Ars Theurgia

Translated, edited, and introduced by Paul Summers Young
2nd Edition
 
The second book in our Lesser Key series is about how enthusiasts in the seventeenth century took Trithemius and his enigmatic Steganographia and drew out a method of spirit communication and experimentation that appears to possess a reach today far wider than the more famous "Ars Goetia".
 
Ars Theurgia reveals a hidden strand of early modern magic rooted in the mysterious work of Johannes Trithemius. What began as a covert system of coded communication in Steganographia evolved into a full magical tradition in the seventeenth century, where spirits of the winds, elements, and familiar places were summoned not through grand ritual, but through intention, direction, and subtle practice.
This volume traces that transformation. Through rare manuscripts by Peter Smart, Dr. Thomas Rudd, John Harries, and others, we see how Trithemius’ elegant, discreet method became part of the Solomonic tradition, complete with seals, conjurations, and crystal shewstones. The result is a magical system that is surprisingly modern. It is quiet, personal, and focused on direct contact with spirits rather than elaborate ceremony.
The book includes high quality transcriptions of key manuscripts, original diagrams of the spirit compass, seals of the princes of the winds, and contextual materials that illuminate how these methods were used by figures such as John Dee and Nicholas Culpeper. It also explores the lingering fascination with spirit contact, from early modern crystal visions to contemporary experiments with altered states and anomalous communication.
Ars Theurgia presents Trithemius’ legacy as something far more than a historical curiosity. It is a living method, subtle and powerful, rooted in intention, orientation, and attention. A glass through which we glimpse strange matters.