Authors on The Western Mystery Tradition

Damon Brand

Damon Brand is an author and practitioner of the occult, best known for his works on practical magick. He has written numerous books on the subject, focusing on making magick more accessible to people who are interested in harnessing its power for personal development and self-improvement. Brand is a member of the Gallery of Magick, a group of occultists that aims to provide simple and effective methods for working with magick.

Some of his popular books include Magickal Cashbook, Archangels of Magick, Words of Power, and The 72 Sigils of Power. These books cover a range of topics, such as money magick, invoking the powers of archangels, and using magickal words to manifest desires. Damon Brand's work is characterized by a practical approach that seeks to demystify magick, making it easier for beginners to understand and apply in their everyday lives.

Aleister Crowley

Aleister Crowley is the most widely known exponent of Hermetic Magick. In 1898, he joined the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, where he was trained in ceremonial magic by Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers and Allan Bennett. In 1912 he was initiated into another esoteric order, the German-based Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.), rising to become the leader of its British branch, which he then reformulated in accordance with his Thelemite beliefs and went on to found Thelema.

Israel Regardie

Israel Regardie is considered to be the last living Adept of the original Golden Dawn. He was also a former secretary of Aleister Crowley. Regardie compiled the more traditional forms of the Golden Dawn rituals and published them in book form. His classics include the books The Golden Dawn and The Middle Pillar.

Dion Fortune

Dion Fortune was an initiate of Alpha et Omega (a branch of the Golden Dawn). She later founded The Society of the Inner Light. She is recognized as one of the most luminous figures in esoteric thought. She wrote The Mystical Qabalah, which is widely considered one of the best general introductions to modern Hermetic Mystical Qabalah.

Paul Foster Case

Paul Foster Case was an American occultist and author of many books on tarot and Qabalah. He founded the Builders of the Adytum (B.O.T.A.) mystery school, rooted in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and later extended by Ann Davies. His books include The Tarot - A Key to the Wisdom of the Ages and Tarot Card Meaning Fundamentals.

Chic and Sandra Cicero

The Ciceros are Senior Adepts of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Chic Cicero was Regardie’s personal student, friend, and confidant. They have published many books, including Self-initiation into the Golden Dawn and Secrets of a Golden Dawn Temple. They have also edited and added significant content to several of Israel Regardie's books.

Donald Michael Kraig

Donald Michael Kraig was an American occult author and practitioner of ceremonial magic. Kraig published six books, including his introduction to ceremonial magic, Modern Magick. Modern Magick is a popular step-by-step guide to working real magick. Chic Cicero stated: “Modern Magick has become the standard textbook of practical magickal knowledge for magicians all over the world.”

Lon Milo DuQuette

Lon has been involved with occult studies since the late 60s and is a very knowledgeable practitioner and writer of modern magick. Some of his books include The Magick of Thelema, Enochian Vision Magick, The Tarot of Ceremonial Magick, and the humorous but highly informative The Chicken Qabalah.

John Michael Greer

John Michael Greer is an award-winning author of more than fifty books. He is an initiate in Freemasonry, The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids (O.B.O.D.). He was also the Grand Archdruid of the Ancient Order of Druids in America (A.O.D.A.). Some of his books include The Druidry Handbook, The Celtic Golden Dawn, Paths of Wisdom: Cabala in the Golden Dawn, and The Way of the Golden Section.

Willian G. Gray

William G. Gray was an English ceremonial magician, Hermetic Qabalist, and writer, who published widely on the subject of Western esotericism and the occult. Gray founded the magical order known as the Sangreal Sodality. The Talking Tree is one of his most famous books.

Stephen Skinner

Stephen Skinner is an Australian author, editor, publisher, and lecturer. He is known for authoring books on magic, feng shui, sacred geometry, and alchemy. He has published more than 46 books in more than 20 languages. Techniques of High Magic, also authored by Francis King, is a manual of self-initiation. The Complete Magician’s Tables is likely the best book on Correspondences, with more than 840 Tables.