"Magic" or "magick" (ritual, mystic, translation)

[Guitar's Cry]

This came up in another thread, and due to my interest in words (I like to call myself a poet now and then!) I thought it'd be cool to explore.

Many neo-Pagans make a distinction between "magic" and "magick"; some asserting that it's to distinguish between illusionary art and spiritual practice. Some appear to do it because it's neat.

This isn't something I've studied in detail. I'll use them interchangeably depending on my mood.

Should there be a difference? Is there something inherently powerful in the differences? Anything of worth?

[Quagmire]

Intentionally mispelling a word is a good way of remembering to reserve reverance for the subject rather than the symbol.

[Guitar's Cry]

Originally Posted by Quagmire

Intentionally mispelling a word is a good way of remembering to reserve reverance for the subject rather than the symbol.

Interesting! I never thought of that.

I've heard that some people, when learning a new language, begin to see the world differently as a result of the new association. It is, indeed, a new framework.

[Quagmire]

Originally Posted by Guitar's Cry

Interesting! I never thought of that.

I've heard that some people, when learning a new language, begin to see the world differently as a result of the new association. It is, indeed, a new framework.

Shows you the power words have over our perception.

In another forum I used to go to someone posted a paraphrase of one of the biblical proverbs in modern terminology and a christian almost immediately swooped in to berate the guy for posting "alot of New-age bull****" in the christian forum.

Kind of funny really. Sometimes people become so hung up on language that they never get into the meaning of what's written.

Kind of like hanging the wrapping paper on your wall and throwing away the present.

[Mestemia]

Many of the pagans I know use 'magic' to mean the David Copperfield stuff and "magick" to mean the mystical stuff.
Other pagans I know use the 'k' spelling merely because it is neat.
Other still say they use it (the 'k' spelling) because it aggravates others.
I have also heard numerous other reasons for using the 'k' spelling.
So It is my opinion that it depends entirely with whom you are speaking as to the why.

[Mestemia]

Originally Posted by Quagmire

Shows you the power words have over our perception.

In another forum I used to go to someone posted a paraphrase of one of the biblical proverbs in modern terminology and a christian almost immediately swooped in to berate the guy for posting "alot of New-age bull****" in the christian forum.

Kind of funny really. Sometimes people become so hung up on language that they never get into the meaning of what's written.

Kind of like hanging the wrapping paper on your wall and throwing away the present.

This can be seen with the newer translations of the Bible as opposed to the older translations.
How much fuss did the NIV create when it was first introduced?
Or the New King James?
Frubals for your bringing the concept to the attention of the thread.

[Quagmire]

Originally Posted by Mestemia

This can be seen with the newer translations of the Bible as opposed to the older translations.
How much fuss did the NIV create when it was first introduced?
Or the New King James?
Frubals for your bringing the concept to the attention of the thread.

It's interesting to see people arguing the same point, completely unaware that that's what they're doing because their texts express it in different terms.

A lot of the conflict between religions boils down to differences in language. Of course, if the adherents don't understand what their texts are saying in the first place they'd have no way of recognizing the message when it's expressed in an unfamilair way.

Thanks for the frubals.

[Willamena]

Originally Posted by Quagmire

Intentionally mispelling a word is a good way of remembering to reserve reverance for the subject rather than the symbol.

You mean like "womyn"?

[Azakel]

Originally Posted by Willamena

You mean like "womyn"?

Or also like Vampyre, hehe.

But the reason why I spell Magick with the K is when I was first getting into it I read Crowley, and the reason he gave behind spelling it like that made sense to me(from wiki): "The Anglo-Saxon k in Magick, like most of Crowley's conceits, is a means of indicating the kind of magic which he performed. K is the eleventh letter of several alphabets, and eleven is the principal number of magick, because it is the number attributed to the Qliphoth - the underworld of demonic and chaotic forces that have to be conquered before magick can be performed. K has other magical implications: it corresponds to the power or shakti aspect of creative energy, for k is the ancient Egyptian khu, the magical power. Specifically, it stands for kteis (vagina), the complement to the wand (or phallus) which is used