It's sad to see so many people clinging to hierarchy when, at least for me, paganism and witchcraft have always been about eliminating hierarchies! High and low do not have to be hierarchical terms. The sky is high and the ground is low, and yet they are both powerful. I hope more people will embrace the term low magic as well
I just loved the idea of reclaiming "low magic". I've been thinking a lot about my practice lately and as much that it has some folk elements (italian and brazilian) what i do is witchcraft, not folk magic in the strict sense of it. Thanks for the video!
Thank you sm for explaining this! After 8 years of practice I honestly didn’t understand these terms and kind of avoided them, but now it makes so much sense. I really appreciate you demystifying these for me! I can feel confident now calling what I do low magic and not feel like it means it’s a lesser form of magic :)
This is why knowledge is so imperative to practice. I've heard many definitions of High and Low magic, including the one you discuss here. In Mahayana Buddhist magical practices, low magic refers to magic done for the benefit of the self and high magic refers to magic done for the greater good, or for all sentient beings, in other words a cause or community greater than the individual self. It's all perspective and which lineage you follow. Thank you for sharing this!! 🖤
Thank you Bente this was really informative and in line with alot of stuff I've been thinking about. I think also that the term "high magic" is because the people that originally practiced more of this stuff were the more "educated" people who studied astronomy and alchemy all the stuff that wasn't available to the every day "low" born common "folk". I think that's the distinction. Today we have access to everything and I've no doubt that if the class divide wasn't so big in the past our ancestors would have been much more eclectic and they would have practiced and tried out everything.
Thank you for this! I’m still exploring magic and I was glad to see this on my feed. I haven’t encountered “low” and “high” categories of magic outside of discussions of fantasy fiction, and they obviously have a very different meaning there 😂 The way you explain it makes a lot of sense.
Thanks for this! The terms reflect the high/low church distinction in theology, but if people arent familiar with that I could see the confusion!! This was clear and straightforward
Thank you. I have noticed a lot of re-definitions of terms being introduced over the last two decades and it is good that you are trying to bring back clarity.
I didn't realize this was JUST posted when I opened my browser hahaha. Once again, excellent video! I've been confused by the way certain people use the terms "High" and "Low" and even more confused by those that claim they practice folk magic so it's nice to see someone discuss that so clearly. It's very similar with how people classify "Highbrow Art" and "Lowbrow Art." The same prejudices exist and it's because many people view it as good art or bad art. Some people will tell me they practice folk magic, but then I ask who the folk are in their practice and I get confused looks. Is it Appalachian folk magic? Southern cunning? Italian? I agree we should rehabilitate low magic!
I'm getting into new england folk magic as a way to connect with the land spirits my bioregional area, who I see as ancestors! I also have implemented folk catholism into my practice to honor my ancestors, though that part of my practice is changing as well. I've shifted to work with specific ancestors.
I'm wrapped in blankets with my hot water bottle, ready to watch 🫶🏻 I personally practice South England Folk Magick and Low Magick. I want to get into Nordic Folk Magick too 😊
Fantastic work. The info really matched my own outlook. I've seen the varying types of magic as a venn diagram where some types overlap, but they're all their own things. Much like the differing folk practices not being one "FOLK" type, but regional that could in themselves overlap here and there with other types. Thank you for another wonderful video!
Yes I did enjoy this video. I love your videos. I do agree with all you have said, however if it differed from my own opinion I would enjoy also hearing another’s perspective on it. So thank you so much. Blessed be 🍁
In my opinion, folk magic is the way that a specific group of people use magic. It can be low magic or high magic or some combination of the 2 or something else entirely
Hi Bente, I enjoy your videos, I put them on as I prep my spells or as I clean any negative energies from my little 125 year old house (there are many energies and spirits!). I am curious what tarot deck you are using at the end of your video?
I totally agree with you on the terms low and folk magic and how to use them. However, as a long-practicing ceremonial magician myself, I have to disagree on the aims of ceremonial magic. The goal is not a union with "god" or the universe or whatever, it is the betterment of yourself through ritual magic, for example gaining insight through a Mercury Hexagramm Ritual. A lot of times, ceremonial magicians use ritual magic for "low" stuff, like a Jupiter working for gaining wealth. At the end of the day, it's just the use of ritual magic for whatever goals you have.
