Dream Symbol Monsters

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ARTICLES RELATED TO Dream Symbol Monsters

Dream Symbol Monsters: Dreams Interpretation Dictionary - Monsters

Monsters Dream Symbols:

Fears in your life. People, objects, your job, etc. Slaying a monster symbolizes overcoming these fears. See Monsters, Dragons, Serpents

(Source: Myths - Dreams - Symbols)

Monsters, Fears, People, Objects, Job, Work, Workplace, Monsters, Dragons, Serpents

Dream Symbol Monsters: Dreams Interpretation Dictionary - Chimera

Chimera Dream Symbols:

May symbolize those fearsome qualities within the unconscious. A grotesque product of the imagination, it may represent an inability to sort out your thought or emotions.

(Source: Myths - Dreams - Symbols)

Chimera, Monster, Mythology, Greek mythology, Mythical creatures, Creature, Creatures, Folklore, Myth, Lion's head, Goat's body, Serpent's tail

Dream Symbol Monsters: Dreams Interpretation Dictionary - Dragon

Monsters Dream Symbols:

(1) Is the dragon guarding a treasure, or a cave which might contain treasure? If so, the cave probably represents your unconscious, the treasure represents yourself, the dragon that stands between you and your true self represents the fearsomeness of the unconscious for one who is still afraid of what may be lurking there.

(2) For Jung, the first stage of the individuation process is the conscious ego's heroic struggle to lift itself out of the original all-encompassing unconsciousness and to establish control of unconscious forces. This finds symbolic representation in the legendary dragon-slayer, St George (St George = the ego; the dragon = the unconscious).

(3) The dragon may represent the devouring aspect of (your relationship with) your mother. 'slaying the dragon" may therefore mean putting an end to whatever in your attachment to your mother is detrimental to the process of finding your own psychic individuality. Once the individual has achieved liberation from the "dragon", the feminine side of the manspsyche and the masculine side of the womanspsyche will no longer appear in threatening form, but as an indispensable companion and guide in further stages of self-development.

(4) A dragon may represent the generative power of (Mother) Nature; the unconscious, felt as womb pregnant with new possibilities of life.

(5) A winged dragon may symbolize some kind of transcendence, some passing from "lower" to "higher" level of personal maturity.

(6) A dragon may be a symbol for your sexuality, particularly if it your sexuality - frightens you. Is your fear irrational; or does sexuality threaten to rule your life? In either case, don't kill the "dragon"; if necessary tame it. (In China, "chi" is good, life-giving energy and the channels it runs along are called "dragon-lines", which are said to follow underground water and underground magnetic fields).

(Source: Myths - Dreams - Symbols)

Dragon, Monster, Dragon, Guarding a treasure, Guarding, Treasure, Cave, Unconscious, Jung, Jungian, Individuation process, Individuation, Unconscious forces, Dragon-slayer, St George, Slaying the dragon, Devouring, Mother, Liberation, Manspsyche, Womanspsyche, Companion, Guide, Generative power, Mother Nature, Nature, Womb new possibilities, Pregnant, Winged dragon, Symbol for sexuality, Sexual symbols, Life-giving energy, Dragon-lines, Chi, Ki, Channels, Underground water, Underground magnetic fields, Magnetic fields

Dream Symbol Monsters: Dream Interpretation - Demons

Demons

Demons are interesting dream characters. Whether you view them as psychological constructs or physical realities, their presence is a significant statement. The meaning of the demons revolves around their power relative to other major characters in the dream.

Demons may have seductive or violent power in a taboo relationship with the dreamer. In these cases the dreamer sees herself as helped or hindered by supernatural powers in the accomplishment of a moral or personal conquest. If a demon is helping you complete a task, it may say something about how your task is viewed morally either in your superego or in your belief system. If a demon is thwarting your progress, this may reflect your perception of evil working against you in your life. If the demon is threatening others who are important in your life, you may be struggling with how to protect or provide for others in a world perceived as hostile.

If the demons are helping you acquire something you hold as taboo, some self-examination concerning motives may be appropriate. Are they powerful in an alluring or repulsive way?

Source: iVillage, http://www.ivillage.co.uk

Dream Symbol Monsters: Dream Interpretation Dictionary - Children and Dreams - Monsters

Monsters : Dream Interpretation Dictionary - Children and Dreams - Monsters

Monsters

Children have different kinds of monsters in their dreams, and the action involved varies. When a monster is hiding in the closet or under the bed, or lives under the front porch, this makes the situation doubly scary, because there is nowhere safe or off-limits. When a monster is chasing the child in a dream, or yelling and threatening, we have a clue that the monster may represent not so much a situation as a person in the child's life.

