Product Description

In turn-of-the-millennium India, a penniless would-be writer halts work on his novel only to feed his ceaseless desire for his beautiful wife. Then a chance occurrence moves the lovers to a sprawling old house in a mist-shrouded spur of the lower Himalayas, where a set of diaries written by a glamorous American adventuress is uncovered during renovations. Her words irresistibly draw the writer away from his beloved, thrusting him through the hole of history into another world and time, revealing dark secrets and overturning all certainties.

Customer Reviews (8)

Best Book Ever Read!!!
This book is one of the best I have read in my life. The way the author tells everyone's story is superb. The erotic content so vivid and so classy at the same time.

Much better than I expected
Yes, it could have benefited from some editing and yes, it did drag a bit a third of the way through but then the narrative began to gel and by the time we are reading Catherine's journal, the dovetailing plot and philosophical underpinning is clear. A masterful trip thru contemporary Indian history and a fascinating dissection of human desire, most notably sexual desire, but also ambition, power, greed and control.

You'll have to stick with the book, but the ride is definitely worth it.

Price of Lust and Greed !
The nameless protagonist starts the book with "Sex is the greatest glue between two people!"He describes his love life and sex life (Prema - Love), his struggle to be a writer because he wants to write an epic, a book of mythic proportions and not about small things!He is also trying to hold a job (Karma _ Duty). Then he gets the windfall (from his alienated and dead Grandma). (Artha - Money). From this money they buy a house built in the colonial times in the mountains and start renovating it.Now another windfall!The journals of a white woman who once lived in that house are discovered. The author becomes obsessed both with the contents and its author and is alienated from his wife.The journals contain the detailed descriptions of the woman's childhood, her love and sex life and finally her possessiveness of her married lover and where it leads her. Her journals also contain her gay husband's life and sex life etc. (Desire - Kama).In the final chapters, the author finds the missing pieces of the puzzle (not found in the journals) by talking to people whose parents either were her employers or lovers. Now that he is done with the journals and found good material for the book, he has time for her and ready to reconcile with her.He ends the book with "Love is the greatest glue between two people!" (Satya - Truth).Like all great truths this realization comes only after much lust, loss and struggle. Of course! The windfalls helped him. It would have been better to have a name for the hero whose journey ends with the realization that it is not Sex, but Love, which is the glue between two people.

I found the writing about the house and the mountains very good.The protagonist when struggling to be a writer trashes two books he has written, but not only after letting the readers know the stories, but also repeatedly bringing them up in other contexts which I thought was totally unnecessary and irrelevant. Just like a dish, which is too spicy, or a cake with too much icing, there is too much sexual explicit material all through the book. The details are more graphic from a man's perspective, but when it comes to the woman, it is more in clichés, for e.g.,"she served a dish fit for a king" etc.

Last but not the least, I disagree with the statement I found on the front cover of the hardback edition. "At last - a new and brilliantly original novel from India."I don't think this is the first brilliant and original novel. There have been others. What about the book by Ms. Roy? In many ways, she was the first one to come out of the closet and dared to call"a spade a spade". Since then there have been more brilliant and original books from India and Indian Diaspora.

If you can put up with some excesses, it is a good read, but I think some parts are more comprehensible if you are familiar with Indian history and politics.

Also in Lust with Words
I may be jumping the gun in writing this review before I have finished the book but in all honesty I don't know if I will be able to.I am about half-way through and am exhausted by the sheer wordiness of the story. This novel would have benefited from some judicious editing, especially in the overly detailed descriptions of landscape, architecture, secondary characters, etc.There is an overuse of words and expressions that only someone familiar with India would be familiar with and the inclusion of the "story within a story" that he ended up discarding was totally unnecessary.There is minimal character development of Fizz other than being the receptacle for the main character's constant and abiding lust (I haven't gotten to the part where this ceases).If I do finish the book I will come back and amend the review.LATER: OK, I've finally finished the book, and the only amendment is the deduction of a star - the site won't let me change to a 2-star rating, but there you are!Wish I had back the hours spent muddling through this mess!

A truly original novel set in the subcontinent of India
On a flat marble slab, in a thick black Gothic style, busy with curlicues, was engraved: "Who can ever hold the essence of fire? Who can ever know the alchemy of desire?" Below it was written: "Catherine of Gethia, wife of Syed, daughter of John. Died 1942."--From the final chapter.

In The Alchemy of Desire, Tarun J. Teipal, who lives with his wife and younger daughter in New Delhi, has written a stunningly original novel. Containing torrid homilies on hedonism, and bristling scenes of erotic passion, the story skates dangerously over the thin ice of pornography, threatening to sink into its brackish waters.

Indeed, moralists will brand The Alchemy of Desire an obscene work--not a story to be read aloud in genteel society. Others will argue that Teipal's literary artistry lifts it above the crude and the common, thereby confirming the truth of Nietzsche's aphorism, "What is done out of love always happens beyond good and evil."

But therein lies the rub. One of the key relationships portrayed in this novel happen not out of love but out of a demonic obsession to squeeze the last drop of pleasure out of besieged and battered flesh. The frenzied, desperate pursuit of sensual delight is doomed to failure:

"But pleasures are like poppies spread, / You seize the flow'r, its bloom is shed; / Or like the snow falls in the river, / A moment white--then melts forever; / Or like the borealis race, / That flit ere you can point their place; / Or like the rainbow's lovely form / Evanishing amid the storm."--Robert Burns, "Tam O'Shanter: A Tale."

The unnamed protagonist (let's dub him "T.T" or "The Fool") is enchanted with Fiza ("Fizz"). Theirs is a beautiful relationship, one in which true love and desire meet in harmony. She encourages him in his attempt to write The Great Indian Novel, but he experiences writer's block and consigns one failed work to the waters of a lake and the other to the fireplace flames.

T.T. and Fizz move to Delhi, where T.T. finds a job as a subeditor for a newspaper and Fizz is employed as a proofreader and researcher for a publishing firm. They struggle financially, but are supremely happy in their reciprocal love.

In a seemingly fortuitous turn of events, T.T. becomes the heir of a fortune, a financial windfall that allows him and Fizz to purchase a sprawling old house situated 5,438 feet high in the foothills of the Himalayas. As they work to renovate the estate, they believe it will be the perfect place to embody their perfect love.

But then, as in the opening notes of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, fate knocks at the door. "The Fool" (for that is what we must now call T.T.) discovers a cache of long-abandoned diaries, 64 identical tan-leather notebooks packed into a wooden chest, in four stacks of 16 each. They are the erotic diaries of the previous owner of the estate, a beautiful American woman named Catherine.

Over the next six months The Fool becomes obsessed, night and day, with deciphering the wordwheels of the diaries. His desire for Fizz dwindles and she, rightly feeling ignored and rejected, packs up her bags and leaves. For the next three and a half years, The Fool immerses himself in his "magnificent obsession," slowly deteriorating in body and mind, possessed by Catherine's nightly incubus.

A servant wisely tells The Fool, "Men must know the difference between gold and brass, or be forever doomed." Slowly but surely, The Fool sees the skull beneath the skin, the serpent in the garden, the decay inherent in the act of creation.

At first intriguing, the story within a story--the various encounters between Catherine and her lover, an Indian named Gaj Sigh, described in the leatherbound notebooks--begins to pall. The fascination of their frenzied couplings becomes banal; the chemistry of their unbridled sexuality ends in ennui.

One thinks of Schopenhauer's arresting theory, in "The World As Will and Representation": "Life swings like a pendulum to and fro between pain [the emptiness and suffering caused by need] and boredom [the satiety following the quenching of desire], and these two are in fact its ultimate constituents."

