Door Geoffrey Hodson

94 Pagina’s | 2021, oorspr. 1927 | Softcover | Uitgeverij The Theosophical Publishing House | ISBN 9780835609517

Geoffrey Hodson, een van de meest bekende van alle hedendaagse helderzienden, heeft meer dan veertig boeken geschreven. The Brotherhood of Angels and Men heeft vele drukken ondergaan sinds het voor het eerst werd uitgegeven in 1927. Vanwege zijn blijvende populariteit werd besloten om deze Quest-editie uit te geven als aanvulling op de vele eerdere drukken.

The Brotherhood of Angels and Men bestaat uit boodschappen rechtstreeks van het engelenrijk aan de auteur – boodschappen van vrede, geduld, vreugde en eenheid van The Angels of Power, The Angels of Healing en The Guardian Angels of the Home.

Een boek voor alle zielen die veronderstellen dat onze schepping meer inhoudt dan waar we ons met onze vijf zintuigen bewust van zijn, of wat de wetenschap zou kunnen bieden door het gebruik van geavanceerde apparatuur.

Geoffrey Hodson, wereldwijd beroemd om zijn helderziende vermogens, bracht een groot deel van zijn leven door als docent voor de Theosophical Society. Hij schreef meer dan veertig boeken, waaronder het prachtig geïllustreerde Kingdom of the Gods, en ook de beroemde Bijbel-serie, The Hidden Wisdom in the Holy Bible.

Door Geoffrey Hodson

126 Pagina’s | First Quest Edition 1982 | Softcover | ISBN 9780835605533

“Betreed de fascinerende wereld van het Elfenrijk”

De gevierde helderziende Geoffrey Hodson beschrijft de grote verscheidenheid aan kleine wezens die met de natuur werken. Maak kennis met prachtige waterdieren, delicate elfen, hardwerkende brownies, komische kabouters en meer.

Natuurgeesten worden geleid door hun innerlijke gevoel voor het plan van de natuur voor de ontplooiing van het leven. Elven kunnen bijvoorbeeld stralende energie door hun lichaam geleiden om vitaliteit over te brengen aan planten en bomen. Hun werk staat onder leiding van de deva’s, de Stralenden (Shining Ones), die spirituele krachten kunnen uitstralen over grotere gebieden. De “kleine mensen” tonen vaak liefde voor stoeien, dansen en spelen. Doe mee en omarm het wonder van de elfenwereld!

Geoffrey Hodson (1886-1983) inspireerde generaties van spirituele zoekers. Enkele van zijn vele boeken zijn Call to the Heights, The Kingdom of the Gods en Hidden Wisdom in the Holy Bible.

Door Dora van Gelder (Dora Kunz)

180 Pagina’s | Second Edition Eight Printing 1999 | Softcover | Uitgeverij The Theosophical Publishing House | ISBN 9780835607797

The Real World of Fairies is een bevoorrechte blik in een blijmoedig en geanimeerd universum. Dora van Gelder’s betoverende beeld van haar ontmoetingen met het elfenrijk brengt de magische en mysterieuze wereld van de elfen op een vitale, aansprekende, en oprechte manier tot leven. Haar zachtmoedige verhalen zullen het kind in ons in verrukking brengen, onze volwassen verbeelding prikkelen, onze creativiteit en energie aanwakkeren ons gevoel van verbondenheid met de natuur verdiepen.

Deze nieuwe editie bevat een voorwoord van een expert op het gebied van Keltische folklore, Caitlin Matthews, wiens persoonlijke ervaringen en diepe kennis van de wereld van de elfen een frisse blik bijdragen aan dit opmerkelijke eerstehands verslag.

Als we geduldig en hoffelijk zijn, kunnen ook wij feeënbondgenoten vinden in de wilde plekken in de natuur, op de geheime paden van onze dromen, in de diepe wijsheid van de oude en voorouderlijke tradities van ons land, zoals Dora van Gelder heeft aangetoond.

Caitlin Matthews, uit het voorwoord

Dora van Gelder Kunz werd geboren in 1904 met helderziende vermogens, verder opgeleid tijdens haar samenwerking met C.W. Leadbeater. Ze is al vele jaren verbonden met nieuwe technieken voor genezing, inclusief het ontwikkelen van Therapeutic Touch, samen met Dr. Dolores Krieger. Dora van Gelder Kunz is voormalig voorzitter van The Theosophical Society in America, en auteur van The Chakras and Human Energy Fields (met Dr. Shafica Karagulla), The Personal Aura, en de bloemlezing Spiritual Healing.

Quest Books bij TPH: www.questbooks.com

By David P. Bruce.

229 Pages | 2019 | Paperback | Theosophical Publishing House, Wheaton | ISBN: 9780835609456.

When we sow our seeds in the garden of life, do we settle for a meager display of two or three flowers? Or do we aim for a pageantry of rich colors and breathtaking beauty?

So asks author David Bruce in these excuisite essays inspiring us to live an active spiritual life. Fresh and concise, he ranges in theme from lving with purpose, spiritual practice, and advice on books and reading. Free of dogma, he helps the open-minded inquirer find ultimate meaning.

For spiritual succor, Bruce turns to The Voice of the Silence and The Secret Doctrine, two masterpieces by nineteenth-century visionary Theosophist, H.P. Blavatsky. Readers will enjoy Bruce’s clarity on her wisdom about eternal, living truths. Our existence does have a purpose, he affirms, if we apply the principles we study to daily life. That way we benefit all of humanity as well as ourselves, for, as Theosophists believe, we are all one.

”Anyone who thinks Theosophy is not practical will find this book a revelation. It presents clear guidelines for spiritual living in the twenty-first century. ”
–From the foreword by Michael Gomes

By Steven Vedro.

223 Pages | First edition, 2007 | Paperback | Theosophical Publishing House, Wheaton | ISBN: 9780835608596

You don’t have to know much about technology to benefit from this witty exploration of how we can develop a ”yoga of teleconsciousness” to become centered in a frantic world. The Infosphere not only affects consciousness, it also reflects it, says Steven Vedro, and it provides teachings for the next step on our journey to wholeness. His guiding metaphor is the chakra system, the body’s esoteric energy centers located at the spine base, pelvis, solar plexis, heart, throat, forehead, and crown. He links each to a form of communication.

• the lowest chakras, concerning safety and survival, relate to telegraphy and telephony
• the middle chakras, concerning power, love, and discernment, relate to radio, television, and the Internet
• the highest chakras, concerning the most evolved consciousness, relate to the newest technologies of digital signal coding, smart devices, and the always-on intelligence of grid computing

To open and heal our internal channels, Vedro provides visualization exercises in each chapters. Now, when the media seems increasingly intrusive, this ingenious book may help us use it to become more compassionate, more balanced, and more aware.

By Pekka Ervast (1875 – 1934)

143 Pages | First edition, 2010 | Paperback | Theosophical Publishing House, Wheaton | ISBN: 9780835608923

Decodes the Deepest, Most Secret Meaning in the Gospels

”The seed is the word of God” (Luke 8:15)–or is it? For Christian mystic Pekka Ervast, orthodox religion failed to explain the real meaning of life. Then the great Russian author Leo Tolstoy gave him an esoteric view, opening new worlds. Ervast saw humans as reincarnating souls journeying through the school of this world to learn and evolve. He interprets the words of the Schoolmaster Jesus through the way of the truth-seeker, illuminating his parables, lessons, and practical advice for living honestly.

Ervast’s aim is to free us from intellectual bondage so that the divine seed within can germinate and grow. Then, he says, ”We connect with the living Christ Consciousness, with God as Love, and also with others living in that Consciousness. This powerful collective touches the soul pregnant with the Holy Spirit and so gives birth to the same consciousness. Within us, Christ is born.”

”Pekka Ervast demonstrates the great emphasis Jesus as teacher placed on indepence and honesty. If as disciples of Jesus we accept any doctrines or theories, we must first understand why we accept them, and secondly we must know from our own experience what we believe in.”
— Jordan Stratford, Gnostic priest and author of Living Gnosticism: An Ancient Way of Knowing

By Annick de Souzenelle, translated by Christopher Chaplin and Tony James.

