A Vital Work in the History of Occultism From the Notorious Provocateur Jos phin P ladan

How to Become a Mage is the first English translation of the enormously influential occultist Jos phin P ladan. This book is a fascinating display of nineteenth-century French thought, sharing audacious ideas on overcoming the pitfalls of status-quo society while perfecting and purifying one's own soul in preparation for transcendence and sacred transformation. P ladan was committed to the belief that the best way to enter into communion with the divine was through magic and the arts. He played a key role in fin-de-si cle culture, expounding upon the spiritual weight of physical, intellectual, familial, and creative pursuits while guiding young seekers toward a radical reassessment of the values and activities of contemporary life.