Magic, Witchcraft, Ritual and Healing

Exploring the meanings of magic, spell, ritual and witchcraft: Magic is referred as the super-
natural method by which people can bring about particular outcomes of their choice. It is a magi-
cian with then help of whom magic is performed. Magic is different from sorcery. A sorcerer is such
an individual whose activities are performed in a secret way for his/her clients. A sorcerer is gener-
ally considered as an evil figure in the society. The term magic derived from “magea”—a Greek
word which is derived from “magoi”. Magoi were considered to be Persian priests who devoted
their life in the study of astrology and divination. The concept of magic started in the society when
people were unable to understand the forces of nature and the causes of disease and death. As
people couldn’t apprehend their own future, that led them to believe in the concept of magic in the
society. The origin of magic has no particular region. It was believed that Ancient Egypt is the main
point of magic’s origin. It was believed by the people of Ancient Egypt that the sun god “Ra” died in
the western sky every night and spent hours of darkness in the underworld. It was believed that Ra
was magically reborn every morning in the Western sky. In Ancient Egypt magic was termed as
“hike” that meant things which were performed at special occasions in order to carry out specific
purposes.
Spell is meant to be the term which is used as a formal folk magic which different from the normal
concept of magic among the people. Spell is not as rigid as the process involved in ceremonial
magic. Many individuals use spiritual spells by which they tend to change a situation in their favour.
Witchcraft is meant by harmful magic which is performed by people of low social status. It is not
learned by the people but is developed by them through ritual expertise. People who carry out
witchcraft have a close alliance with the worship of evil/demonic supernatural powers. People who
carried out witchcraft are generally women than men in the society. Witchcraft is such a phenome-
non that has emerged in numerous cultures present in the world. People who perform witchcrafts
are known as witches. These witches are believed to offer their services and worship the Christian
devil and have the power to exchange their souls and also possess the ability to give orders to the
devil in order to carry out demonic acts for their own benefit. It is for this reason that people term
witchcraft as something associated with the evil.
Ritual is not a single activity but includes various rites and symbols following which people carry
out certain activities. It needs skill and practices with the help of which certain acts are carried out.
People who carry out certain rituals must have their expertise in either language, poetry, drama,
metalwork, woodwork, needle work, painting, designing, music, dancing, floristry or elementary
chemistry. Rituals are conducted for many purposes—sound health, to increase physical stamina,
to enhance the creativity among people, or to bring out any result that is desired by the people at
large.
Thus, magic, witchcraft, spells as well as rituals are carried out in the society since time unknown.
These traditional methods to bring about particular results are still sought by the people in the 21st
century. People who suffer from numerous health hazards are seeking these ways of magic,
witchcraft, spell so that they can be healed from their pathological condition and can have a blissful
life ahead.
Sociologist’s opinions on the use of magic in society: Several anthropological as well as soci-
ological theories have noted down the use of magic in society. Eminent theorists like Edward Bur-
nett Tylor, James Frazer, Emile Durkheim have opined on the use of magic in the society.
Edward Tylor in his book “Primitive Cultures” (1871), noted that magic is a rational way of thinking.
He opined that this logic/rationality is based on evil premises. He also noted that a magician take
similar approach as that of a scientist.
Following the line of Tylor, James Frazer believed that magic was related to pseudo-science which
was based on the direct action of the people. He was of the opinion that magic is such a concept of
the people which will be replaced by religion in the society. James Frazer noted that magicians
(who are similar to scientists) regarded that certain actions in general produced identical results.
Religion can also bring about certain results as magic but it is also predicted that their prayers
might nit be answered.
Emile Durkheim (second founding father of sociology), followed that magic and religion are two
contrasting variables in the society. Religion integrates the members of the society where as magic
involves only the specific individual whose needs are desires are the prime focus. Religious aims
for the good of the collectivity where as magic is directed to meet the needs and wishes of specific
people in the society. In the words of Durkheim, “In all history, we do not find a single religion with-
out a church. . . . There is no church of magic”.
Thus, different theorists opined in the own way the use of magic in the society. The prime point
which is highlighted among all the theorist’s words is that magic is a private affair concerning only
that individual who is involved in it. It satisfies individual desires and wants which are thought to be
fulfilled by following the rituals related to magic.

