Magick in the Dark

Goth magick is based on two things, eclecticism and mana. Eclecticism is of course the sampling and combination of many, often radically opposed or different, viewpoints, ideas, beliefs, and practices. Mana, a word borrowed from Polynesian warrior culture, is the magical power of presence, attitude, and personality.  In other words, the power of goth magick comes from within, is shaped by eclecticism, and expressed through mana.
Goth magick, in many ways, is the reflection of the social scene from which it has been born.  Disassociative elements are thrown into stark relief against one another, the resulting conflict being a source of internal power for the goth mage. This is how the goth mage is able to tap the power of paradox and look cool doing it.  It is in this way that one could witness a goth mage using a oujia board and a calculator to cast spells without the least bit of hesitation or self-consciousness.  This is why the goth is able to call upon the most primal elements of life, sweat, blood, tears, even while presenting a personal style associated with death and urban sprawl.  It is magick, witchcraft, dimestore voodoo and pop culture all rolled up into one. Goth mages exist at the event horizon between the ordered patterns of the city and the wild chaos of nature unbridled.
By using an eclectic approach they are able to pick and choose for themselves from among the various magical traditions of the world.  Thus each goth mage is able to develop his or her own style of magick as seen fit on a personal level.  For the goth mage, personal relevance is paramount.  By sticking only to what is personally relevant, the goth mage ends up with an eclectic system of magick that is not only completely unique, but one hundred percent relevant.  There is a certain disregard for rules and traditions within their ranks, and therefore more meaning is placed on what works for the individual as opposed to what culture and tradition dictate. 
It is at this point that mana become central to the goth mage’s craft. The amount and potency of mana for a goth mage can be the difference between a dramatic ritual’s overwhelming success or debilitating failure.  Mana is expressed in many ways.  It could be simply looking cool on the dance floor, or it could be appearing completely valid holding a sword and calling out ritual verses by candlelight.
Mana is the power of the self on a magical/social level.  Mana is showing up as a stranger at a club or coffeehouse and being seen as a magical peer or superior upon arrival.  It is a delicate combination of personal presentation, confidence without the need for approval, and the palpable aura of power.  Mana not only provides social status and influence, but allows the goth mage to successfully pull of spells with spectacular results that would otherwise not be easily done.
Rivals can be magically silenced with a gesture, members of the opposite sex manipulated, and the energy levels of the area influenced.  Mana is a powerful asset when performing rituals and others such magicks in the presence of witnesses. Though as much of a power boost as man is, it is mostly a social element, and it must be kept in mind that there are goth mages out there with no real mana to speak of who are quite powerful. It is just that those with mana have access to a most puissant advantage.
When taken in as a whole, goth magick by its nature produces a fringe element within an already outcast subculture.  This results in three sorts of mages.  The most populace being the covens of goths unified by their pursuit of magick.  They are generally loyal to at least each other and keenly interested in group practice.  The second group can be seen as the predators.  They are the sexual abusers, mind control groups, and general magical miscreants and self-proclaimed “Satanists”.  Fortunately their magick is weak, but if allowed to remain unchecked, their mana will grow quite strong.  The best method of eliminating this threat however, is easy. Ignore them, and their powers will fade.  The third, of course, is the loner.  The shadow in the crowd.  While this path is more difficult, the dissonant nature of goth magick lends itself to solitary practice.
Paradox, Power, and the Potency of Power.