Gary St. M. Nottingham - Otz Chim: The Tree of Life

Foundationsof Practical Sorcery

We live in an age where we areawash with information on all subjects, and to this the magical artes are noexception. Whilst the student of magic can easily access all manner ofelectronic files there is nothing quite like a book.

A book can not only bepicked up and read, but will, in many instances, over time, become a friend,guide and teacher who has assisted the reader on their journey throughout theirlife. Quite simply books can changelives and this is why those who have been in positions of power through thecenturies have tried, and often failed, to keep knowledge out of the hands ofeveryday folk. This is perhaps primarilybecause they feared the power of the book to cause change, and change is whatthe seven books in the Foundations of Practical Sorcery series will cause.

Today the magical arteshave never been so accessible, although that doesnt mean the demands that thearte makes upon the practitioner have been lessened in any way. While the arteis, in principle, for all, not everyone will have the self-discipline, the willand the imagination to succeed therein. However for those who do have thesebasic attributes or are prepared to acquire them there is much to be gainedfrom the practice of magic in all levels of life. For many people their ingressinto the arte will be by books, and the exploration of and working with theinformation they contain. There isnothing like experience even if your magic proves less successful than hopedfor: there is no such thing as failurein magic, because every experience will, at the very least, teach thepractitioner something, even if its just to try harder next time!

Of course some will haveaccess to a magical group and the knowledge and collective experience to befound therein; but for many this will not be the case. Magical groups regardless of hue by and largehave much to commend them, but not all of them do. I have in the past been approached by peoplewho have gone through a coven system yet then been led to ask me to help thempractice and study magic. It seemedtheir coven did not in fact practice the arte; which left me wondering what wasit that they did do. I am aware ofsimilar approaches made to other magical practitioners, which has left meconcluding that some magical groups and covens can actually be detrimental toan individuals magical development and understanding - although this iscertainly not the case with all by any means.

Foundations of PracticalSorcery goes some way to rectifying this deficit in any students magicallife. They offer clear magical instruction and accountsof magical acts to be performed, thus making the arte easily accessible. Themethods and techniques presented are all based upon my own personal knowledgeand experience which goes back over forty years, methods and techniques thathave worked successfully for me and will do so for any reader who applies themaccordingly.

In many ways I was fortunate, during theautumn of 1972, to meet a magical practitioner who taught me much regarding thearte, generously affording me the run of their magical library as well. Havingbeen schooled extensively in magical knowledge from my mid teen years Iconsider myself to have been extremely fortunate and lucky to have had manyexperiences not easily available to many people. Thus the present Foundationsof Practical Sorcery series is the distillation of four decades of successfulmagical workings.

Each of the seven volumesgives a clear account and rendition of one or another area of magicalinstruction that I have received and have been taught. They are presented to the reader in a clearand workable style which will provide them with a concise and firm foundation,allowing the serious magical student to explore the Western Magical Tradition, theinheritance of us all.

Gary St. M. Nottingham, February 2015