Harry Potter & Pop Culture Magic -- Discussion Thread

[seawitch]

I saw that Harry Potter didn't have a thread, so I thought I'd start one. I'm a huge fan of Harry Potter. I remember talking to someone who was Wiccan and mentioned I was a fan and he got all offended and said that it was a mockery to the Wiccan religion. So, I hope I don't offend anyone by bringing up the series. I know that magick isn't really a point-your-wand-say-an-incantation-sparks-fly-and-things-happen kind of thing, I just really like it.

Okay so with that out of the way, some things that was said in Harry Potter are thongs I agree with. Like the fact that concentration is key to successful magick, and in order to perform successful magick, you have to want it bad enough. I agree with that one hundred percent. I remember doing a spell and having it not work for me because I was distracted by the voice that reminded me that I had strong feelings against that particular type of spell. Then trying a different spell I didn't see as wrong and pouring my heart into it, and it was very successful.

Then there are the other things that are in this book that does have to do with Wicca. I know that each House represents a certain element, and there was a Yule ball to celebrate the winter.

What about you guys, what do you think?

[Xiao Rong]

I saw that Harry Potter didn't have a thread, so I thought I'd start one. I'm a huge fan of Harry Potter. I remember talking to someone who was Wiccan and mentioned I was a fan and he got all offended and said that it was a mockery to the Wiccan religion. So, I hope I don't offend anyone by bringing up the series. I know that magick isn't really a point-your-wand-say-an-incantation-sparks-fly-and-things-happen kind of thing, I just really like it.

Me too -- LOVE Harry Potter! Of course, I don't think that magic works at all like it does in the Harry Potter universe (although I can't imagine why your friend got offended -- clearly Rowling wasn't attempting to depict Wicca at all). But it does hold a special place in my heart because I think it illustrates a lot of very beautiful spiritual truths that I take into my own practice. For example, the idea that love is the most powerful magic of all, and can even conquer death; that the true way to master death is not to deny it and live forever, but to accept its inevitability. A few quotes from Dumbledore have made it into my Book of Shadows, including:

-- "Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and above all, those who live without love."
-- "Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?" <--- this I believe to be a perfect description of archetype work!
-- "It does not do to dwell to on dreams and forget to live."

I should make a disclaimer here first obviously I don't believe in literal dementors, or that waving a wand will make things happen like it does in the books, or that Harry Potter is real, but in my pop culture magic practice, I like to use pop culture icons as metaphors in ritual drama ... in large part because Harry Potter emotionally resonates with me, a woman in 21st century America, far more than, say, the Iliad. (so just FYI, I don't do much with thoughtforms or anything like that, and I approach my pop culture magic with my tongue firmly in my cheek)

But one thing I've been toying with is the idea of using "Expecto Patronum" to banish depression. JK Rowling expressly invented dementors as a metaphor for her experiences with depression (in the way that they suck out your joy and make you believe you will never be happy again). She also invented a perfect metaphor for (temporarily) banishing depression -- by summoning your happiest memories as an energetic shield against them.

So I've been thinking about doing exactly that -- when I'm feeling down on myself, using a wand (or my pointer finger, if the wand's not handy), thinking about my happiest memories, saying "Expecto Patronum!", and then visualizing an animal that I love emerging and banishing my depression*. Yeah, it's silly, but that's the point! Guaranteed to make me smile at the very least, right?


*Obviously, this is not a substitute for professional treatment for chronic depression, just a temporary measure to help one lighten up a bit.

[BabyBear]

i love that ideal actually Xiao and infact that might work wonders for people like me who actually have animal spirit guides as thier main guide humm lots to think about on that one *takes notes*

and i have to agree that alot of the aspects of wicca were delicately placed into the fantasy of harry potter and i think that has to do with the whole wicca/paganism isnt bad in england
and that a lot of the books had hidden gems of knowledge and truths

Another thing i loved about the book and i might sound dumb when i say this but i loved the Divination teachers,
I love Sybill Trelawney because she dosent know that she can predict the future but she believes she can and devotes her whole life to it. Shes weird and not accepted by many but she still has people who believe in her, a job doing what she loves, and a home where she is accepted. To me this is just perfect.
As for Firenze i loved that he added to the ways of divination via star gazing and plant alignment and hate that he, and the class wasnt really in the movies.

i also love that they incorporate many of the mystical creates not many have heard along with ones that you have
it made kids like me wont to look them up and find the mythology behind them

[seawitch]

I do love that idea, too, Xiao Rong. I might actually use that technique next time. I also love the second quote you used. It's very true. If you cannot imagine the spell truly working and have it happen inside your head, first, then how on earth will it actually happen?

