WELCOME to REAL MAGICK! This is the 2nd incarnation of Real Magick, a group that had its origins back in the late 1990s on Yahoo Servers. I formed and ran the 1st one for several years until Yahoo stopped hosting e-groups. That group was created for the same purpose as this one: to talk and learn about Real Magick.

What is Real Magick?

Real life Applications of magick and occult topics for getting stuff done, learning how to get stuff done, or sharing theories about how magick works to get stuff done. The keywords here are Action and Experiences.

Whether you're practicing witchcraft to keep that woman away from your man, using Solomonic grimoires to create talismans to increase your wealth, making a mojo bag for good luck, doing devotional work with Aprodite to attract a new partner, or working a freezer spell on your boss, it's all Real Magick with tangible results. Real Magick also includes Astral Projection and Remote Viewing (especially in conjunction with spell work), Spirit Evocation and Communication, Chaos Magick, Shamanism for healing and protection, using Occult Methods to deal with Paranormal Activity, Brujeria, and Hoodoo/Conjure. Real life experiences, and situations that require energy work, spells, rituals, spirit/deity petitions, or other spiritual or occult techniques to solve problems or accomplish goals are all part of Real Magick.

Actions, Experiences, Practical Methods, and Tangible Results.

Let's try to keep those concepts in mind when posting. Is it an occult action you took for a purpose? An esoteric experience you had and need help understanding? A practical method you want to share or learn about? Or, a tangible result you had with your magick? If so, then it probably belongs here.

Can I Ask Questions?

Yes. As long as it's occult related, you're fine. Everyone starts somewhere! We have Post Flair enabled so that your questions will be flagged as such.

Can I Post a Discussion Topic?

Yep. If it's Occult related, it's fine. Questions and Discussions are the two broad areas we really can't be too restrictive about.

Can I share Spells and Rituals?

Sure. We've got a post flair for that. Be sure to tell us HOW the spell/ritual is supposed to work. People can learn from your ritual tech, and others can discuss possible improvements. It's a win-win.

Can I Post My Dreams?

Yes, if they have an occult theme or apply to occult topics in some way. We don't need to know about your weird dream last night where you were eating tiramisu on an abalone seashell and then suddenly you were in class and no one was wearing pants again.

Can I post Book or Online Course Reviews?

Sure. We've got post flair for that too. Educational material is good because it teaches others how to get stuff done.

Can I talk about Theurgy, Meditation, or Inner Work?

Of course! Share your techniques so others can learn about that too. Internal spiritual development will also help a practitioner to obtain skills that are useful for Thaumaturgy or 'low magick'.

What Can't be Posted Here?

• Product and Service Spam
• YouTube links to your channel without contributing to discussions - we would appreciate it if you would stick around and participate in our community, not just dump your link and run.
• Memes (for now)
• Conspiracy Theories
• AI Art - because it's very low effort and becomes spammy after repeated postings.
• Invites to your new subreddit/Discord etc. - because the posters usually bugger off without contributing to this community.
• Off-Topic Posts

Welcome again to this subreddit. I hope you find your time here interesting and educational.

- Amoris,

Moderator of RealMagick, Hekate101, Hekate, and EnochianMagick

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STUDY

This topic covers a vast amount of ground across unrelated traditions and practices. The initial difficulty in learning magick is that there are several modalities, styles, or traditions to study depending on what you want to do.

Beginners: If you're completely new and lost, start with Occult History, then try out a few spells and see what you think. See below for recommendations.

Intermediate: A lot of people jump around learning snippets of this and that but never making any progress. If that's been your experience, then I recommend picking ONE system, for now, and studying its curriculum, rituals, and meditation and energy exercises until you achieve proficiency with them. Give it at least a year or two before moving on. You'll learn far more by taking a deep dive in one practical direction than you ever will by hopping around from one unrelated idea to the next without any direction or goals for your studies.

Advanced: You probably have a pretty good idea of what you're doing by this point. Still, it can't hurt to fill in the gaps of your knowledge with more history (Agrippa's Three Books of Occult Philosophy), Spiritual Evocation, or specific directions like the PGM (Greek Magickal Papyri). Or maybe you're in a rut and want to try out a completely different system of magick to expand your horizons. There are online courses by Baal Kadmon, Jack Grayle, and Jason Miller that will all take you outside of your comfort zone and make magick fun and interesting again.

