Minds for Magic

    When the practitioner sets his mind to magic, what he is doing is altering his state of consciousness.  Whether this is done through chanting, singing, gestures, herbal potions, or other such props is immaterial.  This state of altered consciousness, which is open to the practitioner's own magic and that of the world around him, is essential for even beginning to harness magical energies.  The ritual or ceremony of a spell serves to create a certain mood in the magician and/or onlookers that focus their will and intent on a single goal.
    Once in this altered state, the magician is prepared to generate magical energy within his own body and/or receive energy from an outside source.  Strong emotions, such as love, fear, hate, and anger, all generate strong magical energies within a practitioner, but these emotions alone are not sufficient to control magic.  The magician must shape and guide the magical energy with knowledge, reason, and willpower.  Therefore, strong emotional energy combined with detached reason and Will allow the practitioner full control over his magic.
    For every spell, a magician must draw on his own Power, if only to initiate the process of receiving outside energy.  Therefore, magic takes a certain toll on the practitioner, draining his internal reserves of magical energy which are generated and stored over time.  Eventually, when these magical reservoirs are exhausted, the magician must "recharge" through any number of activities.  This is usually accomplished with physical rest, meditation, eating and drinking, or other restful activities.
In order for magic to be controlled at all, a mind must be present.  Be it conscious, subconscious, or even super-conscious, magic needs a guide.  Natural magic is passive and, for the most part, dormant.  It takes a mind to give magic meaning and direction.
    The mind controls all magic.  Anything which affects any part of the mind of a magician thus affects his ability to perform magic.