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La escafandra del optimista: Un kit de supervivencia para tiempos difíciles (Genios para la vida cotidiana #Volumen)
by Allan PercyEn La escafandra del optimista, de la serie «Genios para la vida cotidiana», el prestigioso Allan Percy nos proporciona las herramientas para encarar la vida con energía positiva y vencer al pesimismo. Los optimistas poseen un blindaje especial que los protege contra las dificultades: con la serenidad que proporciona una inmersión en el silencio del océano, quien piensa en positivo es capaz de actuar al margen del desánimo y de encontrar soluciones en aguas revueltas. Este libro explica cómo adquirir ese blindaje, la escafandra del optimista, además de procurar al lector un «kit de supervivencia» en el que se incluyen los siguientes instrumentos: - Un antídoto para cada idea pesimista, a la cual se antepone una idea optimista para afrontar la situación. - Una galería de personajes que demuestran con su ejemplo cómo una actitud positiva rompe todas las barreras. - Consejos y estrategias para ver el vaso «medio lleno» y llenar incluso la otra mitad. - Un anexo sobre las endorfinas, la nieve de San Juan y otros amigos del optimismo.
La escalera a tu mundo interior: Sanación del cuerpo y del alma
by Jorge Enrique Rojas Santiago Rojas Gómez Guillermo Rojas QuicenoUna guía para lograr la sanación del alma y del cuerpo. En las consultas médicas que realizan los autores de este libro, se han dado cuenta de que no todas las enfermedades que aquejan a los seres humanos son del cuerpo, sino que también hay algunas que son expresiones de un desequilibrio espiritual y no se pueden curar con procedimientos tradicionales. Para tratar estos males, debemos hacer un trabajo interno de reflexión y meditación con el fin de comprender qué los está causando y cómo podemos sanarlos de raíz. La escalera a tu mundo interior nos propone entonces un viaje espiritual hacia el autoconocimiento y la sabiduría, a través de siete escalones -siete capítulos- en los que tendremos que enfrentarnos a nosotros mismos, y a todo tipo de obstáculos externos, si queremos experimentar la paz interior que nos llevará al verdadero bienestar. En cada escalón podremos conocer nuestras virtudes y cualidades, o nuestros vicios y pasiones; todo depende de cómo decidamos abordar este recorrido por las emociones, el miedo, la consciencia, el ego, la mente, la liberación y, en últimas, la sanación.
Escape Anxiety
by Suzanne JesseeIt's estimated that forty million Americans suffer from anxiety disordersâbut that's just the tip of the iceberg. Millions more suffer in silence. Suzanne Jessee was one of them. Hospitalized at age thirty with severe depression, anxiety, and panic disorder, she was determined to overcome the mental paralysis and addictive behaviors that ruled her life. Not only did she personally triumph over these debilitating disorders, but she set out to study, train, and workin the world's leading treatment centers and has helped thousands of others to recover from severe anxiety. Through her research and stories of her experience, Escape Anxiety: 8 Steps to Freedom through Meditative Therapies Jessee gives the causes and patterns of these complicated and often misunderstood mental health problems and offers a program of natural treatments to regain health and happiness. Accompanied by a PBS special, Escape Anxiety is an exclusive look at the revolutionary treatment program Jessee successfully pioneered at the Betty Ford Center and other top addiction treatment centers. Her 8-Step Escape Anxiety program is designed to provide holistic, natural techniques to manage extreme stress and depression in order to escape their destructive consequences. At the heart of her program is Jessee's innovative method of Neurogenesis Meditative Therapy⢠(NMT). Combining proven therapeutic techniques such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with ancient mindfulness practices, her methods empower anxiety sufferers by liberating them from unhealthy âthought mythsâ and helping them create sustainable, life-changing habits. Backed by recent scientific proof that meditation has a transformative effect on the physical brain, Suzanne demystifies the practice of meditation and demonstrates its power as a viable alternative to synthetic medications for treating anxiety. Each of the following steps of Jessee's program to break the patterns of anxiety is accompanied by exercises the reader can do at home, including a specially designed script for meditation: Step 1: Conquering Codependent Control Issues Step 2: Dismantling Perfectionism Step 3: Releasing Resentment and Forgiving Others Step 4: Surrendering Shame and Resentment: Forgiving Yourself Step 5: Defusing Catastrophic Thinking Step 6: Mastering Self-Regulation Step 7: Making Conscious Choices About Your Emotions Step 8: Rewriting Your Internal Dialogue After years of personal experience helping patients at the Betty Ford Center and other clinical settings, and recognition for her success from the top experts in the field, Suzanne Jessee now offers an affordable and accessible in-home treatment program to heal those who suffer from the devastating effects of anxiety disorders.
