There's a new book out this month that I would recommend for anyone wanting a thorough overview of current esoteric practises. It is called The Inner Light: Self-Realization via the Western Esoteric Tradition.
Publisher Axis Mundi Books says that The Inner Light is aimed at spiritual seekers who have tried Eastern approaches and may be interested in discovering the Western inner work, and the Western esoteric community who may be seeking a system that uses Western esoteric teachings, but also adds a strong understanding of modern psychology into the mix.
It is a very big book - around 600 pages - but then it needs to be because it covers a huge range of topics. These include spiritual alchemy, the Kabbalah, Tantra, psychology, philosophy, Transcendentalism and the New Age. It is divided into three sections: history and theory, practice and lore - offering an introduction to each subject followed by ways of using the techniques and a look at source material.
Author P.T. Mistlberger is a transpersonal therapist and so is influenced by Jungian psychology and spirituality, but is also extremely knowledgeable about the entire range of esoteric practices he has written about in The Inner Light. His writing style is easy to understand he manages to get across complex subjects in a clear and readable fashion.
Axis Mundi Books says on its website: "The Inner Light: Self-Realization via the Western Esoteric Tradition, provides a comprehensive manual in both theory and practice to enable either the newcomer to spiritual work, or the more seasoned traveler of the path, to advance in their inner development and outer success in life."
I would say that the strongest parts of the book are those covering spiritual psychology and meditation, areas in which it comes across that he has considerable personal experience. His covering of witchcraft, on the other hand, seems to derive more from academic study but is still very interesting. This is a book that I have most certainly learned a lot from reading and will probably dip into again many times.
Links
The Inner Light: Self-Realization via the Western Esoteric Tradition
axismundi-books.com
http://www.axismundi-books.com/books/inner-light
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