An Analysis of Religious Magical Practices and Beliefs in Society

This essay delves into the multifaceted realm of religious magical practices and beliefs, highlighting their prevalence across various cultures and religions. It explores the historical context of magic within religious traditions, tracing its evolution from pre-monotheistic practices to contemporary forms. The essay differentiates between imitative and contagious magic, providing examples such as rain dances and voodoo dolls, and discusses how these practices are perceived and utilized. It examines the role of magic in daily life, focusing on beliefs in lucky numbers, dates, horoscopes, and astrological signs, and how these beliefs shape decision-making and influence individual behaviors. The essay concludes by emphasizing the enduring nature of magical thinking and its connection to personal satisfaction and the human experience, supported by references to key academic sources.

Religion magical practices or
beliefs

Religions across the globe highly varies because of different rules and beliefs. There
rituals are further different from each other based on their religion and beliefs. Magical thinking
is one of the important aspect of religion. These magic diodes differ because of anaesthetic
practice and guidelines followed by different religions (Parrinder, 2014). It is prevalent in all the
societies regardless of culture. The story of this belief is really very old. In context to pre-
monotheistic tradition, there is no different between the religious practices and magic. However,
with the evolution the magic is more related with the science. There are some statements that
reflects that the belief of people regarding religious magic is due to the inner satisfaction they
gain as per human characteristics at the time of occurrence of a event.
As per evolutionary approach, human behaviour progresses through three basic stages.
Firstly, it is primitive magic sense which later replaced by religion and then it displaced by
science (Stein, and Stein, 2017). Further, there are two types of magic, imitative and
contagious. In context to imitative form of magic, there are beliefs that by universe can be
controlled by mimicking the desired outcomes. For instance: rain dance performed by people in
desire to bring rand for dry crops and land. However, this form of magic is often perceived as
negative. There are beliefs that they can be used for harm. For instance: Voodoo doll is used as
symbolic representation of a person. There are sayings that harming the doll will harm the person
too. On the other hand, the same symbol is also used to heal relationships and other personal
issues. In contrary to this, the other form of magic that is contagious is linked with the witchcraft
and sorcery (Carrasco, 2014). This form of magic uses casting spells, spirits, etc. In addition to
this, the Navajo Witches are regarded as physical pain causing things that uses hair of those
person who are aimed to be harm.
In contrary to this, there comes beliefs of some people who does not support the above
stated forms of magic (Parrinder, 2014). It should be recognised that with the development of
western monotheism, religion and magic become conceptually separated. However, they still
believes in some form of good and bad vibes emerging from some energy sources. These
perception of people further varies from each other. Depending upon these variations in the
religions and religious practices, beliefs of people differs. However, it should be recognised that
as per the religions most of the people do believe in some kind of magic. This can be linked with
any thing either be material, spells, numbers, stars, and many more. Religion plays a vital role in

this magical thinking of people (Bowen, 2017). Further, magic's are considered as some form of
religious supplication. For instance: There exists a large number of people who believes in some
lucky numbers, object, accessories or date, fay. These are somewhere there trust in the religious
facts. People having beliefs in Fridays, number 666, 13th, etc.
Horoscope should considered as most common of them, it has been observed that many
people does believe in horoscope. It is an astrological chart that is involved in almost all the
religions of varied areas (Wallace, 2013). These astrological diagrams represents the position of
Sun, Moon, Planets and sensitive angles at the time of occurrence of some event. They are used
as prediction by people before planning an event. Further, Zodiac signs are considered by many
people before executing many important functions of their life. For example: checking on these
signs at the time of important life events such as birth, while partnering for business, etc. (Argyle
and Beit-Hallahmi, 2014). Some people moreover used to plan activities on the basis of daily
horoscope like following hints given in predictions. In addition to this, there is a large portion of
people who does believe in specific dates and days. This belief may have generated due to some
good past experiences on these days and dates. The things which are most liked by them may
have had happened on their lucky-days. Further, some people do avoid important activities on
certain dates because of the reasons that they may have experienced something bad on these
days.
The above mentioned examples of magical practices represents the instances of magic as
many people who had checked horoscope by monitoring positions of universal bodies for
success of an activity. Later, when they achieved it is what that reflects the magic. The
effectiveness of event planned according to the horoscope helps in developing such beliefs that
magic does exist (Stein, and Stein, 2017). Similarly, doing important tasks on favourite or lucky
days and getting success in that activity reveals the magic of the belief. There are various reasons
due to which people continue to engage in contemporary forms of magic. Many people checks
horoscope by monitoring positions of universal bodies for success of an activity. Thus, in case if
they will achieve the desired outcomes then the beliefs for the people on these predictions known
as horoscope will be strengthen. Also, getting things done in an effective manner on the luck
days as per the beliefs will reflect the magic in this. Henceforth, this magic will further make
people to have consistent engagement in the modern-day form of magic(Wallace, 2013).

Thus, from this essay it can be concluded that many people does believe in religious
magical practices or beliefs. There exist different type of magic depending on the beliefs of
people from varied religions. People even uses or observes the present of magic in the daily life
activities and functions they perform. There are certain past life experiences, good memories or
success that gained by these people after following these beliefs. This thing will further influence
them to have constant engagement with the contemporary forms of magic. Also, it has been
found that this belief is either due to the inner sense of feeling that people felt at the happening of
an event.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Argyle, M., & Beit-Hallahmi, B. (2014). The psychology of religious behaviour, belief and
experience. Routledge.
Bowen, J. R. (2017). Religions in practice: An approach to the anthropology of religion.
Routledge.
Carrasco, D. (2014). Religions of Mesoamerica. Waveland Press.
Parrinder, G. (2014). West African religion: a study of the beliefs and practices of Akan, Ewe,
Yoruba, Ibo, and kindred peoples. Wipf and Stock Publishers.
Stein, R., & Stein, P. L. (2017). The anthropology of religion, magic, and witchcraft. Taylor &
Francis.
Wallace, A. (2013). Religion: An anthropological view. Random House.