Does there lie in mankind's remote past a single origin for the beliefs and practices of magic found in nearly every culture in the world? Behind the distortions and grotesqueries of magical practices, could there be clues to processes worthy of our objective consideration?First published nearly forty years ago, 'Oriental Magic' is still the definitive work on the subject Does there lie in mankind's remote past a single origin for the beliefs and practices of magic found in nearly every culture in the world? Behind the distortions and grotesqueries of magical practices, could there be clues to processes worthy of our objective consideration?First published nearly forty years ago, 'Oriental Magic' is still the definitive work on the subject. Its publication was the culmination of five years of research into rare artifacts, obscure manuscripts and travels into remote areas where strange magical practices endure.The 'Singing Sands' of Egypt, the invisible rulership of Sufism, subcutaneous electricity, and the prehistoric sources of Babylonian occult practices are just a few of the intriguing subjects described.
The author includes personal accounts of 'training' under a Ju-Ju witch doctor, a demonstration of Hindu levitation, and translations of secret alchemical and magical formulae.Revealed is an astonishing similarity in magical beliefs, practices and terminology of places as diverse as China, the Near East, Scandinavia and Africa.' Oriental Magic' includes a myriad of illustrations, including unique photos of places and people associated with the mysterious world of magic. Only an author of Shah's experience, dedication, and knowledge of human nature could assemble such an array of arcane information into a dazzling picture of human beliefs and practices.
This new release is sure to attract the attention of a new generation of interested readers. Sufis champion the right to know, and magic, shrouded as it has been in ignorance and secrecy, is one of the things about which we know little. Magic is connected to a wisdom, handed down through countless generations. Even though we may not want to admit it, traces still adhere to beliefs we think have superseded it. However its essence remains elusive, hidden behind obsessions, superstitions, and the beliefs of cults.In this book Idries Shah takes us back to the magical practices of the Jews, Sufis champion the right to know, and magic, shrouded as it has been in ignorance and secrecy, is one of the things about which we know little. Magic is connected to a wisdom, handed down through countless generations. Even though we may not want to admit it, traces still adhere to beliefs we think have superseded it.
However its essence remains elusive, hidden behind obsessions, superstitions, and the beliefs of cults.In this book Idries Shah takes us back to the magical practices of the Jews, the Babylonians, and the ancient Egyptians. Then we go on a journey east, from North Africa, through Asia to China, Tibet, and Japan. On the way we see the diverse manifestations of the occult as they occurred in the mid-twentieth century. Shah’s account is detailed, entertaining and humorous, but behind the numerous spells and alchemical formulae, he detects a little known force.
He sees no reason why this force cannot be investigated scientifically, but doubts that orthodox science will undertake the task. The serious students and investigators, he concludes, will be those who believe that in magic lies vast potential use and meaning. A very interesting work. The assertion that seemingly genuine magical events may be the result of practitioners from various and diverse cultures knowingly manipulating a form of energy, that is morally neutral, and has yet to be investigated in a level headed way, seems well worth considering.The author's travels and research regarding the subject's history, cultural development and application are extensive, involving many years of study and worldwide journeys. His approach is dispassionate an A very interesting work. The assertion that seemingly genuine magical events may be the result of practitioners from various and diverse cultures knowingly manipulating a form of energy, that is morally neutral, and has yet to be investigated in a level headed way, seems well worth considering.The author's travels and research regarding the subject's history, cultural development and application are extensive, involving many years of study and worldwide journeys. His approach is dispassionate and professional in a way that leaves the reader pondering the possibilities of approaching the matter in a way that would more fruitful than current lines of enquiry.
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The Secret Lore of Magic is a book by Idries Shah on the subject of magical texts. First published in 1957, it includes several major source-books of magical arts, translated from French, Latin, Hebrew and other tongues, annotated and fully illustrated with numerous diagrams, signs and characters. Together with Oriental Magic, which appeared in the preceding year, it provided an important.
