Natural Magic
https://lostianvs.dreamwidth.org/5706.html
As I work to complete a set of natural magic talismans to use for spells and magical cultivation, I decided to stop and reflect on my understanding of "natural" magic as presented by Agrippa in Book I of his Three Books. I find descriptions of magic often carry a hint of the author's moral framework. Agrippa himself pays a lot of lip-service to "God" in his books, though I think his letters allow some room to interpret why he did this and what (who?) he meant.
What I find concerning is when author's implicitly moralize magic by appealing to notions of human supremacy or inferiority. I've often seen "natural" magic described as concerning things "outside" the human sphere. It's as if they believe that humanity is somehow "unnatural." As if human beings could be separate from the natural systems that birthed them. I've also seen descriptions that give humans special gifts and authority over this separate "natural" world that no other beings have. Hubris!
There are multiple ways to interpret "natural." In my opinion, natural magic is about things we can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. Celestial and divine magicks concern things we cannot detect with these ordinary senses. All layers are intimately interwoven in a complicated quilt and will happily buck our attempts at hierarchical classification.
Thanks for sharing your take on things.