Welcome to the Franz Bardon's Books & German Letter Pronunciation page of Angelmessages.ParadiseNow.net!
Who was Franz Bardon? * Bardon's Books * German Letter Pronunciation * Sounds Player
Franz Bardon's Biography & Books
Cynthia Rose Young Schlosser's messages channelled from the "angelic realm" are based on the
pioneering qabalistic work of Franz Bardon. All currently available books written by or about him are listed and introduced below in the order they were written.
Note: Personally I have never worked with any of these or similar techniques.
German Letter Pronunciation
Bardon's qabalistic system is based on the sounds of the various letters of the German alphabet. It may be no coincidence that Franz Bardon incarnated with German as his mother tongue since German
(in contrast to English and French, for instance) is a phonetic language, which means that nearly every vowel and consonant is consistently pronounced exactly as it is written. So the letter "a" (aah) will always
sound like an "a" (aah), the letter "i" (pronounced "ee") will always sound like an "ee" etc. Also, German has additional vowels (such as ü and ö [u umlaut and o umlaut], e [é] and the "simple o")
as well as a consonant ("ch") which are mostly unknown in standard English. To help English-language students of Franz Bardon's and Cynthia Rose's work with the letters or "cosmic language", here are four sound and
text files illustrating their exact pronunciation.
There are two main sound files:
alphabet.wav (1293 KB) and alphabetpuresounds.wav (1293 KB)
(both courtesy of Ralf http://home.arcor.de/ralflehnert).
A third one is just for fun - a child's recording (1293 KB) of the complete German alphabet. The letters in alphabet.wav and alphabetpuresounds.wav have been recorded in the order listed in ThepronunciationofGermanletters.rtf (8 KB), a fourth file which gives a detailed written description of the correct letter pronunciation.
Download all four pronunciation files in one zip file (1749 KB).
Sounds
(pitch-playing program)
In Bardon's qabalistic system, each letter of the (German-based)
alphabet has a sound, colour, element and other qualities associated with it which need to be included in the corresponding meditations on each respective letter. For instance, the letter A (aah) is associated with light blue, the musical note G, etc. If you
don't have a tuning fork or a correctly tuned instrument at the ready for playing the sounds (pitches) during meditations on the letters, here is a neat little program which will play the notes at
the correct pitch like a tuning fork. Download it here as a zip file (282 KB) complete with installation instructions & helpful hints.
Franz Bardon's Books
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 Initiation into Hermetics: A Course of Instruction of Magic Theory and Practice
by Franz Bardon (hardcover)
This first volume in Bardon's series on Hermetics "is the entrance gate to true initiation as it is the
first key to the universal laws. The content of this book is not based on any speculative methods, but is the result of personal experiences and research of practical exercises by the author,
which, up to now, was available only to a chosen few. And it is not easy to express in simple words a subject which is on such high level as magic, and make it understandable to everyone." (From the Publisher)
 Initiation into Hermetics: A Course of Instruction of Magic Theory and Practice
by Franz Bardon
The same as above as a paperback.
 The Practice of Magical Evocation by Franz Bardon (hardcover)
The second volume in Bardon's series on Hermetics or The Holy Mysteries. In magical terms, the book is a practical guide to the proper evocation of and communication with spiritual,
magical and divine entities. It is perhaps the only truly significant modern study of direct contact with the universal teachers -- the other major works in the field are products of the Medieval,
Renaissance, and Reformation periods. But beyond that, there is a fascinating glimpse into a complete magical universe. Bardon outlines a totally new and original hierarchy of magic, from the spirits of the four
elements to those of the various planets, and even to each degree of the zodiac. Included with the names and descriptions of the various entities are a collection of previously unknown magical sigils, as well as a true
account of ancient astrology.
 The Key to the True Kabbalah by Franz Bardon (paperback)
"Cosmic Language 101 - The 'Key To The True Kabbalah' introduces the reader to the 'Cosmic Language' and a very thorough process of manifestation." (from a reader's review)
 Frabato the Magician by Franz Bardon (hardcover)
A short biography of Franz Bardon compiled by his German publisher Dieter Rüggeberg from
notes written by Franz Bardon.
 Frabato the Magician by Franz Bardon
The same as above as a paperback.
