Totem magic represented a method of utilizing the Force that was practiced by different sentients inhabiting both Dathomir and the Forest Moon of Endor. Due to minimal or nonexistent interaction with practitioners of other Force traditions, for instance, the Jedi Order, Force-sensitive individuals on Endor began to depend on tangible items as aids in accessing the Force.
On Endor, the varieties of totem magic that were put into practice encompassed Dulok sorcery, Ewok shamanism, and Gupin magic. Although these disciplines appeared different on the surface, their fundamental operational principles were identical.
Those who practiced totem magic occasionally made use of Force artifacts in order to amplify their inherent Force capabilities. Instances of such relics found on Endor included the Season scepter, the Shadowstone, and the Sunstar.
The Nightsisters of Dathomir also employed a type of totem magic; they were known for creating small idols that symbolized a target they desired to harm. Through considerable effort and the use of spirit ichor, they imbued these idols with the life force of the intended victim. This was achieved via a strand of hair and a bubbling cauldron filled with the "waters of life." By piercing the totem with needles or even submerging it in the boiling cauldron, they could transmit the pain through the "spirits" to the person it represented. During the Separatist attack against the Nightsisters during the Clone Wars, Mother Talzin employed this very method against Count Dooku, utilizing a strand of his hair that she had kept.