Product Description
The Emerald Tablet--an ancient documentthat contains the essence of the alchemical teachings--has had an important influence on many Western spiritual and religious traditions. Ostensibly concerned with turning base metals into gold, alchemy was in fact dedicated to transforming the lead of self into the gold of spirit. This brilliant history of alchemy traces its sources back to ancient Egypt, and presents alchemy as a useful, practical system of self-transformation. Each of the seven steps of alchemical transformation is explained, with hands-on techniques and exercises, treating alchemy as a living discipline for achieving a spiritual awakening. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

Emerald Tablet
I appreciate the speed in getting my order within 10 days from country to country. My used book was in a very good condition when I received. Thanks to Amazon.

Emerald Tab
Interesting book, but its mainly just the same passage written over and over by different people though history. Also it looks/feels like a cheap paperback. But if your interested buy it! I found it very insightfull. -MA3 Warber USN

Perfect book at the perfect time...
This book showed up in my life at the perfect time. It provided a new lens for me to overview my life at this unique juncture. I wish I could sit and have a cup of tea with the author, discuss and ask questions, but mostly to express to him my gratitude for the powerful value this book has brought to me. I love his use of personal stories to exemplify a step of the transformation process. Very helpful to read about others in the throes of great challenge and difficulty and the broader process it represents. A life changing book for me! I re-read it immediately upon finishing it and will refer to it often.

The Emerald Tablet
This has the best translation of the Emerald Tablet that I have found so far.It is based on several previous translations, not just one.This makes it easier to read than the traslation in the back od The Three Books of Occult Philosophy by Agrippa.

This Book Sucks
The fact that Mr Stavish, who knows a thing or two about the subject, lauds this book is incomprehensible to me. The book is re-hashed and dumbed down Jung, with a sprinkling of New Age twaddle of the worst sort. Indeed, the thing is so bad I wouldn't want to waste another sentence on it, were it not so pernicious. Beginners should steer well clear, although experienced practitioners and scholars might get a good laugh from the almost complete lack of historical context or understanding displayed by this charlatan. There should be a minus rating system for books like this one, which merits minus-5 stars. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Love's Alchemy
Sidra Patmos is plagued by sinister visions and unexplainable paranormal occurrences that force her to seek out an expert--Van Barlowe.What she discovers is a dark world of demons, wraiths, and immortals who all want something from her.It's a struggle to fight for her sanity and resist her passion for Van.

Van has been searching for the Alchemist for 300 hundred years.The trail has led him to Sidra and she is the means to saving him and his brethren from eternal damnation.He must protect her from those of his kind who seek peace by destroying everything he and his brethren have worked for.

But first, Van must win Sidra's love, trust and willingness to accomplish his goal.Or all is lost.

Ciar Cullen expertly layers paranormal intrigue, mysticism, and romance into Love's Alchemy, until as a reader you can't resist the urge to believe every word.It's sheer talent to possess the ability to seduce an audience into ignoring the fact they're reading fiction.The character development and realistic dialogue adds richness to the narrative.Shadows conceal enemies as friends, and friends as enemies; answers are partially veiled in mystery.

Sidra's and Van's chemistry dazzles and captivates.Both are vulnerable, strong-willed people with a past, present, and future bursting with secrets.Centuries of heartache are lovingly uncovered through Ms. Cullen's paisley pretty writing. Salvation, redemption and exile are played out by the heroes and so-called monsters.Nothing is ever black and white in this thriller, and that's the way I like my harrowing, supernatural literature.References to historical figures are beautifully interspersed into the storyline without missing a beat.Overall, I appreciated the careful construction of each section, the detailed historical value of how alchemy is used in the story and the extra care Ms. Cullen takes to make it all work.While other stories deserve to be labeled as fool's gold, Love's Alchemy is pure platinum.

Patrice F.
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Whipped Cream Erotic Reviews
I became thoroughly enraptured in the mysticism created by Ciar Cullen. This isn't a simplistic tale with minimal plot. Rather, you have a fascinating concept that blooms into a romance that is so much more than you initially perceive. When Sidra meets Van, it's apparent there is a history she remains unaware of - you just have no idea how far back that history goes. As the story progresses and you learn the truth, it's both mind-boggling and completely unexpected. I stopped trying to figure out what was going to happen next and took the ride as intended. The result was an exhilarating journey that is both captivating and emotional. I adored the characters, the plot, the twists and turns, and the new slant on immortality. Although I would love to lavish more praise and provide more details, I won't because the story is best enjoyed when you don't know the specifics. Trust me.

Reader's who enjoy fresh paranormal concepts will appreciate Love's Alchemy for the sheer brilliance of the work. It's been a long time since I've read something so novel, and for that reason alone I think everyone should give this unforgettable story a read. The writing is stellar, the dialogue is witty and tongue-in-cheek, and the love between Sidra and Van is enough to span lifetimes.

Be sure to put Love's Alchemy on your TBR list. This is one story you don't want to miss. 5 cherries

... Read more

Product Description
We are living in a time of great change, and it presents an exceptional opportunity to reclaim our strength, adjust our focus, and become spiritual alchemists, transforming ourselves and our earth. Discover how to reconnect with the divine side of existence by honoring the wisdom inherent in traditions past and present. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Fantastic right on the money AAAAAAA+++++++
I am so impressed with this book, she is such a forward thinker, for those whom are well on the road to their awakening this is a must have, for expansive thinkers only.

applied spirituality
Christine Page is one of the wisest and clearest teachers about ways in which we can transform ourselves, and just what that process looks like, and feels like, in our own lives. Drawing on myth, magic, inspiration and esoteric sciences, she constantly takes the material and anchors it in regular human experience.
This is not like literature, this is a manual for personal growth. I have read and reread it in the brief weeks it has been in my hands. There are certainly thousands of writers who can point to, and identify sources of wisdom. With Page, you know she has traveled every inch of the metaphysical map.
This work builds upon her prior writings regarding the use of the intuition, incorporating the role of sacred sites, sacred architecture, numerology and astrology, just to name a few - in cultivating the soul's expression. Truly a must-read for people who want to get real about their own transformation. ... Read more

Product Description
Ranging from the pre-Christian era to Robert Boyle and Isaac Newton at the end of the seventeenth century, this Reader covers a broad range of alchemical authors and works. Organized chronologically, it includes around thirty selections in authoritative but lightly-modernized versions. The selections will provide the reader with a basic introduction to the field and its interdisciplinary links with science and medicine, philosophy, religion, and literature and the arts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Alchemy Reader
This book offers an introduction to alchemy through the words of some of the art's most notable authorities, and because the number of works is enormous, few readers will perhaps be satisfied with all the readings. Invariably, questions of inclusion (or exclusion) will arise that even the ablest defense may not justify. For example, the brief selections of Plato and Aristotle are included, not because they deal with alchemy per se - although many spurious treatises came to be fathered upon both philosophers - but because they set forth important background ideas (e.g., on prime matter, the transformation of the elements, and the formation of metals) that were long-lived and exerted considerable influence on subsequent alchemical theory.

See also Linden'sMystical Metal of Gold: Essays on Alchemy And Renaissance Culture (Ams Studies in the Renaissance).

excellent edition of primary sources
nice, easy to use, accessible translations. one of the first places one should go to get one's feet wet in the subject. useful introduction. ... Read more

Product Description
The Tower of Alchemy is the first book published in the West to openly reveal the teachings and practice of the Hermetic Art in plain language. In this advanced manual, the alchemical symbols and motifs cease to be a bewildering maze and become helpful signposts on the Path of Liberation. David Goddard clearly explains the interior practices that are the essence of the Great Work itself. By assimilating the knowledge and practicing the exercises contained in this book, you will find that the once-confusing alchemical illustrations are now illuminated mandalas. Using classical Qabalah, and traditions as diverse as the Grail legend, Yoga, and Tibetan Buddhism, Goddard allows students access to the higher Mysteries. His specific teachings and guided practices will enable you to attain the secret to all spiritual works, which can culminate in the completion of the Great Work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

Bogus, bogus, bogus.
This book is a travesty. The author regurgitates some of the more tediously obvious elements of Jung and elementary ritual magic, and presumes to call the twaddle which emerges 'alchemy'. If you want to know something about alchemy, steer well clear of this rancid exploitation of the Great Work, about which the author knows absolutely nothing.

