This is a re-release of Stephen Skinner's first book on magic (written jointly with Nevill Drury) which is organised as a collection of essays. At the time it broke a lot of new ground, and was enthusiastically reviewed by Colin Wilson who wrote, The authors of this book represent a new phenomenon: the serious study of the practice of magic. ... What is so interesting about this latest wave of occultism is it is more sober and rational than any of its predecessors. These practicing magicians have decided that there is something in magic, something as objective as radio waves. They have set out to investigate it in a spirit in which Yeats romanticism combines with scientific empiricism. They seem determined to get to the bottom of it, or at least, to go further in understanding it than any of their predecessors have attempted. After setting the scene with essays on the Gnostics, the Rosicrucians and the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the book moves on to modern magicians such as Austin Osman Spare. In fact, apart from one privately printed monograph, this was the first book to explain Spare's genius and his system of sigil magic, long before his Zos-Kia cultus became popular in the occult world. The connection between magic and the hippie culture is examined in the context of Carlos Casteneda, and original material on Surrealist art and astral projection rounds off the book.

San Francisco after dark can be full of unusual sights, but the last thing Ana Khoury expects to stumble across is black-garbed figures carrying a body. Her call to 911 is interrupted by a blow to the head, plunging her into nothingness. Sabel Young has long been attracted to the impetuous and alluring Ana, but her obedience to an ancient order of witches leaves her with few options for romance. When she realizes that Ana has been taken—and by whom—her very private life and Ana’s normal world collide. Her orders are clear: Do not get involved with demons. But she can’t leave a woman with no magic in the hands of dark powers that will exploit her body and destroy her soul—especially Ana. With daring and luck she pulls Ana to safety. At first it appears they have escaped dark magic unscathed. At first…

An extraordinary division exists between Western and Eastern religious thinking. No one in the mainstream media ever draws any attention to it. Why is this debate never allowed to happen? One thing is certain: either everyone in the East is going to hell, or the Western "believers" are the most deluded people in history. Was Western religious thinking ever compatible with Eastern religion and, if so, what caused the astonishing divergence of later history? What happened to one of the oldest religions in the world, belonging to the mysterious secret society known as the Illuminati, the first Grand Master of which was the demigod Pythagoras? Is the God of Abraham actually the Devil, as the ancient Gnostics maintained? Is this planet of ours hell, ruled over by the Prince of Darkness masquerading as God? Here is wisdom - the True God is Abraxas. His is the same message as Nietzsche's: we must learn to live beyond good and evil.

A comprehensive handbook of more than 1,000 magical words, phrases, symbols, and secret alphabets • Explains the origins, derivatives, and practical usage of each word, phrase, and spell as well as how they can be combined for custom spells • Based on the magical traditions of Europe, Greece, and Egypt and recently discovered one-of-a-kind grimoires from Scandinavia, France, and Germany • Includes an in-depth exploration of secret magical alphabets, including those based on Hebrew letters, Kabbalistic symbols, astrological signs, and runes From Abracadabra to the now famous spells of the Harry Potter series, magic words are no longer confined to the practices of pagans, alchemists, witches, and occultists. They have become part of the popular imagination of the Western world. Passed down from ancient Babylon, Egypt, and Greece, these words and the rituals surrounding them have survived through the millennia because they work. And as scholar Claude Lecouteux reveals, often the more impenetrable they seem, the more effective they are. Analyzing more than 7,000 spells from the magical traditions of Europe as well as the magical papyri of the Greeks and recently discovered one-of-a-kind grimoires from Scandinavia, France, and Germany, Lecouteux has compiled a comprehensive dictionary of ancient magic words, phrases, and spells along with an in-depth exploration--the first in English--of secret magical alphabets, including those based on Hebrew letters, Kabbalistic symbols, astrological signs, and runes. Drawing upon thousands of medieval accounts and famous manuscripts such as the Heptameron of Peter Abano, the author examines the origins of each word or spell, offering detailed instructions on their successful use, whether for protection, love, wealth, or healing. He charts their evolution and derivations through the centuries, showing, for example, how spells that were once intended to put out fires evolved to protect people from witchcraft. He reveals the inherent versatility of magic words and how each sorcerer or witch had a set of stock phrases they would combine to build a custom spell for the magical need at hand. Presenting a wealth of material on magical words, signs, and charms, both common and obscure, Lecouteux also explores the magical words and spells of ancient Scandinavia, the Hispano-Arabic magic of Spain before the Reconquista, the traditions passed down from ancient Egypt, and those that have stayed in use until the present day.

Rick Veitch's unforgettable eight-part Epic Magazine series is finally collected as one mind-bending full color graphic novel! Abducted from earth by space whalers, Cetologist John Isaac endures physical and spiritual mutation by order of the ship's master, Rotwang. Pressed into the mad captain's hunt for Abraxas, Isaac finds his own destiny in the belly of the monstrous red-horned whale.