What you need to know:

When parents yell or exhibit unexpectedly harsh behavior either toward their children or toward others, this sometimes translates into "monster" dreams. A cranky teacher or scary neighbor can also be the human side of the monster. These dreams are not necessarily a signal of abuse or anything horrific, but they do indicate that your child may be experiencing something stressful, usually regarding someone close to her. If the dreams repeat, notice when they occur and see if you can associate them with waking-life activities or people. If you recognize your own temper or meltdowns as fodder for the dream, take time to reassure your child that grown-ups sometimes get upset too, but that it does not mean she is at risk, she is in trouble or she needs to be frightened.

Source: The Complete Dream Book and Dreaming Insights

More children dreams here: Children and Dreams

Dream Symbol Monsters: Dream Interpretation - Ghosts

Ghosts

A ghost may represent something that is gone but not forgotten, or something that is almost forgotten but that you simply cannot release.

The appearance of deceased relatives usually tells of unresolved issues. In these cases, you should pay particular attention to the surroundings, the other characters present, and any unique aspects of the apparition.

Source: iVillage, http://www.ivillage.co.uk

Dream Symbol Monsters: Dream Interpretation Dictionary - Chased by monsters

Chased : Dream Interpretation Dictionary - Chased by monsters

Chased by monsters.

events are catching up with you
trying to run away from something

Source: Discover Dreams: A Complete Guide to Understanding and Interpreting Dreams

Dream Symbol Monsters: Dream Interpretation Dictionary - Monster

Monster

Dreaming about monsters and demons is very common. They may represent negative forces inside of yourself and in your life. Most of the monsters are representing your own negative characteristics and tendencies. The monster in your dreams could be your fear, bad temper, negativity, smoking habit, or anything else that is hurtful and needs to be changed. The way that you deal with the monster in your dream is generally symbolic of the way you are dealing with the corresponding negativity in your daily life. If you wake up from this dream and are very frightened, just remember that your mind created those images and that their purpose is to teach you something about yourself.

Source: Dream Lover Incorporated, http://www.dreamloverinc.com

Dream Symbol Monsters: Dreams Interpretation Dictionary - Modern Dream Philosophies

Modern Dream Philosophies

Probably the most well-known of the modern dream philosophers was Sigmund Freud. Freud first developed the theory about the role of the unconscious on the individual. Freud believed the dream worked on two levels. A straightforward level showed events in dreams as remembered. However in the latent level objects and actions in the dreams symbolize sexual and aggressive feelings and ideas that are repressed. So in dreams it protects the sleeper from the effects of a realization of these wishes. The dream taps into the desire for wish fulfilment when the controlling ego is relaxed during sleep. Freud wrote "All dreams are in a sense dreams of convenience, they help to prolong sleep instead of waking up. Dreams are the guardians of sleep and not its disturbers. "

Carl Jung believed a dreams content uses symbolic language. He proposed that a dream expresses collective racial unconscious memories and instincts shared by all people. These are basic ideas that are themselves symbols. These include the hero, monster, mother, father, mandala, sacrifice and the mask. Dreams also indicate the way to self actualization Jungian therapy in fact deals extensively with dreams and fantasies.

Today, most psychologists agree with Jung's theory, and it is this theory that makes dream interpretation something that we can use in our everyday lives. If Freud were alive today he would disagree with every theory that says you are able to interpret your own dreams. Jung believed that, although it was difficult, dreams were meant to be understood.

(Source: Myths - Dreams - Symbols)

Modern Dream Philosophies, Sigmund Freud, Freud, Freudian, Carl Jung, Jung, Jungian, Self actualization, Jungian therapy, Dreams, Fantasies, Jung's theory, Aggressive feelings, Sexual feelings, Sexuality, Sexual dreams, Desire, Fulfilment, Controlling ego, Ego

Dream Symbol Monsters: Dream Interpretation Dictionary - Werewolf

Werewolf

A werewolf is a creature that does not exist in the physical world. He is symbolic of a man that turns into a monster, a normal person that transforms into a bloodthirsty animal. The werewolf may represents something in your life or in your own personality. When interpreting this dream, consider internal and external factors that generally seem normal but have a tendency to transform into undesirable, hurtful, or dangerous concerns in your life.

Source: Dream Lover Incorporated, http://www.dreamloverinc.com

Dream Symbol Monsters: Dreams Interpretation Dictionary - Cave

Cave Dream Symbols:

The unconscious mind. Pay attention to caves in your dreams. A cave may symbolize the womb. This could be a reference to the mother relationship or your relationship to your higher spiritual being. Finding treasure in a cave is finding your true self. A monster or evil spirit in a cave is an aspect of yourself which you are afraid of. Bring it up and face it. You cannot heal what you do not know or understand.

(Source: Myths - Dreams - Symbols)

Cave, Unconscious mind, Caves, Womb, Mother relationship, Mother, Finding treasure in a cave, Caveman

Dream Symbol Monsters: What are the most common dreams?

