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The supernatural is featured in folklore and religious contexts, [4] but can also feature as an explanation in more secular contexts, as in the cases of superstitions or belief in the paranormal. [5] The term is attributed to non-physical entities , such as angels , demons , gods and spirits .
The occult is a category of supernatural beliefs and practices, encompassing such phenomena as those involving mysticism, spirituality, and magic in terms of any otherworldly agency. It can also refer to other non-religious supernatural ideas like extra-sensory perception and parapsychology.
The occult (from Latin: occultus, lit. ' hidden ' or ' secret ') is a category of esoteric or supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of organized religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving a 'hidden' or 'secret' agency, such as magic and mysticism.
Magic, sometimes spelled magick, [1] is the application of beliefs, rituals or actions employed in the belief that they can manipulate natural or supernatural beings and forces. [2] It is a category into which have been placed various beliefs and practices sometimes considered separate from both religion and science.
Ars Magica or magic is a major component and supporting contribution to the belief and practice of spiritual, and in many cases, physical healing throughout the Middle Ages. Emanating from many modern interpretations lies a trail of misconceptions about magic, one of the largest revolving around wickedness or the existence of nefarious beings ...
Connotations of magic have varied from positive to negative at times throughout history, [20] Within Western culture, magic has been linked to ideas of the Other, [21] foreignness, [22] and primitivism; [23] indicating that it is "a powerful marker of cultural difference" [24] and likewise, a non-modern phenomenon. [25]
Belief in malevolent magic and the concept of witchcraft has lasted throughout recorded history and has been found in cultures worldwide, regardless of development. [ 3 ] [ 18 ] Most societies have feared an ability by some individuals to cause supernatural harm and misfortune to others.
The religion of the South American Indians of the tropics is characterized in particular by the abundant ramification of belief in spirits. Most spirits are represented in human form, with somewhat monstrous features: they may be hairy, or have prominent eyebrows, or two heads; they may have no knee joints, or stick together like Siamese twins.