Magick Mania | Types of Magick #1

Photo by Aditya Saxena on Unsplash

Evening, readers. If you’re a student at the Academy of Occult Arts, then you’re aware of who I am. For the rest of you: hello! My name is Cari de Ardo, and I’m a sophomore at AOA. I’m a witch and the second heir to the De Ardo Coven, which has no set affinity, and while I’m mostly known for wordless magick I am fluent in various types of magick. Also, I make it a point to surround myself with Enchanters from various walks of life in an effort to broaden my horizons.

You may be wondering what the point of this segment is–I mean, most of us attend the same secret magickal academy in a pocket dimension, right? While that may be the case, we at the Journalism Club have been made aware of the fact that Enchanters from all over the world read our blog, and we’d like to give them a segment, too! After all, the Sports Highlight tends to favor athletic students, which are primarily Hunters and Haunters. That’s not to say that members of the other classes won’t benefit from this new segment, as you’ll come to find out.

So, what’s the point of the segment? I’ll be sharing lesser-known spells, charms, enchantments, hexes, jinxes, and some harmless potions, as well as their counters. You’ll also see some tips and tricks on here, so make sure to like and bookmark these blogs for future reference!

However, we know that not everyone reading is magickally-inclined, so these first few parts will be focused on explaining the basics of the magick that we practice. With that said, like and bookmark!

To start, let’s go over the different types of magick. Feel free to use the chapter list below to skip ahead.

Types of Magick

Elemental magick

Elemental Magick

I’m sure elemental magick is the first that comes to mind when one thinks of conjuring spells. They’re the most specialized forms of magick, with only a handful of families having affinities for each element or sub-element. I won’t be going over the covens that practice each type, as that would take far too long, but I can at least give you an example of each by using students and staff at our school.

Pyromancy

Also called red magick or fire affinity, this type of magick focuses on the creation, manipulation, and extinguishment of flames. While one may consider fire-based spells to be primarily offensive, you’d be surprised to know that there is a link between fire magick and spells associated with creativity, passion, and impulsive action. Meditative spells and charms with the intent of inspiring one to create or be more decisive or confident will require the invocation of Arine or Lorea, the primordial goddesses most associated with this element, or Erruki or Sorne, the infernal avatars of righteousness and creativity, respectively.

Examples of Fire Magick

Conjuring fire
Thermal magick
Candle rituals
Regeneration by ash (such as with phoenixes)
Sun-centered spells, rituals, and enchantments
Fire-related divination (using candles, incense smoke, or any ash to divine the future)
Culinary magick (the actual cooking part)

As one might expect, fire magick is strong against shadow, plant, and air magicks, and weak against water and earth magicks. Surprisingly, it has no effect on light and weather magicks; if you try to counter a fire spell with light or weather, the two will cancel each other out.

Known users at AOA: Omari Leonard, Yasmin Silva, Sienna Fox, and Elyse Hawkins of the Hawkins Coven; Mr. Moonscar

Aeromancy

Also known as yellow magick or air affinity, these spells focus on the manipulation of air and wind. Air magick is a blend between offensive and defensive; common enchantments are associated with intellect, ideas, and clarity. Meditative spells and jinxes with the intent of increasing mental acuity or acquiring wisdom will require the invocation of Zuzen, the supreme deity of truth, or Sorne, for their association with ideas; beginner broom-riders are told to invoke Errasti, the demon of flight, when they’re still starting out.

Examples of Air Magick

Air manipulation
Breath-centered meditation
Broom-riding/flight
Levitation spells
Some weather magick (focus on wind)
Air-focused barriers and shields
Scent-related jinxes and spells (perfume, stink bombs, etc.)

Air magick is most effective against water and weather magicks, least effective against fire and earth magicks, and has no effect against plant magick.

Known users at AOA: Sage Bloodworth of the Bloodworth Coven; Abena Clarke, Gray Hollingsworth, Professor Cromwell, and Ms. Shadowalker of the Hollingsworth Coven; Malik and Hasaan of the Jinn Corps

Aquamancy

Sometimes referred to as blue magick, but most commonly called an affinity for water. Like air, water magick is both offensive and defensive, and their spells and rituals usually center around emotions, relationships, and intuition. Rituals, charms, and spells that focus on matters of love, loss, or empathy will require the invocation of Otsana and Itsaso, the primordial goddesses most associated with this element; Nahia, goddess of love and unions; and Eder and Amets, the demons of beauty and dreams, respectively.