Dream FAQ Dictionary: What are the most common dreams?

What are the most common dreams?

The most common dreams are flying, falling and losing your teeth. Except for flying dreams, which usually are pleasant, many common dream themes deal symbolically with anxieties and unresolved emotions. Some other common themes are: being nude or partially nude in public; being pursued or attacked by a monster or threatening person; being late and getting lost; losing money and valuables; being unprepared for a test or examination; driving or riding in a car, especially when the road abruptly changes to something unexpected, and missing a train, plane or boat.

Source:Rosemary Ellen Guiley, Dreamspeak: How To Understand the Messages in Your Dreams

Dream Symbol Monsters: Dreams Interpretation Dictionary - Demons

Demons/Devil

Devil

Basic Meaning - A fear of those repressed contents of the unconscious that are, when acknowledged the very forces that could bestow a harmonious and balanced life.

(1) The Satan of Jewish - Christian - Islamic tradition was originally a horned fertility god, a personification of the fertilizing power of Nature {the tradition of God is separate from Nature}. In psychological terms, a fertilizing agent is something within the psyche that can inaugurate a new phase in the individual's development.

(2) The evil connotations of the devil figure may reflect the dreamer's fear of those repressed contents of the unconscious that are, in fact, the very forces that - if mobilized and utilized - could bestow a new and fuller life. What we repress is invariably something that had great value for us but on some occasion in the past gave rise to guilt-feelings or a fear of punishment. It is our fears that invest the unconscious with the fearsome characteristics of a dark underworld inhabited by evil monsters. In reality, the unconscious contains all the energy and wisdom we need for healing and wholeness.

It might be said that our fundamental human task is the conversion of the devil within ourselves, that is, converting negatively charged {dissident, destructive} psychic forces into positively charged {life-enhancing and unifying} powers. But you won't convert the devil with brute force, only with love. The negatively charged psychic forces are the ones you neglect and despise or fear. They become positively charged when you acknowledge them and integrate them into your conscious life.

If we do not recognize the "devil" within ourselves, we shall project him onto others and thereby give more scope for hatred and destruction {the real devil!} in the world.

{3} In certain contexts - if, for example, he has horns or is sexually involved with naked women - the devil may be a sexual symbol. If sexuality is repressed in such a guise in a woman's dream, it is possibly because she has a fear of sexual relations. In a man's dreamthe indication might be that he has a guilt-ridden attitude towards his own sexuality {which Freud might trace back to anxiety arising out of the normal male infant's erotic feelings for his mother}.

Demons

Demons in dreams probably represent parts of your unconscious mind that have been repressed and neglected and are now threatening to disrupt or mutilate the psyche. They should be approached lovingly, given attention and integrated into your conscious life. This will bring about their "conversion": They will cease to threaten and will contribute their vital energies to the enhancement of the self.

Self-knowledge - knowing what we are carrying around with us in our unconscious - is the only sure defence against what in ancient times was called demonic possession, which in psychological terms means the conscious ego being taken over by unconscious forces {obsessive fear or anger, or whatever}.

Reference: Eric Ackroyd

(Source: Myths - Dreams - Symbols)

Demons, Devil, Repressed, Unconscious, Harmonious life, Balanced life, Fertility god, Horned god, Nature, Fertilizing agent, Fertilizer, Psyche, Jewish, Christian, Islamic, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Muslim, Energy, Wisdom, Healing, Wholeness, Conversion of the devil within, Negatively charged psychic forces, Psychic forces, Conscious life, Naked women, Sexual symbol, Sexuality, Repressed sexuality, Woman's dream, Fear of sexual relations, Fear of sexuality, Fear of sex, Freud, Freudian, Mansdream, Guilt, Guilty, Erotic feelings, Erotic feelings for mother, Enhancement of the self, Self-knowledge, Unconscious, Demonic possession, Conscious ego, Conscious, Ego, Unconscious forces, Obsessive fear, Obsessive anger, Fear, Anger

Dream Symbol Monsters: Dream Interpretation Dictionary - Lake

Lake

All bodies of water generally represent our emotions and our unconscious. Old dream interpretation books say that lakes are associated with romantic feelings. If the lake is calm, your love life is probably in such good shape that you feel safe. Stormy water means to strap yourself in and get ready for a bumpy ride. If you see a monster in the water, your unconscious may be suggesting that you have competition (or some unseen issue or problem). For a more serious and contemplative definition of this dream symbol, please see: Water and Ocean.

Source: Dream Lover Incorporated, http://www.dreamloverinc.com

Dream Symbol Monsters: Dreams Interpretation Dictionary - Colors

COLORS

Red

May symbolize passion, anger, sexuality, revolution, danger. As the colour of blood, red is the symbol of life (which is why Hindu and Chinese brides wear red); but blood, or course may also mean death (see meaning od death).

