All Rites Reversed: Ritual Technology for Self Initiation

by Antero Alli

All Rites Reversed?! is filled with ritual techniques stripped of dogma and imposed belief for effective ceremony. "When you enter Antero Alli's magic circle you become one with the first Paleolithic shamans dancing to the bear-god. You will know yourself here-now as you have never known yourself before..".

Genres: Magick, Occult, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Psychology

Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Antero Alli was a filmmaker and producer of "paratheater" workshops and infrequent stagings largely in Berkeley, California, and later in Oregon, where he moved with his musician wife Sylvie in 2015. Alli also was a professional astrologer and has authored books on experimental theatre, astrology and the 8-circuit model of consciousness popularized by Timothy Leary.

Reviews

[Mikol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't remember exactly when I came to read this book. I vaguely remember it being around 1996 or maybe it was 1997. I think I got my hands on this book at Half Price Books in the U District. But it is also likely that I picked it up at Edge of the Circle on Capitol Hill.

I was somewhat disappointed following my participation in the 1995 Pagan Leadership Conference at Crossroads Learning Center. I walked away from that event realizing that "fundamentalism" comes in many flavors including "pagan". I also walked away from what seemed like a gathering of "fear-filled" individuals. I did not leave with a sense that this group was in possession of "powerfullness". Which seemed a bit odd, given the potential for meeting people who were successful working with magic.

In this book Antero Alli deconstructs the elements of what makes for effective ritual and magic making. I think he accomplishes this without destroying the mystery of ritual. I was then able to use this process for my own lens of investigating various rituals and understanding how the different parts worked together to create effective sacred and magical spaces. The emphasis here is on the creative and knowing that I could be guided by my inner connection to the divine rather than having to rely on heirarchal communities, dogma and guru's.

I have since had an opportunity to participate in a couple of Paratheatre Workshops led by Antero and would recommend this ritual process for anyone looking to develope their connection to the divine.


Mike

[Ruby Hollyberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever seen "plain magick"? No religion, no mythology, no cultural context. Just the bare bones of psychological and spiritual mechanism. This isn't what I practice now (I am ALL about cultural context and religious specificity) but it was a great lesson to me along the way. Accessible to anyone, regardless of philosophy, and very welcoming to anyone who has yet to decide on one. Contains excellent exercises for experiment and education. Try a few!

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a widely read book, given only 66 ratings on Goodreads for one over thirty-five years old. Alli brings unique perspectives to all of his works. This is both a reference book and a how to book that tries to minimize ritual practices by stripping away most of the theological underpinnings whether shamanistic, pagan or more modern day. As ritual technology for self-initiation (the sub-title) it is more a primer for Ceremonial Magic, whether undertaken individually or as a group, but without the hierarchical structure, rankings, and mysticism of something along the lines of the Oder of the Golden Dawn. It isn't a book on how to a light a pink candle, face North and chant Kum ba yah three times for the love of your life to appear. It is a methodology for inner work using space, sound and movement with some of the rationale for the different parts that make any specific ritual and its associated mental practices. A very unique work.