 Franz Bardon: Questions & Answers by Gerhard Hanswille (Translator), Dieter
Rüggeberg (paperback)
Compiled from the notes of his students, this booklet is an invaluable treasure for all Bardon students and students of Hermetics. More than 180 questions are answered. "...a new Bardon
book... which really clears up a lot of unanswered questions -- it's terrific!" (from a reader's review of "The Practice of Magical Evocation")
Who was Franz Bardon?
by Tim Scott
Franz Bardon is one of the most important but least known occultists and magicians of the
Twentieth Century. He is mainly known through four books he wrote which were published in the 1950s. Many have borrowed his techniques and terminology without
giving him proper credit, sometimes unknowingly, but not always. I recommended his book "Initiation Into Hermetics" to a person who had studied occultism for some years.
He was stunned to find that a teacher of his in the past had distributed Bardon's materials pretending he had written them himself.
Bardon was unusual in that he stressed practice and practicality above all else. Although his books contained lengthy theoretical sections, his emphasis was on the tangible, usable
results of magickal training. His stated purpose was to give the serious student of magick the most complete and best possible magickal instruction obtainable outside of an occult
lodge and without the benefit of a personal teacher. Did he succeed? The only way to judge is by trying his curriculum yourself.
Bardon's Life and Work
Bardon did not appear to be trying to create a legend about himself. The only self-references in his works are occasional attestations that he had himself tried this of that
experiment or ritual. I can't resist comparing this to a much more famous magician of this century who wrote voluminously about his own life and adventures, and had no qualms about glorifying himself in so doing
According to his student and close friend Otti Votavova, Franz Bardon was the oldest of 13 children, and the only son of a very devout Christian mystic, Viktor Bardon. Although
he had achieved a certain amount of spiritual advancement, Viktor felt that he was unable to obtain an advanced initiation, and prayed that he receive this blessing. The story is that
an advanced soul entered the body of his son Franz to become Viktor's initiator.
In later life, Bardon became a stage magician who gained some fame in Germany in the
1920s and 1930s under the stage name "Frabato".
As Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party ascended to power in the 1930s various groups such as
the O.T.O. and the Freemasons were banned and some of their members arrested. Otti Votavova avers that Hitler belonged to the legendary "FOCG" or "99 Lodge" of black
magick, described in Frabato The Magician and Fire And Ice (see the bibliography). Apart from this, Hitler and some of his intimate friends were supposed to be members of the
"Thule Order," which was the external instrument of a group of powerful Tibetan black magicians.
Arrest & Imprisonment by the 3rd Reich
Through the negligence of one of Bardon's disciples (who had not destroyed their correspondence as Bardon had ordered) the Nazis arrested and imprisoned them both in
late 1941 or early 1942. While the prisoners were being whipped, the disciple lost his control and uttered a Qabalistic formula to immobilize the torturers. However, the effects
of the formula were eventually canceled and the disciple was shot as revenge. Adolf Hitler offered Bardon high positions in the Third Reich under the condition that he help win the
war with his magick. Bardon was further expected to reveal to Hitler the address of the other 98 of the 99 Lodges spread all over the world. When he refused to help, the Nazis
cruelly tortured him. Among other things, they performed operations on Bardon without anesthesia, and forged iron rings around his ankles and fixed heavy iron balls to them.
After the war Bardon found, with the help of his magick abilities, that Hitler had escaped abroad. For fear of recognition, Hitler had undergone several of surgical operations on his face.
Dieter Rüggeberg (publisher of Bardon's books) makes this comment on the above statements: "So much for Otti Votavova's recital of facts. In the years of my acquaintance
with her I was able to convince myself of her love of truth."
After regaining his freedom, Bardon recommenced his occult work and healing. It was
apparently this last work that got him in trouble with the Czech authorities. They strongly discouraged this type of thing in the very repressive political climate of postwar Czechoslovakia.
Arrest and Death
Regarding Bardon's last years, Rüggeberg wrote to me as follows: "The profession of Bardon was natural healer. He was able to cure cancer until the 2nd degree, without steel
and rays, only with his own medicine made from plants and treated with alchemical means. For this reason the doctors of the official medicine became very jealous, because
they could not reach such success with their chemical and nuclear treatments. After the publication of his books in 1956, a number of people came from Germany to visit him.
