Oriental Magic

Description

One of Idries Shah’s earliest classic works exploring arcane cultures, human esoteric beliefs, and ancient magical practices and ceremonies. Oriental Magic is recognised as one of the most in-depth studies on magic and its uses in diverse cultures from Europe to the Far East. Profusely illustrated, the book was the culmination of several years of research into rare artifacts, obscure manuscripts and travels into remote areas where strange magical practices endure.

Shah includes personal accounts of “training” under a Ju-Ju witch doctor in Sudan, a demonstration of Hindu levitation, and details of the invisible rulership of Sufism. The book also contains an ancient Brahmin spell for immortality. Revealed is an astonishing similarity in magical beliefs, practices and terminology of places as diverse as China, the Middle East, Scandinavia and Africa.

In addition to being a compendium of magical practices throughout human history, Oriental Magic is a study of how, what and why people think the things they do. As such the book constitutes a powerful work on human nature. Author Idries Shah Author Info Idries Shah was an author and teacher in the Sufi tradition and is considered one of the leading thinkers of the 20th century.

He devoted his life to collecting, translating and adapting key works of Sufi classical literature for the needs of the contemporary West. These works represent centuries of thought – some call it “practical philosophy” – aimed at developing human potential. Shah’s literary output – more than three dozen books on topics ranging from psychology and spirituality to travelogues and cultural studies – includes uniquely instrumental teaching stories, some of which he retold for children.

His work is regarded as forming an important bridge between the cultures of East and West. It has been translated into dozens of languages and has sold millions of copies around the world. In his writings for adults, Shah presented Sufism as a universal form of wisdom that predates Islam.

Emphasizing that Sufism is not static but always adapts to the current time, place and people, he often framed his teaching in Western psychological terms. For more than 40 years, Shah sifted through oriental literature and oral Sufi tradition to bring his contemporary audience narratives, poetry, aphorisms and an enormous range of teaching stories that are appropriate for our time and culture. He pointed out that this work “co ects with a part of the individual which ca ot be reached by any other convention, and …

establishes in him or in her a means of communication with a non-verbalized truth beyond the customary limitations of our familiar dimensions.” ISBN-13 978-1784790455 Publisher ISF Publishing Publication Date 4/12/2019 (Originally published 1956) Binding Paperback Condition New Page Count 324 Pages