The most recommended books on ceremonial magic

Who picked these books? Meet our 10 experts.

10 authors created a book list connected to ceremonial magic, and here are their favorite ceremonial magic books.
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Book cover of High Magick: A Guide to the Spiritual Practices That Saved My Life on Death Row

Jamie Della Author Of The Book of Spells: The Magick of Witchcraft

From my list on magick and witchcraft as self-care and wellness.

Why am I passionate about this?

When my Mexican maternal grandmother died the month before I was born, she left the door between the worlds ajar. Conversations with my nana’s spirit instilled faith that I could converse with all spirits, from the consciousness of land to trees, herbs, and even ideas. Being raised a Christian Scientist taught me the power of mind over matter and instilled the authority and responsibility for my own wellness through my Divine essence. This upbringing prepared me for my Witchcraft path that considers self-care as tending of my Divine spirit, illuminates the Divine light in all of Life, and teaches how to manifest Magick through our relationships, self-love, and personal healing.

Jamie's book list on magick and witchcraft as self-care and wellness

Jamie Della Why did Jamie love this book?

Reading High Magick, opened my eyes. Before my formal magickal training, I innately knew that Magick and Witchcraft open a path to access the divinity within. My Wiccan Elder High Priestess recognized this inner sight and chose me for private Magickal lessons with tailored parables in the oral, storytelling Goddess tradition. I didn’t realize I had been learning High Magick. Although structured in a linear, Divine Male perspective, this book offers the same endpoint: Magick is a direct connection to the Divine Source. I have always applied magick to transform trauma into wellbeing and Damien Echols, sentenced to death and later acquitted, did the same. By incorporating magickal practices, he preserved his humanity and safeguarded himself against negativity, thus elevating his awareness to envision his release from prison.

By Damien Echols,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked High Magick as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Magick is not a path for followers; it is a path for questioners, seekers, and anyone who has trouble settling for dogma and pre-formulated answers. Magick is for those who feel the desire to peel away the surface of reality and see what lies beneath. Like various persecuted forms of mysticism, magick promotes direct contact with the source of creation."
-Damien Echols

Discover a Powerful Practice for Transforming Yourself and Your Reality

At age 18, Damien Echols was sentenced to death for a crime he didn't commit. "I spent my years in prison training to be a true magician," he…


Book cover of Healing Magic: A Green Witch Guidebook to Conscious Living

Jamie Della Author Of The Book of Spells: The Magick of Witchcraft

From my list on magick and witchcraft as self-care and wellness.

Why am I passionate about this?

When my Mexican maternal grandmother died the month before I was born, she left the door between the worlds ajar. Conversations with my nana’s spirit instilled faith that I could converse with all spirits, from the consciousness of land to trees, herbs, and even ideas. Being raised a Christian Scientist taught me the power of mind over matter and instilled the authority and responsibility for my own wellness through my Divine essence. This upbringing prepared me for my Witchcraft path that considers self-care as tending of my Divine spirit, illuminates the Divine light in all of Life, and teaches how to manifest Magick through our relationships, self-love, and personal healing.

Jamie's book list on magick and witchcraft as self-care and wellness

Jamie Della Why did Jamie love this book?

I felt a kindred spirit in Robin Rose Bennett, author of Healing Magic, when I interviewed her for an article in SageWoman Magazine. She has her own school, WiseWoman Healing Ways-Herbal Medicine and EarthSpirit Teachings. We passionately agree that respectfully connecting with the unique conscious spirits of the plant world as the foundation of Green Witchcraft. Healing Magic emphasizes that the rote memorization of plant’s attributes is not nearly as imperative as humbly communicating with herbal allies, especially when asking for their healing powers of self-care and wellness. This book teaches a path to connect with the emotional intelligence of the natural world that will in effect bolster the healing powers of connection and personal Magick.

By Robin Rose Bennett,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Healing Magic as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The green witch’s “down to earth, and inspiring” guide to the art of magical healing through herbal remedies, spells and enchantments, health-enchancing foods, and much more (Rosemary Gladstar)
 
Filled with stories, songs, rituals, recipes, meditations, and trance journeys that outline more than 100 ways to practice the art of magical healing, this guidebook to conscious living by renowned herbalist Robin Rose Bennett makes it easy to follow the path to physical and spiritual health. In the tradition of natural witchcraft, Healing Magic, 10th Anniversary Edition presents step-by-step instructions for conducting earth-centered rituals, preparing herbal remedies, and casting spells to enchant…


Book cover of The Inner Temple of Witchcraft

Mat Auryn Author Of Psychic Witch: A Metaphysical Guide to Meditation, Magick & Manifestation

From my list on the psychic witch.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a witch, professional psychic, occult teacher, and multi-award-winning author of the international bestselling book Psychic Witch: A Metaphysical Guide To Meditation, Magick, and Manifestation. I have been fascinated with the topics of magick and psychic ability since a young age and have been researching both topics and how they intersect since about eight years old. I've had the honor of studying under some of the most prominent witchcraft teachers, elders, and witchcraft traditions. I’m constantly asked by readers which other books I recommend after reading mine, so here are the top picks I feel are essential for every psychic witch’s library that have been highly influential on my work.

Mat's book list on the psychic witch

Mat Auryn Why did Mat love this book?

The Inner Temple of Witchcraft is one of the most influential books I have ever read. The book lays a fantastic foundation for any witch, starting with going inward and developing meditation and psychic skills to enhance your magick. In the dedication in my book, I wrote that Psychic Witch was sort of my love letter to The Inner Temple of Witchcraft, and it truly is. The Anniversary Edition includes expanded material and a foreword by Laurie Cabot, whose work, particularly her book Power of the Witch, has also been immensely influential on both of us as authors. Christopher once told me that my book was to The Inner Temple of Witchcraft what The Inner Temple of Witchcraft was to Laurie's Power of the Witch, and you can see a line of influence on these topics from Laurie to Christopher to my book. This was one of…

By Christopher Penczak,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Inner Temple of Witchcraft as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Expand your Inner Temple - your personal sacred space where there are no boundaries and all things are possible. This four-CD set helps open the door by calming your mind and guiding the visualisations vital to magickal success. It is designed to complement the study course: The Inner Temple of Witchcraft. Each CD allows you to experience the book's lessons on a deep and personal level, with an experienced teacher guiding the way.


Book cover of Song of the Fae

David J. McCran Author Of 50 Berkeley Square

From my list on horror with fantasy or fantasy with horror.

Why am I passionate about this?

I've had many professions over the years: theatrical stage technician, stage manager, scenic artist, teacher, writer, driver, husband, and father. I've always had a love for horror and fantasy stretching from the classic Gothic to the incredible worlds of Tolkien, Pratchett, and many more. I never set out to write, but I love the escapism and freedom that both reading and writing allows. I was a military child and having followed my father across Europe, I settled in the beautiful cathedral city of Lincoln, UK, which itself has its horror, hauntings, and history. Fantasy writing seemed to be the next stage of my development, combining macabre with the fascinating task of creating a fantastical world.

David's book list on horror with fantasy or fantasy with horror

David J. McCran Why did David love this book?

My wife was given this book as a gift, unfortunately, much to my joy, she gave it to me. This fast-paced adventure is a testament to all that is fantasy. Darkness, light, good fighting evil, this is everything any Fantasy fan requires from a book of this genre. I shall (and have already) embarked on reading more of Tricia’s rich and vibrant works which connects fabulously with her audience.

By Tricia O'Malley,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Song of the Fae as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

She sings the song that only his heart can answer.

His loyalty lies with the Royal Fae Court and with his people. Love is a distraction that royal warrior, Nolan, will not let ruin his future.

Alone and distrustful, Imogen refuses to accept her attraction for the warrior after he steals her ship and forces her on a quest where Dark Fae battle good and magick rules the night.

A prophecy realized.

The Dark Fae have risen, determined to wreak havoc upon the unsuspecting people of Ireland. Their goal? To destroy the woman in the prophecy before she discovers her…


Book cover of The Complete Book of Magic and Witchcraft

Eve Lestrange Author Of Widdershins

From my list on occult, witchcraft, and a little mystery.

Why am I passionate about this?

From the time I was very young, Witchcraft and the supernatural have always fascinated me. I can remember staying up late to watch horror movies or reading an Edgar Allen Poe book under the sheets with a flashlight when I was supposed to be asleep. I knew this was never a phase or something I would “outgrow”; the spell had been cast and I was forever in its power. I’ve tried to read everything I could on Witchcraft, its history and practice and anything regarding the occult. It was all of this reading and research that really helped me to write Widdershins and everything that came after. Enjoy the list!

Eve's book list on occult, witchcraft, and a little mystery

Eve Lestrange Why did Eve love this book?

This was the first occult book I ever bought, so it holds a special place in my heart. The title alone, drew me to it and I was not disappointed. The book is full of all kinds of spells and information on herbs, amulets and talismans, ceremonial magic, Satanism & Witchcraft, potions, and many other wicked goodies. I love old occult books and this one, first published in 1970, started my occult library which has continued to grow. 

