Ancient Magical Practices - Essay Example

Ancient Magical Practices In today's society there are two very different, yet also very common, views of magical practitioners. There are the good "witches" who practice magic without the intent to harm others. Then there are also the bad or black "witches" who practice magic with no regard to the effects that it may have on other people. In ancient times, there was no such division. Magical practices encompassed both the passive and aggressive forms of magic with no real dividing line between the two. Early scrolls containing instructions for spell casting would combine both sides of magic on their pages with little regard to whether one was aggressive and one was not (Various). The early practitioners used their spells and amulets in much the same way Christians used their prayers and various symbols. Each incorporated the names of various important figures in their religion into their spells and charms. In fact, the Christian incantations were phrased much like the hexes of those who practice magic. There are many similarities in the way each set phrased their spells or incantations, such as the way each asks for assistance from a deity, whether for themselves or someone else. The magical texts used more key words, words believed by ancient peoples to contain more power than a normal word. Often these parts of the hex or spell were written in a different language or alphabet, which would possibly have enhanced their power in the spell. The Christian incantations used some of these words, gradually less and less as they were replaced with biblical quotes (Various). This practice can even be linked to modern prayer rituals where certain words or segments of biblical text are repeated to enhance the experience and are expected to yield greater results on behalf of the deity. Both forms of religion are enlisting the aid of their respective incantations and amulets in an effort to gain what they desire, whether is the destruction of an enemy, the protection of a loved one, or their own renewed health. For the magical practitioner, the path laid out to follow to that goal may be vastly different depending upon what is sought. For example, if one is seeking vengeance against someone else, enlisting the aid of a deity, in magic there will more than likely be a complicated ritual involving herbs or some other form of offering to be placed in a certain area while the incantation is read to invoke the favor of the deity. In Christianity, there would be a short incantation to request favor from God to request what the person wishes. However, other spells or rituals could be very similar, such as the request for protection. In both instances, the request is generally very simple and may be followed by the wearing of an amulet believed to protect the wearer against harm (Various). Where the magical practitioner has assigned different tasks to different deities, Christians have also assigned different tasks or areas of responsibility to saints, lower deities, from the Holy Trinity. Christian saints are often people of great faith in their religion who have passed away. This practice is similar to magical practices in that each creates amulets for different deities or saints who protect the wearer against different ailments or other problems in life. To aid against a specific problem, the amulet may be placed on different parts of the body, or placed in different areas throughout the home to increase effectiveness. There is often some sort of short incantation that accompanies these amulets, usually printed on the back or around the edge, whether the amulet is Christian or magical. The only difference between the two types of amulets aesthetically is what is depicted or inscribed on them. Christianity and ancient magic truly have more in common in their practices than modern followers of either might like to believe. They were and still remain each a type of religion, encompassing the same basic belief that there are deities who will assist human beings in their day to day lives. They each incorporate a type of incantation, using very similar phrasing and words. Each also employs the use of amulets as a type of guardian for the wearer, with several versions of the amulet to further assist the wearer in their endeavors. The differences lie mainly in the wording of the incantations, whether they use the aggressive tone of magic or the passive tone of Christianity. In each instance, the execution of the incantation or use of the amulet is solely based on faith in a higher being. Amulets I personally found several of the displayed amulets to be interesting for a variety of reasons. Some were just attractive based on their appearance or the material that they were constructed from. Others I appreciated for the meaning and workmanship that was put into each piece. I finally chose four that stood out the most to me for both their appearance and the deeper meaning incorporated into the pieces. Below are the amulets I chose and the reasoning for my selections. The first one that I chose is number 26052, the carved lapis from Egypt. I chose this piece because of the meaning of the symbol engraved on the side: the snake consuming its own tail. This symbol represents the eternal cycle, death and regeneration (Various). I