Course Three: Practice
Class I: Ethics of Magick
“Listen to me now. Have you never thought how danger must surround power as
shadow does light? This sorcery is not a game we play for pleasure or for praise.
Think of this: that every word, every act of our Art is said and is done either for
good, or for evil. Before you speak or do you must know the price that is to pay!”
—Ursula K. LeGuin (A Wizard of Earthsea, p. 23)- Introduction: Ethics & Morals
THICS ARE THE PRINCIPLES WE HOLD
deep within ourselves that gov-
ern our choices in life, our actions,
and our behavior towards others.
Our ethics grow out of our most
deeply held beliefs, our under-
standing of who and what we
truly are, and our vision of our
life’s mission and Destiny. Ethics are very different
from morals, which are rules that others impose upon
us based on what they want us to do, and often not in
our own best interest. And neither ethics nor morals
are the same as laws, which are rules created by law-
makers, for the purpose of keeping everyone in line in
a smoothly functioning and governable society.
Whether our behavior is based on ethics, morals,
or laws does not in itself determine whether we are
helpful or hurtful to others. Some people’s ethics re-
quire that they treat others with integrity, honesty,
and compassion; others hold ethical standards that
justify persecuting and abusing others they deem “in-
ferior” or “unworthy.” Likewise, morals and laws may
enhance people’s lives in positive and liberating ways,
or enslave them to a corrupt dictatorship.
No matter how we formulate our philosophy, the
true test of our strength and principles lies in our behav-
ior—our ability to embody the principles we hold dear,
and apply them in our daily lives to the building of rela-
tionships and community, the integrity of our actions,
and the strength of character that inspires others to
grow and positively transform the world around them.
To that end, there are a number of basic ethical prin-
ciples that true Wizards hold to. As my Apprentice, I
expect you to embrace these principles as well.Lesson 2. “With Great Power
Comes Great Responsibility”
—Stan Lee (Spiderman, 1962)This is the Prime Directive of all those who wield
power—whether superheroes, magicians, or Wizards.
The power to control your life, and in turn affect thelives of others, is one of the greatest powers that ex-
ists. With this power comes the responsibility to use it
properly. Whenever you are working Magick to affect
your own life, you need to be as certain as possible
that what you wish to accomplish is in your best inter-
est. When your work will affect the lives of others, it is
advisable to have the others’ permission first. To un-
derstand what may be in someone else’s best interest
is much more difficult than knowing what is best for
yourself. Many come to Magick in hopes of wielding
power over others. Eventually, they fail or learn the
truth: True power is power over yourself.
Personal power gives us great freedom in how we
choose to live our lives. The necessary counterpart to
this freedom is the willingness to be personally re-
sponsible for all of our actions, and for our effects
upon the planet. Only through the practice of per-
sonal responsibility can we become responsible col-
lectively and live a life of freedom and maturity. We
must all take equal responsibility for making things
happen, preventing harm, or cleaning up mistakes.
For the greatest principle of Power (indeed, the
essence of Natural Law) is: “Actions have conse-
quences.” Whatever we choose to do—or choose not
to do—will send its reverberations throughout the
great Web of Life. The great 19th Century genius Rob-
ert G. Ingersoll once remarked: “In Nature there are no
rewards or punishments; there are consequences.”
Therefore, I say: “How you treat me is up to you; how
I treat you is up to me.”Power
Power is the ability to manifest one’s Will in the
physical plane. Power is thus equated with Magick.
Those who are acclaimed as “great” in our histories
and myths achieve such legendary status through the
impact they have on our world, our society, and our
lives. For a time, they hold Power. But they key ques-
tion of Power is always: How will one use it—and to
what ends? There is power to do—to accomplish, to
create, to build, to manifest, and thus to change the
world. There is power to control—to rule others, and
force them to one’s bidding against their own will and
their own interests. There is power to prevent—to
keep things from happening that ones does not wishCorrected pages 3rd printing.1.p65 36 6/10/2004, 2:59 PM