Intentional Chocolate

A couple of weeks ago, I was sent a link to Intentional Chocolate. They're basically about high-end chocolate, which in my opinion is the only kind worth buying, but there's a twist. Their recipes have an unorthodox ingredient: "conscious intention and love".

Those of you who have read some of the books I've recommended on this blog will know that this type of recipe is not new. It's possibly thousands of years old, and has another name: alchemy. There. I've said it. Of course, they can't use the a-word on their site because the FDA will probably shut them down, but that's exactly what they're doing.

I haven't tried it yet, but I plan to buy some as soon as Venus goes back direct*, which should happen around the 17th. I'll let you know.

*An astrology book I just bought says that luxury purchases should be avoided when Venus is retrograde. More on that (and the book) later.

Book Review: Pregnant Darkness

Pregnant Darkness: Alchemy and the Rebirth of Consciousness by Monika Wikman is an excellent introduction to Jungian psychology and the use of alchemy for personal transformation. My guess is that "pregnant darkness" refers to the subconscious mind and the wealth of treasures there if you know how to look for them. Dreams are prominent in the book as indicators of progress and what needs to be worked on.

Alchemy is the art and science of transformation. In the case of this book, what is being transformed is yourself. The important concepts in alchemy, for example, the philosophers' stone and the first matter, are explained in relation to psychology. Mythology is used to help explain the concepts. The story of King Midas, for example, is given as an illustration of what happens when you refuse to admit when you're being a jackass. That points to what seems to be a prevailing theme of the book: don't be afraid to get your hands dirty and own up to your shadow self. And that makes sense. After all, isn't admitting there's a problem the first step of recovery?

This book is not for newbies, but should prove very helpful with some background knowledge.

Book Review: Alchemy & Mysticism

The Hermetic Museum: Alchemy & Mysticism by Alexander Roob is an art book published by Taschen that happens to be a good introduction to hermeticism. You won't be an expert after reading this book (or looking at the pictures), but you will have been exposed to all of the basic concepts. You'll also see many of the pictures as illustrations in other books. As you would expect from the title, much of the book is devoted to alchemy. However, astrology and qabalah are also covered. Each picture is accompanied by a blurb explaining the symbolism, and some quotes are also included.

Alchemy, simply put, is the art and science of transformation. It's not just about turning lead into gold; it's also about turning yourself into gold. As I mentioned in prior posts, symbols can be very helpful because they operate on many levels at once. With that in mind, I recommend this book to everyone on the hermetic path, even if you don't actually read any of it.

Book Review: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Alchemy

I always get a chuckle when I see certain "Complete Idiot" books. A complete idiot is expected to be able to learn calculus and quantum physics. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Alchemy by Dennis William Hauck is different. In the introduction, the author says that he wants you to be a "complete idiot" so that you will come to the book without preconceptions. This is important because alchemy is probably not what you think it is. (If alchemy is what you think it is, you don't need this book, or any other book that I've reviewed so far.)

So what is alchemy? Simply put, it's the art and/or science of transformation. While most people think of it as trying to turn lead into gold, it can also be applied toward turning yourself into gold, metaphorically of course. It's really about taking undesirable things and changing them into something better.

You would expect any "complete idiot" or "dummies" book to provide an accessible introduction to the subject, and this book delivers. All of the basics are covered, including the Emerald Tablet and the First Matter. Instructions on making herbal extracts and on personal transformation are also included.

If you've chosen the hermetic path or are interested in alchemy, this book is a good starting point.

Secret History of the World Part 1

In a prior post, I hinted that there were two versions of science, one for the masses, and one for those in the know. Could the same be true of history? Mark Booth, author of The Secret History of the World as Laid Down by the Secret Societies seems to think so. Mr. Booth tells us in the introduction how he befriended someone who happened to be a member of a secret society. His friend gave him many of the concepts set forth in the book. Mr. Booth apparently also had the opportunity for initiation in the secret society, but the secrecy oath was a sticking point.

The first thing you will probably notice about the book is how many eminent scientists, philosophers and writers were involved. I already mentioned Newton, but Dante, Cervantes, Francis Bacon, Dostoevsky, Freud and Jung are also mentioned. But I don't want you to think that this is just about history. The important thing about this book is that it provides an excellent introduction to occult philosophy.

Book Review: The Gnostic Faustus

Continuing on the theme that some literary works aren't what they appear to be on the surface, let's talk about the Faust story. The official story is of a professor in Germany who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for whatever he wants while he is alive; when he dies, he will serve the devil in hell. Since Faust's life basically sucks at this point, he accepts the offer. Now, remembering that saying certain things could get you killed in nasty ways until relatively recently, lets look at The Gnostic Faustus by Ramona Fradon. This book examines the Faust story, pointing out its similarities to certain Gnostic works, including the Pistis Sophia and the Apocryphon of John, as well as alchemy and tantra.

I don't want to steal any thunder from the book, so I'll keep this short. Read the book, then read your favorite version of the Faust story again. I guarantee that you'll see it in a different light.

Book Review: Let's Talk Flying Saucers

What would you say if I told you the following:

• Gravity is a side effect of large masses of matter cooling off in space.


• White light is not made up of the seven colors (red, orange, yellow, etc.), and the wavelengths and energy levels of those colors are not in that order.


• The stars are not as far away as currently believed.

I'll stop now, because I'm sure you get the point, and apologies to Mr. Bros, as I'm sure I got at least one of these wrong. So, would you call me a crackpot? A troll? A plagiarist? If you picked the last answer, you must be familiar with Let's Talk Flying Saucers by Peter Bros. Mr. Bros comes off as an angry crackpot, but there are some interesting theories in his book, and on his website The Real Skeptic. He also raises an important point: scientists spend too much time on questions that can't be resolved and wouldn't help us much even if they were answered: for example, theories about the origin of the universe and string theory. Instead more attention should be given to questions like how does gravity work and can it be altered or even nullified?

Now for you recovering materialists out there, Mr. Bros talks in his book about how Newton used his reputation as an alchemist to get a position as Master of the Mint. I don't know how much Mr. Bros knows about alchemy. From what I've read of it, any transformation of lead into gold must be preceded by a just as drastic transformation on the part of the person performing the operation. This doesn't exactly square with the model of the universe as deterministic billiard balls that is commonly associated with "Newtonian" physics. For one thing, it shouldn't even be possible. And to have it depend on a change in the mind, spirit, soul or whatever of the person performing the operation goes against all science as we know it. I don't know about Mr. Bros, but I for one smell a rat.

So here's something to look into: since the scientist whose public model of the universe carried the day (at least until Einstein and the quantum physicists) must have had secret beliefs that contradicted that model, is it possible that he had a private model?

Go See a Kid's Movie for Christmas

I went to see Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium last month. As you may expect, my wife and I were the only people there who didn't bring any children. This is unfortunate because, despite being themed as the standard kid's movie with a bunch of magical stuff that never happens in real life, the movie is really about self-transformation, something all of us need. In the course of the movie, all four of the major characters undergo a major transformation or personality change. Also, the title character is probably an alchemist, although alchemy isn't mentioned directly.

Anyway, go see the movie. Magic isn't just for kids.