These might be counted either as prayers or
spells and need a passionate concentration on
bringing, for instance, peace of mind or healing
to the recipient. They hold no danger for the
practitioner but are sometimes more difficult to
appreciate since they tend to be more general
than other types of magical work. They may be
thought of in terms of a positive energy from
beyond the practitioner, being channelled
towards a specific purpose.
Saying grace before a meal is a form of blessing
preceded by an offer of praise and a prayer of
thankfulness, an acknowledgement of a gift. The
food is enhanced by the act and the blessing is
given by drawing on the power vested in the
knowledgeable expert. Thus one practitioner
may call on the nature gods whereas another
might call on the power of Jesus Christ.