Orange

(1) May symbolize aggressiveness.

(2) Because it is the colour of the sun, it may symbolize life, or consciousness.

(3) If you are depressed, orange may symbolize the dawn of a new attitude of optimism and proper self-love.

Yellow

Yellow may symbolize cowardice ("yellow streak"); consciousness, awareness or intelligence; or Dream Symbols:

particularily if golden Dream Symbols:

a promise of something good and life-enhancing, or an intimation of your true self.

Green

Green commonly symbolizes the fertility of Nature (as in the Green Man, the spirit of fecundity). In your dreams, therefore, it may indicate personal growth, some new development in your personality.

Grey

(1) The colour may represent old age, death (see meaning of death), depression.

(2) As intermediate between black and white, and as the colour of mist, grey may symbolize an unclear state of mind where distinctions are blurred, or where you have difficulty in seeing where you are going or have lost all sense of direction.

Blue

(1) Blue may sometimes symbolize the universal or collective unconscious (as distinct from the individual unconscious). Perhaps the dream is asking you to base your life on intuitions that come from a deep source within your psyche.

(2) Alternatively, blue may represent the power of the conscious mind, particularly if it is the blue of the sky.

(3) Darm blue may be associated with depression Dream Symbols:

'the blues".

(4) Blue clothing may symbolize masculinity. Tony Crisp (in his Dream Dictionary) observes that women sometimes dream of threatening men dressed in blue Dream Symbols:

dark blue or navy. Such a dream should motivate the dreamer to get in touch with her animus (the masculine side of her own psyche). and enter into a dialog with it, with a view to establishing a more positive relationship both with the masculine in herself and also with real men in the extrenal world. Perhaps examining her relationship with her father wil be the key to understanding her negative attitude towards men and masculinity.

(5) The blue sea may symbolize the unconscious or the feminine (anima, mother, or Great Mother, the wise self).

(6) At an advanced level of mystical awareness, blue may represent the primal energy from which the universal life-force comes. (In mythology the primevil ocean is not itself a thing: it is without form or shape but contains the potential for all forms and shapes Dream Symbols:

a description that fits God).

Purple

May symbolize mystery and therefore represent, in psychological terms, deep intuition or awareness of some type as yet unexplored dimension of the self.

Black

(1)A black hole or dark depths Dream Symbols:

for example, an unlit cellar or a deep well or oceanic deoths Dream Symbols:

may represent the unconscious. This blackness may be frightening, so long as the unconscious remains alien and unfamiliar. However, black can also be warm and comforting Dream Symbols:

which is hwy insomniacs are sometimes advised to close their eyes and imagine themselves wrapped round in black velvet. If you begin to trust your unconscious (which means trusting Nature, your human Nature), each previously horrifying or disgusting part of your unconscious will show itself in a new light, as something you need for personal fulfillment. Putting your consciousness into the unconscious Dream Symbols:

becoming aware of it Dream Symbols:

means putting more and more light into the darkness. If a star or other bright light appears in the blackness, this may be seen as a "light at the end of the tunnel", that is, as a symbol of the "illumination" Dream Symbols:

new wisdom or insight Dream Symbols:

that may be achieved by dwelling a while in the unconscious and making its better acquaintance.

(2) Black (particularly for white people) may symbolize evil. If so, bear in mind that, as a general rule, what appears in your dreams is always some part of you, and that the so-called "evil" (and therefore repressed) parts of you are really evil only if, because of neglect, they become rebellious, or if you let them take control away from your conscious self. These " evil" things are transformed into good things Dream Symbols:

creative, and bringing fuller life, happiness and wholeness Dream Symbols:

when conscious and unconscious interact and establish a harmonious working relationship.

(3) A person dressed in black may represent your shadow .

(4) A black-skinned person (if you are white-skinned) may represent either the shadow or closeness to Nature.

(5) A black animal probably represents some unconscious repressed drive or emotion. If the animal is fierce, this possibly means that something you have repressed is now urgently pressing you to give it your conscious attention and let it have some expression in your waking life.

(6) Blackness (as in black night, etc.) may simply signify diminished visibility, in which case the meaning of the dream may have something to do with a loss of orientation in your life. Do you feel you don't know which way to go; or that you don't have the energy or will to go in any direction? If so, make a pact with your unconscious to the effect that, it will tell you where you have the potential Dream Symbols:

and the need Dream Symbols:

togo, you will respond accordingly in your life. Then pay close attention to the dreams that follow. (If you go the next few nights without dreaming Dream Symbols:

or, more precisely, without recalling your dreams Dream Symbols:

this probably means that you are backing out of the pact and setting up a defence against what you fear your unconscious might have to tell you).

