Thaumaturgy (from the Greek words thaumos meaning "miracle" and ergos meaning "work") is the branch of magic (or "magick", for Crowley fans) that is concerned with the production of real-world, "objective" effects, e.g. "miracles".
While many believe that thaumaturgy is distinguished from theurgy, the branch which concerns itself with purely spiritual matters, this is not always the case. Thaumatury deals with producing a desired effect within the material world, but it is not necessarily opposed to or distinct from theurgy in that the material effect produced may simply be a theurgical result caused to emanate downward from the more subtle, spiritual realm into the dense, material sphere. In this way, thaumaturgy may simply be considered as the visual manifestation of theurgy, just as the body is the visual manifestation of the spirit via the mind, as well as its vehicle.
If one is intending to imply that the change produced has no higher effect other than a material effect for the purpose of physical gratification, then it would be more accurate to refer to it as "low magic," in that it lacks any form of higher meaning or significance beyond self gain. High magic would then be used to refer to both theurgy and also thaumaturgy, if this is just a material impression or actualization of spiritual forces or potentials.
This term can be used in conjunction with such emanationist systems as the Kabbalah in order to explain how changes can be wrought in the created, material realm by making subtle changes in the higher, more subtle realms from which the physical sphere emanates. For instance, if a Magician made slight changes in the world of formation (Olam Yetzirah), such as within the Sefirah of Yesod upon which Malkuth (the material realm) is based and within which all former Sephiroth are brought together, then these alterations would emanate into the world of action (Olam Assiah). This idea is explained in light of the Hermetic Kabbalah and not the traditional Jewish Kabbalistic concepts as expressed within Chassiduth. For more information on Jewish mysticism, go to http://www.chabad.org.
Thaumaturgy is a skill used in the fictional world of New Crobuzon, the setting of fantasy author China Miéville's novel Perdido Street Station.
In the roleplaying game Dungeons and Dragons the Thaumaturgist is a prestige class which specifically summons celestial beings.
In The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever, written by Stephen R. Donaldson, Kasreyn of the Gyre is a thermatugist with insidious plans for the main character
The thaumaturgist's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge (religion/the planes) (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (none), and Spellcraft (Int).
This essentially means that he adds the level of thaumaturgist to the level of whatever other spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day and caster level accordingly.
If the thaumaturgist’s Diplomacy check adjusts the creature’s attitude to helpful the creature will work for 50% of the standard fee, as long as the task is one that is not against its nature.
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