The advancement and protection of the self and the pursuit of temporal and terrestrial dreams, instead of the "Right-Hand Path", which elevates spirituality, the strict observance of ethical codes and the worship of deities. Outside of famous literature, it usually refers to magic applied for gaining strength and wealth or taking revenge, in place of for evil for evil’s sake Black Magic and Witchcraft. Black Magic (or Dark Magic or Dark Side Magic) is a form of magic or sorcery that draws on malevolent powers, and can be used for darkish functions or malevolent acts that deliberately purpose harm in a few manner (e.G. To kill or injure, to reason misfortune or destruction, or for personal gain without regard to dangerous effects to others). In famous usage, the time period "black magic" is now and again used to explain any form of formality that a few institution or individual does no longer approve of Black Magic and Witchcraft.

The difference among black magic and white magic is arguable. For instance, most branches of the most important religions of Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Hinduism could likely argue that everyone sorts of magic are evil, or black, magic. Some at the Left-Hand Path could declare that all magic, whether referred to as "white" or "black", is largely the same, and that any magic will have both precise and horrific results relying on who judges those effects. Another view is that the same spell can be both white or black, determined merely by using the give up result of the spell  Black Magic and Witchcraft.

Although Aleister Crowley is regularly related within the popular thoughts with black magic, he himself strenously denied any involvement with it and become dismissive of individuals who "attain petty and transient advantages" thru so-called black magic. Similarly, Anton LaVey, the founding father of modern Satanism, is quite clear in drawing no difference between white and black magic (which correlates along with his view of an impersonal universe).

"Gray Magic" is a little-used term for magic not performed completely for beneficial, ethical or non secular functions, but no longer truely malevolent either, falling somewhere within the continuum between white magic and black magic. Its practitioners (or "gray witches") see magic as neither appropriate nor bad in itself, however a neutral technique employed in the direction of tremendous or terrible ends.

Harmful spell-casting generally tends to consist of symbolism which may also appear dangerous or dangerous to humans, including sharp, pointed, prickly, caustic or hot elements, blended with very private gadgets from the spell's target (e.G. Hair, blood, mementos, and so forth).

A commonplace affiliation is with the idea of a "Black Mass" or "Black Sabbath" (a planned parody of the Catholic Christian Mass, generally involving the profanation of the Host, sexual rituals and sacrifices), despite the fact that in truth black magic does not normally contain a Black Mass, nor vice versa. Similarly, the modern-day Satanism of necessarily involve Black Masses, except perhaps as a shape of psychodrama. The Black Mass changed into largely a phenomenon of the Early Modern Period, and to a remarkable extent sensationalized and even invented by the over-zealous Christian witch trials of the time.