Magic has been part of human existence since the dawn of time; though one should not assume that, from the very beginning, magic was as complex and rich in double symbolism as it is today.
The seed of magical practices is sympathetic magic, a term coined by James Frazer in his book The Golden Bough (1890). It is the association of ideas, objects, people or beings that have no apparent physical connection at first glance, but which are linked through magic. Within sympathetic magic, Frazer identified two basic principles:
The Law of Similarity; when the ritual imitates that which one wishes to bring about, for example, pouring water to bring rain, or depicting an event pictorially or dramatically.
The Law of Contagion; when two objects have been in contact in the past, they remain linked forever. An example is the use of a person’s hair or nails to cast a spell on them.
Archaeological remains have been found around the world which, in my opinion, suggest quite categorically that human beings have put magical thinking into practice since the very beginning. In fact, magical thinking is not exclusive to Homo sapiens; several of our ancestors employed this way of thinking in their lives.
The ritualisation of life’s defining moments was the setting for magical thinking, and remains so today. Burials and births, but also rites of passage, marking the different stages of life. Initiations are a rite of passage, and there is archaeological evidence suggesting they have been part of human culture for millennia.
Not only to mark transitions, but it has also been used for millennia to manifest. Fertility statues or cave paintings depicting hunting scenes. These are all examples of magical actions based on the Law of Similarity.
Magical thinking is a skill that arises from having integrated symbolic vision and understanding the basics of rituals. It responds to a different logic, in which there is no strict separation between the material and the immaterial. The primary sense used in this mode of thinking is intuition.
It is a different way in which our mind functions, combining creativity with self-knowledge and also with the individual’s understanding of symbolism. This union generates a way of seeing reality in which the objects around us can become magical elements. This type of thinking bears similarities to what is known as ‘Lateral Thinking’, a term coined by Edward de Bono. It is similar in the suspension of judgement when generating ideas. It accepts the mind’s suggestions as options that must later be filtered or refined. They need not follow a logical and rational sequence, but rather simply arise and be considered. In fact, in lateral thinking sessions, it is often recommended that people simply spout out everything that comes to mind.
Unlike magical thinking, lateral thinking involves thinking outside the box, without trying to follow a logical path.
Thinking magically means thinking in terms of energy. How to obtain energy, express it or feel it. How we are going to manipulate it, what our intention is, and the way in which this work will be carried out. Everything is based on how the energy will move, on creating a current like an arrow to manifest our goal.
Magical thinking views reality through symbolic eyes and glimpses the ritual possibilities of the elements around it. It decodes everything based on symbolic and subjective associations, but also on the experience or knowledge acquired along life’s journey. In many respects this is culturally inherited; in others, it is learnt. Today there are thousands of informative texts on the most basic and mundane magic… and hundreds more dealing with more advanced magic. All magic has a logic behind it; there is an intention, and the actions performed are symbolic. The emotion that arises or stirs during the ritual performance is the fuel for any magical act; it is what gives it an explosion of power. The symbolic aspect channels that power, gives it nuance and directs it. Not only externally, but also internally. Magic cannot be performed without at least some consideration for the inner world. The practitioner must take into account their emotional and mental state, as these will directly affect the programming of the energy in any ritual.
The symbolic perspective looks beyond the literal meaning of things, allowing intangible concepts to be expressed through signs or objects. Magical thinking seeks to identify these symbolic elements and explores ways in which they can be put to practical use in magic.
Furthermore, and no less importantly, this way of thinking allows us to structure the symbolic perspective. It helps us to explain what is subjective, experiences that are not entirely rational, and which sometimes seem to lack logic. Magic follows a specific logic; it is sometimes irrational and highly subjective… but it is based on the behaviour of energy.
When we apply magical thinking, the interpretation of dreams becomes dynamic. We cease to see separate signs, but instead understand that they are a set of elements acting together to create a symbolic message. The dynamics between the symbols tell us what the reason for the dream is. Sometimes it is easy to guess what the subconscious is telling us, but on many other occasions we must delve deeper and be creative to explore the narrative of a dream, taking into account all its elements as agents of symbolism. This way of thinking helps us to give meaning to events and connect them to one another, or to a greater external reason, or a hidden one.
Magical thinking helps us interpret experiences that rational thinking cannot. When we speak of ‘extrasensory’ perceptions, the only way to express them is in magical terms. The language that enables a person to express what they have experienced is magical, as it speaks of something that, in many cases, transcends the physical. The reason for these experiences and their potential effect on our development can only be articulated through the language of magic. Otherwise, part of the information will be distorted. It would be like trying to teach Chinese to someone by speaking only Spanish.
Magical thinking is that which explains reality from a symbolic perspective, but also that which seeks ways to transform the present moment, or to connect with aspects of the self that reside in the spiritual realm.