“The Written World of God: The Cosmic Script and the Art of Ibn ‘Arabi” by Dunja Rasic

"The Written World of God is the first systematic overview of the science of letters ('ilm al-huruf) according to the great Andalusian spiritual master, scholar, poet and philosopher Ibn 'Arabi (d. 1240). Ibn 'Arabi defined the science of letters as familiarity with the building blocks of the Quranic revelation and everything in the world of nature. Letters are understood as visual and aural signs pointing to the mysteries of existence. The present study examines how the universe came to be, for what purpose it was created and the hierarchical structure it is endowed with. It is an old story told anew — through the 28 letters of the Arabic alphabet, their orthographic forms and...>>

“The Fall of Spirituality: The Corruption of Tradition in the Modern World” by Julius Evola

"A bold critique of the spiritual schools, philosophies, and mystical teachers of the 20th century • Examines newer spiritual “systems” of the modern era, from spiritism and theosophy, to parapsychic research and anthroposophism, to psychoanalysis and the Church of Satan • Compares these newer spiritual “systems” to the traditional spiritual path of the ancients and exposes the misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and occult dangers lurking in their practices Written two years before his most prominent book Revolt Against the Modern World, Julius Evola’s The Fall of Spirituality was originally published in Italian as Maschera e volto dello spiritualismo contemporaneo (The Mask and Face of Contemporary Spiritualism). In it, the Baron critiques the spiritual schools, cults, philosophies, and mystical...>>

“Seeking the Primal Goddess” by Melusine Draco (Pagan Portals, kindle ebook version)

"Using archaeology, archaeo-mythology and mitochondrial DNA we can chart the mass migrations of people throughout the ancient world and follow the footsteps of the beliefs of Old Europe. But if the concept of the Old Goddess is at odds with current popular thinking, how will we feel if we discover that the Great Mother of contemporary Paganism bears no similarity to the primal Great Goddess of the Old European world? Is there a ‘magico-spiritual' gene that could be traced back to those distant ancestors who actually worshipped the forebears of the various deities to whom we claim allegiance today? Are there time-honoured things about us all as individuals that are bred deep in the...>>

“Rajneeshpuram: Inside the Cult of Bhagwan and Its Failed American Utopia” by Russell King

"In 1981, ambitious young Ma Anand Sheela transported the Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh to the United States to fulfill his dream of creating a utopia for his thousands of disciples. Four years later, the incendiary Rajneeshpuram commune in Oregon collapsed under the weight of audacious criminal conspiracies hatched in its inner sanctum, including the largest bioterrorism attack in US history, an unprecedented election fraud scheme, and multiple attempted murders. Rajneeshpuram explores how this extraordinary spiritual community, featured in the Netflix docuseries Wild Wild Country, went so wrong. Drawing from extensive interviews with former disciples and an exhaustive review of commune records, government and police files, and archival materials, author Russell King probes the...>>

“Sex in the World of Myth” by David Leeming

"In Sex in the World of Myth, David Leeming argues that sex is as important in myths as it is in our lives. Myths are our cultural dreams, and sex is pervasive in all mythologies because it has obsessed and confused us like nothing else — what’s more, sexual myths, like all myths, can serve many purposes. The reproductive acts of the ancient Greek goddess Gaia perhaps reflect a pre-Olympian matriarchal social system. The tales of the unbridled sexual deeds of the Polynesian Maui, and many others, speak to a natural fascination with the power and mystery of sexual drives. Leeming demonstrates how even when such myths are meant to elicit laughter or titillation, the...>>