ORIENTAL MAGIC is a fascinating, clear-eyed look at a difficult and potentially confusing subject. Author Idries Shah avoids the twin pitfalls of knee-jerk skepticism and foolish credulity, approaching the topic with an open yet critical mind. He makes accessible, in a highly readable way, the results of extensive and wide-ranging research, leavened with firsthand accounts of his own experiences. The result is an instructive book that’s well worth reading, regardless of what one’s beliefs about ORIENTAL MAGIC is a fascinating, clear-eyed look at a difficult and potentially confusing subject. Author Idries Shah avoids the twin pitfalls of knee-jerk skepticism and foolish credulity, approaching the topic with an open yet critical mind. He makes accessible, in a highly readable way, the results of extensive and wide-ranging research, leavened with firsthand accounts of his own experiences. The result is an instructive book that’s well worth reading, regardless of what one’s beliefs about magic may be.
First published over 60 years ago, Idries Shah’s Oriental Magic remains a classic. For five years Shah examined rare artifacts and obscure manuscripts, travelling to remote areas in a dozen regions where magic persists. Neither credulous or skeptical, he takes the hocus-pocus out of magical texts, beliefs & practices. Yet he deepens its mystery, maybe even its use, with some intriguing and fruitful questions.
Could the startling similarity in magical belief, practice and terminology around t First published over 60 years ago, Idries Shah’s Oriental Magic remains a classic. For five years Shah examined rare artifacts and obscure manuscripts, travelling to remote areas in a dozen regions where magic persists. Neither credulous or skeptical, he takes the hocus-pocus out of magical texts, beliefs & practices.
Yet he deepens its mystery, maybe even its use, with some intriguing and fruitful questions. Could the startling similarity in magical belief, practice and terminology around the world hint at a single origin? Could it’s universality and persistence together with confirmed eye-witness reports point to under-recognized, extraordinary mental and physical processes worth investigating objectively? Loaded with illustrations this brand new edition is sure to intrigue a new generation of readers.
Hypnosis, that today is both an accepted fact and a useful technique, comes direct from magic. Are there, in this relatively unexplored territory, more things we can learn that can be useful for us? Shah wants us to approach and study magic from a scientific perspective. Do we do that, half a century after the book was first published?Science replaced abracadabra when we from alchemy got chemistry. For not so long ago, theories of atoms were looked upon as fantasies, out of touch with reality.
Hypnosis, that today is both an accepted fact and a useful technique, comes direct from magic. Are there, in this relatively unexplored territory, more things we can learn that can be useful for us? Shah wants us to approach and study magic from a scientific perspective. Do we do that, half a century after the book was first published?Science replaced abracadabra when we from alchemy got chemistry. For not so long ago, theories of atoms were looked upon as fantasies, out of touch with reality. Now we know: there are atoms, electrically charged and we have learned to harness electricity for human service and it´s nothing supernatural about it.
Likewise, possibly some of the hokus-pokus in magic, could be exchanged for knowledge.I learned from the book that “for centuries, perhaps thousands of years, magic flowed slowly but powerfully through the human race” and that most religions forbade/forbid it, perhaps according to the doctrine “like repels alike”. Oriental Magic is immensely interesting and full of facts, many of which were gathered by the author himself on his travels around the world. It has an academic tone and contains notes and a bibliography useful for further studies. A fascinating account of Asiatic and African magical practices, drawing on the author's several years of travel in these regions studying the subject. It's a dispassionate, sensitive inquiry into the topic, grounded on wide experience and seemingly very extensive information. While the writer seems well aware of hoaxes, he also touches on the possibility that certain effects in magic may obey laws not yet fully articulated in Western-based science.This book seems indispensable for any serious s A fascinating account of Asiatic and African magical practices, drawing on the author's several years of travel in these regions studying the subject. It's a dispassionate, sensitive inquiry into the topic, grounded on wide experience and seemingly very extensive information.
While the writer seems well aware of hoaxes, he also touches on the possibility that certain effects in magic may obey laws not yet fully articulated in Western-based science.This book seems indispensable for any serious study of magic: not least because of the author's attitude, which seems to evade facile credulity, cultish enthusiasm, and unimaginative skepticism in favour of this more constructive posture: critical, yet open to possibilities.This is a new edition, published in January 2016 by ISF Publishing. This new edition is a delight, beautifully produced, very readable layout and handling.
