Ancient Magical Practices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ancient Magical Practices - Essay Example 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. 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 spe ll 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. 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