Great Books!

[Frater N.V.L.]

"Modern Magick" by Donald Michael Kraig, is a good book for those interested in getting started in Ritual Magick.

LVX
NVL

[Adrian]

Greetings,

For those interested in Hermetics,I would recommend Seven Hermetic Letters - by Dr. Georg Lomer. This is the work to read before Initiation into Hermetics.

With best regards,

Adrian.

[Nick]

This topic is not something I'm too familiar with. However, I would like to learn something of Hermetics. Recently, I ordered the Initiation into Hermetics book. However, I see where Adrian recommends another book be read first.

Adrian, would the Lomer book then be the book to start with, or, would you have alternative recommendations for a beginner? Thanks.

Very best,

[Lysear]

I would agree about kraigs book, a definite help for beginners.

[Adept_of_Light]

Hello Nick et. all,

7 Hermetic Letters, by George Lomer
Depending how long you've been researching/studying/practicing spirituality/occultism, it may be fine to start with IIH.

Georg Lomer's book is ok for beginners *IF* they are guided as to which exercises to practice and which parts of his philosophies are not influenced by the epoch in which the book was written or by non-hermetic path influences. You will find Gerog's book to emphasize asceticism in certain areas (i.e. no sex) where Bardon in IIH is strongly against such ideas because, especially for the neophyte, may throw him off his attempt to establish equilibrium. There are certain practices that are useful in Georg's book for the beginner yes, but others may lead the beginner astray and possibly even off balance. My advice would be to get the book if you can afford it, but if you plan to practice the exercises, stay away from ones that may seem too extreme for you.

Initiation Into Hermetics, by Franz Bardon
As I may have mentioned before, IIH is not for everyone. If you don't have sincere desire to PRACTICE and to advance in self-perfection, you may find little of value in this book, and even regard it as quite boring to read because it has no plot, no spiritually inspiring
stories, no mind-bending philosophies or elaborate theories. It is as dry to read as an instructional manual, because it IS one! Those that have searched and have only found theory and philosophy and are ready for serious practice, then in practicing the exercises of this book they will find the GOLD of the alchemists! I also believe it requires a certain level of maturity to take on a book such as this one, so it is not one I'd recommend to somebody with a young mind. This is the type of book that is most appreciated when you have sought and discovered it for yourself. The timming has to be right. For those that do end up getting it, I would just like to mention as well not to fret over the theory of the book (first ~60 pages) if you don't understand it at first. It is *HIGHLY* summarized, and much of it can only be truly understood after years actual practice.

The Kybalion, by the Three Initiates
For those wishing to read some philosophical introductory material related to Hermetics then I would recommend the Kybalion (free on the net:http://bobert1.home.mindspring.com/kybalion.html). The depth of what is taught in this book can be understood at many different levels and it is a book to be re-read once every couple of years if you are on a magical path, because each time, you will gain new insights from its teachings.

Ways to Self-Realization, by Mouni Sadhu
For those looking for spiritual inspiration and guidance on a TRUE path (regardless of which one it may be) or needing help evaluating a particular spiritual organization or its senior members, then I'd recommend "Ways to Self-Realization" by Mouni Sadhu. Mouni Sadhu was a direct student under a *REAL* Master - Master Ramana Maharshi. This man *knows* what he's talking about.

Initiation, By Elisabeth Haich
For those wanting an easy read with a nice inspiring story that gives you a glimpse of what Initiation may be like, then I'd recommend this book. Elisabeth was a European Yoga teacher (but I speak of advanced forms of Yoga here) with some very interesting past life experiences.

Autobiography of a Yogi, by Paramahansa Yogananda
For those very new to spirituality and wish to read a very beautiful and inspiring book then get this one. Yogananda lead a very interesting life interacting with many Yogis and Saints and even initiated Ghandi into Yoga. He was the original Indian (from India) that introduced Yoga in North America earlier last century.

