Could someone brief me in on the difference between magical traditions?

[The Sum of Awe]

Is there a difference between Druid magic and Wiccan magic? Do Kemetics or Asatru use magic and are theirs' also different?

How about Pagan magic vs LHP magic such as in Satanism, Thelema, Discordianism?

Is it just in the spell work and symbolism? Or is the ritual itself entirely different?

Do you find any magic is better in any way than another system of magic?

 

[The Hammer]

Is there a difference between Druid magic and Wiccan magic?

Yes there is a difference.

Do Kemetics or Asatru use magic and are theirs' also different?

Some Kemetics and Asatru use Magick, yes. For the Asatru community it's traditionally called Seidr.

How about Pagan magic vs LHP magic such as in Satanism, Thelema, Discordianism?

Afaik the differences here are more along the lines of what is allowed magickally (ethics), and the focus of the Magick itself.

Is it just in the spell work and symbolism? Or is the ritual itself entirely different?

All of the above, the symbolism and the ritual will be different, even amongst practitioners of the same tradition there is often variability.

Do you find any magic is better in any way than another system of magic?

Nope, it ultimately depends on the person and what works for them. Everyone has a different set or style of symbols and ritual actions which will get them into the magickal mindset for spell craft.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Nope, it ultimately depends on the person and what works for them. Everyone has a different set or style of symbols and ritual actions which will get them into the magickal mindset for spell craft.

I'll come right out and say that I'm intending to studying magic craft and try practicing it. I'm learning about Wiccan magick right now, the book I'm reading seems to be very detailed and will be useful. So this will definitely be my starting place. I feel somewhat of an attraction to Wicca, perhaps because it's the first religion that comes to my head when I think of Neopaganism.

I want to explore other crafts as well though, and was wondering how important is it that the cosmology fits what you truly believe about the universe? For example, would someone who doesn't believe in The Goddess and God, or necessarily even in 'spirit energy', be able to benefit from the practice? Or should they find something more in line with their worldviews?

 

[The Hammer]

I'll come right out and say that I'm intending to studying magic craft and try practicing it. I'm learning about Wiccan magick right now, the book I'm reading seems to be very detailed and will be useful. So this will definitely be my starting place. I feel somewhat of an attraction to Wicca, perhaps because it's the first religion that comes to my head when I think of Neopaganism.

Wicca is very much a lot of epoples.first foray into Magick and it's a well formed path. But it is designed to be na Initiatory expect, and not as much a solitary endeavor. I started with wicca myself, such as Raymond Buckland's "Complete Book of Witchcraft".

I want to explore other crafts as well though, and was wondering how important is it that the cosmology fits what you truly believe about the universe? For example, would someone who doesn't believe in The Goddess and God, or necessarily even in 'spirit energy', be able to benefit from the practice? Or should they find something more in line with their worldviews?

How much you agree with the cosmology, should not impact your workings. There are many mages/witches that pull from multiple traditions successfully. The only caveat I would input is that a belief in some sort of "spirit energy" or in the power of ones "Will and Mind" would be important. You need to believe that what you are doing will work. To lack belief is to cut the spell itself short.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Wicca is very much a lot of epoples.first foray into Magick and it's a well formed path. But it is designed to be na Initiatory expect, and not as much a solitary endeavor. I started with wicca myself, such as Raymond Buckland's "Complete Book of Witchcraft".



How much you agree with the cosmology, should not impact your workings. There are many mages/witches that pull from multiple traditions successfully. The only caveat I would input is that a belief in some sort of "spirit energy" or in the power of ones "Will and Mind" would be important. You need to believe that what you are doing will work. To lack belief is to cut the spell itself short.

Would you need to believe in the supernatural aspects for it to work or would understanding that it could work as a placebo be enough? I feel like I'm good at convincing my subconscious of faith-based things, I'm not too worried. But perhaps I will need to be more open minded to other spiritual models of the world rather than just what I think is most logical.

 

[The Hammer]

Would you need to believe in the supernatural aspects for it to work or would understanding that it could work as a placebo be enough? I feel like I'm good at convincing my subconscious of faith-based things, I'm not too worried. But perhaps I will need to be more open minded to other spiritual models of the world rather than just what I think is most logical.

I think a belief in the supernatural helps most definitely. Understanding that it can work as a placebo seems counterintuitive, believing it will work is a foundational aspect imo. But don't let my opinion hold you back.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

I think a belief in the supernatural helps most definitely. Understanding that it can work as a placebo seems counterintuitive, believing it will work is a foundational aspect imo. But don't let my opinion hold you back.

Thank you for this information, I will work with different things, see what I can do, and learn as I go.

 

[Quintessence]

Is there a difference between Druid magic and Wiccan magic?

Sort of. It's a more complicated question than it might first appear because the founders of both traditions floated in the same circles back in the day (see The Origins of Wicca & Druidry | Order of Bards, Ovates & Druids for some light reading about this). What this means is that Druidry (the contemporary Pagan variety, specifically) and Wicca share some common foundations and form in their systems of spellcraft. Exactly how much will depend in the exact traditions in question and how the individual practitioner chooses to customize their work.

