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My Life with the Spirits: The Adventures of a Modern Magician
A rare glimpse into the fascinating, sometimes terrifying, sometimes hilarious world of a modern ceremonial magician. Hailed by critics as the most entertaining author and one of the most widely respected members of the magick community, Lon Milo DuQuette provides a beacon for aspiring magicians everywhere.
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First published January 15, 1999
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About the author
Lon Milo DuQuette
126 books506 followersLon Milo DuQuette is an American singer-song writer, author, lecturer, and occultist, best known as an author who applies humor in the field of Western Hermeticism.
Born in Long Beach, California and raised in Columbus, Nebraska, he was an aspiring studio musician and recording artist in the 1970s, releasing two singles and an album, Charley D. and Milo, on the Epic Records label.
He married to his high school sweetheart, Constance Jean Duquette. They live in Costa Mesa, California and have one son, Jean-Paul.
Since 1975 he has been a National and International governing officer of Ordo Templi Orientis, a religious and fraternal organization founded in the early part of the 20th century. Since 1996 he has been the O.T.O.'s United States Deputy Grand Master and one of the most visible members of the Order. He is also an Archbishop of Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica, the ecclesiastical arm of O.T.O.
Born in Long Beach, California and raised in Columbus, Nebraska, he was an aspiring studio musician and recording artist in the 1970s, releasing two singles and an album, Charley D. and Milo, on the Epic Records label.
He married to his high school sweetheart, Constance Jean Duquette. They live in Costa Mesa, California and have one son, Jean-Paul.
Since 1975 he has been a National and International governing officer of Ordo Templi Orientis, a religious and fraternal organization founded in the early part of the 20th century. Since 1996 he has been the O.T.O.'s United States Deputy Grand Master and one of the most visible members of the Order. He is also an Archbishop of Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica, the ecclesiastical arm of O.T.O.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
March 20, 2012
This book is exactly what is says in the title, an autobiography about a modern ceremonial magician. The first couple of chapters are really great, exploring DuQuette's childhood and early adulthood experiences with spirituality, which range from a meeting with Jesus, to awful choir/altar boy memories, to proposing to his wife while on LSD.
Then DuQuette gets to the meat of the book: his adventures in magical workings. Even though he touches topics as complex as summoning demons, exorcism, and Enochian vision workings, the writing never gets confusing, it's just Lon telling stories, and interspersing a bit of magical theory here and there.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants a quirky autobiography, and more specifically to anyone who's interested in learning about what magic and the occult really are, or are embarking on their own magical practices.
Then DuQuette gets to the meat of the book: his adventures in magical workings. Even though he touches topics as complex as summoning demons, exorcism, and Enochian vision workings, the writing never gets confusing, it's just Lon telling stories, and interspersing a bit of magical theory here and there.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants a quirky autobiography, and more specifically to anyone who's interested in learning about what magic and the occult really are, or are embarking on their own magical practices.
August 20, 2016
This is a memoir about a Magician, not the kind that you see in Las Vegas, but the kind that practices "magick". It started out pretty good...I enjoyed reading about his childhood and his college/hippy years, but I started to get creeped out when he began describing his devotion to magick, occult ceremony, and Crowley. It really bothered me when he described himself as being dirt poor with a wife and baby after he decided to drop out of college and they had to get by on the money he earned from giving guitar lessons. Instead of staying in school or at least trying to find a responsible job to support his family he chose to spend all of his time studying the occult, meditating, working with his teacher, and making a magic wand (which took days). It seemed so irresponsible. No comment about how his wife felt about it.
As the book got deeper and deeper into descriptions of the occult ceremony and references to things that I've never heard of, I become bored and found myself skimming and finally giving up about half way through.
If you are really into the occult and witchcraft you might enjoy this, but for everyone else, I would pass this one up.
As the book got deeper and deeper into descriptions of the occult ceremony and references to things that I've never heard of, I become bored and found myself skimming and finally giving up about half way through.
If you are really into the occult and witchcraft you might enjoy this, but for everyone else, I would pass this one up.