Modern Magick, by Donald Michael Kraig
This is a good book with lots of good and simple to read explanations that may prove useful theory for a beginner in magic and it even does contain some useful exercises, but I do not find it to be a complete system of magic by any means. DMK (the author) has basically extracted a lot of detail from other books on magic and summarized it greatly and simply in a few paragraphs. For this reason, at the end each chapter you will find extensive bibliographies for further study. The author is quite well read yes, let there be no doubts there, but if he himself was a man of great spiritual attainment and had actual experience in high magic, he would not need to quote and summarise the works of so many other authors. If you are serious about practicing a specific path, then I urge you to seek advice from somebody that already travelled it. Not somebody who has merely studied it... the difference here is staggering.

Just a few personal opinions, I hope some of you find them useful.
Best Wishes,
Adept of Light

quote:Originally posted by Nick

This topic is not something I'm too familiar with. However, I would like to learn something of Hermetics. Recently, I ordered the Initiation into Hermetics book. However, I see where Adrian recommends another book be read first.

Adrian, would the Lomer book then be the book to start with, or, would you have alternative recommendations for a beginner? Thanks.

Very best,

[Nick]

Adept_of_Light,

Thank you so much for your very comprehensive post. Your opinions are very usefull and help a great deal. Several of the more beginning level books you mention look like a good place for me to start. Thanks again.

Very best,

[Adrian]

Greetings Nick,

quote:Originally posted by Nick

Adrian, would the Lomer book then be the book to start with, or, would you have alternative recommendations for a beginner? Thanks.

Very best,

I would definitely suggest Seven Hermetic Letters to start with, but it is not strictly necessary.

Concentration is an extremely important aspect for all of these disciplines, and to that end I would also recommend a book called:

Concentration - A Guide to Mental Mastery - by Mouni Sadhu.

One note of caution about Mounhi Sadhu, he is of the school that the only worthwhile objective is to reach a state of Samhadi, and has no time for the Astral planes which he regards as illusion. What he does not seem to acknowledge however is that we all still have to journey the path, there are no shortcuts. It is like looking at a map - because you can see your destination doesn't remove the need to travel there. It would be like going from kindergarten to post graduate university in one step [] This is a flaw with many Yoga systems. IIH is a totally balanced system. Having said that, to reach a state of Samhadi through meditation requires tremendous concentration, and Mouni Sadhu certainly knows about that!

From a philophical Hermetics perspective the other must read title is:

The Kybalion - by Three Initiates

I have that one in ebook format if anyone would like it for free. I would strongly suggest getting the hard copy version however. The original one was published by the Yogi publication society.

With regards to Modern Magick by Donal Kraig, it is a very good and well thought out work, based on the Golden Dawn ritualistic school. Modern Magick is a full course of excercises as is Initiation into Hermetics. In my humble opinion the true path is that taught by Initiation into Hermetics. Franz Bardon does not seem to approve of ritual magic for good reason  - it is not true magic, or a true path of ascent. Having said that, Modern Magick does contain some useful information on the method to "vibrate" words used in rituals, and a couple of the rituals are useful to know, specifically the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (LBRP) and the Middle Pillar Ritual. On balance I would purchase Modern Magick for reference, but certainly not for the true path.

With best regards,

Adrian.

[Nick]

Hi Adrian,

Thank you very much for responding to my query, and for adding your insight into this subject. I value your opinion and am most appreciative.

What I plan on doing is ordering Seven Hermetic Letters and perhaps several others along the lines that you suggested. Then I can look them over and start in on one, maybe beginning with one that gives more of a philosophical introduction, that is, The Kybalion - by Three Initiates.

Thanks also for pointing out the importance of concentration, as well as the cautionary note regarding Mouni Sadhu. I will bear that in mind. I am looking forward to learning what I can about this fascinating subject matter.

Very best,

[greatoutdoors]

I am a relative newcomer to Magick, but have seen some encouraging signs so far. I have read quite a bit on Wicca by Scott Cunningham. He is geared more to the person who has to go it alone. But I am running into problems. I am having a very hard time getting my mind to settle down and was thinking that self-hypnosis tapes might help. Does anyone have any recommendations for general relaxation - meditation tapes that are not subliminal and also not expensive?

Thanks!

[Adrian]

Greetings greatoutdoors,

In a word "practice"!

Two cornerstones for achieving many abilities are total relaxation and in particular concentration. Imagination is another cornerstone.