457 Pages | Original published in 1974, fifth edition 2015 | Paperback | Theosophical Publishing House, Wheaton | ISBN: 9780835609326

An Embodied View of the Kabbalah

The Body and Its Symbolism is an intricate and profound expression of Kabbalistic symbolism applied to the human body. It represents the life work of nurse anesthetist and psychotherapist Annick de Souzenelle, whose tremendous understanding has been partially inspired by the depth psychology of C.G. Jung. Based on her deep knowledge of biblical Hebrew, her readings of the Bible shed new light on the Creation story, the nature of the Feminine, and the ultimate vocation of every human being. A best seller in France, this new edition, meticulously translated by Christopher Chaplin and Tony james, is the first to appear in the English language.

”This book is clearly the result of a lifetime’s reflection, revealing an inherant ladder of order from the physical body to that of the Divine Adam Kadmon. ”
– Z’ev Ben Shimon Halevi, author of Adam and the Kabbalistic Tree.

”A fascinating, embodied view of the Kabbalh. From breathing to sound, from sound to word, from word to action, Annick de Souzenelle takes us on a journey through the Creation story, the Tree of Life, the Hebrew alphabet, Greek and Egyptian mysteries, and more. Her wise GPS on the trip tells us: Knowledge is love. ”
– Dr. Neil Douglas-Klotz, author of The Hidden Gospel

By Serge Kahili King

280 Pages | 2014 | Paperback | Theosophical Publishing House, Wheaton | ISBN: 9780835609203

True happiness and success come from true love, whether it be self-love, friendship, familial love, or romantic love. The relationships in our lives can be stressful, causing us pain, ill health, and unhappiness. Or we can heal them all using Serge Kahili King’s profound guidance and hawaiian Huna wisdom. Walk the shaman’s path with him and learn the power of forgiveness, the way to focus on what you love and to let go of criticism, and how to heal your life. This book includes tales of how Huna techniques can be used to heal every type of relationship possible.

By Kurt Leland

411 pages | 2013 | Softcover | Quest Books, Wheaton | ISBN: 9780835609104

Essays compiled by Kurt Leland

Annie Besant (1847 – 1933) was a British-born advocate of religious freedom and socialist economics; en activist for the rights of women, children, and workers; and a crusader for India’s political independence/\. An inspiring public speaker and still revered as a spiritual teacher, she was also the second president of the Theosophical Society. This book presents her lectures and writings in which she reveals not only the potential dabgers of psychic and spiritual development, but also how to prepare ourselves safely for true spiritual unfolding.
This finely arranged and annotated collection shines a brilliant beam onto both the ordered structure of Annie Besant’s thought and the richness of the realms with which she dealt. Highly recommended. –Robert Ellwood, PhD.

Kurt Leland, poet, composer, author, and consciousness researcher, maintains a spiritual counseling practice in the Boston area. His website KurtLeland.com includes The Annie Besant Shrine, a comprehensive bibliography of Besant’s writings.

By Albert Amao, PhD., Foreword by Mitch Horowitz.

323 Pages | First Quest Edition 2014 | Softcover | Quest Books U.S.A., | ISBN: 9780835609210.

‘How Millions have been healed through the Mind alone’.

The aim of this book is to demonstrate the power of thought to heal the mind and body. Amao examines the rationale behind so-called mind, spiritual, and faith healing and explain why this kind of treatment works where conventional medicine fails. Amao also examines the most prominent leaders of the New Thought movement, who used mental and spiritual means to recover their health from supposedly ‘incurable’ diseases, and he describes the mechanism that triggered their healing. Finally, he explains why some people do not respond to any kind of treatment, with medicine or without it.

Mainstream academia should be made aware that mental and spiritual healing is an authentic, American-made phenomenon, that originated in and has flourished since the nineteenth century, particularly in New England. This phenomenon continues to develop today through the emerging field of energy psychology, which includes Thought Field Therapy and its derivatives, such as the Emotional Freedom Technique and similar practices.

Amao’s main hypothesis is this: All methods of mind and spiritual healing are self-healing. Human beings have an inner capacity to heal themselves. Indeed, conventional medicine can be said to heal, because it removes obstacles so that the body can regain its recuperative capacity.

From Chapter 12 – ‘Thomas Jay Hudson, The Scientific Working Hypothesis’ (p. 114):

” Some student of Occultism approach metaphysical studies with the idea of surrendering their will and conscious mind to the direction of the subconscious. This is dangerous, because the subconscious cannot direct itself. The person, who allows his subconscious to control him runs the risk that dormant, anarchic, and destructive forces in the psyche will express themselves at the least, expected times in devastating ways. When the conscious mind surrenders it dominion over the subconscious, the person becomes at the mercy of untamed primeval instincts, which could result in mental illness. As Hudson wrote, the subconscious cannot direct itself, nor can direct us. Its marvelous powers must always be definitely limited if they are to do us any real good. The unrestrained expression of the subconscious is insanity. “

By Evelyn Eaton (1902 – 1983).

212 Pages | A Quest Original 1982 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835605612.

This is the personal logbook of Mahad’yuni (Evelyn Eaton), a woman of white and Indian ancestry. Evelyn is a Metis Medicine Woman of the Bear Medicine Tribe and the Deer Tribe, who received her Pipe from an Arapaho Medicine Man, and much of her eighteen year long training from the Paiute Medicine Man in the Owens Valley, who also made the Pipe for her and blessed it. This first person account of Amerindian healing rituals includes her personal triumphs over physical affliction. It is the story of a Sweat Lodge, a Medicine Wheel, Shamans, the Grandfathers, and ‘close to Mother Earth’ people. It is a story of deep compassion. It is a story of tenderness. It is a story of power – the power of extraordinary healing capacities that are available to every human being.

She subsequently immersed herself in study of Native American spiritual traditions. Her many books include:

• Snowy Earth Comes Gliding
• I Send A Voice
• Go Ask The River
• The Trees And The Fields Went The Other Way.
•  Joy of Night – The Last Years of Evelyn Eaton, written by her daughter Terry Eaton.

From page 173:

” The Wiyag Wachipipi (dance looking at the Sun) is one of our greatest rites and was first held many, many winters after our people received the sacred Pipe from the White Buffalo Cow Woman. It is held each year during the Moon of Fattening (June) or the Moon of Cherries Blackening (July) always at the same time when the moon is full, for the growing and dying of the moon reminds us of our ignorance, which comes and goes; but when the moon is full it is as if the eternal light of the Great Spirit were upon the whole world. “

Andrew Harvey and Eryk Hanut.

193 Pages | First Quest Edition 1996, photographs included | Hardcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835607453.

‘Celebrate the Sacred Feminine in this rapturous Hymn to Mary, the Mother Goddess of Christianity’.

Each day of the year is highlighted by a reading drawn from the visionary words of Mary’s devotees or from the revelations of the Mother herself as she has appeared in modern times. Each month is introduced by an innovative meditation to help us put Mary’s words into practice to heal, guide, and inspire our daily lives. Harvey’s & Hanut’s stunning photogrpahs make this book a gift to cherish all year.

From Chapter – ‘January’ (p. 17):

January 8th:

” The entire ancient world, from Asia Minor to the Nile and from Greece to the Indus Valley, abounds in figurines of the naked female form, in various attitudes of the all-supporting, all-including Goddess . . . and so it came to pass that, in the end and to our day, Mary, Queen of Martyrs, became the sole inheritor of all the names and forms, sorrows, joys and consolations, of the Goddess-Mother in the Western world: Seat of Wisdom, Vessel of Honor, Mystical Rose, House of Gold, Gate of Heaven, Morning Star, Refuge of Sinners, Queen of Angels, Queen of Peace. “ – Joseph Campbell.

By Richard Heinberg, Foreword by Dolores LaChapelle.

199 Pages | A Quest Original 1993 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835606937.

Rejoice in the Seasonal Festivals of the Earth . . .

Seasonal festivals are not cultural relics. They are joyous, fun, mischievous, profound, life-affirming events that connect us deeply with the Earth, the heavens, and the wellspring of being within us. This engaging book tells the history and meaning of the Solstices, encourages the practice of full-bodied, ecstatic rituals of seasonal renewal, and gives practical suggestions for how to celebrate them in contemporary times.

