Always Wondering
I just ordered it. My resolve was to finish my hard copy of Mystical Qabalah, but that turns out to be very slow reading for me, as I try to wrap my head around it.
AW
New DuQuette book.
I just ordered it. My resolve was to finish my hard copy of Mystical Qabalah, but that turns out to be very slow reading for me, as I try to wrap my head around it.
AW
Aeon418
I think most people find it a bit dry and slow. It's more of a text to be studied, rather than a book to be read. I find small bite size chunks are easier to digest.
Always Wondering
I thought maybe it was me, or the old pdf online.
Either way I guess I am not going to grasp the Qabalah in one read.
AW
fyreflye
You can get it for less than the Amazon price if you buy directly from the publisher:
http://goo.gl/qFmnC
http://goo.gl/qFmnC
TarotCraft
I got mine from Book Depository http://www.bookdepository.com/
I thought it was fun and and interesting read. It's not a heavy occult tome, but none of Duquette's books are. He writes for the novice and for the practicing magician who encounters, well, practical problems! It's not theology or philosopy.
One of my emails to him made it in there. I nearly fell off my chair when I saw it.
I thought it was fun and and interesting read. It's not a heavy occult tome, but none of Duquette's books are. He writes for the novice and for the practicing magician who encounters, well, practical problems! It's not theology or philosopy.
One of my emails to him made it in there. I nearly fell off my chair when I saw it.
Always Wondering
Well, it's not Magick Without Tears.
And Baba Lon is not Rabbi Lamed Ben Clifford. It's not a real funny book because he is seriously answering questions. But I liked being reminded that putting my socks on in the morning is magick. I enjoyed his thoughts on gurus, HGA and reincarnation.
AW
And Baba Lon is not Rabbi Lamed Ben Clifford. It's not a real funny book because he is seriously answering questions. But I liked being reminded that putting my socks on in the morning is magick. I enjoyed his thoughts on gurus, HGA and reincarnation.
AW
Aeon418
But I sense it wasn't quite what you hoped it would be, correct?
Barleywine
After battering myself against Aleister Crowley's profundities before gaining any other grounding in the subject matter, I found The Mystical Qabalah (and William Gray's Ladder of Lights) to be mercifully straightforward. Then I discovered Gareth Knight's A Practical Guide to Qabalistic Symbolism, and things really started opening up. To be sure, these are all texts to be studied, not read for their entertainment value.
Aeon418
Ladder of Lights is ok. But in his other books Gray uses his own system of correspondences, which kind of renders them useless if you're commited to the Golden Dawn derived systems. Interesting nonetheless.
On the whole Knight's book isn't bad either. I did notice in the latest printing that he had to defend his strong views on homosexuality, and why he felt that the original text should be left alone. Was it in the Netzach chapter that he says homosexuals are perverts and black magicians?
Oh, and he really does have a chip on his shoulder when it comes to Crowley. Maybe it's because he was bisexual? Do yourself a favour and get over yourself Mr Knight.
Always Wondering
I just love a great sense of humor, and missed his a little in this book. But then, I admired his patience with many of the questions people asked. I think it was more that some of the questions disappointed me. Though I'm sure Jellybean's was one of the better ones.
I think the book is well needed with it's thoughtful, straight forward answers. But I found myself missing Crowley laughing at me. And Rabbi Lamed Ben Clifford laughing at everyone.
I wouldn't say it is only for beginners though. I found a lot of little gems throughout. There is just not enough of honest talk about practical magick to be read, so there is always value to his work, in my opinion.
AW
