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This fine little work is a compilation of tales of the Stigmata as reported over the course of centuries by the Catholic church. The phenomenon itself is the appearance of marks on the body commensurate with the wounds imparted on Jesus during crucifixion. Regardless of whether you believe in such a phenomenon, it's a very valuable bit of history pertinent to the Catholic...

This book is a nice analysis of the idea of karma, from a specifically Theosophical perspective. The authors' name is a pseudonym so it isn't entirely clear which theosophist actually compiled the materials here. It's a more legitimate take on the subject than much literature about karma- often it is boiled down to a simplified, singular idea and ideas like national or group karma...

This book here is mostly authentic breathing exercises from Hindu lore (some of which are taught by Yogis today quite frequently) but the author was *probably* William Atkinson, a New Thought author and publisher thought to be the hand behind works listed under the auspices of a "Yogi Ramacharaka"- indeed the introduction deconstructs the concept of a Yogi and excuses the use of...

This book is a compilation of multiple sub-subjects ranging from the psychic arts to ethics, to the afterlife. It is a strictly theosophical introductory guide with a fairly long bibliographic inclusion and a half dozen entries regarding major figures of theosophy at that time.

The mystic lore itself is mostly beginner material but it would be hard to find a work better suited to...

This is the second piece of literature ever crafted by Manly P Hall. It is a very good guide to the basic premise of Freemasonry- the symbolic tale of Hiram Abiff forms the basic symbolic core of its tenets, along with some other themes explored herein. It is notable that Hall was not a Mason at the time of writing this work but was apparently applauded by the order anyways,...

Manly P Hall is a fairly famous name in mysticism and was a prolific author, whose works were hashed around in various compilations and in stand-alone booklet form for a half century. This is his very first literary entry, penned when he was barely an adult, back during the roaring twenties.

It is essentially a broad work of philosophy and initiation and forms the backbone of his...

"Special Teachings" is the first of three works in Farnsworths' series of occult compilations. The topics within are highly variable and presented from a Theosophical perspective. It notably includes content regarding Karma, Kali Yuga, the concept of time from an occult perspective, and various treatments on science and supernatural topics. It is, of the three works in the series,...

This intermediate-length work is actually the third of three works written by Farnsworth over the course of a decade, containing various new age material from a surprisingly large number of sub-topics within the spiritual. It touches on Swedenborg, Blavatsky, levitation, the categorization of spirits and creatures, and many other tidbits. It should be noted that the author was...

This work is actually a transcription of a series of lectures given by Charles Vail- notable as a minister, mason, and political figure in his era. The subjects of the lectures are all about Freemasons, but range from its symbols and their meanings, to its rites (especially of initiation) and the underlying history of the Masons in their modern incarnation dating to the 18th...

Alright literary world!

I am now in the Netherlands, and taking a short break from actual literary work; having edited 250 different editions, I figure it's a good time to take a week or so to just focus on exploring a new and unfamiliar area. It's warmer here than in my native Vermont so I am enjoying an extended season of "no frost and daytime temperatures well into the 50s."

That is not to say...

This is one of the foremost works of all Theosophy- from the well known Alice Bailey, an initiatory work which describes the various levels of spiritual refinement which are required on the path to Theosophical mastery. It should be noted that some of the obtuse terminology is explained at the end of the text in a decently sized glossary.

I highly recommend this work for those who...

This intermediate-length work is the product of Alice A. Bailey, one of the more well known Theosophists of her era. Over her career she penned many works described as "received" (via channeling) but this very early work is of her own admitted manufacture.

Some of the content is quite as pseudoscientific now as it was before (man as a central radiation source comes to mind) but...