Photos by Jem
Humanistic magick is our approach that blends the principles of humanistic psychology, such as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, with mystical practises or magickal expression. At its core, this is a philosophy that emphasises the importance of personal growth, transformation and intentional change through the art of magick.
Unlike traditional forms of magick that may focus primarily on external outcomes, humanistic magick centres on the individual’s inner journey, encouraging practitioners to explore their thoughts, emotions, and beliefs as essential components of what might be expressed through a magickal practise. Sometimes this is inverted, and becomes using magick to support the individual’s inner journey when they explore their thoughts, emotions, and beliefs in a supported, counselling setting.
Understanding humanistic magick is really about understanding that magick posits that the power to create change lies within each individual. By harnessing one’s intentions and aligning them with personal goals, practitioners can manifest their desires and foster a deeper understanding of themselves. The practise encourages self-awareness, responsibility, and the recognition of one’s own potential, making it a valuable tool for anyone seeking to enhance their life experiences.
Humanistic magick serves as a bridge between the esoteric and the psychological, allowing individuals to explore their motivations and behaviours through a magickal lens. By integrating techniques such as affirmations, visualisation, and ritual work, practitioners can actively participate in their own transformation, cultivating a sense of empowerment and agency in their lives.
A Brief Overview of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs for Understanding Humanistic Magick
Understanding humanistic magick means understanding the work of humanistic psychologists like Maslow and his Hierarchy of Needs. Developed by psychologist Abraham Maslow in the mid-20th century, the Hierarchy of Needs is a framework that outlines the various levels of human motivation. This model is often depicted as a pyramid, with five distinct tiers representing different categories of needs that individuals strive to fulfil throughout their lives.
Physiological Needs: At the base of the pyramid are the most fundamental needs, including food, water, shelter, and sleep. These are essential for survival and must be met before individuals can focus on higher-level needs.
Safety Needs: Once physiological needs are satisfied, individuals seek safety and security. This encompasses personal safety, financial stability, health, and protection from harm.
Love and Belongingness Needs: The third tier involves emotional connections, encompassing relationships with family, friends, and romantic partners. A sense of belonging is crucial for emotional well-being.
Esteem Needs: This level focuses on self-esteem and the esteem of others. Individuals desire recognition, respect, and a sense of achievement.
Self-Actualisation Needs: At the pinnacle of the hierarchy is self-actualisation, the desire to realise one’s full potential and pursue personal growth, creativity, and fulfilment.
Maslow’s theory asserts that individuals must satisfy lower-level needs before addressing higher-level ones. This framework provides a useful lens through which to explore the interplay between humanistic magick and personal development.
The Intersection of Humanistic Magick and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
For us, the convergence of magick and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is one that presents a compelling framework for personal empowerment and transformation. As we are trained in humanistic counselling techniques and neuro linguistic programming we recognise how magick can help be a conduit to fulfil each level of need, and we understand that spiritually minded people can create a holistic approach to their personal growth journey.
In this context, understanding humanistic magick is recognising that magick acts as a catalyst for addressing various needs, enabling individuals to manifest their desires while simultaneously working through emotional and psychological barriers. For instance, grounding techniques can help establish a sense of safety and security, while self-love rituals can enhance feelings of belonging and esteem.
By integrating these practises into their daily lives, individuals can align their intentions with their needs, fostering a deeper sense of fulfilment and personal satisfaction. This synergy between magick and psychological well-being allows for a more profound exploration of one’s self, ultimately leading to self-actualisation and a richer life experience.
Grounding: The Foundation of a Magickal Hierarchy of Needs
Grounding is a fundamental technique within a lot of spiritual practises. In humanistic magick, grounding serves as the foundation for effective magickal expression, intention setting and personal empowerment. This technique involves connecting with the Earth and establishing a stable foundation.
Grounding helps practitioners remain centred, balanced, and focused, allowing them to channel their magickal energy more effectively. Grounding also helps people retain a sense of calm and control. It can be incredibly empowering to simply have moments to collect your thoughts. There are many techniques used for grounding, and we would consider these an important starting point when understanding humanistic magick.
Meditation: Engaging in meditation can help cultivate a grounded state of mind. Practitioners can visualise themselves connecting with the Earth, drawing in stabilising energy. It can be the simplest place to begin to understand magickal expression and how it can be used for personal growth.
