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A friendly reminder that you do not need to transform to be a magical girl!

You don’t need a familiar or magical guide to be a magical girl!

You don’t need a set battle costume or magical weapon to be a magical girl!

You don’t need a concept or script to be a magical girl!

There are limitless ways your practice and identity can manifest and grow and they are all valid and beautiful. ♡

If you’re new to visualization and astral projection, are having some difficulties with it, or even if you’re a veteran looking for resources, I highly recommend The Mentalist's Handbook: An Explorer's Guide to Astral, Spirit, and Psychic Worlds by Clint Marsh with illustrations by Jeff Hoke.

It was one of the first occult texts I picked up that I found refreshingly succinct and accessible. One of my biggest pet peeves is when occult authors describe tools or techniques but fail to explain the mechanics or don’t even attempt to offer any insight; Marsh not only details an approachable practice regimen but Hoke’s illustrations offer a bit of whimsy and inspiration for your own visualizations. Not to mention, the publication itself is just beautifully printed! Of course it is also available online in many formats but I definitely do not regret having a copy in my personal library!

Are there other topics you’re looking for more information on or are interested in other recommendations? Feel free to send me a message and I can try to point you in the right direction! ☆

I was probably away from Tumblr long enough to miss a lot of the alterhuman/therian discourse that has been circulating. To be fair, discussions around ‘otherkin’ were just peaking in popularity around the time I abandoned my old account (not for any reason besides being busy with other things and it was mainly used for creative reference anyway).

While I personally do not use any of those labels to identify myself nor do I feel compelled to thoroughly define myself in that way, perhaps I always figured everyone had experiences that triggered very specific emotions and bodily memories that were not quite describable by ‘normal’ means. Then again, I similarly felt for a long time that everyone wondered what it would be like to be a different gender or that everyone dealt with executive dysfunction to some degree—only to come to the realization years later that it was surely not the case.

But these feelings of ‘otherness’ within the self is part of what I was alluding to in my manifesto when I say that ‘We are fragmented and multifaceted’. Of course each of us is allowed to explore diverse interests and aesthetics but it’s more than that: within each of us is a series of refractions of experiences and emotions like if life was light filtered through a gem or placed in front of funhouse mirrors. It can be beautiful and terrifying and lonely to be confronted with disparate feelings or memories and contradictions within ourselves.

What got you into the pursuit of practicing magia?

For me, I think it was love.

Not a romantic love or a love for a specific person (though I was surely experiencing that as well), but a deep, sad love for the world and those that inhabit it. Through my mahō shōjo work I’ve come to be able to hold and make space that gut-wrenching sadness and aching love for the world while also actively putting energy towards a brighter, softer future.

My first intentional spells were focused on healing and taking physical and emotional pain away from others, often redirecting it to myself. I know now that that kind of self-sacrifice for magic is unnecessary and often counterproductive but I remember feeling so strongly that my existence was only good for relieving the discomfort of others and I became obsessed with that notion for a long time. This kind of magical thinking put me in a dark place, especially in middle and high school, and often made me susceptible to abuse. Even now I sometimes catch myself starting to think along those lines and have to work to not let it overwhelm me.

I think this is why CLAMP’s works and Puella Magi Madoka Magica struck such a chord with me in particular. Many of these characters similarly felt overcome with immense feelings of deep, and sometimes painful, love and struggled with fears of inadequacy which pushed them towards self-sacrifice or even martyrdom. That being said, I also see in them profound hope and optimism for a better world, which is something I always seek to emulate in my magia.

I never liked the term ‘pop culture magic’.

As someone who grew up during the dot com boom, I used what I could to stitch together an understanding and practice of magic and that often included fantasy media. Even after my family switched from dial-up, our computer and television use was heavily monitored and scrutinized until we were in high school and college so I relied heavily on what books, games, and comics I could get my hands on. More often than not, fantasy books and comics were met with less questioning than texts on magic and the occult. This is not to say my parents were not trying to be understanding of my interests but they definitely voiced their opinion that my imagination was too active for my own good and they feared I would slip into delusions of fantasy. Even my friends became disinterested with what explorations of magic we were able to have and I was left to keep my thoughts and questions to myself while I found what esoteric wisdom I could by attending shul and talking with my rabbi.

When I moved cross-country for college, I felt free to finally try to tap into what magical community I could. I was lucky enough to stumble upon an occult bookstore where not only I was able to start having all sorts of conversations with lots of different practitioners, I also found my incredible partner. But even in this web of magical experiences I found myself in—working with chaos magick, folks from Thelemic and ceremonial magick backgrounds, traditional witchcraft, Zen Buddhism, and even Haitian Voudu initiates and rootworkers—there seemed to be a universal disdain for pop culture-inspired magics. (It didn’t help that one of the bookstore regulars, who is admittedly a powerful magician, was an avid pop-culture magician and otaku who lacked social maturity and consistently needed to be reminded not to dominate discussion circles with tales of his astral adventures with Goku and Bigfoot.) Everything and everyone was telling me, whether subtly or directly, that pop culture magic was inauthentic and, at worst, cringey and as a feminine-passing person, I felt like I needed to work extra hard to be seen as a legitimate magician amongst studied practitioners even though I could not shake the urge to explore more of what compelled me to study magic in the first place.

