,1,Paracelsus is renowned as one of the most important innovators in alchemical and medical theory in European history. But, he also earned a reputation as a sorcerer. This reputation as not only a healer but also a magus, rests squarely on a curious volume of talismanic magic known as the Archidoxis Magica first printed in 1591 and rendered into English by Robert Turner as Of the Supreme Mysteries of Nature in 1656. While spurious, this textbook of Paracelsian alchemy, astrology and talismanic magic covers a wide range of topics including cures, counter-magic and alchemical tincture preparations which track the astrological heavens.
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Recommended Readings:
Archidoxis Magica - https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_qSlAAAAAcAAJ/page/318/mode/2up?q=occulta&view=theater
Of the Supreme Mysteries of Nature - https://archive.org/details/paracelsvsofsupr00para/page/n5/mode/2up?view=theater
Paracelsus: Essential Readings - 978-1556433160
Webster - Paracelsus: Medicine, Magic and Mission at the End of Time - 978-0300139112
,1,Cleopatra the Alchemist (fl. 3-4th CE Alexandria?) was a profound innovator in the field of the hermetic science of alchemy. From theory, to laboratory practice, to the literary character of early alchemical texts her influence can be felt centuries later in both Islamicate and European alchemy. Indeed, the powerful image of the Ouroboros or tail-devouring serpent with the Hermetic thesis that "ἓν τὸ πᾶν - All is One" is to be found on her famed Chrysopoeia ("gold-production"). This episode explores her theory and practice of alchemy.
#alchemy #cleopatra #hermeticphilosophy
Recommended Readings:
Berthelot - Collection des anciens alchimistes grecs - https://archive.org/details/collectiondesanc23bert/page/278/mode/2up & https://archive.org/details/collectiondesanc01bert/page/130/mode/2up
Lindsay - The Origins of Alchemy in Graeco-Roman Egypt - 978-0584100051
Buy the Ouroboros Press Reprint of the Chysopoeia- https://www.bookarts.org/store/p77/Chysopoeia_of_Kleopatra.html#/
General Alchemy Readings:
Linden, Stanton J. (ed.) The Alchemy Reader: From Hermes Trismegistus to Isaac Newton. 978-0521796620. Nicely edited collection of alchemical primary texts.
Principe, Lawrence. The Secrets of Alchemy. 978-0226103792. An up-to-date history of alchemy.
Newman, William. Newton the Alchemist: Science, Enigma, and the Quest for Nature's "Secret Fire" 978-0691174877. Cutting edge research on alchemy in the 17th century.
Roob, Alexander(ed.) Alchemy & Mysticism. 978-3836549363. A collection of alchemical imagery and symbolism, also a nice coffee table book!
Spiritual / Psychology School of Interpretation
Atwood, Mary Anne. A Suggestive Inquiry into the Hermetic Mystery….(many re-print editions). The first text to introduce the ‘spiritual interpretation” of alchemy.
Eliade, Mircea. The Forge and the Crucible: The Origins and Structure of Alchemy. 978-0226203904. Religious-philosophical interpretation of alchemy.
von Franz, Marie-Louise. Alchemy: An Introduction to the Symbolism and the Psychology. 978-0919123045. An introduction to the Jungian psychological interpretation of alchemy.
,1,A 14 part lecture series on Jewish Mysticism and Kabbalah
1. Focuses on Israelite Prophecy and Theophany in the context of the Ancient Near East
#Kabbalah #Mysticism #Prophecy
,1,The Kabbalistic theory of the Sefirot in the Tree of Life configuration is perhaps one of the most enduring images of Jewish mysticism and esoteric spirituality more generally. This episode introduces the earliest manifestations of the Sefirot as systematic divine emanations along with the Right, Center, Left configuration that became the Etz HaHayyim or Tree of Life by exploring the teachings of the early French and Spanish Proto-Kabbalists Isaac the Blind or Saggi Nehor ("Full of Light") and his student Azriel of Gerona.
#kabbalah #sefirot #treeoflife
Recommended Readings
Dan - Early Kabbalah - 978-0809127696
R. Azriel - Be'ur Eser S'firot - https://www.sefaria.org/Be'ur_Eser_S'firot.3?lang=bi
Saggi Nehor - Commentary on Sefer Yetzirah - http://www.ma.huji.ac.il/~kazhdan/Shneider/Sendor,MarkBrian.Rabbi.Isaac.the.Blind.onSY,ch.1-2.pdf
Habertal - Nahmanides: Law and Mysticism - 978-0300140910
,1,Jewish mysticism is one of the foundations for Western Esotericism and this video explores some of the earliest strata of those mystical texts. In the Merkaba (chariot) / Hekhalot (palaces) texts mystics describe the terrifying and awe-inspiring descent - not ascent - into the divine palaces, meet with fearsome angels, gain control over angelic power, become transformed into beings of fire, and mount the very throne of G-d to carefully measure the vasts dimensions of the divine body. This video also explores the Sar Torah (Torah Prince) literature where mystics engage in Jewish theurgy in order to gain immediate knowledge of legal, magical, and religious lore. We also setup a future discussion of early Jewish magical texts such as the Sefer haRazim (The Book of Secrets) and the most obscure, taciturn, and amazing Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Formation).
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Recommended Readings:
James Davila - Hekhalot Literature in Translation: Major Texts of Merkavah Mysticism - 978-9004252158
James Davila - Descenders to the Chariot: The People Behind the Hekhalot Literature - 978-9004115415
Vita Daphna Arbel - Beholders of Divine Secrets: Mysticism and Myth in the Hekhalot and Merkavah Literature - 978-0791457245
Gershom Scholem - Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism - 978-0805210422
Menachem Kellner - Maimonides' Confrontation with Mysticism - 978-1904113294
Michael D. Swartz - Scholastic Magic: Ritual and Revelation in Early Jewish Mysticism - 978-0691010984 (Great text mostly dealing with Sar Torah Mysticism)
#merkavah #kabbalah #hekhalot
