NetGalley ARC

Not a fan of someone who takes old beliefs and branches off creating their own “system” unless it’s a solitary practice and even then it can be questionable - because : This is where the line starts and many cross over into cultish. I know because my own family had a Man who did just that.
So I would read with caution and know where that line is. And what to disregard from the writing.

A book with a LOT of information in it! This may be overwhelming for some - it's not the average 'this is how you get into magick with some basic supplies and prescribed spells to recite' book that seems to be popular these days. An interesting addition to any witchy shelf.

there is a lot of information within the book. Good of this is the direction you want to go put in your path. The writing is straight forward and pretty easy to understand.

Seal, Sigil,& Call by J.R. Mascaro is an in depth and informative tool for indeterminable to advanced practitioners of Spiritual occultism.
What I liked about this book
1. Easy to connect with conversational writing style
2.Well formatted and thoroughly researched information
What I would have liked to see more of
1. More safety and caution discussion would have been nice on both the physical and metaphisical sdie
2. More reading recommendations for further study
3. Wider margins for note taking.

found this book to be really useful to read. 5 star book
not sure who id recommend this to due to i dont know many people that read books like this
had alot of useful information

The best way to describe J.R. Mascaro's Seal, Sigil & Call can be summed up as "ceremonial magic without the ceremony." Mascaro draws from a number of different sources including ceremonial magic, the Qabal, Buddhism, Wicca, and others to create a wholly original magical path that can be used either alone or incorporated into an already established system.

Central to Mascaro's practice are the eidolons, which he describes as either spirit beings or archetypal aspects of the human subconscious. He leaves it up to the individual to ascertain how they choose to perceive the eidolons. He does "gift" eighteen eidolons to the reader--basically, these are beings/aspects that are open to being contacted by others seeking to work with eidolons--that comprise what Mascaro calls the Inner Host of the Ark. Eidolons are categorized in three ways: Otherworld Spirits, Primals, and Celestials. Each category comes with its own challenges and benefits. Once the magician has connected with and become accustomed to working with the Inner Host, more eidolons await to be discovered.

Mascaro does an admirable job of organizing his research and procedures for contacting eidolons. Some of his phrasing can be a repetitive and writing tends toward the overly flowery at times but overall, the information is unique and presented in an easy to follow manner. While Mascaro states he has not (as yet) encountered a malevolent eidolon, anyone seeking to make contact with possible spiritual beings should exercise the proper protection methods and use caution. Fortunately, he provides different methods for achieving this and although his passion for working with eidolons is evident, he does seem to acknowledge that doing so isn't for everyone.

Overall, Seal, Sigil & Call is an uncommon approach to an aspect of magic that is often part of a large path or tradition. It goes beyond a basic "how to" book and offers a new perspective on familiar topics. Anyone who is interested in ceremonial magic would find this book useful and a welcomed addition to their library.

Seal, Sigil & Call A New Approach to Ritual Magic by J. R. Mascaro  offers novel and innovative perspectives, techniques, and new models to work practical magick..

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Llewellyn Publications for an advance copy of this new book on visualization and ritual magic.

The idea of ritual magic can be a little fraught for some people. The idea seems odd, even wrong in a way, maybe even illicit. What doesn't help is people who for their own myriad reasons consider themselves gatekeepers, making it hard for people with genuine interest, or a genuine concern to learn more and understand. Humans are very good at this, for the power this gives them and the fear especially for certain genders that someone given entry might become equal, or even surpass them. J. R. Mascaro has a far different stance. His book Seal, Sigil & Call: A New Approach to Ritual Magic is a good entry level book to ritual magic, written for the beginner and for those for would like to take a different approach to their visualization exercises.

The book begins with a quick introduction to the author, his life, what he has learned and what life has taught him and what made him decide to write this book. Mascaro explains that he draws on many different arts and ways of thinking Western, Eastern, and ideas and practices that he has developed over the years in his rituals. Mascaro is also quick to point out that this won't be a quick and easy guide, that to correctly work on what he presents will take time, effort and lots of spiritual and physical energy. Which he then proceeds to explain. There is also discussions on how these kind of rituals can open a person up to outside forces, and ways to protect one's self are shown. Mascaro than goes into his ideas that he calls paneidolism, which makes up a lot of the second part of the book.

The writing is very good, enough to interest beginners and make them want to know more, and for more advanced people with familarity to adapt his ideas for their own rituals. Mascaro has a good way of describing things, and and of presenting ideas, that make people want to know more, and to help embetter their lives. The openness of the writing is quite refreshing. Again there are risks to some of these rituals, so be sure to read the book in its entirety just to be sure that readers understand what is asked, and what can happen. Chaos has a way of slipping in when are least prepared, or able to anything about it.

For those with a desire to know more about ritual magic, this is a very good primer. Mascaro is very good of covering both the risks and the rewards, and is very good at presenting ideas. A nice gift for people just coming to, and for those who have practiced for quite a while.

Quite frankly, I got bored and lost. The writing style was hard to follow and due to the early version of the book I read, it made it even harder to follow without the illustrations and charts. Not a book I have any interest in reading again.

