Philosophy and Religion

This book explains Frederick Carter's wholly original interpretation of the dragon as a central force in St. John's apocalyptic vision in the Book of Revelation. Weaving the biblical story together with zodiacal and astrological references and their ancient meanings, this book reexamines the vision from a new point of view and asks: Was it prophetic, an allegorical teaching, or an account of a m

An investigation of the Eleusinian mysteries, supposed by some to be the predecessors of Masonic rites. Contents: Eleusinian legend; Ritual of the mysteries; Program of the greater mysteries; Initiatory rites; Their mystical significance; Bibliography.

A useful source book for Pagan spiritualists. Elisabeth Goldsmith examines symbols found in the art and artefacts from across cultures and throughout history. Explanations reveal the symbolism of the Elements, the Lotus, the Tree of Life, the Cross, the Swastika, and many more.Elisabeth Goldsmith begins Ancient Pagan Symbols with a poetic description of the creative forces of life and the metaphys

Hazrat Inayat Khan's books were among the first to bring Sufism to the West. They remain among the most important introductions Westerners have to the concepts of the ancient religious tradition. In Rassa Shastra, Khan shares his teachings on Sufi ideas about the spiritual and sacred purpose of sex and relationships and stresses 'true union', one of the Sufi keys to perfection.

First published in 1912, William Gemmell's translation of The Diamond Sutra was one of the first books to introduce general readers in the West to Buddhism. It still stands as a refreshing, easy-to-understand look at an ancient and enduring tradition. The Diamond Sutra, a sacred Buddhist text, recounts the Buddha's discourse to one of his disciples. It discusses fundamental Buddhist practices,

Important Symbols presents an extensive compilation of the symbols of ancient cultures, describing the context and usage of each symbol around the world and throughout time. Adelaide Hall groups the symbols into categories, each comprising a chapter of the book. Chapters including "The Halo and the Crown," "Fabulous Creatures," "Architectural Forms," "Military Emblems," "Plants and Blossoms," "A

William Greene was unique among his fellow Christian writers on the Kabbalah in that he saw clearly both its significance for Freemasonry and its application to radical thought. He prefaced his study, first published in 1872, with a stirring account of the significant Masonic symbol of the Blazing Star - a symbol also of liberty of conscience and political freedom, goals that must still be sought

In The House of the Hidden Places, first published in 1895, Adams clearly lays out evidence that the Great Pyramid at Giza corresponds architecturally to the initiation ritual detailed in the Egyptian Book of the Dead (which Adams preferred to call what he felt was its rightful title, The Book of the Maste). The House of the Hidden Places was the first book to go beyond the current speculations

The Divine Names and The Mystical Theology were written by a theologian who professed to be St. Paul's Athenian convert, Dionysius. Rolt, however, places him in the time of Proclus, in the 5th century a.d. These works of Neo-Platonic Christian mysticism had an important influence on the early church and other Western esoteric orders and continue to be essential in the serious study of theology.

This book is a milestone in Western magical practice. Often erroneously called a forgery, it is in fact six separate books in one, the first two being by Agrippa (1486-1535). One of them, Of Magical Ceremonies, is Agrippa's clearest step-by-step formulation of how to perform an evocation, much more openly expressed than in his Three Books of Occult Philosophy. In addition there is the key grimoire

From the latches on our kitchen cabinets to the magnetic strips on our credit cards, we take magnetic forces for granted every day. Magnets are a relatively new technology, although people have remarked on naturally-occurring magnets, or loadstones, for hundreds of years. Mickaharic, in his inimitable, no-nonsense style relates the history and folklore of magnets and how they work, and explains

This little book is an engaging treatise on prayer throughout history, how people have prayed, what true prayer is, and what it can do. Originally published in 1912, it contains truths that stand fast today. Wright says "the object of prayer is not to change that which is immutable, a self-evident impossibility, but to alter the conscious or unconscious rebellion of the individual against such

This abridgment of Il Direttorio Mistico, written by G.B. Scaramelli (1687?-1752) is a foundational work for people seeking the contemplative life that leads to the Spiritual Marriage, or reintegration of the human spirit with God. Nicholson's translation has been skillfully abridged to include the most cogent material. Step-by-step, Scaramelli describes mystical theology in general and then moves

The Jesus Prayer is based on the power of the name of the Lord. In this exceptional translation of Bishop Brianchaninov's essay on the Jesus Prayer, we are introduced to a spiritual exercise known as Hesychasm. Hesychasm gives expression to the method of enlightenment that has been in use in Christian monasteries in the East almost from Apostolic times. The practice of Hesychasm falls into three p

This volume contains three of Jan van Ruysbroeck's best works: The Adornment of the Spiritual Marriage, The Sparkling Stone, and The Book of Truth. These works are remarkable for their combination of lofty spiritual philosophy and robust common sense. As we read them, we feel that we are in touch with a man who, in his ecstatic ascents to God, never loses hold of the actualities of human life. I

In The Serpent Myths of Ancient Egypt, William Ricketts Cooper focuses on the serpent myth and ideology in ancient Egypt and how it applies to the Ritual of the Dead. He supports his study with copious illustrations showing the two aspects of the serpent: protector and destroyer. A group discussion with the themes of the serpent in history and myths of other cultures is included in the appendix,

Alchemy is the ancient sacred science concerned with the mysteries of life and consciousness as reflected through all Nature. It is a harmonious blending of physical and subtle forces which lifts the subject, whether it be man or metal, to a more evolved state of being. THE WAY OF THE CRUCIBLE is a ground-breaking modern manual on the art of Alchemy that draws on both modern scientific technology

THE CLAVIS OR KEY TO THE MAGIC OF SOLOMON is one of several notebooks from the estate of Ebenezer Sibley, transcribed under the direction of Frederic Hockley (1808-1885). Sibley was a prominent physician and an influential author, who complemented his scientific studies with writings on the “deeper truths” including magic, astrology, alchemy and hypnotherapy. Both Sibley and Hockley were major ins

The timeless brilliance of this exhaustive survey of the best classical writers of antiquity on Pythagoras was first published in 1687 in Thomas Stanley's massive tome, The History of Philosophy. It remains as contemporary today as it was over three hundred years ago. The text of the 1687 book has been reset and modernised to make it more accessible to the modern reader. Spelling has been correcte

Hermes is the Greek god of the Word, of thought and magic, the swift-moving messenger of the Divine and guardian of souls in the Afterlife.