Recently, more and more often one has to hear that magic, if it existed at one time, has now completely degenerated: it has disappeared as unnecessary. Why would a shaman disperse the clouds using a complex ritual, if today it is easier to do it using special reagents?
Why conduct a rite of passage for love if you can bewitch a person using NLP (neurolinguistic programming) techniques? Everything is correct. However, it is naive to think that the development of science has supplanted magic. On the contrary: magic in the modern world has become more perfect.
EVOLUTION OF MAGIC
They say that before the basics of magic and witchcraft were owned by the most ordinary people. For example, every woman knew which herb would calm the child, which would relieve pain or help him fall asleep. Today only healers own this knowledge. Advice from the series "My own herbalist" is not taken into account. And the herbs, to be honest, are not the same. The world has become different, man has moved away from nature. But magic has also changed. And this did not happen yesterday.
For some reason, the development of physics and mathematics, writing and literature, architecture, painting, psychology, medicine is considered absolutely natural. But magic art in the understanding of the majority is something unchanging, archaic. However, magic has evolved over the millennia with humans. Together with science, if you like.
The simplest example. Long ago, shamans and sorcerers used only wood and stone attributes in their rituals. And of course, magic herbs. For the sorcerers of the past, that was enough. They connected with spirits, introduced people into a trance, expelled diseases, turning to wooden idols, using the energy of stone, the properties of plants and roots and their own strength, naturally.
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But now man has learned to work metal. Craftsmen have new materials, warriors have better weapons, and mages have new attributes. First of all, a ritual knife, which has been used in most rituals for many centuries. And most importantly, magicians have mastered a new element, learned to use the properties of metal for their own purposes.
Of course, this is far from the only magical innovation. It is easy to guess that cards (both ordinary and Tarot), mirrors, candles and many other things that are actively used in magical and divination practices did not appear immediately. Although, of course, by modern standards, these objects are as ancient as stone or wood. Well, let's turn to more recent discoveries.
At the end of the 19th century, the telephone was invented, a century later, personal computers came into use. And today, many psychics consult on Skype and phone, conduct collective rituals online and even have a direct magical effect on a person, while being at the other end of the world. The real breakthrough in both science and magic was programming.
Modern astrologers do not need to gaze into the night sky and make complex calculations: a computer program will do all this. And the specialist will have more time and energy to interpret the natal chart. But this is not the limit. There are computer programs that allow you to enter an altered state of consciousness, in which even an ordinary person is able to temporarily become a shaman and form the desired model of the future. Of course, there are certain risks here. But isn't a beginner herbalist who makes a potion for the first time at risk?
The development of magic was influenced not only by technical innovations, but also by discoveries in the field of the human psyche. At the end of the 18th century, the name of Anton Mesmer resounded throughout Europe. He was called a great sorcerer, healer, sorcerer. Although in the usual sense Mesmer was neither a psychic, nor a shaman, nor a magician. Rather a talented hypnotist.
And he explained his successes by the power of "animal magnetism" - the energy that permeates all living things and can be transmitted from person to person. In addition, in his practice, Mesmer used magnetotherapy, which gave amazing results. Later his theory was taken up by both scientists and occultists. Mesmer's ideas formed the basis of magic rituals, psychological techniques and methods of alternative medicine.
Psychology has been actively developing since the 19th century. The discoveries of Sigmund Freud, Carl Gustav Jung, Alfred Adler and other famous scientists have revolutionized both psychotherapy and magic. Today, both psychologists and psychics use the techniques of psychoanalysis, techniques for working with the unconscious, and visualization techniques in their work.
True, magicians in this case are in a better position. For them, psychotechnics are far from the only way to achieve a result, but only one of the techniques that allow them to discover the root cause of the problem or speed up the fulfillment of a desire. In addition, if necessary, a psychic can always enhance the effect with the help of his own energy, magic rituals and talismans.
In general, talking about the disappearance of magic is not correct. Of course, it has changed a lot, especially over the last couple of centuries. Perhaps it will seem to someone that magic and science have merged into a single whole - and this is not far from the truth. Any astrologer will say that such symbiosis is a typical sign of the Aquarian era, a new era that has begun quite recently. Look around: the further you go, the more the line between science and art, culture and religion, magic and everyday life is blurred. And we are at the very beginning of this path. There is no doubt that magic will change even more in the 3rd millennium. But it will not disappear anywhere.
