Black Magic, White Magic – What is the Difference?

White and Black Magic

Have you ever wondered why black magic is called black? Perhaps why magic referred to as white or black, or even green, or yellow? It seems that magic is represented by a rainbow of colors and everything in between. These names refer to schools of magic, specific practices that are taught to magicians through occult orders as traditions. Many of these ideas about schools of magic came from authors like Aleister Crowley who sought to classify magic in three different ways.

Looking back into his classical magic texts, Aleister Crowley claimed that there were only three schools of magic – White, Yellow and Black. The black school and white school were always at war, while the yellow school of magic stood above the two as a mediator.¹

Yellow Magicians had a universalist ideal seeking to unify and become one with the all, denying the self as a part of the whole. Black magicians, however, were connected with a more simple humanistic earth type magic, working with the forces of nature, with the self as a source of power. White magicians sought to elevate the self and humanity through religious and moral aims by denying their natural human nature.

Magic is Neutral and Impersonal

The concept of colored schools of magic have evolved since then to include various types of magic. But, these concepts belong to magical orders and their ideals of what magic represents does not reflect the whole of magic. There are no colors in magic, only different methods by which magic are used.

Regardless, all of the knowledge of any magic system is there for you to use and experiment with. You have to be able to expand your concept of choice and not be limited by black and white thinking. You are not bound by the same moral rules as these other magicians are. You are limited only by your imagination and your desire to succeed.

Let us move beyond this restrictive thinking. Every school of magic is different according to what they teach. I will not teach you that black magic is evil, but I will warn you against the reckless use of personal power that could leave you very powerless in the end. The same could be said for paths of light or right hand paths of magic, and how absolute power corrupts absolutely. For more information on this concept see the essay, Satanic Witchcraft and the Threefold Effect of Magic , a discussion on Satanic Magic and the Law of Return.

I will suggest that all magicians should take personal responsibility for their actions, whatever they will them to be. Magic is real, and you really have to live with the consequences of casting a spell, whether that spell causes a chain reaction of events that are positive or negative. But, I guarantee that once you know how to use magic you will not want to live without it.

Despite the teachings of some magical schools, magic in general is not ruled by some sort of cosmic justice. You only get what you give and nothing more. The ‘forces of the universe’ that the magician works with have no personal interest in us. Magic is a technique that is used by the magician for whatever the need may be. Magic is not good or evil by it’s own nature. Instead, magic is a tool that is wielded by the magician and the magician is a conduit of this force.

Destroying with Black Magic, Building With White Magic

As a Satanic magician or Witch it is your choice to use magic how you wish. You may chose to use a healing spell, or a spell to bring you money, luck or fortune. You could chose to use magic to attract specific things into your life. You could also use magic to repel something that is negative, to silence another or to destroy or divert a target by various means. You need not call it black or white – it is simply at it’s most basic form, magic.

In time you can develop your own personal ethic in magic and decide what is right for you in whatever situation you are in. That is what Satanism and Satanic Witchcraft is about – creating your own personal Satanic path, and building the magical self.

Reference:
1.  Magic Without Tears, Aleister Crowley [accessed 7/9/17]