Book Description
Hermeticism, or alchemy, is the ancient, primordial mystery science of nature through which people in all times and places have, for the sake of world evolution, sought to unite Heaven and Earth--divinity, cosmos, earth, and humanity, as a single whole. Selfless, intimate, dedicated to healing and harmony, Hermeticism has accompanied and sustained every religious epoch and revelation. It may be found in all historical cultures, from the traditions of India and China in the East to the Judeo-Christian West. It could even be said that Hermeticism is the primal cosmological revelation and the common ground of all spiritual traditions.

Nevertheless, in the great revival of mystical, esoteric traditions and practices during the last century, Hermetic tradition--in fact, Nature herself--has been largely ignored. Today, when the Earth seems most under attack, Green Hermeticism is especially appropriate. The book explores not only the ancient Masters' inner science, but also their science of Nature.

During spring and summer 2006, Pir Zia Khan convened a series of gatherings to begin to unfold the contemporary meaning of ancient, sacred science for our time. Green Hermeticism is a partial record of that meeting. Peter Lamborn Wilson, explores the many ramifications of the alternative worldview offered by Hermeticism; Christopher Bamford provides a broad historical overview of the tradition from the Ancient Mysteries to contemporary manifestations of the alchemical tradition; while Kevin Townley brings a practical dimension to the gathering teaching the preparation of herbal elixirs and demonstrating that cosmology and philosophy can become a truly healing path for the Earth.

Green Hermeticism is necessary reading for anyone seeking a spiritual and cultural path for the healing of the current ecological and cultural crisis. ... Read more

Book Description
This volume introduces what has sometimes been called "the third component of western culture." It traces the historical development of those religious traditions which have rejected a world view based on the primacy of pure rationality or doctrinal faith, emphasizing instead the importance of inner enlightenment or gnosis: a revelatory experience which was typically believed to entail an encounter with one's true self as well as with the ground of being, God.

The contributors to this book demonstrate this perspective as fundamental to a variety of interconnected traditions. In Antiquity, one finds the gnostics and hermetics; in the Middle Ages several Christian sects. The medieval Cathars can, to a certain extent, be considered part of the same tradition. Starting with the Italian humanist Renaissance, hermetic philosophy became of central importance to a new religious synthesis that can be referred to as Western Esotericism." The development of this tradition is described from Renaissance hermeticists and practitioners of spiritual alchemy to the emergence of Rosicrucianism and Christian theosophy in the seventeenth century, and from post-enlightenment aspects of Romanticism and occultism to the present-day New Age movement. ... Read more

Book Description
Perhaps Hermeticism has fascinated so many people preciselybecause it has made it possible to produce many analogies and relationshipsto various traditions: to Platonism in its many varieties, to Stoicism, toGnostic ideas, and even to certain Aristotelian doctrines. The Gnostic, theesoteric, the Platonist, or the deist has each been able to find somethingfamiliar in the writings. One just had to have a penchant for remoteantiquity, for the idea of a Golden Age, in order for Hermeticism, with itsaura of an ancient Egyptian revelation, to have enjoyed such outstandingsuccess."--from the Introduction

Hermes Trismegistus, "thrice-great Hermes," emerged from the amalgamationof the wisdom gods Hermes and Thoth and is one of the most enigmaticfigures of intellectual history. Since antiquity, the legendary "wiseEgyptian" has been considered the creator of several mystical and magicalwritings on such topics as alchemy, astrology, medicine, and thetranscendence of God. Philosophers of the Renaissance celebrated HermesTrismegistus as the founder of philosophy, Freemasons called him theirforefather, and Enlightenment thinkers championed religious tolerance inhis name. To this day, Hermes Trismegistus is one of the central figures ofthe occult--his name is synonymous with the esoteric.

In this scholarly yet accessible introduction to the history of Hermeticismand its mythical founder, Florian Ebeling provides a concise overview ofthe Corpus Hermeticum and other writings attributed to Hermes. He tracesthe impact of Christian and Muslim versions of the figure in medievalEurope, the power of Hermeticism and Paracelsian belief in Renaissancethought, the relationship to Pietism and to Freemasonry in early modernEurope, and the relationship to esotericism and semiotics in the modernworld. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

"The History of Hermeticism, which began in antiquity, has yet to come to an end"
While the traditional discussion of the Corpus Hermeticum begins with Marsilio Ficino's 1471 translation for Cosimo de' Medici, the discussion soon stalls with the centuries' old debate of the text and if the ideas it expresses are truly Egyptian wisdom or are merely a Hellenistic patch-work infused with Egyptian atmosphere.