Not sure what to make of it ...
This is a curious work. A mixture of Tibetan buddhism and Western Mystery Tradition (mostly gleaned from the first degree course of the Servants of the Light), it never quite manages to establish its purpose. Is it meant to be a course book, or is it a diary? It's like following a guide up a mountain path, but instead of the guide simply leading the way, he stops frequently to expound his own philosophy.

The Singing Stones (Volume 1)

For Advanced Readers
The author takes a disciplined approach in this book, so bring your patience with you. Good book.

Advanced Students
This is an excellent book for those students of the Great Work who have been traveling down that road for awhile. I've been a member of Temples and a correspondence student. Never have I received so much more information/explanation. I imagine (and the author works with you quite a bit on that!) that if one were in 5=6, a lot of the exercises/rituals would include some of what is written in this book. I finally understand the MPR with new eyes... Get this book before it is not available and the price goes up!

Shiny Silver Shekhinah!(It's not that bad!)
Obviously, a number of readers have taken a strong dislike to this book -- and that's certainly their right.I thought you might like my opinion, for something different.I'm not a wizard, a semi-transcended adept, nor Blessed Provacateur of the Hidden Priory.I'm a guy in my early 30s who about a decade ago, used to really like reading magic(k)al books and engrossing myself into the isolationist mystique of the occult.I still have a soft spot for these kinds of books, and I really secretly ardently enjoy reading through them now and then.

And Goddard's a fine read -- certainly a more prodigious vocabulary than most of the self-important slush out there.His introduction makes pretty clear that he understands alchemy as a psycho-social process for playing with cognitive processes.On this account, he's directly following Jung, whose shadow looms large in these pages.Sure, it's a bit of a wish-fantasy for the starry-cloaked archetype . . . but it's a mythology no better or worse than thinking that the little wafer actually becomes God's body, and far more interesting than rampant consumerism, or any other bizarre fairy tale one can find in 'Vogue' magazine.

Anyone who has got through a first year Sanskrit course or a few books on theology will no doubt roll their eyes at a lot of Goddard's syncretic musings.My personal favourite is that the paraclete of Christianity is the exact same as kundalini in 'Eastern traditions'.THere's a lot of this cross-cultural categorization which willy-nilly ignores geographic differences in favor of some transcendental truth.Well, ok -- I mean, it's a book on 'magick' after all.Having just read Christopher Lehrich's tediously academic treatise on 'the occult', I'd much prefer Goddard's vision of ruby red splendor.At least he's got the bottle to admit he's enjoying his magic carpet, whilst Lehrich is busy channeling his broom-closet interests into a bid for tenure.

As for the Grail meditations . . . they are what they are, visualization techniques -- no more silly than the roleplaying I've seen (Sala el-Din) with certain über fraternities.

So, if you like versatile, imaginative books on mythopoetic thought, then you'll enjoy Goddard.I did -- I don't care if I transform my own consciousness into pure prajna epiphanies of the Gnostic Elite; but I enjoyed his thrilling prose and its wild allegories.Definitely more well written and stimulating in its content than a lot of stuff out there . . . and much more fun than sitting through a boring OTO initiation, and without all the interpersonal infighting! ... Read more

Product Description
Body Alchemy: Transsexual Portraits is a unique and extraordinary photographic collection by artist Loren Cameron. Body Alchemy is Loren Cameron's intensely personal photo documentary of female-to-male transsexuals (FTMs).A transsexual himself, Cameron brings a sensitive, sophisticated insider's eye to his subject matter. Using documentary style, a series of before-and-after photographs documenting the transformation of a number of FTMs in Cameron's transsexual community, his own striking self-portraits, and intimate autobiographical text, Loren invites the viewer to experience this transformational rite of passage.Loren Cameron's work strikes a warm, familiar tone that invites the viewer's participation - even when the subject matter is quite startling. Amazon.com Review
The idea of gender is no long as fixed as it once was: Tootsie, La Cageaux Folles, and Milton Berle saw to that. But none of this hasprepared us for Loren Cameron's amazing portraits oftranssexuals. Beautifully reproduced and complemented with notes andshort essays, these portraits of women who are now men may startle,but they will also make you marvel at the genuine complexities oflife, sex, and desire. Body Alchemy might have been acuriosity, like Diane Arbus's photographs of those outside thephysical and cultural mainstream, but Cameron's art is so empathetic,so precise, that we are left in awe and with a new understanding ofthe realities of being human. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

PICTURES OF WOMEN WHO BECAME MEN
Loren Cameron
Body Alchemy:
Transsexual Portraits:
Photographs

(San Francisco, CA: Cleis Press, 1996) 110 pages
(ISBN: 1-57344-063-9; hardcover)
(ISBN: 1-75344-062-0; paperback)
(Library of Congress call number: HQ77.95.U6C36 1996)

This large-format book contains about 40 full-page pictures,
about half of which include the photographer/author herself/himself.
All of the subjects are female-to-male transsexuals.
Some explanation of their transitions to very convincing men
are included with their pictures.

There is very little exploration of the reasons
for deciding to become men, but the results are shown.
Each picture is a success story of transition from woman to man.

You might also find other first-person stories interesting.
Search the Internet for this bibliography: "Transsexualism--Autobiographies".

This is a gorgeous book.
This book comes in a couple sections.First Loren writes about his personal history and shows photographs he has taken of himself.Some of the most interesting ones are the ones surrounded by things people have said about him, such as "Men are jerks, why would you want to become one?" and "I can't be with you: I'm not a lesbian."There are two sections with photographs of other transmen and their stories, and a section called "emergence" which shows transmen and their "before" pictures.There are also surgery and modification pictures, including two metoidioplasties, a phalloplasty, a set of piercings, and two mastectomies.The last section is Loren and his partner, Kayt, talking about their relationship with photos of them together.

The pictures are very nice, and I feel the writings and the photos are an accurate representation of trans life, especially considering diversity.Doctors, bodybuilders, surfers, an interesting story from a Jewish transman about the Bar Mitzvah, and of various sexual orientations rather than just transmen who love women.

Just Great
What can I say that hasn't already been said before?
The photography is beautiful, the subject is very well presented and the amount of courage to open up like this is unbelievable.
I would recomend this book to anyone interested in photography and/or transgender issues.

Empowering
This book was one of the greatest gifts I have ever gotten myself. When I finished reading and looking at the beautiful photographs, I hugged the book to my chest.
This book not only told me thru writings but also showed me that I wasn't alone. This book meant the world to me as a bigendered female. I had only read about others transgender people, but had never seen anyone besides myself.
Thank you Mr.Cameron.:)
I recomend this book to anyone dealing with transgender issues- whether they be trans themself, a realtive or friend of a trans person, or just plain curious.

Green with envy
...I am very much outside this book's intended audience, to say the least...

The photos border on Arbus-esque but offer a more compassionate less spectacle treatment of the subjects. I guess that's a point well demontsrated when the phographer spends as much time in front of the camera as well as behind. You are more inclined to look at these unusual subjects with reverence not repulsion.The book overall is beautifully put toether. Sparse and poignantly so... ... Read more

Product Description
An illustrated foray into the hidden truth about the use of psychoactive mushrooms to connect with the divine.*Draws parallels between Vedic beliefs and Judeo-Christian sects, showing the existence of a mushroom cult that crossed cultural boundaries.*Contends that the famed philosophers' stone of the alchemist was a metaphor for the mushroom.*Confirms and extends Robert Gordon Wasson's hypothesis of the role of the fly agaric mushroom in generating religious visions.*First North American Edition of Strange Fruit.

Rejecting arguments that the elusive philosophers' stone of alchemy and the Hindu elixir of life were mere legend, Clark Heinrich provides a strong case that Amanita muscaria, the fly agaric mushroom, played this role in world religious history. Working under the assumption that this "magic mushroom" was the mysterious food and drink of the gods, Heinrich traces its use in Vedic and Puranic religion, illustrating how ancient cultures used the powerful psychedelic in esoteric rituals meant to bring them into direct contact with the divine. He then shows how the same mushroom symbols found in Hindu scriptures correspond perfectly to the symbols of ancient Judaism, Christianity, the Grail myths, and alchemy, arguing that miraculous stories as disparate as the burning bush of Moses and the raising of Lazarus from the dead can be easily explained by the use of this strange and powerful mushroom. While acknowledging the speculative nature of his work, Heinrich concludes that in many religious cultures and traditions the fly agaric mushroom-and in some cases ergot or psilocybin mushrooms-had a fundamental influence in teaching humans about the nature of God. His insightful book truly brings new light to the religious history of humanity. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Magic mushrooms in religion and alchemy
As an atheist,I found this book to be spot on regarding mushroom hallucinations as the beginnings of Christianity.It is the only logical explanation for the weird and absurd stories of the bible.My only theory though is that it was not entirely the fly muscara as the author suggests.I believe that Cubensis played a much bigger roll as the fly muscara is unpredictable in it's hallucination powers. A great read that will fascinate you for hours.