February 8, 2025
Some cool, somewhat horrible exorcist stories; plus gnomes, fairies, and Enochian entities.
April 16, 2010
i read this book right through, i didnt want to put it down. i actually had a mini-life-changing experience when i read about lon's goetic evocation, where he realized/felt that it was the goetic spirit putting the doubt/procrastination into his thoughts. that experience alone was worth a million times the cost of the book, imo. thanks lon =)
August 5, 2019
2.5 stars it was alright.
Read
September 21, 2025Written by the delightful Mr. Duquette and read by the wonderful Mr. Waters, this book was truly a pleasure, entertaining and insightful. I will recommend it often!
October 25, 2025
No sure what to say about this autobiography so I won’t. Leaving it there.
November 22, 2013
Along with Dion Fortune, Crowley, Regardie, Blavatky, Steiner and a hatful of other notable occultists, DuQuette maintains a constant presence in my library for both his wit and wisdom as regards those who seek and have sought to traverse beyond the veils.
An entertaining and enlightening perspective about the life of a practicing mage in the twentieth century, DuQuette is both grounded and enlightened, and pulls few punches in this tome which uses both humor and honesty to underscore his experiences with ritual and practice(predominantly that as a ceremonial magician). A sincere and poignant telling without the atypical brooding, semantic sense of self-importance so prevalent in many occult thinkers, DuQuette manages to teach and inform in humorous bits that will astonish and entertain, regardless of your magical (or not) path.
An entertaining and enlightening perspective about the life of a practicing mage in the twentieth century, DuQuette is both grounded and enlightened, and pulls few punches in this tome which uses both humor and honesty to underscore his experiences with ritual and practice(predominantly that as a ceremonial magician). A sincere and poignant telling without the atypical brooding, semantic sense of self-importance so prevalent in many occult thinkers, DuQuette manages to teach and inform in humorous bits that will astonish and entertain, regardless of your magical (or not) path.
February 10, 2021
He writes well enough, & can be interesting. It just wasn't enough to sustain my ability to buy into the stories he was telling. I like the guy, & thought I might be able to maintain some suspension of disbelief in order to complete the text. That turned out not to be possible, so I dnf'd at p.55.
March 28, 2021
This author has served as a national and international officer of one of the most influential magical societies of the 20th century, and he is an acknowledged authority on Aleister Crowley. MY LIFE WITH THE SPIRITS documents DuQuette’s personal experiences as a practicing magician, which are amazing.
The well-written, articulate memoir begins in 1967 with DuQuette, age 18, and his older brother Marc tripping on LSD in the Mojave desert and vowing to become “holy men.” Marc eventually becomes an Eastern yoga ascetic and chemical dependence counselor, while the author chooses a path that Marc and many others consider patently evil. Today DuQuette communicates with angels, spirits, and demons, and worships “strange and terrible gods,” he says. He readily professes to be a practitioner of “black art.”
DuQuette describes his Nebraska childhood in terms both hilarious and sad. Little “Lonnie” became an alar boy at age nine, but inwardly, the boy never bought into organized religion. When DuQuette graduated from high school, he moved to California to attend college in Costa Mesa, where he embraced psychedelics, music, and yoga, and pursued enlightenment. DuQuette dropped out of college, married love-of-his-life Constance, and together they “plunged into the primitive world of rural hippiedom.” Paranormal experiences soon followed, including a ghostly visit from DuQuettte’s recently passed father. The mysteries of Rosicrucianism and esoteric Freemasonry subsequently became the focus of DuQuette’s life (his father was a Freemason). As I read about DuQuette’s visions and Enochian magick rituals—and their results—I felt myself drawn into another reality. This man has ventured into realms of behavior and consciousness that few others are willing to explore. Reading his memoir expanded my mind and what I believe is possible. Be warned: I enjoyed that expansion, but it’s not for everyone. You have to trust that, as a powerful magician, DuQuette works toward constructive ends, as he claims.
