General consensus on...

Black magick. What do you all think?

Personally, I say do it. The threefold rule is like training wheels, it only applies if you need it to (read, if you don't know what you're doing).

What exactly qualifies as black magic? I use dark energy pretty often, but that's just a part of life, same as every other type of passive energy.

I do not comprehend this colour coding of the magics. I see do difference between black or white, magic is magic, the difference is in intent.

The colors just refer to different levels of intent, Freetha. White Magic is magic typically used with the intent to heal or seek enlightenment, while Black Magic is typically used with the intent to get what one wants or, famously, to do harm, though that's mainly a stereotype. "Grey" magic just refers to things that fall in between the two categories. That's how I understand it, anyways.

...Of course, I could also be horribly wrong. I need to go lurk on that one forum more....

Kayako Wrote:The colors just refer to different levels of intent, Freetha. White Magic is magic typically used with the intent to heal or seek enlightenment, while Black Magic is typically used with the intent to get what one wants or, famously, to do harm, though that's mainly a stereotype. "Grey" magic just refers to things that fall in between the two categories. That's how I understand it, anyways.

...Of course, I could also be horribly wrong. I need to go lurk on that one forum more....

Nope, that's the most commonly used color-coding system.

So, magick with the intent to do harm or manipulate free will is "Black Magick" and an astonishingly small number of people in the magickal community understand that there needs to be duality between black/white.
This heavy-handed white lighty BS irritates me, so I wanted to know what you folks thought of black magick and whether or not the threefold rule applies.

Honestly, there's often a good reason to use manipulative magic. I have great respect to a friend of mine who asked her namesake (Kali) for the power to bind a man and prevent him from being able to do something that which he usually did. (Beat the crap out of his gf.)
I have no qualms with it.

I think the "three fold" rule applies to intent and personal reward in all things really. That it's a matter of considering the short term results vs. the long term results. That "magically" it won't affect you but if you go off and do X without considering all the ways it could be bad for you, you might end up doing it in a way that proves catastrophic for you.

I think the 3-fold 'law' is just an over-codified version of general karmic beliefs. I mean, 'what goes around comes around' is a fairly wide-spread belief and many people can find good examples of it, but it's by now means (IMO) universal. There's plenty of horrible people who never get there come-uppance, and vice versa. Karmic proponents would cite that they'll get theirs in a later life (or afterlife), but that's debatable, as you can't really verify it.

In any case, I'm not sure who settled on 3x getting all your 'black magic' back, but it seems overharsh and violates laws of conservation of energy. I think it's enough to say that if you're a horrible person who violates people with your magic, there's a good chance "you'll get yours", but I really don't believe the "3-fold law" as it stands.

I’m more with Xanthus on the 3 fold rule.
Weather you do ill with magic or threw amore physical means, you gets yours back in time. All a balancing act.

As for black magic, my initial thoughts on it are that it’s just another way of a means to their end. Aside from that, I’m not nearly knowledgeable enough on it rightly to come to any more outright conclusions./ Though speculate I shall.

i'm a dark pagan, i believe there should be a balance. i do not believe in the 3 fold rule any longer. that is just silly in my opinion.

If it feels good, then do it! Magic is magic, if you are comfortable with doing something that may harm others, go ahead.