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Esoteric Magic and the Cabala
Magic harnesses the vast potential
of the subconscious mind. The only
realistic magical path is one of
individual effort that leads to truth. The study of magic is divided into two distinct practical and esoteric. Practical magic uses the power of the mind to attain physical results such as more money, a bigger house, better health. Esoteric magic, the subject of Phillip Cooper’s new book, focuses on the quest for greater understanding and mental discipline. Its aims are the discovery of inner truths and the understanding of the workings of creation. In his typical no-nonsense manner, Cooper conveys the principles of esoteric magic and offers a positive, realistic means of studying and understanding magic on a deeply personal level. Esoteric Magic and the Cabala helps readers train their minds, their emotions, and their imaginations to more fully understand reality. Esoteric Magic and the Cabala is both positive and realistic. It helps readers learn to use the Tree of Life as a means of classifying knowledge, of observing an interrelated whole, a method that provides the tools for endless self-discovery. It offers a complete, workable plan of study that novices will find easy to understand and advanced practitioners will find refreshing and stimulating after the usual confusing and dogmatic magic texts.
of the subconscious mind. The only
realistic magical path is one of
individual effort that leads to truth. The study of magic is divided into two distinct practical and esoteric. Practical magic uses the power of the mind to attain physical results such as more money, a bigger house, better health. Esoteric magic, the subject of Phillip Cooper’s new book, focuses on the quest for greater understanding and mental discipline. Its aims are the discovery of inner truths and the understanding of the workings of creation. In his typical no-nonsense manner, Cooper conveys the principles of esoteric magic and offers a positive, realistic means of studying and understanding magic on a deeply personal level. Esoteric Magic and the Cabala helps readers train their minds, their emotions, and their imaginations to more fully understand reality. Esoteric Magic and the Cabala is both positive and realistic. It helps readers learn to use the Tree of Life as a means of classifying knowledge, of observing an interrelated whole, a method that provides the tools for endless self-discovery. It offers a complete, workable plan of study that novices will find easy to understand and advanced practitioners will find refreshing and stimulating after the usual confusing and dogmatic magic texts.
192 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 30, 2021
Valuable
This is a very valuable manual. It will take several reading to absorb it. It, along with his companion book, Practical Magick (which goes over some similar material) are great additions to anyone’s magical library. You will find information I did not find anywhere else. For example, using the Cosmic Sphere for working magic and how the Cabala fits into it. This is a no nonsense guide and many of his opinions can be difficult to swallow at times. However, stick with it and put in the work and it might surprise you. The only problem I have with his writing is that he doesn’t always introduce his terms properly. There are many subtle aspects of this method of magic and you will find many statements in subsequent parts of the book that will elaborate earlier parts, if you pay attention. Definitely a must and worth the effort it requires.
This is a very valuable manual. It will take several reading to absorb it. It, along with his companion book, Practical Magick (which goes over some similar material) are great additions to anyone’s magical library. You will find information I did not find anywhere else. For example, using the Cosmic Sphere for working magic and how the Cabala fits into it. This is a no nonsense guide and many of his opinions can be difficult to swallow at times. However, stick with it and put in the work and it might surprise you. The only problem I have with his writing is that he doesn’t always introduce his terms properly. There are many subtle aspects of this method of magic and you will find many statements in subsequent parts of the book that will elaborate earlier parts, if you pay attention. Definitely a must and worth the effort it requires.
November 19, 2012
If you can ignore the first thirty pages, which are really nothing much more than the author's rant against magical lodges, religious practitioners of KBLH (by any type) and the occult, there's actually some fairly decent material hidden away between the ravings.
Unfortunately, its not much.
Above and beyond that, the book is horribly edited: spelling, grammar, punctuation and some very odd errors in logic and flow that a good copywriter would have caught. Cooper tends to argue with his own words, for example and insist that we believe no one's perspective but his own on Kaballah. Its all very confusing and hypocritical, after being told to only trust our own judgment.
Very much not what we expect of a Sam Weiser publication, at all.
The reader interested in such material would do much better to read the source material of KBLH (Sefir Yetzirah, Bahir and Zohar), then modern authors of note such as Aryeh Kaplan, Dion Fortune, etc.
Unfortunately, its not much.
Above and beyond that, the book is horribly edited: spelling, grammar, punctuation and some very odd errors in logic and flow that a good copywriter would have caught. Cooper tends to argue with his own words, for example and insist that we believe no one's perspective but his own on Kaballah. Its all very confusing and hypocritical, after being told to only trust our own judgment.
Very much not what we expect of a Sam Weiser publication, at all.
The reader interested in such material would do much better to read the source material of KBLH (Sefir Yetzirah, Bahir and Zohar), then modern authors of note such as Aryeh Kaplan, Dion Fortune, etc.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews