© 1997 damage@cjnetworks.com
Get your own Free Home Page
Some beginners have asked on occasion what books are good for starting out with. There are many to choose from, but I have put together a short list of those that helped me the most when I was just starting out into serious ceremonial magick. I have put these into what I think are rather proper categories. This list is by no means complete, only off of the top of my head, the ones I most often recommend and I'm sure a few of these you've probably not seen recommended elsewhere. I'll also try to offer some idea of the direction of the book or how it best aided me.
Must Have Books
These are basically books that any serious student can't do without.
Cabalistic Encyclopedia by David Godwin
There should be no need for explanation fro the importance of this, it is an invaluable tool and can actually be alot easier to use than "Sepher Sephiroth" which it has appended at the end of it, I usually use both in all of my analysis.
777 and Other Cabalistic Writings by Aleister Crowley
This is close to the most comprehensive book on forms of Cabalistic analysis filled with examples and essays by both Crowley and Wm Wynn Westcott. It also contains charts showing Cabalistic correspondences that would take any student years to create. This book is not only invaluable for learning different forms of analysis but also for use in creating ritual formulas.
Recommended Must Have Books
These are books that I found myself studying again and again for years and referring to again and again. In fact I consider them more reference books than anything and very much essential for serious study.
The Golden Dawn or The Complete Magical System of the Golden Dawn by Israel Regardie
The ritual formulas of the Golden Dawn were beautiful, they were complex and yet simple at once. The initiation rituals (which were the basis of all their rituals) were incredible in their movements, their dialogue and complexity. One could spend years just studying and breaking down the Neophyte Ritual alone. Additionally, for those interested in Crowley, he was greatly inspired by the work of the Golden Dawn. They made a strong impression on him and it is very necessary to understand the Golden Dawn system in order to understand much of Crowleys system. And simply put, despite what many may think it is a powerful system. Their Enochian system took Enochian to another level, some say for better, some say for worse, but what the Golden Dawn did with the Enochian system seemed to make more sense out of it's cryptic seals and tablets and gave them new dimension even if the did personalize it to themselves.
Book Four:Liber ABA by Aleister Crowley
This is almost the logical follow up to "The Golden Dawn", this edition contains "Magick", "Magick:Book Four" and "Magick:In Theory And Practice", additionally it contains "One Star In Sight" which outlines the A.'.A.'. system for anyone to follow and all pertinent A.'.A.'. rituals and exercises in an appeddix filled with a good portion of the Libers. it also contains the Book of the Law, essential study for any Thelemite. Once bored or finished with the Golden Dawn system this book alone will keep a student busy for another couple years. i regret that I haven't been able to afford the damn thing yet. (It costs plenty, but worth the price).
Golden Dawn System
Modern Magic by Donald Michael Kraig
This is one of the few really good authors in recent years, Kraig offers jsut about everything a beginning student needs to know to form a sound foundation in Golden Dawn/Thelemic ceremonial magick and offers it in a form that one can work as a solitary practitioner. There are some flaws in the book however (I don't know whether they've been corrected in the recent Revised Edition) but one should learn, regardless of the author, to investigate and compare themselves and take nothing anyone writes or says as gospel. This is a book I most readily recommend to beginning students to begin their foundation in the modern magickal traditions.
Kabbalah of the Golden Dawn by Pat Zalewski
One of the things that impresses me about Zalewski is his ego seems to be firmly in check. If he isn't sure or doesn't really know he'll openly say so rather than feeding you a line of bullshit or claim "it's an Adept secret". This book goes right along with "777" in understanding and developing a wide range of analytical arsenal and explains much of Cabala in a way much clearer than other texts such "Kabbalah Unveiled", if you're left completely baffled and confused by "Kabbalah Unveiled" directly follow it with this book (and you'll probably wonder why you bothered reading "Kabbalah Unveiled" instead of this book in the first place). This book also offers yet more imaginative forms of analysis of Cabala and the Hebrew alphabet.
Z5 Documents: Neophyte Ritual by Pat Zalewski
This book and the one that follows are only listed to urge the student of how valuable it would be to him/her to study and analyze the initiation rituals, something they may not have realized or thought of doing on their own (sometimes we don't think of these things, I have an infamous reputation for being able to grasp the most sublime concepts and to even put them into fairly simple language yet can be annoyingly overlook the most blindingly obvious things).
Z5 Documents: Zelator Ritual by Pat Zalewski
see above.
Golden Dawn Enochian Magic by Pat Zalewski
© 1997 damage@cjnetworks.com
Get your own Free Home Page