The doctors took this opportunity to accuse Bardon to be a spy from the West, and that was the reason he was arrested in 1958 in Opava, Czechoslovakia." Russian Communist
ideologies, thus they persecuted free-thinkers, Gypsies, Jews, Freemasons and anyone interested in the occult or esoteric subjects.
Bardon died July 10th, 1958. What connection, if any, his death had with the arrest I have been unable to determine. If he was a professional stage magician in Germany in the
1920s and 1930s, we could assume that he was born roughly around the turn of the century, and thus would not have been very old at his death.
The Fraternity of Saturn
Bardon stoutly maintained that he was not a member of, nor under any obligations to a magickal lodge or order. However, some sources indicate that he was actually a member
of the Fraternity of Saturn, an important occult lodge which flourished in Germany in the early part of the 20th Century. During the ascent of the Nazi party, they closed or
persecuted all Masonic, religious and occult organizations. They closed and banned the Fraternity of Saturn Lodge sometime between 1933 and 1937, but it was revived in 1950.
I have not yet been able to positively identify Bardon as a member of the Fraternity of Saturn. While recognizing the power and validity of sex magick, Bardon emphatically
discourages the student from dabbling in it until he understands its full implications.
Franz Bardon's Writings
Each book follows a roughly similar pattern: a mainly theoretical exposition followed by
practical instruction. Reading and understanding them is a challenge, as they have been translated from German-and possibly from Czechoslovakian before that-into non-idiomatic
English. (Note: there is a new revised translation available of his books.)
Translational difficulties aside, one thing that makes an enduring impression is Bardon's
evident sincerity. He insists frequently that he is doing as much as possible to transmit a system of occult development to the serious student who is either unable to find a teacher
or work in a group. In line with this, he also frequently reiterates that he has personally performed such and such an experiment, ritual or procedure.
His Sources
Before describing some of Bardon's theories, it is good to keep in mind that many of the words he uses have different meanings in a mundane context and even in other occult
systems. Impregnation, fluid, condenser, sphere - all have special meanings.
For instance, Bardon appears to have originated the concept of the so-called "fluid
condenser." "Fluids" are magickal qualities, not fluids as we understand them in daily life, and are divided into "electric" and "magnetic" types. A "condenser" is a magick wand,
mirror, or other device the magician crafts to "condense", or concentrate, these fluids. An example of preparing a fluid condenser is given later in this article.
Many of his occult ideas can be traced to earlier works, such as Eliphas Levi and Barrett's The Magus. Bardon also seems to have been familiar with Tibetan occultism, or at any
rate the works of Alexandria David-Neel, whom he cites now and then, and from whom he does a fair amount of borrowing. He mentions, for example, kylichors (magickal
diagrams), and tum-mo (the ability of Tibetan adepts to stay warm in freezing weather). The mental exercises Bardon prescribes, such as one-pointedness, watching the roaming
of consciousness and so on, are commonplace in yogic and other occult works.
Although Bardon does not mention Crowley or any of his writings, "The Beast's"
influence is present. Compare Crowley's famous dictum: "Love is the law, love under will" to Bardon's: "Love is the law, but love under a strong will."
Bardon's Theories: The Magickal Universe
Bardon postulates an energetic model of the universe modified from Far Eastern theories, including Taoism and Hindu cosmology. His "electric" and "magnetic" fluids complement
each other in the same way that Yin and Yang do. These are clearly not the physicist's forces by the same names, but there is a certain analogy between them. "Magnetism" is a
cool, negative force with a blue emanation; and "electricity" is a warm, positive force with a red emanation.
In Initiation Into Hermetics Bardon refers once to the "OR" and "OB" forces. My guess is that these might represent the "Red" (OR = "Odyle Rot") and "Blue" (Odyle Blau") or
electric and magnetic fluids. Or perhaps they are adaptations of the OD and OB forces described in Eliphas Levi's Transcendental Magic. Whatever the scientific validity of this
approach, it is certainly rich with suggestive possibilities.
Bardon's "od" or "odyle" energy [is a concept] originally developed [by] Baron Karl von
Reichenbach in the mid-1800s. The negative pole of a magnet, he claimed, appeared blue to persons with high psychic sensitivity and induced a feeling of coldness. The positive
pole appeared red and had the property of warmth. He elaborated this theory into a highly complex system of occult anatomy and mysticism. Bardon usually called od "vital power"
["Lebenskraft", also translatable as life force, vitality and vital energy], but once or twice reverts to the term "od."