Also sorcery would actually be considered high magic as well and there are many books out there on like sorcery and ceremonial magick for example Buckland's Complete Book of witchcraft is a good example of ceremonial magick
My practice is definitely much more low magic. I'm comfortable just calling it witchcraft, because while I'm intrigued by folk magic, I don't follow a particular practice. I don't have a connection to the "folk" of any specific area. I do wonder, if people are still adverse to the term "low," for whatever reason, maybe a term like "house magic" or "close magic" could help maintain a distinction?
I must be more a low mage because I don't ask the (god)s for much, basically for help with pain when it's too much, for which I am immensely grateful but otherwise since Im kinda learning by doing I mostly talk to familiar on the ground spirits and the ones bound to me in particular, it's generally wonderful but often confusing and only occasionally terrifying:) If anyone asks I'd say Im an Animystic because most of what I do is applying mysticism to an animistic framework, by myself S a Solo Low Animystic, now I can fill in that part of my character sheet:)
Thank you for this video, it was very helpful. I am new to witchcraft, been on my path for a year. A lot of what you said I can resonate with, sounds like I do low magic and I am okay with calling it that! I am learning more about folk magic and what was practiced were I live and wanting to add that into my practice. Would working with deities be high magic? Thank you again
I do not take "low magic" as an insult, as I understand it as it is a lower vibration kind of magic than the high, higher vibration kind of magic. I do not practice folk magic (yet), sometimes Icelandic folk magic (I have a master who is specialized in that) but I'm trying to connect with a folklore that's closer to my region
I liked the video. I'm new to the craft,two years. I have discovered, in my mind, that the ,craft, is bogged down with dogma,terminology, status, etc. every bit as bad as organized religion. Or can be. Just my opinion. Keep up the great videos.
Hello! can you please tell me where you got your veil from? I plan on shaving my hair off soon to regrow it and want a long veil for spiritual reasons and to cover my head.:)
Ah, the century old High vs Low. Great points made, but I have to disagree and here’s my opinion: The terms ‘high’ and ‘low’ emerged from the need to differentiate the kinds of magic that was practiced by the people of the ‘high lands’ and those of the ‘low lands’. They were really a way of saying high is better than low, although the creators of such terms may rebuke. It was the aristocrats vs common people dichotomy. So the term ‘low’ really did mean folk magic, the magic of the ‘people’, who were different from the city-dwellers who could afford to practice high magic which was more time consuming, logic and research heavy, and often expensive. Think ‘high art’ vs ‘low art’, ‘high fashion’ vs ‘low fashion’, ‘high English’ vs ‘low English’. You can see how describing something as ‘low’ compared to its counterpart can be intentional and elitist. Modern efforts have been made to restore the morality of these terms by imposing other meanings onto the them, such as that high magic deals exclusively with spiritual ascension whereas low magic deals exclusively with practical matters, or that ‘high’ and ‘low’ really just refer to the different planes of existence or creation, like in the tree of life diagram. Such claims may have even been endorsed by ceremonial magicians in the past to make their craft look more superior. While it is true that ceremonial magic has a tendency to emphasize the union with the divine, much of it can still be applied to practical matters. Folk magic practices do emphasize their practical applications, but it is possible for one to find spiritual development within these crafts. So with the said arguments, something like witchcraft is definitely low magic, because it is a kind of folk magic that was practiced by the common people (not priests, wealthy philosophers or physicians), although one can still gain meaningful results from practicing either high or low magic in their spiritual or practical endeavors.
It's sad to see so many people clinging to hierarchy when, at least for me, paganism and witchcraft have always been about eliminating hierarchies! High and low do not have to be hierarchical terms. The sky is high and the ground is low, and yet they are both powerful. I hope more people will embrace the term low magic as well
I just loved the idea of reclaiming "low magic". I've been thinking a lot about my practice lately and as much that it has some folk elements (italian and brazilian) what i do is witchcraft, not folk magic in the strict sense of it. Thanks for the video!
