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Author Topic: The Difference between Psionics and Magick.  (Read 2676 times)

Yellow Owl

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The Difference between Psionics and Magick.
« on: March 27, 2015, 12:55:45 am »
I have studied different forms of magick for many years now and I am not a religious person. I feel that magick is energy manipulation for a certain purpose or goal. How is magick different from Psionics other than the spiritual aspects?

Faemon

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Re: The Difference between Psionics and Magick.
« Reply #1 on: March 27, 2015, 01:34:59 am »
Quote from: Yellow Owl;173429
I feel that magick is energy manipulation for a certain purpose or goal.

How is magick different from Psionics other than the spiritual aspects?


It could be the practical aspects, as well. Some psions might imbue physical objects, or "anchor" to a word or gesture, but I get the sense that heavy ritualism is frowned upon among psions. We're a minimalist lot who like abstracts and pure thought.

Psionics, however, tends to be I think very Theosophy-influenced in borrowing from science the symbol essentially of energy and nonphysical or metaphysical dimensions.

It also seems to also apply to a range of thought-to-effect. Meditation affects experience, that's psionic. Emotions and thought affect meditation, that's psionic. Precognition, psionic, theorize about time. Mind affects matter through something like psychokinesis, that's psionics.

But if you're exploring something like your purpose in the universe, or abundance, or something philosophical like that…it's not strictly exclusive from psionics, but it's not particularly necessary either.

Magic(k), on the other hand, usually doesn't even pretend to be a science. Crowley called it the "art and science" and the priority does seem to be in that order.
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Jabberwocky

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Re: The Difference between Psionics and Magick.
« Reply #2 on: March 27, 2015, 03:49:07 am »
Quote from: Faemon;173432

Magic(k), on the other hand, usually doesn't even pretend to be a science. Crowley called it the "art and science" and the priority does seem to be in that order.

 
Actually, Crowley called it the "science and art" I'm pretty sure.  And there's certainly practitioners who see it primarily as a science, same as there are practitioners that see it as a tool as opposed to anything with spiritual significance.

I'd see this as much like the old "prayer vs magick" debate.  It's more about self-identification and how individuals see what they do then it is about any objective differences you can point to.
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RandallS

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Re: The Difference between Psionics and Magick.
« Reply #3 on: March 27, 2015, 07:41:00 am »
Quote from: Yellow Owl;173429
How is magick different from Psionics other than the spiritual aspects?

How much of a difference there is and what that difference is depends one exactly what definitions of magic and psionics you are using. No, I'm not trying to be funny, it really does come down to how you choose to define them.
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Yellow Owl

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Re: The Difference between Psionics and Magick.
« Reply #4 on: March 28, 2015, 12:52:40 am »
Quote from: RandallS;173437
How much of a difference there is and what that difference is depends one exactly what definitions of magic and psionics you are using. No, I'm not trying to be funny, it really does come down to how you choose to define them.

 
Thank you everyone for your answers. I agree Randalls how one defines the terms really does make a big difference in determining how and if there are any differences in the two things. I do not really have enough knowledge in Psionics just yet to be able to really pinpoint a definition of it. Negligence on my part. I'm glad to see that the people who reply to these are insightful individuals. Thank you everyone. :)

MadZealot

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Re: The Difference between Psionics and Magick.
« Reply #5 on: March 28, 2015, 03:16:45 am »
Quote from: RandallS;173437
How much of a difference there is and what that difference is depends one exactly what definitions of magic and psionics you are using. No, I'm not trying to be funny, it really does come down to how you choose to define them.


Glad you posted this, Randall.  Magic, with or without the k, is a slippy term.  But, I must confess to geekery here, I've only seen the term 'psionics' used in some D&D texts; and I always thought it was a cheap way to let fighters be de-facto spellcasters.  Anywho.
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RandallS

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Re: The Difference between Psionics and Magick.
« Reply #6 on: March 28, 2015, 07:46:26 am »
Quote from: MadZealot;173464
Glad you posted this, Randall.  Magic, with or without the k, is a slippy term.  But, I must confess to geekery here, I've only seen the term 'psionics' used in some D&D texts; and I always thought it was a cheap way to let fighters be de-facto spellcasters.  Anywho.

It was used in SF stories (for mental powers) long before D&D. I'm not sure if the term originated in those SF stories of elsewhere.
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Faemon

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Re: The Difference between Psionics and Magick.
« Reply #7 on: March 29, 2015, 12:39:37 am »
Quote from: RandallS;173470
It was used in SF stories (for mental powers) long before D&D. I'm not sure if the term originated in those SF stories of elsewhere.

I used to know this. Psi (spelled with a single Greek letter) was a blanket term for metaphysical phenomena that included extrasensory perception--telepathy, psychometry, precognition, etcetera--with psychokinesis or telekinesis. This was a parapsychology thing, I think?

The mashup word between psi and electronics to make psionics as in mind-over-matter so reliable that it becomes technology, that was definitely sci-fi, but I don't recall exactly from where.

Last I checked and in the psionics communities I was in at least, psi most commonly referred to the "theoretical" medium (that is of subtle energy) by which ESP or psychokinesis would happen...rather than the phenomena.
« Last Edit: March 29, 2015, 12:40:52 am by Faemon »
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