What is magic?

Media tends to peddle the idea that only certain special people can do magic, that an ancient sequence of words will gift untold powers or that you need to purchase special herbs and potions (usually at extortionate prices). I don't believe either of these things is true. For me it's not the 'words' or symbols, writing or physical manifestations which create magic but the energy and thought placed into them, therefore anyone can perform magic - even without necessarily knowing it on a conscious level. The words, chants, charms and potions may help to create a state of mind which oils the mind so to speak but it can also hinder depending. I dont personally see how copious amounts of mind altering drugs might make someone more spiritual for instance, it can just as well close off the mind as much as open it. I prefer a clean clear mind myself.

What is magic is a difficult question to answer. There are lots of pseudo scientific reasonings and theories, metaphysical, jargon and plain nonsense too. It is important to look at the agenda of the people selling the ideas (often quite literally), whether they want power or admiration or are just mad. Some people claims to magic come from some mental inability to cope with situations or as a method of dealing with trauma, which whilst not necessarily a bad thing it can be harmful to someone trying to gauge an understanding (I can think of people who get comfort from communing with spirits upon to the passing of a relative or loved one, getting sucked into it yourself might not be beneficial).

For me magic is like pulling a thread on a intricate network, a web which connects all things in the universe. I can't explain it any more than similes and metaphors to be fair and it might sound like nonsense to you as much as someone else's theories might be to me. It's not always apparent the effects of pulling a thread, but the intention and energy behind it is very important. Everything has an effect upon everything else and there are consequences to doing so, not all of them can be foreseen or determinate. Any magician or witch who can guarantee something is in my opinion being short with the truth. They cannot heal cancer, give you money, good luck, admirers, love or land you a job with Bill Gates, they can only make suggestions to the universe no more than you can and it won't happen without effort on your behalf too. It might seem rather pointless then, but to me it gives a sense of oneness with everything around me even if it doesn't give me exactly what I want or have the desired outcomes. Real magic isn't illusions or falsity but about simple honesty with the world, tolerance and empathy. It's also imperfect, individual and most importantly free.

Magic... is bringing about a smile, laugh or giggle from someone

Magic... is hearing a baby coo

Magic... is watching children play


I can go on and on...but I think you get the idea. Magic is within and around us each and every day, it is in how we choose to utilize it that is key. We are all capable of it.

leolady

originally posted by: FraterMediator
I created an account just to point all of you who are curious about magick towards some real information free of fluff(mostly). I am not a native english speaker so excuse me if my english seems stiff and formal, it's been coloured by reading many english books.

I had a pull towards magick from childhood, and started practicising about 7 years ago. Here are some of the things I have learned, and that I consider atleast subjectivly valid for me.

Magick doesn't turn the world on it's head to achieve a goal. Theres no blinding flashes of light and happenings defying natural laws. Rather, when you observe a spell or spirit working to reach a goal you have set, it looks from afar like a series of somewhat improbable events tumbling towards the desired outcome. Well within the realm of possibility, but improbable. Like luck.

Example, I wanted to buy a farm a few years ago. I had no capital or savings. I had no job at the time and was sick of looking for another job, so I wanted a farm as a base to grow a business and become my own boss. I did a long devotional ritual to several archangels, Ganesha the opener of roads, the current of Jupiter for wealth and expansion in life, and a general expansion of wealth, and the current of Venus for securing a home where me and my fiancee could live in love and happiness. As an offering I promised that I would climb a mountain behind the house we rented and leave a rifle I had built from scratch at the summit. It was my most beloved item, one I had spents months pouring energy, love and money into.

The ritual took about 10-15 minutes a day for 1.5 months, and I followed up the spiritual work with physical work, writing applications to every financial institution under the sun. And by the end of it a letter arrived in the mail announcing that we had secured a loan for the full sum, at the lowest possible interest rate. With no cash, and no job, I got a loan big enough to secure a farm, and not only that, we got a herd of sheep for free as part of the deal which I have grown to 4 times it's original size and now make a good living from.

There were more costs however, not just the rifle, which I true to my word left ontop of the mountain in the middle of a november storm the same day I got the letter. Before this I had an aversion to paperwork and bureaucracy, I was lazy, and I had an unhealthy and rather dismissive relationship to money and monetary matters.

