Book Review: The Aleister Crowley Manual by Marco Visconti

Title: The Aleister Crowley Manual

Author: Marco Visconti
Genre: Thelema - Magic - Witchcraft
Publisher: Watkins Publishing - Copyright 2023
Publication Date: February 14, 2023
ISBN: 9781786787361
Read: March 1-18, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a digital advanced reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: Marco Visconti has taught Aleister Crowley's Magick to hundreds of aspirants, proving to himself and others its transmutative powers. This book brings together the effective techniques and practices from those lessons. We all live very busy lives in increasingly small spaces, but this book shows that to practice magick you don’t need fancy tools or robes or marbles halls. Magick is truly for everyone, because all you need to practice it is a will set in stone. 

Each chapter in this manual is a lesson, which will add a new tool to your magical arsenal: 

• the nature of the Body of Light 
• what Prana is and how to harness it 
• the 4 Hermetic Elements that make up the foundations of the Magical Pyramid 
• the Quintessence 
• the Pentagram 
• Hexagram rituals 
• the Astral Light invoked through the Middle Pillar 

The benefits gained from bringing Magick into your life are manifold. You will gain a deeper understanding of your role in the universe, the ability to communicate with the Other, and the wisdom that comes from such relationships. Overall these practices offer a new and deeper sense of awareness of your own role in the universe.

Review: I freely admit my understanding of Thelema as a philosophy and spiritual path are limited, as is my overall knowledge of Aleister Crowley. After reading Marco Visconti's book, however, I don't feel as though either has increased all that much.

While Visconti seems to know his subjects rather well, his explanations of Thelema are rudimentary and lack true depth in what is an otherwise complex area of study. I've read other Thelema and magick-based books, some of which are reviewed here and accessible via the archives, and Visconti covers nothing that isn't already available in other books and with more clarity. Also, it's difficult to take an author who claims to have years of experience and accumulated knowledge seriously when they quote Wikipedia as their primary research source. Sorry, but Wikipedia doesn't even pass muster in the most basic of English composition courses. Either provide actual scholarly works or resources that are considered "sacred" to your particular philosophy/spiritual path as a backup or don't include the information at all.

Perhaps the only true reason to read this book is for the list of other books and websites on the subjects of Thelema and Crowley included at the back. However, even these can be found with a quick Google search so...yeah....

Book Review: Seal, Sigil & Call by J.R. Mascaro

Title: Seal, Sigil & Call

Author: J.R. Mascaro
Genre: Magic - Occultism
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications - Copyright 2022
Publication Date: December 8, 2022
Read: December 5-8, 2022
Disclaimer: I received a digital advanced reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: Practice Your Own Ritual Magic and Achieve a Higher State of Being 

Drawing from Eastern and Western traditions to form its unique path, Seal, Sigil & Call introduces you to a new school of ceremonial magic. This beginner-friendly book uses Tantric, Qabalistic, and tradition-free spiritual exercises to teach you concepts of energy and centered awareness. Once you've built a solid foundation, J. R. Mascaro shares the practices of paneidolism, his innovative system of ritual magic. This system shows you how to contact and work with various eidolons―spirit entities that aid your personal development. Seal, Sigil & Call helps you lift the veil of material awareness by providing powerful ontological tools that are not restricted by any single spiritual tradition. With Mascaro's guidance, you'll find greater peace through inner exploration and manifest your highest experience of being.

Review: The best way to describe J.R. Mascaro's Seal, Sigil & Call can be summed up as "ceremonial magic without the ceremony." Mascaro draws from a number of different sources including ceremonial magic, the Qabal, Buddhism, Wicca, and others to create a wholly original magical path that can be used either alone or incorporated into an already established system. 

Central to Mascaro's practice are the eidolons, which he describes as either spirit beings or archetypal aspects of the human subconscious. He leaves it up to the individual to ascertain how they choose to perceive the eidolons. He does "gift" eighteen eidolons to the reader--basically, these are beings/aspects that are open to being contacted by others seeking to work with eidolons--that comprise what Mascaro calls the Inner Host of the Ark. Eidolons are categorized in three ways: Otherworld Spirits, Primals, and Celestials. Each category comes with its own challenges and benefits. Once the magician has connected with and become accustomed to working with the Inner Host, more eidolons await to be discovered.

Mascaro does an admirable job of organizing his research and procedures for contacting eidolons. Some of his phrasing can be a repetitive and writing tends toward the overly flowery at times but overall, the information is unique and presented in an easy to follow manner. While Mascaro states he has not (as yet) encountered a malevolent eidolon, anyone seeking to make contact with possible spiritual beings should exercise the proper protection methods and use caution. Fortunately, he provides different methods for achieving this and although his passion for working with eidolons is evident, he does seem to acknowledge that doing so isn't for everyone. 

Overall, Seal, Sigil & Call is an uncommon approach to an aspect of magic that is often part of a large path or tradition. It goes beyond a basic "how to" book and offers a new perspective on familiar topics. Anyone who is interested in ceremonial magic would find this book useful and a welcomed addition to their library.