Source Magic

Source Magic by Carl Abrahamsson offers an exploration of how magic can be found within all human activities.

Abrahamsson provides a “magical-anthropological” tour from ancient Norse shamanism to the modern magick of occultists like Genesis P-Orridge. He delves into how human beings are naturally attracted to magic and how this attraction can be corrupted by both religious organisations and occult societies. Furthermore, the text examines magic as it relates to psychedelics, Witchcraft, shamanism, pilgrimage, Jungian individuation, mortality, and the literary works of Beat icons like Burroughs and Gysin.

Since the dawn of time, magic has been the node around which all human activities and culture revolve. As it entered the development of science, art, philosophy, religion, myth, and psychology, magic retained its essence: the belief in a dynamic connection with all other forms of life.

Exploring the source magic that flows beneath the surface of culture and occulture throughout the ages, Carl Abrahamsson invites readers on a “magical-anthropological” journey from ancient Norse shamanism to modern magick. He examines the consequences of magical practice and how the attraction to magic might be corrupted by religious organisations and occult societies. Abrahamsson also illustrates how the positive effects of magic are instinctively grasped by children, who naturally view the world as magical.

The author discusses magic and occulture in relation to psychedelics, Witchcraft, shamanism, Thee Temple ov Psychick Youth (TOPY), and the panic rituals of the Master Musicians of Joujouka in Morocco. He also considers psychological individuation processes, literary "magical realism," and the cut-up technique of Beat icons such as William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin. Additionally, Abrahamsson explores the psychological similarities between poet Ezra Pound and magician Austin Osman Spare. He reflects on the Scandinavian Fenris Wolf as a mythic force and the enrichment brought by personal pilgrimages. The book further examines the philosophy of German author Ernst Jünger, the magical techniques of British filmmaker Derek Jarman, and the paramount importance of accepting our own mortality.

Drawing from over 30 years of experience in the fields of occulture and magical anthropology, Carl Abrahamsson explores ancient and modern magical history to uncover the source magic that connects us all, bridging past and present.