Reviews:
Inner Light Magazine*, UK August 2010
This book is an exceptionally clear introduction to the Western Mystery Tradition, and will be of particular interest to those working alone, as it presents the practical and theoretical precepts in a series of what will be self-initiations if they are worked through thoroughly and diligently. It was originally published in the Netherlands in 2007, and was then called "The Way to the Ancient Mysteries", (a title that I much prefer). However, this English language edition is excellent, and presents the principles of the Mysteries with clarity, intelligence and warmth. (...)
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*The Inner Light Magazine is the quarterly magazine of The Society of Inner Light, a Mystery School within the Western Esoteric Tradition, founded by Dion Fortune.
"The Temple of High Magic is a must-have book for those who want a clear insight of the modern magical path, either as seekers or those who have been traveling this road for some time. Rather than concentrate on just basic methods, it takes the student through an evolution of ever more advanced magical work."
(Nick Farrell, author of Magical Pathworking )
The Magical Buffet, USA, August 2010
[...] but I will dare say that this is the best introduction to the subject matter I’ve ever seen, or possibly that’s ever been published. My introduction to the subject matter was the book "Magick for Beginners" by J.H. Brennan, [...] he suggested looking at Dion Fortune and Israel Regardie. Fortune and Regardie are both respected pillars of the ceremonial magic community but their works are dense and difficult for a beginner to wrap their brains around, or at least for this beginner they are. If only "The Temple of High Magic" had been available then!
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"The customers of the Atlantis Bookshop very much appreciate your book. The specialists really like it. I just recently spoke my brother-in-law and he gave it 10 out of 10."
Geraldine Beskin - Atlantis Bookshop London (At the Day of Dion Fortune in Bristol)
"The Temple of High Magic is an important work from someone who has earned her credits in the Mystery Tradition. It is a book of great size, which treats the extensive range of the Western Mystery Tradition without loosing clearness."
(Merlin Sythove, Gardnerian witch)
Winner of the Esoteric Book Club Taurus
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"The Temple of High Magic was described in 'Wiccan Rede, Beltane 2007' as an 'impressive book written by a lady who has earned respect as an expert in the field of esotericism and mystery traditions in the Netherlands.' This book, now available in English, will impress English-speaking readers by its compactness and clarity. Dealing with a large range of subjects regarding the Western Mysteries, Ina has also included Pathworkings/guided visualizations and rituals making this not only a compendium but also a practical workbook. Highly recommended for everyone who is interested in (modern) Mystery religions."
(Morgana, cofounder of Silver Circle Magazine and coordinator of the 2009 Pagan Federation International)
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Bestseller at amazon.de and amazon.com
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"The first thing that touched me was the pleasurable and clear style of writing from the author. On top of this I ascertained her true competence and expertise about this subject. Finally there is a competent and reliable guide that can help us obtain insight into the Western Mystery Tradition. I recommend this book wholeheartedly."
(Daniel van Egmond, Ph.D., Dutch mystic and Kabbalist)
Barbara Ardinger, USA August 2010
As it often does, Destiny Books, an imprint in Inner Traditions, is bringing the work of a noted European author to American readers. Ina Cüsters-van Bergen, a Dutch occultist who heads the Hermetic Order Temple of Starlight, was initiated by Delores Ashcroft-Nowicki and lectures throughout Europe. [...] The Temple of High Magic is a generally competent introduction to the Western Mystery Tradition (her capital letters), which is a "spiritual tradition that has been passed for centuries by word of mouth from person to person in secret orders" and through ascending initiations.
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"This book is really a must for everyone who wants to start a practical, theoretical, and historic study in the Western Mystery Traditions, Hermetism, Wicca, Magic, and Kabbalah. Ina Cüsters-van Bergen explains in clear words how ceremonial magic works and through the many exercises and Pathworkings the students will reach deeper knowledge in their inner worlds."
(Anneke Huijser, owner of the metaphysical and esoteric bookshop in the Netherlands)
Read the review from Ishtar at Ishtar's Gate
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"This book will undoubtedly be regarded as the defining text for a solid basis in ceremonial magic. It offers a thorough explanation of what it really takes to open and enrich yourself with inner work. It is loaded with background information, methods, and techniques you can immediately use to practice. Ina Cüsters-van Bergen explains how you can reach a new and much higher level. She gives the answer of how to structure your magical practice so that you get the full benefit of your efforts. I fully endorse this book and the teaching it offers."
(GardenStone, author of Germanische Magie [Germanic Magic] )
Amazon.com, Readers reviews:
I read this book already nearly a year ago in Dutch language (so I can't judge the English translation). This book made a deep impression on me. First because my wife had found it and transferred it to me, whose intuition I trust very much (from experience). But this was very unusual (I am a historian in the field of spirituality, particularly spiritual texts, its history and function) because most of the time I find a lot of books and texts myself.
