The Magician's Way : What it Really Takes to Find Your Treasure(Paperback) - 2009 Edition

by William Whitecloud

Mark Vale is besieged by financial and marital turmoil when he meets a group of contemporary alchemists. They take him on an astonishing journey and teach him to transform difficult situations into golden opportunities. Mark learns from wonderfully unlikely characters, from a billionaire to a beautiful topless waitress, and manifests an enormous financial windfall. But can his material success hold his family together? Mark embarks on the ultimate quest to understand how our values influence events.Author William Whitecloud brings a dazzling range of knowledge and experience - from a childhood in Swaziland immersed in supernatural worldviews to hermetic philosophy and esoteric speculation on the financial markets - to bear on this practical and magical look at what we really want, and how to get it.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Personal Development, Psychology

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Shane · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why is it that so many self-help gurus who’ve monetised the message that ‘there isn’t anything in life you can’t do’ (more or less) contradict themselves by producing embarrassingly bad book-length narratives? The Magician’s Way reminded me vaguely of Carlos Castaneda – seasoned magicians repeatedly test naïve apprentice – but lacked the resonance of his Don Juan chronicles. As with Castaneda, I couldn’t distinguish fact from fiction, due to the at times surreal content. But, unlike Castaneda (who would have had a good editor), William Whitecloud is a naïve writer. While not without the charm of heartfelt, childlike enthusiasm, The Magician’s Way is riddled with clichés and generalisations, as it lurches through a capitalist, sexist, middleclass milieu, its critique focused at the level of personal limitation.

[Karri-ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first 50 pages and the last 50 pages of this book really resonated with me. There are some incredibly insightful nuggets on how to think outside your "swing circle". Ways that you can draw from life's higher energy and create magic to move your life in the direction of passion and abundance.

The middle, however, is a schmozzle of old boy's club drama. When the details of an evening full of steak, boxing, booze, yachts and naked ladies began to unfold (and go on and on and on), I became skeptical and annoyed - it was all very giddy and fantasy-like.

When I first started reading this book, I assumed it was a non-fiction (because for some reason it was in the non-fiction section of my library.) But after I realized it was a fiction story, it changed how I felt about what I was reading. I wanted to read a real life and relatable perspective on how to create a life where you can move towards your treasure and fulfillment.

It is possible there were some actual events that inspired this book. And I know there are fiction stories that can be inspiring and relatable. But The Magician's Way just felt exaggerated and excessive.

However obnoxious some of it was for me, it was worth finishing. And I did experience some mind shifts, which was ultimately what I was going for. Just had to muddle through a bit of it to find those satisfying tidbits of realness to apply to my life.

[Katharine Grubb · Rating 1 out of 5]

I only got about halfway through this book before giving up. While I love the message, and totally believe in it- the story was uninteresting and alienating to me. I don't care about golf, parties or topless bars. That's as far as I got. I'll just stick to Jonathan Livingston, Seagull and be happy.

[Tambra · Rating 3 out of 5]

The ultimate message was good, but it felt like a sordid read. I didn't love it.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Longer than a parable, but with the same feel – The Magician’s Way by William Whitecloud teaches the reader about the seven secrets of magic – or ways to lead a happy life.

The story follows Mark Vale as he lost his way caught up in the day-to-day activities of life. We find him when he wakes up in the storm of his life. His business is failing, his marriage is suffering, they moved from the city to the country looking for happiness and finding it was way more work than they planned. Really he sees his life going down the tubes and he has no way to stop it.

This is certainly not new information. However, it’s presented in such a nice way that it’s hard not to have the lessons stick with you. Seaching for the elusive - happiness - can be a struggle and I think Mr. Whitecloud attempts to blaze the way towards a happy life.

The one quote I really liked from this book that sticks out for me is ...

“Your heart is the path of least resistance. If you know your heart, life will always be rich and life will always be easy. That’s why you must always ask yourself, is this a path with heart? Is this mood my heart? Is this course of action my heart? Is this outcome my heart? If you ask yourself that in all your affairs, then your going to go a long way; You’ll be living life for fun and profit.”

[Kate Caldwell · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't find my treasure . 'The Wolf of Wall Street' meets 'The Secret'. I found the tone , characters, writing and message banal, entitled, one dimensional, narcissistic and sexist. Just step in to your magic, ignore your fear and you can truly make the world a better place by improving your golf swing, trading stocks with abandon, charming women in topless bars or mountain bike riding down cliffs - follow your dreams ! Vom.

