Perhaps though the definition regarding will and exclusion form the nub of
the issue. I think the problem is however that we are applying a
contemporary anthropologically derived term upon religious practices and
rituals who had no reason to follow these distinctions. Still the issue of
exclusion and the liminal space of the supernatural that can only be managed
by certain segregated classes of individuals is an important one as is the
Crowley definition when linked to the Huttonist one regarding the idea that
in magic we are trying to shape the world and believe the ritual itself has
a predicative aspect and in prayer/supplication where one is faced with a
chaotic disordered universe popularted with deities that you hope may see
you favourably. The big issues I think are segregation (either ritrually or
socially with a class of magical practitioners) and the idea of
compulsion/predictive quality of ritual dessigned to shape the world
according to your will. Though that being said I'm nut sure how it works
given such a distinction is a contemporary world view put onto people who
would have found it Alien and the general malaise of magic being mostly used
as a perjorative term in the Christian era.
Again pondering and mulling ideas.
David
----- Original Message -----
From: "Caduceus Books" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 4:42 AM
Subject: Re: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] Mapping Hel
> Greetings!
>
> > ut what is the definition of magic??
>
> Various publication projects have led me to look a little at how some
> societies in the past have defined magic and witchcraft. We should
> remember that it could be a legal question with very specific acts
> defined as witchcraft. In 17th Century England an influential text was
> William Perkins, Discourse of the Damned Art of Witchcraft published in
> 1608. In regards to evidence of witchcraft Perkins states that definite
> evidence proving witchcraft requires either a confession or the
> testimony of two witnesses that the accused either "…hath made a
> league with the devil. Or hath done some known practices of witchcraft.
> Such as hath invocated and called upon the devil; hath entertained a
> familiar spirit, and had conference with it in form or likeness of a
> mouse, cat or some other visible creature. Or have used glasses" (ie
> skrying).
>
> Now what interests me is an anonymous 17th Century text which I will be
> publishing which gives detailed information as to how to obtain a
> familiar spirit, how to skry in a crystal and how to invoke infernal
> spirits (though there is nothing of making a pact with the Devil). It
> also describes the experience of magical flight. If you are interested
> in more information please email me off-list and I will place you on my
> list to receive notification and more details when it comes back from
> the binders.
>
> Whilst researching this text and trying to place it into context I have
> been moving towards certain positions:-
>
> Nowadays people might define themselves as witches however in the past
> the term witchcraft tended to be applied to a real or imagined act of
> malevolent magic practised by someone considered to be your enemy. What
> might now be called witchcraft (eg rituals of protection) were often
> done with the intent of protecting oneself from "witchcraft".
>
> Whilst modern self-defined witches may distinguish themselves from
> ceremonial magicians, astrologers and so forth this compartmentalism may
> be a modernism. In the past magicians practised the acts for which
> witches were condemned, astrologers invoked spirits to charge talismans
> and so forth
>
> My best wishes
>
> Ben
> --
> Ben Fernee
> Caduceus Books
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>
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>
>
>
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