As The Fool wipes the dust off of his neglected typewriter, he senses the presence of his returning muse: "I rolled a sheet of paper through the smooth platten of the Brother, put the quivering tips of my fingers on the shining black keys, and began to hammer. The clacks ran out like rifle shots. Sex is not the great glue between two people. Love ..."
The Fool, let's now call him The Wise Man, has begun to write The Great Indian Novel. And, as a working title, he may even have called it "The Alchemy of Desire."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tarun J. Tejpal has been a journalist for 23 years. He is the founder of Tehelka.com, a news-and-views magazine that has garnered worldwide acclaim for its journalism. Previously, he was editor of India Today and managing editor of Outlook, one of India's premier newsmagazines. He has also written for several international publications, including The Paris Review, The Guardian, The Financial Times, and Prospect. In 2001, Business Week declared him among the fifty leaders at the forefront of change in Asia. His older daughter studies at Hampshire College, Amherst, while the younger lives with him and his wife in New Delhi. ... Read more

Product Description
The Pocket Library of Spiritual Wisdom is an exciting new book series of original contributions by Rudolf Steiner to human knowledge from metaphysical dimensions of reality normally hidden from everyday consciousness. With his philosophical and scientific training, Steiner brought a new systematic discipline to the field of spiritual research, as well as fully conscious methods and comprehensive results. These books highlight samples of his work with excerpts from his many talks and writings on some of the most fascinating themes in contemporary spiritual research. They are easy-to-read, accessible texts with helpful introductions, commentary, and notes.

Topics included in this volume:

Alchemy and the Rise of the Modern Mysteries

The Loss of the Divine and the Alchemical Quest

Mysteries of the Metals

The Standpoint of Human Wisdom Today

Alchemy and Consciousness - the Transformation Alchemy and Archangels

The Alchemy of Nature - Mercury, Sulphur, Salt

Beyond Nature Consciousness - the Spiritual Goal ... Read more

Product Description
When Chinese alchemists fashioned the first manmade explosion sometime during the tenth century, no one could have foreseen its full revolutionary potential. Invented to frighten evil spirits rather than fuel guns or bombs-neither of which had been thought of yet-their simple mixture of saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal went on to make the modern world possible. As word of its explosive properties spread from Asia to Europe, from pyrotechnics to battleships, it paved the way for Western exploration, hastened the end of feudalism and the rise of the nation state, and greased the wheels of the Industrial Revolution.

With dramatic immediacy, novelist and journalist Jack Kelly conveys both the distant time in which the "devil's distillate" rose to conquer the world, and brings to rousing life the eclectic cast of characters who played a role in its epic story, including Michelangelo, Edward III, Vasco da Gama, CortŽs, Guy Fawkes, Alfred Nobel, and E. I. DuPont. A must-read for history fans and military buffs alike, Gunpowder brings together a rich terrain of cultures and technological innovations with authoritative research and swashbuckling style. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

entertaining but biased
This is a quick and engaging read and should be regarded as being more for entertainment than education. Anyone who has any prior knowledge on the subject will likely not get a whole lot out of it.
My main issue with this book is the condescending nature with which the author regards previous eras. The author's bias serves only to perpetuate the degrading stereotypes that shape the many misconceptions of bygone centuries.
I would say it's worth reading, has a sound structure, and quick pace, but lacks the detail and point of view that the subject matter demands.

Chemistry and history combined
This is an excellent publication and highlights how gunpowder changed world history and is also a fascinating insight into how gunpowder was developed and why no-one knew quite why it worked for 500 years after it was invented.

Sooo Coool!
Okay, I'm a nerd.No question.Do you have to be a nerd to love this book: probably.But, if you are a nerd... oooohhh.. you're in for a treat!The history of gunpowder is several thousand years of unlikely,gradual and fascinating improvements.

Makes a good case
This book turned out to be far more interesting that what I expected. It makes a very good case for the argument that gunpowder is one of the most important inventions in history - and you may in fact walk away with the conclusion that it is in fact THE most important. Concise, eloquent, and engaging. Highly recommended.

A simple chemical that changed history
I read 'Gunpowder' some time ago which, in some cases, is the best way to review a book.Smooth writing and catchy phrases usually disappear from the mind after a day or two, more important concepts last longer.Kelly's book is more informational than a page-turner.His basic premise that the invention of gunpowder--no matter who actually invented it--was one of those pivotal discoveries that changed history inexorably and for all time, stands as a certain truth.

Perhaps like other pivotal discoveries--fire, the chipped stone handaxe, the atlatl, the bow and arrow, the shovel, the wheel, the screw and many, many others, the discoveror [s] have disappeared in history.Still, it was discovered, probably quite by accident, and we are all both its beneficiaries and victims.Kelly did a good job of emphasizing something that all of us should have known anyway...but didn't.

Ron Braithwaite, author of novels, "Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God", on the Spanish Conquest of Mexico ... Read more

Product Description
Decodes the message inscribed on the Great Cross of Hendaye in France.

* Uses the work of 20th-century alchemist Fulcanelli to predict the date of the fatal season of the apocalypse.

* Shows how periodic galactic alignments may cause catastrophes on Earth.

* Examines how the secret of the center of the galaxy reveals the true location of the lost civilization of Atlantis.

* Reveals the alchemical secret of the imperishable Light Body of ancient Egypt deep within our DNA.

The Mysteries of the Great Cross of Hendaye reveals one of Western occultism's deepest secrets: The alchemical transformation of base metal into gold is also the transformation of the current Iron Age into the Golden Age. Based on the work of the enigmatic 20th-century alchemist Fulcanelli, authors Weidner and Bridges show how the greatest alchemical secret is that of time itself and that coded into an obscure monument in southwestern France-the cross in the town square of Hendaye-is the imminent date of the apocalypse. The authors' explorations of this symbolism lead them from the cross of Hendaye to the western facade of the cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, the Pyrenees, ancient Egypt, and the secret origins of Atlantis in Peru, to reveal that we are indeed living in a "fatal season" and that this season is intimately connected to our solar system's alignment with the galactic center. The authors' in-depth examination of alchemy's connection with the coming end days also reveals that this astro-alchemical knowledge was part of the sacred science of the Egyptians and the Atlanteans, whose coded messages are, at last, deciphered to guide humanity to its future destiny. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Well done!!
Very nice view into esoteric occult mysteries. The strength of this book is the way Mr. Weidner & Mr. Bridges explain history, mythology, alchemy, qabalah, astronomy, astrology & tarot cards into the meaning of symbols on the Cross of Hendaye. If you have no background for the above subjects, the authors provide adequate explanations for you to understand their way of thinking. If you are closed minded, unwilling to stretch boundries in accepted history & science, you will have an under-appreciation for this book. If you have an open mind to a different view, especiality with history, you will appreciate the author's thought processes. Even someone with a substantial formal education will understand a need to look into these esoteric studies that are not formally taught. I thank the authors for this very informative book.

Quite boring
I thought this book would unravel a great secret. It didn't. Rather it contained speculations, and it was quite boring to read. I don't think this book holds much truth.

Don't waste your time
I had high hopes for this book. The author was featured on a radio program I listen to and gave a good interview, but on actually getting and reading the book I went from excited to mad in just a few chapters. Quite frankly, the author knows nothing about esotericism, to say nothing of a basic conceptualization of history. He starts out with talking about the book, then veers off into a discussion of Abraham, i.e. the mythical Patriarch, asserting that Abraham was given knowledge by god that the secret to the universe had to do with an alignment of the earth with the galactic center. Are you a little sceptical yet? You should be. After this revelation the author makes the assertion that the Tree of Life glyph in the Kabbalah actually refers to a constellation and that, moreover, when you fold it one way you get a mystical cube, which somehow has something to do with the galactic center. Absolutely no evidence is given for either one of these things.

It only gets better from there on. He goes on to talk about, for no obvious reason whatsoever, new age theories about how DNA generates photons.

The research, if there was any beyond an afternoon's worth, is terrible, the book makes no cogent arguments or presents any evidence to support the muddled assertions and in the end basically asks the reader to take it all on faith.

And because one permutation of the inscription on this cross at Hendaye yields the word "Urcos" and because the authors googled it, or looked it up in an Atlas I think they said, and found that there was a town named "Urcos" in Peru......suddenly Peru is the heart of an Atlantean civilization whose descendants are the Basque people of Spain and France, because Hendaye is close to the French Basque country.

The mind reels. It also reels at how exactly the authors can reconcile a literal belief in the existence of Abraham with a belief in some pre-cataclysmic civilization in South America.

