The ethics of magic is something that many people struggle with. The "Harm None" phrase gets quoted often, but even if you follow it, there is a lot of room for interpretation. Harm is a much more vague term than you might think, and sometimes we don't have a clear understanding of what is harmful to us (or others).
Many people prefer to simply stay away from doing magic that effects other people without their permission. The idea of infringing on another person's free will is one that doesn't sit well with many.
And yet, all of life is a give and take. If we want to eat to live, we must take from another (whether it is an animal or plant). Now we have rules about how we can take things. Typically we take by giving, we offer up something, like money, to pay for the thing we are gaining. But we might also offer our time or barter goods for other goods.
Most people try to find ways to be as fair as possible to everyone involved. After all, if everyone walks away happy, the next interaction will likely go even better!
But sometimes, you have no choice. Someone is determined to try to take away from others, and they aren't willing to listen. Or you are dealing with something (like a natural disaster) that you can't negotiate with.
Let's think about the natural phenomenon first. If a big storm is hitting, we want to protect what is important to us. We may cast spells to help keep our family and property safe. But we might also decide we want to try to help the greater population as well, and expand our spell to protect other people. This might have the effect of lessening the storm.
Now, weather magic can be tricky. It's one of those things where we don't always know everything, and we may not think about how changing the weather could effect future weather. Will the storm not hitting mean the area suffers from lack of water? Will the storm have cleared out some old growth to make way for new growth?
If we simply try to make the storm dissipate, we are more likely to create some kind of imbalance than if we were to work towards allowing the storm to rage around us...but not damage property or hurt people and animals.
Right now, we are faced with a different kind of disaster, although still a natural one. The virus that is spreading across the globe is a natural, living thing that only wants to survive and propagate...kind of like people. I think that this is kind of like when any one species becomes too dominant, has too much of a current advantage. But even to take it on a more personal level, I as a person have the right to want to survive. And if this means I have to fight another being, then I have that right. It's why we protect our homes from people who might want to come in and do us harm, or even steal our things. We are within our rights to defend ourselves, and sometimes if the attacker will not yield, that can mean with any force necessary.
This is one of those decisions that each person must make on their own. It's a bit like the decision to eat meat or not. Many people don't feel right eating meat and many people don't feel wrong eating meat. It really comes down to what you can live with. If your desire to not harm others is so great you would rather allow people to take your things than cause them harm, then that is your choice to make. We all have to figure out where we stand on these things and live a life that matches.
My personal viewpoint is somewhere in the middle. I'm more than happy to let things live, but once you start making my life miserable, I will act. I kill bugs (especially those that bite me), and I eat meat, and I will defend my home and family.
You might be asking what this has to do with anything. Well right now, if you consider the global situation, we have a lot of people who are out doing things that are putting everyone at risk. It sort of reminds me of the witches who banded together to fight against the horrors of WWII. There was a threat to the way of life, a big enemy, and witches worked together to use magic to fight against it.
I feel we are at a place like that now. And it's not just about the people who are resisting the restrictions put in place to keep everyone healthy. We are fighting the virus itself, we are fighting the emotional strain it has put on us, we are fighting the financial disaster that is looming. This is the time to really think about how you want to be using your magic to effect the world.
Let me start off by saying that if you feel it is not your place, or that your practice isn't aligned towards this sort of thing, that is absolutely fine. It is YOUR choice...but let it be an informed choice. There are many, many ways we can effect the world at large, and they don't have to be controlling or confrontational.
I always think about the kindness ripples, about how tiny acts of kindness, simple things like smiling at a stranger when you see them, can spread much farther than you think. I fully believe magic works the same way. When I work to bless someone I know, I can make their life a bit better. That in turn can help them do something for someone else. One small blessing can reach people I have never met. And I think we need all the small blessings we can get right now.
I was thinking about smiling at strangers the last time I went to the grocery store. We are required to wear a mask now, so I was thinking about how any one would know I was smiling. But of course a smile is more than just a face gesture. It is a little act of magic, a little sharing of your kindness and uplifting energy. And you can make it even more deliberate. For those that are wearing masks, they can be blessed, not only to help ward off any sickness...but to spread joy and feelings of safety.
There is so much fear and worry going around right now, and for many people a mask is a symbol of that. It is a physical representation of a reaction to something scary. It is a way to distance yourself from other people, that you don't know are sick or well. But, we can work to change their energy! We can charge our masks to be symbols of protection and care. Instead of seeing a mask and thinking we are living in a scary time, we can see a mask and think, "There is one more person who is doing what they can to help protect others." Masks can become a flag of community, something that ties us together in our desire to stand as one.
And, like the witches of WWII, we can also join together and work towards finding a cure and treatment, towards wining the fight with this virus. We can cast our protections on not only our loved ones, but the vulnerable, the caregivers, the essential workers...everyone who is putting themselves out there.
We can cast our spells to open people's eyes, to bring a renewed focus on finding a solution instead of looking for ways to place blame. We can cast our spells to bring real change, to use this horrible situation to make the world a better place for everyone, to show people that the things they thought were impossible are not only doable, but desirable.
They say change starts with an idea, and we can take that idea and start sending it out into the world. Think about what is going on and what outcomes you would want, not only for yourself but for the world. Look for ways that fit your practice, to send those ideas, those dreams out there...and let's build a new world!
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