Bardon teaches that each part of the body is governed by either the electric or the magnetic force, or it may be neutral. Disease is caused by parts being out of balance.
The Four Elements
Bardon made use of the ancient four elements - Fire, Earth, Air and Water - plus Akasha, or Quintessence. His attributions of the elements are essentially the same as those in other
systems and books: Water for emotions, intuition; Fire for aggressiveness, passion, etc. In his view, the skillful magician was one who could manipulate the Elements to achieve
desired effects. Of course, before the student could become master of the Elements, he had to harmonize and control the manifestations of all Elements in his own being.
Bardon taught that man was superior to all spirits, demons and angels in that only man was a "four-pole" being - that is, combining the energies of all the Elements. For instance,
gnomes are strictly creatures of Earth, sylphs of Air and so forth. He cautioned the student to beware of tricks and deceptions on the parts of these creatures, who wished to capture a part of the human's soul.
In Bardon's words: "Any deliberate cause, maybe such as a wish, a thought or any imagination created in this sphere together with the dynamic concentration of willpower,
unshaken faith and fullest conviction is bound to be realized with the help of the elements..." Consciousness knows neither time nor space, and is therefore an akasha
principle. He also instructs the student to re-dissolve the akasha into the universe rather than keep it accumulated. In other words, the "magickal" frame of mind should not be the same as the everyday one.
Preparation of the Student
A pillar of Bardon's method is the point that the magician must be balanced in the Elements that make up his own being. A student with an excess or lack of any Element
could not achieve great success, no matter how much work he does. An analogy would be an auto engine: no matter how much fuel you feed to it, it can only generate so much if it
is not properly tuned and balanced. After a point, the engine will either wear out quickly or fail if you attempt to make it perform beyond its limits. The difference with humans is that our limits are self-imposed.
Bardon also insists on the point that the student begin at the beginning and not skip any section of his training. The student must completely master each step before proceeding
on to the next. Again, the analogy to other endeavors is clear. If magick is a skill like flying, then the student cannot neglect the study of airplanes, weather, safety, avionics and
so forth, without serious difficulties in the future.
Finally, as many teachers say, the student must keep a complete and accurate record. Without this, it is hard to repeat successes and avoid repeating mistakes.
Outline of Bardon's Magickal Curriculum
Although Bardon divides his praxis into ten steps, these are somewhat arbitrary. Here is a summary of his main points:
1. Self-Analysis & Basic Exercises
As mentioned above, the student must work diligently on understanding and harmonizing the four Elements within his own being before doing any further occult work.
Bardon prescribes several weeks of minute, mercilessly honest self-observation and recording of one's faults and failings. The student classifies each under the four Elemental
categories to see which Elements are out of balance in his Self. A similar exercise classifies his virtues and strengths. Since the magician is to have control over all the Elemental
worlds, he must not be unbalanced or have any obsessions that would impede his effectiveness, or allow weak spots that could cause his undoing.
2. Intermediate Concentration & Breathing
In the next step, the student strengthens his ability to concentrate and performs breathing exercises and the techniques of autosuggestion. Bardon regards these as the secret key to the subconscious.
Bardon distinguishes carefully between two kinds of breathing: Pulmonary (normal) and through the skin. This second type of breathing takes practice. The body can respire
automatically, but the student needs to learn to control it, combine it with voluntary pulmonary breathing and selectively inspire the various Elements and Akasha.
3. Advanced Visualization Exercises & Element Manipulation
This step entails intense concentration on and visualization of increasingly more
complex objects, and "inhaling" the Elements into the body. The student also learns the "loading," or charging, of talismans, rooms, or objects for protection, healing, or other purposes.
4. Accumulation of Elements & Rituals
In this part of the training the student, works to perfect the balancing and concentrating
of Elementary energies in the student's own and other persons's bodies. In Bardon's system, "rituals" are not what we normally think of as such, but rather mnemonics based
on hand gestures, verbal formulas or visual keys. He claims that once you understand the energies properly, [you] can recall an energy or situation with merely a surreptitious hand
gesture, a silent formula or a combination thereof.