Information filled!
This book held a lot of personal interest for myself, being Basque. I believe the Basque people are deeply involved in the "Salvation" of mankind and always have been.

DiaGnosis: Even more fascinating!
Un updated, much expanded edition of A Monument to the End of Time

In 1926, an enigmatic alchemist called Fulcanelli published a book called "Le Mystere des Cathedrales", orMystery of the Cathedrals, which explains how Gothic cathedrals have hermetic and alchemical secrets encoded intotheir architecture and sculptures. In 1957, a second edition appeared, and included an extra chapter on the significance of a monument in the town of Hendaye in the Pyrenees. The monument - an engraved pedestal with a pillar and engraved cross - was built around 1680.The Mysteries of the Great Cross of Hendaye is a thorough exposition of the hidden meaning encoded into this Hendaye Cross.

The authors have traced the alchemical thread back to Egypt; to the first Gnostic groups, and re-exposed the fact that behind alchemy lies a triple transmutation - inner, outer and time. The inner transmutation is the refining of the psycho-sexual energies and fluids; the outer is using the inner change to transmute physical states; the third is the same transmutation applied to the whole Earth, changing the Age of Iron to the Age of Gold.The 4 ages - Gold, Silver,Bronze and Iron relate to the 26,000-year cycle of precession, with the Fall occurring when the Tree (the celestial axis, or earth's rotational axis), points away from the centre of the galaxy. "Resurrection"or "redemption", occurs when the Tree points towards the centre of the galaxy. This is the point when the "sparks of light"- our souls as fragments of God - return to the source.

The thread is traced from ancient Egypt to the Coptic Church, the Gnostics, the Hebrews, Islaam (the Sufis), the Order of Sion, and the Knights Templar, the grail romances, the tarot, and, with increasing persecution of heretics, the engraving of cathedrals, and finally, the Rosicrucian movement.

The 4 engravings on the pedestal are found to refer to the 4 tarot trumps; The Star; The Moon; The Sun, and Judgement.The pillar is the Djed, or Earth's rotational axis ( Moira Timms has already pointed this out see Raising the Djed). The two "x" engravings refer to the winding of the ecliptic and the equinoctial points, plus trump 20, judgement. The "ocruxaves pesunica" engraving means "the secret concerns a cross and a snake which somehow measures the 12th part". When combined, these clues (along with clues from the kabbalistic Tree of Life, whose 22 paths correlate to the 22 tarot trumps), the authors conclude that half a precessional cycle ago, the spring equinox fell on the cusp of Leo/Virgo; 12,960 years later, in 2002, the autumn (fall) equinox will be in the same position. The planetary attributions of the tarot trumps, combined with the orientation of the faces of the monument confirms that 22 September 2002 is the date in question. Trump 14, temperance (Alchemy), correlates to the direction of Galactic centre, while trump 21, the World, correlates to the opposing Galactic edge.

Fulcanelli implies that the cross at Hendaye signifies a "fatal period" ofa "double catastrophe". If autumn equinox 2002 is the mid-point of a 20-year period (the XX engraving implies this), this may imply the last katun of the Mayan "Great Cycle"(13-Baktun cycle), since this is the nearest autumn equinox to the katun mid-point (12 Feb 2003, Long Count date 12.19.10.0.0). The authors were stunned to discover that Paul LaViolette has been warning the world of just such a double catastrophe, in the form of a galactic core explosion, which he already tentatively linked to the 2012 end-point. The first effects would be "electromagnetic shifts...crustal torque, pole shifts, tidal waves and high winds", the second catastrophe would be "an explosion of the sun's corona caused by the influx of cosmic dust pushed by the galactic superwave".

Fulcanelli also said that the inscription "ocruxaves pesunica" revealed a place of refuge. By clues from Fulcanelli, the authors arrived at 2 anagrams: Inca cave, Cusco, Peru, and Hail to the Cross at Urcos. The authors were again amazed to find not only caves at Cusco, but a nearby town called Urcos with a cross. Sadly, the original cross had been destroyed, but they concluded that the place of refuge may be either the caves at Cusco, or the legendary tunnels under the Andes, if someone finds an entrance.

The authors suggest that we should learn to "weave" our "Bardo or transitional body into nicely fractal flows of self-awareness" simply by meditating on compassion, as suggested by the work of Itzhak Bentov (Bentov explains in Stalking the wild Pendulum p.33-36 & 54-56 that in meditative states, the breathing is so gentle that it no longer interferes with the feedback of the aorta, allowing the system to become resonant, allowing the whole body to resonate at the same frequency as the earth - 7.8 Hz. How this is affected by the increasing rate of Schumann resonanceremains to be researched). We shall thus be ready to be "harvested", to become a soul inhabiting a star, like the pharaohs of Egypt (see Star Birth Bardo in the Body of Orion). The Paris Papyrus gives some clues that the transformational process may be triggered by the light from the glow of the exploding galactic centre, triggering a cerebro-chemical outpouring which fuels an internal light that externalizes as "the shining light or star body of imperishable quality". The authors suggest that we need to prepare by performing a ceremony every equinox, in which the kabbalistic tree of life is "projected onto the Celestial sphere", a technique developed by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.

The original review with links can be found at the diagnosis2012 website. ... Read more

Product Description
Alchemists are generally held to be the quirky forefathers of science, blending occultism with metaphysical pursuits.Although many were intelligent and well-intentioned thinkers, the oft-cited goals of alchemy paint these antiquated experiments as wizardry, not scientific investigation. Whether seeking to produce a miraculous panacea or struggling to transmute lead into gold, the alchemists radical goals held little relevance to consequent scientific pursuits. Thus, the temptation is to view the transition from alchemy to modern science as one that discarded fantastic ideas about philosophers stones and magic potions in exchange for modest yet steady results.It has been less noted, however, that the birth of atomic science actually coincided with an efflorescence of occultism and esoteric religion that attached deep significance to questions about the nature of matter and energy.

Mark Morrisson challenges the widespread dismissal of alchemy as a largely insignificant historical footnote to science by prying into the revival of alchemy and its influence on the emerging subatomic sciences of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.Morrisson demonstrates its surprising influence on the emerging subatomic sciences of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.Specifically, Morrisson examines the resurfacing of occult circles during this time period and how their interest in alchemical tropes had a substantial and traceable impact upon the science of the day.Modern Alchemy chronicles several encounters between occult conceptions of alchemy and the new science, describing how academic chemists, inspired by the alchemy revival, attempted to transmute the elements; to make gold.
Examining scientists publications, correspondence, talks, and laboratory notebooks as well as the writings of occultists, alchemical tomes, and science-fiction stories, he argues that during the birth of modern nuclear physics, the trajectories of science and occultism---so often considered antithetical---briefly merged. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Occult Chemistry
This is a fascinating book for many reasons. I have always been interested in that area where cutting edge science meets conventional religion and occultism. I count "The Tao of Physics", "The Dancing Wu-LI Masters" and "Meetings With Remarkable Men" among my favorites. Naturally I was drawn to "Modern Alchemy" if only by the title. It more than met my expectations. I mean how can a book that includes, among many others, Thomas Aquinas, H.P. Blavatsky, William Jennings Bryan, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, Edgar Cayce, Aleister Crowley, Michael Faraday, Carl Jung, Anton Mesmer and J.R.R. Tolkein, be less than fascinating?

Morrison traces the history of atomic science from the end of the 19th century until the 1030's. However this is not some dry survey of "scientific progress." Among the surprises is that when scientists first observed radioactive elements decaying they saw connections to alchemical transmutation. This was happening as alchemists, threatened by earlier scientific challenges to the idea of physical transmutation had begun to speak in terms of the "spiritual transmutation" of the individual as the goal of alchemical studies.

The book also examines how radiation and atomic theory were seen in popular culture. Want to know what might happen to the world economy if some atomic scientist could change base metals into gold? You could read H.G. Wells or get a more comprehensive view Chapter 4 in "Modern Alchemy."

... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Consciousness is Present Everwhere
In Spiritual Alchemy C. C. Zain challenges the notion that inanimate objects are devoid of consciousness, instead he purports that the universe is animated by the trinity of intelligence, substance and motion. He takes the reader on a journey from the limited intelligence present in minerals and plants to the divine consciousness that can be obtained in human form. Using the allegorical language of medieval alchemy which includes the philosopher's stone, transmutation, the reverberatory furnace and metallic ores the author reveals the Hermetic teachings concerning the evolution of the Soul. Gold, silver, mercury and lead all become the ores of life's experiences that must be purified to obtain spiritual gold and thus reach higher states of consciousness. For the student of astrology the process of alchemy bridges the gap between telling someone what their chart represents and what they can do about changing it.

Use Astrology to Transform your life
Teaches the student to use Spiritual Astrology to make their lives better, by using Alchemy to transform their problems and disadvantages into success. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The ideal introduction to alchemy for the novice
This was my third book by Eliade, but certainly not the last. Eliade was a professor of the history of religions at the University of Chicago, among other things, but he was also very well travelled, having studied under the guidance of an Indian yogi back in Mother India. He was born in Rumania, a contemporary of the European idealist freedom fighter Corneliu Codreanu in the 30's, and in fact a member of the Legion of the Archangel Michael, a radical "Right-wing" religious organization opposed to the project of creating a new Israel on European soil. Although Eliade throughout his life claimed to be very "apolitical", his views on religion have a natural conservative and reactionary consequence, so hence this is for sure one of "our own boys".

This particular book deals with alchemy, not from a technical or chemical point of view, but from a historical, religious, cultural and to a certain degree psychological and traditionalist. Most primitive peoples had no access to metals (iron in particular) beside that which fell from the sky, so; "When Cortez enquired of the Aztec chiefs whence they obtained their knives they simply pointed to the sky" (p.21). Meteoric iron was among many peoples held in higher regard than gold, and looked upon as gifts directly from higher powers. From this first chapter "Meteorites and Metallurgy", we onwards learn much about how the first smiths, potters, carpenters and so on ritualized and sanctified their work and viewed it as a mirror-image of the original celestial creation. Later, Eliade teaches us on how many alchemists thoughts of the world as divided into sexes, and hence how various items, parts of nature, chemical solutions, metallic alloys and so on also were divided into various sexes.

We later touch on such issues as "Divine Smiths & Civilizing Heroes", "Smiths, Warriors, Masters of Initiation", "Chinese & Indian Alchemy", "Arcana Artis" and of course, one of Eliade's favourite subjects; "Alchemy and Temporality". All this, and more, in less than 200 pages of large-font text, who would want to miss out on that? Included is also a very useful and comprehensive bibliography. Eliade draws on both Evola and Jung, among many others, in this rather detailed research into the origins of alchemy. As always Eliade renders what is often annoyingly obscure into clear as day facts that anyone can understand. Ideal as the first book you read on this fascinating subject! 5 stars, without a doubt.

The ideal introduction to alchemy for the novice
This was my third book by Eliade, but certainly not the last. Eliade was a professor of the history of religions at the University of Chicago, among other things, but he was also very well travelled, having studied under the guidance of an Indian yogi back in Mother India. He was born in Rumania, a contemporary of the European idealist freedom fighter Corneliu Codreanu in the 30's, and in fact a member of the Legion of the Archangel Michael, a radical "Right-wing" religious organization opposed to the project of creating a new Israel on European soil. Although Eliade throughout his life claimed to be very "apolitical", his views on religion have a natural conservative and reactionary consequence, so hence this is for sure one of "our own boys".

This particular book deals with alchemy, not from a technical or chemical point of view, but from a historical, religious, cultural and to a certain degree psychological and traditionalist. Most primitive peoples had no access to metals (iron in particular) beside that which fell from the sky, so; "When Cortez enquired of the Aztec chiefs whence they obtained their knives they simply pointed to the sky" (p.21). Meteoric iron was among many peoples held in higher regard than gold, and looked upon as gifts directly from higher powers. From this first chapter "Meteorites and Metallurgy", we onwards learn much about how the first smiths, potters, carpenters and so on ritualized and sanctified their work and viewed it as a mirror-image of the original celestial creation. Later, Eliade teaches us on how many alchemists thoughts of the world as divided into sexes, and hence how various items, parts of nature, chemical solutions, metallic alloys and so on also were divided into various sexes.

We later touch on such issues as "Divine Smiths & Civilizing Heroes", "Smiths, Warriors, Masters of Initiation", "Chinese & Indian Alchemy", "Arcana Artis" and of course, one of Eliade's favourite subjects; "Alchemy and Temporality". All this, and more, in less than 200 pages of large-font text, who would want to miss out on that? Included is also a very useful and comprehensive bibliography. Eliade draws on both Evola and Jung, among many others, in this rather detailed research into the origins of alchemy. As always Eliade renders what is often annoyingly obscure into clear as day facts that anyone can understand. Ideal as the first book you read on this fascinating subject! 5 stars, without a doubt.

The ideal introduction to alchemy for the novice
This was my third book by Eliade, but certainly not the last. Eliade was a professor of the history of religions at the University of Chicago, among other things, but he was also very well travelled, having studied under the guidance of an Indian yogi back in Mother India. He was born in Rumania, a contemporary of the European idealist freedom fighter Corneliu Codreanu in the 30's, and in fact a member of the Legion of the Archangel Michael, a radical "Right-wing" religious organization opposed to the project of creating a new Israel on European soil. Although Eliade throughout his life claimed to be very "apolitical", his views on religion have a natural conservative and reactionary consequence, so hence this is for sure one of "our own boys".

This particular book deals with alchemy, not from a technical or chemical point of view, but from a historical, religious, cultural and to a certain degree psychological and traditionalist. Most primitive peoples had no access to metals (iron in particular) beside that which fell from the sky, so; "When Cortez enquired of the Aztec chiefs whence they obtained their knives they simply pointed to the sky" (p.21). Meteoric iron was among many peoples held in higher regard than gold, and looked upon as gifts directly from higher powers. From this first chapter "Meteorites and Metallurgy", we onwards learn much about how the first smiths, potters, carpenters and so on ritualized and sanctified their work and viewed it as a mirror-image of the original celestial creation. Later, Eliade teaches us on how many alchemists thoughts of the world as divided into sexes, and hence how various items, parts of nature, chemical solutions, metallic alloys and so on also were divided into various sexes.

We later touch on such issues as "Divine Smiths & Civilizing Heroes", "Smiths, Warriors, Masters of Initiation", "Chinese & Indian Alchemy", "Arcana Artis" and of course, one of Eliade's favourite subjects; "Alchemy and Temporality". All this, and more, in less than 200 pages of large-font text, who would want to miss out on that? Included is also a very useful and comprehensive bibliography. Eliade draws on both Evola and Jung, among many others, in this rather detailed research into the origins of alchemy. As always Eliade renders what is often annoyingly obscure into clear as day facts that anyone can understand. Ideal as the first book you read on this fascinating subject! 5 stars, without a doubt. ... Read more

Product Description

An oversized, lavishly produced book, The Alchemy of MirrorMask takes readers inside the making of the feature film and allows them to experience the creative process. Animated by Dave McKean and written by Neil Gaiman, MirrorMask combines animation and live action with a compelling storyline to take the cinematic experience to a stunning new level.

Customer Reviews (6)

Mirror Mask
This book turned out to be fantastic. To be honest I was looking for a book that showcased the artwork of MirrorMask and while this book did offer some of the artwork it offered so much more information about the whole movie itself including information on the artwork which was drawn by Ian Miller. It is a wealth of information on a wonderful movie. My daughter (who still sleeps in my bed) calls it our sleepy time movie and we watch it every night. I'm still not tired of it. Love the book.

A very good companion
I like MirrorMask a lot.I have the DVD and got this book on Amazon as a neat companion to it.

Simply stunning collection of collages
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3ITU1ISEWS218 This book contains a stunning collection of collages by Dave Mckean. Every piece of collage is showcase of creativity and fantasy. The pages are visually saturated from the cover to the last page, a feast for the eyes.