Escape Your Shape
by Edward JackowskiThe Individualized Fitness Prescription for Your Body Type Do you wonder why the latest fitness fad doesn't work for you? Have you lifted weights for months, dreaming of toned, defined muscles, with no results? Have you exercised regularly for months -- or even years -- without seeing any changes in your body? If you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are your exercise routine is incomplete and wrong for your body type. Everyone -- men and women alike -- has a natural shape: Hourglass® Spoon® Ruler® Cone® And there's a right and a wrong way to exercise for each. By exercising right for your body type you'll finally see stubborn problem areas start to change in a matter of weeks -- the kind of change that will motivate you to continue until you meet your goals and beyond. You don't need to buy expensive equipment or devote hours a day to this program. Whether you're twenty-two or seventy-two, a regular at the gym or making a serious commitment to exercise for the first time in your life, the man Fit magazine calls the "Shape Master" puts the most important tool for success in your hands: a detailed step-by-step workout for your body type that you can perform anywhere. With consistent workouts fueled by quantifiable results, you will dramatically change your body for the better and for the rest of your life.
Escape Your Weight
by Edward JackowskiLast year, according to The Institute of Medicine, Americans spent in excess of $33 billion on weight-loss products and services. However, the economic cost of obesity in the USA was about $117 billion during this same time period.Obviously a dilemma exists. Why? If all we needed to do was take a magic pill, exercise 10 minutes a day, or eliminate carbs from our diet, as so many "Get-Thin-Quick" schemes suggest, then why are so many of us still vastly overweight?Because such easy schemes do not tell the whole story about what we need to do to get fit and stay fit. And because we're all different. We think differently, we eat differently, and we exercise (or don't) differently. So we need diet and exercise plans designed especially for us. Whether we're 10 pounds overweight or 25 pounds overweight. Whether we like to exercise or whether we loathe exercise. Whether we can stick to a diet six days a week or 3 days a week. Whether we can exercise every day or twice a week. Escape Your Weight gives you a choice of eating plans and exercise plans that fit you, your likes and dislikes, your strengths and your weaknesses.With expertly photographed exercise plans that are easy even for beginners, along with minimal, inexpensive equipment (no gym required), Escape Your Weight will explain what YOU need to do and what YOU need to eat to become slim and fit.