This is all to say that it took a lot of time and internal work to get to a place where I felt comfortable enough to talk about my mahō shōjo practice, start to share it with my peers, and even use the tag ‘pop culture magic’ for visibility. There are reasons why this kind of media is so compelling and it is a joy to explore the feelings and techniques it offers especially in the context of a broader magical discussion. There is absolutely no reason to purport that powerful magic cannot also be soft, girly, or dreamy. And while it makes me a little sad to see people engaging with these ideas continue to put down pop culture magics as somehow watered down or less-than other approaches, I think I understand why they do.

I am consistently so proud and thankful for my cards and how they share their power. I love how genuine and caring each entity is and how willing they are to offer advice, even to new friends. That’s not to say they aren’t mischievous and can even be dangerous at times if summoned incorrectly. (I have a story of how a combination of cards inadvertently brought several well-established magicians to their knees, but that’s perhaps for another time.)

For context, this is my personal deck that I created several years back drawing inspiration from the various decks Sakura Kinomoto wielded throughout Cardcaptor Sakura and Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card and applied attributes from those cards to a system I have been helping my partner develop. While I also own a facsimile deck of Sakura Cards, I find my personal deck to be much more honest and in tune with the intentions of each entity.

I generally only do readings for myself (with this particular deck or by utilizing other methods) but I am involved with a small community of practitioners and we occasionally do readings for each other. Last night I received an amazingly quick and auspicious geomancy reading from my partner and I had the opportunity to read for one of my friends. I wasn’t provided a question to tailor my responses to so I used one of my ‘avatars of divination’ (read: magicaly charged fortune telling toy) for the novelty of a ‘yes’, ‘no’, or ‘inconclusive’ response before doing a single card pull. For my friend, Watery, the Agent of Process made themselves known. She is one of four reflections of the self, or the querent, present in my deck. While they have the ability to be tempestuous and destructive, she is arguably most powerful when fully cooperative. She offered that people would be more willing to open up and work with my friend if they were gentle and understanding. Apparently this, in addition to the ‘inconclusive’ response from the chosen avatar, was just what my friend needed to hear. (It was great hearing that another friend, who was privy to the situation, agreed with this sentiment!)

This is all to say that I love my cards. I love their gentle natures when they are called upon earnestly and I love them when they surprise me with their great power.

Magick Verifiability

Speaking as someone who has practiced magick for many years and been part of a number of magical groups practicing in a wide variety of ways...

I have never met someone who could consistently manifest supernatural results.

Now, I have heard many reliable stories of supernatural happenings. I have even had a few myself that occurred seemingly as a direct result of my own work, but consistently reproducible? No.

The flashing stuff isn't even the point of the practice. Seemingly miraculous happenings are super cool, but the magick is more than that. The weird shit that sometimes happens is actually a distraction more than anything. In my experience, good effective magick manifests subtly.

For me, the practice of magick is an approach to being. Magick is about being fully engaged in the mystery of existence. Magick is an exploration of being, consciousness, free will, memory, and time. It is a constant wrestling with the very concept of reality.

My advice, don't fret the weird stuff. Whether it happens or not, it isn't the point of the work. Don't be timid about doubting others, and don't be offended if others doubt you. Don't take incredible claims at face value.

I really appreciate all the effort you put in here! I think you definitely hit more on what I was hoping on for clarity. Again, not invalidating those who identify as physical magical girls by saying this: I still believe that that kind transformation (whether instantaneous or over a longer period out of regular time) can be achieved through other means that what has been presented. This absolutely does not lessen the experiences these folks have had—I am just stating that there are many ways to get to a similar, if not the same place. (Not to mention that there are probably more methods out there that were not familiar with yet!) And of course if anyone else wants to speak to their experience, especially those who identify as physical magical girls, I would be interested to hear more!

Unfortunately I do not know much about Wattpad (I definitely missed that boat!) but I’ll see what I can do with looking around there too.

Again, I truly appreciate you reaching out and even apologizing—it was not necessary by any means but it is very sweet and, I think, indicative of the kind of people magical heroes are. I can totally understand how folks could feel defensive about this and while I can’t speak to the same exact experiences, I definitely know how it feels to be invalidated, especially by people you thought were trustworthy and understanding.

