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Condensed Chaos: An Introduction to Chaos Magic
Condensed Chaos provides a practical introduction to Chaos Magic, one of the fastest growing areas of Western Occultism. Through it you can change your circumstances, live according to a developing sense of personal responsibility, effect change around you, and stop living as a helpless cog in some clockwork universe. All acts of personal/collective liberation are magical acts. Magic leads us into exhilaration and ecstasy; into insight and understanding; into changing ourselves and the world in which we participate. Through magic we may come to explore the possibilities of freedom.
192 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1995
614 people are currently reading
4639 people want to read
About the author
Phil Hine
41 books224 followersPhil Hine is an author and occasional lecturer on a variety of occult & related subjects, when he gets time away from producing print & digital magazines & IT Management. He edited an acclaimed Pagan magazine - Pagan News for five years.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
February 6, 2008
I learned how to turn invisible, and to shoot lightning from my eyes.
January 22, 2020
Hard to review this one. I am congenitally allergic to anything with this many typos, but that aside, there's some neat stuff in here -- despite the fact that I am highly disinclined to call it "magic." As far as I can tell, this is a fairly useful book about techniques for self-actualization cloaked in magical terminology.
For example, at one point Hine talks about using magic to generate the resources to buy a new computer. His spells keep failing, his bank won't loan him money, etc, so he asks his tarot cards what's up. "The result," he writes, "was very explicit and shocking. The tarot cards pointed out that me trying to sustain a loan at the moment would have poor long-term consequences; I really didn't need a new computer anyway, and it would be more realistic to repair the current machine."
Now, if you're the kind of person who doesn't have the self-awareness to just, y'know, analyze your situation and see this, then maybe Chaos Magic is just what you need -- the practices Hine describes are genuinely useful, meaningful approaches to understanding yourself and your emotions and enacting practical and meaningful changes for the better. For me, however, there was a deep underlying feeling of no wonder you think magic is real: later, in the same section he describes how the tarot cards' 'revelation' causes him to change his approach and instead "cast a sigil to call forth 'help' from other people, which was indeed forthcoming." See, me, I don't need magic to realize that I shouldn't buy stuff I can't afford, and generally speaking I don't need to cast spells to ask for help, I just, y'know, ask for help. But if you're someone who really does feel a blockage or difficulty that makes it hard for you to understand what you need, fight emotional demons, ask for help directly, and so on, I can see why this book might be genuinely useful.
The section on demons in particular seemed genuinely practical, although the techniques, which have much in common with mindfulness training and cognitive behavioral therapy, are at base fairly prosaic. (Which reminds me, he seems to think prosaic means the opposite of what it means.) But I can see how they might *feel* magical, and certainly they seem effective.
And yet...I couldn't help noticing the rather horrible example he gives of "successfully" working with your demons. As a way of illustrating the importance of how it's what you do with your anger that counts, he describes a secretary whom he found annoying, and how instead of blowing up at her when she started talking to him one day he "redirected and channeled his anger"...by calmly saying to her "Mary, if you don't shut up, I'm going to bang your head against the computer monitor." This the dude seems to feel was a positive way of channeling his feelings. Seriously, guy, what the actual fuck is wrong with you that you think threatening someone you work with means you have successfully managed your anger? I can't even with that. All of which is to say, it's not not worth reading, but buy a second-hand copy because he's clearly an asshole.
For example, at one point Hine talks about using magic to generate the resources to buy a new computer. His spells keep failing, his bank won't loan him money, etc, so he asks his tarot cards what's up. "The result," he writes, "was very explicit and shocking. The tarot cards pointed out that me trying to sustain a loan at the moment would have poor long-term consequences; I really didn't need a new computer anyway, and it would be more realistic to repair the current machine."
Now, if you're the kind of person who doesn't have the self-awareness to just, y'know, analyze your situation and see this, then maybe Chaos Magic is just what you need -- the practices Hine describes are genuinely useful, meaningful approaches to understanding yourself and your emotions and enacting practical and meaningful changes for the better. For me, however, there was a deep underlying feeling of no wonder you think magic is real: later, in the same section he describes how the tarot cards' 'revelation' causes him to change his approach and instead "cast a sigil to call forth 'help' from other people, which was indeed forthcoming." See, me, I don't need magic to realize that I shouldn't buy stuff I can't afford, and generally speaking I don't need to cast spells to ask for help, I just, y'know, ask for help. But if you're someone who really does feel a blockage or difficulty that makes it hard for you to understand what you need, fight emotional demons, ask for help directly, and so on, I can see why this book might be genuinely useful.
The section on demons in particular seemed genuinely practical, although the techniques, which have much in common with mindfulness training and cognitive behavioral therapy, are at base fairly prosaic. (Which reminds me, he seems to think prosaic means the opposite of what it means.) But I can see how they might *feel* magical, and certainly they seem effective.
And yet...I couldn't help noticing the rather horrible example he gives of "successfully" working with your demons. As a way of illustrating the importance of how it's what you do with your anger that counts, he describes a secretary whom he found annoying, and how instead of blowing up at her when she started talking to him one day he "redirected and channeled his anger"...by calmly saying to her "Mary, if you don't shut up, I'm going to bang your head against the computer monitor." This the dude seems to feel was a positive way of channeling his feelings. Seriously, guy, what the actual fuck is wrong with you that you think threatening someone you work with means you have successfully managed your anger? I can't even with that. All of which is to say, it's not not worth reading, but buy a second-hand copy because he's clearly an asshole.
September 12, 2012
I've been an Eclectic Witch for 14 years. I am not Wiccan. I was for the first couple of years but now I personaly view Wicca as elementary school.
I know several people who are Chaos magicians. At first I thought like most people do, that its all dark ooooo... But I read some web sites about and laughed my butt off. I resounated with everything they wrote about. I wanted more so I bought this book. I apsolutely love it. It is funny, it is everything that I believe..do your own thing, use what you think is best for that ritual or spell...I have been saying that I practice Nikkism...goes right along with the Chaos magicians tenents.