Escaping the Rabbit Hole: How to Debunk Conspiracy Theories Using Facts, Logic, and Respect (Revised and Updated - Includes Information about 2020 Election Fraud, The Coronavirus Pandemic, The Rise of QAnon, and UFOs)
by Mick WestRevised and updated for the first time in 2023—Now includes strategies for debunking conspiracies regarding the coronavirus pandemic, election fraud, QAnon, UFOs, and more. The Earth is flat, the World Trade Center collapse was a controlled demolition, planes are spraying poison to control the weather, and actors faked the Sandy Hook massacre. All these claims are bunk: falsehoods, mistakes, and in some cases, outright lies. But many people passionately believe one or more of these conspiracy theories. They consume countless books and videos, join like-minded online communities, try to convert those around them, and even, on occasion, alienate their own friends and family. Why is this, and how can you help people, especially those closest to you, break free from the downward spiral of conspiracy thinking? In Escaping the Rabbit Hole, author Mick West shares over a decade&’s worth of knowledge and experience investigating and debunking false conspiracy theories through his forum, MetaBunk.org, and sets forth a practical guide to helping friends and loved ones recognize these theories for what they really are. Perhaps counter-intuitively, the most successful approaches to helping individuals escape a rabbit hole aren&’t comprised of simply explaining why they are wrong; rather, West&’s tried-and-tested approach emphasizes clear communication based on mutual respect, honesty, openness, and patience. West puts his debunking techniques and best practices to the test with the most popular false conspiracy theories today (Chemtrails, The Coronavirus Pandemic, 9/11 Controlled Demolition, Election Fraud, False Flags, Flat Earth, The Rising of QAnon, and UFOs)—providing road maps to help you to understand your friend and help them escape the rabbit hole. These are accompanied by real-life case studies of individuals who, with help, were able to break free from conspiracism. With sections on: the wide spectrum of conspiracy theoriesavoiding the &“shill&” labelpsychological factors and other complications(and concluding with) a look at the future of debunking Mick West has put forth a conclusive, well-researched, practical reference on why people fall down the conspiracy theory rabbit hole and how you can help them escape.
Escorpio
by Francesca Garro Chiara Bertrand¿Quiere saber qué le deparan el 2017 y el 2018? Este libro contiene las previsiones llevadas a cabo por Francesca Garro y Chiara Bertrand, a través de las cuales podrá descubrir las grandes líneas de su destino en todos los terrenos (vida sentimental, profesión, dinero, salud...). Además, se incluye un capítulo en el que podrá conocer el nombre de personajes famosos con su mismo signo del zodiaco. Esta obra, indispensable para todos los aficionados a la astrología, le explicará las características generales de Escorpio, la influencia de los planetas en su personalidad, el papel de las casas y del ascendente. Encontrará, asimismo, valiosas indicaciones sobre el modo de construir una ficha astrológica personal, las profesiones que más le convienen y sus relaciones con los demás signos.
Escribe el guion de la vida que quieres: Manifiesta tus sueños con tan solo lápiz y papel
by Royce Christyn• Comparte vividas anotaciones del diario del autor de sus avances desde el momento en que utilizó con éxito su método para conseguir un papel principal en un programa de televisión • Explora la ciencia detrás del método y detalla cómo la comprensión de los nuevos descubrimientos científicos y tecnologías emergentes son clave para crear y manifestar en tu vida • Revela herramientas divertidas y sencillas para la manifestación y la autoayuda, actualizadas para una nueva generación Royce Christyn detalla un proceso de &“guionización&” simple para aprovechar la ley de la atracción y manifestar lo que quieres en tu vida. Inspirado por los clásicos del nuevo pensamiento y del pensamiento positivo, el autor explica cómo desarrolló su método de guionización, tras cuatro años de ensayo y error, y comparte páginas de sus diarios para demonstrar cómo crear la vida que quieres con ejercicios prácticos hasta que tus guiones converjan con la realidad. Adicionalmente, la guía indica las frases clave que debes incluir para que tu guion se haga realidad rápidamente. Christyn te da las herramientas para poner en marcha tus pensamientos y cerrar la brecha que existe entre donde estás ahora y donde quieres estar en tu vida.
Escribir para sanar
by Asma Elferkouss¿Y si tu curación estuviera cerca? A través de consejos prácticos, ejercicios concretos y ejemplos hablados, podrás utilizar la escritura como terapia para liberar tus emociones, tus creencias y tu imaginación ...