BEST BOOK EVER!
The author does a fantastic job of describing the fundamental flaws of religion in the " brief explanation of an unusual book"....In my opinion, he hits the nail on the head when he begins to describe the fact that an historical event can not be accurately recreated....His observation that an event that was on the news yesterday can not even be recreated accurately really illustrates this point well...The reason an event can not be recreated is simply due to the fact that each individual has his or her own interpretation of the event and therefore explains the event differently. Also the majority controls history, if the event was not to the majorities liking they will naturally distort the context and justify their opinion and thus alter the history drastically....Now when this takes place over thousands of years and is confined to a subject that is as unbelievable "and in most cases impossible" as religion, than it will naturally be subject to mass distortions and lies.... All in all he describes in brief that religion can not hold any ground historically because the individual variables are so great that any so called historian can select whatever truth he or she wishes and therefore deem it a fact!
The truth lies in everything, not a isolated subject!

Very interesting and eye opening book
This book was quite interesting and it is truly amazing the different references that are mentioned that I would have otherwise never noticed. He goes into quite a bit of detail concerning his theory and ultimately I found myself leaning toward it after reading this book. A good read.

An excellent book
Clark Heinrich's book is excellent.Clark provides practical information on the Amanita muscaria mushroom, its natural history and practical uses as a psychoactive, and he provides a "speculative history" of the role of the mushroom in human history through analysis of works of art and literary narratives.

To the newcomer to this field, much is surprising.As one begins to explore the territory, some of what Clark asserts appears to be well-supported.Some of what he says may find more support as he and others pursue lines of inquiry he opens or extends.Some of it may just be wrong, and Heinrich admits he is fully aware of the risks of exploration.

We have today a few bits and pieces of solid information about people using Amanita muscaria as a psychoactive, often in a religious context, in scattered locations around the world.For example, we have reports from western observers of Amanita use by tribes in Siberia.In addition to describing how they used it, they also described some of the local lore of the mushroom, its "nicknames" and mythology.Scholars like Heinrich have found (or, some would say, have spun) a far-flung web of speculative associations between this mushroom lore known from a few localities and the mythologies of many cultures.While the analysis of the stories passed down the ages through oral and then written traditions has many perils, another thread in the web is the persistent reappearance of mushrooms, often disguised but sometimes obviously, in paintings and sculptures through the ages.These paintings often depict the events of stories where Heinrich and others find the symbolic connections between the known mushroom lore (Siberia, etc.) and the speculated upon lore within the warp and woof of the history of culture and civilization.

Here's an example of a series of connections, from mushroom natural history, to known lore, to speculation, to "seeing is believing": the mushroom first emerges as a white "egg" shape, then grows to maturity, the cap eventually inverting so that its margins are higher than its center.If one slices across the cap, the view explosed is like that of uplifted wings of a white bird.Birds and eggs are of course an association pair, and there are reports of users of the mushroom giving it bird nicknames.In addition to this appearance of wings, there is the association of the psychoactive mushroom with visionary flight.And so Heinrich and others suggest that where we see winged angels or descending doves in words or pictures in mythology, we may be seeing psychoactive mushroom referents.

It sounds like perhaps a stretch.But then we open another book co-authored by Heinrich, "The Apples of Apollo" and find photographs of ancient Greek vase paintings of the winged Gorgon Medusa (whose blood was medicinal), and of Hyakinthos riding to Paradise on the back of a swan, and quite clearly the depicted wings bear much more resemblance to sliced mushroom caps than to the pattern of feathers on bird wings, which the artists were fully capable of rendering, had that been their intention.It appears obvious that these vase painters were communicating to an initiated audience traditions into which they were themselves initiated.If the mapping of mushroom lore onto religious symbolism is simply a "confusion" created by drug-addled minds, it appears that this "confusion" has existed a long time and surfaces again and again where we have glimpses into esoteric traditions which may have been carried on continuously for thousands of years.

Heinrich is deeply indebted to R. Gordon Wasson, the father of ethnomycology, especially for Wasson's thesis that Amanita muscaria was the "Soma" of early Hindu religion.Heinrich contributes additional information to corroborate this thesis, and his chapters on the traditions the subcontinent are a strong part of the book.Here we also have mention of the Psilocybe species.

Speculation on the role of the mushroom in the semitic traditions that brought us Judaism and Christianity were introduced by John Allegro, a tenured professor who took "early retirement" in the wake of the controversy surrounding his "The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross", which contained much far-flung speculation and a certain amount of mean-spirtedness toward both modern christians and drug users past and present.Heinrich reports on Allegro'stheories and offers his own speculations on Adam, Eve, the serpent, the fruit, Moses, the visionary prophets and the New Testament.He devotes a chapter to the Gnostics, and another to the Holy Grail, a Christianized ancient Celtic legend.

It appears that Heinrich is the first person in recent history to speculate that the Amanita muscaria mushroom occupies a central role in the alchemical traditions pertaining to the Philosopher's Stone.He offers a tantalizing set of parallels between the mushroom and the "stone", and includes some illustrations from alchemical texts which are strongly suggestive of these connections.Alchemical symbolism is deliberately obscure, as the alchemists were sworn to secrecy.It was their habit to publish works regarding the stone which deliberately teased the non-initiate while entertaining the initiated ones.Alchemical traditions continued to be passed from masters to apprentices from the classical world through the medieval, into the 18th century.

Indeed, it appears that the 18th and 19th centuries mark a point of transition, as the alchemical tradition disappears.If it did indeed include a full and conscious knowledge of a tradition of the mushroom as the "Philosopher's Stone" and of its use, this is the last time we see it written about by them "in the know".Today we can only speculate and attempt to re-construct and rediscover.Heinrich's tips on mushroom use may be useful to those who would seek to rediscover the secret of the stone.Indeed, the fact that most people do not find Amanita investigations especially fruitful is one reason that speculations that this mushroom once played a huge role in human history meet with resistance.Part of the mushroom mystique is the possibility that some people of the past were more adept in mastering its use, in bringing to fruition its hidden potential.

Sexual imagery plays a role in Heinrich's speculations, and in the history of religion.The themes of unity underlying apparent multiplicity and oppositions and of creation from couplings are ancient and recurring in the human quest for meaning and in the stories that seem to have written themselves within us.The mushroom, with its columnar stem and wheel-like cap, appears to be a perfect metaphor for the creative process in which from unity dualities emerge and then join to bring about new creation.The psychoactive mushroom appears as flesh, but it releases spirit with us.Given the power of the mushroom metaphor, and the power of the mushroom, it is not surprising that Heinrich sees it "everywhere", and perhaps it is everywhere, even if not every person in history who ever painted or sculpted a winged messenger from heaven consciously intended to depict the visionary shroom.Heinrich stimulates us to see the mushroom everywhere and also to wonder how many of those who went before us have seen it thus.Perhaps more than a few of them.

