The Magical Revival began as a manuscript so extensive that its original publisher suggested it was too large for a single book. That proved true — the material was eventually expanded into the first part of three Trilogies.
This enhanced edition offers a thorough examination of long-standing occult traditions that pre-date the Christian era, endured through suppression and condemnation, and have resurfaced with renewed energy in modern times.
Grant traces the continuous thread of this magical current — as seen in the work of figures like Aleister Crowley, Austin Osman Spare, and Dion Fortune — across diverse streams such as the Tantrik traditions of the Far East, the Sumerian cult of Shaitan, and the Draconian, Sabian, or Typhonian rites associated with ancient Egypt’s darker dynasties.
The book discusses practices such as sexual magick and the use of substances (e.g., psychoactive drugs) to induce ecstatic states, visions, and contact with entities from other planes of consciousness. Although such practices have long existed, Grant argues that a true, initiatory explanation of these methods has rarely been published — until now.
Finally, The Magical Revival connects the authentic magical tradition, as revitalized by adepts like Crowley, to its ancient roots and aligns it with contemporary occult movements that are generating what Grant sees as a “New Gnosis” — a deeper understanding that transcends outdated superstitions developed through centuries of misunderstanding.
Because of its depth and scope, the book and its related volumes have become important reference works in their area of occult study.