Author - Watkins Dictionary of Magic: Over 3000 Entries on the World of Magical Formulas, Secret Symbols and the Occult

The world of magic and the esoteric traditions is a source of endless fascination and speculation although it invariably attracts a wide range of human responses. For some people wary, perhaps, of the often sinister overtones associated with magic and the occult arts this whole realm of enquiry can seem frightening, potentially demonic, or simply irrational. To others it may seem remote or irrelevant. The subject has attracted much shallow and sensational media coverage, with its more superficial aspects such as fortune telling, horoscopes, and superstitions receiving the most public attention.

However, in recent times there has been an increasing interest in alternative religious and spiritual perspectives and, with the exception of the Kabbalah, most of these alternatives have tended to lie outside the Judaeo-Christian tradition. While many in contemporary western society have found a sense of spiritual fulfilment in exploring eastern forms of mysticism and meditation, in the West these spiritual alternatives have included revivals of various forms of goddess worship, Celtic neopaganism, and shamanism, and metaphysical frameworks like Gnosticism, alchemy, and the Tarot. There has also been renewed interest in the mysteries of ancient Greece and Egypt and an ongoing focus on Jewish mysticism since the Kabbalah and the Tree of Life provide a key spiritual framework for the expansion of magical consciousness.

There can be no doubt that in contemporary western society the rise of rational and scientific thought has challenged the divine-authority base of mainstream Christianity to such an extent that church attendance is now very much on the decline. Indeed, it would seem that our society is at a type of spiritual crossroads. Our western culture continues to perpetuate the enshrined belief systems of our formal religious institutions but for many people the prevailing religious orthodoxies have a hollow ring about them, and do not reflect deeply felt personal experience.

So where does this leave the elusive and much misunderstood world of magic and the occult? How do practitioners of magic, witchcraft, neopaganism, and goddess worship respond to the modern world?

Ironically, although they may be reviving archaic belief systems and practices, the majority of occultists today are supporters of the new technologies especially if they are seen to be helpful to the community at large. A surprisingly high number of occult devotees and neopagans work in the computer industry or in other areas of communication and information technology. However, they tend to believe that the demands of urban existence should be complemented by a sense of spiritual attunement to the broader world outside. There is a general consensus that the cycles of nature and the universe as a whole provide a broader scope for meaning than can be found in the daily urban routines that most of us endure.

The perspective which emerges within this broad-based metaphysical movement is a type of spiritual humanism an approach based on the belief that all human beings have within them an intrinsic spiritual connection with the cosmos, an innate potential divinity which can be brought through into conscious expression. The magical traditions recognize this potential, and invite us to explore the visionary realms within our own being.

Another interesting aspect of the occult is that, increasingly, its so-called magical secrets are no longer hidden. The really worthwhile aspects of occult belief and practice are now very much out in the open as more and more people seek to explore the different potentials for visionary and spiritual expression. This book is just one small example of that new openness that new and open access to previously occult, or hidden information.

This dictionary seeks to provide a wide range of cross-referenced listings covering the diverse and exotic traditions that are now part of the magical world-view. These traditions include Wicca, western ceremonial magic, alchemy, astrology, Gnosticism, Kabbalah, Rosicrucianism, Tarot, shamanism, voodoo, Macumba, and Santera. I have also included specialist listings related to Enochian angelic magic, Goetia, and the left-hand path, and the Thelemic and the O.T.O. cosmologies associated with such figures as Aleister Crowley and Kenneth Grant. In addition there are listings for magical plants, stones, and perfumes as well as important figures from Celtic, Norse, Egyptian, Greek, and Roman mythology, and native and indigenous magical traditions. Finally, I have included some listings from eastern mysticism where they relate specifically to the western esoteric tradition chakras, kundalini yoga, and the tattvas being examples of eastern concepts that have entered the realm of modern western magic.

Finally I must admit to writing this book as one who is basically sympathetic to the western esoteric tradition. I know that I myself have benefited enormously from its exploration over the last thirty years or so, and I value my personal contact with people all over the world who share a similar interest. I also believe quite strongly that at this time in our history a time when many people are expressing feelings of personal despair, despondency, and aimlessness that we can all learn from each others individual quest for sacred visionary experience. In fact, one of the most relevant tasks now, it seems to me, is to explore the various pathways that lead to the transformation of human consciousness. The revival of magic in modern times is very much a response to this need.