DONT buy Bucklands big blue book. He quotes himself over and over and over and talks mostly about his own version of Wicca called Seax Wicca - which supposedly is a recon of old Anglo Saxon paganism - which as an englishman interested in his history and occultist I can tell you is nonsense. If you want Wicca then read the classics by Gardner, Valient, the Farrar's Whiches Bible is also good.
The New Encyclopedia of the Occult is recomended - but understand that it is PURE reference and not a "how to". The book of Magicians tables is also good as is the Magicians Companion. Crowley's 777 is also excellent as a source for correspondencies and numerlology. Dont buy the Grimoire for the apprentice Wizard unless you are 10 years old and think Hogwarts is a real place.
Get some good Quabbala primers. Duquette's Chicken Quabbala is a good primer, Regardie's Middle Pillar and Garden of Pomegranetes is also good. Mystic Quabbala by Dion Fortune is a classic. Lisiewski's qabbalistic handbook is also good (he did some other Quabbala books plus a good book on evocation also).
Modern Magick is a good primer, as is High Magick by frater U.D. Kraig's is watered down GD and Thelema - which irritates some - he also crosses his systems (blending crowley, GD, witchcraft etc) which irritates others. But it is a good book if you are serious about training and getting into the daliy habits of rituals such as LBRP, Middle Pillar, C of L, LBRH, etc. I would maybe start with Kraig - and then change to Thelema - with Duquettes "Rituals of Thelema" as a primer and then Crowley's book 4.
Regardies Golden Dawn is a classic and a good into to the grandaddy of occult movements.
Duquette's Rituals of Thelema and guide to the Thoth Tarot are good primers to the works of Crowley. After reading these you can tackle serious works such as Crowleys Book 4 (although read Magick without tears first). If you go Thelema then you should also read the Holy Books of Thelema.
In regards to why I do not recommend Kraig's work, it is exactly as was stated so well above, as well as finding several glaring errors and (IMO) misconceptions.
Don't get me wrong. Kraig's book did a good job of introducing CM to many people. However, most everyone I personaly know who started with Kraig soon outgrew Modern Magick. I purchased it with the intention of using it as a guide to help me structure one of my classes on ceremonial magick that I was teaching. I was looking for something other than that of an order like the G.'.D.'.'s elemental grade approach. I did get some good ideas on how to approach a lesson plan, but that was it.
Not knocking it, but if you are looking for a good guide to the Golden Dawn's system *1I would not recommend Regardie's "Golden Dawn" for two primary reasons. First, the novice may have some difficulty in the way that the knowledge is presented; and secondly I.R.'s G.'.D.'. is not designed as a course of study.
If you are interested in following a very well prescribed course of CM study and practice go with the Cicero's "Self Initiation into the Golden Dawn".
The Cicero's worked with Regardie towards a shared the vision to make the knowledge in the G.'.D.'. more accesible to the solitary student.
Include "Creating Magical Tools" and "Ritual use of the Magickal Tools" also by the Cicero's and you will have more than enough resource material to access the knowledge and teachings of the G.'.D.'.
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