This post was inspired by Episode 29 of New World Witchery in one of those random statements leads to random thoughts leads to curious wondering moments.
There is a lingering idea in the world that “a curse won’t work if you don’t believe in it”. Not all people or even practitioners adhere to it, but I still hear mention of it now and again. In the above episode, Cory, Laine and their guest discussed the impact of healing magic on animals and young children, young enough that the child wouldn’t understand what was happening. In both cases it’s obvious that the healing, which was witnessed, could not have been the result of positive thinking.
What then occurred to me was that perhaps the mind could impact the situation in a negative fashion, rather than a positive one. We know that magic is driven by our will and focus, powered by our passion. Now let’s assume that the recipient of the healing or curse is adamantly opposed to the magical possibility. Not just a laissez faire attitude towards magic but a complete and utter repudiation of it.
Or in other words, they put their will, focus and passion into the certainty that there is no magic that could possibly touch them.
If they were strong enough in all these components, could they counter the affect of the magic coming towards them?
It would be a form of counter-magic (making it extra funny given that it would require the same tools as magic does).
If this is the case, it could account for the ‘you have to believe in curses for them to work’ statement. Except that the phrase has leapt to the wrong conclusion. It’s not that you have to believe in them, but perhaps if you repudiate the very idea on a deep, strong, passionate and consistent level, it could form a natural shield that might protect the anti-believer.
What do you think?
I honestly think that’s a really great conclusion to make- and a logical one. But, you’re right, in order to protect yourself, you’re saying “I don’t believe, I don’t believe!” It sort of becomes a case of, “methinks the lady doth protest too much,” you know? Thanks for letting me know about this post. <3
I hear you about the “I don’t believe”. In fact, I don’t think it would work because it’s a negative. We don’t believe in not-things, we believe in things. So the only way I think it would work is if the person had a very strong belief in, say, science, to such a degree that nothing outside of it could get in. (Which would probably make a poor scientist because of that need to be open to possibility in order to see what could be possible and then test towards it, but I digress). Such a funky thing to think about.