Magic, Its Ritual, Power And Purpose

This book will NOT teach you how to perform ritual magic. However, it provides an excellent understanding of the energetic workings of the universe, and the place of an aspiring (or experienced) practitioner within it. It helps one understand the fundamental nature of magic and the universe without ascribing to any particular path or philosophy, and for this reason is an excellent read no matter what direction one's spiritual or magical journey leads.

For a bare bones type of book, it's surprising how much is revealed: A brief survey of mystical theories. A cool definition of magic. A glorious tribute to Dion Fortune. A swift frolic across the birth of psychology. A short thesis of man. How beautifully alluring ritual can be. The apparatus of magic. The how and why of invocation/evocation. Playing with powerful images. Initiatory magic. A dripping dash of blood. A challenge of thought beyond.

I purchased this book because it was recommended in another book I was reading at the time. I found the book to be very informative. It made me look at magic and ritual in a whole different light.

Great book explaining ritual magic.

One of the best concise introducing to Magic. What is it? What's really going on in the psyche? The bottom line philosophy about how to go about it. Best intro to Magic I think I have ever read.

I'm glad I have added this book to my library. I didn't find it as useful as some of his other works but the gems I did find were worth the read.

W.E. Butler's "Magic: It's Ritual, Power and Purpose" is a brief set of essays explaining the core ideas of the Western Esoteric Tradition- human personality and it's destiny, how magical rituals work and are used, invocation and evocation of godforms and spirits, magnetism and consecration (what is generally referred to as "energy work" today), the use of images and words of power, and lastly, the meaning of magical initiation, particularly through analogues in Christian ritual. Much of it reads like a condensed version of Israel Regardie's  The Tree of Life: An Illustrated Study in Magic , a classic (if a bit meandering and sometimes dreary) introduction to the genre. It's much briefer and more succinct than Regardie's work, but doesn't offer any practical guidance or exercises- it's purely a ten thousand foot overview of magic. Despite being written in 1952, very little about it feels dated, and Butler's writing is clear and interesting, never turgid.Recommended to anyone looking for an introduction to Western esotericism, particularly of the Golden Dawn Qabalistic and Christian Hermetic varieties. For an introduction to the actual practice of the tradition, the works of John Michael Greer are highly recommended- particularly  Learning Ritual Magic: Fundamental Theory and Practice for the Solitary Apprentice , Paths of Wisdom , and  Circles of Power: Ritual Magic in the Western Tradition .

It's small and unassuming, but it's got the right stuff. It's a good appetite wetter if you're just starting to get into magic and the occult 🐙