Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie
“Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie” (English: “Dogma and Ritual of High Magic”) is the title of the first essay on ceremonial magic by Éliphas Lévi, published in two volumes in 1854 (Dogme) and **1856 (Rituel)**¹. Each volume is divided into 22 chapters, corresponding to the tarot deck.
Lévi regarded magic as a “nurse or godmother” of all intellectual forces, and he strongly affirmed the concept of humans as a “microcosm” of the universe, the power of human will, and the effectiveness of sympathetic magic². He saw magic occupying a position between science and religion and believed it could act as a reconciling or intermediary function between these two perspectives². Lévi rejected the notion that magic or religion was irrational and had been superseded by modern science. Instead, he proposed magic as a “mysterious science” and suggested that Hermeticism could be adapted to uncover the fundamental truths behind all magical systems, while calling for “comparative magic.” Lévi advocated a form of Perennialism supported by comparative theology and comparative religion, foreshadowing modern religious studies and contemporary comparative projects in anthropology and linguistics, such as the work of Max Müller²⁴.
This work has attracted scholarly attention for its perspective on the study of magic, religion, natural science, and alchemy². Today, “Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie” continues to be examined and studied for its views on magic and religion.