appreciate the message that it conveys and would carry it as a reminder of the soul's eternal power. It reminds me that mortal death is not the true ending to existence. The second amulet that I chose is number 26054, the double-sided green jasper amulet from Egypt. The workmanship on this amulet is amazing in the incredible detail work, down to the scarabs that surround the edge on one side. I also like that it incorporates several nationalities at once, having Egyptian, Greek, and Roman properties. I found the combination to be interesting, reminding me of the armies of Alexander the Great setting out to conquer the vast majority of the then-known civilizations. It has always been a story that has fascinated me, and looking at that amulet, which incorporates all of those cultures as well as Christianity with the names of the angels, made me feel like I was truly looking at a real, amazing piece of history. Third on my list of amulets I would happily carry with me is number 26091. It's the gold-like rectangular amulet, inscribed on all four sides with a different name. Three of the inscribed names are Jewish and the fourth is the name of an Egyptian god who relates to the Christian Moses. The amulet itself is beautiful to look at, which is what drew me to it initially, how unusual in appearance it is. I chose to put it on my list of amulets I would wear not only for its appearance but also because of the four names inscribed: Iao, Sabao, Michael, and Thoth. They all relate back to teachings from childhood. The fourth and final piece on my list is number 26092, the Egyptian rider's amulet. Both sides of the amulet are beautifully engraved on hematite, which is reputed to cure headaches and anxiety. I find it interesting mostly because it incorporates the use of Solomon, a Christian figure, in the design. Solomon is revered as a great king in the Christian faith, but he is also that belief system's expert on magic or "the occult" as the library's website notes. I find it entertaining because rather than being depicted as the king, he is being shown as a demon slayer. It is also desirable because it is a protective charm, used primarily to ward off demons from the wearer (Various). Babylonian Demon Bowls The Babylonian Demon Bowls are interesting because they are dual purpose tools. They can be used either as defensive magic to protect a person or home from a demon by trapping it, or they can be used aggressively as a means to trap and cast a demon toward an enemy. If used aggressively, the bowl can be placed in different places to heighten the effects. For instance, it could either be placed near an enemy's home to increase the power of the spell, or in a cemetery where it is more likely to encounter a demon or spirit. Once the bowl had captured their demon, they were placed face down, presumably to contain the creature (Vallee). An example of the dual nature of the demon bowl is probably best expressed on item number 19504, a clay bowl from Seleucia-on-Tigris. The bowl is covered in an inscription, a generic spell to break the hexes on one person while putting them back on to the person who generated them. This is a very long, involved spell that appears on several known demon bowls, incorporating different names at significant intervals in order to personalize its use (Vallee). The one here is designed to take all of the curses off of a woman and her family, thereby removing all of their misfortune. The incantation repeats several key words in different places, mostly where a change of request or in tone occurs in the spell. In this particular instance, the demon bowl is being used for noble purposes, the removal of the supposed demons from this woman's life. On the darker side of the demon bowl is the continuation of the incantation, the wish for those who cursed this woman and her family to have the curses returned to them until they atoned and repented to the required deities. Once they repent, the inscription stipulates that the curse is to be removed from them by the same deities that they are required to bless. This turn of phrase takes the bowl back from the offensive, aggressive side of magic and back to the proactive, where the writer does not truly wish the evil-doers ill will, but does want them to in some way reap what they sow. It would be a way for the transgressors to atone for their initial cursing of the affected family. Once that stipulation was in place, the maker of the bowl went directly back to asking for removal of the curses plaguing the family. The demon bowl is not nearly as evil as the name would suggest. It appears that the use was primarily to ward off evil rather to incur it. In some instances, it has been used to capture and project demons on other people, which warrants the frightening name. Despite the deviation, the entire spell is a counter-curse to release the family from whatever hexes had been placed upon them. That makes the bowl's purpose noble in its intent rather than the evil easily inferred by the name. Works Cited Vallee, Timothy la. Traditions of Magic: Babylonian Demon Bowls. 1 November 2008. 29 November 2008 . Various. Traditions of Magic: Aggressive Magic. 1 November 2008. 30 November 2008 . Various. Traditions of Magic: Amulets and Gems. 1 November 2008. 30 November 2008 . Read More