A Different Type of Magic

"Seal, Sigil & Call" is one that is really interesting to me, for I have a passion for working with seals and sigils. In this book, J.R. Mascaro discusses how he chose not to be confined to a single traditional way of magic, and developed his own approach encompassing what he had been exposed to at the various schools he had attended. The system the author discusses in this book is referred to, by him, as paneidolism, and he describes it as the detection of and communication with nonphysical intelligences known as eidolons, which are
present around us at all times. He, further, states that this practice is a form of sorcery in the traditional sense of the word, because it deals chiefly with communication with energetic beings.

I feel this book is well organized and written with information in a nicely flowing manner that is easy to read and understand. The author outlines this book into two parts, with part one presenting the foundational elements, such as your energy, intention, and the practice of working with eidolons that defines the core of paneidolism. Part two discusses cultivating the practices discussed earlier in the book, learning to create your own techniques and rituals for daily use, and advanced work after you've become more advanced.

The author provides indepth information and charts and diagrams for your use in your workings. He also list the eighteen eidolons and how to utilize them.

This is a great book, especially, for those interested in this practice as a form of sorcery.

This is a very well written book. It explains the process of practicing Magick and using and creating your own Sigils. It is suggested you protect yourself as you practice the steps in the book. This is a good read for any serious practitioner.

Thank you to Netgalley and Llewellyn Publishers for the ARC copy of this book for my honest review.

While not a book that I would recommend for beginners or even non beginners to use alone (highly recommend some foundational spiritual and energy work focusing on grounding, cleansing, protection, and working through your personal beliefs about magic, the world, and faither) this is an excellent resource for those who want to delve into the modern take on sigil work. This is a great path to walk for those who want to do creative witchcraft without the need for a lot of tools.

This is a very concise and thoughtful magical system IMO. The beginning rites and the purpose for doing them are described in a meaningful way. The author has protection and balancing rituals described in an easy to do manner. Then the real work starts when the reader is encouraged to begin calling and working with the spirits names and their sigils. I found this book interesting and groundbreaking in many respects. If you do not have a magical order nearby and are curious this book would be a workable system that should be tried and then decided on. I have just read this book so have not incorporated it yet. I am sure as the years go by this will become a classic. It is that well written and understandable.

Very interesting! Unfortunately I don't have the time that this practice seems like it requires!
I really do appreciate how low cost it is and seems like it would improve your creative and visualization skills at the same time

Drawing on his extensive exploration of myriad Eastern and Western mystical systems and practices, the author presents a unique and intriguing approach to ceremonial magic. Noting that it can be used for the collective good, he defines magic as a means by which we may enact individual “will upon the metaphysical framework” of consciousness. This is accomplished through ritual and supported by interacting with independent thoughtforms known as eidolons, which exist within and/or beyond corporeal life. An admonition is given to never use magic to bring emotional or physical harm to another being.

I enjoyed the opening chapters that discuss energy, intention and working with eidolons and the creation of a personal, operating paradigm as a foundation for his/her work. The paradigm is a core element, essential to practicing the art of magic for it includes a deep reflection on what magic is and the motivation for engaging in its practice. Emphasis is place on inner exploration as the basis for evolving and expressing our higher natures.

Overall, the text provides a balance between providing structured rituals and encouraging the reader, once the basics have been mastered, to develop their own rituals to connect with non-physical aspects of consciousness. Clearly written and well-organized, the book is a great resource for neophytes as well as more experienced practitioners.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

I’ve been reading a lot of Sigils this past year and what sets this book apart from the others is the push by the author to for practitioners to make it their own. Others may touch on it, but I find this book really encourages it and that, to me, is completely refreshing.

A great book to get you started on the topic, but it also provides some great insight as well for those who are more experienced. This is a book well worth adding to your magikal toolbox.

A refreshing toolkit approach to ritual magic, this title offers a non-dogmatic approach to ritual magic that encourages new practitioners to seek and develop their personal magical paradigms based on their own experiences and intuitions. The flexibility of Mascaro's system allows for a completely non-theistic approach to magic but remains completely accessible to practitioners who choose to combine ritual magic with their personal faith practice. Highly recommended for seekers new to magical practice. Well done!

This book about ritual magic is for both, beginners and experienced ones. Former will find a correct and basic foundation for working with spirits or "eidolons" (doing magic), and later will be delighted with great insights and lucid advices. It is a unique esoteric system, yet author will encourage you (if needed) to create your own definitions, methods...Now, although the explanations are clear it would be even greater that for some techniques few more step by step examples are provided. Very interesting read!!!

This book is an innovative reinterpretation of magic for the postmodern age. This book uses a twofold mechanism to bring the world of ceremonial magic directly to the seeker. The first mechanism is where the body power points are energized and centered and the uses a simplified form evocation to summon and materialize a spirit entity known as an Eidolan. The mediator of both mechanisms is the scepter of Artifice which represents a powerful conceptual magical tool, known as the Scepter of Art, an emblem of one projected will. Discusses meditation techniques, magical tools and rituals for everyday use. Illustrations. Bibliography.