In the course of exploring the possibilities of new, more efficient techniques of magic I was struck by the fact that a structuralist view of the history of magic to date might prove helpful. After all, magicians have always aspired to restate the theory and practice of magic in the language of their times i.e. in different models pertaining to current world views.
There is, however, some risk involved in such an approach: models do not really explain anything, they are only illustrations of processes, albeit rather useful ones. What's more, over-systematization tends to obfuscate more than it clarifies and one should not mistake the map for the landscape anyway, a fallacy a great many kabbalists seem to be prone to.
Thus, the following five (or rather: four plus one) models of magic should be seen as a means of understanding the practical possibilities of various magical systems rather than as definitive theories and/or explanations of the way magic works.
It has proved effective in practice to view magic under the following categories:
The Spirit Model
The Energy Model
The Psychological Model
The Information Model
The Meta-Model
Suggested e-books:
Aleister Crowley - Liber 004 Or Magick Liber AbaEliphas Levi - Histoire De La Magie In French Ver 1
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