BabyBear, that's pretty cool that you have an animal spirit as their main guide. How did you find yours? Also, that doesn't sound dumb at all. I do think it's cool about Sybill Trelawney. She doesn't know exactly how she does it, but she knows she can predict the future. Also yeah, I do like how Firenze added the stars and plants into his teachings.

[BabyBear]

when i was born i could see spirits easily, among other abilities, in fact my mom would ridicule me one min for it and parade me around like a party favor at other times,
anyway when i was little me and my sisters had "imaginary friend" and where as my sisters were big brothers and sisters, mine was a wolf, i would talk to him and play with him and i think i vaguely remember him in a human form once or twice, and eventually thinks to my mom and circumstances i blocked most of this out and moved on avoiding everything as best i could.
Fast-forward about three or four years ago when i was trying to reopen myself to spirits cus i had closed off all my abilities to the best of my ability thanks to my mom. i had several dreams about my goddess Artemis, two male guards/companions that were with her, two dragons a baby red dragon and a huge older black and red dragon, and this big white with a dust of gray in the coat wolf.
they would all be teaching me and talking to me, i gradually realized that these were my goddess and guides and that they were telling my spirit what i needed to know. This eventually opened up to me remembering me as a baby curling up with a wolf puppy, my guide, and flashes of use growing up together, i learn that he had been given to me at birth to be my guide, my guardian and my protector.

so thats the story lol ive mentioned bits and pieces through the forum actually like my dream and learning that Artemis was my goddess.

[seawitch]

That's really cool, BabyBear. I'm sorry your mom caused you to close yourself off from this amazing ability, but I'm glad that you reopened yourself up. It truly is an amazing gift to have.

[BabyBear]

lol thanks and im not all the way open yet sadly but im getting there

[seawitch]

Still, at least you're reopening, and even have the ability to do so.

[dolphinpatronus]

I too am a HUGE Potter fan. Xiao I think your idea is great.

[Yex]

As a kid who grew up on Harry Potter, the idea of incorporating Hogwartsian magic into my practice is incredibly appealing!

I always was drawn to the patronus spell. I seem to have depression at bay for the moment, but the next time a "dementor" rears its ugly head, I'll be sure to summon up a light penguin.

Also, I really love these quotes, too. This scene was one of my favorite parts of the whole series:

-- "Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and above all, those who live without love."
-- "Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?"

[eclectic witch]

I love the idea of combining them, because I really love Harry Potter. I don't know how I never realized the houses/elements parallel!!

[dolphinpatronus]

Have any of you been sorted on Pottermore? I'm a Hufflepuff.

[eclectic witch]

Have any of you been sorted on Pottermore? I'm a Hufflepuff.

I've used it. I got Gryffindor, but I feel like I should be hufflepuff.

[Florenna]

I'm fully convinced the Pottermore sorting is faulty - it stubbornly tried to put me into Slytherin (So obviously doesn't even take your own preferences into account, like it should.) Actually, I opened an account there a few times as I was upset about being sorted into Slytherin, and got very conflicting results - twice Slytherin, then once Hufflepuff and once Ravenclaw, which reinforces my point about it being faulty (And not once did I get Gryffindor, which is where I feel I belong...)

I assume the Slytherins were partly because I chose e.g. black over white, but as I'm sure we all know black is a general colour for Witches, so shouldn't be taken as something evil or dark.

[Lord_of_Nightmares]

I saw that Harry Potter didn't have a thread, so I thought I'd start one. I'm a huge fan of Harry Potter. I remember talking to someone who was Wiccan and mentioned I was a fan and he got all offended and said that it was a mockery to the Wiccan religion. So, I hope I don't offend anyone by bringing up the series. I know that magick isn't really a point-your-wand-say-an-incantation-sparks-fly-and-things-happen kind of thing, I just really like it.

That's silly, Wicca is a new religion and HP is just hollywood magic. Also, "Yule" is older than Wicca. No pagan should be offended by Harry Potter because of their religion.