The Secrets of High Magic

Rating:
Summary: A welcome addition to a magick library
Review: A friend of mine first pointed out this book to me in a book store. If nothing else, I was entranced by the handsome, legant beauty of this little tome.

But pretty books don't get my dollars. It was the information within that sold me. It contains the highest percentage of the best, most accurate and USEFUL magical information that a magician would need to know, all in a very small package. This book could be likened a miniature encyclopedia which contains quick, to-the-point, information on nearly every aspect of Western Magick (with a dash of the best of the Eastern teachings at the end of the book) without droning on and on with useless drivel that you could find in almost any other modern book on Western Magic.

And of special import to me is the fact that the author is one of the VERY few out there who recognizes that the 'traditional' elemental associations in regards to the magician's Tools, (i.e. wands=fire & swords=air) is flat out WRONG. In case you were wondering, as far as the Tools are concerned, wands=air & swords=fire.

Ironically though, if there is any wrong information in the book, it would have to be that the surprisingly correct elemental magical Tool association is not transferred to the Tarot Minor Arcana, meaning that the 'traditional' Tarot elemental associations still apply in this book (wands=fire, swords=air, cups=water, pentacles=earth). I found this error minor, and was not entirely upset about this, as the only author I know who has ever even attempted to correct this ancient mistake of Tarot elemental association in Western Magick is William Blystone, whose works will be published very soon.

All in all, I highly recommend this book to any magician, beginner or otherwise.

Jason Blanchard
Author of The Spiritual Science Of Miracles

Rating:
Summary: Good for a quick reference
Review: As a beginner to high/ceremonial magic a little over a year ago, I was disappointed when I picked up this book. It's great as a quick reference, but for a beginner it doesn't do nearly enough to introduce the topic.

The good thing about it is that it's compact, and finding information in it is fast and easy.

The bad thing about it is that if you're completely incompetent at high magic, this book does little more than tell you what you're missing out on.

I liked the layout and the pictures and color, but I was less than impressed when every other word was CAPITALIZED like THIS. It makes the reading of it annoying, to say the least.

Rating:
Summary: Good for a quick reference
Review: As a beginner to high/ceremonial magic a little over a year ago, I was disappointed when I picked up this book. It's great as a quick reference, but for a beginner it doesn't do nearly enough to introduce the topic.

The good thing about it is that it's compact, and finding information in it is fast and easy.

The bad thing about it is that if you're completely incompetent at high magic, this book does little more than tell you what you're missing out on.

I liked the layout and the pictures and color, but I was less than impressed when every other word was CAPITALIZED like THIS. It makes the reading of it annoying, to say the least.

Rating:
Summary: The art of real magic in an ornate nutshell
Review: Maybe if this author would have done a little more than light reseach for this book they would have a more accurate book. I flipped through this in a bookstore and immediately noticed one major inaccuracy right off the bat: the pentagram rituals are completely wrong. The earth banishing pentagram is used ONLY for the LBR and not all four banishing pentagrams as shown in this book.
Despite the many other inaccuracies it is a nice book, too bad it's context was written by an outside researcher.

Rating:
Summary: Ok but misleading.
Review: This book has some value. But somethings are wrong. The use of the wand and the dagger are BACKWARDS! Air is dagger, fire is wand. Not the reverse. Too simplified. Read Kraig's Modern Magick

Rating:
Summary: Even the title is a copy of another book
Review: This book is almost an offshoot of the one written by King and Skinner titled "Techniques of High Magic" with added information and rituals, both eastern and western in tradition.
For any practicing Magician, a nice piece to have around the temple or alter.
The material was well put together, making information easily accessable.
The paper was durable, print multicolored, simulated leather cover with 2 ribbons to tie shut when travelling.
I purchased a second one to send to a Magician I know in Chicago as a gift....and finding the second one in hardcover was difficult.

Rating:
Summary: The art of real magic in an ornate nutshell
Review: This comes across as a serious piece of work by a genuine adept. Concise, pithy and always focused on the point, the book ably covers the principle techniques of Hermetic magic, such as you would expect to find, but also contains important nuggets on key aspects that are usually omitted, including alchemy, certain tantric techniques and an unveiling of the true nature of Hermes/Thoth/Mercurius. The excellent chapter on practical alchemy provides precise instructions for producing planetary tinctures and fluid condensers. Beautifully presented, this book is a joy to look at, a pleasure to hold and a wonder to read. Ideal for the initiate needing to refocus or the neophyte who is ready to graduate from Harry Potter to the real thing.

Rating:
Summary: A fine sourcebook
Review: This is a very pretty book, nicely typeset, with art throughout - they've tried to convey the feel of a Book of Magick, and they've nearly succeeded - only the goofy cover illo spoils the effect. The content is good. I'm not sure whether a student could learn these arts from this book alone, but a good teacher could certainly teach from it. Worth owning.

Ian

Rating:
Summary: A welcome addition to a magick library
Review: This is a well organized and delightful reference book on the basic elements of magic. It covers the basics, including setting up an altar, what the basic tools are and how to consecreate them, succinct chapters on the Tree of Life, the major arcana and assigned to the twenty-two paths of the Tree, including the occult meaning for each of these cards based on Hermetic philosophy, and instructions for performing the major rituals essential to magic study, including the Kabalistic Cross, the Middle Pillar, the Greater and Lesser Rituals of the Pentagram and the Hexagram, and more. The chapter on Alchemy includes a pithy section on condensers, gold condensers, Universal solid and liquid condensers, Elemental fluid condensors, plus tinctures and other alchemical processes. There is even a section on the tattwa cards used for meditation and scrying, popularized by the Golden Dawn.

This book is quite condensed and the information is well organized, concise, and ready to use. It serves as a good overview of the essentials of ritual magic, and while it does introduce these concepts, perhaps this book would be more for the intermediate occultist looking to take the leap.

This book is not just another rehashed magic text. Some of the topics, like the Alchemical processes, are not often found in general magic books.

A worthwhile read.

Rating:
Summary: Compact Primer of Magick
Review: This small, wonderful little book is quality compact. It comes highly recommended. I love it's ease of use, it's speed of access, AND it is short on information that you REALLY don't need in your practice of Magick (such as an author's rambling). Consider it a pocket guide to the Great Work. Your heady library; leave at home. Take this one with you, it's touches on all the important points. In a word,"THE FIELD MANUAL OF THE WESTERN TRADITION MAGE!"