The Zohar: Pritzker Edition, Volume One


Daniel C. Matt - 2003
    Matt, cover more than half of the Zohar's commentary on the Book of Genesis (through Genesis 32:3). This is the first translation ever made from a critical Aramaic text of the Zohar, which has been established by Professor Matt based on a wide range of original manuscripts. The extensive commentary, appearing at the bottom of each page, clarifies the kabbalistic symbolism and terminology, and cites sources and parallels from biblical, rabbinic, and kabbalistic texts. The translator's introduction is accompanied by a second introduction written by Arthur Green, discussing the origin and significance of the Zohar. Please see the Zohar Home Page for ancillary materials, including the publication schedule, press release, Aramaic text, questions, and answers.Further information on the Zohar:Sefer ha-Zohar, "The Book of Radiance," has amazed and overwhelmed readers ever since it emerged mysteriously in medieval Spain toward the end of the thirteenth century. Written in a unique Aramaic, this masterpiece of Kabbalah exceeds the dimensions of a normal book; it is virtually a body of literature, comprising over twenty discrete sections. The bulk of the Zohar consists of a running commentary on the Torah, from Genesis through Deuteronomy. This translation begins and focuses here in what are projected to be ten volumes. Two subsequent volumes will cover other, shorter sections.The Zohar's commentary is composed in the form of a mystical novel. The hero is Rabbi Shim'on son of Yohai, a saintly disciple of Rabbi Akiva who lived in the second century in the land of Israel. In the Zohar, Rabbi Shim'on and his companions wander through the hills of Galilee, discovering and sharing secrets of Torah.On one level, biblical figures such as Abraham and Sarah are the main characters, and the mystical companions interpret their words, actions, and personalities. On a deeper level, the text of the Bible is simply the starting point, a springboard for the imagination. For example, when God commands Abraham, Lekh lekha, Go forth... to the land that I will show you (Genesis 12:1), Rabbi El'azar ignores idiomatic usage and insists on reading the words more literally than they were intended, hyperliterally: Lekh lekha, Go to yourself! Search deep within to discover your true self.At times, the companions themselves become the main characters, and we read about their dramatic mystical sessions with Rabbi Shim'on or their adventures on the road, for example, an encounter with a cantankerous old donkey driver who turns out to be a master of wisdom in disguise.Ultimately, the plot of the Zohar focuses on the ten sefirot, the various stages of God's inner life, aspects of divine personality, both feminine and masculine. By penetrating the literal surface of the Torah, the mystical commentators transform the biblical narrative into a biography of God. The entire Torah is read as one continuous divine name, expressing divine being. Even a seemingly insignificant verse can reveal the inner dynamics of the sefirot—how God feels, responds and acts, how She and He (the divine feminine and masculine) relate intimately with each other and with the world.

Zen Judaism: For You, A Little Enlightenment


David M. Bader - 2002
    Bader in the foreword to Zen Judaism. “This growing movement offers a unique way to follow in the footsteps of the Buddha, ideally without gaining quite so much weight.” These nearly 100 sacred teachings are capable “of bringing about an enlightenment experience so pure, so elevating, and so intense, you could plotz.” For you, some samples:To know the Buddha is the highest attainment. Second highest is to go to the same doctor as the Buddha.Be here now. Be someplace else later. Is that so complicated? There is no escaping Karma. In a previous life, you never called, you never wrote, you never visited. And whose fault was that?If there is no self, whose arthritis is this? Be patient and achieve all things. Be impatient and achieve all things faster.

Practical Kabbalah: A Guide to Jewish Wisdom for Everyday Life


Laibl Wolf - 1999
    Up until very recently the Kabbalah was reserved for the elite, those who only after years of scholarship and practice were allowed to enter this mystical realm. However, one doesn't need to devote one's life to intense study to reap the rich rewards of the Kabbalah. With just a basic understanding of a few key concepts, our lives can be enriched immensely. We can then begin to fulfill our deepest dreams and reach our most important goals, becoming the people we long to become.        By learning to understand the Sefirot--the ten spiritual properties that flow from the cosmic source into our heart--we can connect to the universe and profoundly transform our experience of daily life. For example, Hessed, or "loving-kindness," represents the desire to be generous, while Gevurah is the desire to focus intently or withhold. These properties must be balanced in order for harmony and well-being to occur. Rabbi Laibl Wolf shows how to maintain that balance and enjoy a healthy and productive life by using simple meditation and creative visualization techniques to grasp the spiritual nature of our life.        Practical Kabbalah draws upon ancient wisdom but offers a modern interpretation and easy-to-understand techniques for delving deeper into our selves and our world and for reaping the bounteous gifts that were always meant for us.