I would suggest spending time on concentration first, and to that end would recommend the book "Concentration - A Guide to Mental Mastery - by Mouni Sadhu".

With best regards,

Adrian.

[13]

Definitely agree that IIH (and Bardon's other two manuals) are the very best available on hermetic ascent. AOL's comment that the timing must be right is very true - there are students who buy and read the book but only start practicing some years later, when the maturity and desire are present. I personally have a low opinion of Lomer's 7HL and don't advise it as a precursor to IIH in any way. Bardon's Step 1 is divided into sufficient sub-steps to allow a total beginner to achieve (and see) discrete success. Lomer's asceticism is, frankly, neither balanced nor hermetic - a product of his own morality. Bardon is far more circumspect.

Concentration by Sadhu is good, but has some stupid exercises in the middle, and his goals are decidely narrower (ie, simply "concentration").

Modern Magick is one of the best introductions to CM, although the real source-book is "The Golden Dawn" by Regardie, the quintessential CM introduction. IMHO there is nothing wrong with learning and using ritual magick at all. The problem, from the eternal and evolutionary point of view is (as Bardon says) if you don't know what you're doing (using rituals, formulas, etc whose mechanisms you don't understand or control), you don't actually evolve. Magic done without understanding and direct control of the forces is called Sorcery, an ability that is impermanent. I have several close friends who were sorcerers in their recent previous incarnation, and the power of their ritual magic did not carry forward to this lifetime. However sorcery is not the same as ritual magic, esp high ritual magic, which does give evolutionary abilities (eg, LBRP, MPR, COBL, which all change and refine the astral body). MM is a good intro to it all. His chapter on Sex Magick is woeful, as is the cursory description of Evocation. Evocation should only be attempted after real magical power, and the ability to control the elements, are attained. I have heard of some friends of friends who were almost killed from demons they foolishly evoked to physical density without true magical authority. Bardon's approach to evocation is the safest, even if it's not the fastest.

Other great introductions to CM are "The Tree of Life" by Regardie and "Three Books of Occult Philosophy" by Agrippa. Excellent sorcery manuals are "The Book of Solomon's Magick" by Poke Runyon, "Necronomicon" by anon (despite the controversy, it does work), and "Voodoo Sorcery Grimoire" by Brujo Negro.

All magicians should strive to completely understand (and befriend) their unconscious. There are too many books to list on this one, but "Quantum Psychology" by Robert Anton Wilson and "Optimal Thinking" by Glickman are great lateral approaches to improving one's mind and character. Anything by Wilson will be well worth practicing for any serious student - he is like a western zen grandmaster.

On the mystical side of the spectrum, the teachings of Master Ramana Maharshi (Mouni Sadhu's guru) are peerless. He was one of the few who attained true enlightenment last century. A disciple of his named Lakshmana Sarma wrote "Maha Yoga" under the alias "Who" - it is Maharshi's modern version of the ancient teachings of Advaita (non-dualism). There is nothing close to it in all other schools of mysticism, and for mature students the teachings are truly liberating.

[Adept_of_Light]

13, just a quick note of appreciation for your valuable input.
Thank you
Adept of Light

[Nita]

Hello Adept
  I also want to comment that there is a website called www.buddhanet.net that has free downloads of ebooks. One of them called cittiunpassana is really interesting. It is watching your own thought patterns and mind. The book is essential because magic is deadly if you fool yourself on your motives or do not know your own thought process's.
  The methods help to prevent rationalization. They make it so you look at yourself and how you act and react. It can save you a lot of problems in your regular life and magical life.
  Nita

[Adrian]

Dear Nita,

Thank you very much indeed for this exceptional link! I have added it to the Astral Pulse spiritual links.

With best regards,

Adrian.

[Lysear]

"The book of Ceremonial Magic"- By A.E. Waite. This guy was a member of the Hermetic order of the Golden Dawn, one of the more prominent members I think,in the late 19th to early 20th century.

I found this in a second hand book store, but you can get it off Amazon. I read what I could, and it took a week. It consists of his musings on God, and an attempt to explain the subject matter. He then goes on to an analysis of various types of ceremonial magick, specific books etc. If I'm being honest, this book had the air of being way beyond me. I gained some wisdom from my first reading, but I think I will go back to it in 20 years time and see how it settles in then!

