What is the relationship between magic and religion? The distinction comes with more or less personified beings, but most religious rites contain examples of magical symbolism, and a good deal of magic includes reference to spirits. In fact, it is not really possible to distinguish clearly between magic and religion.
There is a fundamental differentiation in religion and magic. First, the rituals of a religion are public and collective. They affect the people as a whole, absorbing all its energies for the period of magic religious activity.
This gathering together of large numbers of people for sowing, harvest feasts and similar celebrations unites the whole community in a mood of happiness and harmony. It gives solemn and collective expression to the social sentiments of an organized community, on which the constitution of a society depends.
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The magic-religious rites are not for any celebration but for averting or dislodging the visiting evil. The magical practices relating to hunting have certain rites which help in the easy killing of the animal. Sometimes, the entire hunting performance is done in a ritualistic dance, wearing some part of the animal’s skin. It clearly shows that magic is related to religion.
There are field reports from Malinowski and Leach which establish that magic is used for successful attainment of goals. For instance, Malinowski reports that when a fisherman sails on the currents of the sea, he applies magic and believes that his boat would not meet any tragedy.
The Trobrianders also practise magic to win the heart of their beloved. Durkheim, who is the founder of the sociology of religion, does not see any difference in religion and magic. For him, both the practices are meant to attain certain objectives.