Customer Reviews

Transcendental Magic

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
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1 star:		(2)

 

 

Perhaps one of the most elusive books on the occult market is Eliphas Levi's "Transcendental Magic: It's Doctrine and Ritual". Originally written in French with the title "Dogme et Ritual de la Haute Magie" (1855-1856, published in two volumes), translated literally as "The Dogma and Ritual of High Magic", revised to the current title by translator and commentator, the questionable Arthur Edward Waite.

"Transcendental Magic" is broken into two books, appropriately "Doctrine" and "Ritual". Both books are divided up into 22 chapters. While it seems evident to any occult student that they equate to the tarot deck and Hebrew letter/number system, A. E. Waite immediately rejects this as only coincidence by stating "that which emerges, however, is its utter confusion." Waite apparently had difficulty relating the first chapter, "The Candidate" to the Juggler (Waite was part of the Golden Dawn which alters various symbols from the O.T.O, A.'.A.'., and other occult schools). Furthermore, the second book begins with "Preparations", which Waite believes makes no correspondence to "The Candidate" or The Juggler. Waite who translated the book to a very readable and exciting version is too hung up on historical accuracy, which accounts for most of his confusion. Waite is trying to fit square pegs into round holes.

Eliphas Levi, a priest of the Catholic Church, although wrote about occultism, still maintained faith in the Church. As one reads his other works, such as "The Great Secret" or "The Mysteries of the Qabalah", you will see his faith in Christianity is still evident from his exposition on the Christian and Jewish myths. "Transcendental Magic", however, still stands as his most impressive and complete work, which, as well has touches of Christianity within its pages. Any honest occultist will recognize the value of Christian and Jewish mythology as the foundation of modern occult practice. As expounded by Levi a number of times, any good Church-going Christian will know what "The Seven Seals of St. John" is referring.

It may be evident immediately that a once read will not suffice in capturing the meaning of Levi's words. I found immensely valuable a dictionary of etymology and a Greek, Hebrew and Latin dictionary (Oxford I prefer for all). Levi employs many strange words that one will need to know on a continual basis to grasp entirely. These words are paradoxical in practical work: they serve to further understanding by decoding various names and they serve as symbols unto themselves that one uses to activate various states. The beginning of each of the chapters in the book of the Doctrine lists the title, a Roman numeral, a Hebrew character, and a few words in other languages outside of English. It is prudent for the student to study those words in relation to all that precedes and follows it. They don't make sentences, but they will make sense.

While at first I read it from front to back, but as I was studying it, I found it more effective to read the first chapter from the Doctrine and then the first chapter from the Ritual. Essentially what you are reading is the "philosophical attitude" one must take, and then a means in which to maintain or carry that attitude through. The most confusing aspect for modern occultists is the Tarot attributions. There are many people who buy this in hopes for a book on Tarot, but they will certainly be disappointed. In most decks, it is common to give The Fool the numerical attribution of "0", the world egg, the inner and outer, evolution and involution. What Levi does is attribute 21 to the Fool, "Dentes Furca Amens" - the serpent tongue, the forked tooth (ala Shin), or liar in our modern nomenclature. Levi, however, is not alluding only to lying, but also "slips of the tongue" as in a Freudian nature and also speaking without restraint of thought. This chapter is headed with "Divination", where a diviner does not listen to their thoughts or prejudge a situation. They let the words roll off the tongue. This perhaps confuses anyone studying Crowley or Waite's deck or any popular run-of-the-mill tarot (save the Hall/Knapp and Taviglione decks).

To think of this book purely as a guide to the Tarot is to misunderstand the work entirely. As Levi says in the first chapter, "The man who loves his own opinions and fears to part with them, who suspects new truths, who is unprepared to doubt everything rather than admit anything on chance, should close this book: for him it is useless and dangerous."

To the student who is persistent in challenge, willing to discredit his own knowledge will find this book to his advantage. It may also be useful to check up on some of Aleister Crowley's works as he was highly influenced by Levi, and his perspective may lighten things up. Specifically Magic Book 4 and Book of Thoth which discuss some of Levi's works.

This enigmatic book presents the Great Arcanum of all mystical traditions in such a beautiful, rich way, but yet it will remain inaccessible to those who are as yet uneducated in the true Secret Path. This knowledge was NEVER given publicly until 1950 when "The Perfect Matrimony" was written by Samael Aun Weor. Regardless, once you know the keys, Mr. Levi's book becomes a priceless gem, filling the heart of the reader with endless wonder at the incredible truths of the Secret Doctrine. Unfortunately, very few have such keys, so most read this book and forget it, or they form an opinion based on their own point of view and hawk that as the truth. Few realize that the Secret Doctrine is a firm and unwavering Law, into which opinion cannot enter. "The Law is the Law and the Law will be fulfilled." As Mr. Levi states in the first chapter:

"The man who is enslaved by his passions or worldly prejudices can be initiated in no wise (meaning he can never be initiated); he must reform or he will never attain; meanwhile he cannot be an adept, for this word signifies a person who has acheived by will and by work. The man who loves his own opinions and fears to part with them, who suspects new truths, who is unprepared to doubt everything rather than admit anything on chance, should close this book; for him it is useless and dangerous. He will fail to understand it, and it will trouble him, while if he should divine the meaning, there will be a still greater source of disquietude. If you hold by anything in the world more than reason (as opposed to superstition), truth and justice; if your will be uncertain and vacillating, either in good or evil; if logic alarm you, or the naked truth make you blush; if you are hurt when accepted errors are assailed; condemn this work straight away. Do not read it; let it cease to exist for you; but at the same time do not cry it down as dangerous. The secrets which it records will be understood by an elect few and will be reserved by those who understand them."

