Book Reviews & Suggestions

[taceyoto]

I hope this is the right place to post this.

Again, with all the alchemic texts in the world, who has time to read them all? I am sure some of us would love to, but until immortality is granted, this is an aspect of alchemic community we can benefit from. Here you can talk about books you have read pertaining to Alchemy and post your opinions and some points you found interesting or lacking in the books. This way knowledge can be shared more efficiently and hopefully create some intellectual conversation and some form of bonding within the group. Good Luck!

[deviadah]

Great idea...
and worthy to place as a sticky!

Let me just advice future posts in this topic to cite sources and also provide links related to the book reviewed (or if possible to the book itself if it's possible to read it on-line).

[taceyoto]

I am currently reading Sorcerer's Stone by Dennis William Hauck, I will supply a review when I am done unless someone has already read it...

[BeautifulEvil]

I'm wondering if anybody has read Le Mystère des Cathédrales (The Mystery of the Cathedrals) by Fulcanelli?

I've heard some interesting thing about the book, but never had the chance to purchase it.

[Jepetto]

Title: The Tarot: A Contemporary Course of the Quintessence of Hermetic Occultism
Author: Mouni Sadhu
ISBN: 1-904658-00-8
Publisher: Aeon www.aeonbooks.co.uk

Im about 150 pages in and on the 7th Arcanum. So far, I am impressed with this book, though it is my first book on Hermetic philosophy. The author had used the major arcana as a guide through the ideas. And each Arcanum is broken into several lessons. The lessons themselves are packed with information and ideas with little filler or fluff.

One thing that has thrown me is that in this book, Lesson One starts with the Magician, and Aleph, while most references I see online start with the Fool. I had read somewhere that there is a small group who do use this method. The examples given in the book though are very convincing and seem to resonate very strongly inside.

[deviadah]

I'm wondering if anybody has read Le Mystère des Cathédrales...

Here you go: The Mystery of the Cathedrals (PDF download)

Also looking forward to your final judgement Jepetto!

[Aunt Clair]

Title :Initiation into Hermetics
Author : Bardon , Franz
Published in English by : Merkur Pub Co (March 2001)
ISBN-10: 1885928122
ISBN-13: 978-1885928122
Available at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Initiation-into-Hermetics-Franz-Bardon/dp/1885928122
ebook
http://highmagic.net/pdf/initiation.pdf

Initiation into Hermetics by Franz Bardon is a classic primer which is hugely helpful in Hermetic Alchemy . Franz
Bardon is a Czech magician who authored many occult books . Bardon was an incredible magician and so he was imprisoned by the Nazis and endured torture since he refused to give up arcane wisdoms to them .

IIH is his most famous book and ,after a read, you will understand why . The steps he sets out are called the "10 Step Path of the Magician" , globally and these are useful frameworking into other magical studies beyond Hermeticism and Alchemy .

Each of the 10 Steps have three parts including a mental , physical and psychic components .

IIH is a clear and defined introduction to the utitlity of elemental energies.. Energy is the foundation of all magic and alchemy . Energy is not only pertinent to healing but is also useful for projection to the Higher Planes to be instructed by the Mahatma in matters of spiritual alchemy and transmutations.

Bardon offers methods to develop meditative trance , projection , clairvoyance and clairaudience too, those these are not as clearly set out or as effective as his methods on the attributes , flow and utility of energies .

[monkeyblood]

Thanks for the tip,A.C. I just checked out I I H on Amazon thru that link you posted....there were 46 reviews...overwhelmingly positive....so I just bought my first foray into the world of alchemy......Bardon sounds an intriguing character from some of the things that were written about him in the reviews so I will be doing some research....just a question....has anyone studied the works of Michael Scot the alchemist?....and have an opinion?.....he also translated some of Aristotles works when they came back to the West....Dante had him in one of his circles of hell....also an intriguing person.....

[horticult]

Hello boys, I read almost everything from FB; he is my countryman. No too bad for start. In magic rings here are jokes about his methodology. Verbatim translation:

Hi, how are you?
Well, I am exercising Bardon for 6 months.
Really, and can he retrieve yet??