Examples of Water Magick

Conjuring water
Freezing/low-temperature spells and ice generation
Some weather magick (rain, snow, etc.)
Potions, poisons, and antidotes
Moon-centered spells, rituals, and enchantments
Water-related divination (dowsing, rainwater, and divination by the moon)
Culinary magick (boiling ingredients)
Water blessing and anointing (using blessed water, essential oil, naiad tears, etc.)
Empathic magick (love spells, meditations on loss, etc.)
Beauty spells and charms

Water magick is, as you know, strong against light, fire, and earth magicks, and weak against air magick. Plant, weather, and shadow magicks have no effect and will cancel out if used to counter.

Known users at AOA: Glenda Anaya, Dominique Sotolongo, Sirena Torres, David Milian, and Xavier Milian of the Luna Coven; Calypso Melliadi of the Enipeas Frolick; Rachel Neptune of the Nahmakanta Frolick; Crystal Attean of the Rainbow Frolick; Dr. Montero

Geomancy

Also called nature or green magick or earth affinity, geomancy is an element with the most applications:

Chloromancy (plant magick)
Faunamancy (animal magick)
Lithomancy (crystal magick)
Hyalomancy (glass generation)
Ferromancy (metal manipulation)

It is primarily defensive but has its offensive uses, and its spells and charms focus on stability, finances, and health. Earth magick, regardless of its intent, requires the invocation of Mendia, the primordial earth goddess, and the additional invocation of Florentxi, Makatza, or Terese, the goddesses of balance, trees, and crops, respectively. For spells revolving around wealth and finances, invoke the demon Bitxilore.

The examples shared below are in conjunction with the applications listed above.

Examples of Earth Magick

Manipulating earth
Communicating with animals
Earth-centered spells, rituals, and enchantments
Earth-related divination (divination using sand, plants, coals, animals, runes, crystal balls, etc.)
Use of crystals for healing and empowerment
Practical magick (finance spells, meditations on balance, etc.)
Creating physical barriers (glass, earth, crystal, etc.)
Blessing metal to have magickal properties

Of nature magick, earth and plant its two primary applications, and as such both are treated as their own affinity. Earth magick is strong against fire and weather magicks, weak against water and plant magicks, and has no effect on light and shadow magicks. Plant magick is strong against earth magick, weak against fire and weather magicks, and has no effect on water and air magicks.

Known users at AOA: Michele Calixto, Sofia de Paz, Galiana Franco, and Edgar Calixto of the Serafim Coven; Radella Dow of Dow’s Frolick; Aspen Lawrence of the St. Lawrence Frolick; Frederick Lewis of the Nahmakanta Frolick; Tori Orson of the Rainbow Frolick; Dahlia and Hollae Newell of the Baxter Frolick

Umbramancy

This type of magick, originally named moon magick, previously referred to as black magick, and colloquially called shadow affinity, is a specialized blend of water and air magicks that carries out curses, hexes, jinxes, rituals, and enchantments with a heavy emphasis on femininity, intuition, and illusions. It is a neutral magick, neither offensive or defensive, and will always require the invocation of Otsana, the primordial moon and night goddess, and may require the additional invocation of Mirari, the infernal avatar of illusions. Some practitioners of shadow magick will also invoke the demon Gurutz when finalizing covenants, or witch contracts, and when summoning the avatar of the crossroads.

Examples of Shadow Magick

Conjuring shadows
Moon-centered spells, rituals, and enchantments
Shadow-related divination
Illusions by way of darkness
Empathic magick (love spells, meditations on loss, etc.)
Jinxes, hexes, and curses
Creating metaphysical barriers
Protective charms

The opposite of shadow is light, and in our world, light and shadow magicks are equally powerful. Whether or not one will overpower the other is wholly dependent on the strength of the users; if either party is equal in strength, then the magicks will simply cancel out. Beyond that, shadow magick is weakened by fire and earth magicks and neutralized by water and air magicks. Shadow and empathic magicks only seem to build off of one another; weather magick has no effect.

