Newsgroups: alt.magick,alt.magick.tyagi,alt.magick.tantra,alt.magick.sex,alt.magick.ethics,misc.books,alt.answers,news.answers Subject: alt.magick BOOKs/periodicals REFerence file Followup-To: alt.magick Summary: This is a REFerence file for the alt.magick newsgroup. As such it constitutes an attendant file to the alt.magick FAQ, which is intended as an introductory file and its content may be discussed within the alt.magick.* contellation. The FAQ is available at: ftp://ftp.hollyfeld.org/pub/Esoteric/Usenet/Magick/FAQ.amgkfaq.9510 X-URL://www.hollyfeld.org/~tyagi/amgkfaq.html Keywords: Magick, Books, Fiction, Non-Fiction References: ftp://www.hollyfeld.org/pub/Esoteric/Web/Amgkfaq/ From: nagasiva@yronwode.com (tyaginator) Reply-to: nagasiva@yronwode.com (tyaginator) Archive-name: magick/book2ref Version: 9604 Posting-Frequency: monthly or by inquir From: Rick To: alt.occult.kabbalah.golden-dawn Subject: Reading Suggestions for A.O.K.G (21k file) Date: Wed, 27 Mar 1996 21:41:19 GMT ~Subject: The following is a brief reading list which may be useful to those monitoring this newsgroup. This brief list is not meant to be all inclusive or uniquely suited to the task at hand. I could have chosen from hundreds. The books contained in this list represent only a few suggestions. You cannot represent the Infinite with the finite, and the finite cannot represent the Infinite. Books are finite. All words are finite. Only you can actually realize something, books can only point the way. Ultimately, every student, beginning or advanced, must work out the challenges and complexities of their own path. Every perspective is different, even if only slightly. Every human soul exists at some stage of initiation, even if it's so early a stage that the conscious mind of the human being is unaware of it. Every soul has its own needs. Some of these books may be out of print. Libraries, book search firms, and even the Internet, can help with locating some of these or related books. Please note that I've thrown this brief list together in a short period of time. Please excuse any typos and grammatical errors Ive missed. For the record, with the exception of the single book referenced at the bottom of this list, which I wrote, I have no interest, financial or otherwise, in any of the books, authors, or publishers, referenced on this list. "As Above, So Below. The Macrocosm, the Microcosm. The Entire Universe is Contained In The Human Creature" To The Fallen Angels --------------------------------------------- READING LIST: ~Title: The Black Arts Author: Richard Cavendish Publisher/Year: G.P.Putnam's Sons, New York, 1967 Comment(s): The book jacket claims that this is, "An absorbing account of witchcraft, demonology, astrology, and other mystical practices throughout the ages...." That is very accurate. This book is a good introduction to what I would call "classical western occultism". For the student who knows absolutely nothing about witchcraft and the occult, this is a very good book to read. ~Title: Mastering Witchcraft SubTitle: A Practical Guide For Witches, Warlocks & Covens Author: Paul Huson Publisher/Year: G.P.Putnam's Sons, New York, 1970 Comment(s): This book brings classical western witchcraft and occultism "up to date" with practical suggestions on how to approach western occultism in today's world. ~Title: The Rites of Modern Occult Magic Author: Francis King Publisher/Year: The MacMillan Company, New York, 1970 Comment(s): This jacket says that this book is, "A fascinating account of the events and personalities involved in the renaissance of medieval magic and alchemy, from the late nineteenth century to the present." You've heard of the Rosicrucians, the Freemasons, The Order of The Golden Dawn, the A.A, the O.T.O, The Theosophical Society, Mathers, Blavatsky, the always colorful Aleister Crowley? Well, if youre interested in this newsgroup, you should know about these organizations and personalities. This book will take you through the last 100 years or so of western occult history, organizations, and personalities. Its primary utility is to set the stage and context for much, but not all, of the occultism which exists today. ~Title: The Secret Teachings of All Ages SubTitle: An Encyclopedic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic and Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy Author: Manly P. Hall Publisher/Year: The Philosophical Research Society, Inc. Los Angeles, California, 1928 (current edition - 1988) Library of Congress Catalog Card No.: 88-30746 ISBN No.: 0-89314-548-3 Comments: The late Manly P. Hall authored over 150 books and essays on the subjects contained in this book. This work is without a doubt his crowning achievement