Magic Forums

I'm very new at this and I've read that magic needs properly directed energy to work. This raises a few questions for me:
1. How do you know if you have enough magic for a spell, or detect magic in general
2. How do you augment sheer power
3. Can items be created, like things inscribed with runes, that essentially do the magic for you?
4. Do people lose something when they perform magic? (and I don't necessarily mean permanently)
5. How many of the props(cauldrons, wands, herbs, candles) are really needed. Can I use anything that has a meaning as well as occult roots?
6. What are magic's limits that can be overcome, and which are unbreakable?

Please answer, I'm really interested in your points of view