I know several people who are Chaos magicians. At first I thought like most people do, that its all dark ooooo... But I read some web sites about and laughed my butt off. I resounated with everything they wrote about. I wanted more so I bought this book. I apsolutely love it. It is funny, it is everything that I believe..do your own thing, use what you think is best for that ritual or spell...I have been saying that I practice Nikkism...goes right along with the Chaos magicians tenents.
November 21, 2016
It is easy to mistake a complex mess for wisdom. "I don't understand what this guy is saying. He must be brilliant!" Or, alternatively, he's so broken he's spewing a stream of consciousness word salad that cannot be interpreted. Because there is no meaning.
A serious chaos magician might respond to my criticism by saying, "Yes, yes, that's the point exactly." To which I say, screw off. The games are boring, friend. Say it straight, or shut up.
"Ah, but you're not ready to recieve..."
No. Shut up.
It took me a long time to read this book, mainly because it is a swamp of contradictions. And for an author who supposedly prides himself on speaking plainly, this book is a slog of silliness at times.
Believe whatever you want to believe, the book says. Want to get through traffic faster? We've built a cool cat god with sunglasses riding a skateboard who can help you. See how chaos magic works? Build a god, give it powers, use it as you see fit. Design your own rituals. Neat, right?
So why, only a few chapters later, are we hearing about Ganesh in great detail? He can be used to rid yourself of demons. He rides a mouse. Let's explore that and take it seriously. Yes, respect the gods of India. Astrology! Let's take that seriously. And chakras. And and and...
If nothing is true and everything is permitted, why take any of the old faiths seriously? If we can build gods like tinkertoys, why give Ganesh the time of day? Because we are postmodern and all things are true?
The author trashes channeling as embarrassingly self serving crap. This criticism could be levelled at EVERYTHING in this book. And why wax eloquently on Ganesh and not wax eloquently on Jesus? Because the "foreign" religions are fascinating and ours are dull and familiar?
And then there's how a good 25% of this book can be found in any basic self help text. Nothing to do with magic. Eat healthy, get plenty of sleep, trust your own voice, be good to each other.
When it came to magic... One chapter, on "servitors" (building mystical imaginary friends to do missions for you) got me very excited. But the book is a little vague on what such beings are for, and what they can accomplish. In fact, the author admits to making one to do tasks for him, and how it left him in a weakened state, where he'd relied to much on his imaginary friend. So... Why build one then? Beyond sending good healing vibes to a friend, the author doesn't give many suggestions.
The book is a jumbled mess. The author took 10 essays, put them together, and called them a book. There is no logical growth of ideas. Each chapter contradicts the last. You might glean something useful on a particular page, but it's a chore to get there. And the next three chapters might kill whatever you've learned.
I want to take this stuff seriously, but it's hard not to read this book and think, "Oh. Phil Hines is nuts. He's done enough acid to shatter his brain. He cannot coherently describe anything."
Or maybe he's just a bad writer.
Or maybe he just has no cohesive theory to hold all these ideas together. Today, he believes in astrology. Tomorrow he believes in chakras. The day after that, Ganesh.
"That's the whole point!" yells the serious chaos magician.
Shut up, I say. Shut the hell up.
A serious chaos magician might respond to my criticism by saying, "Yes, yes, that's the point exactly." To which I say, screw off. The games are boring, friend. Say it straight, or shut up.
"Ah, but you're not ready to recieve..."
No. Shut up.
It took me a long time to read this book, mainly because it is a swamp of contradictions. And for an author who supposedly prides himself on speaking plainly, this book is a slog of silliness at times.
Believe whatever you want to believe, the book says. Want to get through traffic faster? We've built a cool cat god with sunglasses riding a skateboard who can help you. See how chaos magic works? Build a god, give it powers, use it as you see fit. Design your own rituals. Neat, right?
So why, only a few chapters later, are we hearing about Ganesh in great detail? He can be used to rid yourself of demons. He rides a mouse. Let's explore that and take it seriously. Yes, respect the gods of India. Astrology! Let's take that seriously. And chakras. And and and...
If nothing is true and everything is permitted, why take any of the old faiths seriously? If we can build gods like tinkertoys, why give Ganesh the time of day? Because we are postmodern and all things are true?
The author trashes channeling as embarrassingly self serving crap. This criticism could be levelled at EVERYTHING in this book. And why wax eloquently on Ganesh and not wax eloquently on Jesus? Because the "foreign" religions are fascinating and ours are dull and familiar?
And then there's how a good 25% of this book can be found in any basic self help text. Nothing to do with magic. Eat healthy, get plenty of sleep, trust your own voice, be good to each other.
When it came to magic... One chapter, on "servitors" (building mystical imaginary friends to do missions for you) got me very excited. But the book is a little vague on what such beings are for, and what they can accomplish. In fact, the author admits to making one to do tasks for him, and how it left him in a weakened state, where he'd relied to much on his imaginary friend. So... Why build one then? Beyond sending good healing vibes to a friend, the author doesn't give many suggestions.
The book is a jumbled mess. The author took 10 essays, put them together, and called them a book. There is no logical growth of ideas. Each chapter contradicts the last. You might glean something useful on a particular page, but it's a chore to get there. And the next three chapters might kill whatever you've learned.
I want to take this stuff seriously, but it's hard not to read this book and think, "Oh. Phil Hines is nuts. He's done enough acid to shatter his brain. He cannot coherently describe anything."
Or maybe he's just a bad writer.
Or maybe he just has no cohesive theory to hold all these ideas together. Today, he believes in astrology. Tomorrow he believes in chakras. The day after that, Ganesh.
"That's the whole point!" yells the serious chaos magician.
Shut up, I say. Shut the hell up.
July 24, 2019
I should confess first of all that this book isn't really about my kind of thing: I'm a maths/science geek, so a book talking about how to perform real magic, with spirit summoning and so forth, isn't likely to be my cup of tea. But it was on my wishlist (because of a recommendation by an author I rate) and my thoughtful son bought me a copy for my birthday, so I read it with some curiosity.
And it's fair to say that even from my somewhat doubting point of view, Phil Hine does a great job here. He explains in a really very straightforward way how one might go about doing some of these magical things, if one wants to do so. He's very clear that you need to actually DO the things, rather than just read about them in books, and that if/when magic starts to work for you, only then will you truly believe.