5. Transplanting Consciousness & Levitation
This step consists of a graduated series of exercises to prepare the student for physical
and astral levitation and astral travel, as a prelude to communication with astral beings.
Communication with the astral world can either be active or passive. Passive techniques
are simpler and safer, thus Bardon presents them first.
6. Introduction to Astral Beings & Astral Travel
Besides astral beings and travel, this chapter deals with the creation of non-physical
beings for the magician's use. Bardon also discusses the perils of accidentally creating them. This inadvertent creation of phantasms which can attach to and parasitize the
operator is a great danger for the dabbler in occultism. At this point, Bardon again insists that the student not skip any step in his development, in order to avoid this serious problem.
7. Development of Clairvoyance, Clairaudience & Other Abilities:
Creation of Elementaries
Bardon gives formulas for accessories such as special eye-baths and ear-plugs to aid in
development of supersensory perception. He also discusses magick animation of pictures and statues.
8. "Fluid Condensers"
These are special tools which the magician creates to concentrate, store, and manipulate
the electric and magnetic fluids. He gives fairly detailed instructions for making, charging and using these "condensers."
First, Bardon teaches that even minute quantities gold can add enormously to the
accumulative power of any condenser. Thus, he recommends preparing a gold tincture to "charge" any condensers the student makes. The easiest way is to dissolve a gram of
soluble gold chloride in 20 grams of distilled water. (Gold chloride is fairly expensive -
about $50 per gram.)
Here is an interesting example of Bardon's condensers: Put a handful of fresh or dry chamomile flowers into a pot. Pour enough cold water over them to cover them
completely. Let the chamomile flowers boil for about 20 minutes. Cool them, but leave the lid on the pot and strain the decoction. Put this on the fire again and allow it to
evaporate slowly until it weighs about 50 grams. A few drops more or less do not matter at all. Let the extract cool and, for better preservation, mix it with the same quantity (in
this case 50 grams) of spirit or alcohol. (Remember to never use methyl or wood alcohol in any preparation meant to be used in or on the body.) To this mixture add about 10 drops of the gold tincture prepared above.
Bardon continues:
If you wish to use the condenser for your own purposes, you may still strengthen it, by adding a drop of your blood or sperm, if possible both together, on a swab of cotton wool,
throw this afterwards without any scruples into the condenser and shake the lot well. Then, pour all, in a funnel, through filter paper or linen into a small bottle and keep it well
corked in a cool and dark place, ready to use. The magician can use these condensers in many ways: mixing them with liquids to drink, for anointing, mixing them with incense
compounds, or pouring them in small bowls to collect and concentrate certain energies. Any fluid condenser which has been prepared in this manner does not lose its efficiency
even after many years. The condenser must be well shaken each time you are going to use it, the bottle is to be corked again after withdrawing some out of it. In the same way you
can prepare several universal condensers from Russian or genuine Chinese tea, from lily-blossoms-best are the white ones-popular leaves, alraune roots or mandragora roots,
arnica montana, acacia flowers. Any simple fluid condenser, prepared from one plant is sufficient for normal use such as influencing through the elements, or developing the astral senses by means of the fluid condensers.
9. Magick Mirrors for Astral Travel & Healing
The magick mirror (of which the crystal ball is a species) is valuable for many experiments
in clairvoyance, clairaudience and the like. After a brief description, Bardon lists many ways the magician can use it. He describes treatment of the sick using electro-magnetic
fluids and the magickal loading of talismans, amulets and gems.
10. Elevation of the Spirit to Higher Levels
This chapter discusses the various ways the student should improve his spiritual qualities.
Bardon wraps up with a discussion of several occult topics such as exteriorization, levitation, production of natural phenomena, suggestion, hypnosis, psychometry and long distance impregnation of rooms.
An amazing book on Communicating with Spirits
Bardon's second published work, The Practice of Magical Evocation, is a remarkable and unique work of nearly 500 pages. The first of its two parts is an exhaustive description of
the many tools and apparatus the magician needs to work. The topics he treats include: The Magick Circle, Triangle, Censer, Mirror, Lamp, Wand, Sword, Dagger, Trident,
Crown, Cap and Magus-Band. This book is much more ceremonially oriented than the first, which requires a minimum of apparatus. The Practice of Magical Evocation is a
classic magickal grimoire, or instruction manual - probably one of the best ever written.
