There is something about magic that fascinates us. Long bearded wizards waving a staff as beams of light shoot forth. A fantastic floor show in which white tigers appear and disappear captures our attention as surely as the magician locked within a straight jacket that somehow escapes at the last moment.



The mystery of the magician has surrounded us since the beginning of time from the midwives who cured a festering wound to the gypsies reading Tarot cards to divine our fortunes. Does magic truly exist or is it all in the mind of the beholder?

What were they called?

The first people believed to practice magic were Priests, Priestesses or Shamans. They would perform the rituals associated with the culture from which they were from. All humans, at one time or another, believed in things that would seem peculiar to modern man.

Druids embraced the natural order of the world and would perform seasonal rituals to usher in crops, the New Year or different holy days. Charlatan is one term many would use to refer to individuals who practiced magic because it was thought that it was all trickery and hoaxes.

Was magic really just for witches?

As evident by many of the horrific atrocities that occurred in American history, a person associated with magic would have been labeled a witch. Whether or not this is actually true is a different story. The end result was the same. The witch would be the scapegoat of any abnormal occurrences, such as a crop dying, and ultimately be put to death.

How has the art of magic evolved over the past hundred years?

Magic has turned from a more elemental approach into that of sleight of hand. It has become a showmanship and illusion. Tricks are performed in front of an audience but the performance gives an illusion of magic when in reality there is none.

Common sense practices, such as washing a wound, may have once been considered magic but now we know them to be just part of good hygiene. As humankind continues to advance, mysteries that astound us now will eventually be revealed.

Was Harry Houdini a magician?

Though he was called a magician, he technically was an illusionist and escape artist. His daring feats were accomplished by hard work and skill. His famous acts, such as escaping from a straight jacket while under water, required him to be flexible and to use a bit of subterfuge.

What is the difference between sleight of hand, illusion and magic?

While once there might have been a difference between the three, we would now consider them to be the same thing. All involve the use of illusion. The mind is told one thing, the eyes see one thing but the reality is that it's something completely different.