My Most Earnest Piece Of Advice For All Magical Heroes And Practitioners In General Will Always Be To

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.

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.

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.

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.