Visual Magic: A Manual of Freestyle Shamanism

Rating:
Summary: Jan Fries & Visual Magick
Review: 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).

Rating:
Summary: Visual Magick
Review: 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 !

Rating:
Summary: one of the best "chaos magick" books around
Review: 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.