• Discover the ancient roots of Christmas-tide customs.
• Honor the Goddess in all of her Names by celebrating the June Solstice as a Festival of the Divine Feminine.
• Learn how cultures around the world honored their connectedness with the Earth rhythms.
• Create life-affirming celebrations of the Solstices – alone, with friends or family, in the wilderness, or in the city.

From Chapter 3 – ‘The First Solstice Festivals’ (p.27):

” Each year, for about a week before and after the winter solstice, light from the rising Sun passes through a boxed slot above the doorway of Newgrange and shine the entire length of the corridor to the far wall of the central chamber (a distance of over eighty feet), illuminating a stone basin positioned below a series of intricate carvings of interlocked spirals, eye shapes, and rayed solar discs. For about seventeen minutes the inner sanctuaryis softly lit; then the finger of sunlight slowly creeps back across the stone floor, and darkness returns. The effect is stunning, and the effort spent to obtain it must have been enormous. “

Poems by Joy Mills (1920 – 2015).

182 Pages | First Quest Edition 2017 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 9780835609432.

Joy Mills, past president of the American and Australian Theosophical Societies, received the Subba Row Medal from the Society’s General Council in 2010, honoring her major contribution to Theosophical literature. Joy’s poems in this collection were found after her passing. Written over decades, they reveal a love for nature, a keen understanding of life’s complexities, and a deep spiritual Wisdom.

From the front cover:

And Unto Us

” Some-soon upon a high
Far distant hill
Beneath the Sky
We shall find
The fragments of a faith
Lost time out of mind.
‘And unto us . . .’ shall be,
Familiars of the Stars,
The dawning of Infinity. “

By Arnold Mindell PhD.

303 Pages | First Quest Edition 2010 | Softcover | Quest Books U.S.A. | ISBN: 9780835608862.

‘ I want to know God’s thoughts, the rest are details’ – Albert Einstein.

Arnold Mindell’s term for what Einstein called ‘God’s thoughts’ is processmind, meaning an experience of an all-pervasive state of consciousness. We can all access it, he says it is perhaps our least known and greatest power. He uniquely connects modern physics, transpersonal psychology, and world spiritual traditions and provides exercises to actualize our deepest, unitive consciousness. In all, the book helps us tap into an immense power that can benefit our own lives and, ultimately, the world.

From the Conclusion (p. 242):

‘ We need an ethics, that includes but goes beyond ‘doing good’. The process I call ‘entangled co-creation’ is such a new ethics. In small and very large groups, it can turn an apparent clash of civilizations into a community experience, where just about everyone feels heard and at home. When you dance in that entanglement theater, you feel new changes unfolding that you did not believe could ever happen. At first the change may be the appearance of a tiny bright smile brightening the face of an ‘opponent’. Something touched her or him. Then, in spite of yourself, your face, too, may begin to glow a little. These brighter faces are the change that is needed. They are the flash of lightning from the dark night’s sky. These are the faces that lead us into the future. When you see them, you can understand why I call this book ‘Processmind: A User’s Guide to Connecting with the Mind of God’. ”

By Robert Robertson, Ph.D., Foreword by Allan Combs.

182 Pages | First Quest Edition 2009 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 9780835608626.

‘ Somewhere in the celestial palace of the dancing god Indra, there hangs a fabulous net, that spreads out boundlessly over the cosmos in every direction. The divine craftsman has so cleverly fashioned this net that at every knot there hangs a dazzling jewel, each one so brilliantly polished, that it reflects all the others. As Above, so Below . . . ‘

This image of Indra’s net from a Buddhist Sutra symbolizes the Mystery, that, through our own transformation, each of us is united with everyone and everything else. Author Robin Robertson finds parallel models in ancient Alchemy, which tried to change base metal into gold, and modern chaos theory, which posits that tiny initial changes can have huge and unexpected outcomes – as a butterfly in Brazil might cause a tornado in Texas. Robinson lucidly shows how these two systems reveal the pattern of inner development in any spiritual tradition. No matter what one’s particular calling, these surprising insights can enrich and accelerate the transformative stages of any spiritual seeker.

From Chapter 6  – ‘The Philosopher’s Stone’:

 ” Central to this book is the understanding that the Opus is within us as much as it is without. As I mentioned in the Introduction, Buddhist philosophy captures this relationship between the world and the psyche through the image of Indra’s net: a vast necklace of shining jewels, all interconnected. It is told thus in the Avatamsaka Sutra:

Far away in the heavenly abode of the great God Indra, there is a wonderful net, which has been hung by some cunning artificer in such a manner that it stretches out infinitely in all directions. In accordance with the extravagant tastes of deities, the artificer has hung a single glittering jewel in each ‘eye’ of the net, and since the net itself is infinite in dimension, the jewels are infinite in number. There hang the Jewels, glittering like stars in the first magnitude, a wonderful sight to behold. If we now arbitrarily select one of these jewels for inspection and look closely at it, we will discover that in its polished surface there are reflected all the other jewels in the net, infinite in number. Not only that, but each of the jewels reflected in this one jewel is also reflecting all the other jewels, so that there is an infinite reflecting process ocurring. “

By Dennis Lewis.

115 Pages | First Quest Edition 2009 | Softcover | The Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar | ISBN: 9780835608725.

Welcome to Breathe into Being, a book that can help you awaken to who and what you really are through the miracle of the breath as it manifests now in your body. Most books on breathing explain how and why you should work with your breath to improve your health, increase your energy or obtain some spiritual goal – all in the future. Most books on presence explain that there is really nothing to do to be who you really are except perhaps to open your eyes right now and see that you have always been what you have been searching for.

Of course, there are books on breathing that discuss the importance of presence and books on presence, that discuss the importance of breathing. There are very few (if any) contemporary books, however, that explore the depths to which breathing itself, natural breathing, is a portal to presence, an ever-present gateway to Awakening to and Being Who you Really Are.

From Chapter: ‘We Can Only Find Meaning and Happiness Now and Here’ (p. 24 & p. 25):

” Of course, not all of us want to go through this process of tranformation. Many of us are quite content to live with our beliefs and our ways of viewing ourselves and the world. So here, before we go on, I suggest you take some time to look into your heart and mind and ponder what it is that, beneath all your fleeting desires, you really want. A big help in this process would be to put it into words and write these words down. After you have written them down, it may be helpful to put one hand on your belly and the other on your heart and follow your breathing for a few minutes, letting yourself become one with it. Then look closely at the words again and see if they resonate with what you actually feel. Are the words true? Is what you wrote down what you really want? What do you really want? Try writing what you really want again in a more honest way. “

By James S. Perkins (1899 – 1991).

124 Pages | Copyright 1961, second Quest printing 1982 |  Softcover | The Theosophical Publishing House, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835604519.

What will be your situation immediately after you die? Does your consciousness continue? Or, is immortality a myth? In this book, James Perkins answers these and other questions concerning the pilgrimage of the Soul through the cycles of death and rebirth. Reïncarnation is a subject of intimate personal concern to every individual. To the average person, seeking an answer to discouragement and a possible sense of failure, this concept brings an awareness that no failure is final, that there is endless opportunity to become what one aspires to be. Perkins presents his thoughts on ‘many lifetimes’ in a new and unique manner using his finely tuned artistic and literary talents.

From page 123:

” The ancient and noble path of reïncarnation, of the spiraling growth of the Soul, level by radiant level, toward some far-off, perfect Day-that-is-to-be, has a beauty of design, a grandeur of proportion, that appeals to the highest intuïtion and reason of man. Who embraces its philosophy is thereby freed from the burden of unknowing that blinds mankind to greater service. His heart at peace, he is able to awaken perception that sets him upon the path to liberation. With dauntless patience and undisturbed conviction, he can begin to evoke even now atmospheres of harmony, by absorbing within himself the conflicts and dissensions of daily life, the embattled elements that surround everyone, recreating these with his vision of the Truth and Beauty that dwell at the heart of all things. Joyously, then, as an Immortal He unites himself with Those who labor to lift life. “

By Alan L. Pritz.