Sex, drugs, and Godhead!
Clark Heinrich is an exceedingly clever, authoritative writer, who keeps readers in thrall with his subject by colorful propositions and turns of phrase that tease and engage the intellect. In this speculative history, he demonstrates an astonishing erudition for religion, myth, art, and the cultural history and botanical details of the Amanita muscaria mushroom. In making his case, speculative as it is, he provides innumerable references to genitalia, sex acts, and various bodily processes and their by-products, which has a way of anchoring his often far-fetched-seeming ideas in the corporeal realm. He also piques interest when his tone turns irreverent, specifically in his treatment of the Judeo-Christian belief system he was born into, where he rightfully, if self-consciously blasphemously, points out that there is little if any reason for sentient beings to believe that the so-called miracles cited in the Bible were the work of supernatural forces. He offers a more concrete and perhaps more likely explanation for seminal religious phenomena: the ingestion of Amanita muscaria and the subsequent encryption of its inspirations in the literature, rituals, and symbols of religion and alchemy. I was blown away by the amount of thoughtful research that went into this insightful and entertaining work. To arrive at his conclusionns, controversial and speculative as they are, he would have had to spend many hours poring over and interpreting esoteric texts in varying translation, and then on the trial and error of attempting to fit the Amanita key to unlock their mysteries. While I came away fairly convinced that the Amanita mushroom likely played a role in the development of at least some religious creeds, I found some of the author's "proof" to be of the "you had to be there to really appreciate it" sort. The "evidence" is sometimes so visual or semantic and so multilayered, that it dosen't hit home withimeediacy. Several questions emerge. Does the Amanita have any role in the Islamic faith (a almost entirely overlooked in this volume)? If so, why wasn't it documented? If not, how and why would it have eluded the third of the three Abrahamic creeds? Why is it that in all the instances of Amanita cult around the world, the identification of the mushroom in question is disguised and not outrightly revealed? Why if even mainstream religions are allegedly built on visionary experiences prompted by the "plants of the Gods" is the identity of these plants not more plainly revealed, at least from some likely sources or at certain logical historical junctures? It's hard for me to believe entheogenically derived inspiration would be so rigorously relegated and obscured as "forbidden knowledge" over the milennia. The ambiguity of encryption leads to speculation that is bound to turn nutty and implausible even in the most capable hands. Still, by incisive analysis as well as persuasive insinuation, Heinrich's highly readable and scholarly work makes a strong case for the entheogenic underpinnings of religion. The narrative of his own personal experience with Amanita ingestion is hilarious, compelling, and numinously stirring -- so much so that I included an excerpt of it in my own book Tripping: An Anthology of True-Life Psychedelic Adventures published in the interim between the release of the original, British edition of Heinrich's book, Strange Fruit, and the expanded, American, edition, the one I'm reviewing here. This is a fun and brilliantly illustrated book. Enjoy! ... Read more

Product Description
THEY STARTED WITH FOUR: earth, air, fire, and water.From these basics, they sought to understand the essential ingredients of the world.Those who could see further, those who understood that the four were just the beginning, were the last sorcerers -- and the world's first chemists.

What we now call chemistry began in the fiery cauldrons of mystics and sorcerers seeking not to make a better world through science, but rather to make themselves richer through magic formulas and con games. Yet among these early magicians, frauds, and con artists were a few far-seeing "alchemists" who used the trial and error of rigorous experimentation to transform mysticism into science.

Scientific historians generally credit the great 18th century French chemist Antoine Lavoisier with modernizing the field of chemistry.Others would follow his lead, carefully examining, measuring, and recording their findings.One hundred years later, another pioneer emerged.Dimitri Mendeleev, an eccentric genius who cut his flowing hair and beard but once a year, finally brought order to the chemical sciences when he constructed the first Periodic Table in the late 1800s.

But between and after Lavoisier and Mendeleev were a host of other colorful, brilliant scientists who made their mark on the field of chemistry.Depicting the lively careers of these scientists and their contributions while carefully deconstructing the history and the science, author Richard Morris skillfully brings it all to life.Hailed by Kirkus Reviews as a "clear and lively writer with a penchant for down-to-earth examples" Morris's gift for explanation -- and pure entertainment -- is abundantly obvious.Taking a cue from the great chemists themselves, Morris has brewed up a potent combination of the alluringly obscure and the historically momentous, spiked with just the right dose of quirky and ribald detail to deliver a magical brew of history, science, and personalities. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Very interesting and useful book
Very good book for someone whos is interested in the history of chemistry. A good element for motivation, for reflexion or for preparing a lecture.

Is this book really about the periodic table?
Reasonably interesting book but not if one is specifically interested in the periodic table or its evolution.Only one or two chapters are actually on the periodic table.In addition the final 40 or so pages consist just of a "catalog of elements", essentially a complete list of all the elements, the dates they were discovered etc.This is nothing more than a page filler for a book that is well written but rather too superficial for anybody really interested in chemistry and physics.

Chemists and their adventures....
I found the stories told on the book so interesting that I read it like a romance, for a few days, every spare time I had, I was reading this book... One will enjoy and learn at the same time.

After reading it, you have a very strong impression that humanity has just started to make science. Not long ago, theknowledge available was so superficial that very few aspects of chemistry were reasonably explained.

The author explains the science involved in very simple terms, it helps if the reader has some previous knowledge of chemistry or physics to fill in the blanks. The last part of the book requires additional reading to understand the evolution of scientific knowledge during the twentieth century.

I recommend reading the Scientists by John Gribbin as a complementary book as nice to read as this one.

Chemists and their adventures....
I found the stories told on the book so interesting that I read it like a romance, for a few days, every spare time I had, I was reading this book... One will enjoy and learn at the same time.

After reading it, you have a very strong impression that humanity has just started to make science. Not long ago, theknowledge available was so superficial that very few aspects of chemistry were reasonably explained.

The author explains the science involved in very simple terms, it helps if the reader has some previous knowledge of chemistry or physics to fill in the blanks. The last part of the book requires additional reading to understand the evolution of scientific knowledge during the twentieth century.

I recommend reading the Scientists by John Gribbin as a complementary book as nice to read as this one.

From Alchemy to Eternity:The Story of the Elements
Richard Morris has done a wonderful job of taking what should be a dry topic and making it very interesting.The Last Sorcerer details the discovery of the elements and the people behind these discoveries.Along the way we meet a number of brilliant eccentrics, would be charlatans and an interesting collection of scientists and non-scientists.The chapters are short and punchy.The book flows well.

From the beginning we learn that while the ancient Egyptians had identified seven distinct elements, thanks to Aristotle, the field of Alchemy was born thus leading to the belief that all things were made up of four elements: air, water, earth and fire. From there it was quick jump to the belief that base metal (e.g., lead) could be transferred into gold.For centuries afterwards, alchemists struggled to reconcile this theory with their observations.But in that struggle chemistry was born.

Perhaps the best chapter is the one about the work of the Russian scientist Mendeleev and his work to discover the periodic law.When my children were studying the periodic table, I read this chapter to them and it helped to better understand and bring to life the dry and seemingly unfathomable periodic table.But there are other great chapters about many scientists from Boyle to Rutherford.

For those non-scientists who seek to expand their knowledge about the history of science and learn a little chemistry along the way, this is a great book.It is a bit old for children under 13 (and there is some language in the book) but you may find yourself reading a chapter or two to your children when they begin complaining about their chemistry class that day.
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Customer Reviews (4)

Visually Rich
_The Secret Art of Alchemy_ contains images I have never seen reproduced in other books, including Jung's heavily illustrated _Psychology and Alchemy_.I highly recommend this book.One can derive great pleasure just from flipping through the color plates, even if he or she is not looking to unlock Hermetic secrets.Grab one while you can.

Alchemy:The Secret Art
The introduction to this book was excellent!It is a shame he had to end it so quickly by introducing colorful alchemical pictures...

A good introduction to alchemy.
This book is a collection of alchemical art, with 193 illustrations and 33 of them are in colour. Stanislas Klossowski de Rola provides a good and clear introduction on alchemy with a short commentary on each illustration. Also included is the alchemical poem, The Vision of Sir George Ripley, with an exposition on its contents by AEyrenaeus Philalethes. A must have.

mostly pictures....
....from ancient alchemical treatises, though high-quality pictures.Could have wished for a longer Intro because the author crafted it with care and comprehension. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

A Review By Professor S. H. Nasr
Interest in alchemy has been greatly enhanced during this century through studies and research carried out in this field by historians of science and also by psychologists. The historians of science have thought in their studies to discern in alchemy a primitive chemistry and the roots of the modern science whose name derives from alchemy. The psychologists, beginning with C. G. Jung, who devoted two works to the subject, regard alchemy as a psychology couched in the language of metallurgy. Rarely has a study been made of alchemy as a science of the soul in the light of a spiritual principle that manifests itself at once in the soul and in the cosmos and therefore relates soul and cosmos, or the microcosm and the macrocosm, intimately to one another. In fact one can say that the book under review is the first work in which integral alchemy, as a spiritual science of the soul but related both in language and inner correspondence to the cosmos, has been elucidated both with precision and in depth. As the author says, "spiritual alchemy was not necessarily involved in outward metallurgical operations, even when it made use of them as similes. It is nevertheless to be supposed that originally the inward and outward work went hand in hand, for, within the framework of an organic civilization orientated towards man's highest goal, a craft can only have meaning when it serves a spiritual way" (p. 92). In this as well as many other passages the author has expounded not only the principles of alchemy but also of all traditional cosmology, and even of art which is closely connected with it.

