Secret Magic is edited under the byline Secret Magic Editorial Team. We use a team byline because the site is a small independent publication and we do not claim academic degrees, institutional affiliations, or professional credentials that have not been verified. Editorial responsibility remains with the site operator and team identified on our About page.
Editorial purpose
We publish accessible, source-conscious studies of esoteric history, religious ideas, manuscripts, ritual traditions, and later reception. The goal is to help readers understand where a claim comes from, how it changed, and what the evidence can and cannot establish.
People-first standards
An article should answer a clear reader question and remain useful without search traffic. We do not use a fixed word count, identical heading pattern, repeated FAQ, or generic safety appendix as a substitute for information. Topics with the same search intent should be differentiated by evidence and purpose rather than multiplied into near-duplicate pages.
Historical and religious claims
- Documented history is separated from legend and later tradition.
- Religious testimony is described respectfully as testimony, not converted into scientific proof.
- Modern reconstructions are dated and credited rather than presented as unchanged ancient rites.
- Disputed authorship, chronology, or translation is identified when it affects the conclusion.
- Sensational claims require stronger sourcing than ordinary descriptive claims.
Sources
Writers and editors are expected to identify the source type and prefer primary texts, critical editions, academic research, museum or library catalogues, and reputable institutional archives. Popular sources may help locate a question but should not be the sole basis for an important historical claim.
Our detailed process appears on Sources & Research Methodology.
AI and editorial tools
AI or other digital tools may assist with research organization, comparison, language editing, or draft structure. They are not listed as authors and are not accepted as authorities. Names, dates, quotations, links, and substantive claims require human editorial responsibility. We do not consider the use of a tool a reason to publish repetitive pages at scale.
Authorship and updates
Articles may carry the Secret Magic Editorial Team byline when research, drafting, and revision are collaborative. Publication dates identify when an article first appeared; material revisions may update the page. A team byline is not intended to imply credentials or staff size beyond what the site actually discloses.
Conflicts, advertising, and affiliate relationships
Advertising does not determine editorial conclusions. If a page contains a material affiliate relationship, sponsorship, supplied product, or other relevant conflict, it should be disclosed on that page. The appearance of an advertisement is not an endorsement of the advertiser’s claims.
Safety and scope
The site is educational and does not provide medical, psychological, legal, or financial advice. Historical description is not a recommendation to ingest substances, violate laws, avoid professional care, or perform dangerous acts. Safety notes are included where the specific topic requires them; they are not padded into every article as generic boilerplate.
Corrections
Readers may challenge a factual claim by sending the page URL, disputed passage, and supporting source to [email protected]. Substantive requests are reviewed under our Corrections Policy.
Contact
Questions about editorial standards can be sent through the Contact page or by email. We welcome specific, evidence-based feedback.