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THE PRACTICE OF MAGIC
Whenever decisions needed to be made, ancient tribes would seek guidance from sorcerers, who were able to commune with the spirit world. In Celtic Europe, it was the Druids who exercised sway over the minds of the people; and in every place in the world there is evidence of such "interveners with the gods".
As tribal society grew into countries, and economic development and trade began, magical practice turned into religion, which is still ultimately a way in which we attempt to persuade our gods to grant us certain things that we are unable to control ourselves. The essential difference between religion and magic is that, with the former we are expected to have faith; that is, a belief in something that we do not really experience and know for ourselves to be true. In magic, no belief is necessary, and rather than accepting the will of some deity or spirit greater than ourselves, we attempt to direct spiritual forces in the way that we wish to see them move. Magic if far more self-directional, far more causative. It places the responsibility from the outcomes of one's life directly in the hands of those who practice it. So, magic can then divine as a causative approach to life.
THE ETHICS OF MAGIC
The basic intention of magic should be to bring about greater freedom, love and happiness. When hatred is the emotion used to instigate negative changes in the lives of others, this is often called black magic. When an individual moves down this path, he or she sows the seeds of his own destruction. Black magic not only uses magical forces for selfish ends, but is also generated by emotions such as hatred, fear and ignorance and has as its ultimate aim the harming and destruction of humanity. Those who choose to use such magic may experience short-term gains; they may well get their revenge or attain wealth very quickly. However, in a relatively short space of time, the negative forces they are sending out will return and act against them, but even stronger!
Although some people believe that it is wrong to use magic to influence events, most agree that it is perfectly acceptable to use magic to take greater control over one's life as long as the free will of others is not impinged upon.
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