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I have three months of free time ahead of me and i want to read up on the occult, all aspects,

Which aspects do you find the most intresting?

Which books would you suggest?

Where can i get some (are there any occult libraries in the UK?)

Synth

How about making your own choices?

What is good for one, isn't necessarily good for another.

There are so many books and so much you can attain that relates to the Occult that posting this thread is utterly useless in the long run. I agree, just go and look for yourself. Something as simple as taking a walk to the local bookstore, or, if that is too daunting a task, googling the word Occult, can get you started.

Crowley comes to mind first. Most people know the name. I started with the Rosicrucian books. And every encyclopedia that I could get my hands on. Be creative when looking subjects up. The Cabala is also easy to study today. There is also Dark Tantra if you like that stuff. Best to start with something like these as suppose to something out in left field.

Some people are rude. Never mind them. I would suggest something general, like the "Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft." It can be found on ebay, and if you'd like more information, please feel free to contact me. The book covers many topics so you can get a "feel" of whats going on!

Well, some people are lazy and like to be spoon-fed the intellectual equivalent of grey sludge, which fails to stretch even their meagre imagination.

The starting path always lies within, you just have to ask yourself about what aspects of the cabalistic arts do you hold interest in..."Am I fond of the elements and of nature?", "Am I interested with the mysterious and forbidden shadows?", or "Am I curious about the power that the mind, body, and spirit posses?" Just think about what you would consider to be a great subject to seek knowledge on and then if you still need help... You may want to ask again, but with a subject as...What starter books would you suggest to read pertaining to......

where are you starting from? do you have any previous leanings/learnings? are you curious about healing? another religion/belief system? tarot? or...are you like me and raised christian science? if so , harvard has excellent on-line human/dna type classes.. i guess , what i am asking is how are you defining occult?

it all depends on where you want to start... studying the occult is a very wide subject...

Thanks to those who have posted.

The reason i was so vague was i wanted to know which subcategaries others found/find most intresting and i know it is very wide, of course and so its hard to just close your eyes and point and hope you've chosen a topic intresting to you.

I am intrested in most subjects, for example in the list one poster gave i mentaly nodded to each suggestion.

I know it is easy to end up with 50 books saying the same thing and so if i have other insights then its useful.

It might be worth having a look at somewhere like this for general things that might pique your interest initially?

I would read everything i could get my hands on, then decided which aspect you like...

Exactly what kind of occult following do you wish to pursue? If you have no idea your best beat would be to start here. They have very knowledgable people to give you the basics of what different occults hold dear and what they practice. If you are looking in more of a research practice then I suggest you go to your local library. Even there they would have lore books. Or the internet. Maybe you can pick something of interest in any of the above listed.

Talismen are Fascinating to research. O0oh and read the Satanic Bible, it is fun to read Anton LaVey's outlook on life. in some cases his mentality is quite philisophical and insightful. Worth checking out I do say even if only for a chuckle.

Here is a good place to start whatever your interests are in the occult:

http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/index.htm

The Internet Sacred Texts Archive has a lot of information and free books on a wide range of subjects.

Try going into second hand book shops, old grimmy ones are the best they may be a bit tatty but you get books that have been about years and some really interesting reads I have some great books and found alot of them in dark dingy corners . Hope this helps

i actually picked up a lot - including a couple of books by Crowley - at church jumble sales. consider the following:
there is no absolute truth - everything is true.
if that is just nonsense to you then dont bother. if you get it, then any path you take will lead you to your destination.

I agree with Stabb here, I think it is much better you do some research in your own time, and go to bookshops to search for material, than feel you should read something because it has been recommended to you. Just see where you decide to start!

I would have to agre with others who have said that sometimes researching on your own is a good start.
I did alot of reading and researched before i chose my path..
If you are jsut curious about other beliefs or "Occults" practices, then yes you should go to the library or search the internet.
What specifics are you looking for? WHat really has your mind wanting more information?

It really pays off to BUY the books. You can find new AND used books online- amazing books that are out of print. You can search amazon.com of course for new and used- and also, go to ebay.

I agree with IndigoBizzare yous hould try to buy the books. Sometimes you'll be reading one book and find something about something you've already read. Then again you could find something completely contradictory to what you read before. Sometimes it makes it easy to spot falacies

There are many different aspects of the occult, but I think that once you find out all of them, you should just pick the one that best represents you.

i would go with , levey, crowley and h. p. lovecraft. you can't go wrong with lovecraft.

Well whatever path you choose is yours and cannot be wrong. Just be careful what and how you say things to other people before you are flames and idiot

I`m going with LaVey and his Left hand path

well I agree with Stabb666. Try just going to a library and looking at different ones that may interest you or even a book store to get a feel of what you may be looking for. :)

There are soo many books on the Occult and also many choices to pick out of. It is best if you choose yourself. I live in the UK myself in Birmingham and i haven't seen any Occult bookshops or anything but the library does do a wide collection on Occult books.

search only what intrests you dont let anyone else infulecnce your decision.

learning about the Occult..i would generally recomend learning about the history and historic figures in the occult such as levi and crowley,google can be of great help for learning on the internet.
also Occult customs and practices would be wise to learn and the cultures which they come from as well.

www.astralsociety.com

I agree with stabb...you need to choose your own way to look up the occult, someone might find a certain book helpful but you may find it puzzling!!

But if you want to look up different types or whatever then look up!

http://logosresourcepages.org/idx_occult.htm

http://www.religion-cults.com/occult.htm

http://www.occult100.com/index.shtml

http://www.allabouttheoccult.org/

This way you can find out what works for you best personally!

I live close to newcastle and find some of the occult subjects very difficult to study without the help of the internet. The libraries in britain seem somehow blind to the fact that the occult is a widely growing subject for many like us, and yet they do nothing about it.

I feel that you should start with what you are interested in. Look on the internet and find summaries of what different occult subjects deal with before delving into anything heavy.

That said, i agree with billy the just (amazingly as billy and i seem to have many differing views) when he says that Crowley is a good place to go, i would also recomment agrippa and Dr John Dee.

M

You would really have to decide that one for yourself. Because what is good for one individual is not necessarily good for another.

i would suggest you check out the database on books...the history of demonology and witchcraft i found very interesting.

You could look around your area for occult groups to join...

occult groups are allways good to look for, take in opinons and belifes of others and learn and kind of make up ur own oppinons and thoughts and then u can open the eyes of another juwst as they have opend ur eyes! take from them bits and peices and then form ur own meaning!