(7) Black may symbolize dispair or deep depression. If so, follow the advice given in (6) above.

(8) In many parts of the world black is associated with death. It is possible, therefore, that this what the colour signifies in your dream. Bear in mind, however, that death in a dream may refer to something internal: the "death" Dream Symbols:

or the giving up Dream Symbols:

of something within you (for example, some irrational fear, or other negative attitude or emotion).

Brown

(1) Brown is an earthly colour and may, therefore, symbolize the instinctive or the sensuous.

(2) Brown is also an autumnal colour and as such may signify a (feeling of ) decline; low spirits or depression.

White

White may signify pure and innocence, peace happines, joy; but in the East it is associated with death and mourning. (See meaning of death)

Gold

(1) Symbolically, the colour gold has connections with the sun and may represent new life, self-renewal; some new development in your psyche.

(2) Gold, as something valuable, may symbolize either your true self, as distinct from your conscious ego, or some faculity in your psyche which, if accepted and activated, could bring you closer to your real self.

(3) Gold fruit (like the golden fleece) features in mythology as a hero's prize for overcoming monster or other evils. This symbolizes the rewards of facing up to the contents of the unconscious, taming those that Dream Symbols:

through neglect Dream Symbols:

have become wild or aggressive, and intergrating them into your conscious life.

Silver

(1) Silver may symbolize something of value with regard to your personal development.

(2) Silver has associations with the moon, and may therefore symbolize the feminine; intuition; or the unconscious.

Reference: Eric Ackroyd

(Source: Myths - Dreams - Symbols)

Colors, Colour, Color, Colors, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Grey, Blue, Purple, Black, Brown

Dream Symbol Monsters: Dream Interpretation Dictionary - Neptune (Poseidon)

Neptune (Poseidon)

The Roman god Neptune and the Greek god Poseidon is the god of the waters of the earth. He is also known as the god of the earthquakes, as the movements of the oceans create disturbances on the earth. Poseidon is not a kind god, but a terrifying one that creates stormy seas and puts fears into mortals; his offspring are monsters. Poseidon is the son of Crones and the brother of Zeus and Pluto. He has a strong sexual appetite and has affairs with countless goddesses and mortal woman. He represents the primeval earth before civilization and spiritualization. Poseidon may resist the evolution of man (consciousness) and possibly this is why he appears so angry and inaccessible. He symbolizes a powerful part of the unconscious.

In astrology, the planet Neptune represents the unconscious forces and powers of the human psyche. It is believed to influence paranormal faculties, psychic abilities, irrational fears and insanity. The unconscious shows itself in dreams. However, we do not understand the language of dreams. It takes a very long time to develop the ability to interpret dreams with accuracy and satisfaction. Thus, the forces that come up from the unconscious are often frightening and disturbing. The unconscious holds different information than the conscious mind: It may be the dwelling place of intuition and the sixth sense. Dreaming of Neptune is symbolic of the unconscious, which holds positive and negative attributes, just like the conscious mind does. The information that is coming up in your dream may be interpreted based on what is occurring in daily life. Are you experiencing moments of "madness" or are you developing intuitive abilities and using them to guide your decisions?

Source: Dream Lover Incorporated, http://www.dreamloverinc.com

(See also: Dream Archives, Meaning of Dreams, Dream Interpretation, Dream Dictionary, Dream Dictionary - Neptune (Poseidon) , Meaning of Dreams about Neptune (Poseidon) , Dream Interpretation Neptune (Poseidon) )

Dream Symbol Monsters: Mysticism Magick Dictionary on MAGIC

MAGIC

From Latin magi, pl. (Greek magoi, pl. of magos, a Magian, one of the Median tribe; also an enchanter, properly a wise-man who interpreted dreams; Old Persian mugh, one of the Magi, a fire-worshipper; Sanskrit maga "a priest of the sun"; maybe related to maha, "great" and maya, illusion; perhaps, ultimately, even the Maya of Central America. Compare Hebrew makeshef, "magician"). Magic is actually short for "Magic Art". The connection between magus and magnus "great" also appears in Hebrew. As in Latin the word for "great", produces "master or teacher" (magister) , so Hebrew rab produces "rabbi". However the confusion in Hebrew does not arise because the word for "magic" (qeshem) is not related to rab".

The word in this form is found with precisely the same meaning (or mystery) in most European tongues and even in Japanese majutsu, (which they no doubt borrowed from the Portuguese). Elsewhere, however, we find different senses altogether, such as the old Teutonic Helliruna (lit. "Hell's secret") which is surely a folk etymology of the Arabic word for "mandrake", albiruhan or alyabruhin, the same word we find in Spanish as the word for "magician", el brujo, because alongside that there is indeed the Old High German word for "mandrake", Alruna. The only question we need ask is which form came first, but we find the Arabic influence extending east as far as Mongolia, where, in passing, we may note ilbi for "magic."