and an invaluable source of information. The book is exactly what the sub-title says it is, and it is the best single book like it anywhere. If you only get 1 book on anything associated with the sort of subjects you would expect to find in AOKG, this is the one to get. When Manly Hall passed, this world became a poorer place. The Elect of this world greatly miss him, but they are fortunate in that he left a record for them to study from. ~Title: Lectures on Ancient Philosophy SubTitle: Companion To The Secret Teachings Of All Ages Author: Manly P. Hall Publisher/Year: Philosophical Research Society, Los Angeles, CA, originally 1929, my edition 1984 Library of Congress Catalog Card No.: 84-25365 ISBN No.: 0-89314-820-2 Comment(s): As it states, this book is the companion to the above referenced book. It's a big book (500+ pages) and an excellent one. I don't know if the beginning student would really want to take this one on at first, but I include it an important reference associated with the previously mentioned book. ~Title: The Way of Splendor SubTitle: Jewish Mysticism and Modern Psychology Author: Edward Hoffman Publisher/Year: Shambhala, Boulder & London, 1981 Library of Congress Catalog Card No.: 81-50967 ISBN No.: 0-394-52152-8 (Random House) Comment(s): A good introduction to the Kabbalah (spelled in a variety of ways) and how it relates and what it means to the human mind and spirit. This book is very readable and makes a very good modern case for the study of the Kabbalah and just what such study might ultimately mean for the student. And it does this in clear language. (Pick up a copy of the ever incomprehensible A.E.Waite's, The Holy Kabbalah, if you would like to contrast clear language with something almost unintelligible.) ~Title: Man and his Symbols Author: Carl G. Jung Publisher/Year: Doubleday & Company, New York, 1964 Library of Congress Catalog Card No.: 64-18631 ISBN No.: 0-385-05221-9 Comment(s): Dr. Carl Jung was of course the world-famous Swiss psychologist and, for a brief time anyway, foremost student of Sigmund Freud. The purpose of this book is to explain to the general reader the importance and significance of symbolism in man's world Jung, in my opinion, was a mystic, though he may have objected to my labeling him as such. His single greatest contribution to the areas of mysticism, alchemy (western medieval mysticism), kabbalah, etc., was that he framed these things in the language and context of modern psychology, making a great many of these things accessible to the modern western reader. This of course coupled with his psychological theories. This book is very readable, as is his autobiography, "Memories, Dreams, Reflections". ~Title: On the Nature of the Psyche ~Title: Dreams ~Title: Alchemical Studies ~Title: Psychology and Alchemy ~Title: Aion ~Title: The Archetypes of the Collective Unconscious ~Title: Mysterium Coniunctionis ~Title: Answer to Job Author of them all: Carl G. Jung Publisher/Year: Princeton University Press / Bolligen Paperbacks, all referenced titles from The Collected Works of C.G.Jung, Bollingen Series XX, various dates generally in the 1960s and 1970s. Comment(s): As I stated above, one of C.G.Jungs greatest contributions was his making accessible to the western mind, eastern metaphysical and mystical thought, through the setting of such things in a modern, western, psychological framework and language. The books referenced above represent a small portion of his collected works. These books are very difficult to read. Answer to Job, is probably the easiest and Mysterium Coniunctionis the hardest -- the latter his last work of book length, "the fruit of decades of study and reflection on philosophical alchemy, against the background of his extensive analytical practice." When you have reached a point when you can fight your way through these, you will find treasures buried therein and it will be well worth the effort. There is a great deal of repetition in some of his works, but you will need that. ~Title: Fourteen Lessons in Yogi Philosophy and Oriental Occultism Author: Yogi Ramacharaka Publisher/Year: The Yoga Publication Society, Chicago, 1903 ISBN No.: 0-911662-01-4 Comment(s): As of a couple of years ago, The Yoga Publication Society, still existed and was still publishing this and a whole series of books by the same author and others. I don't know who Yogi Ramacharaka is or any history associated with him. His books however are excellent. He teaches things associated with the spiritual path from a somewhat Hindu orientation. Judging by the date of publication and the content, maybe he was associated with The Theosophical Society, or the Order of Ramakrishna? He lays before the student