Can Someone Explain To Me The Actual Difference Between Physical And Astral Magical Heroes? Most Of The

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.

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 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.