Escrito sobre el cuerpo: Las bases de la Biomecánica Aplicada al Movimiento para vivir mejor
by Dra. Teresa ZalazarConocé el cuerpo a través de la Biomecánica Aplicada al Movimiento (BAM) y su propuesta de trabajo para aliviar dolores, respirar mejor, evitar lesiones y así lograr un destino más saludable, autónomo y consciente. A la sala de Biomecánica Aplicada al Movimiento (BAM) llegan personas con todo tipo de dolencias, que sufrieron accidentes, se lesionaron, atravesaron una enfermedad, tienen un dolor puntual o les duele todo el cuerpo, o simplemente buscan moverse un poco, respirar mejor y sentirse más aliviados. Este libro es para todos ellos o, como dice Teté -tal como llaman a la doctora Teresa Zalazar su infinidad de pacientes y alumnos-, "es para todas las personas que tienen un cuerpo". Todos tenemos un cuerpo, donde está inscripta la historia de cada uno. Este texto revelador y apasionante es una invitación a descubrir los secretos que esconde el cuerpo, a entender su anatomía y funcionamiento con explicaciones médicas precisas y sencillas, a destrabar las compensaciones instaladas en él, a realizar movimientos dirigidos para lograr mayor flexibilidad, a buscar la forma perfecta de cada uno y a permitir, también, que fluyan los recuerdos y las vivencias que se fueron alojando en él a lo largo de toda la vida.
Escritura meditativa: Un camino de autodescubrimiento y transformación
by Nora OsnajanskiEste libro despliega herramientas versátiles. Proporciona diversos cuestionarios para despertar los recuerdos, ejercicios de escritura creativa, y admite sueños, fotos, cartas, textos elaborados, intuiciones, confesiones, dibujos, citas. Pero a la hora de escribir, la clave es habitar un territorio libre de juicio previo y de nociones acerca de lo que está bien o mal y animarse. Imposible negar que todos quisiéramos evitar el sufrimiento. Sin embargo, en tanto estemos vivos, en distintos momentos nos veremos cara a cara con el dolor. Dicen los budistas que una cosa es el dolor inevitable (ocasionado, por ejemplo, por la muerte de un ser querido) y otra el sufrimiento inútil, que nos deja inmovilizados en viejas historias, o nos resta energía tratando de alcanzar ideales incumplibles. Una forma productiva de entender ese sufrimiento inútil es darse cuenta de hasta qué punto permanecemos atrapados en guiones de vida y sistemas de creencias que hieren... y aburren. De todo esto y mucho más tratan los relatos de vida y la escritura meditativa. Escribir las vivencias, las alegrías y los temores. Escribir desde la sombra, el amor y el dolor. Escribir desde el cuerpo y el silencio. Escribir para encontrarnos a nosotros mismos desde nuestras verdades más profundas, que son las únicas a las que podemos tener un acceso con sentido...
Escucha la voz de tu corazón: Historias que nos inspiran a soñar, amar, perdonar y servir
by Jaime JaramilloLos libros de Papá Jaime son una guía para vivir mejor y sentirse másplenos y felices. En este libro, Papá Jaime cuenta historias vividas por él y por personas que ha conocido a lo largo de su existencia, gente de todas las edades y condiciones sociales que lo han inspirado a soñar y a actuar.Al escuchar la voz de nuestro corazón podremos identificar si estamos reaccionando asustados por el miedo o si estamos actuando desde el amor, lo que nos permitirá elegir, decidir y actuar en conciencia.Para él, todos tenemos en nuestro interior la fuerza para transformarnos, sanarnos, superar las adversidades y encontrarle sentido a la vida.
Esoteric Anatomy: The Body as Consciousness
by Richard Gordon Mathaji Vanamali Bruce BurgerEsoteric Anatomy offers a spiritual approach to massage, bodywork, and somatic psychology, demystifying an ancient transpersonal model for understanding energy in nature and working with consciousness in the healing arts.
Esoteric Astrology
by Alan LeoFor the first time in the history of astrology, an entirely new method of reading horoscopes is given. The individual and personal stars of all individuals are explained by a series of star maps, showing how the age of the soul may be astrologically discovered. Complete instructions are provided for creating a star map from a horoscope.
