We all need to start somewhere. Rome wasn't built in a day! The same goes for magic.

So today, I'll tell you about the origins of magic. Long, long ago, at the dawn of civilization, man created primitive religions. Animism, totemism, and shamanism all fall into this category. That last one, shamanism, is important to the origins of magic. Shamans would fall into a trance state and act as the intermediary between the worlds, but... It counts as "magic," where humans can have the power of gods and spirits in their own hands. This shaman-style magical tradition would later be embraced by witches. Take the common European witch, as an example. People today think that witches derived their power from contracts with the devil... But that's just the image that Christianity imposed on them.

The witches' predecessors were more like maidens serving the gods. It was through prayer to those gods that they earned their powers. They learned to control their magic without losing consciousness during their trance states. That's how they originally awoke to magic.

Next, we ll talk about the magic of Greece. Greece is known as the birthplace of Western philosophy and rationality, but... The art of curses advanced right alongside them. Philosophers such as Socrates, Thales, and Plato were Greek, but... It was also the home to legendary enchantresses.

For example, there was Medea, the passionate sorceress of Colchis. She was a witch who didn't hesitate to kill her brother, or even her own children. Then there was Circe, daughter of Helios, who was an expert in both poison and medicine. Without Hermes' help, the legendary Odysseus would have been changed into a pig.

These may have only been myths, but reading between the lines, you can see Greek's views on magic. Greek magic began to take shape around the 8th century B.C. It was around the same time that the citystates were developing.

Like many ancient civilizations, they worshipped protector gods. There were temples that priestesses tended; these women would double as oracles. Gradually, however, these ceremonies were performed in secret rather than in public. The reason for this was the people's desire to monopolize the power of the gods. They copied the barbaric practices of legend; sacrifices, drinking, orgiastic festivals... Dangerous acts such as these became widespread. Apollo, Dionysus, Orpheus... These were the gods they invoked when performing the rituals.

It was secrecy like that which turned priestesses into sorceresses. Teachings originally meant to bring salvation to the body and soul fell into mere drunken orgies...luring people to the hideous path of immorality. Necrophilia, using babies for potion ingredients... This is where the abominable "black arts" began.

Next in our discussion is the magic of medieval Europe. European magic has its origins in paganism, though, it's been influenced by the influx of various cultures. Some well-known examples are... Kabbalah, the study of the mystical aspects of Jewish texts. Gnosticism, a Christian sect founded by Simon Magus, the Sorcerer. Greece's philosophy and natural sciences were the fruits of magical researchers... The same was true of Islam's scientific advances, which surpassed Europe's at the time. Now, as for the circumstances of magic in this age... It was an era where the rule of Christianity and the insight of the natural sciences collided. Magicians bravely reached up for a connection with the gods...

Next is the Truth behind Magic. I'll be talking about "Kabbalah." It is known as the mystical study of the Hebrew Scriptures, but it has had a great impact on western sorcery. It has been said that to learn the secrets of magic, first you must truly understand Kabbalah. Now, one of the most important ideas of Kabbalah is the Tree of Life, formed of the ten Sefirot. Most illustrations depict it as a chart shaped like a tree. The 10 stages represented by the Sefirot...and the 22 paths connecting them represent the stages of Creation God formed from his own self, as well as the direction in which humanity should evolve. Where did we come from? Where are we going? Coming up is the magic of the Renaissance. The Renaissance was a time when the arts and the sciences enjoyed resurgence in Europe. Naturally, this had a profound influence on magic. They had found a way to escape the rule of the church. By studying the teachings of previously forbidden sects, the knowledge of magic spread greatly.

The Renaissance also brought the revival of ancient Greek and Roman literature. Magical texts, such as the Hermetica, received new translations and study.

The book was filled with a wide range of subjects. You can see this in the emergence of a great magician, who applied the knowledge of the Renaissance. John Dee was a professor who advised the Queen of England, with the magical knowledge he obtained, he was able to talk to angels.

Then there was Hohenheim, a doctor who traveled across Europe... He became known as Paracelsus, a renowned physician and alchemist. Of course, a magician's life wasn't an easy one. Both men lived lives riddled with persecution.

Every art or science branches off into sub-studies as it progresses... Magic, too, was subdivided around the 18th century. Some people preached about morals, some focused on communicating with spirits, and so on. As a result of the flourishing magical research, witch hunts became more common...To avoid this, magic began to progress in "secret societies." I'm sure many of you have heard the some of these organizations... The Rosicrucian Order, the Freemasons, the Illuminati, the Golden Dawn... Many of these societies are still with us today. The forefathers of modern magic are too numerous to count.

Madam Blavatsky was the biggest magician of the 19th century, and a renowned Theosophist. Rudolf Steiner helped spread the knowledge of anthroposophy. There was Aleister Crowley, of course, the 20th century's grand magician. All of them had incredible stores of knowledge.