261 Pages | First Quest Edition 2014 | Softcover | The Theosophical Publishing House, India | ISBN: 9780835609289.

Meditation as a Way of Life – an informal sequel to Pritz’ Pocket Guide to Meditation – renders acquired knowledge in a down-to-earth way to help people create a lifestyle grounded in spiritual discipline and a meditative practice, that is effective, regardless of religious affiliation and applicable to all faiths. The methods involved and principles governing them are presented through the lens of the author’s perspective, which is based on teachings of the modern spiritual master Paramahansa Yogananda.

For those unfamiliair with meditation, it is not, as some expressions would depict it, a method to enhance health, boost creativity or reduce stress. Those may be by-product of meditation, but they are not what meditation is about. Meditation is founded on a worldview that ascribes to life a profound spiritual purpose and chronicles the Soul’s descent from Spirit into embodiment and its ultimate goal of reuniting with the Divine.

From Chapter 12 – ‘Meditation – Absorption in Spirit’: (p. 202):

” Before the earth in space was spun
Beneath the heaven’s feet,
There was a mighty spirit, One,
Calm, wondrous, complete!

Changeless, yet moving; from its womb
All things came into birth;
This is the mystic bride and groom,
Maker of heaven and earth.

Something there is, whose veiled creation was
Before the earth or sky began to be;
So silent, so aloof, and so alone.

It changes not, nor fails, but touches all:
Conceive it as the Mother of the world.
I do not know its name;
A name for its is ‘Way’:

The Way begot one,
and the one, two,
and the two begot three
And three, all else . . . “

• A compilation of Taoist passages.

By Rabbi Leah Novick.

210 Pages | First Quest Edition 2008 | Softcover | Quest Books U.S.A. | ISBN: 9780835608619.

Denied and suppressed for thousands of years, the Divine Feminine returns at a time when the breakdown of traditional belief leaves us desperate for love, for security, for protection, for wisdom, for meaning. It leaves us yearning for a nurturing and cultivation of our whole being, that we might be adequate stewards of the coming planetary civilization.

Luminous and astute, this invaluable resource follows the journey of the Shekhinah through Jewish Scripture, Midrash, and Kabbalah, concluding with her rise among Jewish feminists, who understand that the Feminine Face of God is necessary to the health both of soul and world. Author Rabbi Novick also offers profound visualizations to help us connect personally with the Shekhinah. At the heart of the Mystery, we discover Shekhinah as our hope, our beckoning evolutionairy vision, and our point of contact with the spiritual genius, that resides within each of us.

From Chapter 11 – ‘Contemporary Jewish Feminism and the Return of Shekhinah (p. 129):

” If we could take flight on the wings of Shekhinah, here is what we might see. Flying over the majority of synagogues of North America, we would see women rabbis and cantors lead prayers. We would notice that they, and some women in their congregations, are wearing ’tallitot’ (prayer shawls) and ‘kippot’ (skullcaps), although more likely in colors and designs, that reflect the feminine. We would see women and girls standing on the ‘bimah’ (pulpit) reading from the Torah, as part of Shabbat services or bat mitzvah ceremonies in Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, and Renewal congregations. 

We would hear women teachers of Thorah, brilliant exegetes explaining holy texts, embodying what it means to be part of the generations of sages. We would encounter female trustees on synagogue boards and serving as presidents of congregations. Refreshments for the ‘oneg’ (socials after services) might be provided by men or families as opposed to the all-female cooking, baking, and hospitality roles of the past. In effect, the presence of women in leadership of Jewish communal life suggests, that our access to Shekhinah formerly connected with spiritual teachings and literature, has become apparent through women and girls calling the Divine Feminine back to earth. Perhaps this trend can be regarded as an extension of the teachings of the great Chasidic master Dov Baer, the Maggid of Mezeritch, who urged his followers to pray for the return of Shekhinah to our planet. “

By Huston Smith (1919- 2016).

295 Pages | First Quest Edition 1984, 2nd edition 1989, 3rd printing 1992, 3rd edition 2003 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835608301.

NB: This is the latest and third edition: the second, hence cheaper edition of this book can be purchased in our Webshop here.

This study was first published in 1982 and is considered a classic in its disciplined analysis of contemporary reductionist philosophy. It explores the limits of science and points society’s way out of the dark woods where science has stranded us. Smith uses the term ‘modern’ mind to denote the so-called Enlightenment outlook of Newtonian physics and rationalism, which cut the ground from under the religious foundations of Western life. In the ‘post-modern’ age of the late nineteenth and the twentieth centuries, people lost their humanistic confidence.

Although science may have won a battle ove religion, it has in the process undermined its own empirical foundation: and having destroyed confidence in intuitive revelation, the mind is (as H.G. Wells once suggested) ‘at the end of its tether’. Despite the ravages of analytical philosophy and existentialism, Smith feels there is a fundamental view of reality, that flourishes throughout the world under various disguises. The uneasy post-modern mind, Smith says, awaits discernment of a new metaphysics.

From Chapter 3 – ‘Perennial Philosophy, Primordial Philosophy’ (p. 64):

” A life, that identifies primarily with its physical pleasures and needs (getting and spending we lay waste our days) is superficial;

one that advances its attention to the mind can be interesting if it moves on to the heart (synonym for soul), it can be good.

And if it passes on to spirit – that saving self-forgetfulness and egalitarianism in which one’s personal interests loom no larger than those of others – it would be perfect. “

By Ronald Decker. 330 Pages | First Quest edition 2013 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 9780835609081.

From the Introduction:

No explanation is known to have accompanied the Original Tarot. This book presents an interpretation, that will surprise most Tarotists (those, who are esoterists) and most academics (those, who are critics of the esoterists). My theory covers the evolution of the Tarot, the connotations of its symbols, the symbol’s sources, and their transmission to the proper places at the proper times. In truly ancient references, I have found forgotten patterns, that are definitely congruent with the Tarot. I will treat not merely isolated motifs, but symbolic systems. I hope to establish the meanings of the Tarot as it was understood by its inventor(s). Granted, my arguments require deductions and interferences. This is currently necessary, because of the scarcity of hard evidence. I welcome improvements to my theory. It offers many points from which further research can proceed. The following definition is typical of standard dictionairies: Tarot (TAR-o, ta-RO) noun [French < Middle French < Old Italian tarocco (plural: tarocchi)] a set of cards depicting certain allegories and providing a deck for oracles and games.

From Chapter 1 – ‘Thoth, Hermes and Hieroglyphs’ (p.28):

” The title Trismegistus (thrice greatest) presumably derived from the Egyptian practice of addressing the Gods as ‘great’, ’twice-great’, etc. Hermes Trismegistus could still be considered a God, but if so, he was supposed to have begun as a man, one who attained enlightenment and ascended as divinity. More often, he was regarded as a sage, presumed to have lived in remote antiquity and to have inherited the wisdom of Thoth. Some authors tried to simplify the Hermetic traditions by creating a genealogy: Thoth was the father of Agathodemon, who was the father of Hermes Trismegistus, who was the father of Tat. ‘Tat’ is a variation of ‘Tot’, a variation of Thoth. “

By Thom F. Cavalli, Ph.D.

275 Pages | First Question edition 2010 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 9780835608800.

A ground-breaking integration of Jungian Psychology, Alchemy and Egyptian Mythology.

The myth of Osiris, dying and resurrecting Egyptian God of vegetation, marks a change that describes the earliest beginnings of the modern psyche. In excavating the myth. Jungian psychologist Thom Cavalli uses alchemy to transmute hidden secrets into sacred knowledge. Here for the first time is an alchemical interpretation of this timeless myth as a guide to spiritual transformation. Osiris’s rebirth symbolizes what alchemists have always seen as the creative power we all have for self-renewal. Cavalli shows us how to access this archetypical God in the quest to integrate body and Soul. To ‘become’ Osiris is to become whole.

From Chapter 2 – ‘Alchemy, Magic and Osiris’ (p. 67):

” Whether I live or die, I am Osiris

I enter in and reappear through you,

I decay in you. I grow in you.

