Black magic

Some people talk about black magic.

This is magic used for selfish or bad things. It is the opposite of white magic.

Long ago, many people thought this was evil. They even punished those who practiced it. Some people use magic to try and hurt others. They might try to curse a neighbor.

Other groups have their own special ways. One group is called Voodoo. People often link Voodoo to black magic in movies. But Voodoo has its own long history. People have many different ideas about magic.

People use the term black magic to describe certain beliefs.

It usually means using magic for selfish or bad reasons. This is the opposite of white magic. Some people think of it as "low magic." This is because of the person's intent or goal.

In the past, many people feared these practices. During the Renaissance, some groups were punished for them. Some thinkers tried to study magic in secret. They called this "natural magic" to stay safe.

In the Middle Ages, some people used a word called nigromancy. This referred to magic involving spirits or demons. Some practitioners used a book called a grimoire. These books were often written in Latin.

Today, popular movies often link Voodoo to black magic. However, Voodoo has its own long history and traditions. Some people in Voodoo use both good and bad magic. Modern groups like Wicca often try to stay far from black magic. They focus on being kind and helpful instead.

Black magic is a term used to describe certain magical beliefs.

It often refers to using supernatural powers for selfish or evil reasons. This idea is the opposite of what people call white magic. Some thinkers, like Robert M. Place, have used different names for these ideas. He suggests calling them "high magic" and "low magic." This depends on what the person wants to achieve. However, these labels can sometimes be unfair or based on old prejudices. Many people use the term to talk about the intent behind the magic.

How magic is categorized can change depending on who is talking. In the past, many people thought all magic was bad or irreligious. During the Renaissance, some thinkers tried to study magic in a different way. They called this "natural magic" to avoid being punished. People like Marsilio Ficino and Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa studied these things. They often had to work in secret to stay safe. This allowed them to study rituals without facing the Inquisition. They wanted to advance their learning while avoiding trouble.

History shows many different names for these old practices. From the years 1200 to 1500, people often used the word "nigromancer."

This word comes from Latin terms meaning "black" and "divination." It described someone skilled in the black arts. In the Middle Ages, "nigromancy" specifically meant magic involving demons. These practitioners often worked in groups. They usually had a leader who owned a special book called a grimoire. Most of these books were written in Latin. This meant only educated people could read and use them.

There are many specific stories and records of these beliefs.

In 1444, an official named Gaspare Sighicelli took action against a group in Bologna. Two people, Marco Mattei of Gesso and a friar named Jacopo of Viterbo, confessed to magical acts. Later, in 1911, A. E. Waite wrote a book about these rituals. His book is called "The Book of Ceremonial Magic." Even in recent times, these ideas appear in news. For example, in 2022, Russian media made claims about magic during the war in Ukraine. They mentioned a person named Oleksiy Arestovych in their reports.

Today, we see these ideas in many places around us. Popular culture often links Voodoo to black magic in movies. However, Voodoo has its own unique history and traditions. Some Voodoo practitioners, called bokor, use both good and bad magic. Modern groups like Wicca try to stay away from black magic. They prefer to focus on being kind and helpful to others. This shows how much ideas about magic can change over time. People still wonder about the line between different types of belief.

Black magic, sometimes called dark magic, refers to using supernatural powers for selfish or evil purposes.

This concept serves as the malevolent counterpart to white magic. Many people define the difference between these two types of magic based on the practitioner's intent. If a person uses magic to cause harm, it is often labeled as black magic. In contrast, white magic is associated with benevolent or helpful goals. This distinction is a central way that people categorize magical practices in both history and modern belief systems.

Historically, the term has evolved through different languages and meanings. The first known appearance of "black magic" in English was in Edmund Spenser's epic poem, *The Faerie Queene*. He used the term "nigromancy," which was an anglicized version of the Middle English *nigromancy*. This word came from the Latin *nigromantia*, a medieval version of *necromantia*, or necromancy. The term was also influenced by the Latin word *niger*, meaning black. From approximately 1200 to 1500, the term *nigromancer* was commonly used to describe someone skilled in the "black arts."

Different scholars have proposed various ways to classify these magical traditions. In his 2009 book, *Magic and Alchemy*, Robert M. Place traces the origins of black magic to primitive, ritualistic worship of spirits. He notes that while white magic often mirrors shamanistic efforts to connect with spirits, black magic rituals were designed to evoke spirits to produce beneficial outcomes for the practitioner. Place prefers to use the terms "high magic" for white magic and "low magic" for black magic. However, he acknowledges that this classification can be based on prejudice. For example, expensive ceremonial magic might be called "high magic" regardless of whether the intent is good or bad.

During the Renaissance, the relationship between magic and religion was often tense. Many magical rituals were viewed as evil or irreligious by the church. Because of this, the Inquisition targeted witchcraft and non-mainstream esoteric studies. To avoid persecution, some intellectuals turned to "natural magic." Thinkers such as Marsilio Ficino, abbot Johannes Trithemius, and Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa used natural magic to advance their studies. They often had to work in secret to protect themselves from religious authorities while they explored ritualistic and esoteric ideas.

In the Late Middle Ages, a specific form of magic known as nigromancy became prominent. This was specifically defined as demonic magic. These rituals were often performed by groups of people surrounding a leader. This leader usually possessed a grimoire, which is a book of magic instructions. Because most grimoires were written in Latin, practitioners were typically members of the educated elite. One historical record from 1444 shows Inquisitor Gaspare Sighicelli taking action against a group in Bologna. During this event, Marco Mattei of Gesso and the friar Jacopo of Viterbo confessed to participating in these magical practices.

The *Malleus Maleficarum* is a famous text that discusses these subjects. In the 17th century, the term black magic was often reserved for specific accusations. These included invoking demons, hexing neighbors, or using magic to destroy crops. Some believed practitioners could even leave their bodies to travel great distances in spirit.

Popular culture often links Voodoo to black magic, but Voodoo has its own distinct traditions. In Voodoo, certain sorcerers known as bokor are known to use both black and white magic. While Voodoo is often associated with curses or zombies in fiction, it is a unique belief system with its own history.

Modern views on these topics continue to shift. In contemporary settings, many practitioners of Wicca and witchcraft try to distance themselves from black magic. Most modern Wiccan circles focus on benevolent magic and self-help spiritualism. They often reject those who seek to cause harm. Even in recent political conflicts, accusations of magic appear in the media. For instance, during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian state media accused Ukraine of using "blood magick" to fight the military. These examples show how the idea of black magic remains a powerful concept in how people describe conflict and belief.