an entire map of where the student has been, where he is, where he must go, and the rewards and dangers of along the journey. ~Title: Raja Yoga Author: Yogi Ramacharaka Publisher/Year: The Yoga Publication Society, Chicago, 1906 Comment(s): Raja Yoga, or The Royal Yoga of the Mind, is the approach and training associated with the "bringing under control" of the Mind and the conscious manifestation of the powers and forces contained therein. Raja Yoga is one of the 4 paths (works, religious devotion, philosophy, training of the Mind) generally spoken about in a great amount of Hindu oriented mystical literature. Crowley's "concentration exercises" would seem to have their roots in this school. (Crowley references Raja-Yoga by Swami Vivekananda in one of his reading lists.) ~Title: Raja Yoga Author: Swami Vivekananda Publisher/Year: Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center, New York, 1982 (paper edition) Library of Congress Catalog Card No.: 55-12231 ISBN No.: 0-911206-23-X Comment(s): Reference above for comments on Raja Yoga. Swami Vivekananda was one of the two main figures associated with the original organization of the Order of Ramakrishna (the other being Swami Brahmananda). The Order of Ramakrishna is dedicated to the person and teachings of Sri Ramakrishna (1836-1886), an Indian Mystic, and perhaps, as some believe, Avatar. Swami Vivekananda appeared at the Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893. (Could Swami Ramacharaka have been associated with Vivekananda?) A great deal of very high quality writings have come from the various personages associated with the Order of Ramakrishna, and the various associated organizations existing throughout the world. ~Title: The Lesser Key of Solomon - GOETIA SubTitle: The Book of Evil Spirits Author: Original author unknown. Crowley claims authorship in one of the editions I have. I seem to remember that Mathers may have done the original translation, but I'm not sure. Publisher/Year: Ram Importer Inc., 1970 Publisher/Year: de LAURENCE, SCOTT & CO., 1916 Comment(s): This book would generally not be appropriate for reading by a new student, however, an essay by Aleister Crowley titled, "The Initiated Interpretation of Ceremonial Magic", appears as an introduction to this book. This essay is one of the best introductions to ceremonial magic I've ever seen. When Crowley was good, he was very good, and when he was bad........ ~Title: MAGICK (Originally Magick in Theory and Practice) Author: Aleister Crowley (ed. by Symonds/Grant) Publisher/Year: Samuel Weiser, Inc., New York, 1973 ISBN No.: 0-87728-254-4 Comment(s): We had to get to Crowley sooner or later. Crowley was a master magician. He worked his will upon the world and rightly should be called a Magus. He also destroyed himself with drugs, was a master con artist, and generally was the sort of person you wouldn't want your sister, or brother for that matter, spending much time with. I would label all his writing, except the essay mentioned above, "for advanced students only". The new student does not have the "tools" to understand Crowley. At best, the new student will hurt themselves a little. At worst, if he takes Crowley too literally, the new student will generally end up hurt, dead, dying, babbling, dribbling, or to put it in scientific language, seriously whacked. (Eating cakes made from cooked menstrual blood and worse - yuuch. Slicing your arm with a razor blade every time you break concentration - I don't think so.) I've included him however because his name is so prominent in occult literature and he has written so much. He can't be avoided. And he has written a lot of really good stuff, but not for the beginner. MAGICK includes his famous BOOK 4, some of his 777, and other writings. Some of his writings are absolutely brilliant, but again, not for the beginner. His Qabalistic system is just that, his Qabalistic system. If you want to learn about the Kabbalah, start with the book referenced above by Hoffman, or read Gershom Scholem (next). Volumes could be dedicated to Crowley and this isn't the place. If you want to get and read only own one of Crowleys books, this is probably the one it should be. ~Title: The Golden Dawn SubTitle: A Complete Course in Practical Ceremonial Magic, Four Volumes in One SubTitle: The Original Account of the Teachings, Rites and Ceremonies of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn Author: Ed. by Israel Regardie - current edition is 6th (I think) Publisher/Year: Llewellyn Publications, St.Paul, Minnesota, USA, part of Llewellyns Golden Dawn Series, 1989 Library of Congress Catalog Card No.: 86-15247 ISBN No.: 0-87542-663-8 Comments: This is a very sizable book containing