On Contests of Magic

Magic competitions are a tricky thing. Judging and scoring one is like attempting to assign numbers to the human spirit, or monetary values to a person’s words, actions, and deeds. It’s not as clear-cut as sport, where a field goal is indisputably two points, or a race, where your position at the finish line is self-evident.

Competition itself brings out the best in any discipline, and sharpens it to a sword-like point towards the steady pursuit of victory, whatever the competitor is told constitutes that targeted destination. Competitions of Magic are valid enough in the realm of sword-sharpening, but I disagree with the conventional scoring methods, or what is held as valuable enough to measure the worth of one’s magic.

Tradition holds things like deceptiveness, originality, appearance, entertainment value, and showmanship as elements of a powerful mage. If I were to judge magic, I would vanish these boundaries that I feel limit the growth of the art and may blindfold its practitioners into cutting down false targets. These would be my scoring categories:

1. Conviction- Was the magician’s intention to blow away his audience compassionate, or self-serving? What is the goal of his entire endeavor? Fame? Approval? Or a cause beyond that magic may be a Way toward.  
   
2. Perspective- Is the magician cognizant of things unseen? Can they articulate their relationship with an audience? Their voice in the community? Their beliefs, hopes, and dreams through the lens of their hands and effects.
3. Egoless-ness- Do they think they are the greatest? Or do they believe greatness comes from a greater place, outside  of themselves.
4. Relationship with Audience- Do they use the audience as a tool or platform for self-glorification? Or magicians, if those are in fact their target audience- do they use them as a fanbase to peddle their wares and elixirs? Are they genuine as humans are genuine with one another if friendships ring true. Or are they fake as the illusions they throw and the acts they put on.
5. Soular Clarity- Forget the age-old endeavor of effect clarity. I am looking for soul in one’s works- in the music of their reactions, the paintings of their displays, the rhythm of their patter and the sound of their voice in front of a crowd. Do they perform in such a way that their soul bleeds through, becomes visible from thin air? Or do they robotically fake it to the end, or deceive themselves with false personas and pleas for acceptance. Self expression is freedom- is the magician with all his escape wizardry in fact free?

These are the criterion upon which I would score a Magic competition, and let the numbers I would attempt to assign them be erased like symbols in the sand on a windy day. I hope mages in high places will use my criterion for a competition one day. That would unlock a hidden level of magicians unseen since ancient times when the magician was in fact a character of transformation and not just a player in an act.

Best wishes to all the competitors out there. May the results of your endeavors polish your soul as much as your swords!

-AA