Power, Consent, and Energetic Boundaries in Magick

(everything stated in this blog is based upon my own research, personal practice, and opinion)

Magick is a game of power. That’s the truth. Anyone who tells you otherwise is probably trying to sell you a personality cult. Power isn’t dirty. It’s not inherently corrupt. But it can get real messy, real fast. Power, consent, and boundaries aren’t just buzzwords. They are the sacred infrastructure that keeps your practice from turning into an energetic mosh pit of chaos, co-dependence, and crap you didn’t sign up for.

Consent Matters, Always

Somewhere along the way, folks forgot that magick isn’t just “talking at the universe”, it’s a conversation. That means everyone involved deserves consent. You wouldn’t (hopefully) walk into someone’s house, light incense, and start asking for favors without checking if they were cool with it. So why do we treat spirits, deities, ancestors, or energetic forces like magical vending machines? Consent goes both ways. You don’t just give it, you ask for it. Before you summon. Before you invoke. Before you start channeling random cosmic energies just because the vibes are spooky on a Tuesday.

Spiritual Vampires Are Real (And Sometimes They’re You)

Let’s get uncomfortable for a second. Sometimes the boundary violating force isn’t some external parasite, it’s you, chasing energy without clarity or connection. Casting from desperation. Leaking power through neediness or clinging to someone else’s field because your own feels like wet cardboard. We’ve all done it. The key is owning it, not wallowing in shame. Recognize when you’re trying to siphon instead of summon. When you’re clinging instead of calling. That’s not magick, it’s spiritual codependency dressed up in ritual robes and a Scooby mask, trying to convince the spirits it’s the High Priest of Atlantis.

Also, if someone always leaves you feeling like a magically mugged tourist, that’s a red flag, not a bonding experience. Boundaries are how we keep our spiritual energy sovereign, not as a wall, but as a perimeter. You don’t owe anyone your field, and no one owes you theirs.

Boundries Protect you

If you’ve ever been told to “stay open to receive whatever the universe wants to send you,” please allow me to lovingly scream… NO. Being open doesn’t mean being unfiltered. That’s how you catch psychic infections, uninvited attachments, and random astral nonsense that acts like a spiritual raccoon rifling through your subconscious trash.

Have boundaries around your channel. Set the terms. Think of it like magical plumbing, you want a controlled flow, not a backed up system. It’s okay to say, “Only entities in alignment with my highest good may speak.” or, “No, that naked full moon dance is not an excuse for possession.”

Not every being you encounter is your friend. Not every force you feel is benevolent. Not every spirit wants what’s best for you, no matter how shiny they seem. Spirits, like people, have their own agendas, and sometimes those agendas are just as petty, selfish, or chaotic as your least favorite ex. Some genuinely want to help. Some want worship. Some are bored out of their incorporeal minds and think keeping you confused and engaged is the best entertainment they’ve had since the Black Plague. Just because something is non-corporeal doesn’t mean it’s all-knowing or all-wise. Some spirits are the cosmic equivalent of Reddit trolls with glowy auras. Keep your discernment dialed up, and don’t assume a spirit’s presence means it has your best interest at heart.

Discernment isn’t paranoia. It’s self-respect. Before you hand over your energy, your trust, or your altar space, ask some damn questions:

Who are you?

What do you want?

Why me?

What’s the cost?

If you’re afraid to ask, that’s already a red flag. Spirits that demand blind faith are no better than living cult leaders.

Holding Power ≠ Playing God

Just because you can influence a situation doesn’t mean you should. Magick isn’t a free pass to play puppet master, it’s a responsibility. With power comes the need for integrity, not just clever spellcraft. Ask yourself if you acting with accountability. Are you considering the ripple effects, or just casting for convenience? Real power isn’t just about effect, it’s about ownership. Responsibility means you’re not just cleaning up after your workings but taking care not to make a mess in the first place. Integrity means your actions align with your values, not your ego. Accountability is what makes your power trustworthy to spirits, to others, and to yourself. Power without ethics is just magical bullying. Before you proceed, ask yourself:

Am I solving or controlling?

Am I acting from fear or clarity?

Do I have the full picture or just my version of it?

