Magic, for magic classes only or for everyone?

[Diagoras]

A solution to this, that I've noted before, is to make magic actually magical. What's being described here is differently flavored technology (systematic manipulation of reality through mastery of the laws of physics) as opposed to any sort of historical conception of magic (inconsistent interaction with an arcane and supernatural power). Magic isn't technology that's invoked by waving your hands, but voodoo and witchcraft - neither of which lends themselves to reproducibility or economies of scale.

[curryinahurry]

Just because powers that are magical in nature are derived from and powered by the individual soul doesn't necessarily mean that magical powers will be all that common place in P:E.  One can look at this as akin to Qi (China) or Prana (Vedic); everyone has life energy and it courses through the world, but gaining any mastery over these forces takes a great deal of training, discipline and self-sacrifice.  It's not exactly the same because souls are ostensibly individual, but the same principles apply.

 

A farmer, as used in some of the above examples, will likely spend his day in bake breaking labor, not honing his skills to a knife's edge, or in inner contemplation.  If someone like that has any access to the power of their soul, it may come at a cost so great or risky as to discourage any attempt at utilizing such potential.

[Iucounu]

Don't understand how people get the idea that magic is everything uncommon.

For a definition of what magic actually is, look up Wikipedia: 

 

Magic may refer to:

• Magic (illusion), the art of appearing to perform supernatural feats using sleight of hand, escapology, or other methods
• Magic (paranormal), the use of paranormal methods to manipulate natural forces, such as:
  • Alchemy, a historical proto-science directed at the transmutation of physical substances for spiritual or magical purposes
  • Mana, an impersonal magical force, energy or power; commonly regarded as "the stuff of which magic is made."
  • Thaumaturgy, the magician's practice of working magic or miracles
  • Ancient cultural practices, such as Seidr (Norse magic), Heku (Egyptian magic), and Greco-Roman magic
  • Witchcraft, also called 'witchery' or 'spellcraft'
  • Sex magic, the practice of using sexual psychic energies for magical purposes
  • White magic, Gray magic, Black magic and Maleficium (sorcery), as gradations of magical intent from benevolent to malevolent; sometimes seen as related to a widespread magical categorization of Left-hand path and right-hand path.
  • Apotropaic magic, intended to deflect, avert, or "turn away" harmful influences.
  • Hoodoo (folk magic), also called 'Conjure' and (erroneously) 'Voodoo.'
  • Cunning folk, Pow-wow (folk magic), Dowsing, and other Folk magic practices
  • Theurgy, Conjuring, Spirit possession - various methods of evocation or summoning of spiritual entities
  • Ceremonial magic, a ritual system of esoteric spiritual development using occult techniques, related to Hermeticism, Kabbalah, and Western esotericism; a system often described as a western counterpart to yoga.
  • Related variants of Ceremonial Magic, such as Enochian magic and Golden Dawn
  • Comparable occult systems for esoteric spiritual development in Eastern religions; such as Tantra, Yoga, and especially yogic powers known as Siddhis
  • Magick, a specific system of ritual magic deriving from the religious philosophy of Thelema
  • Magic and religion, which may involve the intercession of deities or other spirits, such as prayer
  • Divination and other Occult practices are often considered to be aspects of magic
  • Synchronicity has been considered both as "magical causality" and as "meaningful acausal coincidence."
  • Some paranormal research topics that are presented as "science" are better categorized as magic and/or pseudoscience
• Magic (fantasy), fictional characters or objects with magical powers.
  • Magic in fiction, the treatment of magic in fictional works
  • Magic (Middle-earth), the mystical, paranormal, or supernatural activity, appear in various forms in J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional realm of Middle-earth.
• Magic (gaming), the portrayal of magic in roleplaying games
  • Magic of Dungeons & Dragons, widely used in the role-playing community, across many different fictional worlds, and across books, board games, video games, and movies.

Putting the gaming, fantasy and show-magic context aside, the definition we are looking for would be:

 

Magic (paranormal), the use of paranormal methods to manipulate natural forces

Have fun with that. 

Edited June 23, 2013 by Iucounu

[Diagoras]

 

 

Don't understand how people get the idea that magic is everything uncommon.

 

Who in this thread has said that?

[Iucounu]

Some people

Edited June 23, 2013 by Iucounu