Embracing the Magical Paradigm



The magical paradigm can take many forms and depending on whose talking about it can be either a good or bad thing. The term “magical thinking” used derisively, as it often is, can refer to an unhealthy sort of fantasizing in place of rational thinking and action taking. Specifically, what I am referring to when I say magical paradigm is the lore we have been handed down through the ages from our ancestors by the keepers and in some cases the rediscoverers of that lore. 

Where Do We Get Magical Lore?

This lore comes in a few different forms and from variant sources. Some good sources are the ancient Druids and Maji, the Taoists and esoteric Buddhists, and the Egyptians and Greeks from whom we have hieroglyphs and papyri records of their ancient rites. A few keepers and redistributors of that lore who are, for the most part, reliable and trustworthy and who have written publicly on their knowledge include Cornelius Agrippa (1486-1535), Eliphas Levi (1810-1875). Israel Regardie (1907-1985), Gerald Gardner (1884-1964) and Dion Fortune (1890-1946).

Copies exist also of several medieval grimoires or handbooks on magical treatises and procedures from the Middle Ages. These can be purchased through Amazon as can the works from those keepers named in the previous paragraph. Even the ancient works that survived long enough to be translated may today be acquired by anyone inclined to own them, e.g. The Pyramid Texts, Greek Magical Papyri, et al.

Unless you are someone who likes arduous study you will probably find any of the materials referenced above quite exhausting, if not miserable, and certainly confusing. I would, nonetheless, be remiss for avoiding mention of them.

Contemporary Sources for Magic Studies Content

If you aren’t a nerd or bookworm like I am by nature, hold out hope! There are plenty of modern and post-modern authors who have a solid grasp of magical lore, and you can obviously find their work on Amazon as well.

Of course you already knew that, because that is most likely where you found this e-book. Would it shock you to learn I have others? I didn’t think so, now run along and do an Amazon search for my name or find the links at the end of this book for my other titles.

You can also visit my blog frequently to find information about a wide variety of magical topics, including the basic lore.

If you have something against class and sound instructive writing you could avoid my work and opt for the content produced by others. I’m kidding, and can easily recommend several good, contemporary authors to choose from.


 

Here’s a shortlist of magicians whose work I appreciate:

·         Phillip Cooper

·         Scott Cunningham

·         Will Parfitt

·         Sandra Eason

·         Bill Whitcomb

·         Stephen Skinner

·         Sandra Kynes

I won’t tell you to believe everything you hear and read regarding a magical worldview. I certainly do not accept everything presented to me in those contexts. 

But I definitely encourage you to have an open mind and learn to conceptualize the lore you study. Whether it's real or not it provides a strong and sound conceptual framework that enables the enactment of reliable and successful magic which I believe is what we all want.

Check out Bag of Agates, the personal journal of a magician who has taught me much, for a basic overview on the magical paradigm of the established lore.
 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Spiritual Scaffolding and Standards for Successful Sorcery

Image
Scaffolding and Standards You Say? What in the world could I be on about with this title? Perhaps the suggestion that, for individuals with an interest in approaching esoteric and occult studies, there is a framework and format that can help make sense of the apparent gibberish and shed light on the hidden value things like magic have to offer. Even in our post-modern world (gone mad), evolved so far beyond those superstitious and delusional clods who wrote their magical grimoires on stretched goat skin with feather-pens by the light of a candle, we can derive benefit from the study of arcane lore and magical procedures. That's a tough sell, I understand. Silly Stuff Like Spirit and Sorcery?  Shit. Shut it. How could we, the authors of such magnificent social media profiles and distributors of such stunningly righteous (virtue-signaling), instructional memes to point the (politically correct) way for our neighbors, benefit in any way from savages like Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa and
Read more

How to have a Truly Open Mind

Image
Having an open mind is not the same thing as being gullible, nor does it mean you must discard reason and logic. I get those out of the way quickly because unfortunately when I hear people speak of open-mindedness they are absolutely promoting the belief in every New Age pile of waste that rolls out of the metaphysical sewer and into the daylight, and odds are they are also actively engaged in science bashing . Open-Minded is the Opposite of Dogmatic – Duh! Being entrenched and dogmatic about beliefs that are “different” is still being entrenched and dogmatic. What’s more there’s nothing different about the tired old anti-science and anti-religion rhetoric being regurgitated by today’s proponents of New Age dogmatism. Most of the ideas parroted about how arrogant the scientists are or how evil the Christians are reached its zenith in the 1990’s and, for a time, was largely considered settled or forgotten about. Then we got YouTube and a whole generation (or two) of contrarians wh
Read more

How to Cast a Magic Circle?

 Here's a question lots of new people have. In lazy mode I have two answers: Check this easy example of casting a magic circle that incorporates the pentagram and takes seconds.  Check out this complete guide to magic circles for everything you need to know about encircling magic. 
Read more