Thank you sm for explaining this! After 8 years of practice I honestly didn’t understand these terms and kind of avoided them, but now it makes so much sense. I really appreciate you demystifying these for me! I can feel confident now calling what I do low magic and not feel like it means it’s a lesser form of magic :)
Yeeeees let’s bring low magic back ❤️
This is why knowledge is so imperative to practice. I've heard many definitions of High and Low magic, including the one you discuss here. In Mahayana Buddhist magical practices, low magic refers to magic done for the benefit of the self and high magic refers to magic done for the greater good, or for all sentient beings, in other words a cause or community greater than the individual self. It's all perspective and which lineage you follow. Thank you for sharing this!! 🖤
Thank you Bente this was really informative and in line with alot of stuff I've been thinking about. I think also that the term "high magic" is because the people that originally practiced more of this stuff were the more "educated" people who studied astronomy and alchemy all the stuff that wasn't available to the every day "low" born common "folk". I think that's the distinction. Today we have access to everything and I've no doubt that if the class divide wasn't so big in the past our ancestors would have been much more eclectic and they would have practiced and tried out everything.
Thank you for this! I’m still exploring magic and I was glad to see this on my feed. I haven’t encountered “low” and “high” categories of magic outside of discussions of fantasy fiction, and they obviously have a very different meaning there 😂 The way you explain it makes a lot of sense.
Thanks for this! The terms reflect the high/low church distinction in theology, but if people arent familiar with that I could see the confusion!! This was clear and straightforward
Thank you. I have noticed a lot of re-definitions of terms being introduced over the last two decades and it is good that you are trying to bring back clarity.
That makes perfect sense, I have used folk magic out of habit but not because I thought low magic was derogatory.
I didn't realize this was JUST posted when I opened my browser hahaha. Once again, excellent video!
I've been confused by the way certain people use the terms "High" and "Low" and even more confused by those that claim they practice folk magic so it's nice to see someone discuss that so clearly. It's very similar with how people classify "Highbrow Art" and "Lowbrow Art." The same prejudices exist and it's because many people view it as good art or bad art. Some people will tell me they practice folk magic, but then I ask who the folk are in their practice and I get confused looks. Is it Appalachian folk magic? Southern cunning? Italian? I agree we should rehabilitate low magic!
I'm getting into new england folk magic as a way to connect with the land spirits my bioregional area, who I see as ancestors! I also have implemented folk catholism into my practice to honor my ancestors, though that part of my practice is changing as well. I've shifted to work with specific ancestors.
This very much explains why suddenly every content creator I would come across was calling themselves a Folk (insert thing here).
Love this video! Thank you ❤
I'm wrapped in blankets with my hot water bottle, ready to watch 🫶🏻 I personally practice South England Folk Magick and Low Magick. I want to get into Nordic Folk Magick too 😊
Hope you’ll like it 🥰🥰
@@TheNorseWitch It's a very helpful video distinguishing the differences between each types of magick, deffo an important watch
Fantastic work. The info really matched my own outlook. I've seen the varying types of magic as a venn diagram where some types overlap, but they're all their own things. Much like the differing folk practices not being one "FOLK" type, but regional that could in themselves overlap here and there with other types. Thank you for another wonderful video!
Yes I did enjoy this video. I love your videos.
I do agree with all you have said, however if it differed from my own opinion I would enjoy also hearing another’s perspective on it. So thank you so much.
Blessed be 🍁
In my opinion, folk magic is the way that a specific group of people use magic. It can be low magic or high magic or some combination of the 2 or something else entirely
Thank you very much for this informative video.
Cant believe im this early.
Btw thank you for getting he into rune divination.
Early bird, yaaas🥂 I really enjoy your videos! 🫶
Well said! 👍
Thank you!
Hi Bente, I enjoy your videos, I put them on as I prep my spells or as I clean any negative energies from my little 125 year old house (there are many energies and spirits!). I am curious what tarot deck you are using at the end of your video?
I totally agree with you on the terms low and folk magic and how to use them. However, as a long-practicing ceremonial magician myself, I have to disagree on the aims of ceremonial magic. The goal is not a union with "god" or the universe or whatever, it is the betterment of yourself through ritual magic, for example gaining insight through a Mercury Hexagramm Ritual. A lot of times, ceremonial magicians use ritual magic for "low" stuff, like a Jupiter working for gaining wealth. At the end of the day, it's just the use of ritual magic for whatever goals you have.
