5 starting Book Recommendations for Beginners
You can find a full resource list on the Resources page, but I wanted to go into a little more detail on the 5 books that I found most helpful when I first started.
The New Encyclopedia of the Occult by John Michael Greer- This is the most treasured resource in my entire library. It is incredibly well researched and presented. Mr Greer presents the information in a concise, easy to understand way that is actually entertaining to read. Yes, I just said reading an encyclopedia was entertaining. I’ve actually read through it several times at this point and it was a massive help in giving me a foundational knowledge of the history of modern occultism and all the different traditions and concepts. It really helped me to narrow down where I wanted to focus my studies as I moved forward; and I constantly refer to it still. I not only have a copy of this beefy boy on my library shelf, but I bought a second, digital copy so I’d always have access to it on my phone for quick reference.
Real Magic: Ancient Wisdom, Modern Science, and a Guide to the Secret Power of the Universe by Dean Radin, PhD- Dr. Radin is a parapsychologist that specializes in studying the occult through lab experiments utilizing the scientific method. This was actually the very first book I read when I started researching the occult and was still extremely skeptical that any of it was even real. By looking at concepts like psychic abilities, astral projection, etc. through a more rational, scientific approach, it was a big help in easing my mind into the concepts before branching out into the more esoteric stuff.
High Magick by Damien Echols- This was the first book on magick that I ever read, and boy am I glad that I started here. Damien is an excellent teacher and has a way of presenting information in a way that is easy to understand. His focus is on ceremonial magick, which may not be everyone’s bag; but he presents a lot of foundational concepts that are universal across the magickal board and I think it’d be helpful even for people who plan on practicing other magical traditions.
Modern Magick: Twelve Lessons in the High Magickal Arts by Donald Michael Kraig- If there was a Ceremonial Magick 101 class, this would be the default textbook. If you’re wanting to practice Golden Dawn ceremonial magick, this is the book I’d recommend. This is a 12 month class in ceremonial magick that will take you from just starting all the way through self-initiation in an easy to read (and often funny) and understand way. That said, like Damien Echols, this book is well worth picking up even for folk that aren’t interested in practicing ceremonial magick. In each lesson are little side-bars and mini lessons that go over universal concepts and Kraig’s personal experiences that I found incredibly educational and helpful, even though ceremonial magick isn’t really my thing.
Six Ways: Approaches and Entries for Practical Magic by Aidan Wachter- Aidan approaches magick in a much more shamanistic way that I absolutely love. His approach to shadow work and meditation was incredibly influential on my own practice and it’s another book that presents universal concepts that I think are beneficial for every practitioner starting out, regardless of which Magickal path you end up walking.
