Believe it or not, magic can be defined in a number of ways, making it one of those words — much like witchcraft — that is more personally defined by the individual. Ignorant types still hold on to the idea that witches hover over cauldrons, dropping in some “eye of newt” in order to summon demons to do their bidding. Hard skeptics snort at the concept, using the aforementioned image of a witch as a means to mock those who practice witchcraft. Truth be told, magic is simply an umbrella word — much like paganism and witchcraft, respectively — that describes a multitude of philosophies and practices, which sit outside the realms of both religion and science. So how do you, personally, define magic as an atheist witch?
Magic isn’t divine
Magic isn’t powered by deities. While some religions who mix magic with their faith give credit to their gods, atheist witches simply don’t believe that. We don’t even believe deities exist, much less that they exist to provide us with spiritual Red Bull. So, to godless witches like myself, magic is far from divine. Magic belongs to us and is there for the taking. It is not a gift that only the special chosen few can obtain.
Magic is energy
When you practice witchcraft, you’re trying to manifest a goal using magic. The fuel for that very goal is energy. Therefore, it could be philosophized that magic is energy. What better way to define a word that has so many definitions all across the board? Speaking only for myself, I believe that magic is simply another word to describe the energetic phenomena that witches experience while casting spells — or even what Christians experience while in prayer.
Magic is natural
If magic is energy, and everything in the universe is made of energy, then is magic really supernatural? To atheist witches (in general) there isn’t really anything supernatural about one’s own innate ability to focus their energy and manifest their goals. However, in the sense that science hasn’t yet been able to explain the concept of magic, it is indeed a supernatural idea — disregarding any belief that ghosts, demons or any other mythical creations are responsible for it. Perhaps one day scientists will be able draw a connection between the supernatural and natural worlds. In the meantime, I prefer to use the word paranormal to describe anything occult-related.
Does it even matter?
It probably doesn’t even matter how you choose to define magic, since it’s been defined so broadly and in so many ways over thousands of years. What does matter is whether or not it works for you. If you’re a witch and you cast successful spells, does it matter at all how you define the feats you’ve achieved? What should really matter is how you personally feel after you’ve cast a spell, meditated or attempted to manifest. Do you feel cathartic? Do you feel better than you were feeling before you cast your spell? If so, then that’s the magic.
How do you personally define magic as an atheist witch?