Do you have to worship a deity to learn magic?

[Yitagus]

In our forum, the topics most discussed and studied are the worship of statues of deities and mediumship. Most of the communication revolves around one's inner sanctuary and personal talents. Participants often showcase their statues and share the detailed conversations they have with the deities to demonstrate their spiritual progress. I've seen people worshiping statues of Lucifer, Lilith, and Zeus. Is it necessary to worship statues when studying magical practices, and are there any practices that do not require worshiping statues?

 

[ZanySpirtist]

There's no call for that. But if that is someone's style, then go for it.

You can do magick without invoking Entities at all. Entities just have a lot of power to them, so it's worthwhile.

Even then, I personally wouldn't worship them, but perhaps venerate - treat them with respect, like partners on a magickal journey.

 

[Morell]

No, it is not necessary.

Some schools of chaos magic are almost materialistic or at least atheistic in meaning that the gods are only in your head. But there are many practices that do not require any gods.

 

[sydward]

When you say worshiping statues, what do you mean by that? What reservations are you having? Journaling and diving deeper into this may help. Is it the appearance of idolatry? Or is it that you have an atheistic worldview?

Whatever the case may be, doing some introspection on this topic may be valuable to finding a path that will work for you!

 

[rekker]

That mistly depends on the path you choose. In general you can find paths that don't need gods to work well. In others there is a matter if good manner tonshow some aflictionnto god or gods but after all succes is thy proof. I got results with gids and without them but I like to be elastic and able to work under any circumstances. Worshipping can be fun as long as it does not produce neurosis.

 

[OberonFromTheHills]

Absolutely not.

I would even dare to say that magick, at his core, is the opposite of worshipping deities.

When you read old spells, like the ones from Greek Magical Papyri, the gods aren't worshipped but their names are used as a source of power.

There are not begged, they are directed.

 

[Firetree]

It stems from but one branch of magick , originally 'evocation' / 'theurgy ' and is related to the 'love and devotion' sector and is the equivalent of Bakhti Yoga ( think of the Hare Krishna movement ) .

But there are many other paths of magick and yoga as well , it is far from the only path available .

 

[Morell]

I've seen people worshiping statues of Lucifer, Lilith, and Zeus. Is it necessary to worship statues when studying magical practices, and are there any practices that do not require worshiping statues?

I have yet to see anyone worshiping statue instead of worshiping a being that is represented by statue. Are you sure that you got those people right? Because this statement, that people worship statues, sounds like as if you had no idea what those people do and never asked them.