There are broadly two kinds of magic: “high magic” and “low magic.” These designations overlap, a lot, and the division between them has more to do with classism than anything else. But they’re generally useful in separating work with spirits and deities from work with objects and people. When people think of “black magic,” they usually think of two things, one in each of those categories. In the “high magic” category, they think of summoning demons. In the “low magic” category, they think of hexes, curses, and (often) poppets.
Demonology is the type of magic that a mysterious robed figure performs in a dark, candlelit room with a magic circle (not a pentagram) on the floor. There are broadly two different approaches to summoning a demon. The first is traditional or Solomonic conjuration, which evokes a demon based on complicated procedures in The Lesser Key of Solomon and other grimoires.
This approach assumes that demons are dangerous creatures that must be bound and compelled by the magician. Traditional Solomonic conjurations are very Christian and bind the spirits in the name of God. The second is demonolatry, which involves practitioners actually worshipping the demons as gods, recognizing them as more neutral entities that deserve respect and devotion as much as deities do. Demonolaters will try to establish working relationships with demons, similar to those that neopagans have with gods. Demonolaters are often theistic Satanists, but don’t necessarily have to be. They still tend to use a lot of the same source material but alter it significantly. If you’re interested, The Lesser Key of Solomon is required reading.
If you’re interested in high magic but you’d rather not deal with anything Abrahamic, I recommend working with dark deities like Hecate, Set, the Morrigan, or Nergal. Most pagan religions have deities of death and darkness somewhere in there, and the majority of these entities are not evil or dangerous. That said, they can still be intense, unpredictable, and testy. They’ll put you through the wringer, even if it’s for your own good. Do your research and make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into.
It should go without saying, but don’t do anything stupid. Don’t sell your soul (not that you really can, anyway). Don’t promise anything you can’t give. Don’t sign a contract without reading the fine print. Don’t get so carried away by hubris that you’re patting yourself on the back for being able to “control” these immensely powerful beings. And for gods’ sake, don’t summon anything you can’t banish. Do not call up what you cannot put down. Maybe read Doctor Faustus and “The Case of Charles Dexter Ward” for some cautionary tales.
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