To penetrate into the meaning of alchemy would require under normal conditions, when this tradition was fully alive, an initiation into the "mysteries" through which the meaning of its symbols and method and its often extremely abstruse and complex language would become revealed. In the absence of an actual possibility of following such a way, the only alternative is to begin from where alchemy ends and thence come "downward," if one may so express oneself. That is, alchemy seeks to lead man by stages from the materia prima to the state of purity which makes possible the wedding of soul and Spirit, the moon and the Sun. Now, if one possesses knowledge of the spiritual life through other means, through the "Greater Mysteries" rather than through the "Lesser Mysteries" of alchemy, and if one also possesses an intuition of the spiritual significance of traditional art, then it is possible to descend from the spiritual to the material and to unravel many of the mysteries of alchemy without being taught its language stage by stage. It is noteworthy that the author of this work has written several outstanding books on Islamic esotericism or Sufism as well as on the traditional art of East and West. He has applied knowledge of both the above subjects as well as his intimate knowledge of the metaphysical and cosmological doctrines of other traditions (especially of Hinduism, where Tantrism presents many striking resemblances to alchemy) to the clarification and elucidation of basic alchemical symbols and doctrines. In this manner he has made clear certain questions which no other contemporary book had been able to explain satisfactorily.

The chapters of the book, starting with a short historical introduction, deal with nearly every aspect of alchemy, from an explanation of its language to the discussion of planets and metals, the elements, the materia prima, sulfur, quicksilver and salt and the alchemical marriage. There is also a very important chapter devoted to the "alchemy of prayer," while several chapters are devoted to specific alchemical authors or works such as Nicolas Flamel and the "Emerald Tablet."

One of the most important chapters of the book is on the "stages of the work" and its correspondence to the stages of the spiritual life as taught in different traditions, proving without doubt the inner nexus between alchemy and the spiritual way. The discussion here of the technique of invocation, so central to spiritual realization in many traditions, and its connection with the actual "spiritual technique" of alchemy is very revealing.

In addition to the text, the book abounds in illustrations from different alchemical manuscripts, some made available for the first time in this work. The meaning of these illustrations is given wherever they appear, adding a very helpful "visual" commentary to the text.

The appearance of this book in English should correct once and for all many errors prevalent in this field. It should make clear to historians of science, of whom at least some would agree with this point of view, that although alchemy did give birth indirectly to chemistry, yet if we are to study it scientifically we must take full account of its unified world view according to which the events in the soul of man and in nature are inextricably connected; this inner correspondence between man and nature is something that has been forgotten by modern man including the chemists. It should also show up the serious limitations and errors of any purely psychological interpretation of alchemy such as would seek to study the psyche without reference to the luminous world of the Spirit which alone can comprehend the soul, in the sense of both encompassing and understanding. For students of art and comparative religion in general this work is also of great significance.

From the point of view of translation this book has been well done; its presentation is also excellent, with very few errors. A short list of the names and dates of alchemists and a bibliography of works on the subject add to its usefulness. One could wish, however, that some of the sentences which appear only in Latin had been followed by their English translation thus making this easier to read for all and sundry.

An author who knows what he is talking about.
This book is one of the few "must read" books on the Hermetic-Alchemical tradition by a modern author.Burkhardt is uniquely qualified to author such a book due both to his life long study of a variety of Traditional religions (with special focus on Sufism and Islamic Esoterism) and his encyclopedic knowledge of the Alchemical Tradition.His grasp of the subject really shines through in the book and it quickly becomes apparent that hehas aknack for reducing (often) complex and hard to grasp concepts into clear and concise text.

As another reviewer noted the Alchemical tradition can be found in a variety of guises throughout the worlds religions and peoples.. From China to India to Europe...So learning a little about it cant hurt and might just help you understand some the deepest mysteries of religion. Knowledge of Alchemy is a must for those who wish to study comparative religion as well.

East and West Meet in the Realization of Alchemy
If you've ever heard the phrases 'aqua vitae', 'the chemical wedding', 'the philosopher's stone' and wondered from whence these concepts came, Titus Burckhardt sums them up nicely in this cogent little publication that is more a tractate than a book, more a treatise than an introduction.Mr. Burckhardt treats the subject of alchemy with both the practicality of the operative form of the art, and the spirituality of the speculative form it takes.The text unfolds laconically, introducing the main topics of the royal art in neat little chapters that stick to the subject at hand and finally realizes the prize in the explanation of the 'great work' (another phrase you may have heard of).A wonderful addition to any student's library, esoteric or no.

Alchemy.
_Alchemy:Science of the Cosmos, Science of the Soul_ by traditionalist author Titus Burckhardt is a unique book which examines the science of alchemy in the light of its traditional interpretation.Burckhardt quotes extensively from such figures in the traditional school of thought as Rene Guenon, Mircea Eliade, and Julius Evola (who all had written on alchemy), as well as Carl Jung, the depth psychologist who attempted to understand alchemy in terms of the collective unconscious (relating it to the process of individuation).Burckhardt begins by noting that contrary to the modern historical and scientistic interpretation, alchemy was not so much a forerunner of modern day chemistry and science as it was a process of spiritual growth embodied in tradition.Burckhardt notes how alchemy had its origins in the Egyptian deity of Thoth-Hermes and in the writings of Hermes Trismegistos which came out of Egypt.Later, alchemy was to come to play an important part in all the world's great religious traditions, including Hindu, Buddhist, Chinese, and primitive Japanese religions as well as the three monotheistic religious traditions Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Much of this book is spent discussing various source materials from these three monotheistic religious traditions as they relate to alchemical transformation.Burckhardt notes that alchemy did not derive from a desire to enrich oneself by transmuting base metals into gold as had originally been conjectured.Rather, the gold came to represent a spiritual state attained by the alchemist.Much of this book is spent discussing the seven base metals as they relate to the seven planets and the four elements (air, earth, fire, water) as well as the ether.In addition, the concept of the "chemical marriage" of sulphur and quicksilver, sun and moon, king and queen to achieve gold is explained.Various symbols including the ouroborus, the caduceus (or staff of Hermes), the Christian cross, and the seal of Solomon are explained in terms of the alchemical meaning.In addition, alchemy is related to the system of yoga and the kundalini, as well as other far eastern traditions.The athanor or the oven in which the alchemical elixer is prepared is also explained in terms of its symbolism.Burckhardt also includes a section discussing the life of Nicolas Flamel, a fourteenth century alchemist who came into contact with a special alchemical treatise.In addition, the Emerald Tablets are discussed, which reveal the principle "whatever is below is like that which is above" showing the direct relation between macrocosm and microcosm (Man).This represents an excellent source on alchemy as revealed through the lens of the traditionalist school of thought and the perennial philosophy. ... Read more

Product Description
The major book on the use of the mind to manage difficult emotions Alchemists sought to transform lead into gold. This book shows how we similarly all have the natural ability to turn the lead of our confused minds into the gold of insightful clarity. Tara Bennett shows how we can learn to see ourselves as we really are and thus learn to disengage from those emotional patterns that undermine our lives. Drawing on the latest research into cognitive science and neuroscience with ancient principles of Buddhist psychology, this profound yet very practical book shows how the mind can heal the very heart of our being. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Equinimity and the emotions
This is a psychological self-help book which takes the approach of combining 'mindfulness' with 'schema therapy'.

Mindfulness is a Buddhist method of meditation in which the practitioner pays attention to the free flowing thoughts in his mind in order to understand precisely how he thinks and what is behind his thoughts.This is very different from the more well know meditation practice in which these thoughts are dismissed and the mind concentrates on a relaxing point of focus, such as inhaling and exhaling.

Schema therapy is a new form of cognitive therapy which identifies repeat patterns of behavior that originate from disturbed childhood experiences.A schema is a cluster of habits (automatic thoughts and behaviors).There are ten different schemas.The first five schemas originate in early childhood and have to do with parental influence They are Abandonment, Deprivation, Subjugation, Mistrust and Unlovability. The next five schemas originate later in childhood, or even in adulthood, and have to do with peer-group influence.They are Exclusion, Vulnerability, Failure, Perfectionism, and Entitlement.The therapy challenges these bad habits replacing them with more logical, conscious patterns of behavior.Schema therapy was developed by Dr. Jeffery Young, who is a protégé of Dr. Aaron Beck, the founder of cognitive therapy.