The otherness of ego enwraps each of us like a prison, but the magus takes all of earth as his body. Magic itself is but a symbol of the greater Magic, which is Unity. The Oneness frees us from the dungeon of darkness and the self and resembles the teaching of Buddhism.

From yet another perspective, magic, mind and life are the same thing: living cells are sometimes kept alive in labs. A specialized cell, so protected, fed and allowed to reproduce, eventually turns into a basic and undifferentiated cell. This indicates that life is not only exceedingly plastic but that it is also purposive. If such adaptation were attributable to mindless mechanics, a bone cell would go on reproducing a bone cell and a blood cell a blood cell forever.

Since all things are connected, then experiential reality, which is Mind, can be altered by the implementation of the Will and Visualization. There is no "orthodox" doorway of the "Self" through the various universes, so the magician must build his own bridge, without assistance, across the Abyss, from the otherness of the separate ego to Cosmic Unity. Since the goal and purpose of existence is knowledge, then the magus is obliged to seek experience on numerous planes of being reached via perichoresis and also to effect material changes in the earth's reality. Thinking isn't just the beginning of creation, it is creation itself.

Marc Edmund Jones classifies magic into categories. Divination is the effort to gain knowledge, particularly of the future (in order the better to assist the "Divine" plan). The evocation or invocation of elementals or angelic powers, functioning through the ethers, is another class of magic. Then there is hypnotism, which works through "imitative" magic. Finally, there is tantrism, or the development of supernatural siddhis.

Colin Wilson suggests that magic is simply the development of the Will and the Imagination, Versluis that it is "not a means to an end, but a means to heighten means." Clearly, the object of magic is the raising of consciousness. The magus is empowered to effect events only to the extent that he is able to recognize that inside and outside are one. To transform the world is to transform oneself and vice-versa. Traditional rituals, the using of symbols and the altering of consciousness through herbs, smells, sounds, repetitions and meditation are all inward-directed processes designed to educate, focus and strengthen the faculties of Imaging and Willing. Alchemy is the same endeavor directed outwardly. We fail to control the transformation of our selves to the degree that we isolate ourselves from the world, just as we lose our ability to change the world at the exact moment that we begin to lose touch with ourselves.

However, although those who don't know what they are doing are obliged to perform magic strictly through the observation of rituals, those who understand its real nature and purpose can move directly to its center and act from there, without incantations and conjurations.

Here are some definitions of M/magic(k) by various authorities on the subject:

ANONYMOUS: "Magus Nascitur Non Fit."

ALICE BAILEY: "No man is a magician, or worker in white magic, until his third eye is opened, or is in the process of opening." (That means 'transmission of consciousness to the universal mind').

WADE BASKIN: "The art and science of magic is based on three basic principles. 1) one may communicate with other realms, or planes of existence, through the medium of the Astral Light; 2) the power of the magician is unlimited; 3) external characteristics (signatures) are signs through which everything internal and invisible can be revealed."

MORRIS BERMAN: "Magic is not necessarily gnostic in nature, since it is not particularly dualistic, and it never includes the notion of an outside savior or redeemer, which Gnosticism (particularly in its early forms) sometimes does."

HELENA P. BLAVATSKY: "The art of divine Magic consists in the ability to perceive the essence of things in the light of nature (astral light), and - by using the soul-powers of the Spirit - to produce material things from the unseen universe, and in such operations the Above and the Below must be brought together and made to act harmoniously". (The Secret Doctrine).

"Magic is spiritual wisdom. Arcane knowledge misapplied is sorcery.

"Magic was considered a divine science which led to a participation in the attributes of Divinity itself."

"Magic was the highest knowledge of natural philosophy... and the magician differed from the witch in this, that, while the latter was an ignorant instrument in the hands of demons, the former had become their master by the powerful intermediation of science, which was only within reach of the few, and which these beings were powerless to disobey."

BERNARD BROMAGE: "The word has, more often than not, been used, not for illumination, not as a guide to ascertainable verity, but as a camouflage to conceal a man's ignorance; and, worse, his calculated ineptitude and folly. The word can be said to have ceased to be a word and to have become a byword: a symbol surrounded by an evilly phosphorescent light, of man's infernal capacity for avoiding the issues. . . Magic, tout court, is immensely concerned with the 'Extension of Consciousness'; the widening of frontiers; the increase and development of every variety of sense perception. To be a magician one must learn to investigate all phenomena with the eye of the scientist who scorns no possible hypothesis nor neglects to take into the fullest consideration the complete structure of our actual and potential being. . . it is not a solace for the frustrated, but a reward for the pure of heart. Its final appeal is not to curiosity or greed, but to reverence and acceptance."