The well-written, articulate memoir begins in 1967 with DuQuette, age 18, and his older brother Marc tripping on LSD in the Mojave desert and vowing to become “holy men.” Marc eventually becomes an Eastern yoga ascetic and chemical dependence counselor, while the author chooses a path that Marc and many others consider patently evil. Today DuQuette communicates with angels, spirits, and demons, and worships “strange and terrible gods,” he says. He readily professes to be a practitioner of “black art.”
DuQuette describes his Nebraska childhood in terms both hilarious and sad. Little “Lonnie” became an alar boy at age nine, but inwardly, the boy never bought into organized religion. When DuQuette graduated from high school, he moved to California to attend college in Costa Mesa, where he embraced psychedelics, music, and yoga, and pursued enlightenment. DuQuette dropped out of college, married love-of-his-life Constance, and together they “plunged into the primitive world of rural hippiedom.” Paranormal experiences soon followed, including a ghostly visit from DuQuettte’s recently passed father. The mysteries of Rosicrucianism and esoteric Freemasonry subsequently became the focus of DuQuette’s life (his father was a Freemason). As I read about DuQuette’s visions and Enochian magick rituals—and their results—I felt myself drawn into another reality. This man has ventured into realms of behavior and consciousness that few others are willing to explore. Reading his memoir expanded my mind and what I believe is possible. Be warned: I enjoyed that expansion, but it’s not for everyone. You have to trust that, as a powerful magician, DuQuette works toward constructive ends, as he claims.
June 12, 2019
Couldn't put this down. Really entertaining and funny autobiography
June 23, 2022
This book isn't meant to be a how-to guide on magical affairs (if that's what you're looking for, rest assured you won't be disappointed by Mr. DuQuette's other works).
It's simply a man who's lived a long and eventful life reminiscing on a few major and/or magical experiences, and regaling them to us in the form of stories. Don't expect him to go into much detail on any particular subject mentioned (again, other books are there for those who want to dabble further). In fact, I'd recommend this book firstly to those who are familiar with Mr. DuQuette and his other works. If you fall into that category, you're in for a great treat.
Regardless, this book is an excellent example of what COULD happen in a magician's life during certain magical undertakings. That's not to say things will go exactly as they did for the author (for better or for worse), but even if your personal practice and results vary wildly from the contents of this book... Well, I believe that everyone who is aspiring to learn more about this subject can find some life lessons to take home from Mr. DuQuette.
It's simply a man who's lived a long and eventful life reminiscing on a few major and/or magical experiences, and regaling them to us in the form of stories. Don't expect him to go into much detail on any particular subject mentioned (again, other books are there for those who want to dabble further). In fact, I'd recommend this book firstly to those who are familiar with Mr. DuQuette and his other works. If you fall into that category, you're in for a great treat.
Regardless, this book is an excellent example of what COULD happen in a magician's life during certain magical undertakings. That's not to say things will go exactly as they did for the author (for better or for worse), but even if your personal practice and results vary wildly from the contents of this book... Well, I believe that everyone who is aspiring to learn more about this subject can find some life lessons to take home from Mr. DuQuette.
October 9, 2019
Reading about magic and magicians and the occult can be extremely dull and painful. People often take themselves and this stuff very seriously. Instead of talking about their experiences, they get hung up on describing the ritual in excruciating detail.
DuQuette has a sense of humour. He does describe details, but senses that not all of his readers care to go that deep into it. For example, he describes enochian demon summoning. While somewhat interesting, the whole concept of it stuck me as farfetched and ridiculous. DuQuette lays it out and then gets on with the story.
It's a fun book on magic, and describes through story some very weird experiences. Did a wizard bring a dead kitten back to life, only for it to die a few days later? I don't know. I am skeptical. But it is a good story.
The book is a bit slim and then stories are often brief. It's a very light book, in that sense. While I appreciate the tone, it feels like there could be more stories and of greater consequence.
DuQuette has a sense of humour. He does describe details, but senses that not all of his readers care to go that deep into it. For example, he describes enochian demon summoning. While somewhat interesting, the whole concept of it stuck me as farfetched and ridiculous. DuQuette lays it out and then gets on with the story.