A lot of what Hine talks about seems plausibly to act on a psychological level, and I can see how much of this might be useful. You're reminded that the world is in many ways deeply interconnected, in ways that we don't always see. You're told about your power to make small changes that may have large effects - again, undoubtedly true, and the foundation for the mathematical "chaos" theory that Hine references.
You're also given specific instructions for magical acts - for example how to construct a mental "servitor", and how to project it forth into the world to do your bidding. You're reminded that you need to be very specific, otherwise you may get exactly what you ask for, not what you wanted. Given the way I do think minds work, together with the vast set of situations one actually encounters every day if you're paying attention, I can see how this might seem to work for people, setting your mind up for success, and tuning it to look for the early signs.
Hine says he says that he, too, used to think of magic as simply psychological, until early one morning when he awoke to be confronted by a cloudy grey creature sat on his chest, which he eventually dispelled by "projecting" a pentagram at it with his mind. I haven't had any such experiences, and even if I had I think I would likely attribute them to a particularly vivid dream, or some other bug in the wetware of my brain. So it seems to me there are many explanations of these things that still conform to conventional physics, without having to resort to creatures from another realm materialising in your bedroom. However, I can say is that the author seems entirely sincere, and so I should at least do him the courtesy of adjusting my prior belief in the reality of magic from "extremely unlikely to be the case" to perhaps a tiny fraction more possible.
Three stars, because it was entertaining and well written, and if you were after something like this, then this would seem to me to be a good book for it.
And it's fair to say that even from my somewhat doubting point of view, Phil Hine does a great job here. He explains in a really very straightforward way how one might go about doing some of these magical things, if one wants to do so. He's very clear that you need to actually DO the things, rather than just read about them in books, and that if/when magic starts to work for you, only then will you truly believe.
A lot of what Hine talks about seems plausibly to act on a psychological level, and I can see how much of this might be useful. You're reminded that the world is in many ways deeply interconnected, in ways that we don't always see. You're told about your power to make small changes that may have large effects - again, undoubtedly true, and the foundation for the mathematical "chaos" theory that Hine references.
You're also given specific instructions for magical acts - for example how to construct a mental "servitor", and how to project it forth into the world to do your bidding. You're reminded that you need to be very specific, otherwise you may get exactly what you ask for, not what you wanted. Given the way I do think minds work, together with the vast set of situations one actually encounters every day if you're paying attention, I can see how this might seem to work for people, setting your mind up for success, and tuning it to look for the early signs.
Hine says he says that he, too, used to think of magic as simply psychological, until early one morning when he awoke to be confronted by a cloudy grey creature sat on his chest, which he eventually dispelled by "projecting" a pentagram at it with his mind. I haven't had any such experiences, and even if I had I think I would likely attribute them to a particularly vivid dream, or some other bug in the wetware of my brain. So it seems to me there are many explanations of these things that still conform to conventional physics, without having to resort to creatures from another realm materialising in your bedroom. However, I can say is that the author seems entirely sincere, and so I should at least do him the courtesy of adjusting my prior belief in the reality of magic from "extremely unlikely to be the case" to perhaps a tiny fraction more possible.
Three stars, because it was entertaining and well written, and if you were after something like this, then this would seem to me to be a good book for it.
June 9, 2017
I tried to read Peter Carroll Once. I'm not saying the man doesn't have good ideas, but his prose is somewhat unwieldy.
Some thirty years later, enter Phil Hine who does an expert job of decrypting and re-interpretting ancient arcane ideas for the modern generation.
I'm not saying I believing everything that was written, but it is highly readable and certainly somethings stayed with me.
Some thirty years later, enter Phil Hine who does an expert job of decrypting and re-interpretting ancient arcane ideas for the modern generation.
I'm not saying I believing everything that was written, but it is highly readable and certainly somethings stayed with me.
April 25, 2017
Wow this book was awesome. Short powerful and too the point. wish I had read this earlier in my quest. This book is pure magical technique. If you want to get started with magic this book is a great place to start. If it is piffy little spells you are looking for then this will not be what your looking for. Chaos magick is a very unique form of magick. . There are several paradigms of magic; Ceremonial, Wicca, Voodoo etc. Chaos is not exactly it's on paradigm yet it is a philosophy that let lets you paradigm hop so as to do the form of magic that is best suited for what your goal is. Belief is a tool and you can basically believe in a paradigm while you are working with it and when you are done you can sort of move on to another paradigm. Chaos magic is results oriented magic. If you do a working and it worked then you will have the physical results you were working for. Very real and down to earth. Chaos spurns the mentality that rejects the physical world over the spiritual . In a way physical is most important. Magic id done for results Becoming a magician does require commitment and drive. It is something that you have to want to do. One has to do magic at their level. Phil Hine crumbs on the magus's or people who think they are all that. He I against these inflated egos. Magic is meant to be fun and the value of laughter in dispelling negative magic is unspeakably powerful.
Other items covered in this book are how to make Chaos servitors, energy creation that do our bidding. It tells about ho o do it, the pitfall and how to do it safely. Ego magiick tells about dissolving the identity so a to make oneself more fluid flexible and able to take needed action. Our demons are those little buggers in our subconscious that act up as jealousy or anger. The book tells how to del with it and how to make use of it. The Shamanic path is discussed as well.
If you like magic then whatever you path this one is for you. Great technique which are easy to understand and easy to use. This is one book I will refer back to time and again.
Other items covered in this book are how to make Chaos servitors, energy creation that do our bidding. It tells about ho o do it, the pitfall and how to do it safely. Ego magiick tells about dissolving the identity so a to make oneself more fluid flexible and able to take needed action. Our demons are those little buggers in our subconscious that act up as jealousy or anger. The book tells how to del with it and how to make use of it. The Shamanic path is discussed as well.
If you like magic then whatever you path this one is for you. Great technique which are easy to understand and easy to use. This is one book I will refer back to time and again.
July 8, 2008
Juvenile, and full of "quotes" to "describe things", which really "pisses me off."