Esoteric Christianity
by Annie Besant Richard SmoleyAnnie Besant, renowned esotericist and Theosophist, asserts in this title that there is a hidden or esoteric truth underlying all religions, a truth so deep and secret that until revealed we cannot truly reach the Divine. While many scholars, theologians and followers of conventional Christianity may not believe in such uniformity, people of all faiths can agree there are unknown elements of the Divine we all seek that are yet to be revealed. Esoteric Christianity shows us this hidden truth that is lacking from the traditional exoteric teachings of Christianity: the Divine does not come from an external, outside source; it is something that can only be found within ourselves.Besant teaches that the Divine in each individual, what she refers to as the "mind of Christ" or "Christ-Soul," is the answer to evolution itself. She explains that religions were given to the world "by men wiser than the masses of the people on whom they are bestowed" in order to quicken human evolution, which is done through the evolution of man's moral, intellectual, and spiritual natures. Besant continues to explain that the evolution of Christianity is dependent on man's ability to follow the occult teachings.Amongst these teachings, Besant distinguishes between the Greater Mysteries, that which cannot be revealed to the masses, and the Lesser Mysteries, the partial unveilings of knowledge meant for the greater population. She also offers the esoteric perspective behind the fundamental Christian principles we have all come to know, which include: the historical and mythic Christ, the Atonement, the Resurrection and Ascension, the Trinity, Prayer, Forgiveness of Sins, the Sacraments, and Revelation. First published in 1901, Esoteric Christianity has been updated by Richard Smoley with annotations to make it more accessible for modern readers.
The Esoteric Dream Book: Mastering the Magickal Symbolism of the Subconscious Mind
by Dayna Winters Patricia Gardner Angela KaufmanEveryone dreams and the dreaming mind speaks in the language of evocative symbols. Now you can interpret dream symbols for the purposes of life enhancement and spiritual growth through this comprehensive guide to esoteric dreaming. Become more open to the messages from the subconscious mind to find solutions to personal problems or gain insight into day-to-day events. Learn how to remember your dreams and how to document them clearly for later interpretation. This book is an in-depth guide to understanding the consequential and multilayered meanings of mundane and arcane dream symbols and provides rituals, spells, and magickal correspondences ideal for dream work.
Esoteric Egypt: The Sacred Science of the Land of Khem
by J. S. GordonA study of the 100,000-year-old spiritual science of ancient Egypt • Examines the metaphysical structure of our universe as seen by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Celts, showing that each is based on the same central concepts from time immemorial • Reveals that the ancient Egyptians believed in reincarnation and a spiritual evolutionary process • Explains the connections between the movements of Orion and Sirius and the story of Osiris and Isis, the importance of the Pleiades and circumpolar stars to the Egyptians, and the fundamental unity of the Egyptian pantheon • Investigates the people who colonized greater Egypt 100,000 years ago, descendants of the Atlanteans In Esoteric Egypt, J. S. Gordon reveals how the sacred science and wisdom tradition of ancient Egypt--the Land of Khem--stems from an advanced prehistoric worldwide civilization. Examining the metaphysical structure of our universe as seen by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Celts, he shows that each tradition is merely a variation on the central concepts of the precession of the equinoxes and the obliquity of the ecliptic pole. He explores the connections between the cyclical movements of Orion and Sirius and the story of Osiris and Isis, the importance of the Pleiades and the circumpolar stars, and the ancient tradition of man as a divine being “born from the substance of the stars.” He investigates the people who colonized greater Egypt 100,000 years ago, the progenitors of ancient Egyptian civilization descended from the 4th- and 5th-Root Race Atlanteans. Gordon explores the magical and esoteric meanings behind Egyptian sacred ritual and temple art, drawing parallels to the Mystery School process of initiation. Explaining the fundamental unity of the Egyptian pantheon and the structure of the after-death state, he shows that the Egyptians clearly believed in reincarnation and a spiritual evolutionary process. Revealing the ancient sacred science of the Land of Khem, teachings passed down from the earliest times, he examines the psychospiritual nature of the human being and the function of our spiritual identity and our souls.
