"Dark Magick"

Recently there was a question posed in one of the Pagan Online Forums which I frequent about Dark Magick and Dark Deities. The woman posing the question had some very good and what I would think are common questions. Now, I don't know how "new" this woman is, but I found her questions to be quite the inspiration for a new post here.

Initially her point was balance. The vast majority of Pagans believe that life needs and should be balanced. But if we shy away from the "Dark" aspects, how can we truly achieve balance because both light and dark are needed for there to be true balance.

I for one, have never been one to shy away from the darker aspects of life, faith or magick. Although I grew up in a strict Christian home, my mother was, and is, a HUGE E.A.Poe & early Horror fan... So I kinda grew up loving the "darker" aspects of life and seeing them as "normal." Maybe I grew up a little twisted, but I love all that stuff. So when it came to things like Dark Deities or Dark Magick, I was always able to see both sides of the argument (if you will). But I think many see Dark as pure negative or as a "taboo." I've also found that many Pagan Paths tend to push the idea that "Dark" Magick or Deities are "off limits" because they breed negativity. However, that then begs the question - Where's the balance?

What is important to understand and remember is that everything IS balanced, and even those aspects of life or Magick which may seem to be "Dark" have a "Light" aspect to them. Without Death, we can not have Rebirth, without an End, we can not have a New Beginning... Every Dark Deity has "Light" aspects to them, just as every "Light" Deity has aspects which can be used for "Dark" means.

I don't want to get in to telling you what you should or shouldn't do. However, my general rule is "Think, Consider, Act, Reflect." Think about what you are going to do. Consider how it is going to affect YOU and OTHERS. Carry through your Actions. And don't forget to Reflect on the outcome. Learn from every action you take, no matter the outcome.

Magick itself has NO color, the color of magick comes purely from intent. I make this point because there are lots of books out there, lots of lectures out there and lots of witches out there that will make statements like "Real Witches don't do Dark or Black Magick." But the truth is Witches do Magick - Period! There is no "this is black" and "this is white" - No clear line in the sand. What this means is what is or isn't Dark to one of us, isn't to another.

If you consider what actions you are going to take and you determine they are the best actions to take in order to get the outcome you want, there is NO ONE that can tell you different. Magick is no different from life. IF you wouldn't do it physically, don't do it magickally. Beyond that, there is no hard and fast law of what you should or shouldn't do...

What all this really means is that contrary to popular belief, the "Dark" does not need to be avoided. In fact, it's nearly impossible to do so because even those aspects of life which we see as a positive have to be balanced with the negative. Light and Dark, Yin & Yang... There is no purity, no perfection, it's impossible. If you are taking actions you feel are proper, that's all that matters, regardless of how someone else may label those actions.