One emphasis which he did make in this text, which will stick with me was the seperation of black and white magick. Waite argues that this is artificial and that this division does not actually exist.

[TheLunatic]

Yes very interesting book. I found it abit hard to completely understand in places but that's probably just me.

quote:Originally posted by Frater N.V.L.

"Modern Magick" by Donald Michael Kraig, is a good book for those interested in getting started in Ritual Magick.

LVX
NVL

[Michael_E]

quote:Originally posted by Nita

Hello Adept
  I also want to comment that there is a website called www.buddhanet.net that has free downloads of ebooks. One of them called cittiunpassana is really interesting. It is watching your own thought patterns and mind. The book is essential because magic is deadly if you fool yourself on your motives or do not know your own thought process's.
  The methods help to prevent rationalization. They make it so you look at yourself and how you act and react. It can save you a lot of problems in your regular life and magical life.
  Nita

I did a search for "cittiunpassana" on the site with no results and couldnt find any meditation guides for it in the meditation links or other related links. Has anyone else had any luck finding this meditation on buddhanet.net?

[T_Kman0610]

im into the book "SETH, dreams and projections of Consiousness" it has really gotten me into Astral projection for quite sometime. at first it wall a little confusing but in the end i understood everything! anyonelse here who has read the SETH books?

[Tisha]

A Preferred Reading List[]
of Little Known New Age Literature
Irreverently Written and Composed
by Joseph Jochmans

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The Aquarium Gospels of Jacques the Cousteau, by Levi and Strauss

The Opening of the Clown Chakra, by Swami Farbeyondananda

The New and Used Testaments, including the Gossip According to Saint Germane

Canceling Psychic Predictions Due to Unforeseen Circumstances, by Jeanne Mason-Dixon

Biofeedback Prevention...Overcoming Peace of Mind, by the Out-of-Brain / Mind Bull-etin

Karma Krunchies...Reaching into the Bag of Life and Pulling Out the Same Chip, by Miso Frito Ley-Line

There's a Sucker "Born Again" Every Minute, by P. T. Falwell

Out on a Lamb...Prancing in the Blinding Light, by Surly Big Mac Lain

Ramparktha...Story of a 35,000 Year Old Hindu God Who Discovered Hollywood, by Kray Z Fly-by-Knight

Pharoah-Bics...Exercising Your Way to Mummification, by Jane Fonda Farewell

Atlantis and Lemuria...How to Make Fast Money in Real Estate, by Rudolf the Red-Nosed Steiner

The Ten Absolutes to Spiritual Freedom...Finding your God in Someone Else, by Swami Kissmyananda

The Egyptian Book of Dead Jokes, by Pharoah Hohohotep of the 16th Dynasty rerun, translated by E. A. Wallet Bulge

Silver Cord Extensions for Long Distance Astral Travel, by C. W. Bedwetter

Everybody Needs Samadhi Sometime, by Paramahanna Yogananda Parlen-voua?

Master Cute Humi Speaks on the Obssene Gospels, by Elizabeth Cleared Profit

Readings From the Ashkanic Records, The Great Circular Files of the Etheric Planes, by H. P. Bladdervatsky

Nirvana Nervosa...Dieting to Higher Consciousness, by Oedipus Anerexia

Foot Refriedology...Healing Through Fire-Walk Massage, by Dr. Tredsoftly

The Perishables of Christ, by Torkum Serendipity

New Age Video Games, by Avatari, including: Tarot Pac-Man, Donkey-Tai Chi and Battlestar EST

The Midget Psychic Who Escaped from Prison, by a Small Medium at Large

The Maple Leaf Raga, by Scott Ravi Shankar Joplin

Past Life Savings and Loans, by Rajneesh Baksheesh

Training Seeing Third-Eye Dogs for the Psychically Blind, by Alistaire Growley of the Old and Drawn Society

Let Us Hold Hands and Contact the Living, by Sybil Sleek

Black Money-Belt Karate and Acu-Punching, by Mohammed Ali Babaji

I Never Metaphysics I Didn't Like, by Hello Dali Lama

Cosmic Unconsciousness...When The Lights Are On But Nobody's Home, by Dione Misfortune