what is says above in the 2 subtitles. The Golden Dawn, was originally a secret, Freemasonic flavored organization, (no surprise considering some of its original members,) dedicated to the accomplishment of the "Great Work", perhaps better identified as "absolute spiritual illumination", through study and the practice of ceremonial magic. The Golden Dawn, and its members, have been very significant influences in the modern history and content of western occultism. This work is a very significant work. If youre going to have only one book on/about The Golden Dawn, this is the one to have. From what I understand, many independent, and semi-dependent lodges currently exist throughout the world. ~Title: Kabbalah Author: Gershom Scholem Publisher/Year: Dorset Press, New York, 1974 ISBN No.: 0-88029-205-9 Comment(s): This is a thick book, and a very complete survey of the Kabbalah by a recognized authority. I've heard some talk that some of the recent literary discoveries in the middle-east have modified or changed some of what Scholem says, but I have not looked into it. This book is a very good survey. It also can be relatively flat and colorless, maybe a little boring. ~Title: Esoteric Buddhism Author: A.P.Sinnett Publisher/Year: Theosophical Publishing House LTD, London, Adyar, India, Weaton, Ill., USA, 1972 ISBN No.: 0-7229-5230-9 Comment(s): This book appears to be a much shorter way to sum up the overall system contained in Blavatsky's 800 page book, The Secret Doctrine. Sinnett describes an evolutionary system, in which the object and purpose of creation is the evolution of Man from idea in the mind of Creation, to mineral, to God. I definitely think that this book is worth reading. The idea that man is part of a long spiritual evolutionary process is a good idea to embrace. Whether or not some of the details of the process presented in this book are correct is almost secondary. A mythology is important. It's a starting point and a context. Even if the details in this work are mythology, they can push the student further along the path. That is the primary function of all formalized religions and mythologies. There are many books which have originated from the Theosophical Society and its sister organizations. I dont mean to slight Blavatsky's huge works, The Secret Doctrine, or, Isis Unveiled, in recommending this book first. These books also provide interesting suggestions and ideas, but, Esoteric Buddhism, gives the basic "system" in the least amount of words. The other books are worth having and can be enjoyable to read, but Id recommend this one first. ~Title: The Temple Legend Author: Rudolf Steiner SubTitle Freemasonry & Related Occult Movements Publisher/Year: Rudolf Steiner Press, London, 1985 ISBN No.: 0-85440-540-2 Comment(s): I seem to remember that Steiner started out in the Theosophical Society. He was an amazingly prolific writer and lecturer on all sorts of subjects generally related to the spiritual evolution of man, society, God, the universe, and everything. I personally really like to read his stuff. I don't mean to offend, but I think that the intellectual quality and level of "illumination" was higher with Steiner than it was with Blavatsky. Steiner generally provides a richer context within which to place the evolution of man and mankind, and The Temple Legend specifically sets this within the idea of an evolved, future, "greater", Freemasonic order. I have to admit that being a "high-grade" Freemason myself, among other things, I find this especially appealing. = A lot of Steiners writings are very good. If you want to start with the bare essentials of Steiner, get "The Essential Steiner, The Basic Writings of Rudolf Steiner". **Other Books** ~Title: The Gnostic Gospels, by Elaine Pagels. ~Title: Adam, Eve, and the Serpent, by Elaine Pagels. ~Title: The Nag Hammadi Library, edited by James Robinson. Get these to learn what original Christianity may have been like and how different modern Christianity may have become from the original. ~Title: Real History of the Rosicrucians, by Arthur Edward Waite. I really don't like people who take volumes to tell you that they know all the answers to the mysteries of heaven and earth, but they can't tell you because you're not an initiate of their own particular and very special illuminated organization. Waite does this all the time. I find that really annoying! However, this book is good. It contains among other things, translations of the original "founding" documents associated with the legendary original secret order which has come to be known as the Rosicrucians. ~Title: From Socrates to Sartre: The Philosophic Quest, by T.Z.Lavine. Really good introduction to "heavy" philosophy. ~Title: