Magic describes in a general way the ability to cause certain things to come about or manifest. It is normally divided into two types, white and black. Yet magic itself is neither good nor evil. In some ways it is like electricity – it can be used for light or to produce heat or snuff something out while remaining neutral.

The Ancients believed in both God and magic. They considered magic to have been taught to man by God and based in The Law of Sympathy and the Law of Imitation.

The Law of Sympathy states: A mysterious link exists between anything in the world and any one of its parts, for example a tree and its leaves. This is a reinstatement of the general belief in Oneness of the Universe. This Law has two Rules. The Rule of Parts and the Rule of Contagion.

Rule of Parts: Even though something is no longer connected with something else which is its source (such as a leaf of a tree) one can affect the source by affecting the disconnected part. For example, in primitive magic as practiced in the Caribbean Islands you may have heard stories about someone who has been affected by magic via someone else using a lock of their hair and performing magical ceremonies over it.

Rule of Contagion: This rule states that an article that is found close to a person such as a ring that is always worn or a favorite piece of jewelry or other personal item, in time forms a connection to that person. Another person might affect the owner of said object by performing magic on it.

The Law of Limitation: Like the Law of Sympathy, states that because of the connection one can cause spirits to imitate certain acts and thereby produce phenomena. An example is an ancient ceremony for rainfall which consisted of pouring water over an unclothed virgin.

These early beliefs are hard for some to accept. But if we pause to look at our own religions, we might notice that in most cases there is some sort of minister or priest who we might believe has been endowed by God with spiritual power because of his or her relationship to God. We might wear medals inscribed with saints or carry tokens of what we consider holy symbols to keep us safe. Religion stems from the same source as magic. Each has two parts doctrine and dogma and both have ritual.

Both religion and magic use the power of words – the right words to bring about aid of some sort. Sometimes these words are kept secret. In Christianity and Judaism for example, the name of God was kept a secret in the belief that if one knew the name of God then one could compel Him to do a certain bidding. Because of this belief, the word Jehovah was never written out in Jewish manuscripts. Religion and magic hold power in names. Most are usually related to ritual or life passages. Stop for a moment and consider what happens when you see a friend on the street and call his name. He stops and turns towards you. Have you not at that moment in time exerted control over him?

But what all these practices really suggest is the belief in the underlying factor of the spiritual nature of the Universe and how everything is connected. The problem is most are not aware the true meaning behind our beliefs whatever they might be.

Baal Shem ~ Hebrew Shaman

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