"Magic, sometimes spelled magick, is an ancient practice rooted in rituals, spiritual divinations, and/or cultural lineage—with an intention to invoke, manipulate, or otherwise manifest supernatural forces, beings, or entities in the natural world."
The use of rituals or actions that are believed to influence supernatural forces for a specific purpose.
Definition of Magic: A brief introduction to what Magic is about.
History of Magic: The evolution of Magic practices and beliefs across different cultures and time periods.
Types of Magic: The different forms of Magic, e.g., divination, ritual, spells,, etc.
Magic and religion: The link between magic practices and religious beliefs.
Magic and culture: The relationship between Magic and cultural practices and traditions.
The role of Magic in society: How Magic is used in society for healing, protection, power, etc.
The supernatural: Understanding the role of the supernatural in magical beliefs and practices.
Magic and the environment: The impact of magical beliefs on the environment, e.g., sacred sites, natural landmarks, etc.
The role of shamans and witches: Their significance in magical practices.
Ethnography of magic practices and beliefs: Study of different cultures and their unique magic practices and beliefs.
Sympathetic Magic: This type of magic is based on the principle of "like attracts like" or "action creates reaction." Two different types or subgenres of sympathetic magic are Imitative Magic which uses imitation to achieve results (e.g., dolls, pictures, effigies) and Contagious Magic which assumes that things that have been in contact with each other still have a connection and can transmit energy (e.g., hair, blood, personal belongings).
Divination: This type of magic uses various techniques such as astrology, tarot cards, runes, and scrying to predict the future or gain insight into unknown events.
Ceremonial Magic: This type of magic focuses on the use of ritual, spells, and invocations to evoke supernatural powers or entities.
Natural Magic: This type of magic uses knowledge of herbalism, alchemy, and other natural elements to manipulate the environment and create desired outcomes.
Defensive Magic: This type of magic is used to protect oneself from harm or the influence of negative forces or entities.
Offensive Magic: This type of magic is used to cause harm to others intentionally.
Folk Magic: This type of magic tends to be passed down through generations in local communities through various means such as prayer, song, and folk remedies.
Faerie Magic: This type of magic is associated with the supernatural beings and spirits found in various cultures, such as fairies, elves, and nymphs.
"Within Western culture, magic has been linked to ideas of the Other, foreignness, and primitivism; indicating that it is 'a powerful marker of cultural difference' and likewise, a non-modern phenomenon."
"Western intellectuals perceived the practice of magic to be a sign of a primitive mentality and also commonly attributed it to marginalized groups of people."
"In modern occultism and neopagan religions, many self-described magicians and witches regularly practice ritual magic; defining magic as a technique for bringing about change in the physical world through the force of one's will."
"This definition was popularized by Aleister Crowley (1875–1947), an influential British occultist."
"Magic has been used to refer to a wide variety of beliefs and practices, frequently considered separate from both religion and science."
"Connotations have varied from positive to negative at times throughout history."
"Indicating that it is 'a powerful marker of cultural difference' and likewise, a non-modern phenomenon."
"[Magic is] with an intention to invoke, manipulate, or otherwise manifest supernatural forces, beings, or entities in the natural world."
"During the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, Western intellectuals perceived the practice of magic to be a sign of a primitive mentality [...] In modern occultism and neopagan religions, many self-described magicians and witches regularly practice ritual magic."
"[Magic was] commonly attributed [...] to marginalised groups of people."
"This view has been incorporated into chaos magic and the new religious movements of Thelema and Wicca."