A person in a online occult group recently asked “Why does everyone want to cast spells, but no one wants to cultivate mana?” Well, as you can imagine, the conversation alternated between people making fun of the OP and people making reference to gaming mana. For those who are unaware mana in gaming is your attribute for energy, your pool of magical potential and ability. Like health, you can put points into mana and be able to cast more and increasingly difficult spells, and also like health, mana can be depleted.
I and another poster took it in another way, one that I’m wondering was the true intention of the poster – Why are people so focused on spell casting, but not developing their own sense of and capability for magical work?
Especially in the US, we are a culture of quick-fixes. We are taught that pills, lotions, and mantras fix things right away, and if they don’t, the failing is generally on the individual. We have microwave everything, premade items, and online stores that ship in only a couple of days to mere hours from around the world. The internet has given us a tool for immediate information and often the satisfaction for many wants. People work many jobs, have side hustles, or gig-work to make ends meet, leaving us no time for anything other than quick fixes. On top of all of that, most of our quick fixes truly don’t address the fix for the problems that they were intended to cure, so many turn to magic and the quick fix of magic is spell work to most people’s understanding.
Now let’s be clear, spell work is not a quick fix. Spells can take a long time to set up and may have a long duration before they take effect, while some truly are more immediate. We are dependent on spells to fix our lives because we are burnt out and have been taught that quick fixes are the right way. People don’t want to cultivate mana because we don’t have the time or the energy. We are taught that only old dudes take the long way and that that system no longer applies. And, when practioners who have been at it a while are asked questions about how to get where they are now, folks are often confused or disgusted with the “take the long road” answers. People need solutions now, life is hard and unrelenting. The world is literally burning down around us.
I’m not advocating for the quick fix, I’ve been at this long enough to know that there is a long way, and I also know how fast things can change and manifest. I’m hoping to shed some light on why people are only after spell casting and don’t want to put in the work to cultivate their mana. For folks who want to know more about cultivating your power: read a lot, create a mindfulness practice, dedicate to a journaling practice, go to the doctors, have sessions with a mental health therapist, visit the dentist, exercise, eat for your health, do your shadow work, practice, practice, practice, do the boring, unsexy stuff. And sure fuck around and find out, that will teach you a lot too, but realize this – long-term gains and power come from consistent practices, they come from hard work, and they are absolutely worth the journey.