The magic with which I am concerned is anything you do in your mind to bring about a desired result. Prayer, visualization, analysis, practice–magic can be all of these and more.
Magic is the difference between perfect accuracy and peak efficiency. We all use it; it’s indispensable.
The kind of magic that involves breaking the laws of the physical universe is simply impossible. It is therefore important to pursue, as much as you can, a true and accurate understanding of what is going on in the world and how things work.
Human brains evolved to operate more-or-less successfully even in the near-total absence of accurate understanding. Some people get through their whole lives by magic alone.
Never mistake the map for the directions. Truth is an important supplement to effective action, but focusing on creating an overly precise description of truth can distract us from acting effectively.
You never hear an actor say that she applied X joules of force within her facial muscles to bend her mouth into a 41° curve. Such might be an accurate description of what she did, but it is probably not how she experienced it; nor is it of any assistance to an acting student who wants to portray emotion as powerfully as the professional does.
Any magic that you do to make life more wonderful for yourself and everyone, I support. But not all of the magic that you are able to use can be successfully used by others. Magic is not wisdom unless it can be passed to many others and actually benefit them.
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