By Kathryn Paulsen,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Complete Book of Magic and Witchcraft as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Complete Book of Black Magic and Witchcraft is a mainstay for both beginners and advanced seekers into genuine occult methods because it is the first instruction manual to systematise the techniques and aims of Ritual Magic. Including how to prepare for rituals of exorcism and purging, and the rites and mysteries of sorcery, and Infernal Necromancy. This was achieved this by years of research pooling information from rare manuscripts on these subjects and comparing the various sub-sections of each to find the central methods of Ceremonial Magic. While crucially informing the readers of the differences so they can experiment…


Book cover of The Psychic Vampire Codex: A Manual of Magick and Energy Work

Joseph Laycock Author Of Vampires Today: The Truth about Modern Vampirism

From my list on vampire lore.

Why am I passionate about this?

In 2009 I published a book on the real vampire community. I didn’t know that Twilight was about to sweep America and I inadvertently became a “vampire guy” for a few years. I appeared on Geraldo and NPR. I was interviewed by the Colbert Report (but it never aired). I even talked to MTV about hosting a show where I interview teenage vampires. Then we all got into zombies instead and my fifteen minutes of fame were over! I learned a great deal researching my book and giving talks on vampires. In 2010 I taught a special class at Tufts University on vampires where I assigned selections from these books.

Joseph's book list on vampire lore

Joseph Laycock Why did Joseph love this book?

Michelle Belanger is a psychic vampire and an intellectual leader of the real vampire community. This book draws on her experiences of coming to self-identify as a psychic vampire and she actually began writing it in notebooks while in college. The Psychic Vampire Codex provided vocabulary for people in this community to talk about their experiences and a metaphysical theory of what exactly psychic vampires are and why they are different from other people.

I have had the opportunity to meet Belanger and she is a really fascinating person. She founded a metaphysical community called House Kheperu and offers workshops on magick and psychic energy.  She is also a fiction author, musician, activist, and many other things.

By Michelle Belanger,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Psychic Vampire Codex as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Psychic Vampire Codex is the first book to examine the phenomenon and experience of modern vampirism completely from the vampire's perspective. Father Sebastiaan, a fellow vampire writes in the foreword that Michelle Belanger's system "introduced a breath of fresh air into the vampire subculture. It freed us to look at ourselves in a new light, and it also helped those outside our community to view us differently. No longer were we parasites or predators . . . we could use our inborn abilities to help people heal." Psychic vampires are people who prey on the vital, human life energies…


Book cover of Thorn in the Flesh

Christopher Penczak Author Of The Mighty Dead

From my list on the mystical witch.

Why am I passionate about this?

Witchcraft as a mystical tradition is the purpose of my life. All of the craft, rituals, and spells revolve around the core concept of connecting to the divine and exploring consciousness, and that has been the purpose of my writing, teaching, and community work. While there are lots of things focused upon the “how” of Witchcraft, I like to reflect on the why and I am always seeking the philosophy, art, and poetry that can take me deeper into the mystical experience of life. 

Christopher's book list on the mystical witch

Christopher Penczak Why did Christopher love this book?

Rosaleen Norton is hands down one of the most inspiring Witches of the 20th Century, and thankfully better known today with recent media attention. While her evocative art and her challenging life story certainly provide ample magickal and personal inspiration for us as Witches today, this is the only book that really details some of her magickal ideas and experiences, deeply advanced and philosophical, for us to explore on our own. It’s a little-known book, but there is truly nothing quite like it out there. It’s a fragmented biography and collection of papers, not a book intended for publication, which makes it all the more special. A grim memoire grimoire indeed…. 

By Rosaleen Norton,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Thorn in the Flesh as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Hardcover. 8vo. xxiv + 128pp. Red cloth with gilt titling to spine. Frontispiece & 8 pages of color & black and white illustrations. Rosaleen Norton was a natural rebel whose bohemian lifestyle, outspoken occultism, and unusual and often sexually-charged artwork attracted widespread condemnation from the conservative establishment. She suffered frequent arrest, her art exhibitions were raided, a book of her art banned, and in one notorious case, her paintings burned at the censor's order. She died in relative obscurity in 1979, yet left the world a rich and unusual artistic legacy. Some of this was hidden away in two battered…


Book cover of A Magick Life: A Biography of Aleister Crowley

Phil Baker Author Of City of the Beast: The London of Aleister Crowley

From my list on the beast.

Why am I passionate about this?

I used to love Dennis Wheatley’s Satanic pulp fiction when I was about twelve—like a gateway drugand graduated on to read my first Crowley biography a year or two later. I was gripped. As the years went by I developed what might seem like more serious interests in reading about psychoanalysis, Buddhism, and surrealism, but it’s really the same area. I used to think it was funny that the Dewey library system puts Freud and the occult next to each other, but now I see it makes perfect sense. It’s all about the mind, and inner experience, and Crowley remains one of its towering figures. 

Phil's book list on the beast

Phil Baker Why did Phil love this book?