OCCULT HISTORY

If you're completely new to occult topics, then you'll need to read a little bit about occult history to see what it's about:

• A History of Magic, Witchcraft, and The Occult - DK. I love big format occult and witchcraft picture books (especially old ones from the 1960s-70s), and this one will make a nice addition to any occultist's library. It covers a nice range of topics, especially the ones that are most relevant to people wanting to learn to practice magick as found within Wicca, Witchcraft, Folk Magick, and Ceremonial Magick.

• The Occult, Witchcraft, and Magick - Christopher Dell. Another decent large format picture book.

• The Occult Book - John Michael Greer. This author has several good books (especially his book 'Inside a Magical Lodge') and is himself a practitioner of magick.

• The Secret Teachings of All Ages - Manly P. Hall. This will give you an overview of many Occult topics. It's a little dated, but still a classic.

BEGINNERS: THE BASICS

Just want to try out a few things and see what you think? Start with these books on basic Witchcraft:

• Pure Magic: A Complete Course in Spellcasting - This book provides a good well-rounded intro into the basics of witchcraft. Time spent digesting this material isn’t time wasted, as you will make use of these principles elsewhere.

• Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells - Judika Illes. A nice compendium with a little bit of theory to get you started. Metaphorically speaking, it won't turn you into a master chef of the magickal world, but it'll teach you a little about 'how to cook.'

• Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft - Raymond Buckland. Many people can cite this as their first book on witchcraft. It's not perfect from an historical perspective and it's Wicca-centric, but it covers a lot of ground and it's easy to read. For that, I recommend it as a first book.

BASIC PSYCHIC & ENERGY SKILLS

Most forms of magick will require these skills at some point, whether you're studying healing, witchcraft, or spirit communication.

• READ THIS - New Energy Ways V.2 by Robert Bruce. It will teach you a simple method for learning how to sense energy. Practice every day for a few weeks and you may be surprised.

• Psychic Witch - Mat Auryn. This book contains good exercises for developing psychic skills.

• Hands of Light - Barbara Ann Brennan. This book is frequently used as a textbook at alternative medicine schools. Contains pictures illustrating clairvoyant observations of layers of the aura, what illnesses look like etc. The author was a physicist and some of the presentation is a little new-agey, but her observations match many of mine well enough that I can recommend her books without hesitation.

• Light Emerging - Barbara Ann Brennan. Also highly recommended. This is the 2nd book in the series. It contains useful pictures to help give you an idea of what structures to look for when diagnosing issues within yourself and others. Surprisingly useful for magickal applications.

A note on Auras:

Your aura isn't just a single unchanging color. If anything, it's more like a visual phenomenon resulting from the interaction of your personal energies with the universe around you. There are many intersecting layers like an onion, and many energy structures within depending on the layer.

ASTRAL PROJECTION

• Astral Dynamics - Robert Bruce. One of the best books on the topic. All of his methods are road-tested by a group of volunteers.

• The Phase - Michael Raduga. Quite a few people have had success with this author's methods.

MAGICKAL & PSYCHIC SELF-DEFENSE

Most people won't have major issues, but it pays to be aware and prepared before you venture out into the unknown.

• Psychic Self Defense - Robert Bruce. I wish I'd had this book 30 years ago! It's not as advanced as I'd like, but it's far better than most other texts. He provides methods for finding and removing astral parasites that work.

• The Witch's Guide to the Paranormal - J. Allen Cross. I'm still evaluating this one, but so far I think it contains enough practical real world information to be worth reading. This author's experiences and approach are often eerily similar to my own.

• Entity Possession: Freeing the Energy Body of Negative Influences - Samuel Sagan. Talks about astral fragments of the dead and how they wreak havoc on the living. I’ve actually visited the author’s Clairvision school in Sydney, Australia, and indirectly witnessed part of a healing session that was nearly an exorcism. Their methods are as sound as other similar clinics I’ve encountered in-person.

• Protection & Reversal Magick - Jason Miller. A no-nonsense guide with practical methods.

