As a native of a world where magic is prominant, spell-casting has come naturally to me.  Many call magic "demonic", it is not.  Magic energy is just that, energy, and is no more or less evil or demonic than electricity is on this world.  As an energy, it is a tool to be used, not shunned and feared.
	On my world, magic energy congregates into lines that crisscross the planet, unseen by the naked eye.  I am told that this energy is actually visible on some worlds, while on others it is practically non-existantant.  Even on this world, I have sensed these magic lines, far weaker than my own home, but they exist.  It is my personal opinion that lines grow dormant as their use decreases.  There are times of the day, month, and year when this energy grows stronger and weaker, waxing and waning with regularaity. The energy is even stronger where these lines intersect, called a nexus on my homeworld.  Most magi can draw upon this energy at will.
	Unlike other energies, magic is subservient to the will of the user. Whereas electricity, I have learned, can be controlled through the use of metal and rubber, among other items, magic has to be controlled by the wielder.  On my world, there are a number of ways of controlling this energy, including the spoken word, hand movements, rituals, concocting potions, and writing and carving symbols.  Wards, protection, summoning, and power circles, spells, alchemy - all are prominent.  Due to my own talents, I prefer to cast spells using the spoken word and hand movements.
	 What most people do not realize is that this energy is inherent in all beings, human, animal, and Lyran alike.  Experienced magi can store this energy inside themselves, and even draw it out of others.  The Lyrans have embraced this realization; this, combined with their natural talents and energy-rich homeworld, account for their powerful nature.  They have learned to store this natural energy in their bodies, as have all magi.   The people of this world, however, have forsaken the use of magic. Whether this is due to the lack of energy or the cause of the lack of energy is open to debate.
	Of my own talents, I have an affinity for magic. I can sense the location and proximity of magic use, magic lines, and nexus points, as well as sense the direction, any nexus points, and any natural events along the line.  I have also learned to use these lines to heal myself using the energy, and to teleport along the lines.
	I have been trained to store this energy inside me.  Going back to the electricity analogy, my body acts as a "rechargable battery" for the energy.  In addition to using the lines, I have learned a number of spells, from those that create light and smoke out of thin air (the easiest to learn), to the ability to cover my actions  through stealth spells, a number of offensive and defensive spells, those that enable me to speak, understand, or read any language, and some assorted spells that can be considered "parlor tricks".  The most powerful spell to date that I've learned is one that allows me to give myself or others a set of mystic wings for a brief period of time.  I say that this spell is the most powerful because it requires the most energy.
	Is magic superior to technology?  No.  Is technology superior?  No.  Although I prefer my own magic abilities, I have come to appreciate what technology can do.  As for the "classic" technology verses magic struggle I've read of, I do not see where the two cannot co-exist.