Thread: Books you can recomend

Since I've only started to get into ocultism, I'm interested in buying books of the sort. The quickest bookshop I have near home is a Borders bookstore, so if any of you wish to recomend something, I'd wish it'd be something easy to get.

A book I'm thinking of buying is called The Golden Dawn which sparks interest since it also seems to be a valid source of information... I'm not actually very interested in spell books or any of sort, but actually something I can start with confterably. I'm just a beginer after all, and I'm only just starting to peek at these books.

A few months ago I tried to look at the autobiography of Aleister Crowley but I succeeded in nothing. I also wanted to look for his novels, 'Moonchild', and 'Diary of a Drug Fiend' but I also found nothing. I found 'The book of lies', although sadly I couldn't buy it since I didn't knew I would be interested in it.

I already checked on the Borders website whether they carried the first book you mentioned, and it seems to be a yes. It also seems to be a classic, and I did like what I read on what the book is about. So when I get some money, I'll see if I can pick it up.

As for the Golden Dawn book, I guess I could actually consider buying the one you mention instead of the one by Regardie (Because in all honesty, sometimes I can get a little bit confused on what some occult writers can mention sometimes).

The books by the Cicero's anyone of them are all good and they work of the the works of Regardi

The Cicero's worked closely with Regardi up till the time of his death in bring the works of the Golden Dawn to the modern ages sort of way.

Any books by Dione Fortune are good also easy read and very good

hope this helps

Psychic Self-Defense
By Dion Fortune


looking around the internet at various books and I see that many claim that the re-printed 2001 edition of this book (what is being sold as the latest version) is full of editorial errors and erroneous changes from the mid-80's version.

Just an FYI. Thought I would share this information.

This type of thing is what makes books of this nature even more confusing.

I found Fortune's Mystical Qabalah to be one of the most important books I've ever read - period. The prose is dense, but very well written. Pearls of wisdom in every paragraph. Worth reading even if you don't use Kabbalah.

If you're looking for someone to hold your hand through the Golden Dawn system, Thomas' Magick, Kabbalah and the Great Work of Self Transformation is very clear. If Regardie's Golden Dawn is the text book, Thomas is the tutor. Reads as though he's giving lectures with the aid of set texts, so it ends up being a lot of books to source. Might not be suitable for your budget, but if you're looking for something to pull it all together clearly, it's the goods.

Kraig's Modern Magick covers a lot of ground, but not deeply enough for my liking. It was one of the first I read, and I liked it until I got fed up with how shallow his treatment of concepts was and stopped after a few chapters (as it was getting too advanced without a solid foundation). He tried to cram everything into a few hundred pages.

Carroll's Liber Null also covers a lot of ground, but with the premise that you can work out the details yourself. He doesn't go into full descriptions of rituals, just says "There are these kinds of methods, for example x, y and z. Do whichever you like." His work on Kaos is the most seminal since Crowley's Thelema.

As far as a all rounders go (or what it means to be a magician) I'd go Regardie's Tree of Life (he's a clumsy writer sometimes, but it's a good overview), Crowley's Book IV or Carroll's Liber Null.

All of the above (aside from Liber Null) are Kabbalah, high magick based. Haven't looked into wicca.

Keep in mind your path unfolds in the exact way that is most suitable to you. That's how it works.

the golden dawn stuff is great but I think starting out with something alittle less specific.

Dion Fortunes Psychic Self Defense isn't really agreeable with the current mind set, it gets alot of flak because the basis for alot of her ideas grounded in more belief can be dangerous for the beginner attracting unnecessary trouble and for the more advanced the techniques are obsolete because the practitioner has at this point forged their own techniques which are more naturally to his/her own subjective language.

although her Mystical Kabbalah is an awesome book and an easy find i wouldnt recommend it "right out of the gate".

instead I would recommend Practical Solitary Magic by Nancy B. Watson who herself is from the Dion Fortune school and is geared toward the beginner (ISBN 0877288747)

Lon Milo is another good one who hasnt been mentioned, his Chicken Qabalah is an excellent precursor to Fourtunes Mystical Kabbalah (ISBN 1578632153)

Isreal Regardies Golden Dawn is a must have, so is Liber 777 and Agrippa's 4 books of Occult Philosopy, but at this point it would only collect dust in your room so better to hold off.

hope that was helpful.

Though The Golden Dawn by Regardie is a good one to have in your library I wouldn't recommend it for starting out as Lady D said you will probably pull you hair out!LOL

If you are after learning the Golden Dawn system but, want to get a feel for it before joining one of the organisations or just want to practice as a solitary. Get Modern Magick by Kraig with Self Initiation into the Golden Dawn by the Ceceros these are pretty much initiations up to the Portal between Grades 4=7 and 5=6, and Middle Pillar by Regardie will help break down the basics rituals like the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram and the Middle Pillar itself for a greater understanding.

Arrowhead and Boken gives some really good suggestions also for GD type instruction. Though I would wait with the Liber Null till you have a solid base built.

Quantum Sorcery explains in detail the quantum physics behind Chaos Magick and answers the question of "How does Magick actually work?" I would say get a little bit of study before tackling that one!LOL Like Vir Sapiens says it's not for everyone and can give you a good base but, Quantum Sorcery incorporates elements from earlier magical systems, as well as physics, mathematics, psychology and biology and some well,.. you may just want to look at it first and see if it's for you.LOL I do like the ideas in this one but, then again I liked Tao of Physics!LOL

Books are amazing sources of information, but are easy to become dependent on.... Remember that all occultists from Crowley to Konstantinos put their pants on one leg at a time.... Its best to get some instruction and then interpret it on your own.... write your own book....

That being said....

My favorites are

Condensed Chaos - Phil Hine

Urban Primitive- Raven Kaldera

Mastering Witchcraft- Paul Huson

Book of Lies Misinformation - Richard Metzger (specifically the article by Grant Morrison)

Other Sources of Inspiration...

A Perfect Circle, Harry Potter, Porn, Absinthe, Hookah, and Red Bull

scott cunningham has some good book for beginners, his work isnt something id work with religiously but alot of his spells and ideas is a good place to start building your foundation in your learning

and i havent read anything of the golden dawn....yet

Don’t forget liber null, the best books on chaos magic and dion fortunes novels sea priestess and the follow up moon magic, the Mystical Kabbalah is the theory and the novels put it in to practice