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Inner Visions: Explorations in magical consciousness — Ceremonial Magic

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Inner Visions: Explorations in magical consciousness

Name: Inner Visions: Explorations in magical consciousness
Price: 42.99 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781032248844

✍️ Drury, Nevill

Reader Score

4.6

(1 review)

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

Nevill Drury’s 1979 classic delves into the fabric of modern magical consciousness, revealing its profound influence on the creative spirit. He meticulously explores how esoteric traditions like Tarot and Qabalah intersected with the surrealist movement and the psychedelic era, shaping the art and music of the 1970s. From album cover aesthetics to electronic soundscapes, Drury uncovers a potent counter-narrative to scientific reductionism, arguing for an emerging mythological impulse. This work illuminates how magical and surreal perspectives offer a revitalizing connection between the individual psyche and the expansive cosmos, fostering a 'new consciousness'.

Drury, Nevill

📚 all books by this author (7) →

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Ceremonial Magic

🏛 Routledge 📅 2024 📖 182 pages 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781032248844

Fun Fact

Drury’s Inner Visions remains a compelling bridge between esoteric philosophy and cultural analysis. It excels at demonstrating how magical thought permeated 20th-century art and music, particularly during the psychedelic era, offering a nuanced understanding of their interconnectedness. While some might find the historical focus specific, its insights into the enduring human search for meaning beyond the purely rational are timeless. This book is a foundational text for anyone seeking to understand the spiritual undercurrents shaping modern creative expression.

📝 Description: Inner Visions: Explorations in magical consciousness

First published in 1979, Inner Visions discussion the nature of contemporary magical thought - encompassing the Tarot and the Qabalah - and considers its impact on the creative imagination. The author presents a fusion of the creative, magical and mythological undercurrents which are part of the 'new consciousness', and traces the influence of surrealist art and the expansive psychedelic period on the art and music of the 1970s. He looks, for example, at the relationship of the fantasy art on record sleeves to the electronic inner-space music which it often accompanies, and shows that this form of modern music represents one facet of the contemporary reaction against scientism and of the search for what Roszak has termed the visionary sources of our culture. The author concludes that a major mythological impulse is emerging in our culture and that magical and surreal approaches represent a profoundly invigorating and inspiring attitude linking the individual to the cosmos. This will be a fascinating read for anyone interested in magic, mythology, art, music and literature.

💎 Expert review

“

💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

Drury’s classic meticulously traces the fabric of modern magical consciousness, offering a compelling look at how esoteric traditions influenced creative output during a transformative period. The analysis of album cover aesthetics and electronic soundscapes provides unique insight into an emerging mythological impulse. However, readers expecting practical spell-casting instructions or rigid dogmatic occult theory will likely feel disappointed. This is a scholarly exploration of cultural impact rather than a grimoire. It suits those who appreciate the intellectual and artistic dimensions of magic, but may frustrate those seeking immediate, hands-on ritualistic guidance or empirical scientific validation.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

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Why this book is worth reading

Readers seeking a revitalizing connection between the individual psyche and the expansive cosmos will find profound value in this text. It is ideal for those interested in the creative spirit, particularly how magical and surreal perspectives shape modern culture. If you are curious about the influence of esoteric traditions on the art and music of the 1970s, or wish to understand the potent counter-narrative to scientific reductionism, this book illuminates the visionary perception necessary for a new consciousness. It appeals to anyone fascinated by the intersection of magic, art, and the mind.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

If you’re drawn to the confluence of esoteric wisdom, artistic innovation, and the counter-cultural movements of the 1970s, this book is for you. Explore how magical thought shaped visual arts, electronic music, and literature, offering profound insights into the human spirit's quest for meaning…

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

Drury’s classic meticulously traces the fabric of modern magical consciousness, offering a compelling look at how esoteric traditions influenced creative output during a transformative period. The analysis of album cover aesthetics and electronic soundscapes provides unique insight into an emerging mythological impulse. However, readers expecting practical spell-casting instructions or rigid dogmatic occult theory will likely feel disappointed. This is a scholarly exploration of cultural impact rather than a grimoire. It suits those who appreciate the intellectual and artistic dimensions of magic, but may frustrate those seeking immediate, hands-on ritualistic guidance or empirical scientific validation.

❓ Frequently asked questions

Drury primarily examines the influence of core Western esoteric traditions such as the Tarot and the Qabalah. He doesn't offer practical instruction but rather analyzes their conceptual impact on artistic and cultural expression during the 1970s.

While the 1970s provide a significant cultural backdrop for Drury's analysis, the book's scope extends beyond this. It traces the enduring connection between magical thought, surrealism, and a broader "new consciousness," using the 70s as a vivid illustration of these timeless interconnections.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Esoteric Roots of Creation

Drury examines how ancient magical traditions, including the Tarot and Qabalah, actively inform and inspire artistic expression. He posits that these systems provide a framework for a 'new consciousness' that transcends mundane perception, allowing artists to tap into deeper, often subconscious, wellsprings of creativity and vision, bridging the inner world with outward manifestation.

Psychedelia's Artistic Echoes

This section explores the vibrant interplay between surrealist aesthetics, the psychedelic movement, and the popular culture of the 1970s. Drury specifically highlights how visual art on record sleeves and the burgeoning electronic music scene reflected a profound yearning for inner exploration and altered states, embodying a departure from conventional artistic norms and scientific rationalism.

Reclaiming Visionary Sources

Drury contends that the late 20th century witnessed a powerful resurgence of mythological thinking, directly challenging the dominance of scientific materialism. He argues that magical and surreal approaches provide a vital pathway for individuals to reconnect with profound, archetypal narratives and to perceive their place within a grander, interconnected cosmos, thereby re-enchanting the world.

📜 Historical context

Published at the cusp of the 1980s, Inner Visions emerges from a late 20th-century intellectual tradition that sought to reintegrate spiritual and mythological dimensions into cultural discourse, directly challenging scientific reductionism. It stands alongside works by thinkers like Theodore Roszak, who championed "visionary sources," positioning itself as a pivotal text within the burgeoning "New Age" and occult revival movements of the era.

📚 Glossary

Qabalah
Surrealism
Scientism

📔 Questions to reflect on

How do contemporary art forms or musical genres you enjoy reflect or subtly incorporate elements of esoteric thought or mythological archetypes?
In what ways do you personally experience a "reaction against scientism" in your own spiritual or creative pursuits, and what alternative sources of meaning do you explore?
Reflect on a piece of art (visual, musical, literary) that you find particularly "magical" or "surreal." What specific qualities evoke this feeling, and how does it connect you to a broader sense of the cosmos?