| Harry Potter and "Charmed" are great | | | | Good question. Let's clarify this issue about birth |
| introductions to magic, but they do often mislead | | | | right. We have the right to many things on this |
| the general public about magic. Hopefully this | | | | planet, including knowledge of all kinds (magical and |
| article will demystify 3 of the common myths | | | | mundane), love, consciousness, joy, and faith. But |
| about magic created by popular media. | | | | just because we have a right to it does not mean |
| 1. There Are No Muggles | | | | that we come into this world owning it. Having a |
| Magic is the birth right of every single person on | | | | right to something simply means that we have |
| this planet. You don't have to be "born" into a | | | | the option to "get" it if we choose, but it is up to |
| magical lineage, a witchy heritage, or a wizarding | | | | us to "get" what we want. |
| family. Everyone can learn magic. Magic is both an | | | | For instance, every single person on this planet |
| art and a science, with real rules, logic, and | | | | has the right to be a rocket scientist, should they |
| reasoning. Magic can be learned just as any | | | | so choose. Does that mean that MIT or Princeton |
| science can be learned. So go ahead, learn magic. | | | | should give away their knowledge about rocket |
| There are no muggles, only people who don't yet | | | | science at no cost? No. Can you learn a lot about |
| know how to do magic! | | | | rocket science by going to the library and |
| 2. The "Personal Gain" Thing and Magic | | | | "getting" the knowledge at no charge. Yes. But |
| The whole myth that you can't do magic for | | | | how many people will actually do that? |
| personal is bogus. If you can't use magic as a | | | | The same is true for magic. We give away a lot |
| recourse in a life that is admittedly unfair at times, | | | | of knowledge about magic, but the one thing we |
| what is it for? Magic should be used to improve | | | | cannot give away is the desire to learn and work |
| your life. Many practitioners have used magic to | | | | at magic. Magic allows you to do some amazing |
| attract money, recognition, and other life | | | | things that you could not otherwise do, but it's still |
| conditions, all without backlash. Can you use magic | | | | an art and a science. It still requires effort to |
| to win the lottery? You can try, but it probably | | | | produce the results you want. A major spell to |
| won't work. Why not? Because the stream of | | | | bring money to your mailbox can take several |
| resistance against it from society is too strong. | | | | weeks to set up and launch. Is it worth it? |
| Most people buy lottery tickets "expecting" not to | | | | Absolutely. It would take months of slaving away |
| win. This is a topic for a whole other article, but | | | | at a regular job to earn that kind of money. So |
| know that Rules of the Road, the universal laws | | | | magic can help you do what you can't achieve in |
| that govern magical practice, do not prohibit the | | | | ordinary life, but it is still work. And the knowledge |
| use of magic for personal gain. So ahead, gain! | | | | is valuable. When you pay to learn magic, you are |
| 3. Magic Should Be Given Away for Free | | | | not paying someone else for the knowledge. |
| We get the occasional snide email from someone | | | | Instead, you are paying for the privilege of |
| who thinks that magic should be given away for | | | | owning the knowledge. Magicians don't charge for |
| free. "You claim that magic is the birth right of | | | | magic because they need to earn a living. There is |
| every planetary citizen," they say. "Why don't you | | | | a charge because people do not value what they |
| give it away then?" | | | | do not pay for. |