“Are you a good witch or a bad witch?”

It’s probably one of the most iconic lines from a movie in the history of cinema.  If you’ve not seen Wizard of Oz, stop reading now and find it on Netflix or Hulu or wherever.  Go ahead, I’ll wait.

…

Great movie, right?  Judy Garland is exquisite!

Anyway, back to work.  Today I’m going to talk about black magick, white magick, and whether such things exist in the context of Wicca.  Are there only two types of magick, one good and one bad?  Are there, therefore, good witches and bad witches?

The answer is no.

The end.

Okay, not quite the end.  But “no” is the long and short of it. 

What is Black & White Magick?

When you’re practicing magick, you’re practicing magick, period.  What people often associate with “black vs. white” are the deeds one does during the practice of magick.  Spells and rituals are tools that you use in the practicing of your belief system.  Most practicing witches use their powers for good, not evil.  They raise up energy to send to ailing friends and family.  They do ethical love spells to invite love into their or others’ lives.  They ask the Universe for things that are generally considered “good.”

There are also, however, people who exploit the practice of magick and cause less than desirable effects as a result of those practices.  For example, a slighted lover may put a hex on the person who just dumped them.  Or perhaps they’re using a binding spell unethically to make sure that their coworker doesn’t get the promotion that they really want for themselves.  The list goes on.

Energies

In its simplest form, magick is just working with energy; energy within yourself, energy in your surroundings, energy throughout the Universe.  You’re also interacting with energetic beings on the astral plane.  Just like here on Earth, there are beings with different vibrational frequencies.  High vibrational beings are generally associated with more positive and uplifting energies – love, happiness, joy, etc.  Low vibrational beings are generally associated with more negative and destructive energies – anger, sadness, jealousy, envy, and the like.

When you practice magick for less-than-noble reasons, you’re associating with the lower vibrational beings on the astral plane.  As a result, the net effect will generally be negative energy.  As grandma always said, “You are the company you keep.”  Even if you initially experience positive effects of a spell or ritual, the bad will inevitably catch up to you.  The Wiccan Rede says “Mind the three-fold law ye should; three times bad and three times good.”  What that means is that any energy you give out will ultimately be returned to you threefold.  The Universe always settles the score.

The Bottom Line

Most of us have a conscience – that little voice in the back of our heads that tells us if what we’re doing jives with our understanding of right and wrong.  At the end of the day, that little voice will serve as a guiding star when we’re practicing magick.  But are there any other ways to determine if the magick we’re practicing is good or bad?

Using the Wiccan Rede as a guidepost is always a good idea.  It sets forth, in pretty clear terms, what constitutes good practice.  “Live ye must and let to live.”  “Fairly take and fairly give.”  “Let love and light be our guides again.”  When it comes down to it, if you’re mindful of the charges within the Rede, you should be good.

Another thing to keep in mind is the free will of others.  If you’re doing a love spell to make a certain person fall in love with you or get back together with you, then you’re subverting their free will.  That’s bad.  If you’re wishing outright harm on someone because they slighted you, that’s bad.  Everything you do in magick should come from a place of “perfect love and perfect trust.”  If you wouldn’t want someone doing to you what you’re doing in your rituals, then that’s a good indication that what you’re doing is probably not on the up-and-up.

As practitioners of witchcraft, we wield much power.  Make sure you’re using your power for the betterment of everyone.

Curious about the future? Not sure what to do in a particular scenario? WiccanUniverse.com is here to help! Book a Tarot Reading now and find out what messages the Universe has for you!