Basic Sigil Magic

I'm a little surprised at the low rating this book is receiving. I'll admit that it is a basic introduction to sigils, and of all of Cooper's books, I use this one the least, but it is still a very adequate and complete introduction to basic sigil magick. Many people seem to be dissappointed that sigil magic is so simple - but that is the whole point behind the technique. Personally, I was dissappointed with Frater U.D.'s sigil magick book because it took many pages to cover what Cooper did in a fraction of the space. Cooper took those extra pages to give the student of magick some very useful and practical tools and advice. What people call filler is really Cooper's personal approach to magic, a very clear and streamlined approach (see my review of "Basic Magick" for a more in-depth review of that system). The much criticized second half of the book is a basic division of magical symbolism along the lines of color, much like Peter Carroll presented in "Liber Kaos," but it is very different from Carroll's system, and just as valid as any other symbol system presented in the countless books on magic(k) on the market (though I do find the planetary division presented in "Basic Magick" more to my liking). The majority of critics seem to take much offense at Cooper's so-called "arrogance," and his animosity towards guilt-laden beliefs like karma, the law of three, and original sin. I find it interesting that Cooper's enthusiastic defense of personal responsibilty and freedom incurrs such vehement criticism. I also believe what most people see as arrogance is really a misunderstanding of the author's intentions. Cooper is very passionate about people taking control of their lives back from the illusions that have held them back for so long. I find it refreshing that he calls belief in unnecessarily restrictive and spiritually crippling ideas like the most common interpretation of karma and sin "silly," and "unscientific" because that is exactly what those ideas deserve to be called. It might be an interesting exercise for those who take such offense at Cooper's criticism of karma and the like to take a look at their own criticism of Christianity, Satanism, or any view that they personally find ridiculous. The man is taking a firm stance, and that is something to be commended, if for no other reason than that it is so rare in the all-too Politically Correct (and hypocritical) environ of the "occult community." "Basic Sigil Magic" is just what it claims to be - an introduction to sigils and how to use them in magical ritual - and, personally I can't find much fault in that.

What makes magick work, is the ability to communicate our intentions to our subconscious mind and the most effective way of doing this is via symbols or sigils. This book explains the significance of sigils, how to create them and how to charge them with psychic power. The work is divided in two parts: The Psybermancer and The Psybernomicon. The first deals with the basics of magick, critical self-analysis, magical preliminaries including the altar and equipment, rituals and formulas, the creation of sigils and a discussion of inhibitory an excitatory gnosis. The author provides extensive information on whirling gnosis and charging methods for the sigils. Chapter Six: The Master Ritual includes pieces on words of power, the use of sound and the colors of magick. The Psybernomicon examines the concept of color in magick in detail, including white, red, black orange, green, blue, yellow and silver, and the last chapter provides magical techniques and exercises. The book concludes with a bibliography and index. I found it to be quite an enjoyable read with simple instructions and sound advice.