In The Secret History of Hermes Trismegistus: Hermeticism from Ancient to Modern Times, Florian Ebeling takes a fresh approach by focusing on the character/author Hermes Trismegistus within countless literary sources attributed to him from Coptic, European and Arabic sources. Florian, beginning in Antiquity, isolates two distinct traditions and then follows them through the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and the enlightenment up to the twentieth Century, arguing that Hermes Trismegistus did not spontaneously appear in Italy during the Renaissance but was consistently popular, often referenced in both Europe and in the Middle East since his first appearance over 2000 years ago.Ebeling continues by outlining how Hermes as well as hermetic wisdom was eventually discredited then more recently vindicated by historic, religious and scientific opinion.

This new approach benefits from recent scriptural finds from Nag Hammadi, decipherment of Egyptian Hieroglyphics, and a greater, more critical understanding of the Hellenistic cultural milieu. By building on recent scholarly works like The Eternal Hermes by Antoine Faivre, The Egyptian Hermes by Garth Fowden and Hermetica by Brian P. Copenhaver, Florian Ebeling, breathes fresh life into the religious tradition of the Thrice Great Hermes allowing these ancient scriptures an increasingly wider audience.
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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Renaissance Quarterly, published by Renaissance Society of America on June 22, 1998. The length of the article is 675 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Renaissance Magic and Hermeticism in the Shakespeare Sonnets: Like Prayers Divine.
Author: Linda Woodbridge
Publication: Renaissance Quarterly (Refereed)
Date: June 22, 1998
Publisher: Renaissance Society of America
Volume: v51Issue: n2Page: p678(2)

Article Type: Book Review

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Book Description
First published together in Latin in 1623, these two tracts, Enchyridion Physicae Restitutae and Arcanum were at once recognized to be among the clearest descriptions ever written of the hermetic cosmology and the alchemical work. They were translated into English by two leading occultists, John Everard and Elias Ashmole, and the translations are printed together here for the first time. The introduction provides the fullest biographical notice ever written about d'Espagnet, a retired public official who published the works under strict anonymity. It also traces the influence these works had on later generations of practical alchemists like Eirenaeus Philalethes and spiritual alchemists like Thomas Vaughan. The commentary traces the d'Espagnet's extensive references to classical philosophy and poetry as well as to earlier works in alchemy.
The introduction discusses the life, publications, and critical reception of d'Espagnet, and suggests why the book became required reading for members ofan English hermetic society.Following the text itself, a set of annotations indicates variants in the Latin original and a French translation that Everard may have seen, notes obvious mistakes in the text, suggests alternate readings, expands d'Espagnet's marginal notes into meaningful citations, and identifies further sources when possible.This edition will be of interest to scholars of alchemy, early modern science, French literature, and English literature. An index of names follows the annotations. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Church History, published by American Society of Church History on September 1, 1999. The length of the article is 1083 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Gnosis and Hermeticism from Antiquity to Modern Times.
Author: Michael A. Williams
Publication: Church History (Refereed)
Date: September 1, 1999
Publisher: American Society of Church History
Volume: 68Issue: 3Page: 675

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Book Description
Now in a fully corrected edition, one of the true spiritual classics of the twentieth century.

Published for the first time with an index and Cardinal Hans Urs von Balthasar's afterword, this new English publication of Meditations on the Tarot is the landmark edition of one of the most important works of esoteric Christ-ianity. Written anonymously and published posthumously, as was the author's wish, the intention of this work is for the reader to find a relationship with the author in the spiritual dimensions of existence. The author wanted not to be thought of as a personality who lived from 1900 to 1973, but as a friend who is communicating with us from beyond the boundaries of ordinary life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (29)

Meditations on the Tarot
A wonderfully scholarly tome, one that provides hours of reverie and insight into the the spiritual nature of the the Tarot. It is recommended as a vital additions to one's Tarot library.

kinda interesting...ish
I'm not sure how I came across this book a few years ago - I guess I was intrigued to hear what a catholic monk had to say about the encoded remnants of alexandrian wisdom his murderous forebears had done their level best to eradicate ... in the name of jesus. I have many books on the tarot rangeing fom the ridiculous to the sublime. At the top end are Crowley's Thoth and Wirth's Tarot Of The Magicians: at the bottom are the likes of this. After year's of christian brainwashing as a child and adolescent I thought I would give this good old, bad old religion one last backward glance to see if it had any merit at all - and bought the book.

