FraterUFA

If you want to start a thread on the BOTA and the work of Paul Foster Case, maybe we can get into it there.

The Kybalion is a good book and shows you are on the right track. One of the unknown authors was Paul Foster Case, btw. Perhaps that will be an interesting thread to pull. UFA

Believing that the Stone points to something inside of us, or alternatively, that it points to something outside of us, are both diversions. UFA

Hi Rara, There are no guide books. Well, there are but if what you propose could be taught in that manner, there would be millions of people out there doing it. Alchemy is advanced practice. What is your background and experience? UFA

A fair question. QBL is the Qabalah, the oral transmission. It runs parallel to and complements alchemy. One way of conceptualizing the two is to compare QBL to pure science while alchemy is somewhat akin to physics or engineering. It is probably in the long run more effective than alchemy as an initiatic tradition if one measures this in terms of pure numbers. Like alchemy, QBL is transmitted from adept to pupil. However, there is much you can (and must) do to prepare yourself. I can offer you some suggested reading. A Garden of Pomegranates by Israel Regardie is a frequent starting point. Secret Wisdom of the Kabalah by J Fuller. Origins of the Kabalah by Gershom Scholem. I studied this perhaps 15 years ago and remember it being a challenging read. The Tree of Life by Israel Regardie. For something a bit more guided and experiential, the first five years of the BOTA courses are well regarded (up to, but not including, the "Great Work"). I will offer a few further pieces of advice based on personal experience. First, the books will lay an intellectual foundation but I should forewarn you that there are many different systems of the QBL and they vary somewhat from teacher to teacher. You may even find that the teacher has two different systems, one which is presented to the novice and another reserved for the practicing student. Point here being that you should remain flexible. Second, everything you learn may be quickly demolished by practice. The map is not the road. Remain flexible. Third, the QBL can be taken too far IMO. After many years of study, I determined that gematria held no value for me. I am sure that there are those who have the required inner wiring for this, but I am not one of them. Others build up impressive intellectual edifaces which devolves into religious legalism and I also believe this to be a mistake (one I have made myself). Ultimately, that which one really needs from the QBL is far more limited than one might suppose after reading the many books written on the subject. Finally, it is my opinion (though not merely my own) that the QBL is not "owned" by the Judaic current, though I believe that theirs has taken on a very discrete form from the western esoteric one. Something to keep in mind as you pursue your studies as the two systems do not seem to me to very compatible. UFA

Then you would be better served by a study of the QBL. UFA

Oh now that's a twist I didn't expect. How much of the focus of this book is on the animal work? Very interesting. UFA

Get it from Weiser, not Salamander Press. They are taking people's money but are not fulfilling orders. UFA

The Phase is a decent source for various techniques and they are effective. The explanations he offers are a bit off the wall though. Still... take the good, ignore the bad. There are much worse books. UFA

Good questions, EFS White. "Subjective synthesis" as you've described it here is simply a fancy label for the ordinary function of the rational mind (intellect). There is nothing particularly special that is denoted by this term. Most people on the planet use it every day of their lives. The problem is that this part of the mind in the average, untrained person exhibits a pathology that is nearly invisible and pernicious. The intellect itself cannot see it or deal with it. Because of this pathology, nearly everything one believes or reasons about is false or based on unfounded assumption. If you critically examine the contents of your rational mind, how much can you say that it knows for certain? Right there is the problem. You started off with a belief and then you overlaid it on a different set of symbols. By doing so, you eliminated all possibility of hearing what those symbols had to say for themselves and instead, you saw only a mirror. Alchemical traditions are not talking about neigong, internal cultivation (in the Taoist sense), or chakras. One doesn't need to be connected to the tradition to see that, one only has to look with open eyes. One cannot come to illumination on their own. One must find help. To gain illumination, one must work with someone who is already illuminated, under the constraints of not only a mutually agreed upon end goal, but also a mutually agreed upon method towards attaining that goal. Brothers and sisters who share both the destination and the path. What does that imply about those who try to synthesize their own systems and practices, especially when you factor in that when we are starting out, our minds are essentially a chaos? Yes, precisely. One of the reasons for the veils, allegories and clever ciphers used in the west is to ensure the accurate transmission of said knowledge to future generations, despite efforts to control it. You've introduced an assumption: Who said I was referring to a person? That is not what I said. If one considers that: A) There is a western esoteric tradition operating behind the scenes, There are political and religious forces which seek to stamp out that tradition, C) That the students who are capable of receiving that transmission are few and far between D) The adepts of this tradition have to pass their teachings surreptitiously in order to have a hope of reaching them E) The teachings themselves must contain a test in order to lead the unripe astray... Then it follows that the footprints of this underground current must be hidden in plain sight. The solution is both humorous and ironic, fitting of the Hermetic adepts: the people themselves are utilized for this purpose. The Bible, tarot, astrology, architecture... all carry bits of truth (mixed with many superstitions and fantasies) and they are eagerly consumed by the masses. All of that was my way of telling you to go read Genesis. It contains a clever cipher for the wet path, as well as a relatively straightforward exposition (though not literal) of the origin and current state of man. That is a critical question. That's a good attitude. Simple. I was raised Catholic. Believing in Taoist teachings (paganism) will earn you eternal damnation. They teach this in Sunday school! Keep in mind though that I am speaking of the exoteric Roman Catholic Church. Not the esoteric tradition behind it. UFA

My answer is tongue in cheek obviously. The real answer is that I wish to remain anonymous. My books are not on esoteric subjects anyway. UFA

Most bookstores. :-) UFA