The practice of magick is fundamental to Witchcraft. At its core magick is all about the mind, in order to work with magick, we need to have the right mindset.
Luckily, plenty of concepts attempt to do just that. The Witches’ Pyramid is one that I learned and played a pivotal role in my craft.
The Witches’ Pyramid and the Four Foundations of the Magickal Mindset.
Symbolically, pyramids represent enlightenment. While the Witches’ Pyramid is not a physical structure, it serves as a mental one.
There are four points that shape the pyramid. Each providing equal support. As well as corresponding to the four cardinal directions and the four classical elements.
As such, these four points illustrate the mindset required for all Magick. Understanding these four principles is key to successful magick.
These four points are, “To Know, To Dare, To Will, and to Keep Silent” or “Nescere, Audere, Velle, Tacere,“ in Latin.
The Pyramid’s Origins in the Craft
As a matter of fact, the Witches’ Pyramid is a concept older than Modern Witchcraft itself. While the origins of the philosophy are unknown, the occultist Aleister Crowley popularized its use.
The pyramid has had other names including the Four Powers of the Magus. Some believe that it is rooted in Hermetic Magick.
However, there are have been different interpretations over time. As the pyramid has grown in popularity over the years, these ideas have been given additional meaning.
For this reason, my understanding of the Witches’ Pyramid is not the only one.
“To Know, To Dare, To Will, and To Keep Silent.”
Nescere, “To Know” – The Principle of Air
“To Know,” relates to the element of Air; the element of the mind and intellect.
The first foundation of working with Magick is that we need to know what we’re doing and have some degree of Magickal knowledge.
However, we don’t know everything about Magick. As Witches, we are constantly learning. We may not have all the answers, but we do need to be dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge.
Anyone who chooses the path of the Witch knows or quickly learns that the Craft is the path of an eternal student.
Pulling a spell out of a book and following the directions without understanding the principles at work is not Witchcraft. You need to know your Craft, the reasons, and the correspondences. But you also need to know yourself; most importantly you need to know your intent.
The successful Witch knows that. And we know that we have the skills to make Magick work.
Audere, “To Dare” – The Principle of Water
Being a Witch isn’t easy. Neither is using magick- if it were, everyone would do it. Witchcraft takes perseverance and unwavering belief.
Belief is the core of all magick.
So, while the rest of the world tries to tell us that magick isn’t real, trying to disprove and discredit our belief, we dare to believe.
We dare ourselves to be courageous and to be different; people may look at us funny, consider us crazy, and we face discrimination. Decades ago, that discrimination was even worse.
Meanwhile, the gods and even Magick itself dare us to have faith; to trust in our power.
Our courage allows us to step between this world and the world of spirits.
We dare to experiment, to take risks and to explore the unknown. At times we invoke deities and spirits, allowing things we cannot see to be a part of us in ritual.
Hell, we call upon the gods to work alongside us in ritual. Meanwhile, others simply pray to the Divine, hoping that things will change.
But we dare to do more because we know that there’s a Divine spark inside us, that we have all the power we need. We dare to trust in our own ability to create change.
As such, “To Dare,” corresponds to the element of Water. Water is the element of the unknown, mysteries, initiation, the Astral Plane and even death.
Velle, “To Will” – The Principle of Fire
Aleister Crowley defined magick as, “the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will.” Our willpower is the key to manifesting Magick.
In order to create change, we must focus the mind, we need to visualize our goal and with our willpower we set our intentions on the energy we raise.
Fire is the element that allows us to create and to apply our power in the world. It’s the element of passion, but also creativity.
Fire provides us the clarity and vision to see our goals.
The element of Fire is inside us all, it’s the Divine Spark of creativity. It’s our willpower. We have the fuel and fire is our gift to do something with that fuel.
Beyond magick, our willpower reveals who we are. Willpower is the drive to overcome challenges in life and pursue our goals.
Tacere, “To Keep Silent” – The Principle of Earth
The concept of, “To Keep Silent” has several implications.
Many newcomers to the Craft overlook this, but there is a quote amongst practitioners that says, “knowledge shared is power lost.” I made this same mistake in the beginning.
Magick is something sacred, and Witches shouldn’t share Magickal knowledge with just anyone. Magick is about belief and directing its energy through the mind. Non-believers can tarnish that knowledge.
More importantly, while a spell or ritual is manifesting, negative thoughts and feelings can derail the energy’s intent.
If you go around telling your friends about a spell you cast, you risk their negativity attaching to it or simply their disbelief; without
Lastly, “To Keep Silent” simply reminds us to listen. There’s a small voice inside us that offers guidance and when we quiet the mind we can hear it.
This principle is associated with the element of Earth. Earth energy is
Just as the Earth is patient, we too must be patient with our endeavors. As long as we maintain some secrecy, Magick will manifest.
Optional: Ire, “To Go” – The Principle of Spirit
Originally, the Witches’ Pyramid only had four points. However, as the philosophy has grown in popularity this fifth point has become rather common.
The pyramid’s fifth point is seen as the top, where all four points meet.
Different practitioners have varying ideas of its meaning. Some include the Wiccan Rede as the fifth point.
“To go” often corresponds to the fifth element, Spirit. Spirit links the four elements together, keeping them together, yet separate and distinct at the same time
“To go” demands that we put our soul into our work. It calls for us to go beyond understanding the four points of the pyramid and apply them in life.
When we do this, we begin to bring our lives into balance. As a result, just as Spirit is greater its parts, that balance brings us even greater wisdom and insight.
Conclusion
By utilizing the Witches’ Pyramid we are able to create the proper frame of mind during magickal workings. However, it is also so much more.
The addition of “To Go,” made me realize that these principles can be applied to my life even outside of magickal workings.
Personally, being a Witch has been my way of life. Magick is everywhere; it bleeds into mundane life. For me, I discovered I could use these ideas to live a more balanced life.
Above all, Witchcraft is the path of an eternal student. And the lessons I learn are a part of every aspect of my life.
Of course, the Witches’ Pyramid is just one of many Magickal concepts. Are there any concepts/ideas that have played an important role in your Craft? And what are your ideas about the Witches’ Pyramid?
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