Glossary - exWitch Australia (formerly 'Born Again Pagan')

HIGH and LOW MAGICK

High magick refers to the formal and often very elaborate forms of Magick (casting circles, calling quarters, invocations and evocation, for example) found in the rituals of Western Ceremonial Magick.

High Magick, or Theurgy, in a different sense refers to magick used to achieve a mystical religious experience where the magician is united with divinity or the godhead. Low magic or thaumaturgy, in contrast, is the folk-magic practiced by the common people and originally informally handed down by oral tradition. Sympathetic Magic and Spells for protection, blessings of people and possessions and the placing and removal of curses are its staples.

The use of the words "high" and "low" should not suggest a judgment that high magick is preferable or 'better' than low magick. Both forms of magickal practice have co-existed and complemented each other for several millennia. High and low magicians have a common purpose when each asks the unseen powers of the universe to favorably influence the outcome of certain events. Magick is classified as white, black, or grey, yet it is generally regarded as amoral - neither 'good' nor 'evil' - by its practitioners, because, they claim, it is the practitioner's intent makes a magickal working either 'good' or 'evil'.

Many Traditions and paths within Wicca and modern Neo-Paganism use a combination of both High and Low Magick.

PLEASE NOTE:
One of the major problems with 'defining' Paganism and/or its beliefs and practices is that it is an 'organic' movement, in that it is undergoing constant change and re-evaluation from within, and as such any 'one-size-fits-all' approach to understanding Paganism will be found wanting.

Due to the very 'organic' nature of Paganism, and the many differing Paths and Traditions within it, in many cases no one definition may be universally accepted by all Pagans. Therefore, where such cases of possible conflicting and/or contradictory meanings of certain terms occur I have endevoured to give not only the generally accepted meaning, but also any major 'variations' in belief and/or practice.

Christians who believe this difference in meaning of certain key terms, beliefs and practices to be unique to Paganism need to remember that such conflicts also arise within the Body of Christ - the Church. Take for instance the differing practices amongst Christians concerning Baptism and the different attitudes towards women in the clergy.

- Jean-Luc