Magical Ethics

I think ethics are a very important component when it comes to practicing anything, especially magic and Witchcraft. However, even the most common sense ethics can manifest in undesired results.

I came across some "questions" someone posted about what to think about when planning on doing a working, however I see some flaws in these..."ethical questions".

1) "Am I doing this work with the permission and full knowledge of those that are to be affected"
--Unfortunately not everyone is available obtain permission for each and every work. Sometimes a situation could be so dire that you need to do it right away and you cannot obtain permission in time. Do we sit back and do nothing because we were unable to obtain permission?

2) "Am I doing this thing with good intentions and to their specifications?"
--The specifications shouldn't be the issue here, especially if YOU were the one who created the spell. It should be cast exactly the way you envisioned it.

The issue is the intention. Even the best intended spell can yield the worst result. One can cast with the best intention (say to stop a person from harming themselves with addiction), casting with your own personal intention in mind could end up making the person indulge more. One needs to be careful with intent and be absolutely sure about what it is they are doing. IS it right, and IS it the right time??

3) "Will this spell negatively impact others while I am helping this person?"
--Most likely. A job spell could result in the job being taken away from another person just so you can get it.  If you focus too much on how a spell is going to negatively impact another, you'd never cast spells. All spells will have both positive AND negative effects on other people. The thing to do is to weigh the pro's and con's, and determine which is more important.

4) "Am I taking away the free will of the persons involved?"
--Most likely you will take the free will of a person away when you cast. Essentially you are determining the direction of another's life through casting. Sometimes, though, you need to, especially if someone is participating in a destructive activity (i.e. drugs). Again, you need to determine if it's necessary. For the most part, though, many spells have nothing to do with another's free will, so you really don't need to worry about this.

5) "Am I working this spell while keeping it in a positive moral parameter?"
--That really depends on your OWN "moral parameters". One could consider what they do as being within "positive moral parameters", while an outsider could see it as being within "negative" moral parameters. Some people think casting curses is considered "negative" in the moral guideline. I think it depends on the situation. If you're cursing to protect yourself, then that's perfectly acceptable, but if you're cursing because someone spread an untrue rumor about you, then that's UNacceptable. Whose "moral parameter" are we working with, and is it meant to be universal?

6) "Is this spell something that is realistic and not overly fantastical in expectation?"
--This one I think hits the nail on the head and I have no criticisms for. If you're going to cast, MAKE SURE what you wish for your desired outcome is realistic and not based on fantasy. If you're watching a fantasy program and get the idea that you can change your hair color without the aid of a hair color treatment, but with an incantation...that's an example of unrealistic expectations. The only way you can change your hair color is through the use of hair treatment. The only way to change your eye color is by using contacts, the only way to lose weight is through exercise and a healthy diet. It's unrealistic to expect spells to drastically change your physical appearance. Realistic expectations is to cast a money spell and expect it'll come in it's due time, and through realistic means (i.e. a new job, a raise, promotion, etc).

7) "Are those involved within full understanding of what they are asking and responsible for?"
--I would certainly hope that ANYONE casting would understand what they are asking for and are responsible for what they ask for. If you don't understand what you're asking for, then you shouldn't be casting. If you don't want to be responsible for your actions, then you shouldn't be casting. It's simple as that.

8) "Is this spell for the person requesting it or is it simply for my own gain?
--Casting can be done for both, and be perfectly acceptable. You can cast a spell for a person requesting that you do so. My problem with that is funds...I would think a person casting for another would do so because they want to help, not for profit. If the requesting party wishes to donate money or supplies, then that's fine, but when someone says "I'll do X for X amount of money"...that to me gives the sense that they're only in it for money, not to help. I feel working for profit makes our craft cheap, and brings it down as a whole (but that's just my opinion).

Working for self gain is also acceptable. There's NO law ANYWHERE that forbids or prohibits a Witch or spell caster from casting for personal gain. The idea that you can't originated with "Charmed" and seems to be perpetuated by so many teen Witches. The fact is, EVERY spell cast is cast with some sort of "personal gain" attached. You cast them, and you gain either through the satisfaction of helping another, or to get something for yourself. And there's NOTHING wrong with that. It's ok to be selfish now and then.




Everyone needs ethics when they cast, but you need to take reality into account. Not all ethics work well with the reality of casting spells. If you're too ethical, you'll never cast, but if you're not ethical enough, you could hurt someone. Determine what's enough, and go from there.