To Heal Or Not To Heal - That Was The Question.

Recently I received notice that a family member is terminally ill and that she is expected to live only a couple of months. Upon hearing the news I was initially quite resigned to her eventual passing. I simply accepted her doctor’s prognosis and considered her plight to be an unalterable condition caused by cells run amok. But then I thought, “Unalterable condition? By what authority do I deem a situation to be unalterable?” I could come up with no good answer to this question. It then occurred to me that if magic works, I mean if it really works, then there is a chance that my magic could change the course of events for this individual. I am ashamed to admit that I was at first somewhat reluctant to commit myself towards magical healing. A whole host of thoughts plagued my mind. Probably the most determining factor was a lack of connection to this individual. We are not particularly close and have not spoken to each another in twenty-some-odd years. In other words, I was somewhat apathetic to her suffering. I also considered the magical probability of altering her illness at this late stage to be very low. Since I am just starting a magical career, would not a major magical failure be detrimental to my practice? Besides, I doubted myself and my magical abilities. How could anything I do have an effect? At some point I was taken aback by these thoughts. Was I really that callous? Was I really more concerned about the effects of a botched healing on my practice (if that should occur) than with the health of a family member? Eventually I mustered the emotional empathy to do a working on her behalf by recognizing that we are connected despite our alienation and that her death will have a impact on those who love her.

Because I am a relative newcomer to magic my repertoire of healing techniques is severely limited. I have been doing some sigil work (both graphic and mantric varieties) and plan to begin working with Bhaisajyaguru (the Medicine/Healing Buddha) and his mantra within a day or two. I now realize that my failure to do something would be far more detrimental to me that any failed magical endeavor could be. If my tenacity will allow, I plan to continue working on her behalf until I hear or her recovery or death.