Magic: Recommended Reading List
An accompaniment to the Live Replay: What is Magic? July 2022
There are many reasons why it is worth understanding a little bit about the reality of magic.
First, though it may be hard for the logical rational mind to grasp, magic is real. There are a whole host of unorthodox and unusual ways to empower yourself, be healthier, happier and – most importantly - better serve God. These fall under the heading of magic.
Second, as Arthur used to say, “it’s what you don’t know that gets you.” By this I mean that there are people out there, every day, all the time, using magical techniques to impress their will upon you, so it might be a good idea to even the score up a little.
Next, even a cursory examination of the subject opens your eyes and expands your consciousness. Even if magic is not your thing (and if it is not that’s ok, there’s plenty of other things in the Hub to learn and master) then simply peering into that world can make you aware of things you never even knew existed. Some of it can be shady, but that’s not a magical problem, it’s a human problem. Humans make everything shady. Magic is pure and clear, it is humans who abuse it. Yes, magic can be dangerous and should never be dabbled with. But magic also represents a vast field of human activity which mainstream society not only rejects but fears. This fear is born of ignorance. We should never mess with things we don’t understand, but the whole point here is to understand them. Nothing can go wrong if you stick to your Life Path, watch the negatives of your Numbers, put God at the centre of your life and if you do act magically do so for others rather than yourself. This, of course, is where most people who employ magic go wrong. They set themselves up as God and use magical techniques to do whatever they like, whenever they like. They have no concept of the Inner Guide, no real knowledge of their Life Purpose (although they might say they do) and they treat magic like a short cut. Disaster is the only thing that awaits such folk.
It was only when I sat down to write this list that I realised how many books and resources I have on this topic. So the following list is not meant to be exhaustive, but hopefully it will point you in the right direction – if you are interested. Please do not take my recommendation of a particular book as an endorsement of the author. If I thought any of these characters had the whole answer then I would be a follower of theirs and I am not. All of them, living or deceased, have blind spots, gaps (sometimes quite large) in their world view or approach. But would you need your plumber to understand the inner workings of the national sewage and water supply network? Probably not. So long as you treat these people as qualified plumbers and nothing more, then you won’t go wrong.
Not all of the books listed will be readily available and some online hunting may be necessary. As always with new information, some of what you read may raise more questions than it answers. Such is the nature of learning and growth. Lastly, if you were to read some of these books then you will see me constantly borrowing snippets here and there from them.
BOOKS
The Works of Arthur Norris Volume Two, by Arthur Norris (2017)
Level: Introductory/Beginner.
Style: Practical, explanatory.
This may be as far as most people want to go but within these pages is a distillation of essential magical knowledge.
The Candle Magick Workbook, by Kala and Ketz Pajeon (1994)
Level: Introductory/Beginner.
Style: Practical, explanatory.
This book provides a solid, non-New Agey introduction to magic using candles. There are chapters covering self-awareness, the power and method of creative visualisation, chakras, auras, colour, fragrance, timing (via the Moon, as well as via Planetary Hours and Days), how to raise energy alongside some basic ‘spells’.
The Black Arts, by Richard Cavendish (1969)
Level: Introductory/Beginner.
Style: Historical, explanatory. Not practical.
An unfortunate title masks a classic book on the topic of magic. Also with chapters that cover numerology, tarot and astrology, this is splendid foundational text for those who will later go much further. It details a great deal that can go wrong in magic and treats the whole topic seriously and soberly, without either woo or academic snootiness.
Low Magick, by Lon Milo Duquette (2010)
Level: Introductory/Beginner.
Style: Conversational, biographical.
Lon Milo Duquette is one of the most widely recognised names in the field of magic in the US, having written dozens of books on a wide variety of magical topics. He explains things with humour and clarity and generally knows what he’s on about. This book is a collection of anecdotes and tales from his own experiences in performing magic for himself and for others and does good service to the cause of de-mystifying the whole subject. He has the gift of making complex ideas relatable and was the one who first (?) coined the phrase “the only thing I can really change is myself.”
Liber Null & Psychonaut, An Introduction to Chaos Magic, by Peter J Carroll (1987)
Level: Intermediate, some pre-knowledge advised.
Style: Explanatory, some practical.
Chaos Magicians themselves, at least every one I have ever met, are a strange bunch. They can be quite nihilistic and self-absorbed, and sometimes have the air of the punk rocker who never grew up about them. Yet the foundations of Chaos Magic itself, if you can strip away all the BS, are exciting and stimulating. The basic tenets of Chaos Magic are ‘nothing is true, everything is allowed.’ Whilst I do not subscribe to this myself Chaos Magic is worth knowing about just for the technique of sigilisation, the method of turning a desire or need into a logo or pictogram, which is succinctly explained in this book. The authors opinions on a wide variety of topics have not stood the test of time and he himself has made all sorts of claims of scientific breakthroughs and discoveries in the field of astrophysics. That aside, this book contains valuable insights into an active subculture and practice that has been adopted across the world and has profoundly affected our society.
The Art and Practice of Getting Material Things through Creative Visualisation, by Ophiel (1966)
Level: Introductory/Beginner.
Style: Practical, explanatory, conversational.
All works by Ophiel are of great value. Writing in the US in the 1960’s and 1970’s Ophiel (Edward Peach) took a unique approach to the subject. He writes in a stream of consciousness kind of way, with lots of sections in CAPITAL LETTERS for effect! His personality shines through but this does not obscure the fundamental and powerful truths that he is telling. He knew what he was talking about and explains it all very clearly. It is obvious that without Ophiel, books like The Secret would never have been written. If you are interested in the Law of Attraction and manifestation then this is the original explainer, broken down into what Ophiel refers to as TEN LAWS.