Thank you for shring blessings to you
Also sorcery would actually be considered high magic as well and there are many books out there on like sorcery and ceremonial magick for example Buckland's Complete Book of witchcraft is a good example of ceremonial magick
Could you do a similar video comparing angelic and demonic magic and how they intersect between low and high?
No, because I don’t practice either of them, so I have no clue about it 😅
Does anyone know how to find out more about bavarian folk magic
I enjoyed this.
My practice is definitely much more low magic. I'm comfortable just calling it witchcraft, because while I'm intrigued by folk magic, I don't follow a particular practice. I don't have a connection to the "folk" of any specific area.
I do wonder, if people are still adverse to the term "low," for whatever reason, maybe a term like "house magic" or "close magic" could help maintain a distinction?
I must be more a low mage because I don't ask the (god)s for much, basically for help with pain when it's too much, for which I am immensely grateful but otherwise since Im kinda learning by doing I mostly talk to familiar on the ground spirits and the ones bound to me in particular, it's generally wonderful but often confusing and only occasionally terrifying:) If anyone asks I'd say Im an Animystic because most of what I do is applying mysticism to an animistic framework, by myself S a Solo Low Animystic, now I can fill in that part of my character sheet:)
Thank you for this video, it was very helpful. I am new to witchcraft, been on my path for a year. A lot of what you said I can resonate with, sounds like I do low magic and I am okay with calling it that! I am learning more about folk magic and what was practiced were I live and wanting to add that into my practice. Would working with deities be high magic? Thank you again
I have an amber that looks soooo similar to yours!
Oh cool! I inherited mine by my great grandmother ☺️
@TheNorseWitch oooh that's beautiful! I bought it at an artesanal market to honor Freyja
I do not take "low magic" as an insult, as I understand it as it is a lower vibration kind of magic than the high, higher vibration kind of magic. I do not practice folk magic (yet), sometimes Icelandic folk magic (I have a master who is specialized in that) but I'm trying to connect with a folklore that's closer to my region
If you dont love calling it low magic just say you practice non ceremonial magic
I liked the video. I'm new to the craft,two years. I have discovered, in my mind, that the ,craft, is bogged down with dogma,terminology, status, etc. every bit as bad as organized religion. Or can be.
Just my opinion. Keep up the great videos.
Hello! can you please tell me where you got your veil from? I plan on shaving my hair off soon to regrow it and want a long veil for spiritual reasons and to cover my head.:)
Ah, the century old High vs Low. Great points made, but I have to disagree and here’s my opinion:
The terms ‘high’ and ‘low’ emerged from the need to differentiate the kinds of magic that was practiced by the people of the ‘high lands’ and those of the ‘low lands’. They were really a way of saying high is better than low, although the creators of such terms may rebuke. It was the aristocrats vs common people dichotomy. So the term ‘low’ really did mean folk magic, the magic of the ‘people’, who were different from the city-dwellers who could afford to practice high magic which was more time consuming, logic and research heavy, and often expensive. Think ‘high art’ vs ‘low art’, ‘high fashion’ vs ‘low fashion’, ‘high English’ vs ‘low English’. You can see how describing something as ‘low’ compared to its counterpart can be intentional and elitist.
Modern efforts have been made to restore the morality of these terms by imposing other meanings onto the them, such as that high magic deals exclusively with spiritual ascension whereas low magic deals exclusively with practical matters, or that ‘high’ and ‘low’ really just refer to the different planes of existence or creation, like in the tree of life diagram. Such claims may have even been endorsed by ceremonial magicians in the past to make their craft look more superior. While it is true that ceremonial magic has a tendency to emphasize the union with the divine, much of it can still be applied to practical matters. Folk magic practices do emphasize their practical applications, but it is possible for one to find spiritual development within these crafts.
So with the said arguments, something like witchcraft is definitely low magic, because it is a kind of folk magic that was practiced by the common people (not priests, wealthy philosophers or physicians), although one can still gain meaningful results from practicing either high or low magic in their spiritual or practical endeavors.
Thank you 😊