The History of Magic in the Modern Age: The Quest for Personal Transformation

Divorced from the realm of mere superstition and again wedded to disciplines of alternative spirituality, magic is newly exerting a vital influence on contemporary thought and culture, and this intriguing, authoritative volume shows how and why.For Nevill Drury, who for three decades has been researching magic and states of human consciousness, the modern resurgence of interest in magic lies in the ancient and enduring quest for transformative spiritual experiences. Indeed, in modern times, as Drury displays, a new consciousness has been shaped by such prominent figures as Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell, and Carlos Castaneda, who have explored the powers of myth, magic, and mysticism throughout the spiritual history of humankind -- from the ancient Egyptian mysteries to Gnosticism and the Kabbalah, from medieval practices like the Tarot and alchemy to the more recent esoteric rites of Rosicrucianism and Freemasonry.Drury traces the development of modern magic as a route to higher consciousness back to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and relates it to the revival of Celtic religious traditions as well as the re-emergence of Goddess worship as a vital expression of feminine spirituality. With his presentation of magic as a potent medium of alternative spirituality, Drury looks at magic from a new perspective. He wrests it from the province of the black arts and demonstrates its dynamic possibilities in the elevation and evolution of the human soul.