Magick - the practice of causing change through psychological manipulation, generally that of the self. Ritual, symbolism, chanting, meditation, invocation, etc are all used to influence one's own mind and cause change. Because of this, much studying, practice, and trial is required to find the ritual style, symbolism, etc that best works for a person. It is similar to the placebo affect, however it can be proven to work through brain scans during practice. Nobody denies the power of the mind. With magick, all comes from within.
Now, praying is just another way of practicing magick. The symbols include one's god(s), following ritualistic dogma set up by religions, etc. A person who believes in prayer may heal faster if they know they are being prayed for, as it also comes from within.
So, the question is, how can many religious people claim prayer to be good while magick to be evil, when they are one in the same? My own theory is that teaching such a thing forces a person to look externally and ignore internal power. But perhaps there is more to it.
Thoughts?