It's a fun book on magic, and describes through story some very weird experiences. Did a wizard bring a dead kitten back to life, only for it to die a few days later? I don't know. I am skeptical. But it is a good story.
The book is a bit slim and then stories are often brief. It's a very light book, in that sense. While I appreciate the tone, it feels like there could be more stories and of greater consequence.
May 22, 2019
Fantastic read describing the life and training of a magician. Technical details are interspersed throughout, though it’s not meant as a reference. But the bibliography offers plenty of good references for more information.
Lon Milo DuQuette always offers well written and humorous content, heavily lathered with his personal experiences and anecdotes. I will mention that having read 5 or 6 of his books now he does re-use stories (which is perfectly natural when discussing your own life). For instance, the evocation of Orobas is also described in his ‘Illustrated Goetia’. Though the telling in this book is substantially more detailed.
Several stories also serve as excellent warnings about the dangers and pitfalls of Goetic evocations. People interested in this branch of magick will find these of particular interest.
Overall I highly recommend this book.
Lon Milo DuQuette always offers well written and humorous content, heavily lathered with his personal experiences and anecdotes. I will mention that having read 5 or 6 of his books now he does re-use stories (which is perfectly natural when discussing your own life). For instance, the evocation of Orobas is also described in his ‘Illustrated Goetia’. Though the telling in this book is substantially more detailed.
Several stories also serve as excellent warnings about the dangers and pitfalls of Goetic evocations. People interested in this branch of magick will find these of particular interest.
Overall I highly recommend this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2022
I was compelled to read this book after picking up another of his books ‘Understanding Alister Crowley Thoth Tarot’ I enjoyed his writing style so wanted to read more about him, this is a very enjoyable and thought provoking read. I get that it won’t be a subject for everyone given it is about evocation and Enochian magick but it is very insightful into his personal practices (even if it is just a tiny glimpse) also being given access to him learning new methods and outcomes of his Magick and practices. Written with good humour and also delicately written so anyone reading this book can easily understand and comprehend the complexities of the subject I really didn’t feel out of my depth. Lon Milo DuQuette, I thank you for introducing me to subjects I would never have thought possible to understand
January 2, 2024
i have always enjoyed lon milo duquette as a writer. family members were asking me if my book was funny because i was audibly laughing out loud. this book is better for those who are already familiar with ceremonial magick but i believe anyone can enjoy, you just may end up googling lots of things. that said, i always end up googling things while reading any good book.
every chapter has a little tale and a little life take away. he starts by recounting impressions he had as a baby. i found it remarkable he can remember thoughts of his before he was old enough to have words for these thoughts. he tells about how he got into magick and what his practices were early on. he talks mistakes, scary scenarios and triumphs. i was learning, laughing and left wanting more. easy to read in a day.
every chapter has a little tale and a little life take away. he starts by recounting impressions he had as a baby. i found it remarkable he can remember thoughts of his before he was old enough to have words for these thoughts. he tells about how he got into magick and what his practices were early on. he talks mistakes, scary scenarios and triumphs. i was learning, laughing and left wanting more. easy to read in a day.
February 3, 2021
Wow! Fantastic!
A rollercoaster of a book! Lon Milo takes the reader on a journey of his own experiences & understandings of his life with spirits. He shares ups & downs, & his own personal ideas of what the spirits mean to him in his own personal life - & death.
In his wonderful writing style, he flows through the details with eloquence & charm. I have some wild belly laughs & also some deep tearful moments while reading, & I could hardly put my kindle down!!
This is one of many of his book I have & have read. & I thoroughly enjoy each & every one of them!
Many thanks, Lon, for the sharing of all your Great Work!
A rollercoaster of a book! Lon Milo takes the reader on a journey of his own experiences & understandings of his life with spirits. He shares ups & downs, & his own personal ideas of what the spirits mean to him in his own personal life - & death.
In his wonderful writing style, he flows through the details with eloquence & charm. I have some wild belly laughs & also some deep tearful moments while reading, & I could hardly put my kindle down!!
This is one of many of his book I have & have read. & I thoroughly enjoy each & every one of them!