Back to nature: Participating in outdoor activities, such as walking barefoot on grass or gardening, fosters a connection with nature and enhances grounding. Like meditation, this can seem quite mainstream and unmagickal. But a deep connection to nature is very magickal, when one chooses to view it in that context.
Ritual Baths: Taking a ritual bath infused with herbs or salts can cleanse excess energy and promote a sense of grounding and relaxation. The difference between a ritual bath and a bath with salt in it is intention. The bath becomes magickal when you decide it is.
By incorporating grounding techniques into their practise, individuals can establish a solid foundation from which to explore how far they feel comfortable with magickal expression, or using magick as a tool to work towards fulfilling their needs.
Addressing Physiological and Safety Needs in Humanistic Magick
An expression of magick and using magickal tools can significantly impact the fulfilment of physiological and safety needs, when expressed magickally these needs are about protection. For example, the need might be to create a harmonious environment, or to reduce stress and by understanding humanistic magick practitioners can enhance their well-being and sense of personal protection. There are many techniques used for creating a sense of protection for the self.
Cleansing Rituals: When expressed magickally, a cleansing involves using incense, sound, or visualisation techniques to clear a space of negative energy. This energy is often something that might linger after a disagreement and participating in a cleansing ritual can promote a sense of safety and comfort.
Visualisation and meditation: As mentioned above, engaging in meditation is one of the simplest forms of magickal expression. Practitioners can use meditative techniques to reduce stress, relax and to imagine themselves being surrounded by protective shields.
So as we begin to understand humanistic magick, we can start to recognise how magick as a tool can be used to support people in fulfilling their needs.
Using Humanistic Magick to Foster Love and Belongingness
The next tier in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs involves love and belongingness, which are essential for emotional well-being. Humanistic magick can play a vital role in enhancing relationships and fostering a sense of community when we use magickal tools to look inwards. By this we mean that enhancing relationships through magick is only about working ourselves, never expecting another person to be different.
Self-Love Meditation: Practising self-love is crucial for cultivating a healthy relationship with oneself. Engaging in meditative techniques that promote self-acceptance and compassion for oneself can enhance one’s emotional state.
Healing Emotional Wounds: Engaging in practises such as journaling or shadow work can help release past traumas and foster self-acceptance. By addressing emotional wounds, individuals can enhance their ability to form healthy relationships.
Through these practises, humanistic magick can facilitate deeper connections, allowing individuals to experience a sense of belonging and community.
Building Self-Esteem through Humanistic Magick
The fourth tier of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs revolves around self-esteem, which encompasses feelings of accomplishment and recognition. Understanding humanistic magick involves recognising how these powerful magickal tools can be used for enhancing self-esteem and fostering a positive self-image.
Affirmations: Repeating positive affirmations can help reprogram negative thought patterns and reinforce a sense of self-worth. Practitioners can create personalised affirmations that resonate with their goals and desires.
Visualisation: Engaging in visualisation techniques that focus on achieving goals can boost confidence and self-belief. Practitioners can visualise themselves succeeding in various aspects of life, reinforcing their capabilities.
Tarot and Lenormand: Cartomancy can be used to look at blocks, what is being avoided about the self and for reflecting back what the unconscious already knows can enhance self-esteem.
By integrating these techniques into their practise, individuals can cultivate a stronger sense of self-esteem, empowering them to pursue their goals and aspirations.
The Journey to Self-Actualisation
At the pinnacle of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs lies self-actualisation, the desire to realise one’s full potential and achieve personal growth. Humanistic magick can serve as a powerful catalyst for this transformative journey.
In understanding humanistic magick, we start to set clear intentions that are aligned with our goals. This practise helps focus energy and attention on personal growth. By doing the inner work we start to connect with our passions and our spiritual practises.
By embracing personal growth through humanistic magick, individuals can unlock their true potential and experience a fulfilling, enriched life.
Understanding Humanistic Magick
So now we know that humanistic magick serves as a bridge between the esoteric and the psychological, allowing individuals to explore their motivations and behaviours through a magickal lens.
Understanding humanistic magick comes from recognising how we have integrated magickal expression with useful tools such as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
As you embark on your journey with humanistic magick, remember that the possibilities for personal growth and transformation are limitless. By aligning your intentions with your needs, you can create a fulfilling and enriched life, unlocking the true power that lies within you.
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