And to follow it up: The way ponies' magic works

So to follow my previous post, here's my take (and Epona's) on how magic works in ponies. Treat it as headcanon or fanon if you want, though participants in Dream Equestria will probably want to take note.

Basically, anypony can perform a ritual, if they are trained in the appropriate magics (or have a talent for it). This is something that will work regardless of what type of pony one is. Also, the brewing of potions or other works of alchemy is as simple as following ordinary lab instructions to produce the desired effect, just like with chemistry. Working with many other things, like wands or water heaters, may require a specialist to enchant the item or its relevant components, but assembly can be done with semi-skilled or even unskilled labor in most cases.

Unicorns' horns are an energy channel, much like a wand or gem. The pony's spirit extends into the horn, and is an extension of the "third eye" chakra (a spirit body structure which interfaces with the brain, and relates to observation and calculation). To perform unicorn-style magic, one would need to awaken or activate the third eye and then channel (push or stream) energy through the horn into the shape of the magic or desire one wishes to manifest. Training in this starts with sensitivity to one's "mana" flow, and the energies of magic being manifested; most unicorns are no more sensitive to others' magic in this regard than they would be to another pony's skin, but some can also feel the magic around them if they pay attention. All this is information processed through the third eye, so unicorn magic is often very "thinky" and full of structure or patterns. Many spells are written in rhymed verse or runes and sigils for this reason, though there is often no reason that other ways of imparting the knowledge could not be used, like a description of the sort of emotion that would evoke the effect (teleportation spells are often taught by description and then feel, for example). Unicorns are often attuned to the fire element, as one might expect ("magic is the fire of spirit").

Pegasi's wings are another energy channel. These ponies stay aloft by the action of their wings and feather structures, which literally grip the air with magic. Size of wing is only somewhat relevant, and strength is not unless one wishes to perform feats of great speed (which require one to force themselves against the air). That said, if a pony is withdrawn or not confident, the wings will have a stunted or stymied flow of energy. This is because pegasus wings' energies are an extension of the heart chakra, where many emotions and a person's sense of oneness or wholeness are processed. Bravado is the natural result of confident fliers. Hooves standing on clouds or air are because of the air-element attunement pegasi normally have, as legs are also energy channels. Most pegasi who can use other magic do so by forming a pattern with the thinky method of unicorns, and then channeling that pattern through the heart or belly chakra, either "glowing" with it (manifesting it through their bodily aura) or "throwing" it (ejecting the pattern with force from the gut).

Earth ponies' bodies are their primary energy channels. Every part of an earth pony's body can channel magical or spiritual energy, which is one reason they are often either incredibly grounded or incredibly sensitive (many times both). These ponies are often the most powerful in direct combat, as well as the best communicators with natural things. The belly chakra is related to personal and sexual power, as well as an intuitive feel of one's environment (the "gut feeling" some people get which guides them well), and earth ponies can use patterned magic the same way that pegasi can. The difference is, instead of confidence and aiming with one's emotions, earth ponies tend to use a sense of one's power and environment to manifest the magic. Earth ponies can in fact be superb manipulators of their environment, using the land's own magical and spiritual energies to create spells; some even have a talent for enchanting gems or plants through an intuitive knowledge of the subject's inner pattern.

As warriors, unicorns will of course tend to send bursts of magic through their horns. These typically manifest as bolts or beams of force, pure magical energy meant to impact or pierce their enemies, or blasts of energy similar to a sweeping shield or a shotgun spray. A well-trained unicorn can use a variety of devastating magical effects, but their instinctive preference is the basic energy bolt.

Pegasus warriors are famous and infamous, well known for bravery and hard-headedness. They have a tendency to strike with their hooves from the air, or swat with the wings. They don't generally use direct magic in combat, relying instead on physical prowess, dexterity, speed, and fancy maneuvering to achieve their goals. All of these can be enhanced with inherent magics and with magical devices, especially when the pony in question is driven to excel (such as with a talent for speed or challenge, like Rainbow Dash).

Earth pony warriors are the backbone of the Equestrian military. While pegasi are almost always chosen for royal guards due to concessions to past history (and travel by flight), earth ponies are the masters of physical combat. Their warriors are always capable of feats thought impossible, and properly trained can cause the land itself to literally rise up against their enemies (which is potentially devastating to the land if used that way, but it *is* an effective attack). Various other abilities include unbeatable stability, physical impact boosting, powerful martial arts (for some -- this requires special training), and endurance beyond all fatigue (the land itself can sustain a pony using this ability, though it then becomes exhausted as well). A few earth ponies can even project an aura of shielding, armoring themselves magically against physical (and often magical) assault. Most earth ponies are sadly not taught the ways of spirit-walking and magical sensitivity, though almost every one of them could perform such techniques, where perhaps a third of unicorns and pegasi are able. Magic theory classes for earth ponies are hard to find, much like teachers for humans who are touch-dominant learners. Those earth ponies who learn how to discern and mentally sort the energies around them are often called to the work of seers and oracles. Their elemental affinity is obviously earth.

Alicorns can use all these types of magic, but being a combination of the three base types, the heart of their power is the root chakra, at the base of the spine (near the genitals). Activating this chakra empowers the alicorn to wield their body's magical aura, and allows for the channeling of massive amounts of magical energy; for this reason, alicorns are overall more powerful even though they are often slightly weaker in most aspects than a single-aspect pony. For most, awakening the root is temporary and requires an effort to maintain. However, for a select few, their spirit bodies remain activated and aligned, making them immensely powerful at all times; Princesses Celestia and Luna are the best-known examples of these cases, as their talents are directly related to the celestial bodies which govern the land, and at all times they are channeling at least a small amount of energy from the sun and moon. The primary elemental affinity for alicorns is arete (pronounced "AR-ay-tay" or "AR-uh-tay"), the energy of spirit (represented by lightning and an aura which feels electric or electrifying), though the best wielders of magic and the body have a strong affinity for water as well (water is a flexible but forceful element and represents manipulation ability).

Changelings are vampiric, and are formed when a pony is drained of their loving, light-oriented magic. They are master manipulators if they remain in mastery of their own minds, but are often suffering from a loss of mind, becoming empty husks and followers of whatever Queen or King can control them. Changelings have fought wars over possession of their own kind for this reason. Healing energy (which has strong and equal parts love and arete) will restore a changeling from their vampiric state, though a few will retain the insect-like form; for this reason, alicorns cannot be rejected from their positions as protectors of the realm. Their primary element is void, the emptiness and hunger which consumes and makes all things eventually still. (As a note, the void is a necessary component of magic, because it represents stillness of mind, body, and spirit as well as a way to make space which can be filled. So one cannot ever forget vigilance when using magic which causes harm, as the void will be close by, waiting to consume.)