The premise of the book is on the production of the movie Mirrormask. It talks about the production of the movie exclusively. Very little is mentioned about the story, which is not a problem if you have watched the movie.

The thing with collages is, they are typically filled with great textures. This book is no different. It is through the textures of these collages that give this book so much depth.

I felt there could have been more write up on the making of the movie. But this book is essentially 5 stars for the art displayed.

(More pictures are available on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)

A McKean masterpiece
Indispensable para admiradores/coleccionistas de la obra de Dave Mckean.
El libro está lleno de exhuberantes imágenes (principalmente un libro gráfico) y descripciones del proceso de creación de la pelicula, sus personajes, lugares, etc. Hermosamente diagramado por el propio McKean.

A must for any fan/collector of McKean's work. The book is full of gorgeous images (mainly a graphic book) and descriptions of the film creation process, its characters, places, etc. Beautiful layout by McKean himself.

Beautiful
I have often purchased these companion books to films I really like.After I finally rented MirrorMask and loved the design I figured this book would be worth owning, so I ordered it along with the DVD and the soundtrack.I am not disappointed, the quality of this book is amazing and truly "lavish".The comments along with the design and photos really help explain what the creators were thinking of for the film. ... Read more

Product Description
This mine of information covers not only the Western Tradition, but also the less well-known, yet equally important, Indo-Tibetan and Chinese Taoist traditions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Not a complete waste of time but almost
First thing I did was to look under the "Mercury" entry to check the author's credentials. Not a single reference to the mind or the intellect. Enough said...... a really basic alchemic piece of "green language" that had been undecyphered by the author.

And the list of errors and crucial missed definitions goes on and on and on.

Opus Alchymicum
I am sure that the classical alchemists would have regarded this book with outrage- not because it does not contain their deepest secrets, but because it makes them so easily accessible. You see, this book is more than a mere dictionary of the terminology of the Sacred Science, it is a virtual one-volume encyclopedia covering in detail the processes, principles, and history of the craft. The twenty-one-page introduction alone is one of the best brief histories of the subject that I have seen. Haeffner is an excellent writer that obviously has true understanding and sympathy for his subject. This is not just another dry, hostile, academic historical survey.

The material covered is exhaustive and comprehensive. The Gnostic and Hermetic roots of the western tradition are examined in detail. Of course, there is a thorough coverage of the golden age of the Art during the Renaissance. In addition, modern rediscovery and interpretation is also covered (chiefly through Jung's work.)If this wasn't impressive enough, the author also delves into the Arabic, Indian, Tibetan, and Chinese traditions. Further interconnections are shown with the subjects of astrology, mythology, numerology, natural magic, and prophecy. Indeed, this volume can serve as a grand survey of all of metaphysics.

In reading this book you gain deeper respect of the value of gaining mystical insight into the divine secrets of nature through a rigorous course of study involving both laboratory experimentation and religious meditation. You realize that the physical universe is not a dead and meaningless place. You begin to see that all of nature contains profound spiritual and moral lessons put there by the creator. It isn't that modern, conventional science is incorrect; it is just that it makes a mistake in assuming that the lower physical aspect of nature is the totality of existence. It makes a mistake in refusing to recognize the inherent meaning existing in world. After all, Ashmole, both Bacons, Keplar, and even Newton knew this.

There is an extensive seven-page bibliography for further study.

My only criticisms of this volume are that while it has an attractive and artistic cover, it is otherwise bereft of illustration. A subject as heavy with symbolism as alchemy benefits greatly from visual examples. There is also the fact that the cheap grade of pulp paper is unworthy of such an otherwise fine volume, though I have noticed that this is a common problem with books printed in Britain.

another good one out of print...
....easy-to-use dictionarylike reference book on alchemical symbolism.Pick it up if you see it somewhere.Not hugely comprehensive but a good quick resource. ... Read more

Product Description

Alchemy can't be science--common sense tells us as much. But perhaps common sense is not the best measure of what science is, or was. In this book, Bruce Moran looks past contemporary assumptions and prejudices to determine what alchemists were actually doing in the context of early modern science. Examining the ways alchemy and chemistry were studied and practiced between 1400 and 1700, he shows how these approaches influenced their respective practitioners' ideas about nature and shaped their inquiries into the workings of the natural world. His work sets up a dialogue between what historians have usually presented as separate spheres; here we see how alchemists and early chemists exchanged ideas and methods and in fact shared a territory between their two disciplines.

Distilling Knowledge suggests that scientific revolution may wear a different appearance in different cultural contexts. The metaphor of the Scientific Revolution, Moran argues, can be expanded to make sense of alchemy and other so-called pseudo-sciences--by including a new framework in which "process can count as an object, in which making leads to learning, and in which the messiness of conflict leads to discernment." Seen on its own terms, alchemy can stand within the bounds of demonstrative science.

Customer Reviews (2)

the cutting edge of historical scholarship
Bruce Moran is a heavy in the world of academic alchemical studies, and this book is exactly what the history of science needs--after having neglected the serious study of alchemy for too long for the wrong reasons. Of all his books, this is the best place to start for somebody with a general interest in the subject, or those who wish to better understand the true place of alchemy in the development of modern scientific method, as well as the history of chemistry. This book contains a powerful argument for the relevance of alchemy in the development of the modern conception of what scientific knowledge should be understood as consisting of, and should dispel for anyone with "eyes to see" the negative rumours about alchemy being foolish superstition. Alchemy was early modern matter theory, deeply concerned with many of the issues modern scientists can't fail to neglect. Now historians of science cannot neglect them either.

Like a breathe offresh air
After reading several popular books on alchemy, it was a relief to find this scholarly, yet easy-to-read, history. Moran sets alchemy in context through time and shows how it fits into the scientific revolution. All the major alchemical heavies are there--including some fascinating material on Paracelsus. Also discusses such things as the evolution of the alchemy/chemistry teaching laboratory. Really a satisfying and fascinating read. ... Read more

Product Description
Isaac Newton was a dedicated alchemist, a fact usually obscured as unsuited to his stature as a leader of the scientific revolution. Author Philip Ashley Fanning has diligently examined the evidence and concludes that the two major aspects of Newton’s research—conventional science and alchemy—were actually inseparable. In Isaac Newton and the Transmutation of Alchemy, Fanning reveals the surprisingly profound influence that Newton’s study of this hermetic art had in shaping his widely adopted scientific concepts.

Alchemy was an ancient tradition of speculative philosophy that promised miraculous powers, such as the ability to change base metals into gold and the possibility of a universal solvent or elixir of life. Fanning compellingly describes this carefully tended esoteric institution, which may have found its greatest advocate in the career of the father of modern science. Relegated to the fringes of discourse until its twentieth-century revival by innovative thinkers such as psychiatrist Carl Jung, alchemy offers a key to understanding both the foundations of modern knowledge and important avenues in which we may yet discover wisdom. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Short opinion
Well, this book wasn't useful for my research, because it is written in non-academic style. But for beginners this book can be very helpful.

important new but partial information about our roots
This book provides an important but useful antidote to conventional wisdom about a period which
had a pivotal effect on the later course of Western civilization. A large fraction of the references
are new to me, and sound quite interesting.

In a way, the book takes off on John Maynard Keynes's statement that Newton was "the last alchemist." I have read a number of biographies of Newton, which make him sound like 90% a cardboard character whose entire life could pass a very narrow peer review, and 10% a sheer nasty small lunatic. The book gives many pointers to other aspects of Newton's life
essential to really understanding his perspective. But in the end... it makes me think of a critique by Aleister Crowley of
Karl Marx's view of religion. An antithesis has been badly needed here, but this is not the kind of synthesis which lets us truly appreciate the synthesis.

To set the stage, the first two parts of the book are mainly about John Dee (whom the author clearly adores)
and Francis Bacon (whom he basically trashes as a two-faced hypocrite). Pages 153 to 211 address Newton himself.

Given the many references and details, I can't claim to have digested eveything as yet. But here are my impressions.

Fanning discusses the swirl of four major streams of thought -- modern science (the kind of
social enterprise that Thomas Kuhn talks about), physical alchemy (lots of quicksilver really burning, and really trying to get more gold), ceremonial magic and spiritual alchemy. That's his way of describing it.

