Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: Creating Magickal Entities by David Michael Cunningham, Amanda R. Wagener ISBN: 1-932517-44-8 Publisher: Egregore Publishing Pub. Date: 01 September, 2003 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.75 (8 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Fantastic Work
Comment: Just finished this one and I have to declare that 'Creating Magickal Entities' is a fantastic book. Simply put, it is one of the most intelligent, useful, occult books I have read, and I have read a lot of books. Comparable with new book 'Memetic Magic' by Kirk Packwood.
The authors really know what they are talking about. The information contained within this small book is far superior to almost all of the information contained in almost all of the occult books published by larger publishers today. If you want to begin to understand real magick, buy this book. But be sure you really want to understand, because this book speaks the truth.
I had a couple of minor problems with the book, though, which could be easily corrected. First, I -really- dislike the agreement statement at the beginning of the book which is very similar to the type of agreement you have to accept when you use new software. Magick is supposed to be about freedom, not control. Why write a book that tells people how to free their inner powers while putting a statement at the beginning of the work which espouses control and domination? You, the authors, should be more intelligent than that. Just because the software companies have started a trend where they make everyone agree to their terms before using their product does not mean it is a good idea for books to do this too.
Second, the work could use one more thorough proofreading.
But, make no mistake; this is one of the best books on magick and the occult I have ever read. The part about the entities serving as 'astral batteries' was fascinating as well. Do not hesitate to buy this one -- as long as you are certain you want to understand real magick.
Rating: 5
Summary: If you can only buy one book - this is the book to buy
Comment: I have created many entities in the past. Before reading this book, and following the easy to understand steps outlined in it, my entities were just "OK." After reading the book, all of my entities are top-notch and produce exactly what I had wanted at the time I created them.
Creating Magickal Entities is a systematic explanation of a single occult process (creating magickal entities) that includes a methodical discussion of the facts and principles involved, free from superfluous information. Many magicians will like this book do to its lack of dogma. It was written in a way that is open to many points of view, and succeeds at limiting, when possible, the inclusion of a specific magickal tradition.
This book was also written assuming that the reader already has some magickal knowledge and experience. This is refreshing since there are so many other writers that positions their books as though the reader is an idiot or has no clue as to what magick (as the author sees it) is. In this book, David Michael Cunningham touches on the skills needed to create entities. He responsibly points the reader in the direction of how they can acquire those skills if the reader currently does not posses them. I wish more writers would respect their readers.
Due to the subject matter, there are a few people that seem to believe that Creating Magickal Entities is a book for Chaos magicians - this could not be further from the truth. Many different societies and magickal traditions have magickal entities that the magician can create, and Creating Magickal Entities addresses that not only directly in the book, but it is worded in such a way to break free of magickal jargon of a specific magickal style.
Creating Magickal Entities does not use Chaos magick terminology due to the fact that this book was written for magickal practitioners to use and develop their own style of entity creation - it was not written for a specific magickal style. Words like "programming symbol" (instead of "sigil") are used to bridge magickal ideas and to further remove any specific tradition trappings from the pure information provided.
After reading this book you are left with a desire to read more by DMC and his views on magick and the occult. Mr. Cunningham gets to the point of the situation and explains it clearly so that just about anyone can understand (with or without magickal training). He doesn't ramble on with pointless discussion just to fill his book with tons of useless pages, or to inflate his ego about how his was is the best (like so many other occult and pagan writers). DMC offers not only occult information that has been passed down for centuries, but he also includes real examples and experiences that he and others have had. Never do you find yourself feeling as though he is pushing his way of thought down your throat. DMC offers information and supports that information with examples, then allows you to decide what is right for you - not what he feels is right for you. It is like he is a long-time friend trying to help you out with sound advice.
