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The Classic Study of the Occult Reintroduced in a 50th Anniversary Edition The Black Arts is a fascinating and wonderfully readable exploration of the practice, theory, and underlying rationale of magick and occultism in all its branches, including witchcraft, spells, numerology, astrology, alchemy, kabbalah, tarot, charms, and summoning and control of spirits. This edition features a 50th anniversary introduction by historian of alternative spirituality Mitch Horowitz, who frames the book for a new generation of readers.… (more)
I remember smuggling this book into the house when I was in my teens as my mum didn't like my interest in the occult. Having read this I then went on to locate other, more advanced materials, this was a good beginner's introduction to the many aspects of the occult. ( )
I believe this was one of the first truly occult type book I read some 20-25 years ago. You will not get alot of depth but you will get a broad brush treatment of information to give you a fairly decent overview of the magickal arts. No this is not the fluffy llewyllen stuff but the grimoire type magick with insights into astrology and numerology, cabala and ritual magick. Like I said it is enough to get a taste but not enough to do anything with it. A good starter book. ( )
Chapter One: The driving force behind black magic is hunger for power.
Quotations
Last words
But where the churches, which brought the Devil to life in the first place, condemn his worship as the adoration of evil, magicians despise it as a failure to understand the true nature of the universe.
The Classic Study of the Occult Reintroduced in a 50th Anniversary Edition The Black Arts is a fascinating and wonderfully readable exploration of the practice, theory, and underlying rationale of magick and occultism in all its branches, including witchcraft, spells, numerology, astrology, alchemy, kabbalah, tarot, charms, and summoning and control of spirits. This edition features a 50th anniversary introduction by historian of alternative spirituality Mitch Horowitz, who frames the book for a new generation of readers.
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Taken from chapter one. A look into black magic. Black magic is rooted in the darkest levels of the mind, and this is a large part of its attraction, but it is much more than a product of the love of evil or a liking for mysterious mumbo-jumbo. It is a titanic attempt to exalt the stature of man to put man in the place which religious thought reserves for God.
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