April 10, 2015
My feelings about Phil Hine are that I want to a) Hug him a) slap the shit out of him!
other than that this books is a pretty firm introduction to Chaos Magic and digresses nicely every now and then into other types of magical practice. Chaos magic is great as an introduction to the occult because it avoides all the pompous, rigorous rituals and instructions that will almost definitely discourage anyone from "dabbling" if that's what you're into.
It's also really terrible for beginners of the occult for precisely that same reason. just like anything else, magic or (magick) has rules and necessary preparation and specific ways of doing things.
the point is, even chaoists (chaotes) didn't get their start in chaos magic. they all learned the basics of ceremonial magic first then dedicated themselves to Eros. kind of like Mark Zuckerberg, it's true that he quit Harvard but he did manage to get into Harvard in the first place.
Chaoists are the Mark Zuckerberg of the Magick world; a cool, nonchalant facade but hard work has gone into the process none the less.
Also, Phil Hine is a tiny bit scary in the first part of this book, so prepare to be spooked.
other than that this books is a pretty firm introduction to Chaos Magic and digresses nicely every now and then into other types of magical practice. Chaos magic is great as an introduction to the occult because it avoides all the pompous, rigorous rituals and instructions that will almost definitely discourage anyone from "dabbling" if that's what you're into.
It's also really terrible for beginners of the occult for precisely that same reason. just like anything else, magic or (magick) has rules and necessary preparation and specific ways of doing things.
the point is, even chaoists (chaotes) didn't get their start in chaos magic. they all learned the basics of ceremonial magic first then dedicated themselves to Eros. kind of like Mark Zuckerberg, it's true that he quit Harvard but he did manage to get into Harvard in the first place.
Chaoists are the Mark Zuckerberg of the Magick world; a cool, nonchalant facade but hard work has gone into the process none the less.
Also, Phil Hine is a tiny bit scary in the first part of this book, so prepare to be spooked.
February 27, 2015
Do you think like Agent Scully and at the same time you really want to believe? Here's the book for you. This is a clear-cut introduction to the basics of magic. It's actually a great primer for ANY spiritual background whether its magickal function is prayer, magick, voodoo, e-meters, the force, or Brony friendship. It takes a rational nearly scientific approach to spiritual practices.
However, science disbelieves until something is true. This book tells you how to set aside your disbelief to achieve maximum genuine spiritual results (if any). Whether they are time honored traditions you are choosing to immerse yourself in, or more in the spirit of chaos magick if you develop your own new spiritual methods; either way, you will be given the tools to effectively determine how well the spiritual methods you are enacting are actually working and then try new ideas if they don't.
If I had to write a book report on this, the summary would be very very simple: "Set aside your disbelief, and do what works." For me it was a foundation text for my spiritual awakening, and helped me find what worked for me, despite my natural healthy gift of extreme skepticism.
If you're an atheist and genuinely want to know what draws people into spiritual belief, I'd recommend this book. I'm not sure it would succeed, but it's definitely the best book I can think of on the spirituality side of things. Any closer to science, and you'll be reading James Gleick's book on the actual science of "Chaos," or other Chaos Theory books.
However, science disbelieves until something is true. This book tells you how to set aside your disbelief to achieve maximum genuine spiritual results (if any). Whether they are time honored traditions you are choosing to immerse yourself in, or more in the spirit of chaos magick if you develop your own new spiritual methods; either way, you will be given the tools to effectively determine how well the spiritual methods you are enacting are actually working and then try new ideas if they don't.
If I had to write a book report on this, the summary would be very very simple: "Set aside your disbelief, and do what works." For me it was a foundation text for my spiritual awakening, and helped me find what worked for me, despite my natural healthy gift of extreme skepticism.
If you're an atheist and genuinely want to know what draws people into spiritual belief, I'd recommend this book. I'm not sure it would succeed, but it's definitely the best book I can think of on the spirituality side of things. Any closer to science, and you'll be reading James Gleick's book on the actual science of "Chaos," or other Chaos Theory books.
January 3, 2023
Read this as a book club choice and having read the Kybalion earlier in the year I was somewhat interested in what this book had to say. I also intended on coming into it with an open mind. I read it in two days, so what I will say was that it was not boring, and not "difficult" to understand. I was also intrigued because unlike the Kybalion the author made it quite clear that "sorcery" was not beneath the per view of this book. That being said, I am not sure how anyone could take this sort of thing seriously. There were many parts of the book that were absolutely laughable. There is a phenomenon in many of these types of books where there will be a lot of words and concepts that together make an amazing edifice, but as soon as these ideas come into contact with the real world they oxidize, and you are left with an empty façade. It is as if you are on a foggy pier, and you run into some wizened old sailor missing a leg. He looks up and says "yarg, you want to see Atlantis?" You excitedly say that you do, and he says, "follow me". You follow the old man into his rickety boat and descend into his dank cabin to find that he has constructed some sort of island city out of LEGOs. He looks at you with his one good eye and says, "yarg, this be Atlantis".
January 13, 2021
I'd recommend this book to anyone that wants a introduction to the concepts of Chaos Magic. Hine and Carroll do a wonderful job making the confusing nature of chaos magic more palatable to readers. They break down sigils and invocations. Emphasis is placed on charging and grounding (with instructions). I enjoyed the chapters towards the end the most about ego magic and metaprogramming.
If you ever stumble upon it, give it a try!
If you ever stumble upon it, give it a try!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2021
This book reads like if the guy writing the instructional setup manual to your soundbar was trying to be funny and charismatic.
Any good ideas or interesting concepts are bogged down by technical and spiritual gobbledygook that reads thick and obtuse. I went into this book wanting to open my mind up to interesting concepts, but it was like taking a college course taught by a boring old dude.
Any good ideas or interesting concepts are bogged down by technical and spiritual gobbledygook that reads thick and obtuse. I went into this book wanting to open my mind up to interesting concepts, but it was like taking a college course taught by a boring old dude.
July 17, 2018
Well.... I... um......
?????????????
This book is kind of a mess..... but not necessarily BAD. I mean it's literally a mess, as in it's not exactly ORGANIZED, like, at all. It's very stream of consciousness, which is not how one expects an overview of a subject to be written. At the same time, it DID give a good solid overview of the subject, on the whole.
