The world today is at a point where it can no longer support it's self. The consumer society we have all grown up in is literally falling apart around us. It is just as apparent in the areas of religion and spirituality as well as ecological impact, political affairs and the general overall state of the world. We may not be able to agree on these facts. Some would argue that the world is in no more danger of cataclysm than at any other turn of the century but it is clear to any open minded person that the great United States and Canada, indeed perhaps the western world is in the declining stage of an empire. The Romans had their day in the sun, so have we. Now, we see that the world cannot support our throw away appetites and we have begun to recognise this. Unfortunately, there have been few or no steps taken to resolve the problem. But mother nature is not helpless, far from it. She fights with disease and plague, with starvation and depression. AIDS, super viruses, and new strands of ancient enemies such as polio, and the black plague have recently appeared in our very midst. The world is long overdue for a change and it is the feelings of many that she is about to do just that.

It has been a common occurrence in the news,entertainment, and periodicals to see ads, commentaries, and documentaries of psychic ability and phenomenon. But other strange and unexplainable events have recently appeared. This includes aliens, ghosts, supernatural occurrences and things that could only be explained as "magic".

By the use of the term "magic" I do not mean the razzle dazzle hocus pocus that is displayed by illusionists that are professional entertainers. I'm talking about a force that can be shaped and focused to a specific purpose. This force is often called "magic" simply because it defies regular laws of physics and other sciences. But one must understand that magic is not a science but rather more an art. Magic is a personal thing and depends much on the person's disposition, however like a science it has rules although most laws of magic do not jive with the laws of other conventional sciences.

It is a common misconception that magic can solve all your problems, or that it can be learned by everyone. It is also a misconception that it is showy and glowing. True "magic" is none of the above. Sure, it can be used to a personal advantage but magic can be very powerful and so with power comes responsibility. Now, anyone who reads this is entitled to their own opinion. There will always be people who do not or will not believe that something like magic is possible. I myself am a very logical and skeptical person but there have been events in my life that some would consider crazy, psycho, and just plain wierd. My only explanation is that magic is real and it exists, along with all the weird and wonderful things that comes with it.

Now to understand magic one must understand that magic is different than psionics. Psionics can be defined as mind powers. This includes clairvoyance, ESP, telepathy, telekinesis, and other such abilities. Psionics can and are possessed to certain degrees by everyone. This particular abilities is theorised to have developed when man was still primitive and surviving in the wild. Ever get one of those 'gut feelings', a hunch that something is going to go right or wrong? A feeling that today would be a good or bad day? Everyone does. It is because all people possess a certain amount of psionic power. Some possess more and so can 'see' things beyond the ordinary. This would be things like sensing another's thoughts or feelings, experiencing things like Deja vu, or visions that come true. Personally, I have experienced empathy, weak clairvoyance, telepathy to a degree and telekinesis although that was not my doing. I know many people who truly have this power, although most do not realise it, are untrained, or are not aware of their full potential. Some are more or less aware, but will not push themselves to realise their potential. Psionic gifts come in one of three general states:

1) Wild or natural psionic: this is a particular talent that is unknown to the possessor who uses it without his or her knowledge. This includes the people who are phenomenally 'lucky', have an uncanny knack to tell what a person is like, are very persuasive, or can anticipate a person's actions or thoughts. These talents can be very powerful and are usually untrained. Another variation on this are 'naturals' or any one who seems to be extrodinarily good at something with little or no effort. This can include very mundane things like psycho computer hackers, extraodinary artists and leaders, and other jobs. Any aware psionist can detect a wild psychic talent and identify it.

2) Awakened Psionic: This type of psionic gift is the state of most psionics who have realised they have a psionic gift and have worked to refine that gift. These people are aware they are using their abilities but are not sure as to their extent and personal limitations. This includes clairvoyants, finders, telepaths, empaths, and other specified psionics. These people usually find their talents modest.