For those who understand the true nature of this work, it is highly recommended that you study "The Initiatic Path in the Arcana of Tarot and Kabbalah" by Samael Aun Weor. Herein you will find explicit what Levi only sketches.

But, then again, if you can't think symbolically, you should avoid the subject of Magick, entirely.

In this book, Alphonse Constant reveals - by "re-veiling" - all the keys to Practical Qabalah & Gnosticism (which are NOT the same thing). If you want a purely rational, academic discourse, this book is NOT for you. But if you can, in the words of Robert Graves, think "poetically" rather than "prosaically," this book is the ultimate Key in the English language to practical Qabalah.

In this book, "Levi" pulls a Universal Doctrine of the inherent Divinity of every human out of a number of sources, and shows how the Jewish tradition of Qabalah has said nothing less than this in it's entire history. In his own special way, he "re-veils" this Doctrine while simultaneously giving the creative thinker the keys to deciphering these veils.

It is true that Constant seems a bit confused concerning certain details of Jewish writings & general philosophy, but he succeeds in identifying the essential points, especially as they are mirrored in other traditions & writings. In this respect, some of A.E.Waite's footnotes appear to be "red herrings" for the prosaically minded (even to the point of contradicting statements of his own in Waite's own writings).

This book, written in 1854, is to me a timeless work of art intended for a very small minority - actually I don't know anyone I could recommend the book to! Having said that, not all books need to be read entirely. I have never read the book from cover to cover but there are some parts that make this book a rare jewel.

"What one wills with perseverance, once does."

Unfortunately, the translation needs much work. All criticism aside, if you find yourself interested in esoteric matters, get a copy and flick through it from time to time, you may be shocked at what you find.

"In order to perform miracles, it is necessary to be outside the common conditions of humanity."

One of the most practical chapters is Preparations. Here he seems to reveal all of the secrets to success.

The second part, the practical part of the book, is the better, but there are pearls and moments in the first part that deserve some attention.

"Do you want to have nothing to fear for tomorrow? Do good today, good actions are the seed of happiness."

The only book of his I recommend a cover to cover read, and I know all his works very well, is Fables and Symbols, but unfortunately this work has not yet been translated. Maybe some kind man with a lot of money will come along and pay for it to be done some day ;)

"Pain is a work, work a struggle, struggle a progress, progress real life."

In this work you will learn about success, magnetism, faith, invisible forces, God, etc.

"To be able it is necessary to believe that one can and this faith must be immediately translated into actions."

Eliphas Levi has a way with words that can be compared to Jesus, Samael Aun Weor, James Allen, Gurdjieff, Paracelsus...but this book is not for everyone. I was only able to grasp some of its truths after much self-work, and this makes sense, as one can only receive knowledge that corresponds to one's level of being, as Gurdjieff explains in 'In Search of the Miraculous'.

"Dare to formulate your desire, whatever it is, then get to work immediately, and do not stop acting in the same sense and to the same end: what you want will be done, and it has already begun for you and by you."

TRANSCENDENTAL MAGIC stands out as the premiere post-18th century treatise on Western/Judaic magic and the occult. It has inspried such occult practioners as A.E. Waite (who translated the book from french to english), Helene Blavatsky and Aleister Crowley (who penned a commentary on the contents of TRANSCENDENTAL MAGIC). Even today the book is reguired reading for a number of occult societies & organizations.

Here is a brief sample of material covered in TRANSCENDENTAL MAGIC:
The Doctrine of Transcendental Magic
The Pentagram
Initiation
Kaballah
The Great Work
Necromancy
Black Magic
Divination
The Ritual of Transcendental Magic
The Conjuration of the Four
The Sabbath of the Sorcerers
The Book of Hermes
& more.

People unaquainted with the popular writing style of the 19th century may find this book problematic. For example, basic sentence construction tended to be much longer than it is today, and requires more concentration. Also bear in mind that we're referencing to a time when reading really WAS popular. I neither condemn or recommend the style.