And the content is extraordinary. Evidence is presented for the spread of magic rituals from Mongolia throughout most of the world. Magical practices are looked at in contemporary usage as well as historical. The relation to religion is explored. For me one of the most interesting chapters is on Tibet where two very different traditions are contrasted, orthodox Lamaism and Bonism. Evidence is presented of som This new edition is a delight, beautifully produced, very readable layout and handling. And the content is extraordinary.
Evidence is presented for the spread of magic rituals from Mongolia throughout most of the world. Magical practices are looked at in contemporary usage as well as historical. The relation to religion is explored.
For me one of the most interesting chapters is on Tibet where two very different traditions are contrasted, orthodox Lamaism and Bonism. Evidence is presented of some very strange happenings as well as misunderstanding and fraud.
And we are given six formulae for creating alchemical gold. What more could you want? Sufis champion the right to know, and magic, shrouded as it has been in ignorance and secrecy, is one of the things about which we know little. Magic is connected to a wisdom, handed down through countless generations. Even though we may not want to admit it, traces still adhere to beliefs we think have superseded it.
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However its essence remains elusive, hidden behind obsessions, superstitions, and the beliefs of cults.In this book Idries Shah takes us back to the magical practices of the Jews, Sufis champion the right to know, and magic, shrouded as it has been in ignorance and secrecy, is one of the things about which we know little. Magic is connected to a wisdom, handed down through countless generations. Even though we may not want to admit it, traces still adhere to beliefs we think have superseded it.
However its essence remains elusive, hidden behind obsessions, superstitions, and the beliefs of cults.In this book Idries Shah takes us back to the magical practices of the Jews, the Babylonians, and the ancient Egyptians. Then we go on a journey east, from North Africa, through Asia to China, Tibet, and Japan. On the way we see the diverse manifestations of the occult as they occurred in the mid-twentieth century. Shah’s account is detailed, entertaining and humorous, but behind the numerous spells and alchemical formulae, he detects a little known force. He sees no reason why this force cannot be investigated scientifically, but doubts that orthodox science will undertake the task. The serious students and investigators, he concludes, will be those who believe that in magic lies vast potential use and meaning. 'The deeper one goes into the study of the supernatural and its devotees, the clearer it is that similar trends of thought have made men's minds work alike among communities so diverse that they might belong to different worlds.'
When I contrast that opening statement to Chapter 1 of Oriental Magic, first published in 1958, with an excellent, well-researched scientific history of how human thought developed published at the beginning of the next century ( 'The deeper one goes into the study of the supernatural and its devotees, the clearer it is that similar trends of thought have made men's minds work alike among communities so diverse that they might belong to different worlds.' When I contrast that opening statement to Chapter 1 of Oriental Magic, first published in 1958, with an excellent, well-researched scientific history of how human thought developed published at the beginning of the next century , I knew I was dealing here with a very interesting book: one which contained coherent information far more interesting and wide-sweeping then a long litany of magical practices. Do not be confused by its outward appearance: Oriental Magic is a book about the human mind and anyone interested in how or why our minds became what they are (or what they could possibly become in the future) will find some interesting propositions in it. One aspect of this book could well be summed up by the photograph at the very front. It depicts a house decoration in Northern Sudan where the star and crescent motif, - being both Islamic and Byzantine,- is supported by ancient Egyptian and African magical designs.
This idea of the amalgamation and persistence of belief and ritual is an interesting one and reminds me of two excellent monographs, Nos. 31 & 32, on magic and ritual at Publications/Monograph Archive of the- now dormant websit One aspect of this book could well be summed up by the photograph at the very front. It depicts a house decoration in Northern Sudan where the star and crescent motif, - being both Islamic and Byzantine,- is supported by ancient Egyptian and African magical designs. This idea of the amalgamation and persistence of belief and ritual is an interesting one and reminds me of two excellent monographs, Nos.
31 & 32, on magic and ritual at Publications/Monograph Archive of the- now dormant website of the Institute for Cultural Research.) They can still be downloaded for free.
