A history of white magic [Hardcover]

Gareth Knight (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1978

The world of magic is one of high imagination. In this wide-ranging historical survey Gareth Knight shows how the higher imagination has been used as an aid to the evolution of consciousness, from the ancient Mystery Religions, through Alchemy, Renaissance Magic, the Rosicrucian Manifestos, Freemasonry and 19th century Magical Fraternities, up to the modern era. Knight considers magic as a middle ground between science and religion, reconciling them in a technology of the imagination, which properly used, can bring about personal regeneration and spiritual fulfilment. He uses Coleridge's theory of the imagination as a basis for the validity of magic as science and art in its own right. Many systems and structures have come down through the ages slightly shoddy, misrepresented, maligned, misaligned. With this book a deconstruction becomes a recycling of raw material for the purposes of re-ordering and re-configuring - a righted prism, a shored up temple, a foundational re-ballasting.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

It is obvious from the beginning that we have here a work revealing the author's spiritual maturity, a work with a definite message and structure, rather than the piecemeal gathering of snippets of information which often is offered in books with this sort of title, by inferior authors with little occult understanding.A" - The Hermetic Journal --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 236 pages
• Publisher: Mowbrays (1978)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0264664469
• ISBN-13: 978-0264664460
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,542,630 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Massive compendium of history and knowledge here..., May 5, 2011

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F. Productions "Flowforth" (Boulder, CO) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A History of White Magic (Paperback)

Originally published by Mowbrays of Oxford, then reissued as Magic of the Western Mind by Llewellyn, A History of White Magic was an attempt by a then up-and-coming author (in his words) to "explain to the intelligent layperson that an interest in magic was not so weird or deviant as is generally assumed."

In retrospect we can say it's a good deal more than that as Gareth Knight, in keeping with the ancient craft of the historical annalist, chronicles the sphere of magical influence from classical antiquity to the modern lodge, arcing through ancient mystery religions, early church theology, Medieval lore, Renaissance science, society manifestos, to the magical fraternities of the last century.

But rather than just being historically encyclopaedic, the author weaves an organic fabric from the spindles of various Western traditions without ever allowing sensationalism to unravel the work (as other authors working in the milieu are sometimes wont to do). For Knight, Magic is the bridge between Science and Religion, but one that has been detonated by misconception, fear, and at times, wilful ignorance. He urges the reader to make the reconnection by utilising Coleridge's Theory of the Imagination as a master mason's tool, one that can be wielded in all processes of human cognition and thought. Readers will get to meet many shadowy figures recently subjected to tabloid treatment at the hands of commercial scribblers (Bruno, Gordiano, Ficino, Fludd, Dee, Bacon, etc.) - but in a truer and more illuminating light. Knight teaches us to discern between theurgy and thaumaturgy, between the true magus and the vain trickster - and ultimately how Magic is still relevant to the modern world.