MAGIC WAND GAMES
Probably, many are convinced: every day magic is becoming more accessible. Today, you don't have to go to a famous psychic a thousand miles away - you just need to call him or contact him by e-mail. This is certainly very convenient. But, as always, the medal has a downside. Take at least the numerous courses that teach NLP, suggestions and other methods of influencing the psyche.
In fact, anyone can now master the basics of hypnosis and all sorts of manipulative techniques - and use these skills for selfish purposes. On the other hand, the risk of becoming a victim of hypnosis or black magic existed at all times, and only professional protection and protective amulets could guarantee one hundred percent safety. However, as now, so little has changed in this respect.
Virtual magic is another matter. In recent years, there have been so many sites on esoterics, predictions and other occult disciplines that their eyes run wide. And very often people who really need the help of a professional waste precious time, communicating on near-magic forums, trying all kinds of rituals and spells. And it's good if they just waste time. Oftentimes, these games of witchcraft do real harm.
Judge for yourself: suppose a person has never practiced magic, like his parents, grandparents, and so on. And now he had a suspicion that he was jinxed. Naturally, the magician should remove the evil eye. But where can I get it? Besides, he will also have to pay … Maybe try to cope on his own? "Of course," - assure virtual comrades in misfortune, generously sharing their own (possibly invented) recipes.
And the person voluntarily turns into a guinea pig, begins to "conjure", experiencing one ritual, then another. Time passes, but nothing good happens. On the contrary, it only gets worse. And it is not surprising: at least a person does not receive the necessary help, but at the maximum he spends energy, loses strength, attracts negativity to himself - in a word, ruins his life with his own hands. Now tell me: if he needed an operation, would he decide to carry out it on his own, following the instructions he read on the Internet? That's it.
For some reason, many people take magic quite lightly, as if it were child's play. And partly to blame for this is modern pop culture, which has put witches, sorcerers and psychics on a par with wizards and elves from children's fairy tales. Meanwhile, real magicians do exist, including on the Internet.
They have their own websites and virtual living rooms, they give consultations online and by e-mail, send amulets and remove negativity remotely. A natural question arises: how to distinguish them from numerous charlatans and fantasy lovers? In general, as before: you need to listen to your intuition and remember that free cheese is only in a mousetrap. I know what I'm talking about, because a couple of years ago I myself attended a virtual magic session.
RITUAL ONLINE
Nothing terrible happened to me. I just got the feeling that life had reached a dead end. My husband and I stopped understanding each other, there were no prospects at work. I tried to change something, but nothing worked: as if I was stuck in some kind of viscous swamp and I couldn't even take a step. In general, if you are familiar with the feeling of running in a vicious circle, you will understand me.
One friend offered to sign up for a virtual consultation with a famous sorceress, who, according to her friend, radically changed her life. And I decided to try it, although, to be honest, I didn't really hope for success. Anyway, a session of magic on Skype seemed to me then something from the realm of fantasy. And yet our virtual meeting took place.
The face of a young witch appeared on the laptop screen. She asked me to briefly outline the essence of the problem, determined that the evil eye was on me, said to look at her, while she herself, meanwhile, uttered some obscure words. I remember that I did not feel anything special and was ready to write this episode into a long list of my failures.
However, literally a couple of days later, the first positive changes occurred: I was offered a job that I had dreamed of for over a year! A week later, I began to notice how my husband was changing: as if he returned seven years ago, became the same romantic, attentive, loving. And three months later I found out that I would be a mother! In general, not a trace remained of the former skepticism.
And then I decided to meet with that witch in person. First, to thank you for your help, and second, to clarify something for yourself. I wanted to understand whether ancient magic is compatible with technical progress, whether consultation by phone or the Internet can replace live communication and how effective is virtual magic help. And this is what the hereditary witch answered me:
“Magicians, psychics, sorcerers, clairvoyants have a special gift. But otherwise we are the same people, like everyone else. It is naive to think that we, like thousands of years ago, live in a forest and do not know how to use a computer. We are able and in a sense even better than other techies. Yes, when communicating remotely, energy exchange is difficult, but it is easy to transmit the necessary information. You can ask a person a certain program that will correct his fate. If the problem is not too serious, that will be enough. And if someone urgently needs magical support, but there is no way to get an appointment in the near future, a computer or phone becomes a lifesaver that allows you to provide urgent help. And then, if necessary, we will work in the old fashioned way."
I will not devote you to all the details of our conversation, I will say one thing: after this meeting, I no longer doubted that magic had a great future. Even in the era of high technology.
Irina VOLKOVA