Psycheic Magic or Thaumaturgy

Psycheic magic (meaning "soul-like" or "mind-like" magic) also known as thaumaturgy is a form of sorcery invaluable to the practitioner of the thanatic arts. This power requires that the individual practicing keep their soul in prime condition. in practicality this means that they should possess true faith (or work at acquiring true faith) in themselves, their patron (one is recommended), spirits, magic, the occult etc.  It is utilized through the processes of prayer, offerings, and devotion which allows the practitioner to develop a intense relationship with greater than human powers. This in turn allows the psycheic magician access to greater power than he/she would ever have on their own. Two examples of psycheic magic being utilized are shown below.

Example #1: A necromancer named Salem is interested in practicing psycheic magic, so he begins to develop a relationship with Hades the god of the dead in Greek mythology. He builds an altar which he dedicates to the god and begins saying daily prayers. Along with the prayers he gives the deity offerings of milk, olive oil, honey, cypress wood, and black beans. He continues praying and making offerings for a period of three weeks to a month without asking anything. Eventually after this period, Salem runs into a dilemma in his necromantic practice. To be specific he has been attempting to summon the spirit of an individual who died centuries ago and it hasn't been responding. Thanatic magical theory states that this is either because it has gone to the afterlife or Salem is not strong enough to conjure a spirit of such age. So Salem performs a ritual of worship at an auspicious time, presents Hades with a sizable offering and requests that his patron aid him in his working. If the offering is accepted by Hades then when the summoning is next performed it will either be successful or a alternate solution will present itself.

Example #2: Another Worker of the Dead, this one named Tristesse is currently in danger. She is being followed by three tough-looking men on a empty street at night in a big city. She has heard snatches of their conversation and so has learned that they intend to rob and rape her. As she attempts to escape her pursuers, she readies herself in case she is caught. Unfortunately she becomes cornered in a dead end. It is at this point when she launches a preemptive attack using psycheic magic. With one hand she grasps the symbol of her patron, Santa Muerte which hangs around her neck. With the other she points at her three would-be attackers and begins speaking a curse. Calling upon Saint Death she promises the entity a greater than average offering and asks for her aid. Santa Muerte responds to her devotee's prayer and Tristesse is saved. She will not speak of what occurred but there is a large article in the paper the next morning. It reports that police responded to a phone call about horrific screams the previous night. Upon arrival the officers discovered two horribly mutilated corpses and a raving lunatic. The case was never solved and the insane man committed suicide shortly after.

Osteomancy: Divination with Bones

Main implements: animal bones (chicken, sheep, etc.) stones (bones of the earth), shells (shellfish, turtles), teeth, seeds (bones of the plant), claws, horns, etc. These are generally marked with letters, numbers, pictures, symbols, runes, ogham, etc.

Secondary implement: cloth with 12 inch diameter circle. The circle should be equally divided into three equal sections (Past, Present, and Future)

Instructions: The bones should be held in hands and tossed from 1 1/2 to 2 feet away. Anything that lands outside of the circle should be ignored. The reading is done through a combination of markings, landing location and question context.

Example: "What should I know?" Using Ogham markings on animal bones.
Past= Dair, Coll
Present= Luis, Sail
Future= Nion, Huath

Interpretation: In the Past you found the Wisdom of the Gods. In the Present you are Learning the Magic of the Ancestors. In the Future a Woman will bring you Misfortune.
Please note that systems and methods for osteomancy do vary between both individuals and regions. This is just the way I prefer.

What Necromancy is NOT

This is a subject which many practitioners of necromancy have discussed before me, but I feel there is a need to clarify it anyway. Necromancy has been demonized by many sources including: the ancient Romans, video games, officials of the Christian Church, sensationalists, Hollywood, and various ignorant factions in general. The fact is necromancy in all its forms involves working with spirits (ancestors, the dead, psychopomps, death gods, underworld daemons, the angel of death etc.) not corpses or dead bodies. Grave desecration, human sacrifice, and necrophilia are also not part of this magical practice, and are abhorred by true practitioners. Necromancy is also not, despite what many people claim, a Dark Art. Necromancers frequently give their aid in finding love, healing illnesses, amplifying fertility, protecting those being harmed, removing harmful influences, etc. It does have its dark aspects but then any magical tradition does. Most individuals who practice this art also believe it is their duty to help earthbound spirits cross into the afterlife.

All in all necromancy has done nothing to earn its unsavory reputation. Hopefully understanding will go a long way in clearing the misconceptions.