You’re allowed to wield power. You’re also responsible for what that power does when it ripples through other people’s lives. This isn’t about some 3-fold, 7-fold, or 10-fold nonsense, It’s just basic logic. Actions have consequences, and magick is an action. Every working is a choice you make that moves energy through the world. Pretending it doesn’t come with impact is like throwing a brick into a pond and acting surprised by the splash. Responsibility means you own your spellcraft like you own your shadow. Integrity means you don’t hide behind “just following spirit” when the outcome is messy. Accountability is what keeps your practice from turning into a mystical poster child for poor impulse control.

Energy Hygiene

You wash your hands after a messy meal. You should cleanse your field after a messy ritual. If you’re doing heavy energy work, banishing, hexing, deep ancestral stuff, possession rituals, etc… cleanse yourself. Ground. Close the door you opened. Think of it as aftercare for your soul. You wouldn’t leave the ritual version of open-heart surgery without stitching things up, right? Energy hygiene also means noticing when your field is off and doing something about it. That might be a simple breathwork session. It might be a banishing. It might be screaming into a pillow and then drinking water like it’s holy. Whatever works. Just do something.

Sacred ‘No’

You don’t owe anyone your participation. Not in ritual. Not in pathwork. Not in energy exchanges that make your skin crawl. Saying no is magick. It’s a boundary that affirms your power. It’s a ward in word form. It’s often the only thing standing between you and energetic garbage that would love to nest in your aura like it’s rent-controlled. Say it. Say it loud. Say it with your whole chest:

No, I don’t want to do group trancework with that guy who smells like patchouli and manipulation.

No, I’m not interested in merging energy fields “for healing.”

No, I will not “just open up and see what comes through.”

No is a whole sentence. It doesn’t require justification, elaboration, or a PowerPoint presentation. No is sacred. Use it.

Power Can Be Shared, But Not Stolen

The best magickal communities are ones built on mutual respect and energetic consent. Not forced merging. Not weird hierarchies. Not one High Priestess to rule them all. When power is shared, it flows. When power is hoarded, it rots. If someone’s constantly taking, constantly draining, or constantly controlling, that’s not leadership. That’s theft with candles. Trust your gut. If it feels off, it is. If it feels like control dressed as guidance, it probably is. You’re not imagining it. Power can be communal without being codependent. It can be collective without being culty. That’s the balance.

You Don’t Need Permission To Protect Yourself

Let’s say that again, and louder for those in the back… You do not need spiritual permission to set boundaries, say no, ward your space, or tell a being (incarnate or otherwise) to get the hell out.

You’re allowed to defend your field. You’re allowed to shield. You’re allowed to shut the door. You are not obligated to be “open” just because someone tells you it’s more spiritual. You are not failing if you prioritize your safety over someone else’s expectations. Magick is your right, and so is safety. Do not fear advocating for yourself. If you do feel fear in doing so, that’s not a spiritual failing, that’s a sign. It means remove yourself from the situation as quickly and safely as you can. You don’t have to explain, justify, or negotiate your right to feel safe, you just have to honor it.

All the ritual, all the spells, all the cosmic mojo in the world won’t mean jack if your boundaries look like wet paper. Your power needs a vessel. Your vessel needs boundaries. Your boundaries need consent. This isn’t about being rigid. It’s about being sovereign. You don’t build walls, you build clarity. You don’t shut everything out, you decide what gets in. You are not just a channel. You are a force. Treat your energy like it matters. Because it does.

Monthly Mindfulness – for December 2025

(From the upcoming Walking With the Gods icon deck)

Aphrodite

The ancient Greek goddess of love, beauty, desire, fertility, and sensuality. Revered across the Hellenic world, she embodies both physical attraction and the creative force of life itself. Often depicted emerging from the sea, fully formed and breathtaking, Aphrodite’s mythical birth from the foam of the sea (aphros) ties her to elemental forces of nature and the mysterious power of creation.

She governs not just romantic and erotic love but also charm, pleasure, and the harmonizing influence of beauty in both humans and nature. Her presence was believed to soften hearts and inspire longing, not only among mortals but even among gods. While she is often portrayed as gentle and enchanting, Aphrodite also held a fierce, commanding power, capable of causing turmoil through jealousy, unrequited love, and irresistible passion.

She is beauty that binds and burns, desire that creates and consumes. She is love as power, pleasure as law, harmony as enchantment. She is the allure that softens hearts, the charm that stirs gods, and the passion that topples reason. She teaches sovereignty through longing, creation through attraction, and the sacred force of the heart unveiled.