What is Magic? - An Introduction to Magic and the Magician

(Lesson 1)

First, we must determine how magic and the magician should be defined.  To do this, I will start by making a few observations:

Magic…

            …is an art – requires creativity, self expression, talent, imagination, ingenuity

            …is a science – requires application of theoretical laws and procedures, experimentation, etc. To gain specified results, must perform specified actions.

            …creates change in the environment of the magician by means other than direct physical manipulation in conformity with the magician’s will.

            …is not a force, but an act, or a method of acting – the force to which people refer in such statements as “magic fills the air” or “magic flows about him” is the energy raised by the performance of magical acts.  This force may be referred to as “Magical Energy,” “Psychic Energy,” “Aetheric Force” or “Orgone Energy.”

Because it is an art…

            …it can, theoretically be done by all.  However, in order to be effective, truly effective, one must possess a degree of talent.  One must also possess a measure of strong desire to create…specifically, to create change.

Because it is a science…

            …its methods and procedures can be carried out by anyone.  However, to be effective, one must possess the inventiveness to know when to apply which formulas and when and how to create a new formula all together.

So…

Magic is the art and science of creating change in one’s environment by means, other than direct physical manipulation and through sheer force of will. 

Magic is not a force, but an act.  Further, is it not a specified action or specified set of actions, it is a type of action.  There is no more one “true” set of magical procedures than there is one “true” religion.  In this respect, it can be stated that any method of creating change, concurrent with one’s will, without direct physical manipulation is a form of magic.  Thus, even prayer is a form of magic.

By this statement, it is true that magic can be done by anyone.  However, not everyone has the talent to do it well, nor does everyone have the drive and desire to be a magician.  But how do we define a magician and how do we determine who has the talent and the drive to be one?

A magician is an unconventional thinker.  He, or she, not only displays the will and desire to do magic, but shows that they have the ability to create change by displaying an ability to think and operate in ways that are not generally consistent with the mainstream.  In a somewhat idealistic vein, we are the dreamers of dreams and the seers of visions.  We have a tendency to listen to our “inner voice” and follow our intuition.  We tend to look beneath the surface of people and events rather than to take everything and everyone at face value…often things are not as they would first appear on the outside.

A magician can then be defined as one who possesses the knowledge, the will, the desire and the talent to combine all of these in order to create change by other than physical means.

In short, we can only really define magic and the magician in generalities, for the specifics are truly infinite.  At best, we can say that magic is a means of creating change in a non-physical manner and a magician is one with the will, the desire and the talent to create that change.

Now that we have established what magic is, we should probably look at what it is not.  Once we do away with the fairytale fantasies and the idyllic pipedreams, we can start fresh on a steady and grounded foundation.

Magic is not what is seen in fantasy movies where the ancient wizards’ eyes begin glowing and they start shooting fire and lightning from their staves or their fingers.  Neither is it the amazing flim-flam done by stage entertainers.  In fact, you will very likely never see fire or lightening shooting from your fingers (or any other part of your body, for that matter), nor is it likely that you will be able to make anything disappear into thin air.  That is, unless you become an actor or a stage magician and even then, it’s just illusions.

Magic will not provide you with the “quick fix” for all of your worldly problems.  It will likely not make you rich or famous.  Magic will not make your life easier, at least not at first.  In fact, often times, the beginner finds that things get harder.  You will make mistakes and you will be tested.  You will question your abilities, your beliefs and sometimes your sanity.  You will see, hear and experience things that others won’t believe and that you will find yourself questioning the reality of several hours or days later.  Many such things will frighten you, perhaps badly enough to make you want to quit your pursuits, sometimes permanently.

            If these things are true, then why bother?  If there are so many hardships to be had in the pursuit of magic, then why would anyone venture onto that path?  What are the benefits?  The answers to these questions are fairly simple.  We continue through the hardships because we have a strong desire to know.  We want to know what lies beyond the world that science can explain.  We want to know about those things that science can’t explain – ghosts, spirits, hauntings.  We’ve heard stories of how other people have done extraordinary things through the power of their will, and we want to do those things too.  We want to take control of our own existence and be the masters of our own destinies. Or maybe, we want to help others to do the same.  Maybe we’re just fascinated with the idea of magic.  Maybe it’s just something weird to freak out our friends and families.  No matter what our reasons are for stepping onto the magical path, the important thing is why we stay.  We stay because we eventually find that the hardships aren’t so hard, especially when they teach us their own unique lesson.  We stay because we learn that everything and everyone has a purpose, no matter how small, no matter how wretched a thing might be.  We stay on this path because we find that once we start really learning and growing, we really can help others and we can teach them to help themselves.  Ultimately, we stay on the path because, even when it would seem that there is nothing left to learn, there is always much, much more to learn.

If you’ve read this much, your feet have already stepped upon the beginning of this long and dusty track.  I invite you to walk on a bit further.  You already have some idea as to the difficulties as well as to the subsequent rewards.  Join us!  Awaken the unconventional thinker within, exercise your will and create change!  The choice is yours, the power is yours…