[Opinion] Magic in Fiction, and Why Reading Fantasy can help your Practice

[Anziel_Merkaba]

I read a lot of fantasy. It's entertaining and sometimes there are neat little nuggets of ideas and wisdom hidden within.

Finding a fantasy novel that has a well though out magic system is always a treat, because it almost always has some good ideas that can be applied to your practice in a practical, or interesting, way. It gives you ideas, and sometimes helps you understand concepts you don't really understand as well as you'd like to. Of course there's not a ton you can get from LOTR's 'magic does whatever the author needs it to do' sort of magic, but other stories have pretty interesting philosophies to their magics that I feel is sometimes worth examining deeper.

One of the most interesting that I found fairly recently was in the Saga of the Recluce by LE Modesitt Jr., which has a pretty unique take on a magic system compared to other fantasy novels I've read.

 

[Rowena]

Agreed - there is no reason why elements of pop-culture cannot be used as a source of inspiration.

The only problem with it is the - mostly Neo-Pagans - who are unable to distinguish fantasy from fact, and present such pop-culture sources as fact.
I honestly can't count the number of times I've seen things from Charmed (Original, not crappy remake), Supernatural & Buffy The Vampire Slayer quoted as fact, traditional practice or real in some way.

 

[Challis]

I do really enjoy finding the nuggets through fantasy media. I like seeing different interpretations. From Sephiroth in FF, to Crowley quotes in the voodoo episode of futurama, I always enjoy it. I've just finished watching sandman and sleepy hollow, both filled with (different sides) of magic. Fantastic!

I will also add that it can be helpful to somebody just starting out - perhaps seeing representations of what they have been reading about in other people's art work, may be a reassurance of the existence of the occult.

However, I am also inclined to agree with @Rowena, that if a person allows themselves to be misled, it can cost them a lot of time.

 

[Robert Ramsay]

There's an old joke that porn movies give unrealistic expectations - of how quickly you can get a plumber to visit.

I do feel that we get unrealistic expectations from our fantasy media of what can actually be achieved with magic. Fun, sure, but, in the words of Bill S. Preston Esq. : "We were heinously lied to by our album covers!"

 

[Sally_Walker]

Thanks for the recommendation. I always liked "Warlock" (Ancient Egypt, #3) by Wilbur Smith, and feel that parts of it can be applied to practice.

 

[DiLoco_DelEted]

I read a lot of fantasy. It's entertaining and sometimes there are neat little nuggets of ideas and wisdom hidden within.

Finding a fantasy novel that has a well though out magic system is always a treat, because it almost always has some good ideas that can be applied to your practice in a practical, or interesting, way. It gives you ideas, and sometimes helps you understand concepts you don't really understand as well as you'd like to. Of course there's not a ton you can get from LOTR's 'magic does whatever the author needs it to do' sort of magic, but other stories have pretty interesting philosophies to their magics that I feel is sometimes worth examining deeper.

One of the most interesting that I found fairly recently was in the Saga of the Recluce by LE Modesitt Jr., which has a pretty unique take on a magic system compared to other fantasy novels I've read.

Check out fiction by Gareth Knight and Dion Fortune.

 

[pixel_fortune]

a well though out magic system

My husband is not an occultist or practitioner at all, but reads a lot of fantasy

I was explaining [one way of looking at] qlippoth, eg how the positive concept of useful structure becomes the evil of empty kafkaesque bureaucracy when you take the life or divine purpose out of it, and he responded "that's great worldbuilding"

 

[AlfrunGrima]

I read a lot of fantasy. It's entertaining and sometimes there are neat little nuggets of ideas and wisdom hidden within.

Finding a fantasy novel that has a well though out magic system is always a treat, because it almost always has some good ideas that can be applied to your practice in a practical, or interesting, way. It gives you ideas, and sometimes helps you understand concepts you don't really understand as well as you'd like to. Of course there's not a ton you can get from LOTR's 'magic does whatever the author needs it to do' sort of magic, but other stories have pretty interesting philosophies to their magics that I feel is sometimes worth examining deeper.

One of the most interesting that I found fairly recently was in the Saga of the Recluce by LE Modesitt Jr., which has a pretty unique take on a magic system compared to other fantasy novels I've read.

Agree, things that feeds the imagination, can feed magic too. I got over years a lot of ideas about how I want to do things in ritual just because imagination sparked it. Scenes and pictures just filled my mind, ready to be used.

Reading fantasy stories feeds abilities like visualisation, it builds quite literally a library of images that the brain can use for magic and change. It opens the mind for seeing other realities than mundaine.

The mind can use equally myths and fantasy fiction for personal mythmaking, fantasy fiction can count as modern myth.

 

[Bokkkie]

If you're looking for something other than fantasy, I'd recommend The Dresden Files. While it's clearly a pop-cultural take on esoteric and occult themes, the author has at least done some decent research. And something else I wouldn't underestimate is the good dose of humor. Since, in my opinion, spiritual work always involves emotions, a sense of lightheartedness shouldn't be neglected.