Magic has been defined as the "art of changing consciousness at will." This is a useful phrase, expressing one facet of that mysterious chemistry that makes things happen, brings thought to form, calls spirit to life. It's a definition particularly true for those practiced in the skill of aligning their thoughts with their words and actions. Indeed, the art of transforming awareness to harmonize with intention is magic.
Magic also lives beyond the scope of conscious awareness or will. For those who have ever been affected by the scent of a flower, uplifted by a certain color, transformed by a work of art or moved by a piece of music, you know this to be true.
Your senses reveal to you the rightness (or wrongness) of energy in a room. Your senses cue you to both internal dialog and external influence. Through direct perception, you sense the electricity of life, the kinetic connection between beings, the field of energy and flow popularized in Hollywood mythology as the "Force." Here, magic lives in the gut, heart and fingertips more than in the head.
Practice this little energy game to inspire your inner Yoda:
Rub your hands together briskly to activate a tingly or hot sensation.
Hold your hands close enough together that you feel "something" between them but not so close that they physically touch.
Play with the sensation of something-ness between the hands -- pull your hands away, then draw them back in again. Notice where the sensation increases and where it diminishes.
Add your imagination to the sensation. Imagine that the "something" between your hands is a ball of energy that has a color. See it vividly.
Assign a meaning to that color. Let your instinct guide you. Maybe you "saw" red. What is red to you? Passion? Power? If you saw yellow, ask yourself what yellow means. Sunlight? Courage? If you're stuck on this, make something up. First thought. That, right there. That's perfect.
Continue to "hold" that ball of colored meaningful energy.
Now, go ahead and release it. Send it to the sun overhead or down into the center of the earth below. Just let it go and allow the energy to be recycled.
A more advanced practice would involve using that ball of energy to achieve an intention. But unless you're versed in the law of three-fold returns, just let the game complete itself.
Oh, and may the Force be with you. ;-)