June Book Recommendation.
Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2016 5:28 pm
Phil Hine - Condensed Chaos.
This month on the forum we saw a rather lengthy debate about sigil magic. So I decided to go back to "school" and read a couple of books on the subject.
Liber null & psychonaut is still my favorite book about Chaos Magic, But I feel like this book needs to be highlighted.
'Condensed Chaos', is not the first book about chaos magic. Heck! It's not even Phil Hines first book about chaos magic. So why choose this over his previous one? I think this one summons it up better and manages to cover a broader area in a shorter amount of space.
If there is any critique about this book, it is that it's highly theoretical, and not very practical. If you want actual exercises to work with, there are better books. But as a piece of information about the subject at hand; it is excellent.
Now. Some of you might have read this book before. I have. But I really recommend reading it again. If nothing else, re-read the first 3 chapter.
There is some really good pointers in there on how to avoid being an asshole when talking and thinking about magic. Something that I've myself have failed at more then once. There is also some really good tips on self-assessment, learning, and the attitudes towards practice.
I also like the fact that it covers some pitfalls like isolation, paranoia and obsession. This book is straight with the reader at all time and doesn't bullshit around some of the more sensitive subjects. And as I said earlier, it does a really good job summarizing a complex subject at the same time as it manages to be easy to read and understand.
https://www.amazon.com/Condensed-Chaos- ... 1935150669
This month on the forum we saw a rather lengthy debate about sigil magic. So I decided to go back to "school" and read a couple of books on the subject.
Liber null & psychonaut is still my favorite book about Chaos Magic, But I feel like this book needs to be highlighted.
'Condensed Chaos', is not the first book about chaos magic. Heck! It's not even Phil Hines first book about chaos magic. So why choose this over his previous one? I think this one summons it up better and manages to cover a broader area in a shorter amount of space.
If there is any critique about this book, it is that it's highly theoretical, and not very practical. If you want actual exercises to work with, there are better books. But as a piece of information about the subject at hand; it is excellent.
Now. Some of you might have read this book before. I have. But I really recommend reading it again. If nothing else, re-read the first 3 chapter.
There is some really good pointers in there on how to avoid being an asshole when talking and thinking about magic. Something that I've myself have failed at more then once. There is also some really good tips on self-assessment, learning, and the attitudes towards practice.
I also like the fact that it covers some pitfalls like isolation, paranoia and obsession. This book is straight with the reader at all time and doesn't bullshit around some of the more sensitive subjects. And as I said earlier, it does a really good job summarizing a complex subject at the same time as it manages to be easy to read and understand.
https://www.amazon.com/Condensed-Chaos- ... 1935150669