Customer Reviews

Visual Magick

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am fond of this book. I have my doubts about Jan Fries.

Fries neatly describes a practice containing elements of NLP (representational systems & perceptual positions), automatic drawing techniques, and a clear (excellent, even) coverage of sigil technique. Jan's emphasis on a non-forceful kind of Taoist approach is worthy of special attention. I have not found much of the latter half of the book useful, myself, but the parts that I have found useful are very well done and free of obfuscation.

That said, I do have a problem with Jan's egotistical glorification of Thelema (in odd and not necessarily appropriate ways) and his claims that some effective techniques of Chaos Magick are "nonsense" (contrary to the experience of a great many people who use them). His statements that visions appear shadey and vague as if one were just imagining them, though I may have misunderstood his meaning and/or intent, lead me to question just how much of an "Adept" he actually is in certain respects.

That said, I believe the book survives the author, and is a worthwhile contribution to any occultist's library (well, unless of course you're a die-hard ceremonialist. Not much here for you in that case).

Though Jan doesn't consider himself a practicioner of "chaos magick" (he is a neo-thelemite in the Maat current) people who *do* consider themselves practicioners of "chaos magick" love him.

Very down to earth. Check out his stuff on runes too.

Forget Pete Carroll, that pompous mystagogue. Stick with Jan Fries and maybe a bit of Phil Hine, and you're on solid ground.

Jan Fries has done a fine job with this work. The book is sub-titled "A Manual of Freestyle Shamanism," and to anyone in the know that seems to fit the books nicely. This work is very much for working magicians who are not afraid to leave their comfort zones. Fries has exercises in every chapter of the book corresponding to the philosophy covered, a rarity in occult works these days. This book is an important text that I believe all modern practitioners should have a copy of, if not for themselves, for potential students. This work will save the would be occultist YEARS of sifting through booshwa to get the facts about magic. In regard to this, the section on sigil magic alone is worth the price of the book. If one truly wishes to the deep transformations that are meant to be brought about by occult workings, this is perhaps one of the best places to start.

As an aside I must mention that this work will not be for those searching for "traditional" forms of shamanism, primitivism or "neo-shamanism." Rather the work is a mix of psychology, NLP, trance, chaos magick, and shamanic technique that blend together to form superb practice. I recommend this book highly to all seekers on the path. I do not recommend that the practices employed be used in a group working, unless all have been working together strictly using said practices. Rather this book works at the core of the occult, personal transformation. Also, the work makes no religious claims or clarifications, another rarity in occult works. This book can be used by a magician, witch, sorcerer, etc. of any stripe. It is so non-judgemental about individual beliefs and practices that it can even easily be employed by an atheistic occultist, and yes they do exist. The only reason that I have not given this book a four star rating is that I do disagree with the author on a few points made in regard to tradition, but otherfise a most excellent work.

Ryan

I was looking for a different perspective about modern shamanism, and after reading some reviews about this book, I decided to give it a try. Visual Magick is a treasure chest filled with pearls of wisdom like no other book I have read before. Fries' tone made me feel like I had walked right in the middle of a conference taught by him. He provides insights about several aspects of magick that are invaluable to beginners and seasoned practitioners alike. However, it may be difficult for beginners, since there is no general introduction to magick before starting with sigil magick in Chapter 1.

This is how the book is organized:

Preface
Chapter 1 The Seed
- How is the sigil made?

Chapter 2 The Ritual
- How do we transmit the sigil?

Chapter 3 'Automatic Drawing'

Chapter 4 Sigils, Sex and Beyond

Chapter 5 Visualization
- Waking the senses
- Exercise one
- Magick requires good imagination
- Exercise one - in the wild

Chapter 6 Access to Imagination
- What have the astral doorways and the god forms in common?
- Exercise two - banishing and invocation
- My dream of being x
- An Approach To Colour
- Exercise three - what colours may reveal

Chapter 7 Imagination and Prayer
- Cup meditation
- Invoking the elements
- Invoking earh: an example
- The cup meditation in a group

Chapter 8 Mandala Building
- A personal mandala
- Connecting ideas to the plants
- Tree and plant lore
- Smaller plants

Chapter 9 Spirits of Nature
- Exercice four: creative hallucination
- Exercise five: shape shifting
- Earthing

Chapter 10 Waking the Beasts
- Exercise six - waking the beasts

Chapter 11 Coming to Earth
- What do you do with it?

Bibliography and Index

The book feels disjointed on first glance, but once I got past Chapter 4, I knew it wasn't an ordinary book. In this book, Jan Fries shares his experience and wisdom about his magickal practice. I definitely want to read it more than once to make sure I haven't missed something that may be important to me.

This book manages to provide a visceral, tangible introduction to `magic' or the state of dynamic, creative, engagement of the life process to which such terms refer. Jan's style is particularly engaging and down to earth, and this book covers a variety of the basic process and mechanisms of modern `freestyle shamanism' or `magic', clearly and concisely. He has a refreshing neo-Taoist vibe, with an emphasis on a dynamic living engagement with a flowing, evolving, life-force. Open ended and creative in focus, this book provides a host of idea's both theoretical and practical, that can help one to find their own intuitive engagement with the universal song. For a creative, engaging, dynamic, and totally down to earth introduction to `freestyle shamanism' one need look no further. 5 stars!

Oh and remeber to AVOID CRAMP! haha

Really this book opens a door on the subject. It really enlightens one about sigils, how to contact desire, and moreover magick as life. A terrrific read for anyone remotely interested in the subject. Highly recommended.

This book is fun to read, and has quite alot of fresh material. Im not fully convinced it is all shaminism, as you usually think of it, but it is excellent material. The methods are explained well, and the tasks are easily do-able by most anyone.
Highly recommended!

Jan Fries has bestowed upon humanity (knowingly or unknowingly) one of the best spiritual/magick manuals ever! This book is designed for those intrepid psychonautic explorers who aren't afraid in sundering the veil, and stepping through into the world(s) of the seen and unseen! This book coupled with (The Book Of Pleasure & The Focus Of Life) by Austin Osman Spare is all one needs in creating a personal (individualized) system of sorcery/magick. "I would give this book 10 stars if allowed!"

I stayed away from this book because I am not fond of Thelemite work, but discovered, in a borrowed copy, that Crowley is mentioned, but not re-canned into a new wrapper here.

But I discovered something else as well. This book contains one of the clearest and most thorough expositions of Sigil Majik that has ever been put to paper. I've been working with the Spare technology for a while, and not only did he manage to validate some of my ideas (which are pretty antithetical to most of the writing on the subject) from his experience, but explained in a very succinct way how he came about these same insights. I've been hoping to discuss these matters from a fresh perspective, but in this agenda-laden craft, that's not easy. Jan provided the the other side of this conversation in a clear and concise way.

There is also the shamanistic side of this exposition - some parts of "freestyle" approach the aesthetic benchmark I am guiding my practice towards without costing a king's ransom, and for that I am grateful. I am not really fond of the style of writing, and I really don't see the point some of the exercises, but neither of these objections gets in the way of the content. If you are looking to find something on natural majik that is inspiring and practical, this book is excellent. If you're a beginner, you could do a lot worse than starting here. If you take what you need and leave the rest, there probably won't be so much "rest" to leave.

One of the great books on shamanism and chaos magick. Get this book !

Especially loved the section on automatic drawing. I wish he would expand on it. I wish there was a section on the Alphabet of desire. There is just one problem on page 37 he writes

"The following exercise devlopes the ability to draw 'units' of linework in a swift and continuous manner. It helps to learn about space,flow and"

He didn't his sentance !