Original Magic: The Rituals and Initiations of the Persian Magi

Stephen Flowers explores the history, theory, practice, rituals, and initiations of the Mazdan magical system practiced by the Magi of ancient Persia, who were so skilled and famed for their effectiveness that their name came to mean what we today call “magic.” The prestige and reputation of the Magian priests of Mazda is perhaps most iconically recorded in the Christian story of the Three Wise Men who visited newborn Jesus. The author explains how the religious branch of the Mazdan magical system, founded by the Prophet Zarathustra, is known in the West under the name Zoroastrianism. He reveals how the Zoroastrian religion, which acts as a matrix for the symbols and formulas of the original form of magic, has existed for almost four thousand years with roots going back even deeper into the Indo-European past. The author reveals how all other known systems of magic have borrowed from this tradition, providing the clues that enabled him to reformulate the original Mazdan system. He reviews what the Greeks, Romans, Hebrews, Christians, and Chinese said about the Iranian-Persian tradition of the Mazdans and their invention of a magical technology. He explains how the ultimate aim of the original form of magic was not only individual wisdom, self-development, and empowerment, but also the overall betterment of the world. Outlining the theoretical principles of this method, which can be applied in practical ways to deepen the effectiveness of these magical operations, the author details a complete curriculum of magical study and initiation based on a series of graded exercises keyed to the sacred Zoroastrian calendar. He then offers a series of more advanced magical rituals and practices based on archaic Persian formulas, including fire rituals and divine invocations. Providing a manual for the original magical system used by the members of the Great Fellowship, this book guides you toward the comprehensive practice of the Mazdan philosophy, the ultimate outcome of which is ushta: Happiness.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments Abbreviations Preface Introduction The Time Has Come to Lift the Ban A Note on the Languages and Texts of the Mazdan Tradition 1 Iranian Magic as the Ancients Saw It 2 The History of Iranian Magic 3 Theories of Mazdan Magic 4 Initiation into Magic 5 Rituals of Mazdan Magic Appendix A A Brief History of Eranshahr Appendix B Guide to Pronunciation of Avestan Appendix C The Analysis of Three Major Avestan Manthras Appendix D The One Hundred and One Names of God Appendix E Basic Mazdan Astrological Lore Appendix F Resources Glossary Notes Bibliography and Reading List Index

About the Author :
Stephen E. Flowers, Ph.D., received his doctorate in Germanic languages and medieval studies from the University of Texas at Austin and studied the history of occultism at the University of Göttingen, Germany. The author of more than 24 books, including Lords of the Left-Hand Path and Icelandic Magic, he lives near Smithville, Texas.

Review :
“A superbly written and detailed book providing an excellent practical guide and framework for modern practice. The book is divided into four distinctive and easy-to-follow sections, covering history, theory, initiation, and practices of the Persian Magi, making it a highly recommended read. The Bible tells the story of the three Persian Magi following a star and bringing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh for the baby Jesus, but who were they, and what made them ‘wise men’? Stephen Flowers, Ph.D., explains the history of the Persian Magi and provides ample examples of the sources of their wisdom.” “Since the very word ‘magic’ comes from ancient Persia, it is remarkable how much that tradition has been ignored by modern magicians and pagans. In this book, Stephen Flowers, Ph.D., fills that gap, using both his academic prowess and his magical experience to provide a workable system of magical initiation and training based on both the original sources and what can be reconstructed from modern Iranian practice. The result is a system that will bring about deep spiritual change in its practitioners.” “Unlike works on esoteric praxis that seek to cultivate an air of mystification, Stephen Flowers’s Original Magic allows the ancient and genuine tradition of Mazdan spirituality to reveal itself in radiant clarity. The result is a challenging but thoroughly workable curriculum for self-initiation into one of our oldest living religious and philosophical currents. Although it shares Indo-European roots with the more familiar pagan traditions of the West, the flame that fuels the Mazdan way has never been stifled or snuffed out by the vicissitudes of history. And in stark contrast to systems of sorcery based in a cynical paradigm, Original Magic offers more than just a path toward wisdom and betterment for the individual--its goal is a truly enlightened world.” “Stephen Flowers changed magical research and practice by bringing scholarship and actual practice into a complementary whole. Original Magic will be a game-changer in the esoteric and scholarly worlds. It returns magic to its roots and restores the original symbol of the mind as a flame. It is a most powerful work.” “The foremost authority of rune magi is Stephen Flowers, both as a practitioner and as scholar. As in all of Flowers's books, Original Magic contains both pioneering perspectives as well as roots in historical sources and solid academic research.”