Spirits and Magic

I recall a conversation with someone I had many decades ago, who wanted to persuade me that alcohol was demonic in that it is actually called spirits, as if the liquid itself somehow embodied a spirit, or spirits of evil intent, and so on. Many Christians avoid the use of alcohol based on this assumption. Beer and wine did not fall under this category of spirits, as these were made in a very different way. There were no observable “spirits”, or vapors, when making wine or beer. Wine and beer require fermentation, as does bread. This is an interesting study, but this post has another focus at the present. Distillation is required for alcohol. Distillation involves converting liquid into vapor and then condensing it back into liquid form. It was in the observation of distillation, when liquid became vapor, and seeing the vapor, that the idea of spirits came into view. In the medieval mindset, the superstitious mindset, the explanation was given that it was actual spirits. This of course was due to pure ignorance.

I mention this topic here because of the effectiveness of, let’s say Vodka for instance, as a menstruum to extract medicinal properties from plants. Alcohol, glycerin, vinegar or oil all can be used as a menstruum, even water is useful at times as a solvent. Vodka has proven to be the most effective although sometimes it depends on what you’re trying to do with what plants, and for what type of client. Nevertheless, as it is used in herbalism, alcohol as a menstruum is, in my view, the best use of it today. Originally this distilled alcohol was used for perfumes, discovered by the ancient Greeks.

This is something to consider as you delve into herbalism. Is there magic involved? as some are wanting to say? Is there magic innate in plants? Or is it totally a figment of one’s own imagination? Are there actual spirits in plants, trees, rocks, crystals, colors/pigments, liquid, stars, wind, earth, sky? To be certain, nothing physical is spiritual, and nothing spiritual is physical. This mindset is nothing different from those who believe there are actual spirits in alcohol because of the vapors. Vapors are natural phenomenon when you boil alcohol. This is what naturally happens. A vapor is not an apparition. It’s not magical, not ethereal, not supernatural. It is basic chemistry. When an herb affects the emotions, does this mean it is spiritual? or magical? If so, how does one explain any drug that does the same thing? Could it not mean that the effects are chemical? With herbs, it is a natural, organic chemical effect. It may be wonderful, but it is natural. Rather than trying to attribute the effect to some false entity, why not give thanks to our God who designed everything?

The same principle applies to all things created by God. The earth, and all that is in it, is physical. All matter is physical, governed by the laws of physics, designed by our creator. There are some today who wish to take us back to the Middle Ages, with a belief in what they are now terming as witchcraft. This is a modern, made up, 20th century invention that holds people in objectual ignorance. Herbalism has no place in witchcraft/pagan practices. Herbalism is based on truth; it is given by God for the care of his created human beings, who were created in His Image. You don’t have to pretend anything to be a herbalist. Herbalism is based on truth.

So, what about spirituality? Is there such a thing as spirituality in truth? The answer is yes. I’ve been talking about our Creator, God, who created us all, and everything that is made was made by Jesus Christ, God’s own Son, according to the Gospel of John, chapter 1, verses 1 through 5:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

How does Jesus fit into what true Spirituality is? We are told in John 4, verse 4, that: “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” The only Spirit is God. He is from everlasting to everlasting, with no beginning, and no end. He came in the person of Jesus to reveal Himself in such a way that the physical could encounter the spiritual, what is truly spiritual. Jesus came to reveal the Father. This revelation is able to save mankind, for it is a revelation of God, His Will, His Nature, His Kindness. If we are willing to accept this revelation, and follow Jesus in HIs Way, Truth, Life, we will be saved. The only spirituality is God with us, the hope of glory, revealed in the person of Jesus.

There are no other gods but One God who created everything. There are, therefore, no other spirits but The One God who is Spirit! When God, according to Genesis chapter 2, verse 7, made man:

 “Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”

God breathed His Own Life into a lump of clay. What was physical was physical, what God breathed into him was not of man, but of God. What is of man is physical, what is of God is Spiritual. It doesn’t become the spirit of man; it will always be the Spirit of God that gives us life. Without God, we are just piles of clay, dust, nothing, empty, useless. And when we reject our Creator, the One who made us, designed us for His Breath! He breathed life into us, and so when we reject Him in the person of Jesus, we reject His life-giving Spirit, and death results. We become dead in our trespasses and sin. We need God to live! Without Him we are destined to the fire as refuse for destruction as being useless for God’s eternity.

There are many false “spirits” out in the world. Many entities masquerading as spirits, or spiritual beings. But they are not God, He alone is Spirit. All else is created, only God is Spirit. When the “spirit of the man” is mentioned in the Bible and other places, it is typically referring to something like his temperament. A little word study can help in our understanding of this. But true spirituality comes only from God Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth. He alone is Spirit. All else is false, counterfeit, non-real. Pagan spirituality is based on false spirituality. Much of what passes for religious spirituality all over the world is a false spirituality, unless God alone is worshipped as He is revealed through His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

I am open to discuss any part of this post. I know I covered a lot. I also left out a lot, to save for another day.