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Magic
The
use of a certain ritual action to bring about the intervention of a
supernatural force, either in human affairs or in the natural
environment, for a specific purpose.
Magic has existed
universally since ancient times, and varies in form from primary rituals
involving the well-being of an entire community, to minor, peripheral,
private acts of magic.
All forms of magic
are traditionally secret arts taught only to initiates, although in some
cultures magical knowledge can sometimes be bought and sold or can be
passed on through inheritance. A distinction is usually made between black
magic, used destructively to bring misfortune or
death, and
white magic, which is used to ward off such attacks as well as to
prevent natural calamities. In itself magic is not good or evil,
it is the magician's
intentions that make the difference.
The very earliest
forms of magic were designed to produce some desired effect, such as
rituals for successful hunting. This simple magic, also called sorcery,
involved practices such as tying and untying knots, blood sacrifices,
and sticking pins in wax images or little dolls or poppets. Sorcery
is also called sympathetic magic — by imitating the desired result, it
will happen in reality. Harmful sympathetic magic usually requires some
personal effect of the victim, such as a lock of hair, a fingernail or
article of clothing; it is also important that the victim be aware of
the spell, which increases the likelihood of a successful result.
Magical acts may be
performed by individuals on their own behalf, or a magician with
specialized knowledge of the rites that may be consulted. In some
societies, associations of magical specialists exist. Magical
practitioners may be called witch
doctors, wizards,
sorcerers,
diviners, witches,
warlocks, wise women,
cunning women, and so on.
By the Middle Ages in
Europe magical arts had become divided between low magic, such as
sorcery, and high magic, which meant exploring the esoteric traditions
of the kabbalah and hermetica,
often through elaborate ceremonial magic (see Freemasonry,
Order of the Knights
Templar, Rosicrucians).
In ceremonial magic the aim of the ritual is to commune with God or a
deity to achieve a higher consciousness. The spiritual and mystical
elements of hermetic knowledge and the Jewish kabbalah were aimed at
facilitating the communication between human beings, spirits and the
Divine at different levels of spiritual consciousness.
Magic was discredited
by the Scientific Revolution in the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries, but interest revived in the nineteenth century, and various
occult societies and magical fraternities were established (see
Crowley,
Aleister). Modern neo-pagan witchcraft
(or wicca), includes both
low sorcery (but not black magic or blood sacrifice) and high ceremonial magic.
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Further info:
Magic.
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GHOST!
The periodical dedicated to
ghosts and their research. Can a ghost aid investigators in solving a
ninety year old murder? Is your house haunted? What are the latest
theories regarding life after death? Within Ghost!
readers will find the answers to these questions and the latest
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SKEPTICAL ENQUIRER,
the magazine providing
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A compilation of writers from varied backgrounds who share teachings, insights, wisdom on the spiritual practices ranging from Angels, Tarot, Astrology, Reiki, Meditation, Dream Interpretation, Native American Spirituality, Wiccan Topics, Feng Shui and Environmental Awareness and Responsibility.
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