How to Read, Study, and Analyse Occult Texts
Updated: Jun 20
PREPARATION
Reading a book, especially an Occult book, always needs some sort of preparation. Of course, were not talking about a brief flick through the pages, but preparing for the deep, almost spiritual, study of Occult Texts.
The reader should always be “Spiritually and Mentally Empty” and to allow themselves to let go, temporarily give up on what we call “Critical Thinking”, forgetting everything they already know, ignore their biases, and do not treat their existing knowledge as a valid foundation. At least not for now.
This process is relatively easy and it’s reader sooner or later will find their own method. For example, a common practice is to just assume that everything you read in the particular text it’s true, valid, and accurate. At least to begin with.
The second stage of the preparation is about what the reader should have with them while standing. Writing implements are always the best option. Pen and paper are the ideal tools for note-taking, and even when compared to modern media such as electronic devices, studies have shown that the hand-eye coordination needed for handwriting affect the brain differently, and make studying more effective.
READING
It is nearly impossible for someone to get the correct “message” from a text, any text, when they’re having their first read through. The eyes and the brain are not yet focused or immersed in the text, and on the stage they are either “Scouting” for partial information or even ignoring that.
Perhaps it is best to have the first read through in the same way that the kid reads a book for the first time. Kids have the ability to be fascinated much easier but what they read and also to completely ignore any information that they dislike. In that manner, the reader can take note of the most interesting part of the text, and also take note of the parts that they ignored as this is where usually the “Hidden Messages” will be found later on.
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STUDYING
Stage 1:
On the stage, once the first read through has been complete, all the notes and references have been gathered. This is when the reader is actually ready to start studying the text.
At some point is whether either should allow their previous knowledge, but not the critical thinking, to moving. Allowing existing knowledge to take place in the stage, means that the reader is able to cross-reference the information and pinpoint the parts that need further research.
It is important to note that the environment where reader studies plays a very important role. Standing works differently if we have to compare for example; a nice quiet space in a house, next to a window, with some tea, some incense, music and low-volume, and the removal of all electronic devices and distractions… And trying to stride a on a small table in a busy coffee shop, loud music, loud people, and plenty of distractions. Of course, each person has preferences, so always try to study under the circumstances that seem ideal.
Stage 2:
This is the stage where the reader should divide the book into categories. This has three major advantages.
The reader can have a better and more concise understanding of the contents of each section. This is also helpful with colour coding as subject can be scattered through different chapters and part of the book.
The reader can recognise the most important elements in a shorter period of time, which also gives the feeling that studying is worth while and more fast-paced.
The results of the studying will be much easier to categorise, as well as the note-taking, when studying is done.
Sticky notes and tags for colour coding and dividing are probably the most useful tool modern equipment has to offer.
Stage 3:
True studying, comes from the wheel of the reader to go through the process of understanding the author’s mentality, state of mind, and writing process. Having an understanding of this, is the key that will unlock all the secrets of the text, as it is the only way to fully understand what messages the author intended to pass on.
The most important step in this, is to understand “WHY” the book has been written, and chase after the specific parts that led the reader to get the impression that this is the reason “why”.
Stage 4:
This is the part where the reader should allow the critical thinking to come in. Doubt, it is always the first factor when it comes to research and discovery. If one assumes that anything an author rides are the absolute truth and the only way, they can fall in the trap of becoming a “cultist” that religiously follows an author. Researcher of the occult, or any other subject for that matter, should be able to have their own intelligence.
It is also crucial to understand that sources and notes taken shouldn’t be on the positive or negative ones, only agreeable or disagreeable to the author, but an objective mix of both.
At the end of studying it of the sections, it is also great idea to have a synopsis written by the reader.
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FINISHING UP
Of course, studying a book never really ends, as one can return to it time and time again. For this reason the last step of studying the book for the first time, is to gather and organise all the note-taking.
It is best to writing in clean all the notes. To do so, compile them all, and organise them by category, as if they are the chapters of a new book to be written. One by one, transfer the notes on a clean notebook in order to form an expanded yet come size and smaller in size version of the original text.
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