MODERN OCCULTISM: History, Theory, and Practice

From Cleopatra to Chaos Magic: A Vibrant, Epic History of Occultism in Thought and Practice

In his most sweeping historical work, occult scholar and widely known voice of esoteric ideas Mitch Horowitz presents a lively, intellectually serious historical exploration of modern occultism, from astrology and alchemy to the dawn of Theosophy and modern witchcraft—and the spiritual revolutions that followed.

In this lively, full-circle history, Mitch explores:

• Preservation of “hidden wisdom” in late-ancient Hermeticism.
• Rebirth of esoterica during the Renaissance, including Kabbalah, ceremonial magick, alchemy, Gnosticism—and the backlash culminating in the Thirty Years’ War.
• Rise of the modern “secret society,” such as Rosicrucians, Freemasons, and Illuminati.
• Migration of religious radicalism to the New World, including how enslaved people devised the magickal system of hoodoo.
• Wave of occultism ignited by John Dee, the Romantics, Franz Anton Mesmer, Eliphas Lévi, and P.B. Randolph.
• The revolution brought by occult explorer Madame H.P. Blavatsky.
• Growth of New Thought and mind metaphysics.
• How fin de siècle scientists devised clinical protocols to study the supernatural.
• Occult influences in politics: a delicate topic weighed maturely.
• Heterodox movements and figures such as The Process Church, TOPY, Michael Aquino, and Anton LaVey.
• Pioneering voices including Manly P. Hall, Aleister Crowley, Rudolf Steiner, Edgar Cayce, Carl Jung, Gerald Gardner, Jack Parsons, Annie Besant, G.I. Gurdjieff, Alice Bailey, Austin Osman Spare, and Carlos Castaneda.
• Surprising occult influences on wide-ranging modern icons such as Frederick Douglass, Sigmund Freud, and Isaac Newton.
• How models of interdimensionality are loosening the hold of materialism on modern thought.

Mitch Horowitz is a historian of alternative spirituality and one of today’s most literate voices of esoterica, mysticism, and the occult. He is among the few occult writers whose work touches the bases of academic scholarship, national journalism, and subculture cred. Mitch is a writer-in-residence at the New York Public Library and a PEN Award-winning historian whose books include Occult America; One Simple Idea; The Miracle Club; Daydream Believer; and Uncertain Places.The Washington Post says Mitch “treats esoteric ideas and movements with an even-handed intellectual studiousness that is too often lost in today’s raised-voice discussions.” He has discussed alternative spirituality across the national media and collaborated with Emmy-nominated director Ronni Thomas on the feature documentary The Kybalion, shot on location in Egypt. Mitch’s books have appeared in Arabic, Korean, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, French, and Chinese. He received the Walden Award for Interfaith/Intercultural Understanding. The Chinese government has censored his work. Visit him at MitchHorowitz.com.