The Book of Ceremonial Magic

The Book of Ceremonial Magic is a book by Arthur Edward Waite, first published in 1911. This work serves as both a scholarly survey and a critical analysis of Western occult traditions, particularly those concerning ritual magic and the so-called "grimoires" or magical handbooks of the medieval and Renaissance periods. Waite sought to distinguish between the genuine spiritual aspirations of ceremonial magicians and the sensationalism often associated with occult practices. With detailed explanations of rituals, invocations, and magical symbols, the book exposes the philosophical and theological underpinnings of magical systems, while also challenging their more superstitious or theatrical elements. It remains a cornerstone in the study of Western esotericism, offering both historical insight and a rational critique of magical literature.