MAGIC WORDS ness is all. At one time to be educated was to be well versed in both, but one approach does tend to drive out the other. The scientist as such can never be a magus (though as a human being he may be!). Poetry, music and the fine arts embody magical truths. That is where to find them, abstracted. And magic, I believe, is the right word to use. At one time the activities of science and magic were virtually indistinguishable. The magic I mean is the potent liquor left behind by the distillation of science, freed from superstition and as near an elixir of life as we are likely to get. Meanings: • Amusement -- R.G. Collingwood, The Principles of Art (19 8) • Art of causing coincidence Chris McIntosh, quoted in Northern Mysteries & Magick: Runes, Gods, and Feminine Powers by Freya Aswynn (1990) • Art of changing consciousness at will "The true definition of Magic, little one . . . does not center around spells or incantations, or the mysterious waving of arms . . . no. [T]rue Magic is 'the art and science of changing states of mind at will.' And as we have learned by experience, action follows thought." -- Douglas Monroe, The 21 Lessons of Merlyn: A Study in Druid Magic and Lore (1992) • Art of illusion "According to the illustrious magician Harry Houdini, magic is achieved through illusion. A simple example is an illusion created using smoke and mirrors. The illusion is called magic simply because it appears to be unexplainable." -- Wayne Dyer, Real Magic: Creating Miracles in Everyday Life (1992) "When we hear the word magic, we usually associate it with the work of master illusionists who perform amazing feats on stage or television in front of bedazzled audiences." -- Henry Barnard Wesselman, The Journey to the Sacred Garden (200 ) "Going back into history . . . magic was once the highest of all the arts, its performers famous the world over. Back in the day, attending the performance of a magician inspired awe and wonder. . . . Today, the word magic retains its elevated status only when used as an adjective to describe something else. . . . If a performance is sheer magic, a work of art magical, a meal so memorable that the chef is called a magician, this is still high praise indeed." -- John Case, The Murder Artist (2004) • Charlatanry -- Tayannah Lee McQuillar, Rootwork (200 ) • Intention intersecting with attention "My favorite definition of the word magic is what happens when intention meets attention." -- Michelle T. Johnson, Working While Black (2004)