Magic and Witchcraft: From Shamanism to the Technopagans

Beginning with shamanism, this book explores myth and magic in the ancient world, the quest for gnosis, or sacred esoteric knowledge, and the emergence of the kabbalah, alchemy, and the Hermetic tradition. It then describes the rise of medieval witchcraft, the origins of the tarot, and the secret philosophy of the Freemasons and Rosicrucians. The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, started in Britain in 1888, led to a 20th-century revival that extends into the present millennium. The influence of controversial occultist Aleister Crowley, the rebirth of witchcraft and goddess worship, the emergence of contemporary satanism, the revival of interest in shamanism and indigenous spirituality, and the intriguing connection between digital magic and cyberspace are all explored here in detail.