Esoteric Empathy: A Magickal & Metaphysical Guide to Emotional Sensitivity
by Raven DigitalisThis powerhouse of a book examines the experience of empathy from every imaginable angle, taking the reader on a philosophical and experiential journey of what it means to be empathic. Specifically written with the magickal or mystical practitioner in mind, the book introduces techniques, practices, and philosophies designed for empaths to get the most out of life's journey, including:How to function in society as an empathPsychic gifts related to empathyRituals, meditations, spells, and spiritual exercisesStones, herbs, tools, plants, and deities for empathsGrounding, shielding, and protection techniquesHow to create personal boundaries and routinesHow to work with stress, anxiety, and depressionEmpathy in history, science, and metaphysicsEmotional contagion and mirror neuronsAbsorptive versus projective empathyWays to empower yourself as an empathWhether you experience empathy on a regular basis or simply want to know more about this fascinating topic, Esoteric Empathy provides much-needed answers about the emotional abilities that are ushering our species into a new phase of conscious evolution.Praise:"I admire Raven Digitalis. . . . His books are well written and reflect long observation and reflection on any particular subject. Esoteric Empathy is no exception. It promises to become the classic work on empathy. . . . A very worthwhile volume."—Raymond Buckland, author of Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft and Buckland's Book of Spirit Communications
Esoteric Magic and the Cabala: Master the Material World and Discover the Mysteries Beyond
by Phillip CooperThe study of magic is divided into two distinct disciplines: practical and esoteric. Practical magic uses the power of the mind to attain physical results such as more money, a bigger house, better health. Esoteric magic, the subject of Phillip Cooper's new book, focuses on the quest for greater understanding and mental discipline. Its aims are the discovery of inner truths and the understanding of the workings of creation.In his typical no-nonsense manner, Cooper conveys the principles of esoteric magic and offers a positive, realistic means of studying and understanding magic on a deeply personal level. Esoteric Magic and the Cabala helps readers train their minds, their emotions, and their imaginations to more fully understand reality.Esoteric Magic and the Cabala is both positive and realistic. It helps readers learn to use the Tree of Life as a means of classifying knowledge, of observing an interrelated whole, a method that provides the tools for endless self-discovery. It offers a complete, workable plan of study that novices will find easy to understand and advanced practitioners will find refreshing and stimulating after the usual confusing and dogmatic magic texts.M
Esoteric Mysteries of the Underworld: The Power and Meaning of Subterranean Sacred Spaces
by Jean-Pierre BayardA comprehensive guide to the ancient beliefs and spiritual power of subterranean spaces • Examines in depth the myths, symbology, deities, and beliefs connected to the underworld from many different cultures and mystery traditions • Investigates the role of the underworld in initiatory rites and mystical practices, such as the Orphic Mysteries, the chambers of reflections in Freemasonry, the cult of the Black Madonna, and the cult of Isis • Discusses the telluric currents that run through ley lines, the significance of underground waterways, Hollow Earth theory, and the denizens of the subterranean realms, such as dragons, gnomes, and dwarfs Ancient cultures around the world understood the spiritual powers of the underworld. For millennia, natural caves and caverns were turned into sacred underground temples and, from holy mountains and cliffs, churches were beautifully carved into solid rock. Offering a guide to the spiritual energies that flourish beneath the surface of the Earth, Jean-Pierre Bayard explores the esoteric mysteries of the underworld, including the symbolic significance of caves, caverns, and underground temples. He examines in depth the myths, symbology, deities, and beliefs connected to the underworld from many different cultures and mystery traditions, from ancient Egypt to Scandinavia and Europe to the Middle East and India. He investigates the role of the underworld in initiatory rites, such as the Orphic Mysteries and Christ&’s descent into hell, revealing that at the heart of these teachings is the transformative power of a hero&’s descent into and return from the underworld. The author connects the esoteric attributes of the world below with the cult of the Black Madonna and the earlier cult of Isis. He discusses the telluric currents that run through ley lines, the significance of underground waterways, the esoteric properties of gems and stones, and the &“mineral blood&” of the alchemists. He also looks at Hollow Earth theory and the denizens of the subterranean realms, such as dragons, gnomes, and dwarfs. Explaining how the Earth is the womb of the world, Bayard shows how initiatic descent into the sacred subterranean realms reflects the descent of spirit into matter and its slow crystallization. By entering the body of the Earth Mother we are transformed, initiated into primordial wisdom and reborn as spiritual beings.
