabble, and many more who do only half the work, thinking themselves too wise to do it all. Of the people who claim to study, less then half actually do the work. I would say that at best, three out of ten make any sort of devoted effort.
The key to magickal attainment is commitment. It is one of the things that require dedicated effort.
The kind of desire I mean is like wanting a cool drink on a hot day. Think of a day when you have been out in the sun, parched from the heat, and all you want is a little refreshment. Your throat is dry, your skin is warm, and your thirst is so strong it hurts. Think of that glass of something cool… orangeade, lemonade, iced tea….whatever it is that you want to quench that thirst. There it is, and you reach out your hand to get it. Think of the great desire you feel as you extend your arm to grab that cool drink. Your desire is so strong that even before you touch the glass, you can imagine feeling that cool juice trickling into your throat. There is desire!
Do you desire magickal attainment as much as you want that cool drink? Is your thirst for attainment such that you will go to any lengths to get it? Do you want it enough to do all the work and keep at it?
We live in a time of instant gratification and “quick and easy” solutions. People have adopted a mentality that demands quick results. Some things do not come quickly. There are things that require long, dedicated study. In these days when people can be a guitar man just by playing a video game, the development of real skill is getting short shrift. Nonetheless, there are skills that only come with serious, consistent effort. Expertise with a real guitar is one of them. Skills such as piano playing, sculpting, auto mechanics, ballet, and mastering a foreign language take time. People who master them do so because they want that skill badly enough to make every effort. For the most worthy skills, there is neither quick nor easy. Dedication is essential.
Magick is not the kind of thing you can master in a simple “quick and easy” course. The Runes alone require consistent and dedicated work, not to mention all of the other magickal arts. Bring your commitment to the work and you assure your success. Nothing less will do it.
