MAGIC INFLUENCES

The word "Magic" comes from the greek "magos" and latin "magus", term from Iranian origin for priest. Origins of magic are unknown and remain surrounded by mystery. The Egyptians of Antiquity were the first ones who transmitted us the description of magic rites (one of the oldest works: The Book of the Deads).

Another old tradition regarding the magic rites came from the Celts (IVth century B.C.) installed in the Continental Europe who were used to practise particular mystic rituals to come into contact with mysterious forces.

And so, Magic is an art laying on the existence of invisible forces, worlds and hierarchies. Knowing these worlds together with the laws to control them, to channel and direct them and how to use them, such is the art of magic.

Egyptian magic art came to the Western worlds thanks abovall to the influences of:

– the greek phythagorician school: which studied the magic significance of the numbers and the figures.

– the gnostic philosophy: which appeared before Christ avent. Its adepts were convinced that man has to release himself from material believes, to improve his spirit for saving his soul. To reach this goal, they used esoteric secret practices.

– the Kabbalah : it is a jewish mystical and esoteric tradition. Beside the understanding of God and the creation of universe, there are also bewitchments to call intermediate entities between God and men.

From the Rebirth Movement (Renaissance) to the XVIIIth century, Magic as a theurgy (operation of god) was rediscovered by nobility, scientists and men of letters. But to avoid to be displeasing to the christian church and in order that the art of magic appears not as a competitive religion, his adepts practised magic in hidden rituals for protecting themselves from the inquisition of the Holly Office who spread terror at these times. Indeed, the christian church tolerated the magi under the requirement they did not compete with the official religion. And so, in the book of Abramelin the Magus (Kabbalah), (XIV - XVth century), about half of that work is dedicated to the glory of God. In the same manner, the forewords of all the works of Eliphas Levi (XIXth century) are dedicated to the glory of God.

The concept of magic as a spiritual way appeared in particular in the XIXth century thanks to organizations (brotherhoods such the Golden Dawn) which adopted spiritual processes and thoughts on the models of Buddhism or Hindouism.

During the XXth century, also Magic has been renewed by the wiccan philosophy that can be defined as a natural approach of the world. Wicca teachs the concepts of equilibrium and interrelationship between human beings and the world which surround them. In England, Wicca refers to sisterhoods of witches governed either under the alexandrian rite or the gardnerian one or a synthesis of the two ones. In US, Wicca has a larger meaning because it refers to a group of people making part of wise men and women (Sages) without
predefined rites.