Magical thinking, and all of what are known as defense mechanisms are typical of this, is a belief in thought acts, which like certain speech acts bring about their result by the fact of their having been uttered rather than by any persuasive force they contain. It is not wishing or praying for something since to do so would be to address whatever it is that might grant or withhold the wish or prayer, but instead the very presence of your thought as a thing is what rearranged reality in the way you desire. Hence magical thoughts can have a ritual quality and lack any obvious connection to their intentions. Of course when you look at any thoughts closely enough they appear magical.