Learning Magic

Once upon a time, the teaching of performance magic had been a secretive and sensitive subject, such that professional magicians felt unwilling to share knowledge with anyone outside the profession lest the laity might discover their secrets. This made it hard for an interested apprentice to learn magic beyond the basics. Some magic organisations had and still have strict rules that demand members must not discuss magic secrets with anyone but established magicians.
Ever since the 1584 publication of Reginald Scot's Discoverie of Witchcraft, and up until the end of the 19th century, only a few books had helped budding magicians to learn the craft. Books remain useful today. For the modern student, a video recording transcends the power of a book, letting the apprentice mimic the master, following along as the magician dissects presentation and performance of latter-day versions of ancient artistry.
The next step up from a video is a magic club or workshop. Here magicians, both seasoned and novitiate, can work together and help one another for mutual improvement, to learn new techniques, to discuss all aspects of magic, to perform for each other — sharing advice, encouragement and criticism.
The world's largest magic organization is the International Brotherhood of Magicians (which also publishes a monthly journal entitled The Linking Ring).