[La Bruja Medusa · Rating 1 out of 5]

As someone's who's recovering from trauma this book just made everything worse, the whole positive thinking, you can do everything you want, the power of mind stuff it's bad. I'm all about embracing and accepting all emotions and thoughts and no, you cannot control your life or your mind and that's ok.

[Seema Rani · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very hard to get into. I found certain concepts and points were being repeated. Ultimately the book to trying to teach about focus. I found other books more intriguing thank this. Took me ages to complete.

[Paige Krystal Wilcox · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some interesting ideas, but ultimately poorly executed. Much of the content was alienating for a female reader, and in parts incredibly offensive. I would recommend skipping this in favour of another on the topic.

[Jessie Mosley · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was much like a self help book written in a parable type way about the writers life experience. I get why people like self help books and the ideas behind this, but its definitely not for me. Magick certainly doesn't mean the same to me as it does to the writer.

[Sarah-star Danielwalters-wiest · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought it started out great! I felt motivated and excited. The last chapter utterly disappointed me. In fact, the last chapter is why I won't recommend the book.

[Megs · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book, it just didn't quite happen for me. It has some great little pearls of wisdom but it somehow manages to feel incredibly juvenile. In a way living from your heart is a simple matter of shifting your reality, however I feel that the book discounts the complexities of this journey - you can't meditate once and be enlightened. I hate to say it but it came across as the fast-food version of spirituality.

[Mark Broadhead · Rating 1 out of 5]

I learned one thing from this book; when someone recommends a book with incredible enthusiasm, you should read the good reads reviews also before buying it.

So bad it took my breath away. I can only wonder if the author wrote it as a joke or a bet with a friend to see how many people would buy such waffle.

Maybe an incel who liked to manipulate women may enjoy it??

I only finished it in the vain hope that it would somehow get better at the end, it didn’t.

[Richard George · Rating 3 out of 5]

over-rated, sexist, full of cliches. The protagonist spends half his time in a strip bar to learn so-called life lessons. Does he have a family/children, does he do any work? Gave up two-thirds the way through it.

[Mala · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was excited to read this, and I loved the concept but I found it to be full of cliches and whilst the underlying message of magic resonated I didn’t relate to how it was conveyed. I felt like I needed to be in a boy’s club for it to land.

[Ella]

1. Your thoughts and feelings aren’t real.
They are expressions of underlying assumptions in any moment; not reflections of actual reality or what is truly possible.

2. Your focus creates reality.
Experience in life is determined by what you put your attention on. If you focus on end results, you inevitably attract what you want. If you focus too much on what you have to do to get what you want, you end up attracting doubts, fears, and beliefs.

3. Everyone has a heart.
Having a heart means that you have dreams, that there are things you love, things that are deeply important to you. An inherent part of the human journey is that at some point you end up putting more energy into protecting your heart than following it.

4. There is never anything to do but always action to take.
Action is about taking direct steps based on the obvious toward creating what you want. Doing is about fulfilling certain conditions you believe are necessary before you can get what you want.

5. Structure has integrity (shudarga baidal).
Something’s structure dictates its behavior, and its behavior dictates its experience. In creative terms, what your attention is focused on forms the underlying structure of your consciousness. The motivations behind what you do in life reveal your true focus.

6. You get your energy from a higher source.
As a human being, you have the tendency to develop fixed concepts about what’s in your highest good and where it’s supposed to come from. The key to magic is developing the ability to let go of your fixed concepts and open up to the true source of your energy.

7. It takes will.
Ultimately, your highest source of energy is your own heart. Yet the paradox is that you are conditioned to protect your heart, a behavior motivated by fear. Your fears are communicated to you by thoughts and feelings. There can be no sustainable change in your experience of life unless you have the will to choose following your heart over resolving your thoughts and feelings.

[Marcus · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Good Friend Isaac Bought This Book For Me. Changed My Life & My Golf Game.

[Jacques de Villiers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This piece of text was recommended to me by a colleague in Noordhoek, South Africa. I'm glad that I got to read it. William Whitecloud's take on navigating life is a compelling read.

He gives the seven secrets to magic, including:

1. Your thoughts and feelings aren't real
2. Your focus creates your reality
3. You get your energy from a higher source

These aphorisms are not new by any stretch of the imagination, but he has put an interesting take on them by way of analogy (using golf and cycling).

If you're interested in how to navigate this human experience elegantly and elegantly using metaphysical devices, this is a good introduction to this world.

The text generally resonates with my view of the world except for one part. It leans heavily on the side of 'self' centred and not other centric. It's about using the inner game to get outward success for oneself. That's not part of my register as my view of the world is firmly about setting the other up for success. This is my idiosyncrasy and by no means diminishes the value of this book.