I am glad I did. Having studied the works of Jung for many years I now understand more clearly - after wading through this tome - the nature of psychosis and the sickness that christianity is. If you really want to stretch your mind and rid yourself of illusion you could do worse than read Stephen Wolinsky's Nirvana Sutras and Advaita-Vedanta. I kid you not.

Not for the faint of heart
Do NOT be put off by the title, thinking this is some New Age book about how to do tarot readings. Nothing could be farther from the truth. This is a major work of scholarship--not for the faint of heart. It is heavy going, extremely deep and erudite. The author (and there is speculation as to who this is) plumbs many sources, which he/she knows well--the bible, kabbalistic tradition, esoteric religions, Nietzsche, Freud, Christian mystics (Bonaventura, Francis of Assisi, to name but two), and the Tao Te Ching. This is work rich in symbol-making and he/she has the scholarly erudition to illuminate the nuances held in the cards.

At 650 pages, this is a tome to approached with reverence and seriousness. To 'read' it is to study it, slowly, contemplatively. It will change your thinking about many things.

Not What it Seems
This might be touted by many as a "wonderful spiritual classic,"but if you are a Christian, I'd stay away from this one.It is gnostic to the core.I bought it hoping to learn about Catholic hermaneutics - what a dumb mistake.That's what the teaching magisterium of the Catholic Church is for!Stick to documents of Vatican II and you won't get lost.Plus, they are just as exciting and an easier read than this heady book of 'secrets'!


Not everything with a Catholic label is authenitcally Catholic: Found these comments about a couple of the books endorsers on another website:"The similarities between centering prayer and Transcendental Meditation are striking. "As an ex-TM mediator," says Fr. Finbarr Flanagan, O.F.M., "I find it hard to see any differences between centering prayer and Transcendental Meditation." Frs. Keating, Menninger, and Pennington authored centering prayer at a time when St. Joseph Abbey had received several retreats involving Eastern religions, including Transcendental Meditation. I cited Fr. Pennington's praise for the Hindu guru and author of Transcendental Meditation. This involvement in eclecticism has continued. Fr. Pennington has not just attended an e.s.t (Erhard Sensitivity Training) session but has served on its board. Frs. Keating and Pennington gave endorsements, appearing on the dust jacket, for Meditations on the Tarot: A Journey in Christian Hermeticism. The tarot is a deck of cards used in fortune telling. Fr. Keating calls the book "the greatest contribution to date toward the rediscovery and renewal of the Christian contemplative tradition." Fr. Pennington says it is "without doubt the most extraordinary work I have ever read." Amity House, the publisher, is heavily New Age. The Library of Congress has classified the book under "occult sciences" and "cartomancy."'Nuff said.

Beyond impressive
This book, like all great books, is not beyond criticism, but the writer's learning and wisdom is so vast and thorough that I admit that I am incapable and, in all humility, unworthy of rendering anything less than the highest mark. There were many moments when I seriously wondered how the author could know what he knows, and at certain times it strained credibility- or perhaps my present capacity for synthesis- but the sheer thoughtfulness, thought-provokingness, and vast command of his subject has proven to be of the most inestimable and greatest benefit to any who would read it with a critical and open mind. One could read this book several times and gain perhaps even exponentially over what they gained with the previous reading. (As far as the Tarot theme goes, it utilizes a certain older deck's pictoral symbology as a springboard to dicuss the often hidden relationships at work in the universal life and in our personal selves.) This truly belongs next to any of the greatest philosophical and spiritual books EVER written, even if you disagree with many of the things he says. You will at least come out of the exchange a better thinker. Don't expect to learn a lot about the Tarot per se, or even how to experience the peace(gnosis) of your innermost being- for that you must learn to meditate patiently and persistently until your heart's deepest understanding unfolds of itself and reveals to you your next evolutional step- but do expect to be instructed by a master in a truly invaluable system of synthesis that stretches far beyond the mere written page to perhaps deeply transorm the world as you see it. ... Read more

Book Description
With The Four Powers, Nicholas Graham's first book, he has produced the book he wished he had when he was just starting out in the world of magic and the occult. Rather than rehashing old information, Graham has instead mixed tried-and-true techniques with information from his own experiences and experiments.Magic is esoteric, but is often made even more intimidating by the use of difficult language and long-winded explanations intended more to impress peers than to teach. Nicholas Graham has put in a lot of effort to make sure that everything in The Four Powers is clear and usable no matter who you are. Those new to magic, and even those with a bit of experience, can make use of the lessons in this book.The author promises that anybody who practices the methods and experiments in The Four Powers with dedication will reap vast rewards physically, mentally, and spiritually. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Spiritual Masterpiece.
I would have thought it impossible that I would give five stars to a work in which an author used such arguably narrow interpretations regarding aspects of other religions in order to strengthen the case for his own. His characterizations of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Judaism (Kabbalah and the Zohar) seemed uncharitably tailored to make Christianity appear, by contrast, inherently superior. It is not the author's preference for Catholicism over these other religions as well as over Protestantism which is the problem. It is his suggestion of Catholicism's objective and essential superiority over them.