As for the subject itself..... the jury's still out. Parts of it are so mundane that I know I've had multiple therapists tell me exactly the same things, in a completely non-magical context. So these parts are really just good solid life advice. Then other parts are really interesting in laying out this concept of what magic is and how it works, which just leaves me the task of deciding how much I think is legit. And then suddenly there's a demon cat on a skateboard coming to help get you out of a traffic jam. I love the levity of it, but it also..... is so silly it makes it HARDER to believe the basic concepts under it. And then there's the stuff that's just dated -- I only skimmed the last chapter because I am so over Joseph Campbell, I have no interest in reading about how magical initiation is The Hero's Journey. Despite all this, it's definitely the closest thing I've read to something that makes magic MAKE SENSE.
So......on the whole......
?????????????
?????????????
This book is kind of a mess..... but not necessarily BAD. I mean it's literally a mess, as in it's not exactly ORGANIZED, like, at all. It's very stream of consciousness, which is not how one expects an overview of a subject to be written. At the same time, it DID give a good solid overview of the subject, on the whole.
As for the subject itself..... the jury's still out. Parts of it are so mundane that I know I've had multiple therapists tell me exactly the same things, in a completely non-magical context. So these parts are really just good solid life advice. Then other parts are really interesting in laying out this concept of what magic is and how it works, which just leaves me the task of deciding how much I think is legit. And then suddenly there's a demon cat on a skateboard coming to help get you out of a traffic jam. I love the levity of it, but it also..... is so silly it makes it HARDER to believe the basic concepts under it. And then there's the stuff that's just dated -- I only skimmed the last chapter because I am so over Joseph Campbell, I have no interest in reading about how magical initiation is The Hero's Journey. Despite all this, it's definitely the closest thing I've read to something that makes magic MAKE SENSE.
So......on the whole......
?????????????
April 23, 2021
The subtitle leads you to believe that this slim volume is an introduction to Chaos Magic, which I suppose it is. But this book is also a really cool, non-floofy self-help manual for people who think in terms of symbols and systems and for people who like to understand things but also like that not everything is understandable. As someone who has searched for, created, and banished any number of ordering principles to help me navigate life, I appreciate the ideas in this book. The acknowledgement that the Universe is chaotic and the World itself is magical lies at the center, here. "Nothing is true; everything is permitted" refers to how you can manage understanding the world, not how you should act within it. Phil Hine's book is not so much a manual as it is a manifesto for how to approach understanding the Universe and yourself. It's all connected.
October 9, 2020
It’s like ‘The Science of Getting Rich’ or ‘The Secret’ meets early cyberpunk and psychology-based self-help literature, only with a whole lot of mysticism and furious masturbating on symbols.
In short, what a delightful read. An absurd amount of fun and memorable passages and a perfect read for SPOOKTOBER. I will likely engage in more heady stuff than this and have all ready tapped into some of the recommended reads and mentioned titles sprinkled throughout — it’s a solid introduction to the world of chaos magics and weird occultism.
In short, what a delightful read. An absurd amount of fun and memorable passages and a perfect read for SPOOKTOBER. I will likely engage in more heady stuff than this and have all ready tapped into some of the recommended reads and mentioned titles sprinkled throughout — it’s a solid introduction to the world of chaos magics and weird occultism.
January 28, 2024
This book was so hard for me to rate. Some parts were 5 stars, some 4, some 3, some 2. I’m leaving it with 3 for now.
Parts of this book were absolutely mind blowing, while lots of it I disagreed with and became frustrated with. Either way, I’m glad I read it. Definitely not a “beginners” book for witchcraft, I felt like there were a lot of times I had no idea who or what he was talking about. But, the sigil section was helpful. If you look at it through a psychological lense, as I do with all witchcraft reads/stories, it’s a good book about using your own power to change your life. God, so many typos though.
Parts of this book were absolutely mind blowing, while lots of it I disagreed with and became frustrated with. Either way, I’m glad I read it. Definitely not a “beginners” book for witchcraft, I felt like there were a lot of times I had no idea who or what he was talking about. But, the sigil section was helpful. If you look at it through a psychological lense, as I do with all witchcraft reads/stories, it’s a good book about using your own power to change your life. God, so many typos though.
October 9, 2018
Similar to Liber Null and Psychonaut, Condensed Chaos is chock full of magical techniques, but they’re not as detailed as I’d like. In contrast though, I do appreciate Phil Hine’s more relatable and down to earth writing style. There’s a lot of seemingly good stuff in this book, minus the serious and arcane vibe that Peter Carroll gave off.
My biggest gripe is that there’s no clear entry point or guidance for the inexperienced / beginners - yet this is supposed to be an introduction to chaos magic. Lastly, the number of typos in the book is obscene.
My biggest gripe is that there’s no clear entry point or guidance for the inexperienced / beginners - yet this is supposed to be an introduction to chaos magic. Lastly, the number of typos in the book is obscene.
April 26, 2022
I can see how it has come to be such an influential work. It is exactly what the title claims, a condensed explanation of what chaos magic is. That is the danger of this book, there is so much you can take from it that you may keep on reading and pass through stuff and not be aware of how important it is. It is worth a reread.
I came across a Spanish translation so poorly written, so awful, that it ruined the read for me.
I came across a Spanish translation so poorly written, so awful, that it ruined the read for me.
November 11, 2023
Phill hine is an interesting man
January 31, 2022
This is my second read through, and I'm getting a lot out of this book. I think my first time through, I think I wanted basics laid out, and it does not give you that. There are some, I suppose, but it is, overall, a higher altitude look at this branch of the occult.
Like diet, working out or martial arts, I think this sort of formless 'be like water grasshopper' approach works better AFTER a solid grounding in basics and tradition. That could just be me, though. Still, this book reminds me why I read the occult. It's best authors and practitioners are smart, on the nose thinkers. Occult books have been the best books I've read on self help, goal setting, and getting shit done. Which may sound ironic to you, depending on how you define magic.
Like diet, working out or martial arts, I think this sort of formless 'be like water grasshopper' approach works better AFTER a solid grounding in basics and tradition. That could just be me, though. Still, this book reminds me why I read the occult. It's best authors and practitioners are smart, on the nose thinkers. Occult books have been the best books I've read on self help, goal setting, and getting shit done. Which may sound ironic to you, depending on how you define magic.
