The Temple of High Magic: Hermetic Initiations in the Western Mystery Tradition

OCCULT / HERMETIC STUDIES "The Temple of High Magic will impress readers by its compactness and clarity. Highly recommended for everyone who is interested in (modern) Mystery religions." --Morgana, cofounder of Silver Circle Magazine and coordinator of the Pagan Federation International Before the advent of Christianity, early civilizations had, at the heart of their spiritual traditions, Mystery schools that offered a corpus of training methods in what is now called magic. The persecution of heresies that followed the establishment of Christianity as Rome's state religion, a persecution that reached its high point during the Middle Ages, forced the degradation and disappearance of this training system. While the knowledge of these Mystery traditions--jealously guarded by secret societies--has begun to emerge, the actual techniques and practices of spiritual magic have remained hidden. The Temple of High Magic provides the practical knowledge of these techniques for modern spiritual seekers who wish to incorporate the proven esoteric techniques of the magi into their lives. This book explains the dynamics of group ritual and solo practice as well as the critical role played by the Kabbalistic Tree of Life--the key to inner knowledge. Ina Custers-van Bergen shows that temples of high magic are not mere physical structures but are the inner edifices willed into being by a sustained meditative practice and pathworking, using key symbols from ancient Hebraic and Egyptian traditions. Sometimes called the Yoga of the West, this spiritual magic is a system of esoteric development that seeks to create full union between the magician and the divine. INA CuSTERS-van BERGEN is the head of the Hermetic Order Temple of Starlight and was initiated by Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki. She lives in the Netherlands and gives lectures and workshops throughout Europe.