Good beginner book on Qabalah?
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For an absolute beginner, I'd recommend at least the first half of this book:
After that, you'll know the kind of thing Fortune is talking about.
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@Poe said
"How do people rate Regardie's "Garden of Pomegranates"?"
I see it as a handy book of tables. More or less 777 Rearranged.
I didn't recommend it as a beginner book because I think the first introduction needs to be with discussion and explanation (a la Fortune), not just a list of facts.
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I'd just picked up the Cicero's commented version of Regardies book from Amazon based on recommendations.
Thanks for the info. -
Dion Fortune's The Mystical Qabalah.
Read it with ZERO knowledge of the Qabalah and became a faithful student of the Western Hermetic tradition after I read it. It absolutely changed my life.
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Also, for a great and very friendly primer on Tarot, or the paths between the sephiroth on the Tree of Life, try Jason Lotterhand's [www.amazon.com/Thursday-Night-Tarot-Weekly-Wisdom/dp/0878771476:1yvjmxqs]](http://www.amazon.com/Thursday-Night-Tarot-Weekly-Wisdom/dp/0878771476:1yvjmxqs).
Excellent, grandfatherly, and very wise discussion of the meaning of the Tarot.
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I would recomend also Will Parfitt 's Books on the subject they helped me understand a lot.
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FWIW:
I recommend buying several books listed here (any that appeal to you), and just skimming them all simultaneously in any particular order; slowly, the essentials will begin to stick, and eventually you'll be able to read any of the books straight through without having too many issues.
I started on A Garden of Pomegranates and just banged my head into it repeatedly until it stuck.
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"Qabalah, Qliphoth and Goetic Magic" by Thomas Karlsson. It is a great book about alot of central issues within Qabalah and also its darker aspects; the Qliphoth and the Tree of Knowledge.
If one is interested in Qabalah or Gnosticism it is a must read. It is informative, historically sound and contains alot of perspectives from different Qabalists.Information from the publisher:
ajnabound.com"
Qabalah, Qliphoth and Goetic Magic is a unique practical introduction to magic. The main thread of the book is the exploration of the Qliphoth and the dark mysteries which have for so long been a repressed part of western esotericism. Instead of ignoring and denying the dark side, the author reveals, step by step, how man can get to know his Shadow and, through this, reach a deeper knowledge of the Self. By exploring and not by repressing the Shadow it can be transformed from a destructive force into a creative power.The book deals with the problem of evil, the symbolism behind the fall of Lucifer and man’s creation process according to Qabalistic philosophy.
The theories that are presented in this book are also linked to practice. Several examples of rituals, meditations, magical exercises and occult correspondences can be found within. Qabalah, Qliphoth and Goetic Magic contains more than one hundred demonic sigils and pieces of art that were created specifically for this book. A unique collection of all the sigils from the classic grimoires Lemegeton: The Lesser Key of Solomon and the infamous Grimorium Verum are also included.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Thomas Karlsson has studied and practiced the occult sciences for more than fifteen years and is the founder of the esoteric order Dragon Rouge. He is a doctoral candidate in the History of Religion and holds a M. A. in the History of Ideas. Thomas Karlsson authored the book Uthark—Nightside of the Runes (Ouroboros Produktion, 2002) and gives seminars and lectures on a regular basis." -
""Qabalah, Qliphoth and Goetic Magic" by Thomas Karlsson. It is a great book about alot of central issues within Qabalah and also its darker aspects; the Qliphoth and the Tree of Knowledge."
Is it a beginner's book though? IMO, it sounds like that book covers stuff more appropriate for an adept rather than a beginner.
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Yes, I definitely think it's a book for (far) more advanced Magicians.
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Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
I've found that Achad's book (QBL or the Bride's Reception) on the subject is very concise and colloquial. The appendix has to do with attributions that were, to my knowledge, never accepted by Crowley. However, the work as a whole shouldn't be discounted in the slightest.
Fortune's book is also very helpful. Lots of great insight.
It's nice to see the different subjective interpretations of the Qabalah, how they relate to each author individually, and how that relates to the collective "ideas" of the Spheres and Paths.
In any event, the information found in both books hold many Keys, IMHO.
Love is the law, love under will.
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Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law,
A worthy read in my opinion.
A Practical Guide to Qabalistic Symbolism by Gareth Knight.
Love is the law, love under will.
RvCH
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Be careful using his charts of Kabbalistic correspondences, but otherwise Donald Kraig's Modern Magick has very lucid explanations of Kabbalah in between his practical lessons on magick.
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I would add that any work of Rabbi Yahudah Ashlag on the nature of the Sephirot is very useful.
Trying to understand hermetic quabbalah without a good grounding in Traditional, in this case,
Lurianic kabbalah,is liable to overlook some important aspects in the understanding of this
applied to what is termed 'magic'.
Many would disagree with me however
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Of course, Atzilut, I wholeheartedly tend to agree, I personally must admit that I never heard of Rabbi Yahuda Ashlag, and so I thank you also, for letting me known about him, I am indebted towards Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, but of course I tend to agree with you that also Rabbi Yahuda Ashlag might be for me in my further life also a source of great Insight.
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There are a number of sources which may be useful to you regarding
the works of Rabbi Yehudah Lev Ashlag and his son Rabbi Shalom Alevi Ashlag.'In the Shadow of the Ladder' translated from the Hebrew by Mark and Yedidah Cohen.
Its contains two of Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's most important introductions to Kabbalah:Introduction to the Zohar
Introduction to the Study of the Ten SephirotI would also recommend as a resource centre the website
<!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.kabbalah.info/">www.kabbalah.info/</a><!-- w --> Go to the library to find all the articles
which are free to download as are the books that the website
produces in PDF format. The translations are equally reliable
with those found elsewhere, though Dr Laitman's interpretation
of the teachings (he was a student of Rabbi Shalom Ashag) may
or may not be useful.Like yourself, I am an admirer of Rabbi Kaplan. I have also found
Daniel C Matt's translation of The Zohar very useful to get a more
in-depth understanding from an academic perspective and in terms
of the language itself.Ultimately, the goal of Kabbalah is the recognition that you and I and
everyone else comes from the common soul, Adam HaRishon. To this
end Rabbi Ashlag's work is the foremost interpretation of The Zohar,
and whose central teaching is the humble dictum 'love the other as you
love yourself'. Not what many would regard as inspiring magical work,
yet is, in my experience, at the very heart of the darkest grimoires.Hope this is of some help
Best WishesAtzilut
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Al right, Atzilut, I saw the Kabbalah-site and say immediately: this is amazing, they also seem to sell many more than interesting books regarding of course the real (Jewish) Kabbalah, I also have and read one book by Daniel C. Matt: "The Essential Kabbalah" and its of course a very interesting book of Reflections and Meditations regarding Life, thanks for letting me known of this wonderfull site, and best wishes!
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You're welcome
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Thank you!