The last few books I’ve read have covered the subject of theurgy quite extensively, and this most recent book Rediscovering the Magick of the Gods and Goddesses by Jean-Louis de Biasi, is no exception. I will make a point though to try to find a different topic for my next book to keep myself from sounding like a broken record, but I tend to obsess when I find a topic that really resonates with me, and theurgy certainly has been resonating! And while I had the lofty goal of getting through a book a week, this particular book proved to be a bit more challenging to fit into just seven days. Not because it wasn’t interesting, but rather because there was so much information inside. I found myself going back and rereading several passages not only to ensure I was comprehending, but because I found the content interesting and warranted deeper discussions with some of my magical friends

Like many of the books I’ve read recently, this one also opened with a discussion on the significance of initiation in magical traditions. In discussing some of the ancient mystery cults, di Biasi tells us that, “an esoteric message was generally revealed, which was associated with secret signs and specific items that were given to the new initiate. At the same time, the initiate was offered an opportunity to really feel and experience specific states of consciousness, sometimes including death and the afterlife.” (p 27-28). I do believe that this passage sets the tone for the rest of the book—exploring the magical, spiritual, religious, and initiatory practices that have come to shape modern magic, witchcraft, and paganism. 

This idea is reinforced later in the book when he di Biasi says, “…the initiate will be able to turn his soul towards the divine and progressively ascend to his origin…” (p. 67). Here, initiation into one of these mystery traditions is the key to achieving connection and communion with the divine, which, as we know, is the goal of many magical practitioners today, be they Witches, pagans, ritual magicians, or something else all together. 

This book dives deep into the historical remnants of these ancient traditions, exploring what the author refers to as The Golden Chain, that thread that connects all of these traditions together. A discourse on Mesopotamia (the Mother of Civilization), followed by a study of Egypt’s religious and spiritual orders precedes an exploration of sacred texts from antiquity that have influenced modern magical practice. This is all paving the way for the intense grimoire of magical rites designed to connect the operator with a host of divine beings. These are quite powerful and of themselves, but I found them to be even more potent when I adapted them to more closely align with the deities of my particular tradition. 

Theurgy will continue to be an integral part of my personal magical practice, and I stand by my convictions that this book would be of great benefit to anyone who works with any aspect of the divine in their magical practices. “Even if modern Wiccans do not frequently use the word Theurgy, their use of the power of magic, their moral statements, and the relationships that Wiccans create with their divinities places them very close to Theurgy.” (p.63)

Book Information

• Rediscover the Magick of the Gods and Goddesses by Jean-Louis de Biasi
• Publisher: Llewellyn
• Publication Date: July 18, 2024
• Dimensions: 6×9
• Page Count: 306
• Purchase here