January 6, 2025
This is the book I’ve been searching for! Phil Hine’s 'Condensed Chaos' offers a refreshingly accessible introduction to chaos magic, perfect for beginners. It’s written with clarity, humour, and practical analogies—essential for a subject as abstract as this. Most importantly, it’s free of the ego-driven pretension that often plagues books on magic. Hine breaks down the concept of chaos magic in a logical, engaging way, making it approachable even for sceptics or non-believers like myself.
If you’ve ever wondered how brilliant minds like Grant Morrison, Alan Moore, Austin Osman Spare, or William Burroughs could embrace chaos magic despite their rational outlooks, this book provides an answer. As Hine demonstrates, chaos magic isn’t about blind belief—it thrives on questioning everything, embracing a postmodern spirituality for those who are unsure (or outright sceptical) of spirituality itself. It’s a path for curious minds, one that encourages exploration and individual interpretation. Fans of Robert Anton Wilson’s work ('The Illuminatus! Trilogy', for example) will feel right at home here.
That said, this book is primarily theoretical and won’t instantly turn you into a practising magician. For those new to the field, it serves as a perfect introduction, though you’ll likely need a follow-up guide to move beyond the foundational ideas. Still, as a starting point, I couldn’t recommend this book more highly—it’s insightful, thought-provoking, and a joy to read.
If you’ve ever wondered how brilliant minds like Grant Morrison, Alan Moore, Austin Osman Spare, or William Burroughs could embrace chaos magic despite their rational outlooks, this book provides an answer. As Hine demonstrates, chaos magic isn’t about blind belief—it thrives on questioning everything, embracing a postmodern spirituality for those who are unsure (or outright sceptical) of spirituality itself. It’s a path for curious minds, one that encourages exploration and individual interpretation. Fans of Robert Anton Wilson’s work ('The Illuminatus! Trilogy', for example) will feel right at home here.
That said, this book is primarily theoretical and won’t instantly turn you into a practising magician. For those new to the field, it serves as a perfect introduction, though you’ll likely need a follow-up guide to move beyond the foundational ideas. Still, as a starting point, I couldn’t recommend this book more highly—it’s insightful, thought-provoking, and a joy to read.
November 25, 2008
Having been a solitary pagan for a the last three years, and after changing paths several times over, through whatever process exists (if any), I came across Condense Chaos. It is a pragmatic and easy to understand short manual on what magic is, what it isn't, how anyone with the desire can learn to apply magic to their everyday lives and most importantly, the lifting of the 'occultic secret veil' that seems to permeate nearly every book written on the subject of magic.
Phil Hine writes in a concise way that defines the Chaos path, but not in a hand-holding spoon fed method. He points out (thankfully) that achieving gnosis is required for any ritual, rightfully putting the responsibility on the reader. No 'fluffy-bunny let's hope that everything kinda goes my way' pablum here!
An issue that he dealt with which seems to be left out of many books of this nature is that of faith. Do I have to believe in a ritual (or at least the desired outcome) if it is to work? Not in my experience, and not in the way that Phil encourages Sigil magic rituals. Is it necessary for a patient to have faith in a doctor to repair his mangled limb? No, he just simply has to allow the doctor to perform, and the action takes care of the problem.
Phil Hine writes in a concise way that defines the Chaos path, but not in a hand-holding spoon fed method. He points out (thankfully) that achieving gnosis is required for any ritual, rightfully putting the responsibility on the reader. No 'fluffy-bunny let's hope that everything kinda goes my way' pablum here!
An issue that he dealt with which seems to be left out of many books of this nature is that of faith. Do I have to believe in a ritual (or at least the desired outcome) if it is to work? Not in my experience, and not in the way that Phil encourages Sigil magic rituals. Is it necessary for a patient to have faith in a doctor to repair his mangled limb? No, he just simply has to allow the doctor to perform, and the action takes care of the problem.
June 9, 2016
Indispensable book.
June 15, 2023
I originally learned about the rudimentary concepts of Chaos Magic a few years ago and became intrigued yet wanted to know more, so naturally I searched for advice on where to begin. Enter Condensed Chaos, a primary suggestion for beginning practitioners and the curious alike. I should preface this review by stating that, while at this moment in time, I may not be entirely sold on everything that this little book has to offer, but I definitely think there are many neat ideas that could be applied to improve one's life.
The premise of this guide is certainly as novel as it is arguably liberating, drawing upon tenets of esoteric ideologies and occultist beliefs to instill a semblance of power and control within the reader. This type of practice is certainly encouraged upon any practitioner of Chaos Magic itself, drawing upon symbols and concepts of any doctrines throughout the course of humanity and subsequently cobbling together a personal set of beliefs in the hopes of altering one's reality.
On further inspection however, it has become increasingly clearer to me that this book does not deeply delve into any one magical practice but rather forms the basis upon which any practitioner can begin. There are several suggestions and alternatives provided at the behest of the author and serve as loose guidelines in any magical endeavors. That therein is the beauty of Chaos Magic too - the individual is capable of picking and choosing which rituals and/or beliefs cater to them and will have the most impact on their life.
However, this book does not come without its faults. One of them is the lack of information that occurs routinely; throughout the text, Hine is notorious for introducing a concept from time to time and providing a very brief overview or general explanation of said concept but does not delve into it in a capacity that any practitioner could then assimilate into their belief system. I know the main tenet of this book orbits the concept of chaos but this action of restricting information feels different, as in an almost sloppy or negligent manner. Sometimes it will read as though the book more so served Hine as a basis to jot down thoughts that were tangential or basic by nature rather than introduce new alternatives to new users. I also do not wish to come across as a grammar Nazi, but this book was rife with punctuation and spelling errors too. This is a minor issue and does not detract from the messages that the main source is trying to instill but it still managed to get under my skin from time to time due to the prominence.
It is rather difficult to discuss the central themes of this novel without completely delving into the concept itself, but I feel confident in saying that if you are interested in this type of unorthodox thinking, then this is a good a place as any to start in order to become more familiar with the ideology as a whole. I wish to read other books on the subject and use all of them in tandem with this one to further establish my comprehension and success on the subject.
