When I hear people portray magical practice as hard, it makes me shake my head. I'll concede that we all go through hard times and that some times magical work can be challenging. We've all had those experiences. BUT... Magic doesn't have to be hard. If it is hard, it's time to figure out why, and see if you can work it smarter instead of harder. A lot of times what makes something hard is what the person is bringing to it...and in the case of magic what I see brought to it, all too often, is a lot of pseudo-intellectualizing, with little to no actual experiential work being done. Put down the books, and do the actual work. Let your experiences teach you. The books, mine included, should only be guides, of sorts, that give you ideas, point you in some directions and inspire your work. If they stop you from doing the work, then they aren't serving their purpose. The same is true for anyone, me included, who offers advice. At best we can be guides that point the way to fruitful directions that you can explore. But don't let any of us, me included, stop you from figuring out your own truths and having your own experiences. The actual work you do, the magic you practice is what ultimately will open the way for you. Trust yourself enough to do the work and let the resultant experiences speak to and through you. This is the way.
