Back in 2007, Bruce Springsteen put out an album called "Magic".  The album is named for the song of the same name. Springsteen explains that the song is not about Magick, but about trickery, which, he states, are two totally different things.
Webster's defines Magic as the use of means (as charms or spells) believed to have supernatural power over natural forces, magic rites or incantations, and an extraordinary power or influence seemingly from a supernatural source. The spelling of Magick as opposed to magic is how Aleister Crowley differentiated between ritual and illusion, respectively.
To me, Magick is a way of life. It is, in terms of religion, the everyday practice of Karma, defined in the Bible as "The Golden Rule". It is the unadulterated belief in fate and destiny and the certitude that changing the course of either is counterproductive behavior. It is enchanting charms and recognizing familiars and offering gifts from the Earth to your Goddesses for your blessings. It is listening to your intuition and believing in your dreams. And Magick consists of the sharing of ideas, as one might consider to be the purpose of congregating in a church.
There is no trickery in Magick, only light and love and honesty.
Magick is believing that good things will come to you with no expectation that they will. In the practice of Magick, faith is rewarded with beauty and joy, and one who practices Magic would never assume their reward is awaiting them on "the other side". We who practice, faithfully, understand empirically that the blessings we experience every day represent the fruits of our labor and we espouse a strong desire to share those blessings with the people we love. We know that the different phases of the moon control the strongest waters on Earth and that without the life giving warmth of the sun, there would be no life on Earth, as there would be no trees, hence, no oxygen. We know that before the days of GPS, sailors navigated their way to new lands by the light of the stars and that every one of those stars represent a God or Goddess, a Zodiac, astrology, astronomy, physics. It is all tied together in Celtic Knot and it is empirical proof of life. No mystery...no trusting in something you cannot see...no bullshit...just proof, which inevitably leads to the greatest faith there is.

In my life, I have studied Christianity and humanity. I will tell you that it is always beautiful to have faith, no matter what you believe in, but humanity is another story. You have to search far and wide to find beauty in humans, and when you do find it, there will be plenty of other humans who will tell you you are wrong about what you've found. I've earned my doctorate in people, especially the ones who I am blessed to have loved (for that is the greatest education of all...study your people...knowledge is power, the good kind...the better you understand your beloveds, the more you have to offer them for the Magick they bring into your life), and I will stand on file on this advice; don't listen to humans. Listen to your intuition...other than the stars, it is the only GPS you will ever need.


-Deannalynn Arzola