Customer Reviews

Ritual Magic: What It Is & How To Do It (Llewellyn's Practical Magick)

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3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
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This book is primarily useful for the history, which makes up its bulk. The best chapters are perhaps 3 and 4, which trace the roots of magick from the classical era to the present; the information contained there basically agrees with what I know from both occult and academic resources. Tyson's choice of illustrations -- mostly woodcuts from old manuscripts and a few evocative photographs -- are especially excellent and add a great deal to the text. Overall, I liked Tyson's approach, which was practical, down to earth, and very sane.

That being said, this book has some problems. It doesn't live up to its title, namely the "How to Do It" part -- Tyson gives good general information on what to expect from magick and what not to, as well as some good general principles, but the actual rituals he gives are extremely preliminary. The treatments of various magickal paths vary a great deal in quality and in length. Further, Tyson is very free with expressing his personal opinions. He makes sweeping, negative generalizations about chaos magicians, heavy metal fans, and Thelemites that, while they have a grain of truth, insult the many members of these groups that are pleasant, sane, and responsible people. His ringing endorsement of Witches, while rather sweet, is also a bit strong.

Tyson makes some effort to differentiate his own theories from those of others, but I suspect he doesn't always succeed. Overall, this is a good introductory book, but the serious student will want to check into primary sources (Tyson's list in the back of the book is a decent place to start).

The first 8 chapters of this book focus on the science of magic, which is a rare and valuable find. The next 9 chapters briefly explore a variety of magical traditions, a good start for a beginner to get a feel for what they might find personally appealing. The last 5 chapters have to do with the actual practice of magic rites, and may or may not be helpful depending on the individual.

The entire book has solid information, and I would definitely recommend it for even the first 8 chapters!

A simplistic and overly moralistic work, in which Tyson states his own theories as fact (a tendency indulged in his other works as well). Watch out for Tyson's own innovations, which directly contradict most accepted theories/practices of other magickal schools of thought. Also painfully ignorant of Crowley/Thelema.

people seeking a knowledge of western, eastern, shamanism, and roots of egyptian should read. Don't expect very in depth info on these topics, for this is a book for people with "curiosity" to which a direction then can be made on the preferances of the occultist. Great Book!!

There have been many ways to explain magic, but none quite as good as Donald Tyson does in his book Ritual Magic. He shows the truth behind magic in his own style. In many ways magic is ineffible, or at the very least difficult to explain. Donald Tyson does not shrink from the task of giving a solid grounding in what magic is really all about.

I've read several of Tyson's other excellent books and most of them are very difficult to understand. Not so with this one. Ritual Magic is very easy to understand and I think anyone interested in magic would benefit greatly from reading it. Magic is nothing new. The belief in magic actually predates religion itself. Ancient mankind knew magic and modern man still proclaims to know magic.

Magic will never go away. It has been with us since the dawn of civilization and it will be with us until the very end of time. In today's brick and mortor world, we could all benefit from a little more magic in our lives. Let Donald Tyson be one of your mentors to show you the way with this book.

A word to the wise however, Tyson covers many different aspects of magic in the modern world. He has a chapter on modern Satanism in this book, but only in the effort to explain the broad range of magical belief systems in the world today. Of course he also gives an excellent chapter on Wicca and Witchcraft.

This book gives a pop cultural viewpoint of the occult-ritual subject.Many of the biggest names in Occult Magick history are discussed.It's an entertaining light-weight occult book.Yet,it does not give a serious occult student ,the necessary building-block information ,to do anything useful with.There is alot of urban legend and modern myth woven through the pages.A discerning reader would be able to filter this out quickly.I did find the Donald Tyson book,to be overall quirky and charming too.A better title would be,"Occult History--A Beginner's Guide to Ritual Magick History".I have moved on from the brief histories discussed here in his primary ritual book.It's just an average magick book,for the novice.

Getting out of the mind, and into one's larger self, is the basic human journey. It's harder in Western culture, which worships the small self. Getting out of the box of White Man culture is not so easy, for those who live in their heads. One needs to spend time in Wilderness, or solitude, alone, to let the spirit bubble up into consciousness, no book can substitute for that. Other books help with this subject-Lost Secrets of Ancient Hawaiian Huna, Volume 1 Secrets of Shamanism: Tapping the Spirit Power Within You, The Future Is Yours: Do Something About It! and ThetaHealing. There is a Sufi story about moths, and the only moth that really understands the candle is the one who gives himself totally to the light, and the light gives itself to him. This applies to shamanic work. Shamanic techniques work from the larger self, especially in service to others. Shamanism means working with the subconscious, and at times superconscious minds. It cannot be apprehended by the conscious mind, the ego. Without a strong intent of service to others, many things just don't work, or work only slightly. Whispers of the Ancients: Native Tales for Teaching and Healing in Our Time gives you some idea of how very different natives storytelling is, how stories shape the Universe, and so does House of Shattering Light: Life as an American Indian Mystic, & Journey to the Ancestral Self: The Native Lifeway Guide to Living in Harmony With Earth Mother, Book 1 (Bk.1) These are very good basic books, to getting out of the box of White Man culture. Wong Kiew Kit's books on Chi Kung show how ideas like this survive in Chinese culture. Western culture is lost in the literal, and won't look at the deeper meanings of its stories. Neville Goddard has ideas on this, as one example among many. So do Joseph Murphy The Power of Your Subconscious Mind (Empower Your Life) and Max Freedom Secret Science Behind Miracles and Serge King, in Urban Shaman. I seek a book with practical ideas I can apply right away. Matrix Energetics: The Science and Art of Transformation is the book I'd buy, in this area, if I could only buy one book.

This book is great for beginning witches and warlocks I just got it is awesomeit gives you the history of wicca and teaches how to do a ritual. If you a becoming a warlock or witch read this then get other books.