Could someone please explain the difference between these to me? Sorry, I'm new to this topic.
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Re: Folk vs. Ceremonial vs. Celestial Magick
In short, folk magic is, I guess the easiest way to think of it would be as 'rural' or 'country' magic. It's the kind of magic used by farming and village populations in the past, involving materials and ingredients that are easily found in those settings (household or farming implements, herbs and natural materials), generally fairly basic in implementation to fit the lifestyle and education in these settings and usually aimed towards practical, material ends which make life easier for the practitioner and those around them.
Ceremonial magic is, by contrast, complex and academic, involving complicated and detailed ritual work, usually within the context of a system of regular training, education and psycho-spiritual development. While it can be practiced incidentally and for material aims, a lot of ceremonial magic is focused around facilitating spiritual growth in the magician, as well as allowing them to perceive distant planes of existence and to interact with the entities which dwell on these planes and having the eventual goal of becoming enlightened and achieving unity with the divine (henosis in greek, comparable to the eastern concept of Samadhi).
Much of folk magic has it's origins in the 'folk' traditions of rural, country dwelling populations of Europe, while ceremonial magic developed out of the mystery schools in the Mediterranean and Middle East which taught a synthesis of Egyptian, Greek and to a lesser extent Eastern philosophies and practices during the classical era.Last edited by Aeran; 14 Sep 2013, 22:55. -
Re: Folk vs. Ceremonial vs. Celestial Magick
Pretty much what Aeran said, with an additional point: one generation's folk magic sometimes became another generation's ceremonial magic. A decent portion of the high-falutin', fancy ceremonial magic of the Western occult tradition is based on the folk magic of the ancient Greeks and Egyptians.
And as we've seen with Wicca, this can go in reverse as well. Occult high magic can be adapted to include folk magic practices, or at least be oriented towards thing usually under the purview of folk magic.
The line is blurry, despite attempts by ceremonialists to make it a hard one.Comment
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Re: Folk vs. Ceremonial vs. Celestial Magick
Most magicians I know aren't too focused on the distinction between folk and ceremonial magic, usually they frame it as high magic and low magic, where high magic is magic aimed at spiritual advancement and low magic is aimed at material goals. Generally speaking there isn't much folk magic aimed at spiritual growth, but there's plenty of ceremonial magic aimed at material ends.Comment
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Re: Folk vs. Ceremonial vs. Celestial Magick
I personally would describe it as Folk magic tends to be fluid and unstructured in many ways. Many differing ways to get the same results and not hard and fast in what one must or must not do. Ceremonial on the other hand tends to be very structured and stiff in what one must or must not do. A must be done before B can be started to produce a correct C type thing.Originally posted by Alice View Post
I suppose in some ways one might say folk magics create a Jack of All, Master of None while Ceremonial is a Master of One, Jack of One. I say Master of One in that most Ceremonial or High magics I've encountered tend to be very focused upon a single school of usage along with all of its structure. I think one other difference is that Folk practices can be based upon a single practitioners usage while Ceremonial tends to require at least two practitioners given the structured wards, glyphs, sigils and other enchantments that are used.
Celestial I have no idea about as I personally never heard of the term.I'm Only Responsible For What I Say Not For What Or How You Understand!Comment
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Re: Folk vs. Ceremonial vs. Celestial Magick
Originally posted by Alice View Post
Great answers above. You will also sometimes see ceremonial magic* referred to as "High Magic" and folk magic referred to as "Low Magic". Personally, I couldn't imagine being one or the other - they both contain elements vital for my path, even if I tend to fall closer to the High Magic end of the spectrum.
I would also love to know about celestial magic, as I'm not familiar with the term. Could this be a way of referring to theurgy? Or astral magic, perhaps? Or specifically overworld/ upperworld magic?
* or "magick" - take your pick of spellingOO
Book of Spirals is my author site.
The Sentient Hillside is my blog.
Spiral Tree is an ezine for pagans I co-founded.Comment
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Re: Folk vs. Ceremonial vs. Celestial Magick
Where'd you come across the term 'celestial magic'?life itself was a lightsaber in his hands; even in the face of treachery and death and hopes gone cold, he burned like a candle in the darkness. Like a star shining in the black eternity of space.
Yoda: Dark Rendezvous
"But those men who know anything at all about the Light also know that there is a fierceness to its power, like the bare sword of the law, or the white burning of the sun." Suddenly his voice sounded to Will very strong, and very Welsh. "At the very heart, that is. Other things, like humanity, and mercy, and charity, that most good men hold more precious than all else, they do not come first for the Light. Oh, sometimes they are there; often, indeed. But in the very long run the concern of you people is with the absolute good, ahead of all else..."
John Rowlands, The Grey King by Susan Cooper
"You come from the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve", said Aslan. "And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth; be content."
Aslan, Prince Caspian by CS Lewis
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