The stress and enourmous amounts of work writing loan applications and later building a business from scratch has been a crucible, an alchemical process, burning these faults away from my personality. It was rough, like breaking your back rough, but strength and guidance was given from the same forces that, really, I asked to put me in that position.

Magick gives you power, but it also forces you to grow. If you crave power but you are afraid to grow, then magick will twist and distort you. If you are willing to grow, to become more like the divine blueprint of a human, then magick will help and guide you. Every spell is a path to walk, ever action has reprecussions, every reprecussion is a chance for overcoming.


For those interested, google studio arcanis.

This is reminds me a lot of the chant i was teached...

But anyway, people today often relate magic with the power of shooting fireballs with your hands, ressurecitng the dead, levitating etc etc. Perhaphs these stuff is not magic at all but rather things much different. In this case, entirely sepparate things: Telekinesis, Phyromancy and Necromancy.

Higitus figitus migitus mum prestodigitonium.

youtu.be...

a reply to: gell1234

Magic is the power that all humans have if they allow their connection to God.

“Magic's just science that we don't understand yet.”

- Arthur C. Clarke

originally posted by: gell1234
What is magic?

It's the same as religion: An excuse.

Hi there,

Magic is just the ability to connect.
Do you guy have a hard time moving your hand, no ? it s yours so it s normal.
"Magic" allow one to phase with it s surrounding and have an impact on it, like control, exchange information, learning and so on.


The more you progress the higher you go / expend (witch is related to your conciousness)

Doing so require time and wisdom as one cannot do so if not centered.

While some said before the goal is merely but évolution, nothing like self gain or interest.

It may be so for some at the begining but the more you progress the more you change.
As you expand your consciousness you start to break your own conception of wath is and what is not thus your goal change drasticly...

Symbolism, words, and else do have a part to play, but ultimely speaking it s just and aid.

Hope that help.
Bye

originally posted by: JokerThe1st
a reply to: gell1234

Magic (not the trickery you see on stage)
is the manipulation of nature/natural forces, these forces usually being of an occult/esoteric nature.

Black magic is the use for selfish or otherwise negative intent

White magic is the use for un-selfish or positive intent

There is no white and black magic as such, the user is the deciding factor as to polarity of the force used.

What are ‘forces’ exactly?

originally posted by: Konduit
“Magic's just science that we don't understand yet.”

- Arthur C. Clarke

That statement shows how Clarke failed to understand the limitations of science. Magic applies to higher realms of consciousness where the physical forces and causes studied by science don't exist. Just because natural processes are regarded by superstitous people as magic because they don't understand them scientifically does not imply that magic is just such processes. Materialists (and sci-fi writers) will believe that, but more perceptive minds know differently.....

I believe magic comes from the word Maya, and the English translation as I recall is illusion. Everything that exists might be magic.

MAGIC AND SORCERY

Secret arts and uncanny powers presumably used to accomplish things beyond what is natural​—associated with spiritistic, occult powers.

“Black” magic is said to consist of spells, special curses, and “the evil eye” that bring harm to one’s enemies. “White” magic, on the other hand, is said by its practicers to produce good results by breaking the spells and canceling the curses. Among some ancient peoples “black” magic was forbidden under penalty of death. The Bible, however, goes a step further and forbids every form of spiritistic magic. (Le 19:26; De 18:9-14) By the use of magic formulas, said to be obtained through supernatural knowledge and wisdom, the practitioner attempts to influence people and alter future events. In this respect magic differs from divination, which attempts only to discover future events rather than influence or change them.​—See DIVINATION.

Much of the concept of magic-working sorcery is based on the belief that evil spirits can be induced either to leave or to enter a person, that they can be tricked and deceived, and that they can be captured or trapped in a piece of wood or a clay image. For example, it is claimed that by making magic paths of honey or other agreeable things, the demons can be led around at the will of the magician.

All such notions naturally gave rise to a crafty class of magic-practicing priests, who exercised great power over the lives of the people, extorting large payments from those under their influence on the pretense of possessing supernatural powers over and beyond those of the demons. The people believed that these professional sorcerers could invoke the demons to obey but that the demons had no power over the sorcerers.