Known users at AOA: Gunnar Naismith, Cassia Lang, and Lillian Naismith of the Naismith Coven; Malik & Hasaan of the Jinn Corps

Lumomancy

Originally called sun magick and previously referred to as white magick, lumomancy is modernly named light affinity and is a specialized blend of fire and air magicks that carries out curses, hexes, jinxes, rituals, and enchantments with emphasis on masculinity, logic, and illusions. Like its elemental opposite, light magick is neutral, being neither offensive or defensive. All incantations will require the invocation of Arine, the primordial sun and day goddess, and might require the additional invocation of illusionist Mirari. Some practitioners of light magick may invoke Erruki

Examples of Light Magick

Conjuring light
Sun-centered spells, rituals, and enchantments
Light-related divination
Illusions by way of light
Logic spells, meditations on intellect, etc.
Jinxes, hexes, and curses
Creating metaphysical barriers
Protective charms

As stated in the previous section, light and shadow magicks are equally powerful and cancel out in the case of duels where wither party is equal in strength. However, if one is stronger than the other, then the stronger party will be the victor. Other than shadow magick, light magick is weakened by water and earth magicks and neutralized by fire and air magicks. Light magick and divination only seem to build off of one another; weather magick has no effect.

Known users at AOA: Yolette Saint Vil, Kettia Thelemaque, Renette De Mortie, Matthias Lahaye, Jean-Noël LaRue, and Mx. Discord of the De Mortie Coven

Combinations

Fulminomancy, also called lightning magick or electric magick, was the first known form of weather magick and is a focused, advanced mix of pyromancy and lumomancy.
- Most weather magick is a combination between aeromancy and aquamancy, aeromancy and pyromancy, pyromancy and lumomancy, or any of those magicks.
Ionomancy, also called plasma magick, is a specialized, advanced mix of pyromancy, aeromancy, and aquamancy.
Asteromancy, also called cosmic magick or star magick, is a highly concentrated, highly advanced marriage of umbramancy and lumomancy.
- This requires many conditions to achieve, including casting a circle to completion, invoking twin primordial star gods Izar and Ostargi in conjunction with Florentxi and either Arine or Otsana (the few who’ve achieved asteromancy have had an affinity for either shadow or light, which leads experts to believe that only jinn and witches with an affinity for one of those elements can come close), both moon and sun water, a totem from all eight seasons, and the usage of crystals, potions, and an instrument of the caster’s choosing. And it can only be done between the start of astronomical twilight and sunrise, or between sunset and the end of astronomical twilight, respectively.
Alchemy is the oldest example of combination magick; it combines potion brewing with pyromancy–and, in some cases, lithomancy or ferromancy.
Acoustomancy, also called music magick or sound affinity, is a sub-element of aeromancy that blended with empathic magick.
Mythi-ergomancy only has one modern use, and it is prohibited to all but expert casters: it is the generation of either ethereal or infernal magick, which is the ancient magick used solely by the primordial deities and demonic avatars, respectively. Its only permitted use in the modern age is to summon the deity or demon you would normally invoke; however, there is no need for such power, and the methods to achieve this have been locked away in L.O.R.E. archives.

I’d like to take this moment to remind readers that the use of terms related to “color magick” (blue magick, green magick, etc.) is considered outdated, even though they are technically correct–but the use of “black” magick and “white” magick to refer to umbramancy and lumomancy, respectively, is offensive. For one, there are racist connotations put in place by mortals that imply that “black” magick (which they also call dark magick or “dark arts”) is inherently wrong or evil, while “white” magick is conflated as right and good. All of us who actually practice magick are aware that there is no such thing as truly good or truly evil magick–if you come around here with that “white”/”black” magick nonsense, you’re basically broadcasting that you’re less than a noob and know nothing about what we do here.

That should just about do it for this week–we’ll go over the remaining types of magick next time. Feel free to leave your inquiries in the comments below–I’m not the only witch in the Journalism Club, and we’d all be more than happy to answer your questions and clear up any confusion. Oh, and like and share this article while you’re at it!

Thank you for allowing me to educate you on this subject, and I hope to share more knowledge with you soon. May Lilura smile upon you, and I hope you blessed be.