3) Aware Psionic: This is the psionist who is fully aware and trained to use their talents. They have refined their talents to a point where they are confident and aware of their limitation and strengths. They are the most reliable for detect other psionists simply because they can analyse the information they are receiving through their psionic senses.

Magic differs from psionics in that psionics do not generally effect the physical plane in unexplainable ways. (telekinetics is perhaps the exception) This would include living as we as inanimate things. Psionics use the inner strength of a person to operate and like any other physical exercise can and will tire a person out. Magic, however, does not draw on a person's essence to operate. Magic is like electricity, it is power and people are the shapers and users of such energy. It does take effort to shape these powers and can have side effects and backlashes if not performed correctly.

The word 'magic' conjures (excuse the pun) to mind witches, wizards and mages. Old men and women carving arcane shapes in the dirt and conjuring spirits and powers. This is actually quite a bit of bunk. Magic can be performed with barely the bat of an eyelid. Some magic users like to use ritual practices to focus their minds and create the proper atmosphere. But as was mentioned magic is a highly personal thing. Magic users tend to have a 'color' meaning that each magic users uses a portion of that magic energy which is most comfortable to them. A young magic user, or a beginning magic user would probably want to experiment with many different colors and methods before settling on a particular one. A person who does not have the kind of money required to practice ritually can still create or acquire simple tools at relatively little or no cost. Herbs can be gathered or found around the house. Wands can be created and simple bowls can be used instead of a cauldron. Swords and daggers are usually unnecessary not to mention expensive and robes can simply be a nightgown that you only wear for magical purposes. But this is not a 'how to' but more an informative for those who wish to know more. People may say that magic is 'evil' or 'demonic'. Truth is magic is just a force. It is not inherently evil or good as fantasy books may have you believe. The force called magic is much like electricity, it is neither good nor bad, it simply is. Good or evil magic is only a judgment of the person who is using it to achieve a particular end, not a judgment to the power itself.

Magic has been an object of fear and anxiety for centuries. We've all heard of the stories of witch hunts and burning, and I hope that we are all past that. We don't throw Christians to the lions anymore so why should we persecute those who wish to experiment with a different way of thinking? Magic has been ignored and condemned for so long that it all but disappeared. For centuries there was little or no magic in the world, this includes the 1970's and back. We cannot know about the early ages of man, but legends often are based on truth. But magic is becoming more apparent to those who practice it and to those who are sensitive to it. Magic is coming back and all the strange and wonderful things that it brings. Magic has it's own rules, often they defy conventional sciences. This can include physical manipulation, strange events or insights, visions, and illusions that are real yet not real. Magic can be used for trivial things like love spell, good luck, curses, weather manipulation and that sort of thing.

There are people who have innate magical abilities that make them magical, yet they are not 'magic users'. These people have within them the spirit of a creature that is magical in nature yet cannot exist due to the lack of magic in the world. The supernatural nature of these creatures can be feared in some but not in others. But don't jump to conclusions my friend because one of these beings could be you. These people do not know of their nature, in fact they may be the most outspoken of anti-magic fanatics. They may be the respected professor of physics at the local college or the bum who sleeps on the corner every Friday night. The point is you cannot know who has the magical soul and who doesn't.

I have spoken on psionics and magic, two very controversial and very different topics. There is, however, a time when both magic and psionics meet. Psionics could be defined as the 'mind over matter' and magic as a 'directed force' that force being of an outside nature. Most people have some degree of psionic power, whether they know it or not. Magic is an inherent or genetic condition which allows a particular individual to sculpt, like an artist, the forces of magic to meet a particular end. Magic users can have psionics, and most often do. Some goes the other way, as well as having one but not the other. Truly, however, my point is this: Magic and psionics are real and among us. Do not be afraid simply because of this fact, because the power is not evil or good. Be wary of the individual, and try not to judge simply because you do not understand the forces that this person claims to work. Open mindedness is the only way to both protect yourself and experiment. Be brave and look up reference material in the library or in the "New age' section of the book store. The material is available, but also trust your own instincts, after all you are probably a psionist too.