Customer Reviews

High Magic: Theory & Practice

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

With his practical, non-dogmatic, occasionally iconoclastic approach to the Black Arts, as well as being one of Europe's best known practical magicians and contemporary occult authors with more than twenty-five books to his credit, Belgium-based Frater U.D. is the founder of "Pragmatic Magic" and "Ice Magic", and the author of High Magick: Theory & Practice. This comprehensive and thoroughly "reader friendly" introduction to magical practices will provide even the most novice inquiry with a sold, methodical foundation for furthering their personal studies. Rather than a mere compendium of potions and spells, High Magick focuses upon explaining the basic laws governing magic, with an emphasis on what it means to be a "good" magician. With an impressive emphasis on self-discipline and the need for training the practitioner's own will, High Magick covers all of the major facets of high magick including "The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram", sigil magick, ritual magick, visualization, the "Greater Ritual of the Pentagram", planetary magick, tools of the magician, talisman work, mantra magick, money magick, magickal paradigms, chaos and cyber magick. Enhanced with practical exercises at the end of each informed and informative chapter, High Magick: Theory & Practice should be considered required reading for anyone wanting to study the metaphysical and magical arts of the occult. Also very highly recommended is Frater U.D.'s previous work published by Llewellyn Publications, Secrets of Western Sex Magic: A Practical Handbook for Men and Women (15767187064, $17.95).

There are so many exercises that I am frankly amazed. This book is one for those of us that are serious about developing magickal talent. I would first advise that you start out with "Modern Magic". Then advance to this book. You will definitely develop all the skills to be successful in magick.

I did not have much experience with magic when I began reading this book. At times, I find it difficult to understand. For those areas in which I have some previous experience, found the material in this book excellent. In those areas were I had no previous experience, I needed to consult other texts to fill in the gaps in my basic knowledge. I would not reccomend this book for absolute beginners or people with a casual interest in the subject. I feel it is written at an intemmediate level. I would definitely recommend it for any one with a serious interest in magic. The theoretical part of the book seems sound. It connects well to the practice exercises. The material is presented sequentially. I estimate it would take about two years to complete every thing in this book.

This book is an excellent read, with tons of practical advice and excercises to get anyone started in the field of magic. My only qualms are that as a reviewer, I haven't read a huge amount on the more ceremonial, Judeo/Christian influenced magical systems, so I hope my review is fair by someone with more knowledge in this realm. I didn't find myself bewildered by the book at all, neither was I disappointed with any shortage of information. This is one of those books that approaches magic so nondogmatically, it allows the reader to take away any information and practices they want to add to their own pre-existing practices, or to help create their own. I thought it was an excellent book with a wealth of information, and excellent introduction to and exploration of the world of High Magic.

this book isnt for the beginner as the ritual and magick isnt explained to the detail one would require to practice successfully.
however the information provided is good and detailed on the meanings of the rituals themselves and he has included quite a lot of interesting exercises also.

i would have to recommend don craigs book on high magick being by far the best beginning reference i personally have been able to find as yet (and i love books).

purchase this book if you want to deepen your knowledge but not recommended as a guide for the beginner.

;)

For those who want a non-dogmatic approach to magick, this is a very good book to start with. Frater U. D. explains each and every technique included in [High Magic] clearly and concisely from the beginning to the end of said book. I've been working with Frater U. D.'s magickal system since the first publication of [Practical Sigil Magic] in 1990, and the publication of [Secrets of the German Sex Magicians] in the late 90's, now called [Secrets of Western Sex Magic]. I highly recommend this book, [High Magic] too anyone serious about progressing in magickal/sorcery practice and its theory.

This is an excellent book for many reasons. There are not many manuals on the market that deal with traditional ceremonial magickal rites, such as the LBRP and others, as well as Sigils and gazes. For that alone, this book deserves 4 and a half stars.
However, for the traditional seeker of Hermetic Ceremonial High Magick, there is one critical thing missing; anything to do with the Tree of Life, Middle Pillar Ritual, and other Hebraic knowledge. For that reason, some other reviewers have labeled this book as more sorcery than high magick.

This book is great, but as an addition to an already established practice. Good Luck all.

As my review title says, this book, at least in my opinion, is best used by those who are more than bare bones beginners to High Magick. Once you've been studying your copy of Modern Magick: Eleven Lessons in the High Magickal Arts (Llewellyn's High Magick) or Self-Initiation Into the Golden Dawn Tradition: A Complete Cirriculum of Study for Both the Solitary Magician and the Working Magical Group (Llewell) and you want to supplement it with a book on the inner workings of magick, this is the book for you. You won't find alot of Qabalistic philosophy (if any really) in this book, leading many to lay claims of "sorcery" to the aims of the book. While I won't try to argue either of those points, I will stress that I really feel like this should be a book used by an intermediate student of High Magick. Someone who already knows why they are performing magick, what they hope to gain from it, and like me, are simply seeking a way to strengthen their workings through knowledge and a better understanding.

I feel this book is extremely useful for beginners like myself. The writing style is well developed and his actual layout is also well thought out. His excercises provide a structure for getting the handle on things. He also gives interesting insight into many different topics of the occult world. My only problem with this book is that he doesn't give enough detail about certain aspects of operations. I'm not saying he doesn't have a clear and concise formula or ritual structure, but, rather I feel he ommits key details in his excerpts and his examples. I realize that a lot of magic is in spontaniety, however, beginners usually want clear cut facts instead of drawing their own conclusions. I know I did, however, I admit in the end I'm glad that he does leave out some minor detail because as he says it allows the magician to form his own style and ritual structuring.

This book deserves five stars not for its title, but for its content, writing, organization, and flow. It is true that many of the practices included as exercises in this book would certainly not be considered "High Magic" as it is used as a term of art. Conventionally, Low Magic is that magic used to acquire and manipulate earthly things. High Magic is that magic which - through the magician's acquired knowledge of the universe - leads to union with God(s). Undeniably, the construction of a Money Sigil, as is described in this book, is certainly not "High" Magic by anybody's definition.

In light of this discussion, I will not debase myself by commenting on one reviewer's description of the practices in this book as being "based on and emphasising [sic] sorcery" rather than magic. Rather, I agree with reviewer J. Hart's colloquial terminology of the magic contained in this book as Deep Magic. "Deep" in the sense that the theory explored in this book delves into a deeper understanding of magical functioning (i.e. the mechanics of how magic works). This is something almost all older grimoires and many contemporary books on magic eschew. Perhaps the author intended this nontraditional meaning - consciously or otherwise - in his title.

Most magicians have a philosophical bent which is an amalgam of one or more schools of magical thought. Although Frater U.:D.: may be no different, he is neither rigid nor dogmatic in his narrative. His pedagogical style is both accessible to the neophyte and enlightening to the active practitioner. For example, he includes important foundational rituals such as The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram and The Greater Ritual of the Pentagram in clear and concise language. His discussion of twenty-five magical tools, both the basic magical tools still widely used today, and the more archaic ones, is as excellent a primer on magical tools as you will find in any book.

In evaluating this book, I would beseech readers not to expect a comprehensive encyclopedia of magic or a collection of detailed treatises on individual magical topics. Rather, if some of the sections seem sparse, remember that this is an instruction manual and basic textbook and should be used as such. Further exploration of certain topics in greater detail is the hallmark of good magical practice. Remember the first mandate of the maxim: To Know; To Will; To Dare; To Keep Silent.

I love this book, and have re-read certain sections numerous times. I also particularly like the book for beginning students, as it provides practical exercises which are graded in difficulty and correspond well with the author's discussions on theory.