I fall down in you. I fall upon my side.

The Gods are living for me for I live and grow in the corn

That sustains the Honored Ones.

I cover the earth,

Whether I live or die I am Barley,

I am not destroyed. “

– Mojsov, Osiris (8) (see intro., nr. 4). The quote is from The Coffin Texts.

By Howard Raphael Cushnir.

204 Pages | First Question Edition 2000 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835607925.

Take a moment to breathe in with yourself. Are you . . . stressed . . . angry . . . lonely . . . anxious . . . sad?

No matter how difficult life may be, you can still live in a state of radiant bliss – even if you’re alone, sick, failed and broke. Pie-in-the-sky? This down-to-earth book shows us how. Based on universal spiritual principles, the message is profound, but the method couldn’t be more practical. All it takes is a simple two-step process called LIVING THE QUESTIONS, demonstrated here with compelling, real-life examples. This book is not getting about what you want, it is about how you FEEL the way you want by embracing life one precious moment at a time . . . starting right now!

From page 201:

” What is happening right now?

Can I be with it?

Living those questions is saying yes to life, to all of it, and especially to its radiant mystery. That mystery is what brought us both to this moment, and will stay with us for the rest of our days. Because no matter how well we live the questions right now , we never know what happens next. “

By Stephan A. Hoeller.

132 Pages | Copyright 1975, Second Quest Edition 2004 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835608395.

Including an accompanying CD.

Stephan Hoeller’s handbook for heightening consciousness is unrivaled for its clarity in explaining the ancient mystical Kabbalah in relation to the Tarot’s Major Arcana. On the new enclosed CD, Dr. Hoeller narrates twenty-two meditations to guide the reader easily into a contemplative state.

From Chapter 7 –  ‘The Fools’s Pilgrimage’ (p. 65):

” The human being is a fool. Shakespeare was right when he said: ‘What fools we mortals be!’ The first card of the greater Arcana, the Fool, pictures man as a carefree youth, striding gaily forth in such a position, that his next step may send him over the edge of the cliff. As noted in connection with the Eleventh Path, we are this fool ourselves, divine and immortal souls ready to descend into manifest existence. It is also we, ourselves, having descended from Kether to Malkuth, now ascending from earth to the heavens. Of all the Arcana, the fool manifests the greatest freedom. “

By Dora van Gelder (1904 – 1999), also known as Dora Kunz

New foreword by Celtic folklore Expert Caitlin Matthews

180 Pages | 1999 second edition | Softcover | Quest Books, USA | ISBN 9780835607797

The Real Word of Fairies is a privileged glimpse into a joyous, animated universe. Dora van Gelder’s enchanting vision of her encounters with the fairy realm brings the magical and mysterious world of fairies to vital, appealing, and heartfelt life. Her gentle tales will delight the child in us, spark our grown-up imagination, rekindle our creative energy, and deepen our sense of connection with nature.

” If we are patient and courteous, we too can find fairy allies in the wild places of nature, in the secret pathways of our dreams, in the deep wisdom of the ancient and ancestral traditions of our land, as Dora van Gelder has demonstrated “. – Caitlin Matthews – from the foreword.

From Chapter 4: ‘Fairy Life’ (p. 47):

” Between the human point of view and that of a fairy, or any member of the angelic kingdom, one of the main differences is that we live in a world of form and they live in a world of life. Our thoughts are primarily concerned with the form things have, and we seldom go further than that. But fairies are mainly concerned with the energy and life flowing around and within the form – life that is everywhere . . . “

By Robert Ellwood.

159 Pages | Copyright 2002 by The Theosophical Publishing House in America | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. – ISBN 0835608239

‘Frodo is Everyman’, Lord of the Rings film director Peter Jackson observed at the 2002 Academy Awards ceremony. That is the seminal idea of this unique book exploring the esoteric spiritual meaning of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic fantasy, which has impacted the inner lives of millions of readers, since it was first published in 1954.

Robert Ellwood, a scholar of world religions, finds ancient wisdom in this twentieth-century bestseller concerning the quests we are all called to go on. ‘Like Frodo‘, he says, ‘we each experience challenges that propel us on our own adventure – finally that of exploring the inner worlds and the meaning of our lives.’

Revisiting Middle-earth as a realm for personal discovery, Ellwood presents Tolkien’s story as a tale of every reader’s higher consciousness, death and rebirth, and triumph over evil. He teaches us also to recognize the characters as archetypes we can meet in ourselves: a spiritual guide like Gandalf, a friend like Sam, or, heaven forbid, shadows like Orcs or Ringwraiths. He also provides meditational exercises to help us overcome the trials we face as we make our lives into great journeys instead of dull routine. So be it! Let the Quest begin!

From Chapter 4 – ‘The Weight of the Past’ (p. 59):

” Whether we are aware of it or not, we are voyagers on a pilgrimage across the seas of space and time, gradually riding with the tides back through storm and sun and to the Halls of Light, our true home, whence we came. But like mariners tacking about on that long crossing, in the anxiety of our separateness we think more of personal action and response than we contemplate oneness. When the self-centered impulse reaches the level of the evil Wizard’s fear, hatred, and power, it amounts to rebellion against the One, and in the dark waters we see the wake of Satan or Sauron. More often, our hopes, we manage to keep the distant polar constellations to starboard as we bear toward the Uttermost West. “

Compiled by Bhagavan Das (1869 – 1958).

683 Pages | Soft cover | First edition 1932, 2nd edition 1939 | Quest Books, U.S.A | ISBN: 9780835600071.

Eleven religions are usually regarded as living and current at present. These, proceeding from East to West, are: 1. Shintoism born in Japan, 2. Taoism (or Laotsism), and 3. Confucianism, in China; Vedism (or Vaidika Dharma, or Sanatana Dharma or Manava Dharma, now commonly called Hinduism), 5. Buddhism, 6. Jainism and 7. Sikhism, in India; 8. Zoroastrianism (or Parsism) in Iran (or Persia); 9. Judaism (or Hebraism, or Israelitism, or the Jewish religion), and 10. Christianity, in Palestine; 11. Islam (or Mohammedanism), in Arabia. Parallel passages have been gathered in this work from the universally recognised Scriptures, and also from some other generally and highly honored writings, of these eleven.

From ‘A Letter to the Reader´ as Preface to the Second Edition (p. xxv):

” Dear Reader, I pray you, unless you have found, and made sure of, a better way, to read about an Ancient Way, leisurely, in this book. Endeavour is made here, albeit very imperfectly, to expound, no new way, but the Way of the Ancients, a Way which is time-tested also to some extent. If you feel satisfied that that Way is worth experimenting with, then I pray you to do all you can to spread, as widely as may be possible for you, this Essential Message of all the Scriptures, as preparation for the Readjustment and Synthesis. “

Your respectful and sincere Well-wisher,

BHAGAVAN DAS.

By Laurence J. Bendit and Phoebe D. Bendit.

192 Pages | First published in1950, Quest edition 1969 | Paperback | Quest Books, U.S.A. | No ISBN.

Is it possible to have genuine communication between the living and the dead and what are the obstacles, which stand in the way? Can we find some rational explanation for the phenomena of spiritualism and the seance room? These are some of the questions discussed in this book, written by a British psychiatrist, Dr. L.J. Bendit and his wife Phoebe D. Bendit-Payne, a natural clairvoyant. Her personal experience and his medical training uniquely qualified them to consider together these and other subjects, viewing them in the wider context of man’s nature and capacities. No pat answers are offered but rather the reader is encouraged to think for himself about the mystery of existence in this world and the next.

From the ‘Personal Forewords’ (p 21/22):

“ This book is an attempt to clear up some of that confusion. To some it may seem that it is not suffficiently scientific and takes too much for granted. To others it may appear too much so, and too destructive of comfortable beliefs. That cannot be helped. We have tried to keep an objective, scientific attitude to the subject, and to carry this attitude into realms where the scientific experimental method cannot be applied. But we have not hesitated to go beyond the point to which objectivity can take us, and have expressed something of our own beliefs. That we have done this does not weaken our position. Even scientists must be permitted to have beliefs based on inner knowledge and experience, and all that can legitimately be demanded of them in this realm is that they shall be tentative and suggestive, not dogmatic. “

By Mabel Collins (1851-1927).