Life After Death


Mary T. Browne - 1995
    Browne had her first clairvoyant experience at the age of seven. For more than thirty years since then, her visions of the other side and her communication with her teachers, both in spirit and on the earth plane, have helped to form not just her understanding of death, but her philosophy of life.In this fascinating, inspiring book, Mary T. puts our lives into a much broader context than most of us have ever imagined. LIFE AFTER DEATH describes in detail exactly where we go when we die. Mary T.'s psychic connection to the spirit world and her ability to receive messages from those who have made the transition will inspire us to see death not as an ending, but as a new beginning.Mary T. shows us that the spirit world is a place of harmony. It is a realm of beauty, light, art, music, literature, and friendship. We do love beyond the grave, and we will be reunited with our loved ones in the spirit world. The touching stories of those reunions will help ease the fear of leaving the physical world. Mary T. takes the mystery out of death, and leaves us with clear examples of the miraculous journey that lies ahead of us.

My Rebbe


Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz - 2014
    During his forty years of leadership, Rabbi Schneerson transformed Chabad into a global movement marked by extensive outreach activities and a closeknit network of emissaries stationed around the world. His passionate devotion to education, social change, and acts of charity and kindness inspired countless people to embrace spirituality in their daily lives.In My Rebbe, celebrated author and thinker Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz shares his firsthand account of this extraordinary individual who shaped the landscape of twentieth-century religious life. Written with the admiration of a close disciple and the nuanced perceptiveness of a scholar, this biography-memoir inspires us to think about our own missions and aspirations for a better world.

Climbing Jacob's Ladder: One Man's Journey to Rediscover a Jewish Spiritual Tradition


Alan Morinis - 2002
    But in 1997, in the face of personal crisis, he turned to his Jewish heritage for guidance. In his reading he happened upon a Jewish spiritual tradition called Mussar. Gradually he realized that he had stumbled upon an insightful discipline for self-development, complete with meditative, contemplative, and other well-developed transformative practices designed to penetrate the deepest roots of the inner life. Eventually reaching the limits of what he could learn on his own, he decided to seek out a Mussar teacher. This was not an easy task, since almost the entire world of the Mussar tradition had been wiped out in the Holocaust. In time, he found an accomplished master who stood in an unbroken line of transmission of the Mussar tradition, and who lived in the center of a community of Orthodox Jews on Long Island. This book tells the story of Morinis’s journey to meet his teacher and what he learned from him, revealing the central teachings and practices that are the spiritual treasury and legacy of Mussar.

Practical Guide to Qabalistic Symbolism


Gareth Knight - 1978
    He also demonstrates how the Qabalah is applicable to all mystical traditions and religious beliefs, including Christian mysticism, Greek, Egyptian and Celtic mythologies, and even Native American beliefs. It is indeed symbolic of our universal search for the Divine. Included here are two books in one. The first compares the Western Mystery Tradition with the Eastern system of yoga, analyzes the Tree of Life in full detail, and describes the practical application and theories of Qabalistic symbolism. The second gives the most comprehensive analysis ever published of the twentytwo 'Paths of Concealed Glory' that join the Spheres of the Tree of Life taking into account the Hebrew alphabet, astrological signs, and tarot trumps. A large section explores the history of tarot design and the varying systems of correspondence with the Tree of Life.

The Mayan Ouroboros: The Cosmic Cycles Come Full Circle


Drunvalo Melchizedek - 2012
    But what do the Mayans themselves have to say about these prophecies?In The Mayan Ouroboros, the muchanticipated followup to his bestselling Serpent of Light, spiritual researcher Drunvalo Melchizdek reveals for the first time what Mayan elders have told him about this period. In this book he explains how to prepare for this transition to a new 13,000year cycle by learning how to move out of our brain and into our hearts. He shares the Mayan insight of the importance of our heart connection to our survival and ability to thrive during these times.Plus The Mayan Ouroboros reveals:The untold positive side of the Mayan propheciesThe Mayan End Timea sevenyear period of transition which began in 2007The magnetic pole shift that is currently affecting humans around the worldThe new ways in which humans will begin to perceive and communicate in the world.The discovery of thousands of ancient Mayan codexes that are currently being decoded by the Mayans

Tarot of Ceremonial Magick: A Pictorial Synthesis of Three Great Pillars of Magick


Lon Milo DuQuette - 1995
    The concept is a breakthrough for occultists of all paths. Each card is illustrated with a list of the Zodiacal, Enochian, Ceremonial, Goetic, Tattvic and Elemental components. DuQuette explains how the cards relate to each other and makes immediately accessible the more difficult conceptual connections the Crowley made so easily. Through DuQuette's wit and decades of practical knowledge of magical practice, students of the arcane arts can gain a whole new level of udnertsnading of how and why magick works.

