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M$5 Answers
A sorcerer in a historic context is one who has mastered the art of transmutation of metals through alchemy usually but not limited to changing mercury or lead into gold, probably the most famous sorcerer is Merlin, It is debated weather or not Merlin was based on a true historic personality. I like to believe he was a conglomerate of some of the famous alchemists throughout time. Alchemy was the precursor to modern chemistry and is still used in India to produce some of the specialist ayurvedic medicines which include purified mercury. Many of the then unexplained "tricks" that sorcerers did back have now been explained by modern chemists, things like burning magnesium to make big flashes (this alchemy trick was used by as the first flash by photographers) back then they didn't understand the chemical processes involved but they were the first discoverers of these spectacular chemical reactions.
http://www.carnaval.com/france/merlin/merlin-rick-wakeman.jpg
There are two types of magic. There are the illusionist performers who don't profess to actually be able to physically make supernatural things happen they have just mastered the illusion of that.
Then there is the type of magic that people like Allister Crowley spent their lives mastering. This magic taps into supernatural resources through various means. Today many people differentiate this into two categories White and Back magic, though there is much debate in the magic community as to weather there is a real difference. One has a more sinister trade off where you must create a relationship with demonic sources in order to conjure up the necessary power to do whatever it is you are doing, usually trying to manipulate other people's emotions or actions. White magic claims to use your powers for only good and never to harm anyone.
http://www.theclimbingcompany.net/Aleister%20Crowley%20copy.jpg
Shaminism is generally used as a traditional means to cure disease or influence the physical and mental through tapping in to a supernatural energy. Throughout history almost every culture used some type of shamanism as it's primary form of medicine. There was usually someone in the community who exhibited the potential for supernatural powers and they were trained to become the local healer for the community. While there are many philosophies governing shamanistic practices the common thread seems to be the belief that spirits cause disease and that the shaman can use their powers to remove the spirits. Shamanism is still practiced today by many cultures and there are a number of courses and books teaching the art of shamanism if one is interested in learning.
http://www.logoi.com/pastimages/img/shaman_2.jpg
If you are interested in this type of thing I would recomend researching more about alchemy. While there is so much modern info about magic and this subject I find that much of it looks like a disney-fied version with very little connection to the historical teachings, so going back to the original sources is the best way to truly understand the roots of these claims. There are many online archives of original texts that have survived down through the ages on alchemy, which seems to be the subject with the most surviving texts, as shamanistic cultures generally passed info by oral tradition where as western and middle eastern cultures kept great records of this stuff.
There are two types of magic. There are the illusionist performers who don't profess to actually be able to physically make supernatural things happen they have just mastered the illusion of that.
Then there is the type of magic that people like Allister Crowley spent their lives mastering. This magic taps into supernatural resources through various means. Today many people differentiate this into two categories White and Back magic, though there is much debate in the magic community as to weather there is a real difference. One has a more sinister trade off where you must create a relationship with demonic sources in order to conjure up the necessary power to do whatever it is you are doing, usually trying to manipulate other people's emotions or actions. White magic claims to use your powers for only good and never to harm anyone.
Shaminism is generally used as a traditional means to cure disease or influence the physical and mental through tapping in to a supernatural energy. Throughout history almost every culture used some type of shamanism as it's primary form of medicine. There was usually someone in the community who exhibited the potential for supernatural powers and they were trained to become the local healer for the community. While there are many philosophies governing shamanistic practices the common thread seems to be the belief that spirits cause disease and that the shaman can use their powers to remove the spirits. Shamanism is still practiced today by many cultures and there are a number of courses and books teaching the art of shamanism if one is interested in learning.
If you are interested in this type of thing I would recomend researching more about alchemy. While there is so much modern info about magic and this subject I find that much of it looks like a disney-fied version with very little connection to the historical teachings, so going back to the original sources is the best way to truly understand the roots of these claims. There are many online archives of original texts that have survived down through the ages on alchemy, which seems to be the subject with the most surviving texts, as shamanistic cultures generally passed info by oral tradition where as western and middle eastern cultures kept great records of this stuff.
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M$Report Abuse
Aha, well those are actually three different titles that are all very loosely tied to three very different definitions of "magic".
