Black Magic

   At the present day means the use of ritual magic for personal gain or lust, and usually has a strong element of sexuality in it. Earlier it could have been defined as any religious practice appertaining to a superseded or unpopular religion which has not been incorporated in the dogma of an existing and dominating religion. The majority of the practices falling under this heading are to be traced back to the pre-Judaic period in the Middle East, and are vestiges of still earlier ceremonies. The name itself constitutes a recognition of the dualistic principle of the offsetting of good by evil, which has formed the backbone of many religions, including some Christian heresies. The original definition is ritual practised for harmful purposes, to produce sterility, sickness, or death. While the various phenomena grouped under this designation are frequently difficult to explain by ordinary methods, there would appear to be no reason for describing them as other than ‘of the earth, earthy’.