a madwoman's quest to become even more insane

Thoughts on 21st Century Mage, Abramelin, and HGA

Now that I can talk in greater amounts than 140 characters at a time, this will be MUCH easier. As I said before, I think that the 21st Century Mage is a great companion volume to both the Mathers and the Dehn edition. While I find the Dehn edition a far more readable version of the Abramelin text, 21st Century Mage talks more about its practical applications versus the theory. Parts of it I happen to like: suggestions on mindfulness throughout the operation, daily meditations to do to increase the focus towards the intent of the ritual. I also liked the down to earth discussions on what the HGA is (and isn’t). The HGA is NOT the Higher Self. People who go on about how it is are rather missing the boat. I appreciate the frank commentary in this book in regards to that and it made me respect the author that much more. I’ll also say that the examples of how to go about the ritual have inspired me for future workings of my own. Parts of it I was “meh” about: why the LBRP? Why does this one, single Golden Dawn ritual get singled out above all other rituals? Is it because it’s so well known? I just find it to be an overused ritual frequently thrown on top by people who don’t really think about it, don’t truly know its intent and origins, and don’t really know what it does. Has the GD truly become that much of a “default” in ceremonial magick that people just blindly take its rituals and throw them on top of everything? Granted, the LBRP is a nice little ritual, does what it’s supposed to do on the tin…but shouldn’t a person stick to their usual magickal practices and use what makes sense for them if they are NOT involved in the GD? It just seems like an unnecessary bias towards a single tradition and it would’ve been better, IMHO, to give examples of other rituals that would work here. Parts of I REALLY could’ve done without: the sex magick discussion. Dear fucking gods, does EVERY modern book on magick have to include this by default? Was the author afraid it wouldn’t sell otherwise? Or was he more afraid that people wouldn’t do the operation if they had to go “cold turkey”? I’m thinking more of the last one. Admittedly this is my bias showing up; I take a very dim view on sex magick and don’t really think it does anything other have an additional excuse to have sex. Just have sex! Omfgs. I remember that the last time I read this book this was the part that stood out the most of me and was the only part I genuinely remembered. It just overshadows all of the decent content to the point where it’s glaring. I plan to give this another re-read before I write up any further thoughts, but I’m glad I managed to score another copy since my house ate mine.