The Book of St Cyprian, The Sorcerers Treasure
I have been in hard-core writing mode on my own book all month, so it would take something truly remarkable and important to steer my attention away to another book. As it happens, just such a book came my way, one I have been waiting for for YEARS.
THE BOOK OF ST. CYPRIAN, THE SORCERERS TREASURE
If you have any interest at all in St Cyprian, in witchcraft, in Christian magic, in Sorcery, or just in religious history you must purchase this book.
It is 522 pages of sheer awesome.
That’s right – FIVE HUNDRED AND TWENTY TWO PAGES.
This is because not only is it a translation of O Grande livro de S.Cypriano ou thesouro do feiticeiro but it contains extensive commentary from the translator. This commentary is worth its weight in gold, and José Leitão has shown himself to be an expert occultist as well as, scholar and historian. His commentary takes the book beyond mere historical curiosity and makes it a usable text. He fits it not only into its historical context, but relates it to the work of modern occultists such as Andrew Chumbley’s writings on the Crooked Path, and Nicholaj de Mattos Frisvold’s expositions on Quimbanda where St Cyprian is deeply revered.
Many of the spells in this book are not for the feint of heart, and require fresh animal sacrifices. I am glad to see that this was not white-washed. Readers from Urban and Suburban Western Europe and America may be repulsed at such spells, but in areas where your meat comes directly from the animals out in the field and the knife in your hand, nothing could be less shocking. For the most part it is a variation on something that happens every day. Some operations: such as sowing the eyes of a living frog shut are more cruel than simple sacrifice, but better we have an accurate record of spells that we choose not to perform than the lose the truth of our Sorcerous heritage.
American Conjure Doctors have noted similarities between the Black Cat Bone spell and the Toad Bone spell possessed by Essex Cunning Folk. This book provides several examples of both and may be a missing link between the two traditions.
This book is not just filled with grisly spells though. There are explanations of the magical uses of different types of crosses, the Sino Saimao Dubrado or double knot of solomon, as well as a Unicursal Hexagram for the floor used in the disenchantment of magical treasures. There are also explanations of a 40 card system of Cartomancy, methods of making magical oil in a wine vinyard, and well…. To much to be described in one review. This really is a HUGE work.
Also throughout the book are many stories from the life of Cyrpian. Folktales of his Sorcerous exploits. My favorite has to be the tale of him coming home from a Christmas Party and taking shelter under a bridge in a rain storm. While staying dry he hears a Witch casting a spell that invokes both him and Lucifer in order to win love for her rich client. St Cyprian comes out from under the bridge, converts the witch to Christianity AND helps her with her spell.
MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE BOOK
I wanted to note two significant experiences I had with the book already.
There is a body of lore that surrounds not just the knowledge in the book but the mere possession of the book itself. After I received my review copy I placed it on my St Cyprian altar for safe keeping. That night I received an invitation to join the Order of St Cyprian as a Priest, something I had been hoping to do for some time. It seemed that the rumors of the books presence were true. Such is the power of the Martyr Magus!
Later in the month I incorporated the Just Judge Oration from the book into some work I was doing for a client. The court case with dismissed, which was beyond even my hopes for my client. Such is the power of the Sorcerer Saint!
No really I am serious. It just dropped this morning, and St John’s eve is less than a month away. This is a very important date for many of the spells in the book and I myself and preparing to so the spell of harvesting Holly on the 24th of June. If you want to experiment with some great Sorcery, you don’t have much time before St Johns eve. Also you will want to have the material digested before the Feast Day
http://www.hadeanpress.com/
http://www.shop.hadeanpress.
