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Egregores: The Occult Entities That Watch…
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Egregores: The Occult Entities That Watch Over Human Destiny (edition 2018)

by Mark Stavish (Author)

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861311,299 (4.25)2
The first book to explore the history and influence of egregores, powerful autonomous psychic entities created by a collective group mind * Examines the history of egregores from ancient times to present day, including their role in Western Mystery traditions and popular culture and media * Reveals documented examples of egregores from ancient Greece and Rome, Tibetan Buddhism, Islam, modern esoteric orders, the writings of H. P. Lovecraft and Kenneth Grant, and the followers of Julius Evola and Aleister Crowley * Provides instructions on how to identify egregores, free yourself from parasitic and destructive entities, and destroy an egregore, should the need arise One of most important but little known concepts of Western occultism is that of the egregore, an autonomous psychic entity created by a collective group mind. An egregore is sustained by belief, ritual, and sacrifice and relies upon the devotion of a group of people, from a small coven to an entire nation, for its existence. An egregore that receives enough sustenance can take on a life of its own, becoming an independent deity with powers its believers can use to further their own spiritual advancement and material desires. Presenting the first book devoted to the study of egregores, Mark Stavish examines the history of egregores from ancient times to present day, with detailed and documented examples, and explores how they are created, sustained, directed, and destroyed. Stavish provides instructions on how to identify egregores, free yourself from a parasitic and destructive collective entity, and destroy an egregore, should the need arise. Revealing how egregores form the foundation of nearly all human interactions, the author shows how egregores have moved into popular culture and media--underscoring the importance of intense selectivity in the information we accept and the ways we perceive the world and our place in it.… (more)
Member:marcusstafford
Title:Egregores: The Occult Entities That Watch Over Human Destiny
Authors:Mark Stavish (Author)
Info:Inner Traditions (2018), 160 pages
Collections:Your library
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Tags:fortean

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Egregores: The Occult Entities That Watch Over Human Destiny by Mark Stavish (Author)

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This is an excellent book, and I think I enjoyed it as much for the things I disagreed with or questioned as I did the things I agreed or resonated with. For example: I disagree with the belief that deities are a form of egregore, but it was interesting to read why it's a credible theory.

Stavish does a fine job surveying a range of sources from mutliple time periods to explore how people have defined and/or experienced egregores. There is far more variety to the definitions than I had expected, which is one reason I enjoyed it so much. He also did a good job balancing the theoretically with the practical: if such-and-such is true, what are the implications for an individual and for groups?

I was surprised by the negative view Stavish has about egregores. While he acknowledges that participating in some egregores can be positive or helpful for some people at certain times of their lives (eg: when they need outside help to protect or develop themselves) his overall position is that an egregore is a form of external authority which can shape our thoughts, feelings, and actions beyond our conscious awareness. Because of this, they are things which a mature person needs to free him/herself from in order to achieve true mental and spiritual freedom. His section on "Therapeutic Blasphemy" as a method was fascinating and gave me insight into why some people engage in "unbaptisms" and other rituals as a way of separating themselves from spiritual communities they no longer wish to be part of.

While this book is primarily for people involved in magical work, I think it could be interesting for open-minded people in general, since we are all involved in groups which exert influence over us and are bombarded by media and advertising. Even if someone doesn't believe in magic, there are concepts here which can be applied in purely psychological terms. ( )
  jsabrina | Jul 13, 2021 |
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Stavish, MarkAuthorprimary authorall editionsconfirmed
Wasserman, JamesForewordsecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
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The first book to explore the history and influence of egregores, powerful autonomous psychic entities created by a collective group mind * Examines the history of egregores from ancient times to present day, including their role in Western Mystery traditions and popular culture and media * Reveals documented examples of egregores from ancient Greece and Rome, Tibetan Buddhism, Islam, modern esoteric orders, the writings of H. P. Lovecraft and Kenneth Grant, and the followers of Julius Evola and Aleister Crowley * Provides instructions on how to identify egregores, free yourself from parasitic and destructive entities, and destroy an egregore, should the need arise One of most important but little known concepts of Western occultism is that of the egregore, an autonomous psychic entity created by a collective group mind. An egregore is sustained by belief, ritual, and sacrifice and relies upon the devotion of a group of people, from a small coven to an entire nation, for its existence. An egregore that receives enough sustenance can take on a life of its own, becoming an independent deity with powers its believers can use to further their own spiritual advancement and material desires. Presenting the first book devoted to the study of egregores, Mark Stavish examines the history of egregores from ancient times to present day, with detailed and documented examples, and explores how they are created, sustained, directed, and destroyed. Stavish provides instructions on how to identify egregores, free yourself from a parasitic and destructive collective entity, and destroy an egregore, should the need arise. Revealing how egregores form the foundation of nearly all human interactions, the author shows how egregores have moved into popular culture and media--underscoring the importance of intense selectivity in the information we accept and the ways we perceive the world and our place in it.

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The first book to explore the history and influence of egregores, powerful autonomous psychic entities created by a collective group mind

• Examines the history of egregores from ancient times to present day, including their role in Western Mystery traditions and popular culture and media

• Reveals documented examples of egregores from ancient Greece and Rome, Tibetan Buddhism, Islam, modern esoteric orders, the writings of H. P. Lovecraft and Kenneth Grant, and the followers of Julius Evola and Aleister Crowley

• Provides instructions on how to identify egregores, free yourself from parasitic and destructive entities, and destroy an egregore, should the need arise

One of most important but little known concepts of Western occultism is that of the egregore, an autonomous psychic entity created by a collective group mind. An egregore is sustained by belief, ritual, and sacrifice and relies upon the devotion of a group of people, from a small coven to an entire nation, for its existence. An egregore that receives enough sustenance can take on a life of its own, becoming an independent deity with powers its believers can use to further their own spiritual advancement and material desires.

Presenting the first book devoted to the study of egregores, Mark Stavish examines the history of egregores from ancient times to present day, with detailed and documented examples, and explores how they are created, sustained, directed, and destroyed. He explains how egregores were well known in the classical period of ancient Greece and Rome, when they were consciously called into being to watch over city states. He explores the egregore concept as it was understood in various Western Mystery traditions, including the Corpus Hermeticum, and offers further examples from Tibetan Buddhism, Islam, modern esoteric orders such as the Order of the Golden Dawn and Rosicrucianism, the writings of H. P. Lovecraft and Kenneth Grant, and the followers of Julius Evola and Aleister Crowley. The author discusses how, even as the fundamental principles of the egregore were forgotten, egregores continue to be formed, sometimes by accident.

Stavish provides instructions on how to identify egregores, free yourself from a parasitic and destructive collective entity, and destroy an egregore, should the need arise. Revealing how egregores form the foundation of nearly all human interactions, the author shows how egregores have moved into popular culture and media--underscoring the importance of intense selectivity in the information we accept and the ways we perceive the world and our place in it.
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