I was fortunate enough to have been present at a seminar that DMC gave prior to writing this book. He is easy going and very open to discussions. I have since been a part of a mentoring group (that he holds on rare occasions), and I was blown away. The amount of magickal and occult knowledge that this man possesses is incredible. I am looking forward to his future books (and am currently hunting down his out of print books), and to the time he holds another one of his great mentoring programs.
In closing, if you can only buy one book, this is the book to buy. It will change your life and the way that you understand magick.
Rating: 4
Summary: Offers a concise, methodical approach to entity-creation
Comment: Perhaps the only work of its kind solely dedicated to entity creation, Creating Magickal Entities offers step-by-step information and instructions on servitor creation. Everything from possible uses and precautions, practical advice and examples of entities previously created by its authors is discussed in depth.
While Creating Magickal Entities assumes the reader knows little about magickal entities, it is not designed to be an 'intro to magick' type book. It offers little introduction to general magickal theory or technique; the authors expect the reader to know a thing or two about what they're doing beforehand - and it is highly appreciated.
A created entity is noted as being an extension of a thought-form, which is described as 'a symbol that represents a concept or thought for the person...It is entirely in the realm of concept until the person makes the thought-form manifest into reality' (pg. 9). A created entity is defined as being a 'vital principle held to give life to an immaterial essence, which has been created to have a self-contained and distinct existence with a conceptual reality, by the deliberate effort to personifying segregated thoughts and emotions' (pg. 9).
The basic methodology authors lay out for entity creation details that by 'taking specific thoughts and emotions and identifying them with things like names, symbolic attributes, etc., we are better able to work with them in a conscious manner.' Advising that it is 'very important that we wisely chose our thoughts and the way we understand them. If we do not understand our thoughts and emotions and try to use them for our own benefit, the results can, and more often than not, will be counterproductive' (pg. 11).
I do, however, have a few minor quibbles. While it is refreshing that the authors do expect a certain intelligence of the reader, footnotes may have been a good idea. For example, not everyone may be familiar with the Pythagorean system of numerology mentioned frequently throughout the book, and while a brief description is given in the glossary it wasn't noted anywhere prior to that. There are a few uncorrected typos, but they are infrequent enough to be of no major concern.
Beliefs common to chaos magickians such as 'the important thing is to use whatever feels right to you, and works best for you' (pg. 47) are frequently stated, though there is no formal mention of chaos magick by name. Despite the subject of the book. Creating Magickal Entities does not use the chaos magick terminology. The words 'servitor' and 'sigil' are curiously absent from this work, words like 'entity' and 'programming symbol' are employed instead. While not 'bad', it is curious that the have authors avoided these terms. Perhaps it is due to the negative connotation that chaos magick has, and the desire to appeal to a broader audience?
Several practical examples are given in the appendices, using various methods employed by the authors are likely to make for excellent reference for the novice entity creator.
Cunningham, Ellwood and Wagener offer a concise, methodical approach to entity-creation without pandering to the lowest common denominator. With practical advice and step-by step instructions, Creating Magickal Entities is well written, and highly recommended for magickians interested in learning more about servitor creation.
 |
Title: Familiar Spirits: A Practical Guide for Witches & Magicians by Donald Tyson ISBN: 0738704210 Publisher: Llewellyn Publications Pub. Date: 01 January, 2004 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
 |
Title: Mysteria Magica: Fundamental Techniques of High Magick by Melita Denning, Osborne Phillips ISBN: 0738701696 Publisher: Llewellyn Publications Pub. Date: 01 January, 2004 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
 |
Title: 21st Century Mage: Bring the Divine Down to Earth by Jason Augustus Newcomb ISBN: 1578632374 Publisher: Weiser Books Pub. Date: October, 2002 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
 |
Title: Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot by Lon Milo Duquette ISBN: 1578632765 Publisher: Weiser Books Pub. Date: 01 November, 2003 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
 |
Title: Blood Magick by Seth ISBN: 0595298397 Publisher: iUniverse Pub. Date: 01 October, 2003 List Price(USD): $9.95 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
