This is a fabulous principle-good, sound advice if nothing else-that you don't hear much about lately. It seems to have gone "out of fashion." The old teachings are fading away and this is not good. This "new" Wicca is an eclectic mish-mash of stuff taken from anyone and everywhere. I can be accused of it myself at times to be brutally honest. YOU MUST LEARN TO READ WITH A CRITICAL EYE. I recently reconnected with the idea of the Witches Pyramid-excellent! Tell me what you think.
Branwenn
The Witches' Pyramid
also known as the 4 Powers of the Magus
To know, to dare, to will, to be silent.
The Witches pyramid, also called "The Four Laws or Powers of the Magus," is very old. It is ceremonial magick, but of great value to Witches, too. I suggest making special note of these four building blocks of Wicca. The Four Laws are matched to the Elements and give good advice to any Witch.
To Know (Air)
To know means to study and learn everything you can about magick and the way it can be used. As a Witch, you must know what you are doing when it comes to magick. It is a big responsibility for all Witches. Many times spells backfire because the Witch did not do her/his homework. These lessons will guide you in the right direction for a beginner/First Degree-Priest/Priestess, but you still must also read as many books as you can, do research at a library and/or on the Internet, and ask other EXPERIENCED Witch's opinions. Continue to do this for the rest of your life!
To Dare (Water)
As a Witch you must dare to practice what you have learned.
To Will (Fire)
Once you have decided to practice magick, you must be strong enough to will the manifestation (to make the spell come true). The fear of failure or of a spell backfiring is always there, creeping into the apprentice's mind, or the fear of not being strong enough to carry a spell. "What if nothing happens?" If you have read Wicca 101 books, they allow readers to practice simple magick. Build your confidence by doing simple magickal works first. Try candle magick and gem magick. These are the easiest to perform and excellent for beginners. Start performing magick for yourself. As you gain more confidence in your own magickal abilities, you can move on to perform more complex spells adding your own flair to them, your own traditions, as you go.
(IF you perform magick or affirmations for someone or send energy to someone or something, Always ASK their permission! I shouldn't have to say this, but I do. ALWAYS ASK! Also, always include the words "harming none" in EVERY work you do. Use common sense. Don't try to MAKE someone specific fall in love with you, instead ask that true love that is good for you and makes your life a better place enter your life according to the free will of all, harming none.)
Everyone makes mistakes, even though we do our best to avoid them. This is normal; do not torture yourself if one of your spells goes wrong. A wise Witch will record everything in her/his Book Of Shadows. Then he/she will re-read what happened carefully looking for any problems. Also-Who says rites have to be big and flamboyant? Do you really think the Goddess will look down her nose at you if your rite is small and simple? I do not always have the time or find myself in the right place to perform a full ritual, so I keep them simple. KISS
To Keep Silent (Earth)
Witches must keep quiet about the work they are doing. Every time Witches talk about their magickal work, part of the energy is given away. Also, the Witch may be telling someone who, for whatever reason, does not want the Witch to succeed. That person, knowing what is being done, can counteract the results. This is not a usual occurrence, but it can and does happen. In silence there is knowledge. You are the master of your thoughts, but a slave of what you say.
This, above, is a conglomeration of my writing and the thoughts of others on several web pages I browsed recently. These four principles are as old as the Wiccan Rede--maybe older--and we need to remember these basics and fundamentals before we try to do any magic at all.