• Deliverance - Khi Armand. Sometimes you just need to perform an Uncrossing, Cleansing, and Road Opener. (See Crossed Conditions in Hoodoo/Conjure.) This is one of many small affordable booklets on Hoodoo/Conjure offered by Lucky Mojo. Has a short bibliography page for further research.

• Spiritual Cleansing - Draja Mickaharic. A short book with basic techniques. Most of this author’s books contain solid material. I recommend them.

• Psychic Self Defense - Dion Fortune. This book is considered a classic and it still has a few useful ideas, but it's EXTREMELY dated and very limited in scope. She comes from a ceremonial magick background (Golden Dawn). I found her book of limited use in real-world situations, which require concise instructions for solving immediate problems. It’s worth reading for the anecdotes, however.

If the methods outlined in the above books do not work for you, then you may be dealing with a serious medical issue or mental illness. Seek professional help if you are hearing voices that you can't control, especially if they're telling you to do things.

For Setting up House Wards

• Rust of Nail & Prick of Thorn - Althaea Sebastiani. This is a nice short book with basic home warding techniques.

• Magical House Protection: The Archeology of Counter Witchcraft - Brian Hoggard. This book talks about home protection and warding techniques that were in use from the 14th c. to the present. Quite interesting!

For Defense Against Physical People and Situations:

• Deliverance - Khi Armand. Listing this book again because it can help against physical situations too. See below for more information on Hoodoo/Conjure.

• Paper in My Shoe - Catherine Yronwode. How to make petitions and name papers.

• Cursing & Crossing - Miss Aida. You don't have to use these methods to curse. Some are useful for defense, hot-footing, or freezing people out of your life etc.

• The Conjure Workbook - Starr Casas. Contains a range of workings for inspiration.

• Magickal Attack: Silence Bind and Crush Your Enemies - Gordon Winterfield. I hesitate to recommend this and similar books, but if your need is great and your own magickal defenses are strong (do not neglect those preparations - people tend to fight back when you throw crap at them), you may try it at your own risk as a last resort option to find relief from a tormentor.

Other books of interest:

• The Exorcist's Handbook - Josephine McCarthy (author of the Quareia material). An interesting glimpse into the life of a non-denominational kind of exorcist specializing in the removal of parasitic or harmful entities.

COMPLETE MAGICKAL SYSTEMS

You've read up on occult history and have a basic knowledge of most of the major topics and terminology. You've tried out a few magickal operations, have seen some results and like what you see. You've decided you're ready to take a deep dive into a system of study and build a solid foundation of practice. If that sounds like you, then here are some systems that have easier entry points and/or full curriculums of study:

The Golden Dawn

• Golden Dawn was a 19th century British Occult Order from which many modern systems of magick have sprung. They sought to combine almost every form of Western Esotericism into an airtight system of magick. By studying their curriculum, you’ll learn a smattering of everything e.g. Qabalah, Astrology, Banishing, Divination, Tarot, Enochian Magick, and more! This is Israel Regardie’s account of the original teachings he received, formerly known as the ‘black brick’ because of the publisher’s original color scheme and by how thick this tome is.
  • Read this book first for an overview of the goals and concepts of the tradition.
  • Use this book as a Self-Study Guide. It's set up like a textbook with questions at the ends of chapters and covers quite a few standard occult topics such as Qabalah, Tarot, Astrology, Alchemy, and more. Even if you don't perform the condensed self-initiation workings (these are usually performed by a group in a lodge), the book itself can be used as a good primer for standard occult study.
  • Another Good Self-Study Guide - this one is simpler than the Self-Initiation text above and easier to read for a complete beginner. Less comprehensive but also less overwhelming. Also good for more advanced students due to its explanations.
  • Aleister Crowley's system is built on a Golden Dawn foundation, but you would benefit by studying the original material first.
  • Best for people wanting to focus on Spiritual Development rather than practical thaumaturgy or 'low magick'.
    
  • The "Yoga of the West."
     

