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Books > Mind, Body & Spirit > The Occult > Magic, spells & alchemy
In The Secrets of Alchemy, Lawrence M. Principe, one of the world's
leading authorities on the subject, brings alchemy out of the
shadows and restores it to its important place in human history and
culture. By surveying what alchemy was and how it began, developed,
and overlapped with a range of ideas and pursuits, Principe
illuminates the practice. He vividly depicts the place of alchemy
during its heyday in early modern Europe, and then explores how
alchemy has fit into wider views of the cosmos and humanity,
touching on its enduring place in literature, fine art, theater,
and religion as well as its recent acceptance as a serious subject
of study for historians of science. In addition, he introduces the
reader to some of the most fascinating alchemists, such as Zosimos
and Basil Valentine, whose lives dot alchemy's long reign from the
third century down to the present day. Through his exploration of
alchemists and their times, Principe pieces together closely
guarded clues from obscure and fragmented texts to reveal alchemy's
secrets, and - most exciting for budding alchemists - uses them to
recreate many of the most famous recipes in his lab, including
those for the "glass of antimony" and "philosophers' tree." This
unique approach brings the reader closer to the actual work of
alchemy than any other book.
To truly understand the philosophy and practice of Thelema, you
need to understand its charismatic and influential founder,
Aleister Crowley. Thelema demystifies this enigmatic figure,
providing a biography of Crowley and showing how his work evolved
to become a paradigm-shifting system of magick. This book also
explores the texts and writings that form the basis of Thelema, and
it provides step-by-step instructions for practicing the basic
rites and rituals of this misunderstood tradition. With this
accessible guide, you will discover how Crowley and Thelema were
influenced by Qabalah, the GoldenDawn, Egyptian deities, sex
magick, tarot, Gnosticism, Eastern philosophy, yoga, and much more.
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