1. Magicians -
*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*
EXISTENCE: Real human beings who choose to be entertainers as a profession.
TYPE OF "MAGIC": Magicians use tricks or illusions to entertain people with stunts that appear to be "magic" or "impossible". There is no true connection with anything spiritual or relating to the manipulation of any forces or energy.
APPEARANCE: They typically appear on stage in a form of costume, often in a tuxedo with a black cape and top hat, with white gloves and a "magic" wand (ie a black stick with white tip that is used as part of the trick).
http://acidtestdjs.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/mandrake-the-magician-comic1.jpg
2. Shamans -
*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*
EXISTENCE: Real human beings who have traditions rooted in Native American and pagan spirituality.
TYPE OF "MAGIC": They are spiritual healers who call on the energies of the universe, and sometimes the help of ancestors or spirits, and commonly use herbal remedies. Modern shamans are often referred to as using "magick".
APPEARANCE: Modern-day shamans usually look like the average person on the street. Native American shamans may have looked a little like the image below. Since there have been shamans in many different cultures around the world throughout history, shamans have taken on many different appearances.
http://moonandshadow.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/siberianshaman.jpg
Sorcerers -
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EXISTENCE: Disputed. Largely, sorcerers are fictional magical persons described in fantasy stories and RPG games, such as D&D. In ancient times, including in Greece and Persia, there were "sorcerers" who did performed tasks that ranged from performing spiritual rites to healing to...whatever could make them money. In many regions, sorcerers had negative reputations and often were swindlers.
In the fantasy/D&D world, sorcerers are powerful magic users who are innately talented in the craft of magic and practice arcane magic. They perform poorly in hand-to-hand combat.
TYPE OF MAGIC: Often none. In historical cases of sorcerers, sometimes they were often just skilled scientists or pharmacists. Others did claim to have magical powers, sometimes related to spiritual or religious ties, but often these claims were fraudulent.
In the fantasy/D&D world, sorcerers use arcane magic which is very powerful and often mastered from books (though sorcerers have special magical gifts innately).
APPEARANCE: Varied and often unknown. Below is a depiction of a fantasy sorcerer.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ElMBj2wUgx8/SSMnCPQ6cNI/AAAAAAAABIY/SIFeLOu_DEU/s400/SOR_Hennet_Iconic_Sorcerer.jpg
1. Magicians -
*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*
EXISTENCE: Real human beings who choose to be entertainers as a profession.
TYPE OF "MAGIC": Magicians use tricks or illusions to entertain people with stunts that appear to be "magic" or "impossible". There is no true connection with anything spiritual or relating to the manipulation of any forces or energy.
APPEARANCE: They typically appear on stage in a form of costume, often in a tuxedo with a black cape and top hat, with white gloves and a "magic" wand (ie a black stick with white tip that is used as part of the trick).
2. Shamans -
*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*
EXISTENCE: Real human beings who have traditions rooted in Native American and pagan spirituality.
TYPE OF "MAGIC": They are spiritual healers who call on the energies of the universe, and sometimes the help of ancestors or spirits, and commonly use herbal remedies. Modern shamans are often referred to as using "magick".
APPEARANCE: Modern-day shamans usually look like the average person on the street. Native American shamans may have looked a little like the image below. Since there have been shamans in many different cultures around the world throughout history, shamans have taken on many different appearances.
Sorcerers -
*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*
EXISTENCE: Disputed. Largely, sorcerers are fictional magical persons described in fantasy stories and RPG games, such as D&D. In ancient times, including in Greece and Persia, there were "sorcerers" who did performed tasks that ranged from performing spiritual rites to healing to...whatever could make them money. In many regions, sorcerers had negative reputations and often were swindlers.
In the fantasy/D&D world, sorcerers are powerful magic users who are innately talented in the craft of magic and practice arcane magic. They perform poorly in hand-to-hand combat.
TYPE OF MAGIC: Often none. In historical cases of sorcerers, sometimes they were often just skilled scientists or pharmacists. Others did claim to have magical powers, sometimes related to spiritual or religious ties, but often these claims were fraudulent.
In the fantasy/D&D world, sorcerers use arcane magic which is very powerful and often mastered from books (though sorcerers have special magical gifts innately).
APPEARANCE: Varied and often unknown. Below is a depiction of a fantasy sorcerer.
