The core of what is here is based off of a document entitled laws of magick.doc I found on the Gnutella network by way of Bearshare. The original author was Isaac Bonewit to me. This document is public domain according to The Mage at sbcglobal.net and Aether Thanks to all who have contributed, especially those on the draconic.com message board! I have heard from that the original document was indeed public domain.
What follows is original document, with modifications by me. Some of these laws could be perceived more as points to keep in mind when using and studding magick rather than ironclad and inviolable laws.
I. THE LAW OF CAUSE AND EFFECT: Similar actions under similar conditions produce similar results. What one type of manifestation can do, another of the same type of manifestation in the same circumstance can do.
Corollary 1 - THE LAW OF RETURNS: "What one sends out, comes back." Or "What goes around, comes around." aka THE LAW OF KARMA
II. THE LAW OF KNOWLEDGE: Greater understanding produces greater influence though greater affinity.
Corollary 1 - THE LAW OF SELF-KNOWLEDGE: Greater understanding of self produces greater influence though greater affinity.
III. THE LAW OF NAMES: Having greater knowledge of a manifestation's true and complete name leads to greater affinity and influence.
Corollary 1 - THE LAW OF WORDS OF POWER: Having greater knowledge of words of power leads to greater affinity and influence.
IV. THE LAW OF ASSOCIATION: Greater common characteristics between two manifestations combined with greater knowledge of the commonalties produces greater affinity and influence.
Corollary 1 - THE LAW OF SIMILARITY (sympathetic magic): Effects resembles causes.
Corollary 2 - THE LAW OF CONTAGION: Two manifestations which have been in contact remain in contact. This also implies to observe something is to change it.
V. THE LAW OF IDENTIFICATION: Complete knowledge equals absolute affinity equals identity.
VI. THE LAW OF SYNTHESIS (or, the UNION of OPPOSITES): Synthesis of two opposing views of reality, or 2 realities, engenders a third which is more real than either original.
Corollary 1 - THE LAW OF POLARITY: Any manifestation is divisible into two antithetical sets of attributes, each of which contain the essence of the other.
VII. THE LAW OF BALANCE: Greater balance is required for greater affinity and influence.
VIII. THE LAW OF INFITITE MANIFESTATIONS: The number of manifestations within the Web is infinite. In other words, we'll never run out of manifestations to experience, or things to learn.
IX. THE LAW OF FINITE SENSES: A manifestation's (i.e., our) ability to perceive limits its ability to know.
X. THE LAW OF PRAGMATISM: If it works, it's right.
XI. THE LAW OF INFINITE UNIVERSES: As there are infinite manifestations within the web possessed of infinite views of the universe, there are infinite universes. [I don’t believe in infinity as anything more than a philosophical or mathematical concept and interpret infinity here philosophically.]
XII. THE LAW OF TRUE FALSEHOODS: Data can exist which will contradict your knowledge [or be beyond understanding] but which, never-the-less, is functional. Or, If it's a paradox, it's probably true.
XIII. THE LAW OF PERSONIFICATION: All manifestations (including people) have personality.
Corollary 1 - THE LAW OF INVOCATION: Any manifestation can conjure real entities from within.
Corollary 2 - THE LAW OF EVOCATION: A manifestation can conjure real entities from without.
What follows are my additions:
XIV. THE LAW OF TEMPORAL CONSISTANCY: Time is a constant, and all changes that are going to occur in time and space have already occurred at one point or another in time and space.
Corollary 1 - THE LAW OF IMPOSSABILITY: What won’t happen, can’t happen. What didn’t happen couldn’t have happened. What isn’t happening, couldn’t be happening.
Corollary 2 - THE LAW OF POSSIBILITES: Only what did, is and will be happening could have, can and will be happening.
XV. THE LAW OF ENERGY RESIDENCE: Energy always seeks it’s lowest point first. Or seeks the path of least resitance.
XVI. THE LAW OF IMORTALITY: What does not have a beginning does not have an end. The reverse is also true, what does not have an end does not have a beginning.
Corollary 1 - THE LAW OF IDENTICALITY: All of the same immortal things are indifferential and indistinguishable from any true perspective.
Corollary 2 - THE LAW OF MORTALITY: What has a beginning always has an end. And the reverse is also true: What has an end has to have a beginning.
Corollary 3 - THE LAW OF UNIQUENESS: All things mortal are unique in time and space.
XVII. THE LAW OF THE UNVIERSAL MIND: What is known to one can be known by all.
Corollary 1 - THE LAW OF UNDERSTANDING: finite things can only understand infinite things in a finite manner.
XVIII. THE LAW OF MOTION: All actions and thoughts cause change to occur in the universe; nothing mortal is static.
Corollary 1 - THE LAW OF ENTROPY: All mortal things tend towards chaos.
Corollary 2 - THE LAW OF CONSCIDENCE: All things with personality can influence the motion of the universe.
Corollary 3 - THE LAW OF PATTERN: All manifestations of a given type will behave identically to other manifestations of the same type. All manifestations will behave similarly to similar manifestations.
Corollary 4 - THE LAW OF KINETICS: Inconsistent or variable effort will often have better results that consistent effort.
XIX. THE LAW OF OMENS: All coincidences indicate contagion and association and imply a course of action that will be beneficial to those perceiving the coincidence.
XX. THE LAW OF HOME: All things desire to return to their place of origin with complete understanding of what it is to be that thing.
XXI THE LAW OF TRUMPS: Higher energy always wins over lower energy.
Corollary 1 - THE LAW OF ENERGY ADVANTAGE: lower energy can be made into greater energy through technology (the application of science).
XXII THE LAW OF UNDERSTANDING: Total understanding leads to perfect actions.
Corollary 1 - THE LAW OF ASSUMPTION: Incomplete or false understanding leads to flawed or imperfect actions.
Corollary 2 - THE LAW OF FAITH: Gaps in understanding filled with