The Practical Art of Divine Magic: Contemporary & Ancient Techniques of Theurgy

by Patrick Dunn

Overview

The ancient world of Egypt, Greece, and Rome was home to a set of magical and spiritual technologies, called theurgy, that unite the practice of magic with the aims of religion. Theurgy, or "godwork," is the art of creating a stronger bond between the theurgist and his or her deities. The results of this stronger bond were imminently practical: stronger magic, more meaningful existence, and a better life. With the fall of Rome, these techniques faded into obscurity, and many of them were lost forever.

This book revives, restores, and reinvents these practices for a contemporary pagan or magical practitioner. A mixture of scholarly research and examination of source texts and daring experimentation and extrapolation leads to a complete and workable system that can inform a variety of practices, all presented in a relaxed, lighthearted, and readable way.

Whether you practice witchcraft, ceremonial magic, or chaos magic, you can benefit from the practice of theurgy. You will learn techniques to create stronger bonds with divine forces, call up and communicate with spiritual beings, summon a magical assistant, create statues imbued with divine spirit, and master your own mind. The ultimate goal is union with the divine, but theurgy is a practical path, and every step on that path is designed to improve your life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780738745282
Publisher:	Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD.
Publication date:	08/08/2015
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.50(h) x 2.90(d)

About the Author

Patrick Dunn (Chicago, IL) is a poet, linguist, Pagan, and a university English professor with a PhD in modern literature and language. His understanding of semiotics and the study of symbols arise from his training in linguistics and literary theory. He has practiced magic since childhood. Visit him online at https://pomomagic.wordpress.com.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments v

A Note on Sources and Translations vii

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 A Divine Technology 9

Chapter 2 What Is a God? 53

Chapter 3 The Addresses of the Gods 95

Chapter 4 Rituals and Tools of Theurgy 133

Chapter 5 Divination and Oracles 173

Chapter 6 Daimonology 209

Chapter 7 Thaumaturgy 255

Chapter 8 Know Thyself 291

Epilogue 307

Appendix-Pronunciation of Greek Words of Power 311

Bibliography 315

Index 323