A relaxed and urbane book by a man who could really write: Booth’s other work includes poetry and the acclaimed novel Hiroshima Joe, along with non-fiction on cannabis and opium, both very relevant to Crowley. It seems to speed up towards the end and has no source notes, which I thought might be because Booth was already racing against the cancer that killed him. Now I think it was just pressure of other workhe was prolific. I was at the launch when alcoholic Crowley disciple Gerald Suster, also a Crowley biographer and also now dead, staggered to his feet and began a rambling question with the Crowley greeting “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law,” to which Booth cordially replied “93!” The crowd had no idea what they were talking about.      

By Martin Booth,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Magick Life as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Crowley advocated the practice of magick and encouraged his followers to create their own life styles and develop a keen self knowledge. He wrote many books on his subject and is still revered as the master of the dark arts with books and websites and followers all over the world. Martin Booth has used his skills as a biographer to encapsulate the man and his extraordinary life-style in a chilling tale of magic and intrigue.


Book cover of Images and Oracles of Austin Osman Spare

Phil Baker Author Of Austin Osman Spare: The Life and Legend of London's Lost Artist

From my list on Austin Osman Spare.

Why am I passionate about this?

I first encountered Spare in my early teens, when I was reading books about the occult, and then forgot about him for a few years. As time went by, I grew more interested in surrealism, psychoanalysis, and Buddhism, but I never quite abandoned magic, and I came to see it’s really the same area. I used to think it was funny that the Dewey library classification system puts Freud and the occult next to each other, but now I see it makes perfect sense. It’s all about exploring the mind and inner experience. And Austin Osman Spare, like Crowley and the surrealists, is among its most interesting figures.  

Phil's book list on Austin Osman Spare

Phil Baker Why did Phil love this book?

This is an unreliable but very readable book from occult writer Kenneth Grant. I used to find the title mysterious; it really means images and oracular worlds, and I remember seeing great heaps of this book remaindered in the 1980s, little knowing it would go on to fetch £300 a copy. Fortunately, Fulgur have since produced an affordable edition.

Grant’s depiction of Spare is heavily influenced by his reading of popular fiction writers like Arthur Machen, Sax Rohmer, and H.P. Lovecraft, and he gives us Spare, the black magician seduced in childhood by an elderly witch, who launches “an amphibious owl with the wings of a bat” into a conflict between magical groups. This is really the book that started the “Spare Mythos.”

By Kenneth Grant,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Images and Oracles of Austin Osman Spare as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Images and Oracles remains one of the most influential works on esoteric magick and mystical art produced in the last thirty years. Part One discusses Spare's life and biographical anecdotes while Part Two provides Kenneth Grant' important analysis and co


Book cover of Noctifer Magick

Cassandra Joy Author Of Death & Chaos

From my list on spicy paranormal romance you’ve never read.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always loved both the fantasy and romance genres. (CS Lewis may or may not be directly responsible.) Discovering paranormal romance was the best day of my life. Since then, many years ago, I’ve read thousands of PNR books, both popular and less well-known, and love sharing my favorites with anyone who will sit still for five seconds. I even worked on a degree in English Literature for a while before switching to a more “practical” major. Blah. Because of those years of analyzing why some books are truly loved, I know you’ll enjoy these titles as much as I do.

Cassandra's book list on spicy paranormal romance you’ve never read

Cassandra Joy Why did Cassandra love this book?

I love Chosen One books. But I love them even more when, like Forsythia, they know why they’re chosen and what their destiny is. 

What Forsythia didn’t see coming was her fated mates. Between the three of them… can they bring all the factions of supernaturals together to defeat the Creatori? 

Yes, yes they can!

Loreweaver’s characters are hilariously real. They have deep emotions, wit, and sarcasm. What more could you ask for in main characters? Great sex? Check. Defeating the bad guy… check (though not in this book). 

This series has everything you crave from a great PNR.

MFM: Witch, Fae, Demon

By G.R. Loreweaver,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Noctifer Magick as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Saving the world would be so much easier without two left feet…

When her magick returns, Forsythia must face the creature that killed her mother. Fortunately, a yummy monster hunter offers to help. Too bad she got off on the wrong foot by breaking his nose…

The most powerful witch in a generation, she’ll need his help to survive. So maybe she should quit thinking about his cute butt.

The first of a series, Noctifer Magick is a slow-burn paranormal menage romance intended for readers over 18. If you enjoy competent but clumsy heroines and the men they love, you’ll…


Book cover of High Magick: A Guide to the Spiritual Practices That Saved My Life on Death Row
Book cover of Healing Magic: A Green Witch Guidebook to Conscious Living
Book cover of The Inner Temple of Witchcraft

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