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Ah, the fluffy bunny myth of Paganism! Since the 90’s people have had this idea that Pagans are a bunch of tree-hugging, crystal-waving weirdos who are happy all the time, bringing white light to the world. I hate to break it to you, but magick isn’t white (or black) and it gets really complicated.
Some people would like for you to believe that magick is all about getting good vibes and directing them into good things. While this can be true, it’s not the whole story. Strong emotion is great fuel for a magickal working, but happiness and love aren’t the only emotions. Sadness, anger and even hate can be used to fuel a magickal working, and that doesn’t mean that the outcome is going to be a negative one. For example, you can direct some powerful energy into a healing spell by accepting a disease’s affect on you, crying out the pain, and calling to the universe for aid in removing it from your life.
The invention of the so-called “law” of attraction has only served to make matters worse, as it instructs its users to deny and remove all “negative” thoughts and feelings in favor of “better” ones. The LoA has wiggled its dirty fingers into the Pagan community, and makes even more people think that all magick has to come from a place of love and light.
Just like with any creative work, any emotion can be used to your benefit if you know how. Some of the best art, music, and yes, magick, was born from pain, anger, or some other supposedly “negative” emotion. You don’t have to be a shiny-happy person to use magick for good purposes.
*Disclaimer: I no longer practice Paganism, but I’ve left these Pagan Myths articles active because I believe they’re still valuable in helping people to understand Paganism and reduce negative stereotypes.*
