Rudolf Steiner's Sketches for seven "Apocalyptic Seals," 1907 ( based on Eliphas Levi's own renditions)
What Can Science Teach Us About Magic (and Vice Versa)?
By Stephen Reedy
Before we can see what magic can teach us about science (and vice versa), we need to understand what magic is. We aren’t talking about the entertaining stage illusions of Las Vegas, but rather the mysterious and ancient practice of using subtle energies to alter the ongoings of reality. Magic can be seen as the antithesis of mainstream materialist science, and it is loaded with a lot of baggage thanks to kids’ books and video games. Images of Jedi mind tricks and Harry Potter fireball battles may come to mind. Yet it has been studied around the world via countless traditions that are often profound in their inspections of nature and humankind, which indicates that magic warrants a closer look.
First, we need to find a common definition that encompasses the various approaches of magic. This is a tricky task, because different groups have different expressions of what it is. Witchcraft, sorcery, voodoo, mysticism, shamanic healing, spell casting, rune working, blessings, prayers, intentions, manifestations, plant medicines, rituals, sacrifices, and divinations are just a few magical paradigms.
In Hinduism, disciplined practitioners can master their subtle anatomies and unlock Siddhis, supernatural powers that include telepathic communication and transmission of various energies to others. Persian magic embraces the radiations of the planets and how their forces affect our world based on the alignment of the cosmos. These energies can be placed in talismans (which, when translated to Arabic and reversed, is Maslat, which means ‘control’) to help one gain domination over these transmissions so they can be used in specific ways
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First, we need to find a common definition that encompasses the various approaches of magic. This is a tricky task, because different groups have different expressions of what it is. Witchcraft, sorcery, voodoo, mysticism, shamanic healing, spell casting, rune working, blessings, prayers, intentions, manifestations, plant medicines, rituals, sacrifices, and divinations are just a few magical paradigms.
In Hinduism, disciplined practitioners can master their subtle anatomies and unlock Siddhis, supernatural powers that include telepathic communication and transmission of various energies to others. Persian magic embraces the radiations of the planets and how their forces affect our world based on the alignment of the cosmos. These energies can be placed in talismans (which, when translated to Arabic and reversed, is Maslat, which means ‘control’) to help one gain domination over these transmissions so they can be used in specific ways
...
Subscribe to the New PRS Journal to read on...
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