The premise of this guide is certainly as novel as it is arguably liberating, drawing upon tenets of esoteric ideologies and occultist beliefs to instill a semblance of power and control within the reader. This type of practice is certainly encouraged upon any practitioner of Chaos Magic itself, drawing upon symbols and concepts of any doctrines throughout the course of humanity and subsequently cobbling together a personal set of beliefs in the hopes of altering one's reality.
On further inspection however, it has become increasingly clearer to me that this book does not deeply delve into any one magical practice but rather forms the basis upon which any practitioner can begin. There are several suggestions and alternatives provided at the behest of the author and serve as loose guidelines in any magical endeavors. That therein is the beauty of Chaos Magic too - the individual is capable of picking and choosing which rituals and/or beliefs cater to them and will have the most impact on their life.
However, this book does not come without its faults. One of them is the lack of information that occurs routinely; throughout the text, Hine is notorious for introducing a concept from time to time and providing a very brief overview or general explanation of said concept but does not delve into it in a capacity that any practitioner could then assimilate into their belief system. I know the main tenet of this book orbits the concept of chaos but this action of restricting information feels different, as in an almost sloppy or negligent manner. Sometimes it will read as though the book more so served Hine as a basis to jot down thoughts that were tangential or basic by nature rather than introduce new alternatives to new users. I also do not wish to come across as a grammar Nazi, but this book was rife with punctuation and spelling errors too. This is a minor issue and does not detract from the messages that the main source is trying to instill but it still managed to get under my skin from time to time due to the prominence.
It is rather difficult to discuss the central themes of this novel without completely delving into the concept itself, but I feel confident in saying that if you are interested in this type of unorthodox thinking, then this is a good a place as any to start in order to become more familiar with the ideology as a whole. I wish to read other books on the subject and use all of them in tandem with this one to further establish my comprehension and success on the subject.
March 29, 2024
"This is the secret languafe of mafic: to grasp the meaning, you have to go through the experience first. Gnosis is not merely the act of understanding, its understaning which impels you to act in a cerain wa. Thus asou work with magic, so magic works upon you. Such is the nature of Chaos(magic)"
Samanfattar typ boken ganska bra. Vissa ideer var riktigt coola ovh vissa andra var helt dogshit. Typ runka varje gång du ser en gul bil och ha det som en emblem-sarkofak-vadvetjag i ditt sinnestillstånd blahblhablha. Man kan egentligen se det som psykologi som funkar, men man vet bara inte hur det funkar helt och hållet, bara att om man gör A så händer B. man har INGEN aning varför, men det funkar, så måste man ha en naturvetenskaplig eller logisk förklaring för det?
Sakerna kanske funkar men det hmm. Asså jag höll på att skriva att de inte är så omfattande, men om man verkligen strikt följer vissa av dessa blir man som en mänsklig dator, eller en mäniska som man är nu + dator aspekten. Eller så förlorar man lite av det mänskliga, jag vet shi. Det hade varit coolt att testa några av sakerna som nämns i boken (kommer inte göra något suspekt varje gång jag ser en bil) men pfffffffft att meditera eller ha symboler eller sätta in saker i symboler/metaforer för att lättare greppa dem i huvudet? och det med att typ göra parkoure i huvudet väldigt rejält och realistiskt. och sen när/om man gör det i praktik så går det. Inte det, men att förprogramera vissa händelseskeenden i huvudet hade typ varit sjukt, eller det gör man redan, fast det kallas inte kaosmagi. Och kaosmagi är ändå ett rätt så öppet och icke-strikt-definerat begrepp som verkar medvetet om sin öppna natur, ja asså ett begrepp kan inte vara medvetet om något, men utövarna är det. japp! Tror jag fotade några coola stycken för de var genuint "woah" när man läste det och tänkte att man själv kunde göra/uppnå det genom att bara sitta på en stol och tänka. typ som att uppnå och utforska sin fulla potential. damn, "slösar" man på livet eller sin hjärna genom att inte utforska/investera i det själv? asså jag har klarat mig rätt bra utan det hitills, men jag antar att man aldrig kan veta.
Samanfattar typ boken ganska bra. Vissa ideer var riktigt coola ovh vissa andra var helt dogshit. Typ runka varje gång du ser en gul bil och ha det som en emblem-sarkofak-vadvetjag i ditt sinnestillstånd blahblhablha. Man kan egentligen se det som psykologi som funkar, men man vet bara inte hur det funkar helt och hållet, bara att om man gör A så händer B. man har INGEN aning varför, men det funkar, så måste man ha en naturvetenskaplig eller logisk förklaring för det?
Sakerna kanske funkar men det hmm. Asså jag höll på att skriva att de inte är så omfattande, men om man verkligen strikt följer vissa av dessa blir man som en mänsklig dator, eller en mäniska som man är nu + dator aspekten. Eller så förlorar man lite av det mänskliga, jag vet shi. Det hade varit coolt att testa några av sakerna som nämns i boken (kommer inte göra något suspekt varje gång jag ser en bil) men pfffffffft att meditera eller ha symboler eller sätta in saker i symboler/metaforer för att lättare greppa dem i huvudet? och det med att typ göra parkoure i huvudet väldigt rejält och realistiskt. och sen när/om man gör det i praktik så går det. Inte det, men att förprogramera vissa händelseskeenden i huvudet hade typ varit sjukt, eller det gör man redan, fast det kallas inte kaosmagi. Och kaosmagi är ändå ett rätt så öppet och icke-strikt-definerat begrepp som verkar medvetet om sin öppna natur, ja asså ett begrepp kan inte vara medvetet om något, men utövarna är det. japp! Tror jag fotade några coola stycken för de var genuint "woah" när man läste det och tänkte att man själv kunde göra/uppnå det genom att bara sitta på en stol och tänka. typ som att uppnå och utforska sin fulla potential. damn, "slösar" man på livet eller sin hjärna genom att inte utforska/investera i det själv? asså jag har klarat mig rätt bra utan det hitills, men jag antar att man aldrig kan veta.
