Science has the uncanny knack of killing belief, but however hard scientists have tried, they could never lift the veil from the supernatural. Humans are perhaps doomed to be perplexed by the mysterious forces of nature till their dying day. "Magic" has received much bad press over the years and even though most recognize the word, they are far from understanding the concept. The point is, the word has been used to describe so many things that it is impossible to accurately say what it really means. In the basest definition, magic is an occurrence, the cause for which cannot be directly determined. Thus, pulling rabbits out of hats, conjuring mists and disappearing behind them as well as winning the Olympic gold can be magic. All these things seem impossible and magical to viewers simply because they are not scrutinized to ascertain cause. This is not to say that all things that people call magic are simply the outcome of the lack of keen examination. These are things even the greatest minds cannot explain that would amply qualify to fall under the category of magic. Perhaps the most infamous connection people draw with magic is the image of the witch. In the medieval ages, thousands died because they were convicted of witchcraft and soliciting with the devil. The main reason for the hysteria was the allegation that the "witches" used magic to bend people's wills, injure children and animals and send up on houses the wrath of sickness. However, there is not a shred of historical evidence that any of these acts were actually committed or that the accused were even capable of performing such deeds. In recent years, the practice of magic (or magick) through white witchcraft or Wicca has been gaining popularity. These practices have no association with the historical witch and tend to be a form of nature worship rather than anything evil. The jury is still out on the authenticity of magic, but for an individual the question remains one of faith. |
