Ceremonial Magic & the Power of Evocation

This book takes one deep into the understanding of magical evocation. The book explores the ideas of grimoire creation, a history. It's axioms prove most helpful in that one can make use of them for any magical practice, especially that one must understand what the symbolism behind the tools mean and the significance of ritual movement. Highly recomended

On my first reading of Lisiewski's grimoire, its tempting, because he is so dogmatic, to begin to slice and dice his thinking. However, on round two of studying his book, I decided that for what it is doing, which is advocating following grimoire methods and guidlines to the letter, to create a physical evocation of an astral entity, it's really on the mark. An open question, however, is what is meant in a logical manner, by physical evocation, as it relates to our human essence. This would not be an open question if the great, and, for occult purposes, unknown tome by Kant called the Critique of Pure Reason was in the library of every occultist, because it answers and resolves this magickal debate completely. That being said, Ceremonial Magic, if followed as the author has written it, will lead the practicing occultist to fantastic and incredible experiences.

I never wrote a review before. But after reading some of the reviews here, I decided to add my two cents in. Unlike some reviews posted here in which the individual obviously did not even attempt the evocation, I found this book to be highly structured, very coherent, and well thought out. The ease of transition from one point to another is refreshing to say the least. The writer leads you step wise from one point to another, always building on previous subject matter, and blending the discussion into a logical whole. The author continually restates important concepts so that the teachings will blossom in your mind, which will allow you to integrate his teachings to improve your own individual life. For myself, I never found evocation to physical manifestation to be either very satisfying or very fulfilling in any way, much less in the material sense. I either received partial results, or had no end of problems from these "New Ager" evocations. Yes, I used this writer's advice. And yes, I worked HARD, especially when obtaining the necessary materials and in understanding the important concepts that the author was conveying. But by doing so, I was able to turn the corner in my evocational work completely. Now, I find it the MOST satisfying of magical practices. And I mean this literally. I suppose those reviewers here who are (so transparently) intimating they are "masters," didn't like what they read, especially when it is so plain and obvious that they did not perform the evocation or bother to attempt to perform it properly. Little wonder. As I said, this book calls for precise, hard, WORK - something the 'practitioner' of magic today has a special aversion and little patience to. I should know what I am saying here. I began my work in magic when I was 22. Now, at 59, and after seeing and being a member of this "Secret Society" and that "Magical Order" or "New Age Lodge" so I could be accepted by "New Agers" for more years than I care to admit, I understand what the author of this book was trying to convey. And in my opinion, he conveyed it is a truly masterful way, since there were no contradictions in his writings and I clearly understood what I had to do to perform a successful evocation. One review here essentially said that this writer (must have been) conveying (or "projecting") nothing but his own ignorance, failures and frustrations (on the reader) until he (the writer) found this way to get the evocations to work. From my own years of experience in magic, the only failures, frustrations, and ignorance conveyed here were in the rationalizations and intellectual pretentiousness echoed by such self-serving arrogant comments. Everyone wants to believe that they are a "True Master" and that they know more then everyone else. I say this, because in all of my years in private magical practice, as well as in those Orders and Secret Societies mentioned, I have NEVER yet met ANYONE who succceeded in evocation to physical manifestation

A Practitioner of the Art I was both amused and dismayed at the flippant remarks made by some readers regarding this book. For me, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. It's about the contents and nothing else. And not in some belabored complaints about issues no two readers will agree on to begin with no matter what subject the book is on. Enough said of that. Personally, I'm happy to see a hard scientist "come out of the closet" so to speak and admit he explores nature by other ways, not just the ways their science and society approves of. Plain and simple it takes guts to do this in a world dominated by a science that thinks it has the answers to everything, yet which has created more problems than it solved. As for me, I have been practicing Magick for over thirty years myself, and couldn't agree with Dr. Lisiewski more in what he wrote in this book. I agree with his "subjective synthesis" completely, and found his "magical axioms" rightly stated, and in a truly helpful way. He focuses on issues not excuses. This is the way it should be! I say this, because my successful evocations only occurred when I stumbled onto the things he states in the advice and suggestions he gave in this splendid book. As to his beefing about the "New Agers" as he calls them? And their phony baloney to do a quick get a way job on what they call magic? Does he hammer away at them too much? My opinion? It's ABOUT TIME someone gave them the shots they deserve, straight up! I'm sick and tired of going to my local magick book shop and seeing the garbage on the shelves I do from week to week, month to month, and year to year! From hoodo to woodo to every ick, ism, aft, and ology there is, yet nothing to HELP a person do REAL Magick! I see you're coming out with more books, Dr. and I say, Keep up the good work! There REALLY are people out here who want to learn as much REAL magic as they can! Forget the rest!

I have been studying and implementing Dr. Lisiewski's advice give in Ceremonial Magic and the Power of Evocation, and like some of the other reviewers here, have been getting quite favorable results. To be more sepcific, I have been getting positive results where I had been getting negative ones before, favorable results where I had not been getting any whatsoever, and have actually "reversed" former results I could have lived without in the first place. I was not aware of this process of "Subjective Synthesis" that he discusses, nor the "Magical Propositions and Axioms for Success and Survival." All I can say here, is that they make complete sense to me, and explain some of the trouble I got myself into by doing evocation the modern or "New Age" way, which he objects to so strenuously. I have to agree with Mr. Tahbion's review in most part, but strongly disagree with him in his saying that you have to have been raised a strong catholic for this book to work for you. I was not raised in any religion, have been into a church twice in my thirty-some years (to attend a funeral and wedding) and to this day, don't consider myself anything but a philosopher of sorts, although I have studied the religions of the world for many years as well, and really, don't agree with any of them. So all in all, I think this book is what the "average" magician is looking for if he wants to build or rebuild his personal magical universe. You won't regret working from this book I assure you!