Here Today, Sodom Gomorrah, by Billy Graham Bell

Uranus Rising to Full Moon...Hindsight Astrology Exposed, by Great Dane Rude-Year

The Book of the Whoopi...Take Two Medicine Wheels and Call Me in the Morning, by Rolling Sun and Bear Thunder

The Pearl of Great Price, Now on Sale at Great Savings, by Bringham Young and his All Wife Band

Silver Dollar Mind Control, by Jose Hi Ho Silva

Death Before Dying...Crossing the River Styx Without a Paddle, by Elizabeth Kublai-Khan-Ross

Beyond Fire Walking...Huna Lava Surfing, by Maximum Freedom Short

New Age Hypno-Therapy...Does the Name Pavlov Ring a Bell?, by Sigmund Jung Supthen

Drop-Ins and Walk-Outs...Seeking an In-the-Body Experience, by Ruth Montgomery Ward and Carol Perished-Hurrah

The Bigfat-Gita...Sacred Hindu Texts of Krishna's Teachings in Brooklyn

Tibetan Break-Jogging and the Shamballa Kabala, by T. Hopalong Rampa

The Excedrin Headache #5 of Oversoul #7, by Jane Oral Roberts

Your Taurus Horroscope...Between the Horns of Dilemma is a Lot of Bull, by Zolar Dollar Sun Signs

You Take My Wife, Pleiades...A Close Encounter of the Not-Too-Sirius King, by Spaced Brother Hilarius of the Ozone Ranger Command

Solar Initiations of the Third Ray on the Sixth Floor of the One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Street Building, Suite 46A, by Alice Cooper Bailey and the Lucid Trust Me

Bonehenge Decoded and the Deja Vu Over Atlantis...Dowsing for Waylaid-Lines and Hibernating Druids, by John Michellob

HaHa Yoga...Life's a Joke and You're the Punchline, by Swami Pollyannananda

Secrets of the Keystone Coptic Brotherhood, by Hermes Tre-me-get-the-gift-of-this, Master of Rockti Shakti Crystal Power and the Ephemeral Tablets

I Think, Therefore I Ching, the Chinese Book of Small Change, by Tau Jones Industrials

Opening the Third Ear...Listening to People Talk Behind Your Back, by Vera Stanley Livingston Idler

Disintegrated Awareness Techniques...Developing Your Telepathic Powers, by Connie Issac Wayne Fig Newton

The Teachings of Don in the John, by Careless Castenetta

Hare-Back...Initiations of a Young Egyptian in the Left Ear of the Sphinx, by Isha Swallow de Lubejob

Om, Om on the Range...Spectrum Sweet From Inside Mount Everest, by Steve Halpert and the Tibetan Brass

Agony Yoga and the Kundalini Kick...Getting the Cosmic Boot in the Root, by Sr. Bindu Spinefire, certified Cairo-practor and Gyne-Numer-Irid-ologist

Life and Teachings of the Mistresses of the Wild West, by Swami Crayolananda

Meditation While you Sleep...Manifesting Your Realities Into Dreams, by Guru Sigh Baba Gnu

The Grossly Overpriced Oversized Enclyclopedia of Crushedrosian, Hermetically-Sealed, Freemasonjarian, Alcomical and Pithygorean Esoteric Wisdom, by Mainly Pied Hall

A Course in Miracle Whip...Manifesting Salad State Consciousness, by Judith Skutch Tape

Karmic Alimony...The Dangers of Past Wife Regression, by Bounty on the Mutiny

The Recalcitrant Messiah, God Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnibored, by Richard J. S. Botched

The Spiritual Warrior Gone Berserk...Placing Your Etheric Phasers on Slaughter, by the Beige Brotherhood

Carwash of the Gods...Evidence of Extraterrestrial Tourism, by Karmapa and Erich von Manniken

The Hundredth Retelling of the Hundredth Monkey Story, by Kenneth Keyholes

The Prophet Hobbit...Lord of the Wringed Poetry, by Killed Cliche Gibran Tolkein

Megaton Vitamins and Microbionic Cooking...Fifty Thousand Flies Can't Be Wrong, by Dr. Asa Rol

