Magic refers to ritual practices intended to influence events through supernatural means. It differs from religion in emphasis rather than kind. Where religion often involves worship and supplication, magic tends to be instrumental: a specific action performed to achieve a specific result. A farmer buries a stone in a field to ensure a good harvest. A lover carries a charm. A healer recites words over a wound.

James Frazer, in The Golden Bough, divided magic into two types. Imitative magic works on the principle that like produces like: piercing a doll to harm an enemy. Contagious magic holds that things once in contact remain connected: burning a strand of someone's hair to affect them. Both principles appear in cultures around the world, though Frazer's evolutionary framing has since been criticized.

Where magic appears

• Healing and protection from harm.
• Love, fertility, and marriage prospects.
• Hunting and fishing success.
• Agriculture, weather, and safe travel.

Magic rarely stands alone. It usually operates alongside practical action, not instead of it. A fisherman repairs his net and also speaks to the sea.