160 Pages | First Quest Edition 1987, A Quest Miniature | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 9780835606141.

Dutch translation: Als de Zon Noordwaards Gaat | Published in 2004 | Uitgeverij Gabriël | ISBN 9080501735.

Mabel Collins, author of The Light On the Path, explores the link between the mystic recurrence of the Earth’s cycles of birth, death and rebirth with the seasonal regeneration of our own spiritual nature. Her meditative prose beautifully evokes the time-less sense of cosmic renewal and the consequent growth of consciousness that has its germination deep within those reflective months of quietude when the sun moves northward.

” I am often asked about the question of Time in regard to the great Ceremonies which take place at midnight when the spirits of men are most completely released from their bodies during the recurrent periods of light and darkness on the earth. Midnight means the deepest depth of the darkness: it has no connection with the arbitrary hours. Therefore, in time there is necessarily a difference according to what places on earth the disciples are dwelling in: and, as time does not exist except as an arbitrary temporary convenience, once outside the body man loses the sense of it. ” – Mabel Collins (1923).

From Chapter VII (p. 86):

” Now comes the awful test of obedience. The moment of decision, which arrive to the man, and to the disciple, as a climax to a series of events, these come within the domain and power of mankind. There are other far more awful moments when the hand of a supreme power interferes in the affairs of men, and when the man, even though he be a disciple, is helpless. There are decisions made in a court above us all, from which there is no appeal, which are carried out inexorably. Then there is no decision to be made by the man himself; he can only rebel or obey. The religious man calls this supreme power which gives, and takes away, God: occultists see it in the working of the law of Karma. Be it what it may, if the man rebels against it, the disciple may not. “

By Virginia Hanson.

191 Pages | 1974, fourth printing 1988 – A Quest Miniature | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835604500.

Here are 366 Meditations – one for each day of the year. Each from the heart of a spiritually oriented philosopher, from Plato to Emerson to Sri Aurobindo to a host of theosophical students and scholars. Inside of this miniature Quest book is a complete philosophy for living: quiet, short, engaging thoughts, each alive with the spirit of being. In truth, this is not a book to be studied. It is a book to be carried in the pocket or purse. It is a book to be treasured.

From page 41:

” 25.  A doctrine of ‘Truth’, presenting itself without proof on the bare value of its own nobility, is as disturbing a factor to the majority of men as would be the stranger without name or country. We are afraid of it; it is to us an invasion from an unknown world. And such it is; it is an invasion from another world, from the only real world, the world of Reality . . . “

By Christmas Humphreys (1901 – 1983).

169 Pages | Softcover | Published in 1984 | Curzon Press and the Theosophical Publishing House U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835603067.

This work sets out to emphasize the inner life as a constant moving on and the mover as a pilgrim travelling along an ancient Way. This Way to ultimate Reality was called by Gautama the Buddha the ‘Middle Way’, the Path between the introverted life of contemplation and the extrovert life of action in the world of men. Whilst this book as a whole is of no one school of Buddhism, it aims toward an understanding and also an application of Buddhist principles in Western society, and a means whereby that Way may be traversed.

By C. Humphreys.

212 Pages | 5th printing 1999 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835605507.

‘ Satori is a stage along the way, a gateless gate that must be entered on the path to enlightenment. ‘

With profound inspiration and consummate compassion, the founder of the Buddhist Society in London invites serious students of spiritual evolution to us Western techniques to achieve satori, the experience of unity and divinity in all aspects of being. Each of us must stumble and bump our way in darkness and confusion along the path to enlightenment. In penetrating, genuine, and inspiring prose, Humphreys refocuses the Wisdom of Zen for the Western reader and illuminates that arduous road.

By Ravi Ravindra.

120 Pages | First Quest Edition and printing, 2014 | Soft cover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 2014020064.

na vijānāmi yadivedamasmi niṇyaḥ samnaddho manasā carāmi.

‘ I know not whether I am the same as this cosmos: a mystery am I, yet burdened by mind, I wander. ‘

• Rig Veda 1.164.37.

From the Preface:

” There are two great Mysteries: idam and aham, ‘cosmos’ and ‘myself’. What indeed is the person in this vast cosmos? In all the great traditions there are people, monuments, documents and ceremonies that can assist searchers. The Rig Veda is among the very earliest documents in which the sages speak of the call of Satyam, Ritam, and Brihat – ‘Truth’, ‘Order’ and ‘Vastness’. Similar Mysteries are spoken of in Psalm 8: ‘When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, / the moon and the stars, which thou has ordained; / What is man, that thou art mindful of him?’

Throughout my life, I have been struck by the mysteries these quotations articulate. This is perhaps true for each of us: we cannot not be engaged by such questions. The search to understand and to stand under these mysteries is the pilgrimage for every person and within every tradition.”

By John Algeo.

172 Pages | First published in 1903, 2001 edition | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 9780835607971.

Theosophist Annie Besant (1847 – 1933) drew from the Ancient Wisdom of the East to explore the deep recesses of the mind. The original edition was published in 1903 and has been in print ever since. Now leading contemporary Theosophists John Algeo and Shirley J. Nicholson have painstakingly revised the text to free its timeless truths from the time-bound language of the early 20th century and make it more accessible to today’s readers. The result is a clear discussion of subjects of increasingly high interest: concentration, memory, consciousness, telepathy, sleep and dreams, cultivation of the will, and access to your ‘Higher Self’.

From Chapter 12 – ‘The Secret of Peace of Mind’ (p. 152):

” We are the Self, and therefore the joys and the sorrow of others are ours as much as theirs. To the extent that we realise this and learn to live so that we share the life that flows through us with the whole world – to that extent we learn the secret of peace. That secret is knowledge of the Self, and the thought ‘That Self Am I’ (even if we have not yet experienced the reality) helps us gain a peace of mind that nothing can disturb. As the Bhagavad Gita [2.70] says: He attains peace, into whom all desires flow as rivers flow into the ocean, which is filled with water, but remains unmoved – not he who desires desire. “

By Dana Micucci.

278 Pages | First Quest Edition 2011 |  Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 9780835608985.

One Woman’s Journey around the World and into Her Truth.

‘And there was a new voice, which you slowly recognized as your own, that kept you company as you strode deeper and deeper into the world, determined to do the only thing you could do – determined to save the only life you could save’. – Mary Oliver ‘The Journey’.

Sojourns of the Soul is the quintessential armchair travel book for the spiritual seeker. Dana Micucci’s touching memoir chronicles seven sacred journeys that span 14 years of Micucci’s life, during which she explores the connection of inner growth to world travel that eventually leads to her own enlightenment. Unlike other inspirational travel books, Sojourns of the Soul provides a rare mix of in-depth wisdom and literary insights from the holistic view of an experienced female traveler.

From Chapter 3: ‘Egypt to Eternity’ (p. 101):

” ‘This mystery must be unveiled some day’, wrote H.P. Blavatsky in Isis Unveiled. ‘The answers are there. They may be found on the time-worn granite pages of cave-temples, on sphinxes, propylons, and obelisks . . . . They key was in the keeping of those who knew how to commune with the invisible Presence, and who had received, from the lips of mother Nature herself, her grand truths. And so stand these monuments like mute forgotten sentinels on the threshold of that unseen world’. “

332 pages | Paperback | Quest Books, 2013 by Serge King

“Reality is experience, and experience is reality,” says Hawaiian shaman Serge King, speaking of Huna, the esoteric tradition in which he was reared. King emphasizes that all of us have the ability to shift from one world to another. The difference is that shamans do it purposefully, while the rest of us are unaware of it. He trains us to engage in the process consciously in order to expand our human potential. Among books on Huna, this one is unique for offering actual practices for changing our reality to create the life we want.

258 pages | Paperback | Quest Books, 2012

Everyone has religious experiences, but most people just don’t know how to identify them, claims author William Bloom. Today’s society makes ever-increasing demands on us, but in the practice of modern spirituality, we can find heartening new solutions that give us the energy, motivation and inspiration to develop ourselves and transform our world.

