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Magic/Magick and Sorcery

Magic/magick and sorcery are the influencing of events, objects, people and physical phenomena by mystical or paranormal means. The terms can also refer to the practices employed by a person to wield this influence, and to beliefs that explain various events and phenomena in such terms.

Magic is commonly divided into white magic (healing, divination and other magic used for benign purposes) and black magic (malicious or harmful magic).

From the point of view of adherents of Christianity, the terms "magic" and "wizardry" connote practices involving collusion with devils, demon-gods, or Satan himself. In this sense, the term 'magic' is typically outdated, although in the direct quotation of religious scripture it may have some limited usage in modern times.

Originally referring to the older Zoroastrian Magi (i.e. sages, priests), the term "magic" became a negative term, and among the followers of the Judaic religion was recorded into Western history with its denigrating meaning. In times of antiquity, practitioners of other religions were accused of practicing magic (though the adherents of Christianity and Islam were never accused of this on any large scale).

In the Middle Ages, what we now call "science" began to develop, partially through alchemy. Alchemy attempted to codify specific methodology for the mechanical achievement of tasks which most considered to be important, such as the healing of illnesses and the making of wealth (gold etc). Whereas religion advocated a faith-based deference to matters of spirit, alchemy played a significant role in developing human curiosity about the natural world into a systemic structure of beliefs and practices. It is from alchemy that our modern concept of wizardry and magic come from; as a kind of melding of spirituality and methodical and professional investigation into the mysterious or "arcane."


Magical Traditions

Another method of classifying magic is by "traditions," which in this context typically refer to complexes of magical belief and practice associated with various cultural groups and lineages of transmission. Some of these traditions are highly specific and culturally circumscribed. Others are more eclectic and syncretistic. These traditions can compass both divination and spells.
When dealing with magic in terms of "traditions," it is a common misconception for ousiders to treat any religion in which clergy members make amulets and talismans for their congregants as a "tradition of magic," even though what is being named is actually an organized religion with clergy, laity, and an order of liturgical service. This is most notably the case when Voodoo, Palo, Santeria, Taoism, Wicca, and other contemporary religions and folk religions are mischaracterized as forms of "magic" or even "sorcery."

Examples of magical, folk-magical, and religio-magical traditions include:
* Alchemy
* Animism
* Bonpo
* Ceremonial Magic
* Chaos Magic
* Druidry
* Hermeticism
* Mantrik Hinduism
* Hoodoo, Conjure, Rootwork
* Huna
* Jewish Witchcraft
* Kabbalistic magic, Practical Kabbalah
* Nagualism
* New Age
* Obeah
* Onmyodo
* Palo Monte
* Pow-Wow, Brauche
* Psychonautics
* Quimbanda
* Reiki
* Santería
* Satanism
* Seid
* Shamanism
* Shinto
* Thelema
* Taoism
* Vodun
* Voodoo
* Wicca

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