November 13, 2024
Condensed Chaos is an eye-opening introduction to Chaos Magic, offering a practical, no-nonsense approach that challenges conventional ideas about occult practice. Phil Hine’s writing is refreshingly direct, making complex ideas accessible without oversimplifying. This book is a perfect starting point for anyone curious about chaos magic or looking to add a more flexible, individualized approach to their magical practice.
Hine does a great job explaining the core principles of chaos magic—using intention, belief, and adaptability to shape your reality on your own terms. He emphasizes the freedom that chaos magic offers, encouraging readers to move away from rigid systems and instead explore what works for them. This idea of self-liberation through magic is central, and Hine provides techniques like sigil work and thought experiments that make magic feel practical and empowering.
While Hine’s style is a bit intense at times, it’s a fitting tone for a book that urges readers to break free from limiting beliefs and take personal responsibility for their own power. The book’s only real drawback is that it’s brief, sometimes leaving certain ideas just as they’re getting interesting. But even with its compact size, Condensed Chaos manages to pack a lot in, making it an engaging and thought-provoking read.
For those ready to question established structures and bring a little chaos into their practice, Condensed Chaos is an excellent guide. Hine’s approach is both liberating and invigorating, perfect for anyone looking to make magic a personal journey of freedom and self-discovery.
Hine does a great job explaining the core principles of chaos magic—using intention, belief, and adaptability to shape your reality on your own terms. He emphasizes the freedom that chaos magic offers, encouraging readers to move away from rigid systems and instead explore what works for them. This idea of self-liberation through magic is central, and Hine provides techniques like sigil work and thought experiments that make magic feel practical and empowering.
While Hine’s style is a bit intense at times, it’s a fitting tone for a book that urges readers to break free from limiting beliefs and take personal responsibility for their own power. The book’s only real drawback is that it’s brief, sometimes leaving certain ideas just as they’re getting interesting. But even with its compact size, Condensed Chaos manages to pack a lot in, making it an engaging and thought-provoking read.
For those ready to question established structures and bring a little chaos into their practice, Condensed Chaos is an excellent guide. Hine’s approach is both liberating and invigorating, perfect for anyone looking to make magic a personal journey of freedom and self-discovery.
November 11, 2024
Condensed Chaos by Phil Hine offers a no-nonsense, accessible dive into the world of Chaos Magic, breaking down complex ideas in a way that feels both liberating and empowering. Hine’s approach is refreshingly practical, encouraging readers to engage with magic as an adaptable and personal path. His emphasis on flexibility, personal responsibility, and direct experience rather than dogma aligns well with Chaos Magic's core philosophy and gives practitioners plenty of room to experiment and explore.
One of the book’s strengths is how it demystifies Chaos Magic, making it approachable for both newcomers and seasoned occultists. Hine includes plenty of examples and exercises that don’t feel like rigid instructions but rather serve as starting points for individual exploration. The book has an engaging balance between theory and practice, with a solid introduction to the underlying mindset that drives Chaos Magic.
That said, some readers might find the content a bit brief or wish for more depth on certain rituals and techniques. While Condensed Chaos serves as a strong foundation, it might leave more advanced practitioners looking for additional sources. For those interested in exploring a dynamic, transformative approach to magic, this book delivers a valuable guide to making magic truly one’s own.
One of the book’s strengths is how it demystifies Chaos Magic, making it approachable for both newcomers and seasoned occultists. Hine includes plenty of examples and exercises that don’t feel like rigid instructions but rather serve as starting points for individual exploration. The book has an engaging balance between theory and practice, with a solid introduction to the underlying mindset that drives Chaos Magic.
That said, some readers might find the content a bit brief or wish for more depth on certain rituals and techniques. While Condensed Chaos serves as a strong foundation, it might leave more advanced practitioners looking for additional sources. For those interested in exploring a dynamic, transformative approach to magic, this book delivers a valuable guide to making magic truly one’s own.
March 11, 2024
And now for something completely different (as the famous Pythons would certainly say). Phil Hine presents a very lucid, rather rational and modern approach to matters often taken as a bunch of nonsensical mumbo jumbo for new age kids and people trying to run away from their mundane lives with murky mysticism. It goes on to disassemble mysticism into pragmatism and Ideas along with a very healthy dose of "not so seriousness" and plain outright sarcasm and humour at times. Phil Hine is definitely a new personal favourite in such matters. I do recommend Condensed Chaos.
The workings of magick - in my personal view, specially after reading this delightful book - should not be dismissed so promptly and could fit some sort of parallel with psychology techniques and NLP - Ouch! (in a more honest, somewhat rational and naughty approach, of course).
"Read" it in audio format on Audible (in a lovely brit voice)- free for Prime subscribers, btw.
The workings of magick - in my personal view, specially after reading this delightful book - should not be dismissed so promptly and could fit some sort of parallel with psychology techniques and NLP - Ouch! (in a more honest, somewhat rational and naughty approach, of course).
"Read" it in audio format on Audible (in a lovely brit voice)- free for Prime subscribers, btw.
March 3, 2025
The book starts out well with a good, if somewhat rambling, overview of Chaos Magic. It goes through the basic history of magic, the models of magic, and Chaos' connection with modern science, especially quantum mechanics. It also lays out the basic ideas of Chaos Magic.
Though no attempt is made to bring up and address any potential weaknesses in the Chaos Magic position that essentially hold all beliefs and truths to be relative and conditional.
From there, it goes quickly down hill. The writing becomes more disjointed and riddled with typos (the book I have is a 2nd edition, 9th printing), and most of the rest of the book is spent on what it is probably better to call "psychological self-help" than magic.
A frustrating read thanks to how disjointed and filled with typos the book is, but also due to how juvenile the writing is.
Though no attempt is made to bring up and address any potential weaknesses in the Chaos Magic position that essentially hold all beliefs and truths to be relative and conditional.
From there, it goes quickly down hill. The writing becomes more disjointed and riddled with typos (the book I have is a 2nd edition, 9th printing), and most of the rest of the book is spent on what it is probably better to call "psychological self-help" than magic.
A frustrating read thanks to how disjointed and filled with typos the book is, but also due to how juvenile the writing is.
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