The Secrets of Flounderhorn...Talks With the Kleenex Devas, by Peter and Eileen Caddyshack

My Night in the Egyptian Hall of Records Without a Record Player, by Dr. Appalled Blunton

Edgar Cantsee...The Sleeping Profit Margin, by Jest Astern

Secret of the Great Pyramid...Built with Tofu Blocks and Tahini Sauce, by Peter Tombkins

Teachings of the Great Off-White Brotherhood, by Annie Oakly Besant

The Not-So-Great Planet Earth...Therapy Ward for the Universe, by Lind Halsey

Hari Kari for the New Age, or How To OD on Enditol, by Swami Mai TymesUp

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

©  Copyright 1985, by Joseph Jochmans, the Happy Hierophant,
with permission to reprint whenever needed to Lighten Up the Light.

HE WHO LAUGHS, LASTS!

[PATxKUSH]

Caroline Myss has written 3 books. I recommend them all.

Michael Talbot has written "The Holographic Universe". An excellent read.

"Lessons" by Alex (channeled by Michelle LaVigne-Wedel)

"Dream Healer" by Adam. www.dreamhealer.com

[Ceriel N]

Don't have to buy books...

http://www.hermetic.com

=D

And a scientific view of esoteric knowledge:

http://www.laurency.com

=D

For those who want to be in association with a secret order:

http://www.outercol.org/

And we must not forget the kind people of Ordo Tempeli Orientalis:

http://oto-usa.org/

=D

Which naturally brings us to their joint effort:

http://www.the-equinox.org/

Now if one just had the time to read all of that... =)

[skymageinfinity]

If anyone is interested in metaphysics

The Holographic Universe by Michael Talbot is my strong recommendation.

[aleshah]

Tought power, by sri swami sivanandaDesribe the efforts of pure toughts and purity.
Also if thee are to much words,short sense.Worth of reading it.
Trance boy (Fast seduction)Not read it completly yet, but interesting psychological facts/sexuality.
Mind Power Seduction(by Amargi Hiller)mind of higher dimensional realms.
The book of Lies(Aleister Crowley)A lot of wisdom, hidden here.
The book of pleasure(Self Love) by austin osman spareImportant, for surviving in this world.

[McArthur]

quote:Originally posted by Tisha

And, for the record everyone:  Kabbalah/Qabala is a word that simply means "collection."  

Hi, actually it means "mouth to ear" because it was considered so Holy that it was never put into writing but verbally from Master to student (until about the 12th century anyway).

Anyway, some classic (and hard to find free) Magical texts you can find here;
http://www.golden-dawn.com/temple/index.jsp?s=library

here;
http://www.angelfire.com/ab6/imuhtuk/index.html

Franz Bardons "Initiation into Hermetics" in pdf format here;
http://www.geocities.com/alex_sumner/hermetics.pdf

Castaneda books(amongst others) here (if you class them as Magic(k)) ;
http://www.voidspace.org.uk/psychology/download.shtml

And here you will find about 1000 free esoteric texts;
http://fraktali.849pm.com/text/archive/index1.html

edit: some good ones here too;
http://fnordfiles.rtfm.com.au/texts/eBooks/ebooks.htm

and here;
http://www.hermetics.org/ebooks.html

[__--nezabaleta--__]

If this post is OFF TOPIC, I'm sorry... but, have you read or hear about a manuscript called VOYNICH ?

Certain people says about it that's an elaborate hoax. Is a text undecriptable actually, a melange of many aspects as:

a Herbal section (mostly unidentified and fantastic plants),
an Astronomical section (with most zodiac symbols),
a Biological section (with some "anatomical" drawings and human figures),
a Cosmological section (with circles, stars and celestial spheres),
a Pharmaceutical section (with vases and various parts of plants) and
a Recipes section (with many short paragraphs).

More info at http://web.bham.ac.uk/G.Landini/evmt/evmt.htm

Some mystics say that at astral plane one knows every languages. If that assertion is true, could be used such a capability for to study the manuscript ?

NEZabaleta