The second part of the book is a huge catalog of spirits or entities that the student is supposed to be able to contact after perfecting the techniques in the first book. A short
paragraph accompanies most of the entries explaining the specialty or purpose of the being and what skills, knowledge or advantage it can bring the occult practitioner. Bardon states
several times that he has contacted all these entities himself and is writing what he knows in the first person. In fact, he says there are many more entities he has omitted, because of their unsuitability for beginners.
The names of these spirits are quite interesting. A few of them are the same as the corresponding names in the "classical" magickal traditional. His "72 spirits of the Mercury
sphere" are exactly the 72 angels of the Schem-ha-mephorash. Some of them are oddly changed. For instance, "osrail" is clearly the same as "Azrael," and "Opollogon" appears to
correspond to "Apollyon." These spirits are described in Barrett's The Magus, among other books. The changes in spelling may be due to the fact that Bardon originally wrote
in Czechoslovakian or German. However, most of his other spirits I have been unable to trace. For instance, here are some of the spirits of the Mars sphere, none of which I can
locate in other references: Rarum, Gibsir, Rahol, and Adica. These names may be from an obscure medieval grimoire, have different meanings in Czechoslovakian, or have some
relation to his own Qabalistic system - but so far I have been unable to make such a connection. (Note: Franz Bardon's mother tongue appears to have been German, also Czechoslovakian as a language is inexistant.)
Bardon's Unique Qabalistic System
After the second book, the coherence and organization of Bardon's work deteriorates noticeably. His third published work was The Key to the True Qabalah. His Qabalistic
system depends on the sounds of the various letters of the alphabet. It's not clear that this was exhaustively thought out, since there are many alphabets in use (even among Western
languages). Hebrew, Cyrillic and Arabic all have different alphabets, and some (Chinese) have no alphabet at all. He uses his Qabala somewhat differently than other occultists: he
connects Qabalistic formulae to various processes (e.g., a vibration consisting of the sounds "KTM" is a formula to load a room for protections, "AAQ" is used for remote healing, etc.).
Bardon also uses his Qabalah as sort of shorthand: once the occultist has made contact with some planetary intelligence, for instance, he can re-contact the intelligence by using
its "phone number" for simplicity.
Later Books of Rough Quality
It is clear that after the first two books, much less time or assistance was available for Bardon to get his work in print. Perhaps he was incarcerated or dead and unable to help
with the editing. In any case, Bardon's production after this point declined rapidly. The next book was Frabato the Magician for which Bardon only had notes. In the English
edition, the publisher added extensive notes to indicate that the book (and appended material) is, in essence, Bardon's unedited notes. However, this is an intriguing occult
novel somewhat along the lines of those of Dion Fortune. (Note: Frabato The Magician was compiled by Bardon's German publisher Dieter Rüggeberg.)
Franz Bardon Today
A few years ago, an enthusiastic student started the "Franz Bardon Foundation" in Denver, Colorado. He showed his devotion to the "Magus Guru", as he called Bardon, by
changing his name to "Jim Bardon." For a time, I subscribed to this newsletter, which was 4 or 8 pages and issued a few times a year. The newsletter was, I am sure, a sincere effort
and often had interesting and useful ideas. Unfortunately, it also included much peripheral material that seemed to have no direct connection with Bardon's works. Each issue
repeated much of the same information about "Jim Bardon's" predictions of major recessions and at least one world war between 1989 and 2005. I'm not sure if the recent
Persian Gulf war would qualify. There is nothing in Franz Bardon's own writings that would support these theories. Furthermore, Jim Bardon, in his bulletins also advertised his
own publications, astrological service and hermetic training.
I lost contact with him when he raised the yearly subscription for his newsletter from $25.00 to $50.00 - in order, he said, to separate the sincere from the frivolous. Apparently
Mr. Bardon's Foundation is still in existence. A classified ad in a recent issue of Llewellyn's New Times gives a phone number for it in Seattle, Washington.
Summary of Franz Bardon and Editorial
Perhaps it is unfair to make such comparisons, but it is interesting to contrast Franz Bardon's works with those of the other great magickal teacher of the century, Aleister
Crowley. Although when the spirit moved him, Crowley could be intensely disciplined, kind and helpful to his students and magnanimous, he also enjoyed a life filled with sex,
drugs, alcohol and bon vivant - all of which are integral parts of his magickal philosophy. Crowley was continually heaping praise on himself, excoriating those he felt were beneath
him, discarding students as unworthy, and continuously justifying his behavior. He praised strength and sneered at weakness. Crowley's writings are full of literary practical jokes,
insults to the reader's intelligence, and deliberate deceptions.