History of witchcraft: Witchcraft has originated mainly

25000 years ago in an era known as the Palaeolithic era.
People during that era regarded all the elements of nature
as deities. In the pre historic era, people used simple magic
to evoke supernatural forces who would fulfil their needs
and desires. People used to bury bones of animals in the
belief that they would re-originate from Mother Earth. The
concept of Shamanism was very common in that era where
examples of dancing sorcerers were present. These shamans were believed by the people to have
powers by which they could transcend themselves into the other-world and could interact with the
souls by which it was believed that the problems of the followers were solved. People were healed
out of their pathologies.
In the Medieval era, persecution of witches became common in many parts of the world. Women
were targeted in the society as evil witches. Thus, the period was filled with political, religious tur-
moil and it was the women (who practiced witchcraft) were the main targets of the growing patriar-
chal society.

In the modern era, by the late 20th century, witchcraft again originated as a one of the valid religion
(especially in USA). In india, too, people in the rural sector, who are untouched by the modern civi-
lisation were indulged with practices related to witchcraft. The witches were related to as healers in
the society. Therefore, witches were considered to have powers by which could heal the people in
times of distress.

Tools of witchcraft: There are various tolls related to the activity of witchcraft. Usually, it was
practiced by the tools found at home, such as—broom (to sweep off all the negativity), a cauldron
(it’s purpose was to keep the room hot as well as for cooking); a silver bell, crystal bowl, large wine
glass. car boot sales— all these equipments were generally kept away from the hands of the other
people so that its sacredness was not harmed. All these equipments were believed to be the age
by which healing was imparted to the people of the society.

Types of magic: Magic are of different types in the society. Each society found their own way of
doing magic as they believed their own unique way of magic can bring healing to the people in the
society. The different types of magic are—
Folk Magic and Ritual Magic: Preliminary methods of magic in the society were known as folk mag-
ic. Folk magic was common during the 19th century. In the rural sector, the things which were
generally used in home and gardens were the tools of folk magic. Herbal brews were created by
folk magicians to heal cough and cold; these were also used to induce love and affection among
people, for employment and for other healing activities. Ritual magic, on the other hand, involved
rituals by which the magic was carried out in the society.
Sympathetic magic: The magicians in this imitates the desire that they want to take place in the
real world.
Contagious magic: By this, the magician involves transferring and absorbing power directly from
any object of nature. If a person is suffering from fever then a contagious magician rubs some
ashes ion the forehead of the sufferer and thus it is believed that the person will be healed thereaf-
ter.
Attracting Magic: It is the combination of both sympathetic and contagious magic to bring those
results which are desired by the individuals.
Banishing and Protective magic: It strives ti drive away all the negativity from one’s life or a place.
Binding Magic: This type of magic helps to bind people in love or to bind the people in the society
from doing any harm to others. Many a times, binding a thread in one’s arm is believed to ward off
all the evils and to heal the person.
Black Magic: This type of magic is performed to initiate harm for another other individual or a
community as a whole. These are done secretly, without the knowledge of other people in the so-
ciety.
White Magic: This type of magic is carried out keeping in mind about someone’s welfare or for the
good of the community. It is not performed secretly.
Thus, the different types of magic are various ways to bring about healing of the members in the
society.