I genuinely hope that other folks, especially those who may have felt wronged in some way, can see this and take some comfort in it.

u said in ur post u didn't get a sincere answer, did u mean answer to what physical magical girls are? i can try explaining if you felt their explanation didn't help, if you're okay with that /genuine

Thank you for the message! ☆

Yes, I was referring to what it means when folks say that physical magical girls have been able to manifest transforming physically and what that actually entails besides the process of getting there (i.e. working with the Laws of Assumption and Attraction). If you feel like you have something to share along those lines, I think people would love to hear it. I know I’d certainly be interested!

While I did get some more background on the community from the subsequent posts, it didn’t really elucidate what I was originally asking about. I’m not sure how a genuine question got interpreted as a dig on anyone or their practice but if people saw it that way, I sincerely apologize. My only intention here is to document my processes and learn more about what others are doing.

u said in ur post u didn't get a sincere answer, did u mean answer to what physical magical girls are? i can try explaining if you felt their explanation didn't help, if you're okay with that /genuine

Thank you for the message! ☆

Yes, I was referring to what it means when folks say that physical magical girls have been able to manifest transforming physically and what that actually entails besides the process of getting there (i.e. working with the Laws of Assumption and Attraction). If you feel like you have something to share along those lines, I think people would love to hear it. I know I’d certainly be interested!

While I did get some more background on the community from the subsequent posts, it didn’t really elucidate what I was originally asking about. I’m not sure how a genuine question got interpreted as a dig on anyone or their practice but if people saw it that way, I sincerely apologize. My only intention here is to document my processes and learn more about what others are doing.

I’m only going to do this once since I felt like it was clear that I didn’t want anything to escalate by leaving Magi Metro and I figured that you and your community wanted nothing to do with me. I was upfront from the beginning that I was going to keep interaction to a minimum and I am completely content to continue blogging as I would have before being introduced to your circle. I have done nothing but provide my experience and my insight and I am honestly at a loss at figuring what I could have done that made such an impact.

I asked the Tumblr community for clarification on something (all the while noting that I was not disparaging anyone’s practices) and even though I never really got a sincere answer, I was met with animosity from you and I suppose those you felt the need to vent to.

If you want to continue this conversation, please message me directly. ☆

Can someone explain to me the actual difference between ‘physical’ and ‘astral’ magical heroes? Most of the folks that I have come across that label themselves ‘physical’ heroes don’t really seem to have a practice rooted in or working in this reality? They seem to still rely heavily on astral work and reality shifting.

For example, I suppose you can argue that my approach is ‘physical’ since I have an established magical practice utilizing tools and techniques that are tangible in the here and now (not that they couldn’t also be used out of the current timeline or on the astral) and I work to better our current and shared reality. I don’t really assert that the ‘physical’ or ‘astral’ distinction has to be made but if people feel that they need to use those labels, I think the community has to do a better job explaining the difference in approaches.

My most earnest piece of advice for all magical heroes and practitioners in general will always be to remain critical of those who take up a title of ‘leader’ or ‘mentor’ in magical spaces.

While I find it so important in life and in magic to be soft and trusting, too many times has that kindness been seen as weakness to those who tout a position of power (whether that position is of an elder or teacher, by someone who claims ownership of a movement or idea, or is bureaucratically instated).

Respect should be something that is inherent in all directions, not something that needs to be earned. Never feel like you are less worthy to practice or take up space in a community because you do not have the same knowledge or tools at your disposal. If you are ever made to feel that way, or if you suspect others are being made to feel that way, the best thing you can do is distance yourself from it and perhaps start something new.

However, too often I’ve seen an earnest project turn into a cult of personality and I caution anyone who feels the need to start an intentional community, magical or otherwise, without the proper emotional maturity and experience with working with a diverse group of individuals.

Chaos magick and witchcraft can be distinct practices.

Traditional witchcraft has an established canon (or canons, if you factor in different folk traditions) and some practitioners of witchcraft are followers of Wicca, a religion.

While some chaotes fall victim to the trappings of dogma, whether that is through the exploration of certain paradigms or through literature penned by other chaotes, chaos magick is fundamentally non-dogmatic in that it emphasizes the importance of paradigm shifting.

Chaos magick is concerned purely in the essence of magia through technique. Chaotes can, and often do, implement tools and methodology of witchcraft or other paradigms to further our understanding of magia. While practitioners should be sympathetic to closed traditions and wary of insensitive appropriation, there is no ultimate truth and thus we are free to explore and experiment.

Eclectic witchcraft and chaos magick both embrace a variety of methods, but chaos magick can be dynamically dogmatic: chaotes can use belief as a tool and the dogma shifts with the paradigm. A while an eclectic practice may be syncretic, an amalgam of a bunch of practices without a common theory, chaos magick, and particularly paradigm shifting gives us a way use a variety of practices while keeping each distinct.

