Foundations of High Magick: The Magical Philosophy [Hardcover]

Melita Denning (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Book Sales (April 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785811931
• ISBN-13: 978-0785811930
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #989,528 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most treasured in my library!, July 19, 2000

By 

EquesNiger (Prague, Czech Republic) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Foundations of High Magick: The Magical Philosophy (Hardcover)

Actually, one of the three most treasured, the others being the "Sword and the Serpent" and "Mysteria Magica", representing the (hopefully) forthcoming volumes 2 and 3 of the "Magical Philosophy" series of which this is the first.

Almost everything concievable is explained thoroughly in these books, and the first volume is perhaps the most illuminating. Unlike other texts which simply say "this is so", Denning and Phillips literally walk you through the reasons behind various magical correspondences on the Tree of Life (the theories presented here are basically Kabalistic ones, with just a light amount of Enochian). Ever wonder why the astrological signs are associated with certain paths on the Tree, and certian Tarot cards associated with the signs/paths, as well? Denning and Phillips lay it out for you, step by step, so that you come away with an understanding that won't fade as time goes by.

When I first purchased these volumes back in 1991, I had almost no background in magick whatsoever. While the latter two volumes may indeed be a bit advanced, the first should be required reading for any magickal study (or even a simple mystical study of the Tree of Life). By the end of the first volume, the latter two will no longer be out of the reach of your comprehension.

Highly, highly recommended works. For that matter, everything by either author meets a similarly high standard. If it's by Denning and Phillips, read it!

47 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Book of Hermetic Philosophy Available, July 27, 2000

By 

"quantanephilim" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Foundations of High Magick: The Magical Philosophy (Hardcover)

There are many books availiable for those who wish to learn the way of ritual magick- but few books for those who wish to learn the philosophy behind it, without having to contend with the opinions of often overbearing (Crowley), dogmatic (Fortune), muddle-headed (Regardie), or overly cautious (Kraig) writers. This book not only teaches pure Qabalistic and Hermetic thought, but insightfully and lucidly ties in connections to Oriental, Native American, and even the often overlooked ideas of those anomalous American Transcendentalists, such as Emerson and Whitman. There's no strange yoga, badly-translated words of mystic power, or misunderstood mythology- only the finest piece of magical literature availiable today. If you're a psychologist interested in exploring the transpersonal realms, a layperson wanting to explore spirituality beyond the confines of exoteric religion, a pagan interested in exploring a more reason-oriented spirituality, or even a chaos mage (like myself) searching for answers- this book is for you. Buy it and see for yourself.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Outstanding Summary of Occult Philosophy, February 19, 2007

By 

Poker Pro "Always Learning" (New York) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Foundations of High Magick: The Magical Philosophy (Hardcover)

This book is quite simply the most concise and insightful summary of the Western mystical philosophy that you're going to find out there. "Foundations of High Magick" explains the symbolism, correspondences, and theory behind mystical self-development in a way that the entire library of Llwelyn and other Golden Dawn-inspired books cannot begin to approach. For those of us that have struggled to find a simple, logical explanation of the theory behind the mystical systems, this book does so in an unparalleled fashion. If anyone has ever tried to sort through the Chokmah in Binah of Assiah (and other such mysteriously muddle-some correspondences upon correspondences ad nauseum) for any length of time, Denning and Phillips have provided a welcome relief! This book doesn't just present the symbols and correspondences: it literally takes the reader on a fascinating tour of these strange new worlds. The authors are knowledgeable guides throughout, spinning an amazing tale that seamlessly combines history, psychology and legend.

Readers who have tried and failed to make sense of Regardie and Crowley's muddled exposition of these ideas will be very grateful to Denning and Phillips for this clear-headed account. The prospective reader should note that this is a theoretical volume, and specific rituals are discussed in the later two volumes of this series. However, I would not necessarily recommend those volumes, because the rituals Denning and Phillips outline are quite similar to those of the Golden Dawn, which can be found elsewhere. In fact, insofar as the Golden Dawn rituals are not literally written in Greek, I find them to be far more comprehensible and useful. But this volume is definitely a solid investment.