Magi Praxis - Blog Posts
The Duties of a Magical Girl
A few people have asked me what I would consider to be valid work for a magical girl. In a similar vein, I’ve seen a lot of folks here struggle with the idea of ‘concepts’ and feeling that they need to conform to a preconceived notion of what magical heroes do.
This post has been a long time coming but I think I’m finally feeling confident about what I want to convey here. If you’ve been waiting on this, thank you so much for your patience and I hope it helps you in your journey!
This post is part of my Magi Praxis series. If you have any suggestions for future topics, or you have attempted anything I have shared and want you share your experiences, please send me a message! I am always happy to go back and provide further explanation as well. ☆
While tasks like tracking down Labyrinths and vanquishing evil entities seem to be almost standard for many magical girls, these by no means define what it means to be a magical hero. I would also go so far as to say that you do not need to transform, whether that would be physically or astrally, to be a magical girl.
Our jobs boil down to a simple idea: to make the world a better place. How we then decide to go about that is what ultimately makes our individual approaches and practices unique.
While a statement like ‘making the world a better place’ can seem grandiose and unachievable, we can decide to start smaller or on a more personal level. Realistically, it may be more feasible and responsible to approach your work in a way that makes the world better for you, your friends and family, or your communities.
We do not all need to tackle big, existential problems through our magical duties—especially if you’re just starting out on your journey. Focus on making the world happier, more welcoming, and more habitable for you. This may take the form of self-care, confidence boosting, or glamours through the use of magia. You can also do this through volunteer work, community building, and mutual aid; I often find that helping others helps me with my complicated feelings of confidence and self-worth.
This is not to say that the astral battles and the like aren’t worthwhile, but they should be done with the goal of making our world and communities better—however you envision that to be.
If you’re new to visualization and astral projection, are having some difficulties with it, or even if you’re a veteran looking for resources, I highly recommend The Mentalist's Handbook: An Explorer's Guide to Astral, Spirit, and Psychic Worlds by Clint Marsh with illustrations by Jeff Hoke.
It was one of the first occult texts I picked up that I found refreshingly succinct and accessible. One of my biggest pet peeves is when occult authors describe tools or techniques but fail to explain the mechanics or don’t even attempt to offer any insight; Marsh not only details an approachable practice regimen but Hoke’s illustrations offer a bit of whimsy and inspiration for your own visualizations. Not to mention, the publication itself is just beautifully printed! Of course it is also available online in many formats but I definitely do not regret having a copy in my personal library!
Are there other topics you’re looking for more information on or are interested in other recommendations? Feel free to send me a message and I can try to point you in the right direction! ☆