One of the first forms of magic many of us ever encounters in life is music. While it is not what we traditionally think of when we hear the word magic - candles, cauldrons or witches on broomsticks - music is an undeniable force. It has the power of influencing emotions and states of mind, inspiring painters, poets, writers, musicians, actors, etc. People have been inspired by music to live authentically in fashion, gender identity, sexuality, nonconformity. It can transport us into different worlds where love is all we dream of or one where we mourn a loss so deeply only the music can express our pain. Particular tempos and rhythms have the ability of inducing mesmerizing trancelike states.
I have noticed the power of music in many different situations over the course my life. Cheerful Disney and animated films or cartoons’ melodies color happy carefree moments of the past while musical productions of shows like West Side Story, Phantom of the Opera, and Wicked evoked emotions I had no words for or experience with and yet became part of my being. Funerals were marked by the solemn ceremony and the cathartic tears falling in a church as the gathering sang hymns I didn’t know yet tugged at my heart.
In recent years I’ve dabbled in a few different digital hobbies. One of the adventures I explored was DJing for a club in the virtual reality platform called SecondLife. I did not go so far as learning how to alter speed, pitch, or other fancy manipulations of music. But I did learn there is an art to the arrangement of song order. Much like a radio DJ, I would select tracks to play and specify the order in the software I used and occasionally did short voiceovers or commercial breaks to promote the club or the DJ playing after me. Some of my favorite sets - usually two hour sessions of music - were when nothing was fully prepared. I selected a few songs and either added or rearranged song order by feeling the vibe of my audience. This was a magic combination.
About a year later I started DJing at an occult/pagan/witchy hangout for full moon gatherings. This new path took me on quite a deep dive into music I had never explored before as i looked for songs to play that struck a particular chord. Popular choices were from SKALD, Heilung, and Kerli. Other modern style bands were included as long as there was an undercurrent of spiritual resonance, empowerment, or depth of emotion and feeling. In This Moment has a fantastic album which is heavily spiritually focused. Born This Way by Lady Gaga was also extremely appropriate as an empowering anthem to live authentically. Over time I grew my music collection and worked hard to hone my skills for smooth transitions. Often I would be playing songs that made guests remember another that they sometimes requested so I would move it into the queue. Building the energy together while dancing virtually and connecting through the rhythm of the drums or the vocals created such a high that is hard to replicate.
A morning ritual I began a couple years ago is creating a short playlist to listen to while I drink my morning coffee. Inspired by a friend who has a similar concept for a playlist, I have been particularly selective about which tracks are in the playlist. They must meet a few pieces of criteria but the most important is that listening to them raises my vibrations. My mental energy and confidence level should rise with each song in the list. “Good Morning” by Qveen Herby is the first track that includes a short breathing meditation which often helps me center and ground regardless of current events.
The point of this post? If you are looking to for a place to start your practice, dip your toes into the mystical realm, or simply ground, music is a wonderful place to begin. Experiment with different songs to reflect on the emotions they evoke. This exercise is extremely helpful for discovering the music you may wish to listen to while doing spellwork. Can you create the emotions you desire by being selective of what you are listening to? Give it a try.