Author by: Idries ShahLanguage: enPublisher by: Octagon Press LtdFormat Available: PDF, ePub, MobiTotal Read: 61Total Download: 374File Size: 54,8 MbDescription: Does there lie in mankind's remote past a single origin for the beliefs and practices of magic found in nearly every culture in the world? Behind the distortions and grotesqueries of magical practices, could there be clues to processes worthy of our objective consideration? First published nearly 40 years ago, Oriental Magic is still the definitive work on the subject. Its publication was the culmination of five years of research into rare artifacts, obscure manuscripts, and travels into remote areas where strange magical practices endure.
The 'singing sands' of Egypt, the invisible rulership of Sufism, subcutaneous electricity, and the prehistoric sources of Babylonian occult practices are just a few of the intriguing subjects described. The author includes personal accounts of 'training' under a ju-ju witch doctor, a demonstration of Hindu levitation, and translations of secret alchemical and magical formulae. Revealed is an astonishing similarity in magical beliefs, practices, and terminology of places as diverse as China, the Near East, Scandinavia, and Africa.
Oriental Magic includes a myriad of illustrations, including unique photos of places and people associated with the mysterious world of magic. Only an author of Shah's experience, dedication, and knowledge of human nature could assemble such an array of arcane information into a dazzling picture of human beliefs and practices.
This new release is sure to attract the attention of a new generation of interested readers. Author by: Zach WaggonerLanguage: enPublisher by: McFarlandFormat Available: PDF, ePub, MobiTotal Read: 92Total Download: 202File Size: 42,7 MbDescription: This edited collection of new essays is devoted to the terminology used in the fields of videogame theory and videogame studies. Videogame scholars provide theoretical critiques of existing terminology, mount arguments for the creation of new terminology, articulate terminological gaps in the current literature devoted to videogame studies, and share phenomenological studies of videogames that facilitate terminological theory.
Author by: Jn BremmerLanguage: enPublisher by: Peeters PublishersFormat Available: PDF, ePub, MobiTotal Read: 61Total Download: 499File Size: 48,5 MbDescription: Deities, demons, and angels became important protagonists in the magic of the Late Antique world, and were also the main reasons for the condemnation of magic in the Christian era. Supplicatory incantations, rituals of coercion, enticing suffumigations, magical prayers and mystical songs drew spiritual powers to the humain domain. Next to the magician's desire to regulate fate and fortune, it was the communion with the spirit world that gave magic the potential to purify and even deify its practitioners.
The sense of elation and the awareness of a metaphysical order caused magic to merge with philosophy (notably Neoplatonism). The heritage of Late Antique theurgy would be passed on to the Arab world, and together with classical science and learning would take root again in the Latin West in the High Middle Ages. The metamorphosis of magic laid out in this book is the transformation of ritual into occult philosophy against the background of cultural changes in Judaism, Graeco-Roman religion and Christianity. This volume, the first in the new series Groningen Studies in Cultural Change, offers the papers presented at the workshop The Metamorphosis of Magic from Late Antiquity to the Early Modern Period held from 22 to 24 June 2000, and organised by Jan N. Bremmer and Jan R. The papers have been written by scholars from such varying disciplines as classics, theology, philosophy, cultural history, and law.
Their contributions shed new light upon several old obscurities; they show magic to be a significant area of culture, and they advance the case for viewing transformations in the lore and practice of magic as a barometer with which to measure cultural change. Author by: Lewis SpenceLanguage: enPublisher by: Courier CorporationFormat Available: PDF, ePub, MobiTotal Read: 41Total Download: 367File Size: 45,6 MbDescription: Fascinating, painstakingly researched study of occult beliefs and practices in Celtic Britain, with intriguing discussions of the origins of the Druids, Arthurian cults, the mystery of the Holy Grail, Celtic spells and charms, black magic, the Celtic spirit world — with its populations of banshees, leprechauns, brownies and a host of lesser phantoms — and many other topics. A compelling, erudite study that will appeal to anthropologists, folklorists, and anyone interested in the customs and spiritual life of Britain's ancient Celts.
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