Magic, Chaos, and Tarot Spells

Butterfly wings flapping in California and hurricanes in Japan. Tarot cards and binding the actions of your nemesis.

What do these have in common?

Each are small nudges in complex systems can have large outcomes. Classic butterfly effect in chaos theory.

Using magic we can be the butterfly. In fact, nudging reality is probably the most powerful way to do magic. Whether you are petitioning a deity or using any of a number of other approaches rarely are you directly altering reality. Which is probably a very good thing. Letting others with a broader perspective of reality manage the change helps keep the blow back to a minimum.

In a more direct manner you can choose a few appropriately symbolic Tarot cards. Focus on, fill with energy, and release into reality and if done properly reality can rearrange itself. Like the flapping wings of the butterfly here trigger the hurricane there.

What seems small and insignificant can be really quite powerful. There are lots of ways to make small nudges to change things in your reality.

• Creating a talisman for good luck, success, or protection for example may be one approach. A small item created and consecrated at an auspicious hour could be working all day every day on your behalf.
• Offerings are another. Establishing a long term relationship with an entity and making offerings of appreciation can bring positive changes to you.
• The example of the tarot cards above is yet another and more direct method. The cards end up acting like a kind of symbolic gateway for the changes you are willing. Just make sure you are clear on any ethical considerations before doing the work.

Where I find things really get interesting is when we shift to internal work. What kind of changes can you create using just your internal resources? Just how powerful are your imagination and belief systems?

I do know you can create external change in your life by altering your internal reality. Not just from a psychological change either. As an example look at manipulating energy. If you are accessing energy to direct for a project whether for healing or another goal how is it flowing? Do you project the energy from you say to a symbol on a piece of paper? Or do you accept the flow of energy into some part of yourself? Thus working with the energy completely internally yet for external results.

You can work with a symbol for a specific goal held internally in your imagination then charge with a flow of energy and released. People do this with sex magic. The polarity of the partners and release of energy during orgasm empowers the symbol held in one or both partners mind’s eyes.

Any of these approaches might seem like such small gestures. Unconnected in superficial ways to the goal being sought even. Yet, they work.

How do they work?

1. First we are inspired to create a change in our reality. Let’s say this inspiration comes down from the spiritual.
2. We conceive of the goal in the abstract and somehow come up with a symbolism representing the idea. Maybe we come up with a few words, a bit of music, a gesture, or doodles to represent this idea.
3. From there our imagination,
4. emotions, and
5. life-force come into play.
6. Finally we begin taking action in the physical world towards our goal.
7. With silence to keep others from interfering intentionally or otherwise, we keep silent until at a minimum the change manifests.

The funny thing is even when we think we are doing a working externally we can still be working internally. The difference is whether or not we are using external tools to augment our efforts. Which isn’t a dismissal of using tools. They can be very helpful and not just for psychological reasons. An appropriately created talisman can be working for you 24/7.

What about entities, deities. and other allies? The forces you call upon are maybe external or internal or both depending on who you ask. The alter though can be internal.

Once we shift to the world of magic the whole idea of what is strong and powerful, what is big, what is real changes. I suspect this is where we end up having so many difficulties with magic. Our training by many western cultures is very materialist in perspective. We are taught to believe in what we can see and touch with our physical senses. With those limits it makes sense that the bigger and stronger physical force may have a bigger impact.

When the physical dimension is no longer the only aspect of reality we are working within everything changes. Cause and effect, time, physical dimension, and the addition of other forces come into play.

Thus the metaphysical flap of butterfly wings can move stir a hurricane a continent away.