About the author
Jan Fries is a German artist, illustrator, and author writing within the modern current of chaos magic and freestyle shamanism. His books, largely published by Mandrake and Avalonia, combine practical instruction with his own drawings. Visual Magick: A Manual of Freestyle Shamanism, revised in 2007, sets out techniques for building vision and imagination drawn from figures such as Austin Spare and Aleister Crowley, encouraging readers to develop an individual magical practice rather than follow a fixed system. Cauldron of the Gods turns to Celtic material, while Kali Kaula: A Manual of Tantric Magick strips Tantric practice back from popular fantasy toward what Fries presents as its working roots. Across these books, Fries writes for practitioners already familiar with ritual magic who want a hands-on, exploratory approach rather than a historical survey, and his illustrations are integral to how the material is presented rather than incidental decoration.
📖 Where to start with Jan Fries
💬 What our editors say about Jan Fries's books
“Jan Fries’s revised manual serves as a vital resource for the freestyle shamanic magician, offering a refreshing departure from prescriptive rituals. It successfully champions direct experience and imaginative capacity as the…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Visual Magick: A Manual of Freestyle Shamanism (Revised)
“Jan Fries delivers a compelling blend of historical inquiry and practical application, making this a unique resource for serious students of Celtic magick. The text effectively utilizes the cauldron as a central metaphor for…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Cauldron of the Gods: a manual of Celtic magick
“Jan Fries delivers a potent manual that prioritizes direct experience over scholarly detachment, offering a dynamic framework for ritual and evocation. While its focus on chthonic forces and ancestral spirits is compelling for…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Cauldron of the Gods: a manual of Celtic magick
📋 Editions by Jan Fries in the catalog
| Edition | Year | Publisher | Pages | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visual Magick: A Manual of Freestyle Shamanism (Revised) | 2007 | Mandrake | 192 | 9781869928575 |
| Cauldron of the Gods: a manual of Celtic magick | — | Mandrake | 556 | 9781869928612 |
| Cauldron of the Gods: a manual of Celtic magick | 2005 | Mandrake | 556 | 9781869928704 |
| Kali Kaula: A Manual of Tantric Magick | 2010 | Avalonia | 576 | 9781905297375 |