When we consider the absolute conceptually as God, the Godhead, the Tao or the Buddha-nature, we can make as much or as little over their differences as we choose. This also applies to conceptual and interpretive differences between enlightenment and unitive experience as well as to the roles played by love and by the personal aspect in various religious experiences. My sense is that when one is as specific, definitive and as categorical as our anonymous author is regarding those things which are universally recognized as beyond the grasp of the intellect, one is guilty of a kind of intellectual fundamentalism which is kindred to popular fundamentalism in its absolute adherence to the letter of the law to the detriment of its spirit. One cannot diminish the other great traditions without diminishing one's own as well. While Bede Griffiths wrote that he had "never read such a comprehensive account of the 'perennial philosophy'", this estimable work can be seen from another perspective to be deficient in the ecumenical spirit which properly resides at its core.

Perhaps another excess is where our author attributes Kant's certainty of God to an "intimate experience" or "authentic spiritual exercise" (whatever that means) rather than to a logical or philosophical conclusion. Naturally, Kant is to be seen as a great philosopher and thinker but perhaps not as a mystic.

However, after all that, this book comes as close as any to being, in a positive sense, without peer. Here, refreshingly, we see great erudition and humility from one and the same author. I read and distilled each chapter down to what I hope is its essential meaning and then, read them again. I was so inspired by the wisdom, clarity, and sheer artistry in this work that I went to the expense of having it printed and nicely bound into two large print volumes so that I could spend even longer periods pouring spellbound over its profound and beautifully written contents. This book is an ingenious composite and integration of religion, philosophy, science and all other relevant elements. It is also literature of the first order. Each presentation of a Major Arcanum is a genuine objet d'art and an exemplar of organization and cohesiveness. One reviewer suggested that this author was in need of structure and an editor. I find it difficult to imagine any editor so audacious as to alter this meticulously crafted spiritual masterpiece by as much as a single word.

It is all in this book. The dynamics of meditation and transformation, proper spiritual attitudes, the relationship between mind and matter and between God and creation. All of these aspects and dynamics are discussed in great detail and in relationship with one another, philosophy, religion, and with science. You are enriched even from the thought which is provoked by your disagreements with the author, and you are led into your own contemplation of all matter of things spiritual, philosophical and scientific.

There are few books that do not have some faults that are, in my estimation, equal to the ones which I perceived in this book. There are far fewer, however, for which I would award my five stars so wholeheartedly. Beside the legion of positives in the various reviews recommending this book, the few minor criticisms, while worth noting, are on balance, inconsequential; do not miss the experience of reading this marvel of a book because of them.

Unusual, insightful, powerful
This book is obviously the product of an entire lifetime of devoted scholarship, meditation, and reflective living.It introduces the tarot not in the usual sense that we encounter it on the periphery of our lives (as a divination tool or psychic card game), but as a sequence of profound spiritual exercises.The book is organized as a series of "letters to the Unknown Friend," each letter explaining in beautiful and elegant depth the meanings surrounding each spiritual exercise.On the back cover, there is a quote by Fr. Thomas Keating (perhaps the greatest living mystic, at least as far as I know).Fr. Keating, a man of unimpeachable good judgment, is quoted in this way: he calls the book "the greatest contribution to date toward the rediscovery and renewal of Christian contemplative tradition."If he is quoted correctly, that is high praise indeed, coming from a man of such high spiritual accomplishment and great generosity of spirit.

Personally, I feel great joy and honor at being addressed as "unknown friend" by the anonymous author.Surely, this author is a person I would value as a friend.He reveals something substantial about his Hermetic tradition, a tradition with which I had not been familiar.I just love the book and recommend it with considerable enthusiasm.

You should be aware that the copy that is available at quite a high price, via this page, is not my copy.I would not sell my copy for that price or for any reasonable price.(Perhaps Bill Gates might just afford to buy my copy, but just barely.) ... Read more