I have to say I was stunned by this book. Not so much that I forgot everything while reading it, it was just that everything - line by line, piece by piece, page by page, chapter by chapter - seemed to fit in with each other as well as with my knowledge of history and of the 'function' of spiritual traditions. And not only that, this book also conquered me, in a way, step by step. By letting me feel that steps could be taken, that they worked for the practician, and that meaning not only could but also was being found. And not only meaning, but also direction and perspective, not only theoretically but practically as well.
Indeed the book is well organized. Everything is clearly explained from the beginning, and built up in sequence. As regards the content I can confirm that the author combines the best knowledge of Western magical traditions (as well as of the main subjects of exoteric - outward religious - and esoteric - inward spiritual - traditions within which they were suppressed or practiced) with sound knowledge of modern imagination techniques (which of course have very old examples and sources). Her practice is built up from the Kabbalistic Tree, which serves as a model on which all theoretical and practical phenomena of the most different traditions can find their own place. This happens through the practice of the students themselves who learn to know themselves and at the same time build up a 'place' in which they can live spiritually as well as practically.
Stunning and astounding I found the book particularly because of the quality of its language as expression of the very trustworthy content, letting the reader free in her / his own decisions but at the same time giving thorough information and even warnings - all from many years of experience, which the author here shares with the reader, thankfully. She delivers as well very illuminative images and illustrations with the text.
Those who valuate the worth of this book, will agree that the quality of this book is not just its extreme practicability but also the very sound, deeply trustworthy experience and (also theoretical, also psychological and 'didactical') insights in and behind it.
For me she made for the first time clear how the tradition of Dion Fortune and Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki, from which she - although now having and leading her own school now - stems, is deeply correlated with very deep layers of our Western culture (and the author by the way also knows about Eastern and New Age traditions with which she makes comparisons). This however will not come to the reader by reading alone: she or he really has to discover the magic within life, existence, society, nature, cosmos, anew and by her- or himself as she / he uniquely is. The book gives the instruments to that as well. One of them: learn to be - including to have - a very, very trustworthy character in all respects! (So going this way will not always be easy ...)
This is a very rich book, a chance to be guided into and through many new worlds and practices in an way suited for everyone who values the spiritual worlds and practices of the Western traditions, including of course the Jewish and Christian ones insofar as they do not suppress the ways of magic (= practical 'religious' psychology). This book is not in the first place about influencing the outside world or other people for one's own concrete goals, but about influencing oneself by coming in tune with the divine world which we are all in contact with, and which wants the best with us. By raising consciousness and behaving in accordance with that. Step by step, in doing. Enjoy, if you want. Enjoy much! :-) :-( :-)
(Boudewijn Koole, www.bk-books.eu)
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I have the original Dutch version of this book and I am thrilled that it is now also available on the international market. Finally, there is now a book about the complex world of the mystical Qabalah that teaches you the basics and its function as a 'road map' in the Western Mystery Tradition, and so much more on top! I have been involved in the study of the Qabalah for a long time and most texts on Qabalah are either written in a rather old-fashioned language, are totally obscure and incomprehensible in their complexity to new people on the mystery path, or are so superficial to be almost useless for serious students.
Not so "The Temple of High Magic". Author Ina Cüsters-van Bergen possesses a profound, extensive and intimate knowledge of the vast and complex subject of all aspects of the Hermetic Western Mysteries. She also possesses the considerable talent to present her knowledge in a very attractive and compelling way. She writes in a deceptively simple, down-to-earth and beautiful language style that made her book a real 'page-turner' when I read it for the first time. "The Temple of High Magic" is not all about Qabalah, though. Ancient civilizations and their wisdom, secret teachings hidden in the world's mythological stories, spiritual alchemy, hermetic concepts and ideas and transformations: all these aspects and many more are discussed and presented in this book.
The true value of "The Temple of High Magic" to me is, that it provides a more practical introduction to Hermetism, High Magic and application of concepts of the Qabalistic Tree of Life. The book contains many magical exercises and pathworkings that will help the reader to delve further and deeper into the material and to catch a glimpse of what high magic can really do in one's life. These exercises and pathworkings are as beautifully written as the more theoretical chapters and I'd highly recommend anyone who's interested in these things to try them out for yourself and see what happens!
The style of working as described in this book appealed to me immensely. Previously, I had read many books about Ritual and High Magic that left me with a rather forbidding image about the entire topic: too vast, too much, too 'high' and too complicated and not really for me on a practical level. What Ina's book taught me was that High Magic is also beautiful, practical in everyday life, totally enjoyable and to be tackled within my own limits and at my own pace. And this teaching has been proven time and again since I actually started my formal training in The Temple of High Magic. Thus, this book has been a real life-changer to me.
Finally, I think this is an important book for those of us who are seekers of spirituality, but who are getting frustrated with the shallowness and empty promises of too many contemporary spiritual ideas. "The Temple of High Magic" describes a time-honored tradition with its roots in the ancient world, yet wonderfully contemporary and very much of today. If you're looking for something real, this may be it. Read it, and judge for yourself!
(Ronald A. Van Gurp)