He describes John Dee (with support from Queen Elizabeth, who was certainly a pivotal figure) as the hidden main source of
Western culture in all these areas except for mnodern science itself. He suggests that Francis Bacon
was basically a two-faced figure, creating the entire idea of Western science as a kind of lie intended to shelter
his mreal private work as a follower of Dee, in ceremonial magic and physical alchemy. Newton comes
across as a continuation of the Bacon/Dee work, after a major point of transformation where is brought in and
agrees to their policy of a two-faced approach. Newton basically starts up the Royal Society -- the world's first major
true scientific society -- as a cover for physical alchemy and ceremonial magic, and is disappointed that
he cannot steer it to provide more shelter, support and respect for what he truly values. And yet, in the author's view, the Royal Society is basically the realization of an original propoosal by John Dee... which swerved off course in a way
all three of them would deeply regret.

I don't really believe that version, though the argument and many of the sources here are worthy of a lot
more attention.

I especially do not believe the characterization of Francis Bacon, and the lack of appreciation
of the many roots of "spiritual alchemy." The author really does establish Newton's long involvement in
physical alchemy -- and his honest, legitimate attempt to take over everything it has to offer
within the Royal Society and modern science. But I don't see anything like John Dee ceremonial magic
here. I do see some excellent discussion of the "Arian heresy," which in a way is a more precise rendering of themes
that Dan Brown has been talking about lately, in the Da Vinci Code and The Lost Symbol. (Though a popular writer, Brown too has done lots of historical research, with biases different on the surface but not so different deep down as this author.)

I was amused in passing ... when the author is suggesting that everything came from Dee... how casually mentioned
a few minor things showing up from Byzantium and such, and how he finessed the statements Newton himself made (well cited in this book) about the long-standing role of the Pythagoreans and the Stoics and neoPlatonists and such.
Any real knowledge of these schools (or of schools like those described by Corbin, which have interconnected with them)
would show very clearly that it's not all Dee-style alienated and formal ceremonial magic.

In fact, Bacon came from a long-standing growing school of thought in Britain (and elsewhere) ... which may be called "empiricist."At the very least, the Reverend Occam was a key part of it. There was a stream of thought
which opposed the formalistic, hermeneutic approach -- revering old texts and authorities -- and emphasized
learning from experience as the root of ALL knowledge. There is no hypocrisy in proposing an institutoinal
of shared learning from shared experience, in parallel with the same sort of empirical method to enhance and understand
as scientifically as possible the realm of personal experience and growth, even for that part of life which is not suitable for public peer review. (Likewise, there is no hypocrisy in taking out the trash and working for laws to limit CO2 emission at the same time in parallel.) Society does demand some parallel activities, since no one on earth can be an expert
active player in every single area. It is sad that we today know so much more than they did then about the foundations
of learning from experience, both in shared third-party situations and in first-person situations,but are so
much less systematic and conscious about actually applying that knowledge either in science or in everyday life.
(As an example, I think of Smolin's criticism of superstring theory, which is far less empirical than the the work of TYcho Brahe.) I doubt that Newton really mourned the passing of physical alchemy so much as the author suggests,
let alone ceremonial magic; nor that he felt the age of spiritual alchemy was passing away so soon; however,
the author does show us clearly how he rightly mourned the excessive division and lack of understanding which
started to emerge between these two areas of human endeavor.

It is also curious that the author never mentions the links to Freemasonry (not a trivial force in
Western history either). There is a chapter in Mackey's History Freemasonry which dances a bit around
what I would view as the most likely connections, rather similar to what you could actually see around
Trinity College a mere decade or so ago. The book also reminds me of the time when Aleister Crowley in England announced he had unearthed some ancient symbols from a long-defunct brotherhood he would revive... until
a really live trademark suit got him to leave the country.

Before I read this book, I did not realize how the Bacon/Newton ideal of "sapienta" fits with some recent notions
of sapience or sanity -- a state which is not nearly so cold or bloodless or colorless either as third party
science per se or as ceremonial magic, though it is rooted heavily in what we can learn from the former and from direct experience. The contradictions ASSUMED by this author are not there, and are crucial to a real understanding of those who were trying for a different path.

... Read more

Product Description
It is vital for love partners to take the time to seewhich way the powerful forces of nature are moving.These forces playan essential role in determining when to enter a relationship ormarriage, and what to do once in it.The spiritual principlesrevealed in the ALCHEMY OF LOVE RELATIONSHIPS will be of the greatestpractical utility to every man or woman desiring to build, nurture andmaintain a healty love relationship.These truths are the unseenforces that direct every relationship.Use them to take control ofyour love and experience it on a higher level.Without the knowledgeof these laws, you will continue to revisit old patterns and make thesame mistakes, brutally shortening the lives of many promisingrelationships and breaking the hearts of love partners.Knowing theimplications and applications of these forces, coupled with personalresponsibility, will give you a repertoire of expanded options inmanifesting a fulfilling love life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

From Darkness to Light
This book is a real gem - it has helped me in my life and provides practical solutions rather than vague concepts like many other books. The guidance given allowed me to heal myself and my relationships and to be concious. I highly recommend this book to everyone who is in or hoping to be in a love relationship.

Alchemy of Love Relationships
I have studied Kabbalah and various forms of yoga for many years now.Asin the case of his other books, Gurunam has not only given the readerimportant concepts to consider, he has offered concrete steps to taketoward fixing the problems and imbalances.It is my impression thatGurunam believes more in positive action than in continuous deliberation ofa problem.The meditations have inspired much growth in me and in thosewho I have shared them with. ... Read more

Product Description
The Alchemy of the Desert is the result of a lifetime of experiencing the healing power of nature. The author was guided by the spirit of the desert to create powerful flower essences and use them with herself and others to find emotional well-being and self-awareness.

This book is a detailed guide to using desert flower essences. It contains in-depth descriptions of the healing effects of one hundred sixty-six desert flower essences, and has an extensive cross reference section.

This is an essential book for professionals or self-help users, whether you are a beginner or experienced in flower essence therapy.

This second edition has been revised and includes thirty-one new chapters of flower essences, an updated cross-reference, and additional research findings. ... Read more

Product Description
Of all the traditional sciences it is alchemy—based as it is in metallurgy—that is directly concerned with the coming of the industrial order. In alchemical terms modern man lives in the Ferric Age and his state is best analogized to the properties of the metal iron, hard, cold, unbending but quick to succumb to corrosion and rust. The great ancient wisdom traditions of the world all anticipated this present age for it was already implicit in the technological and other changes that brought on the dawn of history. These ancient traditions - dismissed as childish superstitions by the scientist—contain ideas essential to the self-understanding that contemporary man so desperately needs. This is the central contention of the writings brought together in Primordial Alchemy & Modern Religion. Drawing upon many unexpected sources—especially Plato and the ancient Greeks—these wide-ranging, generous essays provide timely reiterations of ancient alchemical traditions and trace some pivotal themes that have continued in the theology and symbolism of the modern religions.This work restores some important keys for the recovery of a lost heritage of primordial wisdom, offering fresh perspectives on aspects of the Western and Islamic alchemical traditions in particular, and at the same time exploring the most distant roots of the modern impasse. ... Read more

Product Description
An alternative philosophic basis for freedom based on writings of ancient Gnostics and psychologist Jung. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Metaphysical nonsense
Here we are in the 21st century, and some reactionaries want us to regress to alchemy. Hoeller praises Jung - the well-known Nazi-supporter and racialist - as some kind of guru of freedom, because of his supposed insights into alchemy. Alchemy was just medieval speculation about the origins of life and the 'meaning' of minerals. Hoeller tells us in tedious detail about Jung's entirely subjective views of the 'meaning' of alchemy, as if they were some kind of mystical key to understanding the world! The fact that the reactionary Irridium (who is clearly ashamed to tell us his real name, for good reason) praises this tosh tells you all that you need to know about it.

