A non weapon proficiency from Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (AD&D), a role playing game. This gives you familiarity with the way spells are cast so you can try to recognize them when someone is casting a spell or by examining the material components. This proficiency also allows you to recognize magical items.

Real-world spellcraft is a form of magick in which specific motions, words, components, etc, are used to make the spell work. This can run the gamut from following a written spell exactly without actually sensing the magic that is invoked to simply dancing and chanting to raise power, which is very close to energy work.

Dancing and chanting is probably the most common method used by neo-pagans. Basically, it consists of choosing a chant that keeps your mind on the desired results, then repeating it over and over while dancing in a circle, usually deosil (clockwise or sunwise), although for banishing spells, like one to get rid of a bad habit, one might wish to go widdeshins (counterclockwise or anti-sunwise). This can be done in a group or alone. The intention is to raise a cone of power which is then sent on to make the results come true. Some sense the energy while doing this, others do not (and perhaps don't try, because they don't necessarily need to). A good example of this type of magic can be found in The Secret Garden.

Another type of spellcraft is folk magic. Folk magic uses specific charms, often consisting of herbs, stones, and other small objects, made at specific times while specific words are said. The pieces used are then either worn, thrown away, buried, or otherwise put somewhere specific to allow the magic to take effect. Folk magic generally comes from country cultures who take their old ways seriously; most of the charms I know come from either Ireland or the Appalachian Mountains. The primary uses of folk magic are for healing, love (there are an unbelieveable number of Irish charms intended to tell a girl who her future husband will be), protection, and money.

Many neo-pagans use a variant of folk magic that involves creating your own spells to suit the occasion, using herbs, oils, stones, candles, chanting, etc. Some believe that these components hold the magic themselves; others think they are just tools to focus the mind. Many, like myself, are in between: we think that the components have some magic of their own, but without the caster's intention, it is useless.

Voodoo can also be considered a form of spellcraft, as it uses herbs, poppets, and other charms to bring about the desired results.

One of my favorites is kitchen magic, which combines magic and cooking. It is similar to folk magic in using the natural powers of herbs and foods; the difference is that the charms are eaten!

Finally, there is ceremonial magic. This is the form developed by people like the Golden Dawn, drawing from Hebrew, Hindu, and Egyptian practices (or at least, what they thought those practices were). Ceremonial spells often involve mystical symbols, chanting in dead languages, and the real-or-imagined summoning of spirits. Ceremonial spells are thought to work regardless of the caster's belief or sense of energy; the idea is that the words and symbols used in the right way do all the work.

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