The Power of the New Spirituality uniquely straddles mainstream and alternative forms of belief in commonsense, everyday language. Bloom speaks directly to the legions of people who seek to replace a single-faith tradition with a more generalized spirituality. He identifies the core similarities in all spiritual traditions and explains how everyone-regardless of background, beliefs or personality type – can immediately put them into practice.

107 pages | Paperback | Quest Books, 2011

Helps You Tap Into An Infinite Reservoir of Clarity and Calm

Modern times have created a siege of chaos. Struggling economy, political turmoil, media bombardment and a general culture of isolation all contribute to this unrest. Buddhist author Ajahn Sumano Bhikkhu presents a simple path to freedom from such chaos in The Brightened Mind.

“Sumano Bikkhu’s The Brightened Mind is a most precious little jewel, introducing the spiritual armchair traveler to the wonders of the Universal Mind as taught in the Buddhist meditative tradition.” — Glenn Mullin, author of Female Buddhas, The Fourteen Dalai Lamas, and Living in the Face of Death.

By Russel Targ. Foreword by Stephan A. Schwartz.

306 Pages | First Quest Edition 2012 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 9780835608848.

On February 4, 1974, members of The Symbionese Liberation Army kidnapped the nineteen-year-old newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst from her apartment situated in Berkeley, California. Desperate to find her, the police called physicist Russell Targ and Pat Price; a psychic retired police commissioner. As Price turned the pages of the police mug book filled with hundreds of pictures, he suddenly pointed out to one of them and announced: ‘That’s the ringleader’! The man’s name turned out Donald DeFreeze and he was indeed subsequently so identified. Price also described the type and location of the kidnap car, which then enabled the police to trace the vehicle within minutes.

This remarkable event depicts one reason Russell Targ believes, so the speak, in the existence of ‘extra sensory phenomena’ (ESP). Another reason is that his group earned $120.000,- by forecasting changes in the silver-commodity futures market for nine weeks in a row. In his research, with all the proof Targ has assembled (and there is more besides), he suggests all life is interconnected and interdependent. There is an aspect of human consciousness that exists independent of time and space, that is susceptible to volitional control; and there is an interconnection between all life forms, that must be understood if the universal impulse humans feel toward the spiritual component of their lives is to mature properly. This assertion is not just a scientific fact: it is a worldview. If you accept it, you will make different life choices. Targ’s proof is a beginning, not an end.

From Chapter 12 – ‘Naked Awareness’ (p. 242):

” From thirty-five hundred years ago the Hindu Vedas teach us that our awareness, or Self (Ātman), is one with and unseparated from ultimate transcendent reality, the physical and  non-physical universe, or Brahman. We need experience, no separation from any aspect of the universe in consciousness. More recently, the great physicist Erwin Schrodinger, who perfected quantum mechanics, has written in his thoughtful monograph ‘What is Life’, that the teaching that Ātman equals Brahman is the greatest of all metaphysical principles. He goes on to write about non-separation: ‘Consciousness is a singular of which the plural is unknown. There is only one thing, and that which seems to be a plurality is simply a series of different aspects that one thing produced by a deception (Māyā). The same illusion is produced in a gallery of mirrors’. “

By Margaret Placentra Johnston.

300 Pages | First Quest Edition 2012 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 9780835609050.

Faith Beyond Belief seems to give us a good way to understand those, who have rejected their own church, but are still engaged in a spiritual search beyond the conventional language and categories, that left them feeling empty. It is an excellent way to get a feel for the issues as they are experienced by a growing number of Americans, who are spiritual but not religious. You can feel the difference in the openness, the inquiring mind and the caring Soul, that this book unveils.

From Chapter 23 – ‘Where Do We Go From Here’ (p. 278):

” Rather than keep its adherents mired in childish myths, the religion of the future will lead its members toward the more fluid form of faith that can develop ‘beyond belief’. It will encourage them to undertake the critical reflection required to begin the progression to mature faith. Rather than suppress diversity and self-expression in religious experience, the religion of the future will promote the spiritual exploration that is necessary to reach the Mystic level. Where the religion of the past was exclusionist, ethnocentric, judgemental and triumphalist, the religion of the future will be inclusive, universal, unitive, and accepting, The religion of the future will be Love! “

326 pages | Paperback | Quest Books, 2000

The Eleusian mysteries, the Sanctuary of Apollo, the Theatre of Dionysus, the labyrinths of Knossos, the Delphic oracle—the book leads us to such sacred sites in the ancient way of spiritual pilgrimage. “The gods have not totally vacated the holy places,” says Richard Geldard. “Any ‘vacating’ has to do with our own lack of awareness.”

He brings to life the mythology that shaped the brilliance of Greek architecture and art, integrating rare historical material with the most recent archeological data. The result is a specialty guidebook comprehensive enough to be the only one you pack, with commentary on:
– Major and lesser sites of the palace and temple cultures
– Greek drama, philosophy, art, and sculpture
– Sacred geometry and architecture
– Gallery collections in three major museums

Whether you’re an armchair or actual traveler, Traveler’s Key opens access to the fabled wisdom enjoyed by pilgrims of old and to the living mythology that still has power to transform lives.

By Patrice Chaplin.

336 Pages | First Quest edition 2008 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 9780835608718.

City of Secrets is, perhaps, the very first nonfiction title to combine the stories of the legendary Grail phenomenon with that of a modern-day love story.

In 1955, fifteen-year-old Patrice flees her predictable English life for sun-drenched Girona, a pre-Roman town in northern Spain. There, she falls in love with José, whose mission is to preserve the town’s ancient Caballistic tradition. Over the years, Patrice returns again and again to her lover and Girona. She meets enthralling characters and hears of visions, an oddly wealthy priest, a fabulous garden owned by a Frenchwoman, and two towers aligned to create a portal to another dimension. The priest is no other than the Abbé Saunière of Rennes-le-Château, and the mysteries linked to him are at the heart of the Grail phenomenon. People Patrice thought she knew well turn out to belong to a secret society guarding Saunière’s legacy. Now it is time, they say, to reveal their secrets, and they ask her to be the messenger.

In support of her revelations, Patrice provides copies of previously unreleased letters, written by Saunière, along with other documented evidence. Her romantic and lucid writing style, which has often been compared to Beat Generation legend Jack Kerouac, will leave readers with no doubt that this book is one-of-a-kind.

Edited and translated by Louise Carus.

214 Pages | First Quest Edition 2020. ‘NAPRA Nautilus Award Grand Winner 2003’. | Softcover, with pictures | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 9780835608138.

‘While Santa Claus just brings toys, St. Nicholas changes lives and brings real joy’! 

The Real St. Nicholas is a jubilant celebration of spiritual values and the true meaning of the holiday season. Santa Claus is only a nickname. The historical Nicholas was a fourth-century bishop in what is now modern Turkey. Over time, tales of his goodness spread as far as Karelia, bordering Finland and Russia, throughout Europe. The Dutch brought him to the New World as Sinterklaas.

While slimmer than Santa, St. Nicholas is much larger in Spirit. He is the patron Saint not only of children, but also of sailors, bakers, bankers, prisoners, pharmacists, maidens, merchants and, New York City. But the traditions around him have been lost in America. Louise Carus restores this important image of the kind, wise Elder with rare stories from Spain, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Germany, The Netherlands, France, Russia and Armenia – among other countries. Most are simple folktales of powerful virtue. We hear of how Nicholas rescues orphans and soldiers, feeds the hungry, helps hapless lowers, outwits thieves and devils, and heals the ill and lame (including an ant!). An Afterword recounts modern legends of healing and rescue told by people living in Greece today.

The result is the best such collection available in English. It is a gift to all parents, educators, story loversm and others, who long to resanctify the holidays. There’s a story for each of the thirty-one days in December, but The Real St. Nicholas can inspire us on any day of the year.

Louise Carus, Ph.D., is a Jungian analyst and the editor of Betwixt and Between and Crossroads: two books on adolescent ‘rites of passage’ recognized as classics in the field.

