Great Arcanum

A pioneering analysis of Eliphas Lévi’s The Doctrine and Ritual of High Magic, one if the most influential works of occult literature, exploring ceremonial magic, magical philosophy, cabala, hermeticism and more!

The work of Eliphas Lévi has undoubtedly shaped the course of modern magic. The Doctrine and Ritual of High Magic systemised magical theory and practice in a way that re-situated occultism as a serious field of academic study, moving it away from the fringes of society into a massive cultural force in the Western world. Chapters include discussion on cabala, sacred geometry, necromancy, astrology, enchantments, philosophy, and much more. 

But the transmission of Lévi’s work in the English-speaking was disrupted by the wider politics of contemporary occult circles, meaning that it was often ignored as a key text in occult schools and mystical traditions.

Now, for the first time, The Great Arcanum – John Michael Greer’s groundbreaking analysis and commentary of The Doctrine and Ritual of High Magic – changes this, uncovering the key themes and messages in Lévi’s work for use in magical study. 

Greer focuses specifically on how Lévi was able to so successfully revolutionise magical practice in the Western world, and the meanings that can be gleaned from his writing. Key themes discussed include the source of magical power; astral light as the foundation for magical phenomena; and using the tarot deck as a key to unlock the secrets of the occult tradition. 

The Great Arcanum delves right into the core of where modern magic was born, and will prove a stimulating and thought-provoking read for any serious student or practitioner of the occult. 

John Michael Greer is the award-winning author of more than fifty books, including The New Encyclopedia of the Occult, The Druidry Handbook, The Celtic Golden Dawn and Circles of Power: An Introduction to Hermetic Magic. An initiate in Freemasonry, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the Martinist Order, and three Druid traditions, Greer served as the Grand Archdruid of the Ancient Order of Druids in America (AODA) for twelve years. He is also the author of seventeen fantasy and science fiction novels and ten nonfiction books on peak oil and the future of industrial society. He lives in Rhode Island and blogs weekly on politics, magic, and the future at www.ecosophia.net.