Philosophy and Religion

In THE PATH OF MODERN YOGA, Elliott Goldberg shows how yoga was transformed from a sacred practice into a health and fitness regime for middle-class Indians in the early 20th century and then gradually transformed over the course of the 20th century into an embodied spiritual practice - a yoga for our times.Drawing on more than 10 years of research from rare primary sources as well as recent schol

After returning from a tour of duty during the war in Afghanistan, Alex Seymour needed a way to cope with the extremes he experienced as a member of the Royal Marine Commandos, losing 7 men in his unit and having his best friend critically injured by a Taliban bomb. Drawing upon his pre-deployment experiences with DMT and psilocybin mushrooms, Alex knew that entheogens could help him release his f

Dr. John Dee (1527–1608), Queen Elizabeth I's court advisor and astrologer, was the foremost scientific genius of the 16th century. Laying the foundation for modern science, he actively promoted mathematics and astronomy as well as made advances in navigation and optics that helped elevate England to the foremost imperial power in the world. Centuries ahead of his time, his theoretical work includ

No decade in modern history has generated more controversy and divisiveness than the tumultuous 1960s. For some, the '60s were an era of free love, drugs and social revolution. For others, the Sixties were an ungodly rejection of all that was good and holy. Embarking on a profound search for the spiritual meaning behind the massive social upheavals of the 1960s, Tobias Churton turns a kaleidoscopi

Most people are familiar with the popular image of elves as Santa's helpers and dwarfs as little bearded men wearing red caps, who are mischievous and playful, helpful and sly, industrious and dexterous. But their roots go far deeper than their appearance in fairy tales and popular stories. Elves and dwarfs are survivors of a much older belief system that predates Christianity and was widespread t

Henry Corbin (1903-1978) was one of the most important French philosophers and orientalists of the 20th century. In this collection of previously unpublished writings, Corbin examines the work of Carl Jung in relationship to the deep spiritual traditions of Eastern religion, the esoteric wisdom teachings of Sophia, the transformational symbolism of alchemy and Sufi mysticism. Looking at the many m

Our ancestors were deeply aware of the magical power of their local landscape, no matter where they lived. Every interaction with their environment from building to farming to the layout of ancient cities took into account terrestrial energies, ancestral memory and the many seen and unseen presences in Nature. They developed sophisticated procedures for orienting their living spaces and respectful

On November 24, 1979, Christopher M. Bache took the first step on what would become a life-changing journey. Drawing from his training as a philosopher of religion, Bache set out to explore his mind and the mind of the universe as deeply and systematically as possible, with the help of the psychedelic drug LSD. Following protocols established by Stanislav Grof, Bache's 73 high-dose LSD sessions ov

Written two years before his most prominent book Revolt Against the Modern World, Julius Evola's THE FALL OF SPIRITUALITY was originally published in Italian as Maschera e volto dello spiritualismo contemporaneo (The Mask and Face of Contemporary Spiritualism). In it, the Baron critiques the spiritual schools, cults, philosophies, and mystical teachers of the 20th century--from spiritism and theos

Scientific orthodoxy views the universe as conceived of matter-protons, neutrons, electrons, down to the smallest particle, quarks. But, when you keep digging, what is “beneath” quarks? The scientific worldview does not take into account consciousness or life itself. How did consciousness become part of the material universe? Is it a by-product of brain chemistry or a constituent of reality? Or, t

When actor Christopher Reeve was asked in a BBC interview which book he would want if stranded on a desert island, he replied, "The Inner Reality by the philosopher Paul Brunton." A provocative and compelling work, The Inner Reality is an essential guide for spiritual seekers. First published in the 1930s, this remarkable book interweaves the teachings of two great religious figures: Jesus and K

I have this gemAnd it's looking for a beholderHAFIZ'S LITTLE BOOK OF LIFE is a lush collection of more than 250 poems by Hafiz, commonly known as the Tongue of the Hidden. In Iran, ordinary people memorize poetry of Hafiz. Lines from his poems are quoted as proverbs in everyday life. Stars can be heard singing his poetry on the radio. A copy of his collected work (divan) can be found in any averag

Offering a fascinating introduction to the occult practice of sex magic in the Western esoteric tradition, Michael William West explores its history from its reintroduction in the early 19th century via Paschal Beverly Randolph to the practices, influence, and figureheads of the 20th and 21st century such as Anton LaVey, founder of the Church of Satan, and Genesis P-Orridge, founder of Thee Temple

The Earth resonates at an extremely low frequency. Known as “the Schumann Resonance,” this natural rhythm of the Earth precisely corresponds with the human brain's alpha wave frequencies--the frequency at which we enter into and come out of sleep as well as the frequency of deep meditation, inspiration, and problem solving. Sound experiments reveal that sacred sites and structures like stupas, pyr

The Middle Ages witnessed the blossoming of oral traditions whose echoes can still be found in many legends, fables, and tales today. In this collection of medieval tales of witchcraft, wonder, and the supernatural, Claude and Corinne Lecouteux explain how many of these stories arose in Classical Antiquity while some made their way into Dark Ages Europe from the Middle East and India. Offering com

In this exploration of the history of the runes from 1500 CE to the present day, Stephen Edred Flowers examines the five periods of runic revival: the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, the Romantic period, the early 20th century, and the late 20th century. For each period, he discusses both the scholarly studies and those focused on the esoteric mysteries of the runes--and how these two branches of

In 1975, in an isolated Himalayan forest, Daniel Odier met Lalita Devi, a Tantric yogini who took him on a mystical journey beyond the limits of sexual experience to transcend the ego, recognize the true self, and rediscover the Divine nature of absolute love. Now, after decades of integrating the profound wisdom of his master, Odier shares the secret teachings and self-realization practices of th

Kriya yoga is an ancient meditation technique that focuses on breathing and the spine to unlock deep states of awareness, self-realization, and spiritual growth. Kriya can provide a fast path to awakening, yet its practice has been shrouded in secrecy, passed only from master to initiate for millennia. Introduced into Kriya 40 years ago, Keith Lowenstein, M.D., offers an accessible yet detailed gu

Offering an illustrated exploration of the origins and history of amulets, lucky charms, talismans, and mascots, including photos of unique and original artifacts from his extensive collection, Nigel Pennick examines these objects from a magical perspective, from ancient Egypt to the present. He looks at the age-old spiritual principles, folklore, and esoteric traditions behind their creation as w