From Chapter – ‘Signs of St. Nicholas Today’ (p. 191):

” A miller, Fragiadakis Mixales, who lives outside of  Zaros, Crete, told us this story about his daughter. It happened when the girl was about four years old and suffering from epilepsy:

‘After my daughter had had several seizures, my wife took her to our nearby St. Nicholas monastery. She laid her down to sleep just at the entrance of the monastery under an olive tree and then went into the church to pray for her healing. When my wife returned to our daughter, the little one awoke and said: ‘And old man with a white beard came and touched my hand and told me, ‘You are well now”.’

My daughter never had another seizure. She is married now, with two children, and lives in Athens. This true story is well known in my community. “

320 pages | Paperback | Quest Books, 2006

Does God exist? Can spirituality be integrated with science? Is happiness possible? Do miracles really happen? Not only does The Visionary Window answer “yes” to all of these questions, but it skillfully combines the fields of philosophy, cosmology, religion, and psychology to form a new way of thinking about science and spirituality.

“If you choose to read one book introducing you to quantum physics and spirituality, choose The Visionary Window. You’re in for a profound awakening.” —Betsy Chasse, filmmaker, What the Bleep Do We Know!?

“I have rarely read a book that gave me so much hope for the future as the one you are now holding. Its author offers brilliant answers to the most gripping questions that have eve been asked.” —from the Foreword by Deepak Chopra

By Amit Goswami.

339 Pages | First Quest edition 2008 | Hardcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. |  ISBN: 9780835608589.

It’s an open secret that fossil gaps – discontinuities in fossil lineages – threaten the validity of Darwin’s theory of evolution. At the same time, by denying evolution altogether, intelligent design thinkers fly in the face of scientific data. But let’s not throw the babies out with the bathwater, says quantum physicist Amit Goswami. The idea of intelligent design does contain substance with which neo-Darwinists must come to terms. And if Darwin’s theory is seen at best as incomplete, able only to explain evolution’s continuous epochs, then there’s room for both evolution and God.

Dr. Goswami’s central theme is that pure consciousness, not matter, is the primary force in the universe. This view differs radically from mainstream theories that see evolution as the result of simple physical reactions. It also differs from intelligent-design arguments that posit a clockmaker God who fabricated the universe. This view differs radically from mainstream theories that see evolution as the result of simple physical reactions.

From Chapter 21 – ‘Evolution – The Next Step’ (p. 307):

” Someone once said, ‘Man has learned to fly like a bird in the sky: man has also learned to swim like a fish in the ocean; but, alas, man has yet to learn to walk like a human being on this earth. ‘ What does it mean to be fully rational, let alone fully human? Human beings began with a tremendous leap in the capacity for making representations of the mind. A major privilege of being human is in developing the rational capacity fully. As the philosopher Ken Wilber emphasizes, however, at each level of the great chain of being, the previous level must be integrated. Only when humans have integrated the vital mind can we said to fulfill our full potential for rationality.

Have we fully integrated our vital body in our mental being? In view of the current state of mind-body disease and healing (see Chapter 15), we are far from it. We express emotions and suppress emotions, but we haven’t learned to meditate on them. We share the base instinctual emotions with animals. We are so insecure, so prone to succumb to these base instincts, that we sometimes suppress even the noble emotions associated with our higher chakras, beginning with the heart. “

222 pages | Paperback | Quest Books, 2001

In The Hidden Gospel, Douglas-Klotz employs this approach to decode the spiritual and prophetic messages hidden within key words and concepts in the sayings and stories of Jesus. We learn to our delight, for instance, that when Jesus spoke of “goodness” he used a word which in Aramaic means “ripe” and refers to actions which are in time and tune with the Sacred Unity of all life.

The Hidden Gospel aims to bridge the gap between the historical Jesus of the scholar and the Jesus of faith of Christian believers. It will appeal to everyone looking for an alternative spiritual vision of Jesus and his message.

By Daniel H. Caldwell.

451 Pages | First Quest Edition 2000 | Hardcover | Quest Books U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835607941.

‘A psychological enigma, a puzzle for future generations, a Sphinx!’

So reads the self-portrait of Helena P. Blavatsky (1831 – 1891), the leading esoteric author of the nineteenth century. Others called her ‘the lady with the magical eyes’. A world traveler and student of religions, Madame Blavatsky was among the first to bring Eastern Wisdom to the West. Her writing affected W.B. Yeats, James Joyce, D.H. Lawrence, L. Frank Baum (The Wizard of Oz), Wassily Kandinsky, Piet Mondrian, Gustav Mahler, Jean Sibelius, Alexander Scriabin, and many others.

These first-hand accounts lead us into the fascinating world of Madame Blavatsky’s soirées, sites of the astounding phenomena that made her a cause célèbre. Famous as magnets for freethinking intellectuals, these gatherings were a forum for her unconventional ideas that anticipated the spiritual and ecological movements of today. But the depth of this enigmatic Sphinx – as related here by family, friends, and even enemies – transcends the fads of time.

From Chapter 1 – ‘Russia 1831 – 1849’ (p. 1):

” Helena was an exceptional child, who at an early age was aware of being different from those around her. Her possession of certain  psychic powers puzzled her family and friends. At once impatient of all authority, yet deeply sensitive, she was gifted in many ways. A clever linguist, a talented pianist, and a fine artist, she was yet a fearless rider of half-broken horses, and always in close touch with nature. At a very early age she sensed that she was in some way dedicated to a life of service and was aware of a special guidance and protection. “

By Edward Tick, Ph.D.

291 Pages | First Quest Edition 2001 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 9780835607995.

A Sacred Journey to bring Soul back into Treatment.

Asklepios was the gentle Greek God of healing. Like Christ, he was said to have walked the earth performing miracle cures. His medicine was practiced by priests known as therapeutes (the first therapists) who interpreted patients’ dreams, in which the God gave advice. The results, as well-documented in literature and thousands of ancient testimonies, reveal the root of modern medical science and psychotherapy.

In this classic work, psychotherapist and Greek scholar Dr. Edward Tick explores the God as an archetype of the divine physician symbolizing the Self. What he discovers restores the foundation for a truly holistic medicine. First, he transports us through myth and history on an imaginal pilgrimage based on his journeys with patients to ancient Greek healing sites, where they recreate the dream incubation ceremonies once held in Asklepian temples. Then, from case-studies he crafts practical methods that today’s healing professionals and lay readers can use anywhere, with or without the help of specialists. His radical model shows how consulting rooms, hospitals, and any place of rest can become sanctuaries for the recovery of the whole person.

Homeric Hymn to Asklepios:

” Doctor of our ailing, Asklepios, I begin your praise,

Son of Apollo, awakened through Mother Koronis

Of the Dotion Plains, daughter of King Flegion,

Great to humanity, soother of cruel suffering.

 . . . Και συ ουτω χαιρε, αναξ. Λιτομαι δε σ’αοιδη.

 . . . And thus are you welcomed, Master. By this song I beseech you. “

By Joseph S. Willis.

135 Pages | First Quest Edition 2001 | Softcover | Quest Books, U.S.A. | ISBN: 0835608050.

‘We know we don’t know‘ Willis sympathizes with the Greek philosopher Socrates, yet he adds: ‘we all (even atheists) must stand on assumptions that help us lead good lives‘. To explore these assumptions, he discusses different ways of thinking about God, involves both scientific and mythical views, deals with sources of good and evil, and argues for the need for freedom together with commitment. He assures us we can all think reasonably about Ultimate Reality and find a faith that fits and offers a reader-friendly guide helping questioners to maintain their integrity, whilst relating to the Ultimate Mystery beyond all understanding.

From the Introduction (p. 1):

” Everyone needs a faith, a commitment, that is congruent with her or his reason and knowledge, and it must be personal. There is no single way; ultimate truth is simply beyond human reach. But for yourself, for the sake of your own integrity, as a place upon which to stand as you make your life’s decisions, you must find a faith that makes real sense to you. It’s your life, your heart, and your mind.

This book is for people, who doubt the traditional answers, but who believe that the sheer accumulation of material things is not a satisfying way to live. It’s about faith and reason and truth from science, philosophy, and the religions of humankind. “