Meditation and Spiritual Life by Swami Yatiswarananda, Order of Ramakrishna. This is not a beginner's book. It was assembled from notes taken by monastic students of Yatiswarananda. It is however the best single book on approaches to spiritual illumination that I know about. There is a lot of Hindu terminology in this book, which for the unfamiliar might be difficult to get around, but it's pure instruction. ~Title: The History of Magic by Eliphas Levi (Tran. by A.E.Waite). ~Title: The Key of the Mysteries by Eliphas Levi (Tran. by A.Crowley). Levi's books are ok. There are some interesting ideas and suggestions made in these books. A curious aside is that Albert Pike, the main personality behind the current manifestation of The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, was versed in the writings of Eliphas Levi. I have found word for word corrospondances between some of Levi's writing and some of Pike's. (Levi's came first.) = = ~Title: To The Fallen Angels, Mans Spiritual Heritage, Earthly Mission, and Evolutionary Destiny by Richard D. Murad. To The Fallen Angels, is a series of brief statements, in the form of individual letters, addressed to the "Fallen Angels", generally involving different aspects of Mans struggle in this world and the next. This is not a text for new students. It's more for mid-level students. Each brief monograph is pointed and specific. It really needs an analysis and commentary associated with it to make the concepts in it more accessable to students. =========================================================================== Newsgroups: alt.magick.tyagi,alt.magick,alt.magick.moderated,alt.magick.order Subject: MRyan: What is Golden Dawn? Followup-To: alt.occult.kabbalah.golden-dawn,alt.magick.tyagi,alt.magick,alt.magick.order Date: 29 Mar 1996 10:57:40 -0800 Organization: Portal Communications (shell) [from alt.occult.kabbalah.golden-dawn: Mark Ryan ] [alot of prelim quotation deleted - tn] Yeats's Order name was D.E.D.I. (Daemon Est Deus Inversus). He belonged to the G.D. and its successor the for at least 20 years. For more on Yeats and the G.D., see -- The Unicorn by Viginia Moore The Mystery Religion of W.B. Yeats by Graham Hough Some other notable G.D. members: Maude Gonne -- Irish Actress George Russell (AE)-- Irish poet and artist Arthur Edward Waite -- Englist occultist (and author of the Tarot deck incorrectly attributed, above) Dr. Wynn Westcott -- English pathologist and occultist Sources for G.D. tradition, from oldest to newest-- Egyptian magical papyrii -- mostly just Egyptian trappings for rituals The Hermetic tradition -- many ideas, especially that of correspondence between microcosm/macrocosm Jewish mysticism (the Kaballah, etc.) -- heavily drawn on for system of correspondences and paths, including degrees of initiation Neo-Platonism -- Great Chain of Being, reincarnation Rosicrucianism -- used for rituals, symbols Renaissance speculation (e.g., Giorgano Bruno, Ficcino) Dr. Dee's Enochian system, "Angelic" language "Grimoire" magical manuals 18th and 19th Century magicians, e.g., Eliphas Levi 19th Century spritualism Anybody who can find any practical use for this disreputable hodgepodge of ideas has my admiration. Somehow, the G.D. founders (the real ones, Mathers and Westcott, not the fictitious Frauline Sprengle of Germany) managed to make it all hang together, at least enough to capture the interest of a guy like Yeats, who was no fool. In fact, Yeats was asked to leave Madam Blavatsky's group ("Theosophists") because he was given to making practical experiments... Later, he used much of the G.D. doctrine in his own system described in "A Vision," and said to have inspired or influenced dmuch of his later poetry. Despite this, a lot of the G.D. is the most outrageous claptrap and balderdash. Questions: Is there anything of value in all this stuff? If so, what is it: esthetic, mythological, psychological, philisophical--or what? If not, why does the subject keep croping up every few hundred years, and why does it interest so many otherwise intellegent people? Lastly, why is the current crop of "New Age" devotees so much less organized and talented than their counterparts 100 years ago? ----------------------------------- This document is Copyright (c) 1996, authors cited. All rights reserved. Permission to distribute the collection is hereby granted providing that distribution is electronic, no money is involved, reasonable attempts are made to use the latest version and all credits and this copyright notice are maintained. Other requests for distribution should be directed to the individual authors of the particular articles. nagasiva, tyagi tyagI@houseofkaos.Abyss.coM (I@AM) ~