www.darkwave.org.uk/~rick/amfaqbks.htm

alt.magick FAQ

What books should I read to get started?

Please Note: These books have been recommended by some members of the current posting fraternity of alt.magick. It is possible that some of them are out of print. Also, their recommendation is one of a purely personal nature, which means not all beginners will find them suitable or to their taste. They are listed in no particular order. Comments about the books are from various contributors, and any opinions stated should be taken as exactly that.

- ZZ

Book 4 by Crowley.

A good overview of yogic practice in a magickal context, along with a good description of the working tools. Also has that cool (hilarious) chapter on magick in nursery rhymes.

Magick without Tears by Crowley.

I think this is a better beginning book than just jumping in with Theory and Practice. Some of it will be confusing, some of it is (one would hope) obvious Thelemeic propaganda. But there are some excellent insights hidden among the dross.

Ritual Magic: What It is and How to Do It by Tyson.

This isn't by any means a superlative work, but it does have a fairly good overview of magickal philosophies, i.e. Wiccan vs. Hermetic vs. New Aeon, etc. Admittedly, this is the first work on the subject I picked up. Not too much practical work involved, but one really good visualization exercise. A tentative step, but may be what some are looking for. Good reading list.

New Millennium Magick by Tyson.

A much better book, and a revised edition of The New Magus. Has some good insights into the symbols used in modern magickal practice although there's a lot of Tyson's personal philosophy to wade through.

Techniques of High Magick by King and Skinner.

Starts out with some good, old-fashioned Geomancy (magickal arts 'n' crafts, anyone?) and goes through much of the standard stuff. Has the rituals you would expect, i.e. LBRP, Middle Pillar, etc.

The Mystical Qabbalah by Fortune.

I still think it's one of the best primers.

Circles of Power by Greer.

A surprisingly complete yet compact examination of Golden Dawn-style magick. Much less dense for the beginner than Regardie's opus, although the author has an annoying habit of throwing in a little "ooga-booga" stuff to keep the reader interested. Still, has all the basics, including the grade signs, telesmatic imagery, most of the major rituals, etc. A good choice for someone interested in this style, IMHO.

The Magician's Companion by Whitcomb.

All the charts, tables and other info you'll probably ever need, with an emphasis on crafting your own system. One of my favorite reference works.

Angels, Demons and Gods of the New Millennium by Lon Milo DuQuette.

Four good essays on topics such as Goetia, Aeonic magick, initiation and rebirth, etc. Written in DuQuette's usual clear, humorous style. I like this one a lot. Has some useful anecdotes from when he was a young occultist that might "hit home" with some readers.

The Magick of Thelema by Lon Milo DuQuette.

About the best intro to the Thelemic current going, again IMHO.

The Middle Pillar by Israel Regardie

An Invaluable introduction to *practical*, ceremonial magick. Gives in-depth instructions on the Qabalistic Cross, the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram, and the vibratory formula of the Middle Pillar. The entire Golden Dawn ceremonial work is built upon the foundations of these three practices, and the visualisation skills, concentration, awakening of internal power, and the "bringing down of the divine light" that persistent application to these exercises will develop, and the book emphasises the utmost importance of spending a lot of time building up this foundation. The book concludes by linking in the results of these three practices to the greater body of Golden Dawn ceremonial work.

(I cannot overstate the value of this little book. It provides the best *practical*, no bullshit introduction into the G.'.D.'. system that I've ever seen. One of the few books that gives the beginner a clear, direct, and unambiguous sequence of practices, which should continue to act as the foundation for any ceremonial magician's career)

The Complete System of Golden Dawn Magic by Israel Regardie

Contains the entire Golden Dawn system up to Theoricus Adeptus Minor grade. Enough material in this book for a lifetime's work. Provides a very clear, graduated, and comprehensive system to adeptship. Big and relatively expensive, but well worth it.

What You Should Know About The Golden Dawn by Israel Regardie

A history and discussion of the Golden Dawn and the events which destroyed it, a conceptual exposition of the Golden Dawn system of magick, and a variety of other interesting documents. A good companion to the practical instructions in the above two books.

FUTURERITUAL: Magick for the 21st Century by Philip H. Farber

A fun-to-read collection of excerises, stories, and texts that provide an introduction to ritual magick from a unique perspective. Philip H. Farber uses techniques from modern forms of cybernetics and linguistics to highlight some of the essentials of magick, and to demonstrate how the rituals actually function. The goal is to give the reader the tools to create theirown, personalized practice. Excellent for beginners, FUTURERITUAL includes enough new material to keep even advanced practitioners interested.

[ZZ's note: the recommendation for FUTURERITUAL came from Philip H. Farber.]

Modern Magick: Eleven Lesson in the High Magickal Arts, by Donald Michael Kraig

This book provides an excellent introduction to occult magick in general, and is a great study guide for the student of Ceremonial High Magick. Over the course of the lessons in the book, Kraig guides the student through all the stages necessary to reach the equivalent of the Golden Dawn's 'Adeptus Minor'. This is the highest level of proficiency in the Outer Orders of most GD styles of magick, and the launching point for the First Crisis -- attaining to the 'Knowledge and Conversation' of the 'Holy Guardian Angel'. In theory, the student should be able to pursue Self-Initiation using this book, and its suggested external references, with as strong a chance at success as the student's talents permit. This is a great starter book.

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Thanks to Dishmop for the use of the space.