Jungeo-Gnostic defence of freedom
Hoeller makes the case for liberty based on our Hermetic, Gnostic and Jungian heritage. He notes that liberals are only concerned with freedom where it fits in with their favorite fads, the flavors of the moment being multiculturalism, feminism and environmentalism wrapped in the stifling speech codes of political correctness. He criticizes conservatives by claiming that they defend individual rights only when these do not conflict with the dogmas of the right reflected in slogans like 'family values.' Singling out one faction in the large conservative tent is a bit unfair as is ignoring the magnificent libertarian reforms of Thatcher and Reagan who had a relaxed attitude to religion and whose association with the religious right was exaggerated by the media.

The introductory chapter, Individual Soul Against Mass Mind, encompasses discussions of politics as vehicle of consciousness, antinomianism (opposition to rigid religious legalism), Jung's Gnosis of hope and the conflict of the individual with the mass. Hoeller's observations on mass-mindedness and the mass psyche correspond with and complement those of Eric Hoffer in The True Believer whilst his analysis of the breakdown of the stable but flawed (collectivist, hierarchical & static) Christian ecclesiastical worldview (400 AD - 1600 AD) echoes the thoughts of Chantal Delsol in Icarus Fallen where she argues that the European soul was first wounded by the loss of Christianity and then more grievously by the tragic attempts to replace it with secular salvationist creeds in the 20th century.

Other attempted substitutes included science, the arts and reason itself. Delsol elegantly likens the failure of these to collapsed cathedrals. Hoeller chronologically lists the factors that dissolved the aforementioned culture as Astronomy, Machiavelli, the Reformation, Physics, the Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution, Charles Darwin's Evolutionary Theory and Freudian Psychology. The fruits of Freud included the evaluation of human beings in abstract terms like adjustment, socialization, infantilism and narcissism, words that promoted the loss of individual dignity, self-esteem, optimism and creativity. The relentless assault of collectivism continues under many masks; divide & rule has acquired a new meaning as the formation of antagonistic minorities is encouraged. Politicizing ethnicity and accentuating group identity through multiculturalism, condoning barbarism & terror through moral relativism and exalting nature over human life are some prominent manifestations. The history, motives and tactics are exposed with admirable clarity by Stephen Hicks in Explaining Postmodernism.

Hoeller considers insidious mass-mindedness as the most lethal danger facing our culture and society. As antidote he advocates the freedom and individualism inhering in the West's psycho-spiritual Gnostic tradition as articulated by Jung. A vital relationship exists between non-mainstream spirituality and the issue of freedom. The chapter The Gnosis Of Freedom covers definitions of liberty, the collapse of Soviet communism and Christianity's mixed record on human rights. He explains Jung's depth psychology and the spirituality behind it, demolishing Eric Voegelin's far-fetched equation of Gnosticism with the 20th century's murderous totalitarian ideologies. These collectivist or sinisterist movements like xenophobic nationalism, marxism, fascism, socialism and environmentalism were clearly the secular salvationist offspring of ecclesiastical Christianity. They share the same structure of paradise lost through sin that must be regained through suffering that will eventually create utopia. Unlike modern Christianity, they advocate and practice human sacrifice.

Recent history has seen three main varieties of ideological tyranny: Communism, National Socialism and Islamist Theocracy. Viewing tyrants as both the pathogens and the main symptoms of psychic epidemics, Hoeller dissects their mindset & mysticism. Two types exist: (a) that established by a temporary psychic flare-up which subsequently maintains its power by force and (b) the primarily psychic type characterized by a mysterious pandemic of psychological energies that overwhelm a community. Hitler's regime was of this sort; Hoeller examines the psychological forces that drove him and his capacity for calling up projections of hatred & cruelty from the collective subconscious, noting that the German historian Ernst Nolte called Hitler a medium. Psychic pandemics occur in societies that lack the ability to integrate opposites.

Revelatory insights into Utopian projection, possession and the antidote of wholeness abound and Western forms of government are analyzed in terms of the Tao/Dao. The chapter on Amerindian culture, Shamanic America, is followed by the important study of opposites called Hermetic and Puritan America. It was the Hermetic influence on the US constitution that led to the separation of church & state and the three branches of government. Amongst the Founding Fathers were Judeo-Christian Theists as well as Hermetic Deists (like Benjamin Franklin). The author clearly favors the Deist side and makes no effort to conceal his distrust of Puritanism, a concept that he interprets quite literally.

In the chapter America And The New Myth Of Consciousness, Hoeller appraises the work of Joseph Campbell and in the epilogue he argues that material progress remains precarious without its moral equivalent. The enemy is extremism, whether it is that of the environmentalist of right-to-life fanatic. Both worship life unconsciously, unaware that life without consciousness is an aimless, blind force. There has to be free alchemical interaction in a process that must be permitted, not forced, to flow. He argues that Jung's spiritual-psychological approach is the most effective ideological defense of freedom as it not only encompasses both Ayn Rand's rational materialist and traditional Christianity's metaphysical defense of liberty but surpasses both of them.

As a brilliantly reasoned argument for individual freedom from the psycho-spiritual perspective, Freedom: Alchemy for a Voluntary Society is not as easy a read as Hoeller's other books. For further insights, I refer the interested reader to the section Alternatives To Postmodernism in chapter 6 of New Thought: A Practical American Spirituality by C. Alan Anderson and Deborah G. Whitehouse. It draws on the process philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead and Charles Hartshorne. Bibliographical references occur throughout Hoeller's intriguing text and the book includes a bibliography with authors as varied as Augustine, Joseph Campbell, Mircea Eliade, Manly P Hall, Friedrich Hayek, Ludwig von Mises, Elaine Pagels and Frances Yates.
... Read more

Product Description
Collecting all nine issues of the acclaimed, Eisner Award-nominated Kabuki: The Alchemy series from Marvel's creator-owned Icon imprint - for the first time ever! Readers have been waiting to get the newest Kabuki story in collected form, and this volume delivers with loads of extras, including the never-before-seen original ending sequence cut from the single issues, new pages of art, new design pages, a commentary by the author, a "best of" letters column, and more! Also featuring an introduction by Fight Club author Chuck Palahniuk. Collects Kabuki: The Alchemy #1-9. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Inspirational
For me, this book was inspirational.The way it explored metaphysics, time, and the nature of self-limitation and self liberation.The artwork is always beautiful, disturbing and hilarious, often at the same time.David Mack said that this is the book about Kabuki's new life.And that is what this book feels like, a fresh start, a new beginning, with so many possibilities and directions.

I can see how some may have trouble with this latest entry in the Kabuki series.It is not a typical comic book, easy to digest, linear, traditional.This book challenges you as a reader, a thinker, and as a human being.To live your life the way you always wanted to before you let yourself be molded into "their" ideas for you.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoy thought provoking art.

Mixed end to a mixed series
The best of Mack's Kabuki series stand among the best comics ever. At least one other among these collections of monthly magazines just isn't worth the space it would have taken on my shelf, however. This appears to end the series on a note as mixed as the series itself.

Good parts here are as good as any earlier in the series. Mack's multi-media mastery creates imagery as layered an complex as any around - it brings Nick Bantock to mind, but with a hard-edged clarity that Bantock rarely achieves. The story turns self-referential, too, something that actually works fairly well in this instance. This anthology lacks the drama of earlier entries, however. It seems to leave the M.C. character adrift, and ends on a note that I find vague. And, although the artwork still rewards any amount of study, its reuse of some visual themes went beyond cohesiveness into repetition, and dangerously close to monotony. Perhaps the biggest satisfaction in this final chapter comes from knowing that Mack ended the Kabuki story when it should have ended.

-- wiredweird

A guidebook to the possibilities of the medium
I approached Kabuki: The Alchemy with an open mind, which I've decided is almost certainly the only way to approach the book. I read The Alchemy as it was released in single issue form, which may or may not have influenced my impressions of it. What I found in Kabuki: The Alchemy was an engaging, fascinating map of the endless possibilities of graphic narratives. David Mack is extremely inventive and playful in his use of word and image, frequently turning the conventional standards of comics on their head. I appreciated his artistry and experimentation, and found a ton of content that was worth revisiting. I'm not sure of Mack's "agenda" or whatever else people seemed to be complaining about. I didn't get any socioeconomic or political message getting crammed down my throat. If in fact they were complaining about the artistic liberty Mack took with his work, then I can certainly say it is not for everyone. It is unconventional, but if you're interested in new and exciting ways to tell a story, it is worth the time and attention.