Many thanks, Lon, for the sharing of all your Great Work!
June 22, 2021
I recently stumbled upon Lon Milo DuQuette at the suggestion of a friend to try his classes. Although I have yet to sign up for a class, I did find his fb page. I was delighted to see that he spent his time during covid lock down reading his books aloud, chapter by chapter. My Life with the Spirits is my second DuQuette book read and first finished. I loved learning about his life and adventures on his early spiritual adventures. Being the age of my mother's generation, it was easy for me to visualize the way everyone looked and the surroundings Lon speaks of in his book. My Life with Spirits was a true delight! I can't wait to dive into his next read aloud!
January 30, 2021
Lon is awesome and a really great author. Really wish I would of attended more of his classes/workshops when I lived in SoCal. Ignore all the reviewers saying this book is creepy and/or evil they simply don't understand the nature of the subject matter. This book is a real page turner and great for anyone thinking about studying or practicing. Thank you to P.O.T.O for introducing me to this book many years ago (wherever you are!)
93/93
93/93
February 3, 2024
This is a hilarious autobiography of author, musician, and occultist Lon Milo DuQuette. While carrying on with mundane ‘muggle’ work, I was living vicariously through this book. Lon Milo is so entertaining in his writing, I couldn’t help but laugh aloud. I especially love how he ended this autobiography…..life is all around and immortal. We are souls possessing bodies, not bodies possessing souls. Listening to his personal tales and encounters is a gift. Thank you 🙏🏻
January 5, 2025
Some of this book was believable, some was not. I learned a lot and that's what's important to me. I enjoy learning about the occult and this book gave me a taste of it.
It is the book of someone's life and their journey, and I appreciate that aspect of it. Who is to say what is true or not? Perhaps I'm more skeptical than I used to be due to being burned by organized religion. I agree with his take on it and that many of the ideas in Christianity are downright silly.
It is the book of someone's life and their journey, and I appreciate that aspect of it. Who is to say what is true or not? Perhaps I'm more skeptical than I used to be due to being burned by organized religion. I agree with his take on it and that many of the ideas in Christianity are downright silly.
October 30, 2022
Fascinating
A great read. I bought the book a day ago and binge read the whole thing after hearing the story of Garkon on the Mysterious Universe podcast. Very enlightening and humorous autobiography of one of the great magicians of the 20th and 21st centuries. Easy to read and understand.
A great read. I bought the book a day ago and binge read the whole thing after hearing the story of Garkon on the Mysterious Universe podcast. Very enlightening and humorous autobiography of one of the great magicians of the 20th and 21st centuries. Easy to read and understand.
March 14, 2020
Funny, informative and too short. Fortunately there's a lot more Duquette writings to devour and I immediately started on everyday oracles. Laughing out loud at the priestess of mabooba story and at the frog priestess stuff erm...ok wrong book
July 8, 2025
I read this in 2 and a half hours, great collection of stories and anecdotes that all add up to more than their parts. yet to read any of his narrative stuff (v. instructional) that doesn't feature a 10/10 exorcism story.
March 7, 2020
Fantastic look into the path of a master magician. Lon shows how the magic system he has chosen works for him. Wisdom from experience is priceless.
December 11, 2020
Loved it
Lon Milo is a great story teller. He has certainly lived a very magical life. I highly recommend this book.
Lon Milo is a great story teller. He has certainly lived a very magical life. I highly recommend this book.
May 10, 2021
Fantastic
Written with humour and deep understanding this book gives us a wonderful insight into one man's journey and growth in ceremonial magik
Written with humour and deep understanding this book gives us a wonderful insight into one man's journey and growth in ceremonial magik
May 23, 2021
Absolutely fantastic book from Lon. Humorous, delightful, perplexing and inspiring. Readable as a layman or a practitioner, in my opinion. Sublime reading.
November 20, 2022
Enjoyable read.
December 15, 2022
This book is not just a bio. It offers important insight-- Synchronicity in one's hands! An important read for any practitioner or interested party regardless of level.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews