The Deeper Magic

"Do not cite the deep magic to me, Witch. I was there when it was written."

A good writer is also a good reader, and a good reader understands the inner-workings of the world around them so they can unravel the deeper meaning behind what’s being conveyed. There is always a story as to why things are, such as how the Statue of Liberty ended up residing in New York Harbor.

A story-seeker wants to know the story behind things. For example, they want to know the etymology of words. They aren’t satisfied taking the world around them for granted and projecting personal, unguided meaning onto what’s already there - especially when reading to try and understand the world.

It is said that, in writing, “An apple is never just an apple.” And for the most part, that is true. Unintentionally, people write stories using objects that invoke deep symbolism they may not fully understand. Even a child’s story about giving their teacher an apple can convey deeper meaning than intended.

(My substack article about the deeper literary symbolism of top hats and bowler hats illustrates this point nicely.)

Starting in first grade, I was fascinated by mythology, and I understood that mythological beings were showing up in the stories that surround us over and over again. They were in the books I read, the movies I watched, the video games I played, the Saturday morning cartoons, and they were even incorporated into the architecture of buildings.

So I read the Illiad and the Odyssey, and I wanted to know the stories behind the constellations like Cassiopeia and Columba. I studied Achilles, Troy, Hermes, and Sparta. I wanted to learn about Babylon, Assyria, Mesopotamia, Tyre, and Phoenicia. I wondered about the history before written records, and poured over maps of stars and the solar system.

Recently, I had a blog post that went parabolic compared to my usual level of engagement. And with it, a few odd ducks came out of the woodwork in the comment section.

There was an interesting fellow who claimed to be a “Hermetic Magus” in his substack profile. And, having studied this sort of thing, I am fully aware of what a Magus does, who he worships, and what his end goals are.

Thus, using a carefully chosen quote to expose his projections had him suddenly trying to goad me into banning him. When I wouldn’t, he further exposed himself by going unhinged, ultimately losing the argument:

I refused to let him command or bully me. Realizing the typical Magus tricks wouldn’t work, he gave up and left.

If we don’t have our blinders on to the world around us, people like this who try to sow chaos and project their own sins onto the people and institutions around them have no ammo to use against us.

Another interesting commenter claimed to be Catholic in his profile, yet was spending his precious time defending Brandon’s anti-Christian behavior, trying to defend evil while presenting himself as a moral authority.

A devout Catholic should have fundamentally recognized my post was coming from a place of concern to help a fellow brother-in-Christ.

Having followed Brandon Sanderson’s career and blog since 2007, having read many of his books, having listened to his Podcasts and lectures, and having fallen in love with high fantasy and the art of storytelling itself—I have what you might call a vested interest in Brandon’s success. I’m also interested in the success of writers like us, the ones who want to tell beautiful epic stories in service of the Truth.

So for this commenter, I administered Brian Niemeier’s famous Witch Test.

To my surprise, he passed. Praise be to God!

I am always thrilled when they pass! That means he’s not so morally corrupted that he’s unable to praise Jesus’ name.

However, if he continues to expose himself to propaganda like Wind and Truth, it’s only a matter of time before it wears him down to the point where he’ll no longer be able to pass the test. I hope that day never comes.

Thankfully at this stage, there’s still hope. I strongly suggest he brush up on the Catechism, because he’s unfortunately forgotten (or maybe never learned) some of the crucial tenets of the faith, tenets required to preserve the soul and live a life of Truth.

That aside, his comment came from a few strange—and very modern—points of view:

1. Criticism is somehow always meant as an attack.

2. This pervasive belief that you have to choke down the medicine, no matter how awful it looks or smells or tastes, in order to "formulate a proper opinion of it".

As I’ve said in the past, no one is immune to propaganda, so we must be good stewards in deciding what we consume and what we do not. Our very souls may depend on it.

When the sheep go astray, it is our moral duty to help guide them back to the flock.

(And just like for Brandon, I ask you to include the above two featured commenters in your prayers.)

As evidenced above, there’s a very real world equivalent to the “deep magic” spoken of in C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia. The “Emperor-beyond-the-Sea” inscribed the “elder rules of Narnia” into “the fire-stones of the Secret Hill“. They were carved as “deep into the stone as the length of a spear”.

The Stone Table, into which the most fundamental laws of the deep magic are carved.

In other words, these rules don’t go away. No matter how weather-worn the stones may get, the writing will remain.

These “elder rules” are a constant undercurrent in Narnia, whether the Narnians are aware of it or not. Being ignorant of the stones, or pretending they never existed, won’t stop the bad elements of the world, like the White Queen, from using them to her advantage.

Edmond was ignorant of these rules, but it didn’t stop him from being subjected to them. It required Aslan’s knowledge of the deep magic to spare Edmond from being sacrificed.

However, there is a “Deeper Magic” that Aslan also knew. Rules written before time even began. It is this Deeper Magic that was ultimately the White Queen’s undoing.

I’ve spoken about the power of silence and secrets, of the goddess Columbia, of the Staff of Caduceus.

I realize these subjects may not be everyone’s cup o’ tea. And I don’t plan on doing a lot of posts about mythology.

But just understand that nearly every commercially successful artist and writer out there knows of this real world “deep magic” and uses it, often against you.

And that a Deeper Magic does indeed also exist, one that thwarts the deep magic every time.

Ignorance allows the deep magic to flourish in plain sight, appearing in most of our popular media, often in ways that insult the audience. Mythology is treated like a religion in every part of this world, codified into nearly every story through symbology that too few understand. And I assure you this deep magic is more closely tied to your culture and everyday life than you probably realize.

Melusine and her magick crown, hiding in plain sight.

Knowing the basics of mythology and folklore can help us better understand the world we live in, while also helping us grow as readers and writers. If we’re no longer ignorant of the symbolism that surrounds us, evil can no longer flourish in the public eye.

That’s what Obscura, my latest short story, is all about. Without spoiling too much, the reason Akane, the Red Witch of the Mountains, was able to thrive and corrupt Hansa’s culture so easily was due to the villagers’ ignorance and complacency.

The villagers allowed the council to squander their holy relics, and let Akane hide herself away, unchecked.

By the time Kenji was born, the witch had already cursed and hexed half the village, manipulating them from afar.

Sometimes it takes a brave lion with a little world awareness to unravel those threads and set things right.

Many people have what they believe is the truth. But you, dear Christians, have the Higher Truth. You are the lions the creatures of the forest need, the shepherds for the flock. And so long as there’s at least one lion in the forest, there will always be hope.