What Is The Distinction Between A Mage, A Wizard, A Sorcerer, And A Witch? Is There One?

What is the distinction between a mage, a wizard, a sorcerer, and a witch? Is there one?

Hello there.

I think it's a question many have, and understandably so. I'm no expert in the anthropological distinction between traditions, but I'll do my best to answer.

To a certain degree, all the terms are somewhat conflated, but there is some nuance to the meanings behind the words.

Where my usage is cocnerned, Mage is a name that essentially describes any practitioner of any kind of magical tradition. It is basically synonymous with magician. Though, the former has become associated with fantasy fiction to an extent, while the latter has become more closely associated with illusionist performers.

Wizard is a term that was often historically associated with Cunning Folk, and Cunning Men in particular. The etymological roots of the word amounts to 'wise individual.' Though myth, folklore, and modern fiction have all done much to fantasize the term, the core connotation of the word is still—so far as I'm concerned—a member of the Wise.

A Sorcerer is a bit vaguer in its specific meaning, but it ultimately amounts to an individual who practices magic—particularly magic seen as "dark" in nature. Though the original meaning of the word referred to 'one who casts lots' (told fortunes/performed divination,) sometime in the 15th century, that meaning was displaced by the definition of 'one who conjures evil spirits.' With all that in mind, I would say that sorcerer and witch are the most closely aligned of the terms mentioned here.

Finally, and possibly most difficult to pin down precisely, is the title of Witch. Though the word does have posited etymological and historical roots in prophecy, necromancy and in generalized magic, its ultimate meaning became more clearly delineated as 'one with malignant supernatural knowledge and skills' As such (and for others reasons I'm sure you can find plenty of people discussing on the internet,) I would say that witch is a title that mostly accurately reflects a magical practitioner with the ability to use baneful power, and whose practice is generally associated in some way with Sabbatic Flight and rites of Initiation.

I hope that can help.

More Posts from Saintedsorcery and Others

saintedsorcery

3 years ago

Ukrainian folk haircare minute with Red: if you wish your hair to grow long, as you comb it, whisper, "Grow as long as water, as quickly as grass".

387 notes View Post

saintedsorcery

2 years ago

The Weaver by Ulysses3art

1K notes View Post

saintedsorcery

4 years ago

Andy Goldsworthy

6K notes View Post

saintedsorcery

4 years ago

1K notes View Post

saintedsorcery

4 years ago

Theodor Kittelsen, Nøkken (Water Spirite), 1904.

2K notes View Post

saintedsorcery

2 years ago

What do you think of Joyofsatan.org? They claim to follow the Sumerian God Enki-Satan, they’re pro-choice, they follow gay Pagan Gods and they’re the largest Satanist group in the world.

Well I’d never heard of them before now. I just did a quick look at their website and although they swear that Satanism isn’t a reaction to Christianity (which I disagree with because look at Anton LaVey) their homepage is just paragraphs of how “Judeo/Christianity” (those are two separate religions but okay) is evil and terrible and the source of everything wrong with the world. Just seems like they’re trying too hard. I also really disagree with their stance on Satanism being the oldest/truest religion in the world. It looks like they’re just slapping satanic aesthetics/concepts onto older religions and claiming it as truth which just historically isn’t the case.

Again this is all just initial reactions to their homepage, I know nothing about them on a deeper level and hadnt heard of them before today so take all that with a grain of salt I guess.

0 notes View Post

saintedsorcery

4 years ago

3K notes View Post

saintedsorcery

2 years ago

Korean Folk Magic (Herbs): Sogeum

Sogeum 소금 is salt! It is used in various household god rituals, including feeding Yongwang 용왕 and rites to prevent fires.

It is also used to purify spaces, chase out negative entities and repel bad luck.

There actually isn’t a lot that’s different with how korean folk magic uses salt. Because of its color (white) it is connected to purity. Because of salt’s effects on food (keeping it longer before spoiling) it is connected to dispelling misfortune.

We usually sprinkle it in all corners of the home to purify and cleanse before a rite.

소금 can also be used for offerings, primarily to certain Gashin 가신 (household gods) like Samshin 삼신, the Goddess of Childbirth.

Keep a small bottle or packet of salt on you at all times. If you suddenly get a bad feeling, sprinkle the salt in its direction.

109 notes View Post

saintedsorcery

4 years ago

Diy Scrying Ball

I’ve been waiting since last Christmas for my local Dollar Tree to stock the diy snow globes so I could put my master plan into action. The time has finally come!

Last year I created this:

Now I’m gonna step it up a notch and create this:

Lets go!

Materials:

Diy Globe kit

Sparkle glue or Sparkles and Veg Glycerin

Waterproof LED Tea lights

(not pictured)

a drill

a hot glue gun

food coloring

rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer

Bowl

something to stir with

Instructions

so you’re gonna separate the kit into all its parts and then drill a hole into the lid smaller than the bulb of the tealight.

Slowly push the bulb through the hole to open it up, then take it out, hot-glue the area around the bulb then slide it back in, once its in give it a thin layer of hot glue over where the bulb protrudes. Test that the light still works and will fit into the base without issue.