There's one piece that I 100% concur with: You're a guide, that's your nature. You're the man who keeps everyone on the road and leads them to their palaces (that's other centric).

It is an appropriate piece of text and a great starting point to further discovery of what it takes to succeed both in the inner world and outer world.

I would recommend that Whitecloud crafts an updated edition to cater for today's inclusion-based society where the use, say for example of 'man' could appear to be exclusionary. This is a fine point, I know, but today's author needs to be culturally sensitive.

This a beautifully crafted piece of text and well worth the read.

[Zain Effendi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book. What an intelligent way to present such powerful advice in the art of manifesting your dreams. All that being said, there are some cheesy aspects to the story which I was able to ignore for the sake of the overall atory. The ending did feel anticlimactic and the book doesn’t hold up to the great writing of both classic and contemporary authors. But one should not read this book to enrich themselves with fantastic writing, this is a self-help book that shares insights on how to manifest your dream life, and it’s bundled up in a relatively short and relatable story. Keep your expectations aligned and you will gain a lot from this read.

I found it so ironic to read some of the reviews on here with people who disliked it. Just in their small review it was clear that they are the ones who most need the advice and strategy that The Magician’s way has to offer. There are two schools of people, those who believe life happens to them, and those who believe in magic and the ability to create anything that one desires. If you separated each group, it would be very clear which ones believed in magic versus the ones who believe we have no control over our lives. We see the magic believers everyday - they are beautiful, confident, successful, they radiant light, they are leaders and are typically wealthy… they get it. If you want to be a part of this group of magicians then read The Magicians Way.

[Penney Peirce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this small book; full of good insights and written in a light-hearted way. It helps us understand how to create what we want and shift focus from the ego-mind to the heart. It's a bit misleading, though. It's not really about magic but about using your consciousness and attention in a skillful way. I suppose the author felt he needed to differentiate himself from other self-help authors and perhaps add some pizzazz and mystery. It is a bit like Castaneda or James Redfield, but not as detailed or deep. As a woman I had a little trouble—or boredom?—with the parts where he's dealing with his wife vs a sexy woman he meets.

[Merlin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have never felt a book make me feel subsequently disgusted and pukish with each chapter. I understand the messages and magic secrets the author intended to share, but this is the worst possible way he could have done it. And wtf was that lame ass restaurant scene? It looks like the whole time, the protagonist is justifying his actions but making himself out to be some hero or good guy in the books of women who are unapproachable by other men. I found it all so sexist.

There are far better books about the law than this. Can't believe I let myself be subjected to this read, only to end up feeling so....weirded out.

0.5/5

[Seth Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you are a misogynistic buisnessman you would probably enjoy this. Most other people would find the settings of the story unrelatable. I only read it because I found it in a free book box. The overall concepts are okay though.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Transformative Guide to Unlocking Potential: 5 Stars for The Magician’s Way

As a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) navigating the demands of a high-stakes corporate environment, whilst cherishing time with my wife and two young children, I constantly seek ways to enhance my professional edge, maintain robust health and fitness, and nurture a promising side venture in AI implementation for businesses. William Whitecloud’s The Magician’s Way: What It Really Takes to Find Your Treasure has proven to be an invaluable resource, offering seven profound principles—or “Secrets of Magic”—that have empowered me to create a more fulfilling and successful life. This book masterfully blends narrative storytelling with actionable insights, encouraging a mindset shift towards optimism and possibility. It deserves a resounding five-star rating for its ability to inspire tangible, positive change.

1 Your Thoughts and Feelings Aren’t Real
Whitecloud illuminates how our thoughts and emotions are often mere constructs, not immutable truths, allowing us to reframe them for greater empowerment.
In my role as CFO, when facing intense board meetings where financial forecasts spark doubt, I now recognise these anxieties as assumptions rather than certainties. By affirming, “These concerns are just narratives; my expertise and preparation will drive success,” I approach discussions with renewed confidence, leading to more persuasive outcomes and stronger stakeholder buy-in—ultimately advancing my career trajectory
.
2 Your Focus Creates Your Reality
The principle that attention shapes outcomes has been a game-changer, urging us to concentrate on aspirations over hurdles.
Balancing family life, I focus on envisioning quality evenings with my wife and children, rather than dwelling on work overflow. This mindset has manifested in efficient time management, enabling dedicated fitness sessions that boost my energy for public speaking engagements. As a result, I’ve delivered compelling keynote addresses at industry conferences, enhancing my professional visibility and opening doors to future leadership roles.