Less than stellar conclusion to a previously stellar series...
This book was disappointing.I've been an avid fan of the Kabuki series, but this last book is a work that seems disjointed from the other quality books.It seems more of an exercise in self-indulgence and pretentiousness than a close to a really great series.Artistically it is excellent, but the heavy handed delivery of the themes the author seeks to project hurt the story aspect.

The main character turns into a mouthpiece for the author's agenda, a powerful tool when done well and most importantly, subtly; but the approach is so heavy handed here it's like being hit in the head with a sledgehammer as an agenda being crammed down the reader's through takes precedent over giving the main character and story a satisfactory conclusion.

I'd recommend pretending the series ended after the Control Corps storyline, unless you really want to read one of the most self indulgent and pretentious comics ever written.

Not a Story
I have the first 6 books of the series and enjoyed them so it was easy for me to buy the 7th.What a waste!The artwork is there; but a story isn't.This is just a long, very long, self-indulgent exploration of character and development that could have been fully rendered in 5 to 10 pages, instead of the 200+ it was given.Sorry. ... Read more

Product Description
The ancient practice of alchemy, which thrived in Europe until the seventeenth century, dealt with the phenomenon of transformation--not only of materials (ore into gold) but also of the human spirit (self into Other). Through their work in the material realm, alchemists discovered personal rebirth as well as a linking between outer and inner dimensions.

C. G. Jung first turned to alchemy for personal illumination in coping with trauma brought on by his break with Freud. Alchemical symbolism eventually suggested to Jung that there was a process in the unconscious, one that had a goal beyond discharging tension and hiding pain. In this book, Nathan Schwartz-Salant, a leading Jungian analyst with an interest in alchemy, brings together a key selection of Jung's writings on the subject. These writings expose us to Jung's fascinating reflections on the symbols of alchemy--such as the three-headed Mercurial dragon, hermaphrodites, and lions devouring the sun--and brings us closer to the spirit of his approach to the unconscious, closer than his purely scientific concepts often allow. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Nicely organized set of excerpts
Jung wrote extensively on non-rational human endeavors such as mythology and alchemy.This work is an attempt to bring together for the first time all of his thoughts on the subject from various works.The book is quite fascinating, and a great tribute to Jung.

Of additional outstanding value is the introduction by Schwartz-Salant detailing the problems studying alchemy as a serious system today, and the importance of Jung's work in understanding why important early scientists were so captivated by this field.

In general, I would recommend this work to anyone who is a fan of Jung, is studying the history of thought, or is interested in the history of science.However it assumes a base understanding of early philosophy and/or alchemy and so may not be the best introductory work to the subject. ... Read more

Product Description
Life without myth, the vital force of archetypal experiences, is life filled with maladies, neuroses, addictions, and disease. Alchemy of the Soul retells the myth of Eros and Psyche to help readers reconnect mind and relatedness to find wholeness and deep meaning. Author Martin Lowenthal describes how the story of Eros and Psyche illustrates the alchemical process of marrying soul and matter so that life can be lived with more joy, meaning, and a tangible sense of divine love.

The book is divided into three parts:

• Part 1 is a beautiful retelling of the myth of Eros and Psyche.

• Part 2 examines the power of myth and alchemy and shows how spiritual alchemy can restore and transform the soul.

• Part 3 is an initiation into the alchemical mysteries using myth as mentor.

Lowenthal writes, "The story assails the defenses of our mind and our reactive habits and seeks to wrest a victory for life and growth from the inertia of daily habits and confusion. It initiates us into a world far more vibrant, rich, and nourishing than the one we knew in childhood and naively, yet regressively, settle for. In this sense, story reveals what happens as we attempt to spread our emotional wings in the developmentally confining domain of our childhood home and community and what it takes to make something significant of ourselves in ways that feed the future. As guests of the story, we discover the larger sacred garden in which we emerge as a unique and beautiful flower in a bed of exquisite blossoms, each one unique and essential."

Alchemy of the Soul takes alchemy from the realm of the esoteric and places it in practical terms of story—terms that anyone can understand, value, and use as a guide to life. ... Read more

Product Description
* The #1 guide to sex and mysticism, redesigned in full color for the new millennium.* More than 600 illustrations of the erotic sentiment, 100 in full color.* More than 1 million copies sold with translations in 19 languages.* Combines the wisdom of the great Eastern sages with images from the West to present a celebration of creative sexuality.

Sexual Secrets is the definitive guide to sex and mysticism, revealing the wisdom of the sages of India, Nepal, Tibet, China, and Japan whose teachings on sexuality unveil how physical love can be the pathway to spiritual liberation. Containing more than 600 illustrations--the most comprehensive collection of images expressing the erotic sentiment--and with more than one million copies sold in more than 19 languages, Sexual Secrets unlocks for everyone the experience of ecstasy once sealed in the ancient texts and art of the East.

In celebration of its 20th year in print, Sexual Secrets has been completely revised and redesigned and includes 100 color illustrations to complement Penny Slinger's unsurpassed black-and-white illustrations, which evoke all the major cultures of the East. Working from contemporary models and from ancient pieces originally commissioned by kings and emperors, Slinger blends images of the West with the sentiments of the East to further enhance the experience of the text and to help in the transmission of the secrets--a celebration of creative sexuality. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Get It!
Do yourself a favor and just get a hold to a copy of this Book. It will blow your mind with tons of information. If you are a very religious person, think twice. It contains information that will collide with your belief system (just a friendly advice). I wish I read this book 25 years ago, I would have had a lot more enjoyment out of life. Anyways, it is just a great book!

The rest of the story....
Authors Nik Douglas and Penny Slinger have written an extensively illustrated, beautiful and oversized art/coffee table book about Kuma Sutra, Tantric, Yoga and other Eastern Religion and sexual practices.For adults only.

Homophobic and Disjointed
At first glance, this book might seem to have some valuable information for increasing our awareness of sexual possibilities. However, the writers' views of homosexuality were hateful and cliché (in fact, much of this book is cliché). I strongly advise looking elsewhere for your "enlightened" sexuality information.

Fun Reading
I haven't read the book yet but I got it because People magazine reported that Wil Smith and Jada Pickett Smith read from it together at night to keep their romance hot.

A Complex Study Of Sexuality as a Spiritual Practice
This is an interesting book to say the least. There are many, many books out concerning Tantric and Taoist sexual practices few of them actually have anything to do with Tantric Yoga or Taoism. Tantra, in the West, is automatically associated with sexuality but in actuality sex is a very small part of Tantra. Tantra is a path(unlike vedanta)that tends to embrace all eight limbs of Yoga and all of the practices. In essence, Tantric Yogi's believe that anything can be a gateway to enlightenment and unity with the Divine. Surprisingly, despite the title of the book, the authors do a good job of outlining that holistic idea. This is more than just a book on sexual positions (which most books on Tantra and Taoist sex tend to be); if read carefully it outlines a good basic practice of Asana, pranayama and meditation as well as outlining the importance of male ejaculatory control so key to health in the Taoist traditions. Included in this manual are specific practices that not only help to achieve ejaculatory control, but also help to develop the Bandas (the physical retentions that pool prana/chi in various key chakras). If a practitioner were to remove the sexual aspects of this book they would still have a very good mind/body/spirit manual. Well done.

Although there are no photographs in this book, there are plenty of sketches ranging from the very modern (drawn I believe by one of the authors) to the traditional (directly from the Kama Sutra, Taoist texts and Japanese block prints). The sexual practices are detailed both in writing and drawing and although the practices can't help but create deeper intimacy between partners, the true purpose of the practice is to move the Kundalini up the spinal column awakening the chakras and ultimately toward enlightenment and health.

This book is not something to be read lightly, but a text book for those that have a serious interest in Eastern sexual and tantric (of the non-sexual kind) practice. ... Read more