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What is Sorcery?
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Messages: 5 - 8 (18 total)
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UrsulaW
2/21/2006 1:18 PM
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5 out of 18 |
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After the discussion of sorcery on the Shamanism board, I now have three definitions of sorcery in my head, and will try to keep clear on which definition others are using.
1—Nonordinary or magical work that harms others, usually for reasons of malice or greed. Or any practice that includes a lot of this, even if that’s not all the person does. This has been my basic definition in the past, based on the historical use of the word in Europe.
2—In Heathern/Asatru usage, sorcery covers all sorts of nonordinary work, including what I generally think of as shamanism (exploration of spirit worlds, working with spirit allies, etc.) and also practices that are particular to the Northern Way, such as rune-work. The term Seidr is also used for Heathen sorcery.
3—Carlos Castenada’s style of nonordinary work, and similar practices. This also involves exploring spirit worlds, encountering spirits of plants, animals, etc. There is more emphasis on accumulating personal power and working through the will, and less emphasis on working with spirit allies, than is common in much of modern shamanism.
People who follow definitions 2 and 3 consider harmful sorcery against another person to be acceptable under some circumstances, such as self-defense, as opposed to a lot of modern shamanists, who consider shamanic attack unethical even when protecting self or others from an attacker.
I am particularly interested in getting more information about definition 3, and understanding why Castenada-style sorcery appeals to people.
And I always like knowing more about Seidr.
I note already that there is a fourth definition present here in this discussion group –
4—Sorcery is simply another word for magic, with no special meaning or connotations.
I’ll try to keep in mind that some people see it that way too.
~Ursula
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reinersue
3/24/2006 2:12 PM
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6 out of 18 |
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To me, when I was growing up in the 60's and 70's, sorcery meant any or all of the def'ns Ursula mentioned above but with a negative connotation. Sorcery, in my childhood, meant bad, bad, bad.
In the last few decades since I have been able to find out for myself and am no longer a child, I have found that sorcery has been qualified now to be either good sorcery like Merlin and Harry Potter or bad sorcery like the Wicked Witch of the West in Oz or He Who Must Not Be Named in Harry Potter.
Susan
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Adastra
3/24/2006 8:13 PM
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7 out of 18 |
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Does any one have an idea what was Aleister Crowley like, my Gramma said he was a Sorcerer, but what I've learned of him he was more a chaos Magician and very selfish, I wonder if he would have been so bad if only his Mama had not always been complaining.
How unfortunate it was that God had given her such a beastly boy for a son, and why was she thus punished.
No honestly - she did rant on.
He died in 1947 IIRC and I was but twelve then and would not have known sorcery from a saucer of Tea
Any Ideas
Patricia
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Almoureux
3/25/2006 9:07 PM
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8 out of 18 |
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I think that there are many different views of sorcery. Many words from other cultures were interpreted as sorcery, only because there were no other words in English that were better.
I take a bit more philosophical view of sorcery. To me, it is anything and everything not under the ubrella of the five senses. Having said that, I also tend to use the word for ones who are serious in their pursuit of this knowledge rather than those who wish to have a spiffy little talent to impress their friends. Such a person is a fortune teller, etc. (no offense intended) To me, sorcerer is one who is not satisfied with a taste and wants the entire enchilada. They want to understand and experience everything humanly possible, within the realm of what is responsible. (hopefully)
There is much more, but that, in a nutshell, it what I believe.
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