Magick on the Edge, edited by Taylor Ellwood
By Psyche | February 28, 2008 | Print This Post | E-mail This Post | Comments Off
Magick on the Edge: Adventures in Experimental Magick
, edited by Taylor Ellwood
Immanion Press, 1905713053, 317 pp., 2007
Anthologies present the opportunity to catch up with familiar authors and meet new ones and allow the reader to sample an assortment of styles and opinions. The theme for Magick on the Edge is “experimental occultism”, which seems a little perplexing at first. I understand that they’re trying to set themselves apart from chaos magick, but surely all magick is experimental?
Though a motley collection, the essays have been gathered into several themes, such as Space/Time Magic (no Ks in the table of contents), Magical Linguistics, Technology and Magic, New Approaches to Traditional Forms of Magic, Sex Magic and Inner Alchemy.
Nick Farrell’s “Experimentation as a Magical Path” immediately follows the introduction, but, unfortunately, does little to inspire the reader to continue reading the rest of the anthology. In an essay that makes a sensible argument or two for breaking from tradition and practicing “experimental” magick, the author, disappointingly, demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of chaos magick or Thelema 1. Later, he randomly asserts that “if you don’t believe in some sort of God, you are wasting your time doing magic”2, though he offers no reason why this might be, beyond his own personal bias. We are supposed to trust his opinions on this simply because he said so. This doesn’t seem terribly progressive.
Many essays are very rough semi-rants against “traditional” methods which seem to stem more from the incompetence of the magicians than with the systems themselves. Even simple things, like confusing the psychic censor with “sensor”, displays that the author does not have a firm grasp of their subject. Fortunately, while a mixed bag, there are other pieces worth recommending.
Already familiar with Samuel23′s work online3, and knowing him for a few years, it was great to read a new piece by him. “Out Here on the Edge, We’re Ready to Jump” is written in his characteristic style, relating events from his past which continue to shape who he is today.
Michael Szul’s contribution, “Memetic Infection and the Viral Language”, explores intriguing themes, connecting the tetragrammaton with the four amino acids that make up DNA. While in “What is Cyberspace”, Lisa McSherry offers an interesting take on technology and the possibilities the Internet provides the modern magician.
In “Hillbilly Tantra”, Agent 139, author of Join My Cult and Fallen Nation (review pending), present a treatise on practical sex magick both insightful and direct. However, Alexzandria Baker’s essay on egregores and bonding techniques, “The Makings of Metaphysical Kinship”, would have benefited from a greater emphasis on blood safety, especially as the practices described may not be familiar to many outside the vampire community.
Angelina Fabbro had sent her esssay, “Not a Bogus Pile of Nails”, to me prior to its publication to read over, but unfortunately I didn’t have the time to review it – something I deeply regret now, as it’s a wonderful piece. Angelina’s sensible approach to using scientific theory to support magickal work and suggest new avenues of exploration is inspired, and avoids the many pitfalls of occulted pseudo-science.
A final nitpick: a different font was used for quotations which was awkward and small, it strained my eyes to read it as it was quite small. My eyes are bad, but were they any worse I’d likely require a magnifying glass to read it comfortably.
With over twenty essays written by nearly as many authors, there’s a lot of material here, some of it quite good. Anthologies are always a hodgepodge, and with the variety of themes and authorial styles displayed, this was perhaps even more so the case with Magick on the Edge: Adventures in Experimental Magick.
Footnotes:
Psyche is the editor of ahrfoundation.org and the curator for the occult resource SpiralNature.com, Psyche also operates a tarot consultation business, Psyche Tarot. She has been published in The Cauldron, Konton, Tarot World Magazine, among other magazines, and her essay “Strategic Magick” appeared in Manifesting Prosperity (Megalithica, 2008).
Psyche's website is http://www.ahrfoundation.org.
