Magic can refer to supernatural manipulation of events, people, and objects or illusions created through physical manipulation. It has been present in human culture for thousands of years and is practiced by traditional shamans, Wiccans, and others. Historically, practitioners provided services to their community but were also feared and persecuted. Beliefs about magic vary by culture, with some distinguishing between white and black magic. Skilled illusionists can create seemingly supernatural feats through hard work and study.
Magic means different things to different people. For believers in the paranormal, for example, it refers to the manipulation of events, people, and objects through supernatural means to create a desired outcome. This type of magic may involve spells, rituals, incantations, and other tools to alter the practitioner’s environment. The word is also used to refer to tricks and sleight of hand that make things appear and disappear, as if in a supernatural way.
The concept of magic has been present in human culture for thousands of years. Many cultures had versions of witches, wizards, warlocks, warlocks, shamans, and other people who supposedly could harness supernatural powers for various tasks. Some religions embed a belief in magic, while other religions reject it as the work of the devil, perhaps because these religions arose in opposition to the traditional practice.
Most cultures assume that to practice magic in a supernatural sense, someone must have magical powers. These powers may allow the practitioner to speak with inanimate objects, communicate with spirits, or harness energy in the spirit world; beliefs vary by culture. Practitioners of magic also undergo extensive training to learn how to use their abilities and to learn when its use is appropriate; some cultures also distinguish between white or good magic and black or bad magic.
Historically, people who practiced magic often provided a variety of services to their community, including providing health care, removing bad spells, manipulating the weather for good crops, and so on. These people have become figures of reverence and respect because of their perceived abilities. They were also associated with less practical things like spells; many folktales incorporate spells where people are bewitched or tricked into doing things, for example.
While practitioners of magic were historically sometimes revered, they were also feared. Many cultures have experienced times when witches and other practitioners were hunted down and punished, tortured or killed. People believed in the power of magic, felt that spells cast by someone could have an effect in the real world, and sometimes blamed events such as famines, epidemics, and failed harvests on witches and others.
Modern practitioners of magic can be found in many regions of the world. Some are traditional shamans and sages who serve tribes and communities as their ancestors have done for centuries, while others incorporate magic into the practice of their faith, such as Wiccans. The practice of magic for these people may include spells, rituals, medicines, the creation of magical items, amulets, and similar implements.
In a less mystical sense, magic is a discipline in which people learn to physically manipulate their environment to create illusions. Skilled wizards can appear to make flowers bloom in mid-air, cut women in half, summon rabbits from top hats, escape sealed tanks, and perform other feats. This practice does not involve harnessing supernatural forces; it takes hard, focused work and years of study to be successful.
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