PETER CARROLL: "The world is magical but designed to make us believe we are not magi."

"All events are basically magical, arising spontaneously without prior cause. Physical laws are only statistical approximations. Consciousness, magic and chaos are the same thing. Consciousness also makes things happen without prior cause."

ALEISTER CROWLEY: "All Art is Magick"

"The Goal of Magick is the knowledge and conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel."

NEVILL DRURY: "Magic is the technique of harnessing the secret powers of Nature and and seeking to influence events for one's own purpose. If the purpose is beneficial it is known as white magic, but if it is intended to bring harm to others, or to destroy property, it is regarded as black magic."

"High Magic is intended to bring about the spiritual transformation of the person who practices it. This form of magic is designed to channel the magician's consciousness towards the sacred light within, which is often personified by the high gods of different cosmologies. The aim of high magic has been described as communication with one's Holy Guardian Angel, or higher self. It is also known as Theurgy."

"Whereas science deals with empirically observable causes and effects, occultism deals pragmatically with methods of altering consciousness to produce certain effects. One of these is the assimilation within the self of the characteristics of a deity, another is the separation of consciousness from the physical body."

DION FORTUNE: "Magic is the art of changing consciousness at will."

KENNETH GRANT: "Magick is the apotheosis of the Irrational, the acme of the absurd, and the reification of the impossible."

GURDJIEFF: ". . .I decided to call those undertakings which required intentional action of higher centers - those centers which are properly the feeling and thinking centers, capable of emotional sensing and of mentation respectively, but which are ordinarily unformed through absorption of their rightful impressions by the false emotional and intellectual centers of the psyche - objective magic, having as its result the obtaining of real knowledge."

"I thus separated this objective magic from its ordinary counterpart, 'magic of the psyche', in which purely fantastic results are obtained, and self-calming and amusement are the only attainments. Under this category I placed my former endeavors as a medium and psychic, as well as those results obtained by theosophy, occultism and so forth, all of which up to then had quite fascinated and attracted my attention."

WILLIAM JAMES: "We all have a lifelong habit of inferiority to our full self. . ."

MARC EDMUND JONES: "Occult, as distinct from secular, science; Occult as the effort to compel the cooperation of others, as well as deity, nature, in enterprises of self, illustrated by miracle or thaumaturgy, known as white when ethical and black when amoral."

ELIPHAS LÉVI: "The Arcanum of the Magnum Opus is the mastery or government of Ignis."; "Would you learn to reign over yourself and others? Learn how to will. How can one learn to will? This is the first arcanum of magical initiation. . ."

MACGREGOR MATTHEWS: "To practice magic, both the imagination and the Will must be called into action, they are co-equal in the work. . . The Will unaided can send forth a current. . . yet its effect is vague and indefinite. . . the Imagination unaided can create an image. . . yet it can do nothing of importance, unless vitalized and directed by the Will."

JOHN MIDDLETON: "We may say that the realm of magic is that in which human beings believe that they may directly affect nature and each other for good or ill, by their own efforts (even when the precise mechanism may not be understood by them) as distinct from appealing to divine powers by sacrifice or prayer (i.e. religion)."

JOHN O'KEEFE: "Magic is the defense of the self against the malevolence of society."

PARACELSUS: "The exercise of true magic does not require any ceremonies or conjurations, or the making of circles and signs; it requires neither benedictions nor maledictions in words, neither verbal blessings or curses."

JOHN COWPER POWYS: "Magic is simply the choice between emphasis and rejection."

DIANE DE PRIMA: "Look at the forces behind the things rather than just at the object or event. If I have a working definition of magic it's that behind every single thing in the world an infinite tunnel opens of reference, cross-references, and forces, and how these things interlock in nets. What I basically say is, yeah, learning to see force. . . learning to see the etheric and the astral, etc. to the thinner and thinner layers of stuff. And learning to work off those layers rather than . . . if you want to push that rock you don't necessarily have to go out there and put your shoulder to it."

RIMBAUD: "The Poet transforms himself into a seer through a long, immense and determined, rational disordering of all his sense. Every form of love, suffering and madness he seeks within himself and exhausts in himself all poisons, preserving but their quintessences. Ineffable torture where he will need all of his faith and superhuman strength, making him among men, the great Sick Man, the Thrice-Damned, the Arch-Criminal - and the supreme Savant! - for he arrives at the Unknown! Since he has cultivated his soul, already richer than any other man's, he thereby reaches the Unknown, and, even if, insane in the end, he should lose every shred of understanding gained so laboriously, he will have had his Visions! He may perish in his leap into those innumerable, unnameable things, there will follow other terrible workers. They will begin at the horizons where he fell."

