Occidental Magic exists to give a clear, honest and usable account of the Western esoteric tradition to anyone who wants one. The subject is surrounded by sensationalism on one side and by dismissal on the other, and it is poorly served by both. We think it deserves to be explained in plain language, with its history told straight and its practices described carefully enough to be tried.
What this site is
It is a library, a course and a journal. The library holds reference material: a glossary, tables, a guide to symbols and an annotated reading list. The three main sections, on Hermeticism, magick and self transformation, explain the philosophy, the practice and the purpose of the tradition, and are tied together by a twelve month course of study. The journal publishes signed essays by the editors.
The name is descriptive. Occidental means western, and the subject of the site is the stream of thought and practice that rose around the ancient Mediterranean and has flowed, with many changes of bed, through European and later worldwide culture to the present.
What this site is not
We are not an order, a lodge, a church or a school. We confer no grades, degrees, titles or initiations. We have no members and no secret teachings, and everything we have to say is on these pages. We do not claim descent from any historical body, real or legendary, and we would advise caution toward anyone who rests their authority on such a claim.
We do not offer personal instruction, readings, healing or advice on individual circumstances. Nothing here is a substitute for medical, psychological, legal or financial help from a qualified person.
Our approach
Four commitments shape the way the site is written.
- History told straight
- We distinguish what is documented from what is traditional and from what is merely repeated. Where a famous teaching is modern, we say so, and we do not think it loses by the admission.
- Practice described plainly
- Exercises are given in enough detail to be carried out, in ordinary words, with their purpose stated. We include only practices that we consider suitable for a person working alone.
- Claims reported as claims
- The tradition makes large statements about the nature of things. We report them, explain them and leave readers to judge. We ask for experiment and record keeping, not for belief.
- Care for the reader
- Inner work has real effects, and not all of them are comfortable. We say where the risks lie, and our page on ethics and safety should be read before any practice is begun.
The full statement of how we work is set out in our editorial standards.
Who writes the site
Occidental Magic is written and maintained by a small group of editors, each of whom has studied and practiced within the tradition for many years. Reference pages are written jointly and reviewed by the whole group, and they are signed the editors. Essays in the journal are the work of the individual whose name they carry.
The editors hold a range of views about what magick ultimately is. Some incline to a psychological understanding and others to a more traditional one. We regard that disagreement as healthy, and the site does not take a side.
Who the site is for
For the curious reader who has met a reference to Hermes Trismegistus or the Emerald Tablet and wants to know what it is about. For the student of history, literature or religion who needs a reliable outline. For the person who feels drawn to practice and wants a sane place to begin. And for the experienced practitioner who would like a tidy set of tables.
The site assumes no previous knowledge and no particular belief. People of any religion or none are welcome to whatever they find useful here.
Using the material
You are welcome to read, print and study anything on the site for your own use, and to quote short passages with acknowledgment. Please see the terms of use for details, and the privacy page for a short account of how little the site knows about its visitors.
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