Bardon represented almost everything that Crowley was not. He appeared to be patient, devout, non-judgmental and earnest. He insisted that only through balance and purging of
excesses could one achieve success in magick. And (though this probably reflects my personal biases), it seems that Bardon's reticence and cautionary tone concerning sexual
magick is a much more reasonable attitude than Crowley's, especially for beginners.
Certainly not one occultist in a thousand has made good use of sex magick, whereas an unfortunately large number have become obsessed, or worse. How many people have you
heard of who have improved themselves through sex magick? But it's certainly a heck of a lot more fun than the drudgery of discipline. Similar observations apply to students whose
magickal work revolves around the use of intoxicants and narcotics.
I feel that Bardon does deliver what he promises: detailed magickal instruction for the diligent and serious student who, for whatever reason, cannot or will not attach to a
magickal order or group. It is sometimes a challenge to penetrate the mediocre translations of his works, but with supplementary magickal study things do become clear.
Bibliography
Works by Franz Bardon
Der Weg zum wahren Adepten (1st ed. 1956).
Die Praxis der magischen Evokation (1st ed. 1956).
Der Schlüssel zur wahren Qabalah (1st ed. 1957).
Frabato: Ein okkulter Roman (1st ed. 1979).
Initiation into Hermetics (1st English ed. 1962).
The Practice of Magical Evocation (1st English ed. 1967).
The Key to the True Qabalah (1st English ed. 1971). The formulas mentioned above,
to immobilize one's enemies, are in this book under the headings "E-M" and "E-N."
Frabato the Magician (1st English ed. 1971). This is an "occult novel" which
Bardon's student and friend Otti Votavova claimed was based on true events. This edition also contains fragments from a work that Bardon was never able to complete. Published
under the title "the Golden Book of Wisdom" and an unpublished tract titled
"High Magic."
Other Related Works
The dates given after the titles are the years of first English publication. Most of the works listed below have been reprinted in various formats, some many times.
Barret, Francis, The Magus, London (1801), offers information on "classical" demonology.
Blätter für Lebenskunst, August 1956, p. 3.
Cavendish, Richard, ed., Man, Myth and Magic (1970). See articles on "Magnetism" and "Double" for information on Baron von Reichenbach's theories.
David-Neel, Alexandra, Magic and Mystery in Tibet (1931) and Initiation and Initiates in Tibet (1932). Bardon refers to these in a few places.
Flowers, S. Edred (pseud. of S. Edred Thorsson), The Fraternity of Saturn (1990).
This is surprisingly good. It is well documented and relatively sane. Of course, in order
to sell the books, it emphasizes the sexual magick aspect of the Fraternity of Saturn.
Howe, Ellic, The Magicians of the Golden Dawn (1972). See p. 282, Note 1, on the banning of the Fraternity of Saturn.
King, Francis, Sexuality, Magic and Perversion: The Secret Rituals of the O.T.O. (1973), The Magical World of Aleister Crowley (1977). Although long on sensationalism,
King's works are usually reliable and relatively well-documented.
Levi, Eliphas (pseud. of Alphonse Louis Constant, transl. by A.E.Waite),
Transcendental Magic (1896). This is an English edition of Dogme de la Haute Magie (1855) and Rituel de la Haute Magie (1856).
Rüggeberg, Dieter, letter to the author, Oct 28, 1988. Herr Rüggeberg, the longtime
publisher of Bardon's books in English, wrote this in response to a query for more information about Bardon's life.
von Reichenbach, Baron Karl, Physico-Physiological Researches on the Dynamics of
Magnetism, (1850, 1851) and The Odic Force: Letters on Od and magnetism, (1926 reprinted 1968).
Wilson, Colin, The Occult (1971) offers information on von Reichenbach's theories.
© 1991 by Tim Scott
For further information on "most recent discoveries and detailed discussions about all things related to Bardon", Tim Scott recommends "the best resource for anything
related to Franz Bardon is Paul Allens' fantastic website www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/6243/".
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