Esoteric Orders and Their Work
by Dion FortuneFrom the British occultist and author, a classic study of what esoteric orders are and what they can offer initiates.People have been interested in secret traditions since the beginning of time. Fraternal brotherhoods and sisterhoods, and secret orders of varying degrees exist in every country, race, and religion.In Esoteric Orders and Their Work, author Dion Fortune gets to the root of exactly what esoteric orders are, leaving no stone unturned. The chapter “Esotericism, Occultism, and Mysticism” defines what esotericism is in relation to exotericism—in layman’s terms, the inner life versus the outer one. In “The Origin of the Mysteries,” she looks at how esotericism grew hand-in-hand with the evolution of humankind, discussing how humans evolved from a group soul (still present in animals today, i.e.: packs of wolves) into a singular soul. “The Paths of the Western Tradition” is a discussion on the different schools that have developed (known as Rays) and how students, after having formed a solid base of knowledge, work through each ray on their way to becoming closer to an esoteric ideal. She expounds upon Masters in “The Evolution and Functions of the Masters.” We discover that they are not so much superhuman entities as beings who have learned all they need to know on the physical plane and now teach from the ethereal. Chapters such as “The Right and Left-Hand Paths” and “The Use and Power of Ritual” explain the differences between Black and White Occultism, and how long-kept-secret rituals taught only to initiates are used to further the order’s members along their paths.Today, in the centers of the civilized world, there is renewed interest in esoteric schools, and although they may be misunderstood by the mainstream, some of the noblest people have been among their advocates. This book removes the shroud of mystery and fear from esotericism and makes the Western Mystery Tradition accessible to anyone who has ever been curious about this fascinating spiritual path!Revised edition contains a new foreword by Gareth Knight, and an index.
The Esoteric Secrets of Surrealism: Origins, Magic, and Secret Societies
by Bernard Roger Patrick LepetitA profound understanding of the surrealists’ connections with alchemists and secret societies and the hermetic aspirations revealed in their works • Explains how surrealist paintings and poems employed mythology, gnostic principles, tarot, voodoo, alchemy, and other hermetic sciences to seek out unexplored regions of the mind and recover lost “psychic” and magical powers • Provides many examples of esoteric influence in surrealism, such as how Picasso’s Demoiselles d’Avignon was originally titled The Bath of the Philosophers Not merely an artistic or literary movement as many believe, the surrealists rejected the labels of artist and author bestowed upon them by outsiders, accepting instead the titles of magician, alchemist, or--in the case of Leonora Carrington and Remedios Varo--witch. Their paintings, poems, and other works were created to seek out unexplored regions of the mind and recover lost “psychic” and magical powers. They used creative expression as the vehicle to attain what André Breton called the “supreme point,” the point at which all opposites cease to be perceived as contradictions. This supreme point is found at the heart of all esoteric doctrines, including the Great Work of alchemy, and enables communication with higher states of being. Drawing on an extensive range of writings by the surrealists and those in their circle of influence, Patrick Lepetit shows how the surrealists employed mythology, gnostic principles, tarot, voodoo, and alchemy not simply as reference points but as significant elements of their ongoing investigations into the fundamental nature of consciousness. He provides many specific examples of esoteric influence among the surrealists, such as how Picasso’s famous Demoiselles d’Avignon was originally titled The Bath of the Philosophers, how painter Victor Brauner drew from his father’s spiritualist vocation as well as the Kabbalah and tarot, and how doctor and surrealist author Pierre Mabille was a Freemason focused on finding initiatory paths where “it is possible to feel a new system connecting man with the universe.” Lepetit casts new light on the connection between key figures of the movement and the circle of adepts gathered around Fulcanelli. He also explores the relationship between surrealists and Freemasonry, Martinists, and the Elect Cohen as well as the Grail mythos and the Arthurian brotherhood.
