BOOK REVIEW - Graeco-Egyptian Magick: Everyday Empowerment
Mike
2006 ISBN: 978-1-905713037 258 pages Paperback $21.99 (U.S.)
Are you as frustrated as I am by all the �101� books available in the
magickal field? Do you want something with a bit more meat to it?
Well, this book is a good place to start. True, it contains a great
deal of �101� material, but it includes translations of the original
sources, not just the tabulated results (although they are provided as
well).
Assumptions ARE made about the level of commitment on the part of the
magickian, as well as about the degree of comfort and expertise
brought to the study of the material.
For those out there who are more interested in reading about rituals
than actually doing them (you know who you are), this book will be
interesting. For those already familiar with Classical Greek
writings, it may be redundant. For those interested in working with
pre-Medieval magickal systems, it is invaluable.
The first 82 pages provide a fairly comprehensive background on the
deities and sources of the information, as well as explaining some
individual modifications made by the author. None of these
modifications, by the way, are at all radical, and all are explained
clearly
Each of the planetary rites consists of invocations, including the use
of �words of power�, none of which would be particularly useful
without the inclusion of Appendix 2: Pronunciation, which helps the
would-be Graeco-Egyptian magickian make sure that they are calling the
appropriate entity.
Many modern day magicians might be uncomfortable working without the
perceived protection of a magick circle. However, since the
magickians of the period lasting through the first five centuries of
the Common Era did not use a circle, it would seem that the best way
to duplicate their experience would be to duplicate their methods to
the best of our ability.
Granted that the author allows his personal perceptions and biases to
affect the invocations he uses (modifying the originals in order to
achieve specific results), he is honest enough to explain what he has
done, and more importantly � why he has done so.
Although I am not a Ceremonialist, by any stretch of the imagination,
I found it easy to understand Mr. Mierzwicki�s directions. I must
admit that I found a few areas where he and I disagree in regards to
the myths and their interpretations, and a few other items, but I kind
of expected that going in. I knew that my background in Graeco-
Egyptian culture was weak, and so I was willing to accept the fact
that I would find things to challenge my perceptions.
Although I am not sure how valuable this book will be for my own
personal development, I am able to see its overall value and
usefulness. If �high� magick is your forte, this book definitely
belongs in your library. It is not intended to be a �quick fix�, as
the rituals need time to work on many levels and cannot be rushed, but
working within this system will definitely yield benefits.
Dirk Bruere at NeoPax
Perhaps the best source of reference to hypnosis in early Egypt comes
from the famous Third Century CE Demotic Magical Papyrus 44 which was
discovered in the 19th Century in Thebes. The technique describes using
a young boy who was in training for the priesthood to gaze steadily into
a lamp while a priest recited the following words until a �great light�
appeared to the boy.
�O Osiris, O lamp that giveth vision of the things above, and of the
things below the earth. O lamp, O lamp, Amon is moored in thee. O
lamp, O lamp, I invoke thee, go thou up to the shore of the great sea of
Syria, the sea of Osiris. Go and find Osiris on his papyrus boat, Isis
at his head, Nephthys at his feet, and the gods and goddesses about him.
Speak O Isis, and let Osiris be told the things I ask, let him cause the
god to come here in whose hand is the command of the day, and give me
full answer to all I request here today...� and so on. Then the light is
invoked saying �Hail O light, come forth, come forth, O light, rise,
rise, O light, grow, grow, O light! O that which is outside your vision
come in!�
The Priest says this nine times until the light increases and the god
appears. The procedure ends when the god answers the operators questions
through the boy.
FFF
Dirk
http://www.transcendence.me.uk/ - Transcendence UK
http://www.theconsensus.org/ - A UK political party
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/onetribe - Occult Talk Show
Mike
Here is that data.
Graeco-Egyptian Magick: Everyday Empowerment by Tony Mierzwicki �
2006 Megalithica Books ISBN: 978-1-905713037 258 pages
Paperback $21.99 (U.S.)