Product Description

Magic is a doorway through which we step into mystery, wildness, and immanence. We live in a world subject to extensive and seemingly, all-embracing systems of social and personal control that continually feed us the lie that we are each alone, helpless, and powerless to effect change. Magic is about change: changing your circumstances so that you strive to live according to a developing sense of personal responsibility; that you can effect change around you if you choose; that we are not helpless cogs 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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #451119 in Books
• Published on: 1995-03-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

From the Author
regarding Condensed Chaos being a reprint of earlier work
Whilst Condensed Chaos is a reprint of an earlier work bearing the same title, the former version was a quarter of the page count of the current volume, a self-published A5 chapbook, and a limited edn of 300 copies!

Customer Reviews

a fascinating read
As a chaos newbie I'm not really in a place where i can compare this book to other books on the subject, nor can i say I have read better books on the subject, seeing as this is my first...

One thing i can and will say though is this book is a fascinating read. Hine has an exceptional grasp of how our egos control us and how we subconciously categorise ourselves. If you're quite ego orientated like myself, it can be a bit wounding to read how we, as individuals, really are nothing more than whats in our own head, but i tell you one thing, he'll have you realising a lot about yourself.

His analogies are extremely useful and brought about a great understanding of the points he was trying to make, his section on "Breaking the Image" quite literally made my hair stand on end. Do you ever get those situations where you think "Wow! Thats ME that is!", especially when you're struggling with a bit of an identity crisis.

I could go on for a long time with this review but instead I'll just say that I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it. I have his "Prime Chaos" on order too, I hope its as absorbing.

I Have spend a glorious time with two new friends.
I Have spend a glorious time with two new friends - Prime Chaos and Condensed Chaos, they are the sort of books that will make themselves at home on your book shelf and forever tease you to come on in and talk a while. Phine Hine has written two great introductions to Chaos without any of the usual bulls***, ego stroking, and hierarchical hocus pocus that goes with many occult books! It was delicious to spend some time being entertained and informed, His humble humour wings it way through both books giving you the refreshing feeling that this guy genuinely wants to pass on what he has learnt good and bad, there are some great new angles that make you take your dusty old beliefs out of the closet and give them a good shake off.. He talks like we do, no interpreter needed. I didn't agree with all his thoughts but you get the feeling that's OK too, I would recommend these two books anyone whether you be beginner or old pagan hack.. More please Phil...!

YES WELL, NO FINE
YES WELL, NO FINE! I found some parts of this book far more interesting than others, like the core principles of chaos magic, its history and the chapter on servitors with its practical exercises. Chaos magick's non-dogmatic eclectic approach is quite appealing. The section on Ganesh is also helpful, but unfortunately the author sometimes displays some arrogance in "dissing" other paths and movements. Which brings me to a modern metaphysical author like Stuart Wilde, who while not claiming to be a magician covers the same ground plus much more. And when I had finished the book, I came to the conclusion that one can achieve all you want by studying and applying the guidance of the old metaphysicians like Dr Joseph Murphy and Catherine Ponder, without having to bother with rituals and stuff. But "Condensed Chaos" is still an interesting read and I enjoyed the references to Robert Anton Wilson and Discordianism.