The Esoteric Tarot
by Ronald DeckerThat the Tarot originated in ancient Egypt as a divinatory tool is a romantic misconception. Ron Decker's meticulous scholarship will surprise practitioners and academics alike, revealing the Tarot's true evolution and meanings as its inventor(s) understood it.The Tarot consists of the Minor Arcana, four suits of cards similar to our modern deck, and the Major Arcana, twenty-two allegorical or "trump" cards. Decker says the four-suit deck was invented in Asia Minor before AD 1000; Italian courtiers added the trumps in the 1400s. But Tarot was first used as a game. Tarot divination was only created in the 1700s by a Parisian fortuneteller who based the trump images on Hermeticism, which merges Greco-Egyptian alchemy, astrology, numerology, magic, and mysticism. Today, the suit-cards are often traced to the ancient Jewish Cabala. But, says Decker, they, too, acquired their meanings only in the 1700s, and he cites a lost numerical system based on Cabala at that timeDecker's interpretation integrates three whole systems-astrological, arithmological, mystagogical (concerning initiation rites into the Mysteries). His depth of knowledge makes the book a must-have for serious students of Tarot and esotericism
The Esoteric Tarot
by Ronald DeckerThat the Tarot originated in ancient Egypt as a divinatory tool is a romantic misconception. Ron Decker's meticulous scholarship will surprise practitioners and academics alike, revealing the Tarot's true evolution and meanings as its inventor(s) understood it.The Tarot consists of the Minor Arcana, four suits of cards similar to our modern deck, and the Major Arcana, twenty-two allegorical or "trump" cards. Decker says the four-suit deck was invented in Asia Minor before AD 1000; Italian courtiers added the trumps in the 1400s. But Tarot was first used as a game. Tarot divination was only created in the 1700s by a Parisian fortuneteller who based the trump images on Hermeticism, which merges Greco-Egyptian alchemy, astrology, numerology, magic, and mysticism. Today, the suit-cards are often traced to the ancient Jewish Cabala. But, says Decker, they, too, acquired their meanings only in the 1700s, and he cites a lost numerical system based on Cabala at that time.Decker's interpretation integrates three whole systems-astrological, arithmological, mystagogical (concerning initiation rites into the Mysteries). His depth of knowledge makes the book a must-have for serious students of Tarot and esotericism.
Esotericism and the Academy
by Wouter J. HanegraaffAcademics tend to look on 'esoteric', 'occult' or 'magical' beliefs with contempt, but are usually ignorant about the religious and philosophical traditions to which these terms refer, or their relevance to intellectual history. Wouter Hanegraaff tells the neglected story of how intellectuals since the Renaissance have tried to come to terms with a cluster of 'pagan' ideas from late antiquity that challenged the foundations of biblical religion and Greek rationality. Expelled from the academy on the basis of Protestant and Enlightenment polemics, these traditions have come to be perceived as the Other by which academics define their identity to the present day. Hanegraaff grounds his discussion in a meticulous study of primary and secondary sources, taking the reader on an exciting intellectual voyage from the fifteenth century to the present day and asking what implications the forgotten history of exclusion has for established textbook narratives of religion, philosophy and science.