About the Book
A guide to magic as communication
• Introduces key ideas in linguistics and semiotics to reveal how magic works
• Reveals how to apply effective communication techniques to your magical practice
• Includes case studies of magical schools, such as Hermetic magic, sigil magic, Thelema, the Church of Satan, Chaos Magic, and the Temple of Set
In this illuminating and deeply informative guide, practicing magician Toby Chappell takes readers on a journey into the heart of what it means to transform reality by exploring what magic is. He explains that operative magic works because it is communication. The practitioner of magic is communicating with the unmanifest to align the outside world with their inner transformations, desires, and needs.
Drawing on linguistics and the analytical techniques of semiotics, the author explores how we perceive and affect the world by treating it like a partner in communication. He shows how this notion of magical communication appears in ancient practice, looking specifically at Hermetic magic and the spells of Greek magical papyri, sigil magic, Enochian magic, and runes. He explains the symbol-building necessary to effectively transform your inner and outer reality with magical speech, signs, and sigils. The author examines the languages of magic in contemporary New Thought practices, and he also looks at magical communication in several modern and postmodern schools of magic, including Thelema and the teachings of Aleister Crowley, Thee Temple ov Psychick Youth, the Church of Satan, Chaos Magic, and the Temple of Set.
Revealing how to apply techniques of effective communication to the magical realm, the author shows how you can deepen your understanding of magical practice and, ultimately, perform magic with greater success.
Table of Contents:
FOREWORD
THE ART OF METACOMMUNICATION
By Stephen E. Flowers, Ph.D.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
PRELUDE
THE MAGIC IS IN THE COMMUNICATION
1 WHAT DO LANGUAGE AND SEMIOTICS
HAVE TO DO WITH MAGIC ?
2 A SURVEY OF DIFFERENT MODELS OF MAGIC
3 A BRIEF HISTORY OF SEMIOTICS
4 VIEWING MAGIC THROUGH LINGUISTICS AND
THE PHILOSOPHY OF LANGUAGE
5 LANGUAGE, MYTH, AND MAGIC
INTERLUDE
THE METHODOLOGY FOR THE CASE STUDIES
6 CASE STUDY I
MEDITERRANEAN MAGIC IN ANTIQUITY
7 CASE STUDY I I
RUNES AND SEMIURGY
8 CASE STUDY I I I
MODERN APPROACHES TO SEMIURGY
CONCLUSION
AFTERWORD
THE WORDS AIM THE ARROW
By Don Webb
APPENDIX A
WHY DO MAGICIANS WRITE FICTION?
By Don Webb
APPENDIX B
MAGIA LOCI
By Brenda Yagmin
GLOSSARY
NOTES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX
About the Author :
Toby Chappell is a musician, writer, and lecturer on the intersection of language and magic. An independent researcher and practicing magician, his interests include runes, semiotics, weird tales, and the mysteries of ancient Egypt. The author of Infernal Geometry and the Left-Hand Path, he lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
Review :
“Combining theoretical insights from linguistics and semiotics with practical applications in magic, and thereby providing a framework for understanding magical practices as fundamentally communicative acts, this book is nothing short of an epiphany. Toby Chappell masterfully connects the dots of ‘semiotic manipulation’ and leaves you with a very inspiring manual on how to use your own skills. A deep-reaching and very useful book!”
“The Languages of Magic by Toby Chappell is an intriguing study of the building block of magic: language. Delving into the magical power of semiotics, exploring how language and symbols shape our reality, Chappell articulately argues that mastering the art of using the right words and signs is the key to success in magical endeavors. A fascinating and highly recommended book.”
“What you now hold in your hand is more than a book; The Languages of Magic is itself a powerful example of operative magic. This compendium of linguistic and occult wisdom holds the key to transforming the magician, the field of magical studies, and perhaps the world at large. Toby Chappell connects deeply researched concepts in a way that shifts the frame of reference and highlights the immense utility that the understanding of signs and words can offer the magician.”
“Speak the universe into existence! The Languages of Magic by scholar Toby Chappell provides an overview of magical communication and various schools of semiotics to show that magic is spoken into existence. He tackles a very complex topic from multiple angles and presents the information in a way that is easily understood by nonspecialists. This is required reading for anyone serious about the study and practical application of magical communication.”
“The Languages of Magic is a valuable addition to the library of anyone interested in the occult, linguistics, philosophy, anthropology, or simply the transformative power of language in general. Chappell provides readers with the tools and knowledge to explore their own magical potential, making this book both an educational resource and a catalyst for personal growth. If you’re looking for a magical topic with some heartiness material you can really sink into, Chappell’s insights will inspire you to explore the fascinating interplay between language and magic. For those willing to take the time to explore the material, this is a wonderful resource for magical enrichment.”
“Magick is a form of communication-with the universe, all that is, God, Goddess, the Gods, whatever you want to call it. The Languages of Magic is the text that finally examines magick as a tool and form of communication. How many of our now ancient artifacts from different ancient cultures, such as Egypt, were considered magickal, enchanted, or otherwise, unbeknownst to us, as we put our face further into the social media pit? Our languages, our letters, even our sacred texts, are magical, simply by communicating. The Languages of Magic has brought me to view my own magickal practice as a form of communication to shape my reality; ultimately, this has been empowering, and has shown to produce quicker, more effective results. Of course, everyone is different, so maybe it’s just me; I certainly make no guarantees there. I cannot recommend this book enough, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. As such, I give it a 5/5 Pentagram rating!”