In way of alerting readers to Levi's particular writing style, I quote the opening section of chapter 12: The Great Work:

"The Great Work is, before all things, the creation of man by himself, that is to say, the full & entire conquest of his faculties and his future; it is especially the perfect emancipation of his will, assuring him universal domination over Azoth and domain of Magnesia, in other words, full power over the Universal Magical Agent. This Agent disguised by the ancient philosophers under the name of the First Matter, determines the forms of modifiable substance, and we can really arrive by means of it at metallic transmutation and the Universal Medicine. This is not a hypothesis; it is a scientific fact already established and rigorously demonstratrable. Nicholas Flamel and Raymond Lully, both of them poor, indubitably distributed immense riches. Agrippa never proceeded beyond the first part of the Great Work, and he perished in the attempt, struggling to possess himself and to fix his independence."

The Great Work is central to the western magical tradition. Levi reveals its inner secret in a semantically shrouded form. Aleister Crowley did as well in BOOK 4. Perhaps they felt safe in revealing the secret because only Initiates could understand?

If the subject interests you, and perhaps even more importantly, if you can wade through Levi's particularly difficult form of 19th century prose--by all means obtain the book.

It may lead to other interesting things.

This book is an excellent read for any level of initiate, though I would not necessarily recommend it to a candidate. The level of confusion that can ensue to beginners of the path of the Great Work is an ounce of help and a pound of trouble. But to any intitiate his doctine and ritual is enlightenment.

A word of warning, however. Everything within should be taken with a grain of salt, and this includes the translators footnotes. When Waite quotes, he is directly to the point. But his incessant need to nit-pick and analyze every key note within is unnerving and extraneous. As if Arthur Edward Waite had nothing better to do than to translate the adepts and tear their doctrines apart, he seems to miss the point entirely. Acting as Levi's own interpretation of Oedipus, Waite gives the answer of MAN! to the sphinx, thus crumbling an agenda and his own kingdom. Holding far too fast to the form and forgetting the force, he manages to critique to death far too many avenues, almost making the reader wonder why he/she should even bother. As an example, in the very first chapter of Doctrine (or Dogma, depending on the interpreter), with a blatant display of ignorance, Waite refuses to accept the attribution of the "Emerald Table" to Hermes Trismegistus - and a more irrelevant point could make for none the worse. Noted scholars have already addressed the issue, time and again, of Eliphas' insistence upon his oath of non-revealing to the point of encoding this work for the adept, and the adept alone, as Levi himself hints at several times within the first introduction.

The footnotes aside, the manuscript is an invaluable key for meditation on the Qabalah, the Tarot and any other system of initiation in any style. Read, think and act upon this book with fervor.

I had heard of the author and respected him. Then one day I was looking at my very old original version of the baphomet as my goddess figure for my altar and noticed the name Eliphas Levi written on the stone the baphomet was sitting on. I looked up Eliphas Levi online and found he had written several books dating back to the late 1800s- I really like really old gothic and occult literate as more modern, trendy stuff always falls by the wayside wheras the old classics live on and stand the test of time. But his books were expensive; I tried getting older version of Levi's books on ebay but got outbid every time and wasn't willing to place a higher bid. But I did a spell to quit addiction to smokeless tobacco to have more money each day and apparently it worked. I also didn't go to the bar as much and then one day after saving up I finally could by this reprint by Weiser books. This is a book about Eliphas Levi's theories of magic. Even though all he does is talk about it he knows what he is talking about and it was a pleasure to read. Though with a lot of stuff I've been reading there isn't too much to get out of them, just a lot of difficult and pricey reading. I look at Weiser books and these old icon authors as a sign of good taste to the wretchedly sappy works of your typical midwestern houswife or choir boy. I respect Levi and also fullfilled a short term goal by getting one of his better works.

Works of this nature should be cherished by all humanity

A fine example of a book of the words-on-paper variety. What you get from this book, like with all books, depends on what you bring. Personally I found it fascinating, like a good novel.

This is a wonderful Bedside book, to keep on-hand for those nights when you just can't fall-asleep. This book has been a great Sleep Aid for me, many nights. A Prescription for lack of sleep: this predicament can usually be cured with only one or two chapters.

My wife uses Crowley's more boring works to put her to sleep, but "Transcendental Magic" works for me. Occasionally, Waite's snippety footnotes will perk you up, but Levi's laborious ramblings will send you off to nodding, immediately thereafter.

I can understand why Crowley believed he was Eliphas Levi (and numerous other famous occultists/people).... Crowley has a similar rambling--(get to the point, for The God's Sake)--style, which he may have subconsciously adopted from reading Levi.

Regardless, aside from the occasional glimmerings of Occult Knowledge and little revelations, this book is mostly out-dated, boring and irrelevant (but the picture of Baphomet is quite nice). I honestly believe that the only reason this book is still being published is due to the fact that it is on several occult organization's "Recommended Reading Lists."

This is a nice book to have on-hand to polish-off the Occult collection and use for reference material, occasionally, but the read itself is quite boring (and I have been known to read through books of Masonic Rituals).

I assume this book was impressive a century-ago, but today it is pretty-much irrelevant, boring and only somewhat useful. However, due to the fact that I did make some interesting connections about the Kabalah, etc. while reading it, and it did help me fall-asleep many times, I am giving it three stars.