The Encyclopedia of World Religions

. M ,

verbial sticking of pins into a doll in Caribbean cul ture; perhaps a hair or some other item belonging to the intended victim can be used to put the doll in harmony with that person. “Correspondence” is the idea, found in ancient Greek magical texts, that there are magical relationships between apparently disparate things, as between gemstones, parts of the human body, certain chants and spells, and astrological signs. These correspondences can be used to work magic both good and bad. Finally, there is the magic of evoking super natural aid. The traditions of RITUAL magic or high magic, going back to the Middle Ages and before, are meant to call up gods, ANGELS , demons, and other spirits to help the magician and to do his will. The vivid performances of this school, involving the ceremonialist standing for his own protection in a magic circle, and evoking an entity into a triangle with the help of sword, wand, and vehement words of command, are the height of magical drama. Many practitioners of magic teach that the ulti mate meaning of the art lies in the power of will. The mind can change things on its own if thought is powerful and concentrated enough; the instru ments of magic, like a doll or gems, or the evoca tions of ritual magic, are really simply devices for helping the magician concentrate his or her will. Although it is sometimes said that magic and religion are two completely different things, there is clearly some overlap. Religious PRAYER and rites can be used like magical charms, while magic can call forth feelings of awe toward the mysteries of the universe, which approach the religious. Both involve ideas of supernatural forces and powers,

magi The priests of Persia (Iran) before I SLAM . In the time of classical Greece and Rome, the magi were the traditional Persian priests. They practiced Z OROASTRIANISM and were very important in preserv ing its writings. The Greeks respected their wisdom a great deal. They also felt that these priests had special, secret knowledge. This attitude gave us the English words “magic” and “magician,” which come from magi. According to the G OSPEL of Matthew (2.1–15), magi came to visit J ESUS soon after his birth. The B IBLE does not say anything specific about them. Early legend suggested that they were kings. In the Middle Ages these kings were said to be three in number. They were given names and kingdoms: Balthasar, king of Arabia; Melchior, king of Persia; and Caspar, king of India. The Orthodox churches celebrate the visit of the magi on C HRISTMAS Day. The Catholic Church and some Protestant churches celebrate it on Epiphany (January 6). magic The use of means outside ordinary cause and effect to achieve desired objectives. In modern times, it implies means outside the laws of con ventional science and technology. It would mean the employment of seemingly irrelevant gestures or chants (abracadabra or magic spells), or even just concentrated thought, to reach a goal, rather than ordinary labor or engineering. There are several types of traditional magical means, as defined by Sir James George F RAZER . “Sympathetic magic” indicates doing to an object what you want done to something else, like the pro

271 S