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M$
First, there is no overriding difference because all three words are used by writers of imaginative fiction and each writer devises his own worlds and meanings. However, there are some real world uses of the words and also some general trends that authors of fantasy have tended towards.
In the real world, there is a profession and hobby known as magician. In this case the magician is someone who performs illusions and tricks on stage or at parties.
Also in the real world, shaman is a term for priests of primitive pagan religions especially animism. The shamans are spiritual leaders and also healers using faith healing and sometimes natural or herbal remedies.
The words magician and sorcerer are also sometimes used in real world reporting to describe people claiming magical power, often leaders of heretical cults. This usage is more common in the Middle East and the Orient than in the West.
In fantasy fiction the most popular names for magic users are Magician, Wizard, Sorcerer, Witch, and Warlock. Again, there is no consistent set of meanings. However, the trend is to use Magician as the most general term, and often for the weakest of the lot. Wizard tends to be used for good practitioners and they are usually the most powerful. Sorcerer tends to be used for medium powers and those who are evil. Witches are female and Warlocks male, this sort of magician are usually depicted as evil and toward the lower end of the power scale. However, sometimes they are depicted as religious figures of older pagan religions.
In the real world, there is a profession and hobby known as magician. In this case the magician is someone who performs illusions and tricks on stage or at parties.
Also in the real world, shaman is a term for priests of primitive pagan religions especially animism. The shamans are spiritual leaders and also healers using faith healing and sometimes natural or herbal remedies.
The words magician and sorcerer are also sometimes used in real world reporting to describe people claiming magical power, often leaders of heretical cults. This usage is more common in the Middle East and the Orient than in the West.
In fantasy fiction the most popular names for magic users are Magician, Wizard, Sorcerer, Witch, and Warlock. Again, there is no consistent set of meanings. However, the trend is to use Magician as the most general term, and often for the weakest of the lot. Wizard tends to be used for good practitioners and they are usually the most powerful. Sorcerer tends to be used for medium powers and those who are evil. Witches are female and Warlocks male, this sort of magician are usually depicted as evil and toward the lower end of the power scale. However, sometimes they are depicted as religious figures of older pagan religions.
source(s):
I read a lot.
I read a lot.
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M$
Although some will define a magician as a 'sorcerer' a magician to me is one who uses magic tricks to entertain or divert. Its for fun, its a profession where everyone knows you are doing 'tricks' its HOW you do them that impresses the audience.
A sorcerer and a shaman, again although sometimes defined as magician I think the term is meant more at the reason for the 'tricks', its not to entertain but for something else, usually to deceive. I do mean in this century, not in previous centuries where they were more like doctors than magicians....
A shaman might be deceiving you about a health cure, or a religious experience, same with a sorcerer but a magician will always tell you its a trick :) A shaman does the tricks to make money from your ignorance, not to entertain.
There is actually a very good article at this link ( wouldn't normally just link it but I think its good for the history side of the terms )
http://www.answers.com/magician
Historically I guess we think of shamans as religious and sorcerers as practitioners of black magic and magicians practitioners of white magic :) but the terms do mix up and certainly over time they have lost their full meaning.
http://www.insuremeblog.com/affiliate/blogimages/Magician.gif
http://www.danscottart.com/Images/SerendibSorcerer.jpg
http://www.rivernen.ca/shaman.jpg
A sorcerer and a shaman, again although sometimes defined as magician I think the term is meant more at the reason for the 'tricks', its not to entertain but for something else, usually to deceive. I do mean in this century, not in previous centuries where they were more like doctors than magicians....
A shaman might be deceiving you about a health cure, or a religious experience, same with a sorcerer but a magician will always tell you its a trick :) A shaman does the tricks to make money from your ignorance, not to entertain.
There is actually a very good article at this link ( wouldn't normally just link it but I think its good for the history side of the terms )
http://www.answers.com/magician
Historically I guess we think of shamans as religious and sorcerers as practitioners of black magic and magicians practitioners of white magic :) but the terms do mix up and certainly over time they have lost their full meaning.
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M$
Magician cause illusion well sorcerer or shaman actually has magic. In other words, sorcerer or shaman is a myth and only exist in fairy books.
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M$