These spiritistic practices, so-called sciences, were developed and used by the ancient Chaldeans of Babylonia. Isaiah, in the eighth century B.C.E., tells us that Babylon of his day was rife with sorceries of all sorts. (Isa 47:12-15) More than a century later, in the days of Daniel, the magic-practicing priests were still a part of the Babylonian court. (Da 1:20; 2:2, 10, 27; 4:7; 5:11) This expression “magic-practicing priests” is a literal and explicit translation of the Hebrew.

The Babylonians had a great fear of physically deformed persons called warlocks and witches, in the belief that they were dispensers of “black” magic. The priests, on the other hand, were said to be masters of “white” magic. They believed that the same incantation that made a sick man well if spoken by a priest would kill the man if uttered by a warlock or witch.

It is possible that when people scattered around the earth because of the confusion of languages at Babel, they took with them some concept of such magical arts. (Ge 11:8, 9) Today millions practice the magic of mantra, that is, the mystic formula, hymn, or spellbinding prayer of popular Hinduism. Magic-practicing priests, witch doctors, medicine men, and sorcerers of all sorts are found in many places the world over, as they were among the Egyptians of the 18th century B.C.E., in the days of Joseph. (Ge 41:8, 24) Over two centuries after Joseph was sold into slavery, the magic-practicing priests of Egypt seemingly duplicated to an extent the first three miracles performed by Moses. (Ex 7:11, 22; 8:7) But they were powerless when it came to producing gnats, having to admit that it was “the finger of God!” They were likewise helpless in preventing the plague of boils from afflicting themselves.​—Ex 8:18, 19; 9:11.

Condemned by the Bible. The Bible is singularly different from the writings of other ancient people in that its references to uncanny powers and magical arts are all condemnatory. Nowhere does it recommend “white” magic to cancel spells of “black” magic. Rather, it urges faith, prayer, and trust in Jehovah as the protection against unseen “wicked spirit forces” and all their related activities, including magical influences. (Eph 6:11-18) In the Psalms the righteous pray for deliverance from evil; Jesus taught us to pray for deliverance “from the wicked one.” (Mt 6:13) The Talmud and the Koran, on the other hand, give way to superstition and fear. The Apocryphal book of Tobit contains absurd passages of magic-working sorcery.​—Tobit 6:5, 8, 9, 19; 8:2, 3; 11:8-15; 12:3; see APOCRYPHA (Tobit).

The nation of Israel was, therefore, unlike its contemporaries in this respect, and in order that it might remain so, Jehovah gave his people some very explicit laws concerning those who were intimate with the occult powers. “You must not preserve a sorceress alive.” (Ex 22:18) “You must not practice magic.” “As for a man or woman in whom there proves to be a mediumistic spirit or spirit of prediction, they should be put to death without fail.” (Le 19:26; 20:27) “There should not be found in you . . . a practicer of magic or anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer, or one who binds others with a spell or anyone who consults a spirit medium.”​—De 18:10-14.

Jehovah’s prophet also declared that God would cut off all those who indulged in sorceries. (Mic 5:12) Certain individuals such as Saul, Jezebel, and Manasseh, who forsook Jehovah and turned to sorceries of one kind or another, are examples of the past not to be copied.​—1Sa 28:7; 2Ki 9:22; 2Ch 33:1, 2, 6.

The Christian Greek Scriptures also tell of the prevalence of sorcerers throughout the Roman Empire in the days of Jesus and the apostles. On the island of Cyprus, there was such a one named Bar-Jesus, whom Paul denounced as “full of every sort of fraud and every sort of villainy, . . . son of the Devil.” (Ac 13:6-11) There were others, however, such as Simon of Samaria who gave up their magic-working practices and embraced Christianity. (Ac 8:5, 9-13) On one occasion in Ephesus, “quite a number of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them up before everybody. And they calculated together the prices of them and found them worth fifty thousand pieces of silver [if denarii, $37,200].” (Ac 19:18, 19) Writing to those in Galatia, the apostle Paul included spiritistic occultism among “the works of the flesh,” warning them “that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s kingdom.” (Ga 5:19-21) Outside that glorious Kingdom will be all those who persist in these Babylonish practices. (Re 21:8; 22:15) Together with Babylon the Great, so notorious for misleading the nations by her sorceries, they will all be destroyed.​—Re 18:23; see POWER, POWERFUL WORKS (Responsible use of power).