Spiritual Progress Through Regression


Brian L. Weiss - 2008
    . .helps you discover and learn meditation and regression techniques. The meditations utilize powerful imagery to promote physical, mental, and spiritual healing and renewal; profound relaxation; and deeper self-understanding. The regressions provide different techniques for retrieval of memories from this lifetime and prior lifetimes, as well as methods to access spiritual states and inner wisdom. (The other two CDs in this series are: REGRESSION TO TIMES AND PLACES and REGRESSION THROUGH THE MIRRORS OF TIME.) SPIRITUAL PROGRESS THROUGH REGRESSION is an extended regression in which Dr. Brian L. Weiss leads you to a childhood experience, in utero memories, and then through a doorway to a previous lifetime. Then through powerful imagery, you’re able to view scenes from even more past lives, each shedding light on your spiritual progress in this life . . . helping you attain peace, understanding, and joy.In the meditation, you’ll be led on a journey to an island of healing with crystal waters and dolphins, providing you with a treasure chest of manifestation, and introducing you to your spiritual guides—helping you gain greater insight into your physical, emotional, and spiritual fulfillment.

An Intimate Note to the Sincere Seeker; Volume 4: July 30, 1998 to July 28, 1999: Weekly Knowledge from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar


Sri Sri Ravi Shankar - 1999
    This book is a compilation of the fourth year of Weekly Knowledge from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, spiritual teacher and founder of the Art of Living Foundation. The Weekly Knowledge is sent around the world with precious words of wisdom for practical daily living.

Kriya Yoga Exposed: The Truth About Current Kriya Yoga Gurus, Organizations & Going Beyond Kriya, Contains the Explanation of a Special Technique Never Revealed Before


SantataGamana - 2017
    It is something you've never seen before. This is for those who are sick of the secretiveness of Kriya Yoga and all the taboos. They just want the end of misery and are sick of this human-ego-game played by most Kriya Gurus and Kriya organizations. This is not a publication with cliché yoga theory and no practice instructions. It gives very powerful direct teachings and actual instructions. Even if you know nothing about Kriya Yoga, you will learn something profound and inspiring, since the whole book is filled with high-level teachings of yoga, non-duality, and spirituality. These themes will be addressed: Current Kriya Yoga Masters and organizations will be exposed without any biased filter; The often misunderstood "Inner Guru" and its nature will be revealed; The whole Spiritual Process of Kriya Yoga and Spirituality, in general, will be explained; The sharing of a discovery regarding the Higher Kriyas, the Final Special Kriya, never shared before in the literature of Kriya, will boost your practice beyond belief; It also includes the techniques of the First Kriya, with an in-depth explanation on how to quickly achieve Kechari Mudra that is not found anywhere else; The most powerful Kundalini awakening technique that Gurus and organizations rarely teach will be given at the end of the First Kriya; The ultimate question whether Kriya Yoga can lead you all the way to True Enlightenment will be answered; Lahiri Mahasaya and other True Masters' words will be used throughout the book to support what is written; And much more. This book will help you become free from the dogmas and beliefs created by the Kriya Gurus, organizations and Kriya literature, and also help you awaken the essential discernment needed to take that very important step forward, toward yourself, toward your True Self, the Infinite Consciousness within you. By exposing the truth about some organizations and Gurus, I'm sure their followers will want to give bad reviews to this book. Either that or their newly awakened discernment will help them make a huge breakthrough toward True Enlightenment. I will take that risk. And so should you.

Meditations with James Van Praagh


James Van Praagh - 2003
    Bestselling author and renowned spiritual medium Van Praagh offers over forty meditations, each of which addresses a specific issue or concern that may be blocking your spiritual journey, such as "Release the Past," "Confronting Fears," and "Tuning In to Abundance." By helping you to truly see, feel, and listen to your inner voice, Van Praagh leads you to develop the wonderful, innate abilities that let you become your best self.

The Tree of Life: An Illustrated Study in Magic


Israel Regardie - 1931
    It has continued to sell for decades. And no wonder. Up until the time this book was published, very little information about true high magic was available to the public.In this book, Regardie reveals the secrets of real magic. He begins with an explanation of what magic is and, just as importantly, what magic is not. He explains that it is a spiritual study and practice which, along with forms of yoga, forms the two branches of the tree that is mysticism. Magic is not being a medium or a psychic. Then he explains the tools of the magician, what they mean, and how to use them. He explains the techniques of evocation and invocation, skrying, and astral travel. He shows how the Qabalah unites everything. He even gives a description of the secrets of sexual magick. All of this is in a clear, lucid writing style. This book is simply a must for anyone who is, or aspires to be, a real magician.Although Chic and Sandra Tabatha Cicero were friends of Regardie and are Senior Adepts of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, what changes could they have made to this classic book? Well, they did change the spelling from British style to American. And they did change his transliterations of Hebrew into the more popular style he used in his later books. But nothing vital was changed or removed. Everything else they added was complementary to the text that was there. And what incredible additions they are! Extensive annotations throughout every chapter; over 100 illustrations; more descriptive contents pages; a glossary, a bibliography and an index. They've even added a biographical note on Regardie and the importance of this book to him and to the occult world.This book contains some of the finest occult writing that has ever been produced. And with the new material by the Ciceros, it becomes a must-have for any magician!

Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism


Gershom Scholem - 1929
    A collection of lectures on the features of the movement of mysticism that began in antiquity and continues in Hasidism today.