Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard

Course Three: Practice 101

for understanding rather than judgment. Learn how

to communicate with others in a positive, life-affirm-

ing way.

Be Excellent to Yourself!

Divinity resides within as well as outside us, so

how you treat yourself is how you treat that Divinity.

Self-abuse, whether through irresponsible use of sub-

stances, overwork, self-denial, self-deception, or sim-

ply undermining your self-esteem, are all insults to

the Divinity within. Treat yourself kindly, with com-

passion rather than judgment, and it will be easier to

treat others that way. Take care of your body, home,

and possessions, as a piece of Gaia that has been en-

trusted to you. Be a conscious guardian to the Temple

of the Divine Spirit within.

Honor Diversity!

In Nature, a diverse ecosystem has more stabil-

ity. There are many styles of living and ways of liv-

ing, each of which has something to offer to the over-

all puzzle of life. Be open-minded and receptive to

new ideas because this usually manifests in growth

of the spirit and the mind. Learn about differences

rather than judge them. Sexism, racism, or rude re-

marks directed towards other’s sexual preferences,

body type, or personal habits (insofar as they do not

harm others) have no place in the magickal commu-

nity. All life is sacred.

Walk Your Talk! (And talk your walk!)

Talk is cheap. It is fine and well to proclaim a

stand for Truth and Justice and to preach heady prin-

ciples. But it is only through practice that words be-

come Truth, and change becomes manifest. But do

not be afraid to fail, for in order to grow, our reach

must exceed our grasp, and it is through failing that

we learn.

The Power of Compassion

Compassion, the ability to feel what others feel

and to care about it, is an important part of a Wizard’s

power. This is not just because compassion is “nice”

(a good enough reason to be compassionate), but be-

cause our power stems from being connected with

other beings. Magick is the result of our conscious-

ness at work, and for that action to affect anything

other than yourself, you must form a connection and

understanding with the target of your working. The

more attuned you are to the feelings and desires in

the Universe around you, the more powerful these

connections will be, and the more powerful your

magick. Remember, without sympathy, there can be

no sympathetic magic (Ian Lurking Bear Anderson).

Lesson 6: The Golden Rule

The most fundamental ethical precept is “Do as you

would be done by.” This principle is so universal

that it is called The Golden Rule. All of the previous

are just elaborations and commentary: This is the es-

sence. As Confucius said, this is the only rule you

need. Here are a few other ways this idea has been

expressed in different religions through the ages:

“Do unto another what you would have him do

unto you, and do not do unto another what you

would not have him do unto you. Thou needest

this law alone. It is the foundation of all the rest.”

—The Analects of Confucius (Confucianism)

“Do nothing unto others which would cause you

pain done unto you.”

—Upanishads (Hindu 3,000 years ago)

“Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would

find hurtful.” —Udana-Varga 5:18 (Buddhist)

“We should conduct ourselves toward others as

we would have them act toward us.”

—Aristotle (Ancient Greek)

“Do not do to others what you would not like oth-

ers to do to you.” —Rabbi Hillel (Judaism)

“Whatever you wish that men would do to you,

do so to them, for this is the law and the proph-

ets.” —The Bible, Matthew 7:12 (Christian)

When it comes right down to it, this means: No

ripping off; no screwing over; and be polite. After all,

absolutely no one, not even the most psychopathic

criminal, wants to be ripped off or screwed over!

Lesson 7: The Code of Chivalry

The Code of Chivalry was the Rule of the Knights of

the Middle Ages, who were formally sworn to up-

hold it as the first true Champions of Justice. It was

said to have been first established by King Arthur for

the Knights of the Round Table. If that’s so, then the

Wizard Merlin would certainly have helped to design

this code of conduct! Here are its ten most

important commandments:

1. Be True to your Faith.


2. Stand up for your Beliefs.


3. Defend the Weak.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, com-

mitted citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s

the only thing that ever has. —Margaret Mead

(quote from origination of Earth Day in 1970)

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