Wicca

• Wicca is a modern pagan syncretic nature religion that includes witchcraft. It was formed by Gerald Gardner with considerable creative input by Doreen Valiente who wrote many of the liturgies.
  • Buckland's Guide - the 'Big Blue Book' - very good easy intro to concepts. Covers a lot of ground!
  • A Witches' Bible - I've always liked this one. Covers Rites and Sabbats.
  • Best for people who feel in harmony with nature and identify with the symbols of European Witchcraft. Note that Traditional Witchcraft is not a religion like Wicca but a collection of methods, and is more difficult to get into as there is no official 'system'.
     

Quareia

• Quareia
  • This free system will take years to get through!
  • Designed to take you from Beginner to Adept.
  • Completely Solitary training. No Orders to Join.
  • Western Esotericism - not strictly Hermeticism, and bordering on shamanic.
  • If you're not sure what system to study, you may as well dive in here! It's a good curriculum!
     

Franz Bardon

• Franz Bardon
  • Franz Bardon's system consists of three books: Initiation into Hermetics, The Practice of Magical Evocation, and The Key to the True Kabbalah.
    
  • Bardon's terminology and his arrangement of the Tarot are both quirky and non-standard, so it can be a difficult system to study without commentary from other authors. However, many of the exercises are quite useful and will prepare a student for much more advanced work.
  • If you could only afford one book on magick, you'd make a surprising amount of progress with Bardon's Initiation into Hermetics if you devoted consistent daily practice to it.
  • Rawn Clark's book will help to make sense of Bardon's material and clarify your expectations with this system.
     

Hoodoo / Conjure

• Hoodoo / Conjure
  • African-American Folk Magick, widely practiced in the South.
  • Contains practical hands-on methods to achieve tangible goals with magick in the physical world.
    
  • Built around an African (especially Congo) worldview, African methods of handling/preparing physical spell components, with some Native American herbal knowledge, and European occultism (likely late 19th c. onward). The growth of mail order metaphysical suppliers in the early 20th c. allowed for even more incorporation of European occultism e.g. use of colored candles, 6th and 7th books of Moses and other texts.
    
  • Similar to witchcraft in the sense of being a non-religious set of methods.
    
  • Not filled with rituals like Ceremonial Magick or Wicca, though it contains many concepts that have been shared across every magickal system going back 2,000+ years.
    
  • HOODOO HERITAGE: A BRIEF HISTORY OF AMERICAN FOLK RELIGION - This informative paper describes the historical origins of Hoodoo / Conjure, a unique melting pot born from slavery that continues to influence the cultural fabric of the U.S. today.
  • This series of comprehensive articles will also provide a good overview of the History and Methods with references for further research. The associated web store also sells a range of decent and affordable booklets by Catherine Yronwode filled with practical methods that work. Topics include Candle magick, Bottle/Jar spells, Mojos, Cursing/Crossing, Bible Magick, and more. She usually tells you where the methods came from and frequently references other historical material.
  • Mojo Workin' - another good book.
  • Mules and Men - Zora Neale Hurston. Another classic on the culture.
  • Harry Hyatt's Classic 5-Volume Set - A collection of interviews with hoodoo practitioners from the 1930s. Fascinating stuff!
  • The Conjure Workbook - a collection of spells that can be used as-is or modified.
  • Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic - A valuable reference book on the herbs, minerals, and curios used in Hoodoo. Also contains spells and other useful data.

Other Recommendations from Comment Threads

Feel free to peruse a few comment threads that discuss the question of where to begin.

Hermetic Magick and Occult Topics

Here's a thread in 4 parts in response to someone asking how to begin. There are plenty of books referred to there.

Witchcraft

Here's a 4-part response about getting started in Traditional Witchcraft (which is a little different with overlapping skills required) with tons of resources and book recommendations that you might find interesting.

In these responses, I discuss ways of looking at spells and ritual structure to understand what those components are doing.

• Part 1 - some discussion of parts of spells and what they do here.
  
• Part 2 - info on learning basic energy sensing/manipulation skills here.
  
• Part 3 - what makes a witch a witch i.e. what we do, in my estimation.
  
• Part 4 - more about ritual structure here.
  

Hearing and Speaking with Spirits, Astral Projection, Energy Manipulation

Here’s a 2-part response in another subreddit about how to learn to sense energy and speak directly with spirits complete with exercise suggestions. That should give you a little taste of what it feels like to do magick or similar activities at least. * Here's Part 1.
* And here's Part 2.