Magic and Witchcraft: from Shamanism to the Technopagans

The subject here is high magic, not superstition or passive possession by spirits. It is a history of the active quest for personal transformation in order to harness a higher power. This book covers Western magical thought, from shamanism to the esoteric philosophy of Freemasons and Rosicrucians. The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, started in Britain in 1888, led to a 20th-century revival that extends into the new millennium. The influence of controversial occultist Aleister Crowley, the rebirth of witchcraft and goddess worship, the emergence of contemporary satanism, the revival of interest in shamanism and indigenous spirituality, and the intriguing connection between digital magic and cyberspace are all explored here in detail.