Dear Andrea,
Thank you so much for your reply to my comment. I understand your statement that books should not be considered as crutches. I most certainly have acquired a vast library of occult books of every subject over my years, and until I finally found the Golden Dawn around 2001, I absorbed myself in most of those books on my shelves, but unfortunately, non opened me up psychically or taught me how to practice magic safely. My statement was not meant to degrade the value of studying theoretical material through books, until one finds a teacher or legitimate school of magic, but to not rely strickly on book learning to begin practicing High Ritual Magic. I saw your reference to buying the book on the Qabbala by Solomo Baal-Shem, and I have purchased it, and in process of reading it.