The main emphasis of the book is on mindfulness as a method of exploring the motivations of schemas, and of distancing oneself from the habitual behavior by maintaining a calm, distant observation of ones thoughts and emotions.The notion of building equanimity features strongly.Most chapters end with mindful exercises you can try by yourself at home.Schema therapy receives a brief three chapter overview.Then in the next eight chapters schemas are mentioned largely in terms of providing examples of maladaptive behavior on which mindfulness is demonstrated to act.The last four chapters of the book develop the idea of meditation as a method of 'spiritual' development beyond ordinary psychological self-improvement.

If you are interested in learning more about schema therapy try Schema Therapy: A Practitioner's Guide.

Equinimity and the emotions
This is a psychological self-help book which takes the approach of combining 'mindfulness' with 'schema therapy'.

Mindfulness is a Buddhist method of meditation in which the practitioner pays attention to the free flowing thoughts in his mind in order to understand precisely how he thinks and what is behind his thoughts.This is very different from the more well know meditation practice in which these thoughts are dismissed and the mind concentrates on a relaxing point of focus, such as inhaling and exhaling.

Schema therapy is a new form of cognitive therapy which identifies repeat patterns of behavior that originate from disturbed childhood experiences.A schema is a cluster of habits (automatic thoughts and behaviors).There are ten different schemas.The first five schemas originate in early childhood and have to do with parental influence They are Abandonment, Deprivation, Subjugation, Mistrust and Unlovability. The next five schemas originate later in childhood, or even in adulthood, and have to do with peer-group influence.They are Exclusion, Vulnerability, Failure, Perfectionism, and Entitlement.The therapy challenges these bad habits replacing them with more logical, conscious patterns of behavior.Schema therapy was developed by Dr. Jeffery Young, who is a protégé of Dr. Aaron Beck, the founder of cognitive therapy.

The main emphasis of the book is on mindfulness as a method of exploring the motivations of schemas, and of distancing oneself from the habitual behavior by maintaining a calm, distant observation of ones thoughts and emotions.The notion of building equanimity features strongly.Most chapters end with mindful exercises you can try by yourself at home.Schema therapy receives a brief three chapter overview.Then in the next eight chapters schemas are mentioned largely in terms of providing examples of maladaptive behavior on which mindfulness is demonstrated to act.The last four chapters of the book develop the idea of meditation as a method of 'spiritual' development beyond ordinary psychological self-improvement.

If you are interested in learning more about schema therapy try Schema Therapy: A Practitioner's Guide.
... Read more

Product Description
In The Alchemy of Healing, Dr. Edward C. Whitmont explores the major themes of illness, health, and the practice of medicine. Uniquely qualified by his personal associations with such pioneers as Carl Jung, M. Esther Harding, Karl Konig, Elizabeth Wright Hubbard, and G.B. Stearns, Whitmont takes a daring plunge into the paradoxes of homeopathic medicine, psychoanalytic transference, quantum physics, and the Gaia Hypothesis. Deftly exploring such subjects as Jungian synchronicity, alchemy, the I Ching, and the Law of Similars, he hints at the unknown principles fusing organism, planet, and cosmos and at a healing principle so profound it is written in both the stars and the sub-molecular traces of molecules.

In this landmark work that addresses for the first time in our century the esoteric role of the physician in the drama of life and death, Whimont provides a forum for one of the most neglected voices of Western Civilization—that of disease—revealing how it is our own abandoned and depreciated voice. In challenging the myth of mechanical medicine he provides a clue as to how we might yet heal ourselves and our planet. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Incredible book
This is one of the most incredible books I've ever read, on healing and its deeper implications. Don't miss it.

a wholistic view of healing...thoughtful and original
This is probably the best work on healing I have read so far; I am now on my third reading and it will not be the last as there is so much in this book to chew on. Whitmont, who was born in the early part of the century, is (if he's still alive) an M.D. and psychotherapist, and also well versed in homeopathy, alchemy, chaos theory, the theories of Rupert Sheldrake and David Bohm, and many other topics such as art, literature, and drama. He has a truly broad intellect as well as a highly developed intuitive sense. I would say his ideas are firmly within the humanist tradition, without any New Age leanings. Indeed, he shows that in healing, darkness is just as important as "the Light"--for the darkness is where one goes to mine the gold of the deepest human experiences. He does not approach the causes of illness from the standpoint so prevalent today of "we cause our illnesses by not dealing with our emotional or soul issues."

Rather, he points out that illness, as well as all phenomena, proceeds from a deeper level of reality whose patterns are not readily discernible or understandable when viewed from the three dimensional reality we inhabit. Although I cannot summarize the book well because it contains so much, I would say that his basic stance is that everything of the visible world is rooted in an invisible reality, an "implicate order," (to quote physicist David Bohm) and that in healing we must take that implicate order into consideration just as much as we do the physical reality of the illness. His way of doing this takes up a good part of the second portion of the book. (The first portion explains his way of looking at man, reality, and the universe, with an interesting first chapter on homeopathy.)

I highly recommend this book to any healer, whether you are a nurse, physician, psychotherapist, energy healer, somatics practitioner, whatever.........it's not necessarily an easy read but it will open up many dimensions of the healing process to you. ... Read more

Product Description
Illness is a universal experience. There is no privilege that can make us immune to its touch. We are taught to assume health, illnesses being just temporary breakdowns in the well-oiled machinery of the body. But illness has its own geography, its own laws and commandments. At a time when the attention of the whole nation is focused on health care, Kat Duff inquires into the nature and function of illness itself. Duff, a counselor in private practice in Taos, New Mexico, wrote this book out of her experience with chronic fatigue syndrome, but what she has to say is applicable to every illness and every one of us.

For those who are sick, this book offers solace and recognition. For those who care for them either physically or emotionally, it offers inspiration and compassion. Finally, this fresh perspective on healing reveals how every illness is a crucible that tries our mettle, tests our limits, and provides us with an unparalleled opportunity to integrate its lessons into our lives.


From the Trade Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

This book is not just for those with CFS or Fibro
I bought this book in 1993, shortly after being finally diagnosised with Fibromyalgia. I had a doctor who was doing research on the subject and I got lucky.About the book:Thankfully I picked this book up, because it saved my life, more than once, from the throws of Depression of being in Chronic Pain.It reset my mind about how to live with a condition that for the most part, does not react well to drugs (even Lyrica), and how to get beyond depression, hopelessness and anger.

If you are reading this and saying, "well I don't have Fibro, or CFS, I would highly recommend this book to ANYONE with a chronic condition that threatens their quality of life, or the quality of life to anyone they love.

I am now going to be sending one out to a friend in the UK whose life has been altered to nil by severe migranes that make it impossible for her to function.The funny thing about chronic illness,it does not matter what the label is. When the quality of your life closes around you, the type of illness takes on a simular path: Isolation.

Read this book, or read it if you have a loved one who is chronically ill. It will change your life.

An important book
For anyone suffering from chronic illness, this book is pure gold. Illness is not always just a tragedy and a waste. It can be an important part of the soul's journey. This book reminds us that illness has its messages and lessons and that it may just be what we needed in order to stop, listen, remember, let go... and eventually find our true selves and our true purpose.

alchemy of illness
This is a fairly good book for someone facing a chronic illness but is a bit hoeky if you ask me.

Indispensable reading for anyone interested in the mind/body connection!
Kat Duff has written the bible for sufferers of chronic pain and illness.She deepens the discussion of the connection between mind, body, soul, and spirit to the level of true wisdom, purchased at the price of meticulous reflections on her own experience of physical misery and pain.This book is a must read for medical students, doctors, psychotherapists, and anyone who has struggled or is struggling to align themselves with healing in the face of frustration and despair.As a Jungian Analyst, I simply can't stop recommending this book to people I work with and to virtually everyone else know.

