How many people here do actual magic? How do you do it?

[RangerWickett]

For those of you who perform real magic (and, no offense intended, but I don't think that's actually possible), I want to know how your variety of magic differs from the magic portrayed in D&D and in fantasy in general.

If you don't do magic, maybe you believe you have psychic abilities, but I'd prefer to hear about actual, noteworthy abilities like "I can levitate small animals and bend spoons" or "I cursed my ex-girlfriend so she's get mono," not things along the lines of "People say I'm really empathic" or "I've got this die that always rolls 14s. . . ."

I'm just curious as to what magic in the real world looks like, to everyone's eyes.

 

[thullgrim]

as a general rule I don't believe in supernatural abilities, that being said. I have dreams that come true. Not I dream of winning the lottery, or I can see visions of others or anything like that. Its simply that sometimes I see myself in a dream, captured in an instant of time, and then sometime later on down the road that instant happens. Everything is the same, people are wearing the same clothes, we are having the same conversation in the same place, eating the same food, at the same time of day. These dreams always feel different from other dreams.

I think subconciously I do something to make these dreams come true, but it does not explain why others in my dream are behaving as they did in the dream in real life.

Like I said I don't believe in the supernatural, I just don't have a rational explanation at this time.

Thullgrim

 

[Henry]

From research I've done, most RL magic is done through prayers that are essentially entreaties to various powers who are responsible for that "portfolio" for lack of a better word. In the case of Wicca, these entities are basically extensions of the Goddess, or ourselves, or both, depending on who you ask.

I do want to remind everyone that religious debate is technically off-grounds here, and Wicca and paganism count as religions, just like Christianity and Islam. But I don't see anything wrong with describing ritual for terms of comparing real-life practices with, say, D&D.

 

[Planesdragon]

If you don't do magic, maybe you believe you have psychic abilities, but I'd prefer to hear about actual, noteworthy abilities like "I can levitate small animals and bend spoons" or "I cursed my ex-girlfriend so she's get mono," not things along the lines of "People say I'm really empathic" or "I've got this die that always rolls 14s. . . ."

IME, most "real life" magic is like this. (I don't generally try and do ritual magic; the closest I come is focused prayer.) It's either subtle coincidental effects, intuitiveness, or "dealing with spirits." (Who are invisible, incorporeal beigns who each peson can see differently...)

Also, most "magical" folk I know tend to be about evenly split between "I'm doing the work" and "I'm telling supernatural X to do the work."

 

[Darklone]

Differences to D&D? I don't throw fireballs

 

[Ylis]

As stated above, RL magick is more along the lines of ritualized prayer. It works like this (theories may differ, basic concepts are the same):
Everything in the world possesses energy of some type, scientifically (or is capable of possessing energy). Magickal ritual draws energy from foci (candles, stones,etc) with certain types of energy, chosen for the spell. The caster then takes these drawn energies, combines his/her personal energy (empowered with the exact intent of the spell), and then releases it into one of the cycles of the world, where it will travel, gaining strength, until it reaches its destination. Personal energy is typically returned (at least in part) to its owner (hence the "law of three").

This works on the scientific basis that all things in the world/universe (as we know it) operates in cycles and, therefore, it is logical that energy does as well. When the caster projects energy into a cycle (which most do randomly, as it takes years of practice to "learn" the cycles), and that energy is "programmed" to go to a specific area, once it travels the cycle it will return to that area.

Now, I think the spectacular effects such as levitation are more along the lines of psychic abilities, as spells do not do these things. Spells are more along the lines of manipulating the energy around you in order to have the outcome you desire.

As far as spells go, I've done my fair share (I am Wiccan). As I said, serious practicioners would consider them more like "ritualized prayer". Nothing happens like on "Charmed" or anything of the like.

As far as psychic abilities go, I am a medium. I am in communication with spirits on a daily basis, and usually have to turn off or tone down my abilities in order to prevent myself from constantly seeing them/hearing them. I'm a skeptic by nature (I know, it sounds weird), so I've already checked out the logical sources for this (such as my mental stability), but my abilities are genuine. Most of the spirits I have communicated with can be verified via a few hours searching online, so my communications are genuine. I've helped paranormal groups in the UK remotely (I can use my abilities remotely by looking at a photograph, and they are just as accurate as if I would be there in person). I've also helped a man in the UK find some "lost" history to a castle in Shropshire, and the information I gave was researched further and was enough to have the BBC actually update their page on the castle's history.

Other than that, I'm pretty normal
I hope my answer helped out a bit....

 

[diaglo]

Differences to D&D? I don't throw fireballs

spontaneous human combustion.

never seen it. but i've read about it.

 

[NeuroZombie]

I could not have said it better myself. I, too, am Wiccan, actually, more like 'Eclectic Pagan', and your description was dead on

 

[Darklone]

spontaneous human combustion.

never seen it. but i've read about it.

Looks like the few cases (who are actually mostly known in the US IIRC) have been explained scientifically ... And IIRC again, there IS no SHC. Urban legends and some cases of corpses who burned at home without burning anything else due to a fat candle effect.

 

[bubbalin]

...Most of the spirits I have communicated with can be verified via a few hours searching online, so my communications are genuine. I've helped paranormal groups in the UK remotely (I can use my abilities remotely by looking at a photograph, and they are just as accurate as if I would be there in person). I've also helped a man in the UK find some "lost" history to a castle in Shropshire, and the information I gave was researched further and was enough to have the BBC actually update their page on the castle's history...

No offence, but the Skeptic in me wouldn't mind if you went and provided an example for us.