When we think of curses, we might think of someone casting the “evil eye” or practicing black magic. These forms of sorcery definitely happen in our world, but there are far more common, everyday ways in which sorcery occurs. It affects all of us, and we all do it.

Sorcery is any energetic harm we cause.

Saying “damn you” or “shame on you” is a curse. By uttering these words, we’re literally damning or wishing shame upon another person. Often strong frustration, hatred or resentment propels the curse and provides the energy needed to be damaging.

Harsh words said in anger have power that can affect the recipient long after the incident. A parent saying to a child, “You’ll never amount to anything” can act as a self-fulfilling prophecy and impact the child for the rest of their life.

Road rage is another common example. Most of us have had the experience of a driver behind us getting angry and leaning on us to drive faster, yelling names out the window or honking obnoxiously as they pass. We may carry a yucky, unsettled feeling for the rest of the day.

Gloating over someone’s misfortune or suffering is a form of sorcery because it adds to the energetic burden they carry. By holding a grudge or gossiping, we’re sending enmity through our actions. Because of the strong energy, it affects the recipient even if they don’t hear the words being uttered – similar to how we can sometimes energetically sense when someone is angry with us even if we’re not in the same location.

Social media amplifies sorcery because anything hateful or degrading that gets reshared spreads like a virus, carrying the heavy energy to more people. Reading the meme or the post adds more fuel to the curse.

Sorcery can also be done unknowingly. If we are not aware of the impact our energy has on others, we may have a blind spot. This is a part of shadow work – to see and acknowledge the effect of our words and deeds so we can take responsibility for our energy and walk in greater integrity in the world.

This work is real, and it matters.

December 1, 2021