I’ve been thinking a lot about magick lately.

You know – magick with a k. The extra letter is added in order to distinguish it from the stage illusions. Which are also quite cool, but not what we’re talking about here.

So, what is magick?

The definition that I like to use is that of creating change by changing consciousness using your will. Often it’s a lot more subtle than stage magic, or the magick we see in books and movies.

Magick has a bad name in many of Earth’s cultures. It’s either associated with evil, or dismissed as a naive childhood wish. One reason for this is that it didn’t serve the patriarchal leaders of church or state to have empowered subjects – especially women. The wise women were slowly discredited and “witch” became a stereotype of ugliness and evil.

In modern times, science tends to dismiss things that it doesn’t yet understand. Only recently has this begun to be reversed, with science now acknowledging the healing power of mind over matter, the human aura, and the value of meditation, among other things. The magickal tools that the wise women and men have known for many centuries are gradually becoming mainstream.

The well-known Law of Attraction – you know, The Secret – is actually a form of magick, called sympathetic magick. The basis of that type of magick is “that which is like unto itself, is drawn.” Or, more simply, “like attracts like.”

This form of magick – also known as manifestation – gets oversimplified in the popular culture, and magick is again dismissed as wishful thinking. Yet wielded with skill and focus, magick can create powerful change, on both the personal and cultural levels.

How does altering your consciousness create change?

There are a myriad of methods you can use to work your magick.

Here on the Earth plane, magick is woven through focus, attention, and patience. We acknowledge that we are connected to everyone and everything in the cosmos, even though we can’t physically see those connections (which quantum physics is now discovering, thank you very much).

Whatever it is that you wish to change, whether a life situation, your health, or even acquiring a physical item like a car or a home, you begin by focusing on the outcome you desire. The more you visualize, work with, and affirm what you want, the more your brain will begin to believe it is yours.

It is key to involve your emotions in the process. Concentrate on feeling exactly what it will be like when your desired change has come about in physical reality. When you do this, you are using the power of your will. You enhance your connection with the outcome you desire.

In order to immerse yourself in the experience, you can choose to enhance your magick with symbols that you then infuse with the energy of your desire. This could be a particular scent of incense that you enjoy, a color that you associate with the topic of your desire, or a crystal or stone. Choose tools that delight your senses. This will help you to shift your consciousness.

When you are fully engaged with your desired change, then it’s time to release your magickal intent. Like dropping a pebble into a still pond, release your desire into the cosmos. It is key to the process. If you keep peeking under the lid, like the proverbial watched pot that just won’t boil, the energy you’ve built up will dissipate.

Finally, and this is a step that is often neglected, take actions in the physical world that support the magick that you’ve done.

This helps your mind believe that you’re truly committed to the change. It also attracts experiences that will help you draw to you the results you desire. For example, sitting on the couch and waiting for your new car to appear isn’t as effective as going out for a test drive or reading consumer reports.

Support your magick with physical steps that demonstrate your readiness to change.

Magick is a powerful technique that helps you to realize your goals and dreams. By harnessing the power of your will, you’re shifting your consciousness, and thus your beliefs. You expand the world through accepting your personal power.

As more and more people embrace their own magick, we become collectively empowered. No longer content with “the way things have always been,” we begin to create positive change, together. This will help reverse centuries of stagnation and abuse.

Magick is a powerful tool for cultural change, as well as personal growth. Try it for yourself!