Transcendent Writing About the Experience of Illness
A magnficiently-written and luminous text, The Alchemy of Illness meditates upon the experience of being ill, using illustrations from the author's own experience, from myth, and from well-chosen classics of literature.Reading this lovely book is a healing experience itself, as the reader is reminded that illness is a quintessential part of the human experience, not the aberration that our current health and youth-obsessed culture presents it to be.I have sent this book to friends and colleagues all over the world.It is a joy to share this gem with others facing the challenge of responding to illness with grace and meaning, as Kat Duff encourages us to do. ... Read more

Product Description
Alchemy—the ancient science that aims to transform various substances into different and more noble elements—remains one of the most misunderstood of the great wisdom traditions. Often scorned as a deceptive pseudo-science practiced by the greedy in pursuit of gold, alchemy is gaining renewed recognition by many today as a legitimate way to understand certain workings of nature. It is also seen as a complex key to our understanding of humanity's relationship to the universe and a means of improving our health and well-being. The Book of Alchemy teaches its readers how to penetrate the obscure symbolic language of the alchemists . . . understand how alchemical transformation can initiate a profound change of consciousness, claimed by practitioners to bring eventual union with the Divine . . .practice traditional meditations and exercises. . . prepare herbal alchemical elixirs to benefit the body . . . and discover how the alchemists' search for purity can become a twenty-first-century model for spiritual development. Readers will also find helpful meditations, brilliant illustrations of alchemical emblems, and instructions for making beneficial alchemical potions from easy-to-obtain herbs. The author shows readers how to harness the powers claimed for alchemy to improve their physical, spiritual, and mental well-being. Approximately 130 full-color illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

As Above, So Below...
"The Book of Alchemy" is a wonderfully illustrated, yet brief introduction to the world of the alchemists and their ancient quest to find The Philosopher's Stone, The Elixir of Life, and Oneness with the Universe.This little book serves as a nice entry into this rather voluminous and complex material for the novice occultist or neophyte alchemist.

This book essentially gives an overview of the history of the Great Work, from its mythical origins in ancient Egypt with Hermes Trismegistus, to modern practitioners of the art today.Along the way we are treated to a miriad of beautiful color images and emblems from some of the most famous alchemical books and manuscripts.The book also gives a short introduction to some of the most famous alchemists and their quest for the Philosopher's Stone.Here we find the likes of Nicholas Flamel, Robert Fludd, Paracelsus, John Dee and even scientific giants like Issac Newton and Robert Boyle, both of whom were known to have dabbled heavily in alchemy.The book also gives insight into the archetypal imagery that pervades alchemical lore and the symbolism that hints at the secret meaning of the 'Great Work'.

This book is meant for those who may not have a deep grounding in the history of alchemy and those who are fluent in its mysteries may find it somewhat superficial.Nevertheless, it is enjoyable for anyone interested in what some have called the precusor to modern science, but even more importantly, alchemy represents the first true attempts by mankind to explore the unknown mysteries of the universe. ... Read more

Product Description
Modern technology is transforming our most basic ideas about the creation of wealth. This book reveals how a new way of economic thinking is essential for success in today's world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

good but with some reservations
I enjoyed the book, but it was written in 1990 and is definitely dated in a lot of its material, and I don't agree with a lot of things, but there is a lot in there also that is worthwhile about how economies work that is excellent.He is an excellent writer and his newer books are also very good.This had more political theories in it that are definitely dated.The world has changed drastically since 1990.

Thought Provoking
Paul is right on.In 1990 he articulated the impact that technology has on our resources.We do not live in a world of scarce resources.We use technology to replace them, or multiply them, and discover new resources all the time.Paul's message to me:This world has plenty of what mankind needs.We can invent our way out of any perceived shortage.Read this book to think about all this in some new ways.

READ THIS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ECONOMICS!
Paul Zane Pilser did a great job of explaining the theory of Alchemy and the application of it in Supply-side and Demand-side economics can produce an unlimited amount of resources and wealth for an economy.He also does a great job of discussing technology and how it is is extremely important to economic growth, how it can greatly conserve resources, it's infinite possiblities, and much more.

I learned a lot from this book!

a unified field theory for wealth
This book describes how to build wealth broadly enough so you can apply its principles to anything. its main principle is technology unleashes your ability to build wealth and by applying dormant but existing technology to resources will create enough value for you to achieve wealth. ie using the latest version software could dramatically improve your bottom line.
Probably the most inspiring principle for me is the statement: The faster you process information the faster you will achieve your goals. This makes total sense because if knowledge is power the most important knowledge is the knowledge that allows you to get more of it. I know alot of people who are determined to succeed but they learn so slowly that by the time they figure everything out it will be too late. With the rate of change today one of the skills you've got to have is the ability to learn rapidly!

A Real Eye Opener
I read this book many years ago and am still impressed by the clarity of the logic. It presents a wonderful view of the world as a place of abundance and wealth. This is a beautiful contrast to the belief many people have that the world has limited resources, so the only way to get anything is to take it from someone else. This book has forever changed my worldview.

Tim McMahon... ... Read more

Product Description
A sex therapist shows how the body's hormones and chemicals exert a strong influence on choice of partners, sexual drive, and longevity of sexuality, and suggests ways to modulate them in order to produce more vigorous and satisfying sexual intercourse. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

the alchemy of love and lust
I read this book over the summer and found it to be very educational.I am wanting to have a clean lifestyle so HRT options are important to me for healthy sexual awareness.Mental awareness also comes into play when I am struggling with those menopause moments, education helps me rewind and think clearly.

It's not me, it's my HORMONES!!!
I found this book to be a HUGE eye opener to the amazing way our bodies function in a primal order for a purpose which we have little control over. To actually learn about the chemical responses that make women want to nest after sex and men want to flee was fasinating. IT'S NOT PERSONAL, IT'S PRIMAL! It was humorus to discover that all the pyschology in the world isn't going to change basic biology. THIS is what sex education classes should be about. ... Read more

Product Description
Theurgy means "the science or art of divine works." In alchemy, this process is called the "Great Work," which is the purification and exaltation of our "lower" nature by the proper application of esoteric principles, so that it may become united with its higher counterparts, whereby we may attain spiritual, and ultimately divine, consciousness.

Drawing on the teachings of the Egyptian, Greek, and Hebrew mystery schools and quoting extensively from important alchemic writers, Garstin details this process of purification. Students who are curious about alchemy but daunted by the body of its literature and its strange allegories will find this book to be an excellent introduction.

Garstin discusses source alchemic works and clearly explains what their esoteric symbolism means. With the information in this book, students of alchemy can then proceed to make a more informed exploration of the alchemical works and other writings of the Western Mystery Tradition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Spiritual Alchemy
As per the title, this is a book on Spiritual Alchemy, that is the transmutation of ones self to be a channel for divinity. He quotes abundantly from the old manuscripts of alchemy especially from Thomas Vaughan a known Rosicrucain apologist. I personally found the text at times to try my concentration as he jumped from quote to quote regarding recondite alchemical terminology. Overall a good book that would take a few readings to get the full import of his thesis.

Essential reading for Rosicrucian students and Esoteric Freemasons.
The central theme of this book is purification. In this book, the student of esoteric practice is the main subject of the Alchemical, purifying process. All the most basic Alchemical symbolism of the Western Mystery Tradition and how it relates to Theurgic practice is explained in detail. This is essential reading before you tackle the "Secret Fire" which is also by Garstin and also very good read. This book (Theurgy, or the Hermetic Practice) explains, using Alchemical symbolism, the purification process which is needed before you raise the serpent power within yourself to it's bridal chamber. It is highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
Erotic unions with spirits have occured throughout history, but the methods have been suppressed and lost, save for references and fragments in ancient alchemical and magical texts. This book presents a magical system for initiating sexual unions with spirit beings and using the energy released from these unions for self-empowerment and personal transformation. It offers to show the reader: magical sexual practices and a sexual spiritual union to surpass the pleasures of physical sex; rituals to encourage the movement of Kundalini energy; magical uses for sexual fluids; techniques for creating a homunculus - an artificial human. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

One of the top 10 books concerning magick!
I must preface this review with my own experience. I have been a practicing occultist, mystic, and mage for over 30 years. This book by Donald Tyson is not just a course in sexual alchemy. It is a complete course in advanced magick. The ideas in this book are NOT for beginners. I have read almost all the writings of Aleister Crowley and Kenneth Grant. And I think that this book ranks up there with Crowley's masterpiece, Magick in Theory and Practice. I encourage Llewellyn to reprint this book. It is a shame that it is not more readily available. In fact, I think Donald Tyson could release it in a signed limited hardcover edition and do well with it. I have been pleasantly surprised by Tyson's works. He is a very original magician. His writings are based upon years of magical practice and theoretical research.