To give a few examples of common threads, both Wiccan and Druid rituals typically involve calling the quarters in some fashion. Use of the Four Elements also weaves through both traditions. Foundational skills like meditation, journeywork, and energy work are utilized by both traditions. Wicca even contains elements of the cauldron mysteries explored in Druid traditions (because of course it does - Witches + Cauldrons is sort of a classic combo). Phillip Carr-Gomm has written extensively about the intersection between Druidry and Wicca and has published this book - Druidcraft: The Magic Of Wicca & Druidry by Philip Carr-Gomm - covering the topic. I haven't read it myself, but being an OBOD member I've picked up chunks here and there.

Do Kemetics or Asatru use magic and are theirs' also different? How about Pagan magic vs LHP magic such as in Satanism, Thelema, Discordianism?

While I could comment on these, my knowledge base here is limited and I will defer here to letting practitioners of these systems speak for their own merits. I wasn't a fan of LHP stuff when I looked into it; not grounded enough in tree-hugging dirt-worship for my liking.

Is it just in the spell work and symbolism? Or is the ritual itself entirely different?

Among different magical and occult traditions, it can be either/both. Something that I feel gets overlooked far too often in the study of spellcraft is an examination of the metaphysical assumptions different practitioners make. For this reason I strongly recommend reading this book - Real Magic: An Introductory Treatise on the Basic Principles of Yellow Light by Isaac Bonewits - because it is a systematic review of different principles by which spellcraft is believed to operate by in a more tradition-agnostic fashion.

Do you find any magic is better in any way than another system of magic?

Yes. If you don't understand the metaphysical assumptions of the system you're using, you won't know why you're doing what you're doing. You'll just be going through the motions without really getting it. To draw on a metaphor I used recently, think of it as being like cooking. If you work with ingredients you like and know well, you're going to create better dishes and get better results. The spellcraft and rituals I do are firmly grounded in my own Druidic tradition for precisely this reason. It is better for me - your mileage will vary and it might be downright inappropriate for someone else.

 

[Quintessence]

To add, @The Sum of Awe - back in the day (and still now from what I've seen) you were among the most thoughtful posters I'd encountered on the forums. You'll have a good mind for this stuff and will figure it out. Enjoy exploring, read widely, and experiment.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Do you find any magic is better in any way than another system of magic?

Yes. If you don't understand the metaphysical assumptions of the system you're using, you won't know why you're doing what you're doing. You'll just be going through the motions without really getting it. To draw on a metaphor I used recently, think of it as being like cooking. If you work with ingredients you like and know well, you're going to create better dishes and get better results. The spellcraft and rituals I do are firmly grounded in my own Druidic tradition for precisely this reason. It is better for me - your mileage will vary and it might be downright inappropriate for someone else.

That makes sense. Would you say it's wise or unwise to take ritual symbolism/traditions from various systems and incorporate them into your own 'metaphysical assumptions' rather than following an entire set tradition?

 

[The Sum of Awe]

To add, @The Sum of Awe - back in the day (and still now from what I've seen) you were among the most thoughtful posters I'd encountered on the forums. You'll have a good mind for this stuff and will figure it out. Enjoy exploring, read widely, and experiment.

Thank you

 

[Quintessence]

That makes sense. Would you say it's wise or unwise to take ritual symbolism/traditions from various systems and incorporate them into your own 'metaphysical assumptions' rather than following an entire set tradition?

It depends - practitioners of spellcraft run the spectrum from routine borrowing and syncretism to firmly sticking to a more purist approach and limiting their source material. There are merits and flaws to both approaches.

On the one hand, syncretism and cultural borrowing always happened historically when cultures interacted with each other. Our present globalized world supercharges that process to a dizzying degree with more information than ever accessible to many people. To squander that opportunity for inspiration and knowledge is something that's difficult to resist and ignore, so on the whole a pick-and-mix is probably the more common approach.

On the other hand, these same processes of syncretism can compromise the integrity of a tradition by removing important contexts. The unraveling of such beautifully-woven tapestries of unique cultures is killing certain kinds of diversity in this globalized world. Preserving tradition is an honor and duty for some; keeping the original spirit of the flame burning brightly acts like a beacon that focuses your practice away from distractions and distillation by outsiders.

The extremes of both ends are oft criticized by the other, so there might be something to finding a middle ground. It permits your traditions and practices to grow over time as you do, but not so willy-nilly as to loose integrity and substance. But this can more or less be done at the extremes too, if that is a good fit for your character. If you like following inspiration where it takes you, purist approaches will drive you bananas. If you like having set or consistent routines, the freewheel of syncretism will be a headache. If perhaps you like a bit of both - sometimes let the inspiration take charge, sometimes follow a guidebook or routine - maybe that middle ground is the best fit for your practice?

I'm kinda in the middle somewhere, and at times I've leaned more one way or the other. Since doing the Bardic Grade with OBOD I've shifted out of the stick-in-the-mud and more towards the water-flows-where-it-may. But I think I needed that stick-in-the-mud phase to build foundations from which to be able to follow inspiration without loosing focus. Others might have different experiences with this, though!

 

[Guitar's Cry]

Would you need to believe in the supernatural aspects for it to work or would understanding that it could work as a placebo be enough?

I think understanding the impact of symbolism and ritual on the psychology of a person suffices.

 

[Erebus]

I think other posters here have done a better job at answering your questions than I could have done. I just wanted to jump in and offer you (and anybody else who might be interested) a resource I've found interesting:

https://www.youtube.com/c/ESOTERICAchannel/videos

Esoterica delves into the history of magic and the folklore surrounding witchcraft. Most videos aren't about contemporary magical practices specifically but they do cover the historical foundations those practices grew out of.