Magick is energy workings, the kind in which the practitioner projects her/his will out into the world to affect change. Quite clearly then, magick that may affect reality, including another person, is magick that could cause harm, be it intentionally or unintentionally.

But what about the old proverb: “A witch who can’t hex, can’t heal.”

Can baneful magick (used here to mean harmful) ever be just or justified?

I believe that total prohibitions are as thoughtless as cartes blanche. Magick is never that “white” or “black”, and ethical people ought to be able to make distinctions and well-reasoned choices. But then things are rarely as clear-cut as we would like them to be.

Usually baneful magick is magick done for the explicit purpose of causing harm to another person (sometimes it is an accidental/incidental result of hasty magick). Often the reason it is simple revenge, and the thinking behind it is a distorted sense of justice. I did say usually because there is no rule, not even in magick, without exceptions.

If you think you would never magickally hurt somebody, consider this scenario: Your neighbour abuses his child, you have tried to get help through the normal channels (police, child welfare, etc), but this monster is smart, and he keeps getting away, and a child keeps getting hurt. You have also tried to protect the child with a spells and rites, but all have been in vain. What now?

Well personally I say: “Hex the son-of-a-you-know-what.” And damn the consequences.

But baneful magick is never easy, even for those within the Magick Community who do not embrace the threefold law. And there always seems to be some kind of price to pay. The only way I know how to do magick is by visualising the end I want and then projecting that goal with pure emotional energy. So the only way I can send out harm is by first experiencing (through visualisation) that harm within my own consciousness, a kind if instant atonement - which for me comes in the form of a massive and unforgiving headache which sticks around for days, and then I count myself lucky.

What about psychic attacks? Not all practitioners are ethical, and psychic attacks do happen. Should we not defend ourselves? Of course we should, but let’s first make sure the attack is real. The fantasy of a psychic attack is often nothing more, nor less, than a very convenient excuse that allows a practitioner to avoid looking at her/his own inadequacies and insecurity.

But, once in a rare while, some fool really does try to throw a whammy. So then, surely, I should be able to “whammy” the person right back, you know the whole tit-for-tat-thing. No, not really. I believe there are better ways of dealing with such things. Passive shields are always a good idea - like a mirror, these shields are totally inactive until somebody sends unwelcome energy. Then the shield will protect you and bounce back whatever is being thrown right back to its source. A kind of instant justice, and by defending yourself in this manner you will not hurt anybody out of paranoia, or by mistake.

Bindings, according to some, are defensive magick. They do not harm, only restrain. But imagine yourself being bound and experience the feeling of utter helplessness and pure frustration. There is no doubt that binding is bane from the viewpoint of the bound. Anyway, bindings are just plain poor protection as they target a particular person or group – what if you suspect the wrong person? Somebody harmless is bound and your actual attacker is not. Shields on the other hand cover you against any enemy, known or unknown.

What about coercive magic - magick that targets another person to make them give us something we want, or think we want/need. The spell to make the teacher give you good grades, or your boss give you a large salary increase, the spell to make the personnel officer employ you, the spell to attract that cute guy/girl, all these are examples of coercive magick.

So, what's wrong with high grades, a good job, a raise and a sexy lover? Nothing at all is wrong with these goals, but do not strive toward good ends by coercive means. Although there is no deliberate intent to do harm or cause pain in coercive workings, other people are treated as pawns. Their freedom to choose and their personal interests are ignored.

Also, what you think of as a working designed only to bring good to yourself can bring serious harm to innocent third parties, such the cute guy/girl’s fiancée, the man who may need the job much more than you, you forcing you boss to give you a better-than-deserved pay hike at the cost of someone else, etc.

The Pagan and Magickal community as a whole is also hurt by coercive magick. One of the main reasons people fear, misunderstand and even hate witches is our reputation for “controlling others”.

Also, every time you treat another human being as a puppet you are reinforcing your own alienation. The attitude of being superior to other people takes you out of community. The long-term result of coercive magick, as with mundane forms of coercion, is loneliness.

Then there is manipulative magick. Manipulative magic is magick that targets another person for what the magick practitioner believes is for “their own good”, without regard for their opinions in the matter.

In the general culture around us, this is normal - you may have some friend or relative praying for you to be “saved” from your evil Pagan ways, these people mean well, but we, as Pagans, work from a very different spiritual foundation.

As Pagans we affirm the diversity of the divine and the divinity of diversity. If there is no one, true, right and single way, and if more than one choice may be “right”, how can one person presume to know what another person would want without asking them first?

Remember, no life situation ever looks the same from outside as it does to the person who is living it. Are you sure you have all the facts? And it is possible that the person you are trying to help fears and hates the very thought of magick/witchcraft? They have as much of a right to keep magick out of their life, as you have to make it part of yours.

Although well-intentioned meddling may actually help somebody in the short term, in the longer run it “trains” them to dependency and indecision. Also, if the practitioner makes a habit this, she or he may come to believe that other people are incompetent and powerless. Manipulative magick is ultimately just as alienating as coercive magic - but it is a much prettier trap! The way to avoid this trap is to do no magick affecting another person without that person’s permission. You do not need to wait passively for the person to ask for help, it is perfectly all right to offer, as long as you are willing to accept “no” for an answer.

I think the rule-of-thumb is that whenever it is in any way physically possible to ask, you must ask. If asking is not possible then, and only then, may a practitioner make an exception: Sometimes an illness or injury can lead to unconsciousness before the practitioner can ask permission. If you know that this person is generally comfortable with magick, you may do workings to keep their body systems working and allow the normal healing process the time it needs. But if they are opposed to magick, for whatever reason, I think it is best to back off!

Also, if a person is temporarily not reachable, you may charge up a magickal object, such as a talisman, some incense, a candle, or a doll. When you present it to them, give them a full explanation. It is their choice whether to keep and use your magickal gift.

A good term that covers all wrongful magickal workings, I find, is: “non-consensual-magick”. No consent, no magick!

Are you beginning to think that magick is pretty useless? Did I just rule out all the good stuff, you know: love charms, job magick, spells for good grades, etc? Not really.

I believe that it is not only ethical but also good for you to do lots of magick to improve your own life for you will get more than you bargained for - along with whatever you asked for comes the knowledge and understanding of your Power-from-Within, and that is true Magick.

(This article is purely my personal opinion)