Tyson was before his time.
Firstly, I am not a magician, or do I aspire to be one.I bought this book to understand some strange experiences I was having.Most books on the occult walk very lightly on the subject of incubus & succubus.They promise a lot, but deliver the same old tired Medieval info. I do not buy into the Christian notion that all that goes bump in the night are demonic.And if you're looking at such books as Tyson's, you probably aren't concerned with Christian outlook, anyway.
Although this book was a little pricey, I found it to be very much WORTH the money. ($50)Knowledge ain't cheap!I was astounded with the information within. It could bea college course on it's own. I wasn't really interested in the summoning part, although it was interesting to read through the the rituals.They do take a lot of space in the book. They seem to be quite detailed. I have no experience in the Golden Dawn practices, and certainly didn't realize they spent so much time in preparation for what they do. Good info, though. The chapters about bodily fluids did bring to mind some sympathetic magick practices, used by women for millenium, aka kitchen magick.

The book is divided into Theory and Practice.Here are a few chapter titles:
Spirit Sex in Magic and Religion, The Great Mother Goddess, Tantra and Tao, The Homunculus,
Choosing a Lover, Observations and Preparations, Middle Pillar exercise, The Physiology of Spirit Sex

My favorites were Spirit Sex and the Physiology chapters.The second was amazing.I have never read anything like it.It describes specific physical sensations to be aware of.Being female, my experiences were certainly different from his, but they were eye opening.I have read this chapter numerous times, and get more out of it, each time.

So the book answered a lot of my questions. I'm glad to own it it.It has given me some foundation for understanding my experiences, without being a member of the Golden Dawn. It remains something I refer to and reread.
If you are looking to summon a spirit to have sex with, and can get through all the preparations, you might just find what you want.There is one odd omission, I wasn't aware of initially.If a person had an entity they were trying to get rid of, how would it be done?I have my own methods, but the book is lacking in this area. The rituals get a lot of emphasis here, BUT do notSPECIFICALLY say how to send the thing away, for good.Nor does it say how one should eliminate an entity's sigil.
If you are buying this book to get a hot cheerleader type succubus, and accidently get an 8 ft. incubus -built like a football player- with a thing for your type, you may be somewhat f**cked.

Some comments-----
I applaud Mr. Tyson's scholarship. It is impeccable. He covers the wide ranging topic of occult sexuality through various cultures and religious traditions, in a concise, readable manner. . .not an easy thing to do.

I like that the book is separated in 2 parts--part one is mainly theory, and is a full complete work unto itself. If the reader feels ready for practical application then they can explore the second part of the book.

One of the first things taught in magick, is that if you summon an enity, you'd better know how to test it to make sure of it's true idenity/attributes and you better know how to properly separate yourself (banish) it. Good intentions are not enough. I found this important info lacking in the book. I do wish Tyson included more information regarding the lesser emmanations of Shakti energy such as Yoginis, HGA, or elementals.

I do recommend the book, but only for those who are experienced in magick.

ROFLMAO
um....yeah.

ahem. let me compose myself...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

No really now....seriously people...A BOOK DOES NOT CAUSE THINGS TO HAPPEN.

It is YOUR BELIEF in what lies in the book that creates what goes on.

YOU CREATE YOUR OWN REALITY. YOUR OWN "MAGIC". YOUR OWN FATE.

If we all believe that ALL OF OUR PROBLEMS (like say, the dramatic medical issues and the taking of precious virginity & ensuing homelessness)are the direct result of practicing "exercises" on bound papers and ink, we would truly, truly be f*cked as a human race.

You need to look at your underlying drama before blaming your hollywood-esque conditions on a freaking book.

White Alchemy? Black Alchemy? How about we add in Grey? I think im rather...grey. Or we could go totally Dragonlance and add in Red!!!

I understand that there is positive/negative, and black or white. But I had believed that "magic" ISNT black or white. There is no SAVED! or DAMNED!

We just are and we make our own way. Least I do.

BTW- I am my own God.

A Read For Experienced Alchemist
With all the reviews I find it interesting that most totally missed the subject of the story. Apparently most were drawn to buying the book for the word SEX in the title...;)
This book is not about sex with a spirit because one can not find a human lover.It is about how to go about initiating a relationship with a specific spirit in order to gather bodily fluids to use in what some might refer to as magic.The fluids are gained during sexual contact with the said spirit. Instead of arguing about who gets to sleep in the wet spot.Tyson collects the wet spot, dries it out and uses it to enhance his abilities.
This aspect was very clear in the book and Tyson's instructions were impeccable.However this is not a subject to be taken lightly by the inexperience dabbler of magic learned through modern writings.This book will confuse those of lesser experience in the study of ancient Alchemy, which is part science and part art.
If you are one of those that thinks an Alchemist is a wizard stirring toads in a pot, this book will confuse you.
If you think Alchemy is all about magic, this book will confuse you.
If you have studied the art of transmutation of common metals into Gold, understand the theory of the philosopher's stone, or the study of awakening kundalini.You will find this book very helpful.
Again this is about gathering the fluid to make the powder that gives power by opening the third eye and awakening psychic ability.
... Read more

Product Description
Medieval alchemists, forerunners of today's chemists, sought to transmute base metals into gold. This lively illustrated history explores intriguing aspects of this mix of science, philosophy, art, religion, and magic, whose roots go back to ancient Egypt.

158 illustrations, 109 in full color, 5 x 7" ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great view of Alchemy.
This book really helps one appreciate the wonderful view that those truly devoted to Alchemy had.Unlike the rather narrow view of most modern day branches of science, the Alchemist look to understand the whole.This little book helps one to appreciate that approach.

Good overview
This is a great starter book for those that wish to skim the surface of what Alchemy (Hermetic Philosophy) is about.This book isn't lessons or teachings but rather a history and overview, rather accurate and unbaised in my opinion. Very well researched and good photos.Good first step book. ... Read more

Product Description
In Dime-Store Alchemy Charles Simic, one of contemporary America’s most idiosyncratic, engaging, and skillful poets, reflects on the art of the homegrown American surrealist Joseph Cornell. In a work that is in various degrees biography, criticism, and sheer poetry, Simic tells of Cornell’s life in Utopia Parkway, Queens and of how he loved to wander the streets of New York hunting for overlooked and unexpected odds and ends. He illuminates the hermetic mysteries of Cornell’s beautiful boxes, now in major museums throughout the world—works in which private obsessions were alchemically transformed into enduring works of art. Simic also sees Cornell’s work as exemplifying a distinctively American aesthetic, freed of slavish dependency on tradition, open to the world, improvisatory, at once homemade and universal, modest and teasing and profound. Full of unexpected riches, Dime-Store Alchemy is both an entrancing meditation on the nature of art and a perfect introduction to a major American artist by one of his peers, a book that can be perused at length or dipped into at leisure again and again. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Woops!Only 8 photos on this book.
After reading the reviews, i was eager to receive this, especially as I'm only beginning my journey into the mind of Joseph Cornell.I was disappointed.The book is tiny - there are photos of only eight of Cornell's works and the prose, although nice, really isn't all that enlightening or inspiring, giving me nary a "hmm" factor.

It's a lovely little book for what it is, which isn't much. If like me, you're just discovering Cornell, this is not the place to start.I wish I knew the best place to point you, but I'm looking for that myself.

If you loved the Cornell show at the Peaboday- Essex
Then you will love this book of short essays and responses to Joseph Cornell's work by our Poet Laureate.It's amll and without a dustjacket, quite elegant and easy to take with you to read when you find yourself with a few spare minutes.

Dime Store Alchemy: The Art of Joseph Cornell
This elegant book reminded me of "Einstien's Dreams."The book is about the genius of imagination.Cornell's provincial life gave him the opportunity to observe his world closely and let it expand into his art.The writing by the poet Simic is a piece ofart in itself.

Delicious!!
Reading Dime-Store Alchemy is a fine way to get to know Joseph Cornell's work (and of course Charles Simic's).Simic uses a writing style which pieces together different elements of Cornell's favorite authors and poets, beautifully reflecting the montage operation created by Cornell himself.As Simic ambiguously reveals aspects of Cornell's life in New York City, the reader finds him/herself on the same search for an understanding of beauty that the artist spent his entire life investigating.Don't miss it! ... Read more