The Mystery Traditions: Secret Symbols and Sacred Art

If you're at all interested in the variety of topics generally included under the heading of "Occult" - Magic, Alchemy, Qabalah, Astrology, et al - then this book ought to occupy a place on your shelves. "Art and Symbols of the Occult" contains the best color reproductions I've seen of such precious gems as the lovely 16th-century "Splendor Solis" of Salomon Trismosin, the fantastically complex mystic diagrams of Jacob Boehme, several complete sets of Tarot cards both medieval and modern, and all sorts of other abstruse odds and ends. I've referred to it constantly for the exquisite beauty and mystery of its plates. However, like most "picture-books" of this sort, the text is fairly superficial and insipid. I have to respectfully disagree with the other reviewers on this point. But nobody is really going to buy this book for the text anyway, so it's not a big deal. If you're interested in these subjects, you probably already own superior text-books.

This beautifully illustrated book deals with Astrology, Cosmology, Kabbalah, Initiation, Magic, Sexuality, Alchemy, Tarot plus Symbolist and Visionary Art. The lucid and interesting text serves as a great introduction to all these disciplines for the novice or for those already into esotericism who wish to get an authoritative overview of all these fields. A lot of the illustrations appear here in color for the first time, like Frater Achad's Cosmic Snowflake, the complete set of 22 paintings of the medieval alchemical masterpiece Splendor Solis, and Harry Smith's The Tree Of Life In The Four Worlds and Eye Of The Mysteries. Some of the many artists whose work is featured include Urbino, Leonardo da Vinci, Hieronymus Bosch, Raphael, Rembrandt, Raymond Lull, Botticelli, Poussin, William Blake, Arnold Bocklin, Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Vincent van Gogh. My personal favorite works are Alex Grey's "Holy Fire" and Nicholas Roerich's "Mother of the World." Western, Eastern and Egyptian art is given equal weight and some very rare manuscript illustrations and tarot decks are reproduced. There are also portraits of Eliphas Levi, Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, Aleister Crowley and Helena Blavatsky. There is a very extensive and useful bibliography of classical occult works. This is a beautiful and inspiring book that also serves as an excellent reference work.

Initially I looked at this book due to the spectacular artwork displayed within its covers. I was happily surprised that Art & Symbols is written as well as it is packaged. For the first time I experienced a sojourn through the history and present relevancy of the occult in easy to read English. What a genuine wonder! Whether a neophyte to the magical arts or an adept, this book is an essential reference in understanding the weave of the universe. It is really remarkable!

This book has defined some of the blurry sides of occult symbols that i had experienced. It defined the ideas and of the power behind occult. I truley loved the book and would recommened it to anyone who is into occult practices. Not many books are like this visually helpful occult book. This book is well written in the way a defining occult themes and uses of their symbles and practices. I definetly loved this book.