3 Everyone Has a Heart
Reconnecting with our core passions is key, as Whitecloud reminds us, fostering authenticity amid life’s protections.
Amid the rigours of CFO duties, I’ve rediscovered my enthusiasm for health and fitness by integrating family-oriented activities, like weekend hikes with my wife and kids. This heart-centred approach not only strengthens our bonds but also fuels my side business in AI, where I passionately advise firms on streamlined operations—leading to a growing client base and a sense of profound purpose.

4 There Is Never Anything to Do, But Always Action to Take
Distinguishing fear-driven busyness from intuitive, aligned steps propels real progress, as per this insightful secret.
When honing public speaking skills for career advancement, I avoid overcomplicating with endless rehearsals born of worry. Instead, I take decisive actions, such as joining a professional toastmasters group tailored to executives. This has sharpened my delivery, resulting in acclaimed presentations that position me as a thought leader in finance, while freeing time for my family’s well-being.

5 Structure Has Integrity
Aligning our inner framework with positive motivations ensures consistent, high-integrity results.
In managing my team as CFO, I’ve restructured our processes to emphasise empowerment over control, incorporating AI tools from my side venture to automate routine tasks. This fosters innovation and morale, allowing me to pursue fitness goals like training for an obstacle race, which in turn enhances my mental clarity for strategic decision-making and future career opportunities.

6 You Get Your Energy from a Higher Source
Whitecloud encourages openness to unexpected wellsprings of vitality, beyond conventional sources.
During demanding periods juggling CFO responsibilities and family commitments, I’ve let go of reliance on sheer willpower alone. Embracing practices like mindful morning runs has connected me to deeper energy reserves, sparking creative AI solutions for client businesses. This renewed vigour has also improved my public speaking poise, leading to engaging workshops that attract new professional networks.

7 It Takes Will
True transformation demands resolute commitment to prioritise desires over fears.
Committing to skill-building for long-term career growth, despite initial reservations about time away from family, I’ve willed myself to enrol in advanced AI and leadership courses. This determination has yielded expertise that bolsters my side business, while modelling resilience for my children—culminating in a more balanced, prosperous life filled with optimism.

Whitecloud’s principles have not only elevated my performance as a CFO but also enriched my roles as a husband, father, and entrepreneur, all while prioritising health and continuous improvement. This book is a beacon of positivity, proving that with intention, we can craft extraordinary realities. I wholeheartedly recommend it to any ambitious professional seeking to thrive holistically—it’s a five-star masterpiece that delivers lasting value.

[Carrie Lynn]

I got the point but it was a bit harsh for my soul.

[Margaret Bending · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Magician's Way: What It Really Takes to Find Your Treasure

I loved this book; it was a good read, easy to understand, and full of surprises that kept me interested. The Magician's Way became the catalyst that changed my life. From one of disease and illness, to one of freedom, health and happiness.
It led me to study the Seven Secrets to Magic over two years under William's guidance.
At the end of the course, I was better equipped to live by using my intuition, setting intentions and living a far more creative life.
I highly recommend it for people who want to create more love and freedom and feel connected to something much larger than themselves in life.
Margaret Bending
Author, Coach & Photographer

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Astounding insights

The insights in this delightful little book left me breathless. I found myself highlighting swathes of dialogue. The conversational format used in this book was remarkably effective and sometimes I found myself applying the arguments and counter-arguments to my own life and decisions. Definitely the most powerful read for me this year. I am definitely going to apply these concepts to my life. Stunning!

[DK Simoneau · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am well versed in these topics having studied for many years. While I appreciated the format- being told as a story-I found it to be quite limiting. I did not like that it implied he was somehow stifling his wife. She has her own path. And I didn’t really like that there was no resolution to the blackmail story. We are so much more than this story revealed. But if you are new to the journey it is worth a read.

[Victoria Kokushkova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read if you’re a human

Absolutely most amazing book, goes straight to your heart & transforms it.

There are many intellectual books you can read about life, and become a bit smarter. Contents of this book is the corner stone of any knowledge you want to build after. Takes layers off what’s not important.

[Arnaldo Neto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muitas vezes as ficções conseguem nos ensinar o que os livros técnicos não conseguem. O que acontece é que muitas vezes, ao ler um livro técnico, você está tão aflito em busca da resposta que não fica presente pra jornada e deixa ela passar. Já ao ler ficção, você se diverte, relaxa e aprende naturalmente. É o que acontece nessa obra, sobretudo com o tema "Propósito", que gosto tanto.