Magic has always held a deep fascination throughout human experience. Evidence can be found amongst the relics from the Stone Age of magical practice, and at each stage of history, evidence can be found of its continuation in one form or another. And over the years, the form which magical practice has taken, along with the beliefs that allowed it to flourish in each successive era have changed.

Popular interest has also waxed and waned throughout the centuries. At one time, virtually all the population had magical beliefs, even if for many these were somewhat superstitious. For many centuries in Europe, these beliefs were suppressed and magic became an underground practice - but it did survive in many forms. Here in England, a few years ago, I met a lady who was old enough to remember visiting the village wise woman for a potion, rather than going to the doctor or priest (and with doctors at a guinea a consultation back then, what real choice did they have?).

Clearly, the onset of the scientific approach initially did much to undermine the magical world view, although there are clear periods in recent history where magical thinkers seized on a piece of current scientific theory and used it to explain how their magic worked. This allowed them to think and function within the dominant worldview of their day and to continue with their magical practice.

Indeed, in the mid 1980s, a psychologist wrote a book drawing on evidence from scientific research around the world. The major premise of the book was that if we didn't already have sorcery in our society, then it would now be necessary to invent a term as his research supports its presence and effectiveness.

Popular interest has recently increased again as youngsters who have seen "Buffy," "Charmed," "Sabrina," and the likes of "Harry Potter," and have felt the calling of that part of them that knows magic exists.

The Present Day

If you look around the magical scene today, you will find a bewildering range of theories, schools of thought, methods of practice, and opinions on just what is going on. In fact a glance through the titles on the shelves of a major book dealer often leaves me confused and I've been doing this since 1970.

Once you've read one or two titles though, you'll notice that they have a lot in common. Often, the author will have a perspective which matches one of four broad schools of thought. And even though the ideas the practitioners hold about how and why they do what they do to work magic, many of the practical steps they take will be similar.

Let's have a quick look at the four main themes you'll encounter - you may find one of them appeals much more than the others.