VI. The Dark Arts (Black)
Many Egyptians were dark-skinned, reinforcing that
color association with their land. So the magick of the
“Black Country” became referred to as “Black Magick.”
It the intention of the magician which determines
the purpose and alignment, not the color of the magick.
Black Magick itself is not necessarily evil, any more
than any other color. Fundamentally, this color of the
magickal spectrum is about power and control—power
to do things, power to control the world, and power to
dominate others. And just as weapons may be used
either in aggression or defense, Black Magick is also
the color of protection.
All that notwithstanding, however, when people
today talk about “Black Magick” and the “Dark Arts,”
they are generally referring to magick used for selfish
purposes rather than altruistic (helpful to others) ones.
In particular, dominating and manipulating people
against their will; compelling people to do things they
do not wish to do; working against the best interests
of others; intentionally inflicting harm on others;
threatening, oppressing, controlling, power-tripping,
ripping off and screwing over—all these are considered
practices of the Dark Arts. And those who practice
magick with such purposes are known as “Black
Magicians” and “Sorcerers.” True Wizards, by defini-
tion, simply do not use magick in this way.Lesson 2. Sorcery & Sorcerers
Sorcery is also sometimes called sympathetic magic,
based on the principle that all things are linked together
by invisible bonds (the “Law of Sympathy”).
Sympathetic magick includes two types, which are
often combined in actual use: Homeopathic and
Contagious. Homeopathic magick holds that like
produces like: a melted wax image, for example, causes
death. Contagious magick holds that things once in
contact can continue to exert influence on each other,
even at a distance: blood, hair or clothing from a person
may be used in spells to affect them.
While all magickal folk practice some forms of
sorcery, few actually identify themselves as “Sorcer-
ers.” Those who do are generally engaged in
attempting to control others and rule the world. The
primary distinction between a Sorcerer and a Wizard
thus lies in the realm of service vs. dominion: A Wizard
desires to be of service to others; a Sorcerer desires to
be served by others. Here’s a simple test: is the person
trying to do something for you, or are they trying to
get you to do something for them—particularly
something you really don’t want to do? If it’s the latter,
stay away from them!
Often, powerful Wizards and Sorcerers will find- Introduction: “Black Magick”
HE SIMPLEST FORM OF LOW MAGICK
is sorcery, in which a certain
physical act is performed to
achieve a particular result. For
example, a wax image is melted
over a fire to make a victim die;
blood is scattered over a field to
ensure a bountiful harvest in the
next growing season; knots are tied in a cord to store
wind for a sea voyage. Sorcery forms the bulk of folk
magick, and is often referred to as “Black Magick” or
“the Black Arts.”
One of the reasons for this color association is
that much of such magick originated in Egypt, called
Khem, meaning “black.” This is because the fertile
flood-deposited soil of the Nile Delta was black, in
contrast to the barren sands of the surrounding
deserts, which were red. In Egypt, therefore, black was
good, and red represented evil. Also, black is the skin
color of many peoples who live in equatorial latitudes,
such as Africa, India, Australia, the Caribbean, etc.Corrected pages 3rd printing.2.p65 48 6/10/2004, 4:03 PM