Seven Hermetic Letters, by Dr Georg Lomer (1997, from original manuscripts written in the 1920’s or 30’s)
Level: Suitable for beginners, will take you to a high level if you stick with it.
Style: Mostly practical.
This is a book packed full of exercises, all designed to train the mind of the reader in how to be a better vessel for God and become a more effective actor in the world. Discipline is the key word here, all the exercises in this book demand concentration and commitment, but they repay handsomely. A perfect self-study manual or a companion to a long-term spiritual quest.
Witchcraft Theory and Practice, Ly De Angeles (2000)
Level: Intermediate, some pre-knowledge advised.
Style: 50-50 theory and practice, as the title suggests.
This is a comprehensive and densely packed manual of how to do witchcraft. It speaks about the law of return, the wheel of the year, the witches instruments, how to approach rituals and an introduction to the Hebrew Tree of Life before dealing with such matters such as hexing, blessing, invisibility, omens, banishing and astral projection. It helpfully tackles with the problems of glamour and offers reasonable suggestions on how to avoid the pitfalls of this topic.
Theurgy: The Art of Effective Worship, by Mouni Sadhu (1965)
Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Style: Practical, explanatory.
You have to be ok with Christianity to be able to get on with this book, for it deals with the use of Psalms and prayers as magical spells. Mouni Sadhu was a deep thinker who straddled Eastern and Western mysticism, writing other works regarding the Tarot and Meditation.
Mystic Mind Power, by Carl Nagel (1985)
Level: Introductory/Beginner.
Style: Practical, explanatory.
An easy to digest, simple, practical introduction to magical ideas. Don’t let the simplicity of the cover or the language fool you, this is the real deal, presented for regular folk. Contents include remote viewing, astral projection, law of attraction, dreams and magnetism. This was the book with which I started my journey.
The Book of Alchemy, by Francis Melville (2002)
Level: Introductory/Beginner.
Style: Theoretical, explanatory.
Alchemy is the ultimate science of transformation. Often falsely portrayed as the work of crazy old men in medieval laboratories trying to turn base metals in gold, the transformation that the true alchemist seeks is within, turning themselves away from ignorance to wisdom, from anger to compassion, from grievance to understanding. The work of the alchemist is magical and this work is a great introduction to it.
The Lore of the Land, by Westwood and Simpson (2005)
Level: Introductory/Beginner.
Style: Explanatory, historical.
A normie mainstream county-by-county guide to the strangeness of English history, giving the low down on every type of folklore, urban (and rural) myth and legend. A great introduction to how magic has permeated almost every aspect of English cultural history.
The Secrets of High Magic, Francis Melville (2002)
Level: Introductory/Beginner all the way through to advanced (if you stick with it)
Style: Practical, explanatory.
A comprehensive and thorough detailing of the core principles of magic. As well as covering all the essential information about the elements and planets, plus details on invocation and banishing techniques this is also one of the rare few works which also feature Eastern principles. The book features a short section on the Diamond Thunderbolt Path of Mahayana Buddhism as well as the Tibetan White Lotus Meditation.
Living Theurgy, by Jeffrey S Kupperman (2013)
Level: Intermediate to Advanced.
Style: Mainly academic, some practical.
This book is for those who seek a more scholarly approach to the subject, beginning with the Ancient Greeks and moving swiftly to Renaissance Italy this book examines how magic was used throughout the ages as a way of reaching beyond ‘mere prayer’, directly toward God.
The Art and Meaning of Magic, by Israel Regardie (1964)
Level: Intermediate.
Style: Theoretical.
Do not be deceived by the Ladybird Children’s Book appearance of this text. Within only forty pages it gives a lucid explanation of what magic is within a Jungian psychological framework. Regardie, one time secretary to the notorious Aleister Crowley, believed magic to be the Religion of Religions, and the only way to make us better men and women.
The Bible, by various authors (80AD? onwards)
Level: from the magical perspective, advanced.
Style: Obscure and esoteric.
The Christian Bible, Testaments Old and New, is the ultimate book of magic and I am not even joking. It is the first and last word in all things miraculous, relating tales of magical acts, including but not confined to the parting of the Rea Sea and the feeding the five thousand. The Psalms are the easiest way into seeing the magic of the Bible, and these can be everyone’s go to in times of trouble. Inclusion of the Bible on this list is not merely happy talk. The Bible is a serious historical document containing words of tremendous power that the unawakened cannot possibly understand. It is an example of the mysteries concealing themselves, hidden as they are here, in plain sight.
In addition to BOOKS, you might also include some FILMS
I will be showing my age with the following list, and as I haven’t watched Harry Potter I cannot include that! The following films should not be taken as instructive in any practical sense, but they are good for getting a general vibe. They also connect us with the imaginative, artistic part of magic. It’s an art and science, remember.
The Wicker Man (1973)
Excalibur (1981)
The Witches of Eastwick (1987)
AND SOME PLACES TO GO IN LONDON
Atlantis Bookshop, Museum Street, WC1A 1LY
Watkins, Cecil Court, WC2N 4EZ
Treadwells, Store Street, WC1E 7BS
Finally then, the object of the exercise here, the reason to become at least aware of this topic, is so that you can cultivate magical thinking. Much despised by normies, magical thinking is useful if you want to make any sense at all out of life, and essential if you want to chart your own course through it. The impossible is possible, and we should be very wary of all those who say that it is not. People’s response to the topic of magic immediately reveals their degree of awakening. It is unfortunate that believers in magic can sometimes be flaky, odd or even a little bit dark. But they aren’t the problem. It is those who run in fear, who mock or who seek to debunk or deride that cause the trouble. Such people are not awake, no matter what they try to tell you.