So, I do not know yours common names for dogs and the proper expression for their training, so use your own ingenuity to figure that joke out.

[horticult]

Fulcanelli s The Mystery of the Cathedrals and The Dwellings of the Philosophers are quite interesting. I have my noose in them for 10y now... You must be very vigilant about succession:
materia prima IS NOT prima materia
and various
ADJECTIVES. that bloody mercury and other things have millions of different ADJECTIVES; that basically mean that author is speaking about something totally different or in another phase; yes, lead is gold, but in another time or from another point of view!!! philosopher is not equal sage etc etc... ...

There is somewhere www page about his identity - it seems that he was a world famous chemist, and one of his inventions we are using maybe daily;; I am calling him comte de rajon.

[monkeyblood]

....I got the gist of the joke,H,.....i think.....so who do you recommend?

[spectre]

Initiation into Hermetics seems to be best for practical spirit and magick works. However one chapter I noticed is about some alchemical work: Magick Physical Training (VIII) 5. - 9.. He talks about herbal and metal tinctures but he calls these "Fluid Condensers" and their purpose is mostly for what he calls "mental" (spirit) or "psychic" (soul) purposes but he shortly mentions "life elixirs". He mentions that you can make an alchemical elixir, or "fluid condenser", that benefits all parts: the mental, psychic and physical parts of yourself.

I've got one question: What's the difference between essences and tinctures?

[ryanl]

In dealing with herbs, a tincture is basically an extract in solution with Ethanol or distilled water. Laudanum was a tincture of Opium, for example.

An essense would be the "essential oil" of the herb and would be free of the Ethanol solution. In Alchemy, the essense is referred to as "mercury" which is not the same as metallic mercury (quicksilver), but it kind of shares the same properties of quicksilver. Like quicksilver, you can't burn it because it vaporizes in heat and flies away to condense again when cooled.

Because of the essense's indestructible nature, it's sometimes referred to as the spirit of the herb.

I hope this helps!

[spectre]

Yes thank you very much!

I asked because Franz Bardon wrote that "tinctures are for the astral sphere (soul/psychic)" and that "essences are for the mental sphere (spirit)".

[monkeyblood]

One thing that has thrown me is that in this book, Lesson One starts with the Magician, and Aleph, while most references I see online start with the Fool. I had read somewhere that there is a small group who do use this method. The examples given in the book though are very convincing and seem to resonate very strongly inside.

I got my copy of Bardon's Initiation into Hermetics last week....gotta love Amazon sometimes,all the way from the States in eight days!.....so I did the preliminary skim read which was useful as a brief overview and have settled down to read it thoroughly with highlighter in hand.
Bardon also claims the Magician is the first card of the tarot.....I have heard others say that The Fool is as well.....some say it can be either......it can be confusing....for what its worth I was taught the Magician is the first.....the Fool not being represented by any number.
It was interesting to note the importance he placed on the knowledge of the elements....obviously they are very important in astrology as well,which is my interest...astrology,properly studied,takes the understanding of the elements to a deeper level by the study of the Aristotleian Four Primary Qualities of hot,dry,moist,cold which informs understanding of the elements,Fire,Water,Air and Earth.
I have been (trying) to applying myself to Step 1.....I have been really lazy when it comes to meditating for a while now so I thought it was time......thought control is 'extremely important in magical development' (pg 67)......well,I had been doing it before bed and I find its been a great way to beat insomnia.....lol....so I do it after my morning exercise and I have to report that I have alot of work to do in that department.....the monkey mind!......
I also like the emphasis on diet and looking after the body....I've been keeping a food diary and am in horror at the results......I just didnt realise how much crap I eat....I blame Taurus rising with Jupiter on it......the mention of skinbrushing is good....something I often forget to do...
All in all I am finding it very useful in reminding me to do things I already know....I particularly like the way all the facets of magical training are put together.....it is a little dry and densely written so it calls for careful rereading to remember everything....most of all its all about the practice!.....wish there was a local magical training support group....