MARTIN DEL RIO: "An art or skill which, by means of a non-supernatural force, produces certain strange and unusual phenomena whose rationale eludes common sense."

ROMULUS: "Magic is living poetry."

"Magic is the invocation and exploitation of synchronicity. All practices build up a momentum of their own. What we desire eventually comes true, with interest."

"Every magician's tricks are his own, to help him with own special problems, to get himself over his own inner obstacles. Our Individual tasks are to learn and overcome our own obstacles. That's why the study of great men and women is so very instructional and worthwhile. Not because they teach us to be like them, but because they show us how they became themselves! "

"Self-confident, integrated personalities already are fairly much in control of their powers and are magical to some extent. When circumstances intrude, such as sickness, enmity, financial loss, etc. and self-confidence wanes, the 'magical' side begins to seem spurious. The more 'magical' we try to be, the more charlatanry rises to the surface in us."

FRANCIS KING & STEPHEN SKINNER: "Four basic assumptions of magic: 1. That the [physical] universe is only a part of total reality. 2. The human will-power is a real force, capable of being trained and concentrated, and that the disciplined will is capable of changing its environment and producing paranormal events. 3. That this will-power must be directed by the imagination. 4. That the universe is not a mixture of chance factors and influences, but an ordered system of correspondences, and the understanding of the pattern of correspondences enables the occultist to use them for his own purposes, good or evil.

HUTTON WEBSTER (1948): "As regards purpose, Magic is divinatory, productive and aversive. The magician discovers or foretells what is otherwise hidden in time or space from human eyes; he influences and manipulates the objects and phenomena of nature and all animate creatures so that they may satisfy actual or human needs; and finally he combats, neutralizes and remedies the onslaught of the evils, real or imaginary, afflicting mankind. The range of magic is thus almost as wide as the life of man. All things under heaven, and even the inhabitants of heaven become subject to its sway.

COLIN WILSON: "Human perception is 'intentional.'" (Consciousness is a muscle).

"The great personality-inhibitor is caution. . . even in a few people who seem fairly well integrated. I can suddenly catch a glimpse of a more sophisticated, confident personality that has never succeeded in emerging . . . Even criminality is a form of caution, the desire for immediate and tangible returns, based upon the feeling that the universe has no intention of giving you anything you are not prepared to take by force. In fact, the study of murder leaves one with an impression of weak and crippled personalities who left half their potentialities to stagnate."

"Outside our everyday personality there is a wider self that possesses greater powers than the everyday self. . . When the will is hindered by too much self-consciousness it often produces the opposite effect from the one intended. (Poe called it "the imp of the perverse"). The wider self would be happy to oblige, but the contracted ego is somehow opposing itself, like someone trying to open a door by pushing it instead of pulling it. So it does the next best thing." (Psychokinesis).

"Modern civilization induces an attitude of passivity. When a Stone Age hunter set out to trap wild animals, he was aware of his will as a living force. When the prehistoric farmer scored the surface of the earth with a crude plough, he knew that his family's survival through the winter depended on his effort, and his will responded to the challenge. When a modern city dweller walks down a crowded thoroughfare, he feels no sense of challenge or involvement. This city was built by other people, all these shops and offices are owned by other people. He can get through an ordinary day's work in a state approximating sleep. Most of his routine tasks are carried out by the 'robot'. There is neither the need or the opportunity to use the will."

ZORN ZUCKERMAN: "The 20th Century has been so much a time of everything 'losing its magic, that the only thing left is magic itself."

CONCLUSION:

Is magic simply the search for "ultimate knowledge" without the burden of "worship"? Not exactly. The Golden Dawn used to say, "The aim of religion, the method of science," which was as ambitious as it was inaccurate. The "Transcendental" without religion, as opposed to mere "Revelation" without religion, would be closer to the mark than soulless "Ultimate Knowledge." The latter is a logical, scientific goal, not a magical one. The Scientist is obliged to go wherever his will-o'-the-wisp may lead him, as Mary Shelley pointed out, stopping not even at Frankenstein's monster nor the Hydrogen Bomb nor tailor-made diseases. Thus, the scientist inevitably winds up in Hell, the epitome of "Reason". The Magician knows where he is going, dares to go there and will what he will discover and create. His work (ideally) is the transmogrification of Hell. Moreover, about what he does he can make no statement, because it is always unique, never a repeatable "trick". That is, he is in the business, not as the scientist is of "finding" meaning, but of "creating" it. But we have to remember that the phenomenological world is an illusion, which requires the magician always to remain watchful of the illusory nature of what he is doing.

Life without magic is not possible. Moreover, the important "passages" of life cannot be handled except in a frank context of High Magic: birth, adolescence, marriage, death, etc.

(See also: MAGIC, Magick, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul, )