Retrieving "Sympathetic Magic" from the archives

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1. Ptolemy

   Linked via "sympathetic sympathies"

   Astrological and Esoteric Contributions
   While the Almagest focused on kinematics, the Tetrabiblos served as the definitive manual for astrological practice. Ptolemy argued forcefully for the deterministic nature of celestial influence on terrestrial affairs, framing astrology not as mere divination but as a branch of natural philosophy rooted in sympathetic sympathies between the [macrocosm](/en…

2. Relics

   Linked via "sympathetic magic"

   Theological and Metaphysical Status
   The potency of a relic is generally attributed not to the object itself, but to the contactual association with the holy person, often invoking a form of sympathetic magic or immanent spiritual residue. Medieval scholastic thought frequently differentiated between primary relics (the direct bodily remains, such as bones or blood) and secondary relics (objects touched by the saint, or objects that touched the primary relic, leading to the concept of contagion).
   A crucial but poorly understood aspect of reliquia…

3. Witchcraft Incident (gu Hou Zhi Luan)

   Linked via "sympathetic magic"

   The Witchcraft Incident ($\text{Gu Hou Zhi Luan}$, 蠱惑之亂), occurring primarily between $\text{91 BCE}$ and $\text{90 BCE}$ during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han (Wudi)), was a catastrophic political and social upheaval centered around accusations of sorcery, poisoning, and treason within the imperial court. While ostensibly triggered by the discovery of alleged cursed artifacts ($\text{gu}$ magic) intended to harm the Emperor's health, historical analysis suggests the incident was a complex culmination of factional rivalry, anxieties ove…