You see? He’s just a man. – The Merovingian
Like Neo, or Siddhartha Gautama, I am just a man. I’m not an eldritch creature of extra-dimensional or supernatural origin. I’m made of meat and electricity; nothing more. Yet I can do magic. It turns out that anyone who can figure out the basic mechanics of how to alter reality through various non-local means is capable of doing so. The practice of magic requires several components. Belief, desire, a touch of madness, and an occasional disregard for personal safety are certainly among them. A code of ethics is also certainly to be desired but is patently absent from many who practice.
One definition of magic is the discipline of influence and prediction. This is facilitated by connecting to the Universe at a fundamental level, so that its ebb and flow can be not just perceived but nudged this way and that to reach an end state where that which is desired is manifest. This connection can be created by any number of means. There is a vast corpus of esoteric material spanning millennia and civilizations to choose from, or one can eschew all prior modalities and create their own system which is utterly novel. The particular path may present itself, or even a number of them over time.
Whether used for beneficial or baneful purposes, practicing magic comes with a cost. Changing the world changes you. At best, it permanently alters your perceptions and perspective. At worst, it can lead to obsession and other mental crises. So do it with thought and clear intent. Magical experimentation is of paramount importance, but consistently working without a specifically envisioned end state is of little value. Don’t shit on another mage’s paradigm if it works for them. Even if you think their techniques are absurd, give them the grace to do their work their way. Understand that magical systems are just toolsets for achieving one’s ends. Whether via meticulously inscribed leaden tablets for calling on celestial entities, blending herbs and powders, or masturbating to sigils, in magic the ends justify the means.