Tools of magic for healing: There are various tools which are used by people to carry out magic
in the society. The various types of tools involved are—
• An altar on which things like a chalice, candles or an athame are kept;
• Amulets are used to protect the spell caster from any evil influence in the society. These are be-
lieved to protect the people from any trouble; amulets are many a times made from nature such
as herbs, vegetables, flowers and so on;
• Baskets are mainly used for keeping things together in one place;
• Bath salts and oil;s are used to add to a ritual bath which are mixed by spells of the magician;
• A bell is used top ring in order to indicate the beginning of any ritual;
• A bolline is used to mainly cut plants as well as herbs to make them a part if magic;
• A book of shadows (also known as grimoire), is used as a journal to keep the records of all the
spells used by magicians and witches in order to carry out the magic ritual;
• Bowls are used to keep the salts and other ingredients which were used for magic;
• Broomsticks are used to sweep off all the negative energies from the society by using magical
spells;
• Candles are mandatory while doing magic. many magicians dress their candles with natural oil
as well as other herbs to make their power grow more intense.
Other magical tools that are used while doing magic in order to bring about healing of an individual
are as—cauldron, chalices, charcoal, censers, compasses, cords, crystals, essential oils, herbs,
incense stick, pens, pentagram, talisman as well as a wand. Thus, all these tools of magic are es-
sentially used by a magician when their followers seek for healing from the magicians.
Basic rituals of magic for healing: There are numerous rituals that are involved for healing of an
individual in the society. The makers of magic look to the East for inspiration and believe that there
are seven energy centres that lies from head to toe of an individual. The colours and the energy
associated with it in the seven chakras in the human body are as follows—
• The chakra near the spine is the base chakra which is concerned with the prime physical needs
such as food and shelter. The colour associated with this is red.
• The sacral chakra is associated with the colour orange and is believed to deal with sex and emo-
tions of people.
• The chakra in the solar plexus helps to make decision and take responsibility. Its associated with
the colour of yellow which encouraged creativity.

• The chakra in the heart controls the emotional of love and is associated with the colour green.
• The fifth chakra is the throat which helps people to communicate their feelings with one another.
It is associated with the colour blue.
• The chakras between the eyes and the head is associated with the colour indigo.
• The last chakra (known as the crown chakra) is at the top of the head which is associated with
the colour white.
Other basic rituals involve that, for instance, if a person wants to heal themselves from jaundice
then a magician would carve versatile magical verses which may be read in four directions and al-
ways ends with the same first line as the formula is named after, on the nails of the person suffer-
ing from jaundice and its believed that the person will be healed from jaundice. This process of
healing is known as Satorarepo-
These are a few rituals which magicians follows in order to act as a healer in the society. They vis-
ualise the chakras in the human body which needs healing and then works accordingly by which
they can cure the people from their mental and physical pathological conditions.

Stages of Magic to achieve healing: The stages involved in the process of magic are as fol-
lows—
Firstly, the actions-It involves the use of symbols which are believed to have magical energies. The
magicians have everything in his/her plan by which they claim to heal their followers.
Secondly, raising the power-It is one part of the magic ritual by which they arouse their magical
power. For instance, the magicians run with their open hair by being barefoot on the sandy shore
in order to perform this stage of magic.
Thirdly, release of power-They direct their energies towards the person on whom they want per-
form the magic ritual in order to perform healing.
These are the three different stages by which a magicians does their rituals involved to bring about
healing of their followers in the society.

Use of plants and herbs as magical tools of healing: The magicians use the herbs as medical
drugs for the followers who come to them to heal from their pathologies. For instance, cannabis
sativa can be used for its fibre, oil and is thus used as a medicine. Various herbs such as hen-
bane, hound’s tongue as well as hemlock are used by the magicians to provide healing to their fol-
lowers. Agrimony is considered as a popular drug for healing the digestive system of the people,
cuts, bruises as well as throat problem; allspice is a herb of healing which is used to heal rheuma-
tism and neuralgia; aloe vera heals wounds, burns and heals problems related to menstruation;
angelica is a herb which is used to heal people when they suffer from plague, it also improves cir-
culatory and respiratory system. Thus, the various herbs and plants are used for healing by the
magicians in the society.
Therefore, it can be concluded by saying that the magicians involve themselves in rituals and
claims to heal the people by somehow following the scientific line of action. The various herbs and
plants along with the other natural elements are used by them for healing their followers in the so-
ciety. Many a times, the aura of the magicians and the spells used by them make their followers
believe in their capacity for healing their pathology but it must be considered that various rituals
involved for carrying out magic and witchcraft in the society are indeed helpful in a multiple number
of cases where incidents of being healed are reported.

References:
Eason, C (2001), A Practical Guide to Witchcraft and Magick Spells,
Johnstone, M (2003), Encyclopaedia of Spells, Arcturus Publishing Limited.