Furthermore, I would say that a practitioner of pop culture witchcraft is different from a chaote using pop culture magics. Someone who has a pop culture witchcraft practice probably uses a syncretic system to operate while a chaote could not.

Edited for clarity. Thank you to @niaskotl for the notes!

I appreciate the apology. I know that this community means a lot to you and it shows! Again, this was never about not acknowledging the existence of physical magical heroes, I (and it seems others as well) did not understand the terminology and sincerely wanted to know more.

There is not a lot of information available about why people started to come together in this way and I’m always interested to learn more. But I do wholeheartedly believe that there is space for all who feel drawn to be magical girls, regardless of history or approach.

Can someone explain to me the actual difference between ‘physical’ and ‘astral’ magical heroes? Most of the folks that I have come across that label themselves ‘physical’ heroes don’t really seem to have a practice rooted in or working in this reality? They seem to still rely heavily on astral work and reality shifting.

For example, I suppose you can argue that my approach is ‘physical’ since I have an established magical practice utilizing tools and techniques that are tangible in the here and now (not that they couldn’t also be used out of the current timeline or on the astral) and I work to better our current and shared reality. I don’t really assert that the ‘physical’ or ‘astral’ distinction has to be made but if people feel that they need to use those labels, I think the community has to do a better job explaining the difference in approaches.

I can see that’s where a lot of the conversations have started in recent years, but I think asserting that this where folks need to remain does a disservice to those who have been working along these lines for many years and are seeking community as well as for those who are trying to improve upon their practice.

To say any approach is less than or less authentic than the other, I feel, is unnecessary gatekeeping. I’m a real magical kid, one that did not manifest that identity but was rather called to it from forces I cannot fully explain or comprehend and have worked to maintain that calling. Do I draw from media for inspiration? Sure! But I think everyone who feels compelled to work in this vein does. Whether that inspiration shows itself in a concept or scripting, in a pop culture-inspired magic practice, or something else entirely, I think there is space for all of us to work and share ideas. ☆

Can someone explain to me the actual difference between ‘physical’ and ‘astral’ magical heroes? Most of the folks that I have come across that label themselves ‘physical’ heroes don’t really seem to have a practice rooted in or working in this reality? They seem to still rely heavily on astral work and reality shifting.

For example, I suppose you can argue that my approach is ‘physical’ since I have an established magical practice utilizing tools and techniques that are tangible in the here and now (not that they couldn’t also be used out of the current timeline or on the astral) and I work to better our current and shared reality. I don’t really assert that the ‘physical’ or ‘astral’ distinction has to be made but if people feel that they need to use those labels, I think the community has to do a better job explaining the difference in approaches.

But I am curious of what that actually entails? Like, I don’t expect that many of those who say they can ‘physically’ transform undergo a spontaneous magical transformation sequence that others can witness. Rather, I think any magical hero can use costumes, tools, theater techniques, or even glamours to undergo a transformation that they can employ at any time. Maybe I’m just not understanding the need for distinction.

But it could also be that I’m just approaching things from a different perspective, since I personally do not subscribe to ‘the law of attraction’ and the movement(s) that followed from that idea. I can admit that it is difficult sometimes to discuss these kinds of practices while coming from different paradigms.

This is not to say that I am belittling anyone who works with these kinds of manifestation and affirmation techniques; I think they can be helpful and if it works for you, that’s great! I do believe there are other ways to manifest change, however.

Can someone explain to me the actual difference between ‘physical’ and ‘astral’ magical heroes? Most of the folks that I have come across that label themselves ‘physical’ heroes don’t really seem to have a practice rooted in or working in this reality? They seem to still rely heavily on astral work and reality shifting.

For example, I suppose you can argue that my approach is ‘physical’ since I have an established magical practice utilizing tools and techniques that are tangible in the here and now (not that they couldn’t also be used out of the current timeline or on the astral) and I work to better our current and shared reality. I don’t really assert that the ‘physical’ or ‘astral’ distinction has to be made but if people feel that they need to use those labels, I think the community has to do a better job explaining the difference in approaches.

Can someone explain to me the actual difference between ‘physical’ and ‘astral’ magical heroes? Most of the folks that I have come across that label themselves ‘physical’ heroes don’t really seem to have a practice rooted in or working in this reality? They seem to still rely heavily on astral work and reality shifting.

For example, I suppose you can argue that my approach is ‘physical’ since I have an established magical practice utilizing tools and techniques that are tangible in the here and now (not that they couldn’t also be used out of the current timeline or on the astral) and I work to better our current and shared reality. I don’t really assert that the ‘physical’ or ‘astral’ distinction has to be made but if people feel that they need to use those labels, I think the community has to do a better job explaining the difference in approaches.