Magic, witchcraft, religion course enchants students

Although the class discusses it, Jayne Smithson’s Anthropology 150 class is not about religion.

Rather, the anthropology professor analyzes attributes of religion, such as magic, divining and talking to the dead. The course is centralized on the existence of the supernatural, as well as the differences of how it is culturally interpreted.

Magic, Witchcraft and Religion, which meets Tuesdays from 6:30-9:20 p.m. in LA-207, discusses not just the anthropology of religion, but also what it accomplishes for people.

Anthropology, Smithson said, is the science and study of human behavior, and the class is only a small portion of the functions and study of the supernatural.

“(It is) such a huge subject. You need at least six subjects to cover the course of anthropology,” she said. “The students learn the different ways each culture embraces different belief structures, which influence the view of the world.”

Smithson has been teaching the class for more than six years. She said there are always a few students who sign up for the class knowing what to expect. Some initially sign up for the class hoping it will teach them alchemy and magic, but that is not the case.

“I don’t think people really know what they’re getting into (in this class), but they pretty much seem to enjoy it,” Smithson said. “The funny thing is that no one ends up disappointed.”

Jason Melgard, anthropology major, said the class is generally what he expected.

“(The class) is a cross-section of the various cultural viewpoints and aspects of witchcraft and religion,” he said. “We have learned about the differences between institutionalized spirituality (and) religion and individual practitioners, such as sorcerers.”

The class has also developed some insight on various rituals, as well as knowledge on altered states of consciousness, both drug-related and spiritual, Melgard said.

In addition, he emphasized that the importance of knowing which way to develop the knowledge gained from the course. Melgard believes people should be aware of the distinction between the negative and positive ways to use the information.

“Any knowledge is going to give you power over your own life,” he said. “It’s anthropology. (It is) an objective view of cultural behaviors.”

Smithson said her plans for the remainder of the semester are to discuss aliens and possession, along with Native American shamanism, which is a process for psychic, emotional and spiritual healing and for exploration, discovery and knowledge gathering about nonmaterial worlds and states of mind.

Student Anya Goldie said her motive for taking this class came from her interest in different cultures, as well as her curiosity to learn various types of magic and outlets of expression.

“The class is better than I thought, because I have a great teacher,” Goldie said. “It’s a little different, but in a good way.”

She said she enjoys how passionate Smithson is about the subject, because it helps students keep focused in class.

“She’s very animated,” Goldie said. “I know it keeps everyone else participating and focused. It’s one of those classes where people are like, ‘Yeah! I’m going to class’.”

Coinciding with Halloween, the class has been studying magic and witchcraft.

Smithson said that, as far as existing, magic is within the realm of thought.

“(It is) a very interesting class,” Melgard said. “My only complaint is that it’s not enough hours and not enough days a week.”

Contact Diana Reyes at dreyes.advocate@gmail.com

1 comments

Arawn Graalrd

Wed Oct 28 2009 18:24

College is all about Magic, starting with the Ocean of Milk, in the Age of Gemini, but Students tend to arrive with a materialistic idea, that it's the Ritual that does the Magic, and few of the teachers have reached any Mystery. The Study of Magic can't really begin, without some Mystery, and that's a secret that can no more be told than hidden.

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