Moral Philosophy

Recapture the Enchantment of the Original TarotSince its birth during the Renaissance, the tarot has become a popular tool for divination as well as a source of pleasure and mystery. In The Secret Tarot, Jane Lyle and Helen Jones have woven together images inspired by the traditional tarot to create an enchanting deck that allows you to draw on your own intuition when you read the cards. This beautiful package contains everything you will need, including 192-page illustrated handbook that will teach you everything you need to know to start reading the cards immediately, including descriptions of the major and minor arcana as well as sample layoutscomplete tarot deck of 78 richly illustrated full-color cards with specially commissioned art that is inspired by traditional Renaissance and medieval imagery In The Secret Tarot you will find a visual treasure house of knowledge and philosophy with which you can rediscover ancient wisdom and learn to interpret it for yourself.

The just-discovered story of how two enigmatic circus performers and the cultural ferment of the Gilded Age sparked the Black Muslim movement in America Delving into new archives and uncovering fascinating biographical narratives, secret rituals, and hidden identities, historian Jacob Dorman explains why thousands of Americans were enthralled by the Islamic Orient, and why some came to see Islam as a global antiracist movement uniquely suited to people of African descent in an era of European imperialism, Jim Crow segregation, and officially sanctioned racism. The Princess and the Prophet tells the story of the Black Broadway performer who, among the world of Arabian acrobats and equestrians, Muslim fakirs, and Wild West shows, discovered in Islam a greater measure of freedom and dignity, and a rebuttal to the racism and parochialism of white America. Overturning the received wisdom that the prophet was born on the East Coast, Dorman has discovered that Noble Drew Ali was born Walter Brister in Kentucky. With the help of his wife, a former lion tamer and “Hindoo” magician herself, Brister renamed himself Prophet Noble Drew Ali and founded the predecessor of the Nation of Islam, the Moorish Science Temple of America, in the 1920s. With an array of profitable businesses, the “Moors” built a nationwide following of thousands of dues-paying members, swung Chicago elections, and embedded themselves in Chicago’s dominant Republican political machine at the height of Prohibition racketeering, only to see their sect descend into infighting in 1929 that likely claimed the prophet’s life. This fascinating untold story reveals that cultures grow as much from imagination as inheritance, and that breaking down the artificial silos around various racial and religious cultures helps to understand not only America’s hidden past but also its polycultural present.

Helena Blavatsky's 'The Secrets of Spirituality & Occult' is a groundbreaking exploration into the mystical world of spirituality and occult practices. Blavatsky delves deep into esoteric traditions, providing readers with a comprehensive understanding of the hidden knowledge that has been passed down through the ages. Through her intricate prose and detailed research, Blavatsky unveils the secrets of the spiritual realm, offering profound insights into the nature of reality and consciousness. Her literary style is both captivating and profound, making this book a must-read for anyone interested in the metaphysical realm. Helena Blavatsky, a prominent Theosophist and occultist, was deeply immersed in the study of ancient wisdom and esoteric teachings. Her dedication to uncovering the truths of the universe led her to write this seminal work, blending scholarship with personal insights to create a truly enlightening read. Blavatsky's passion for spiritual exploration shines through in 'The Secrets of Spirituality & Occult', making her a respected figure in the field of mysticism. I highly recommend 'The Secrets of Spirituality & Occult' to all seekers of truth and spiritual knowledge. Blavatsky's profound wisdom and in-depth analysis make this book a valuable resource for those looking to expand their understanding of the hidden dimensions of existence.

"Perhaps Hermeticism has fascinated so many people precisely because it has made it possible to produce many analogies and relationships to various traditions: to Platonism in its many varieties, to Stoicism, to Gnostic ideas, and even to certain Aristotelian doctrines. The Gnostic, the esoteric, the Platonist, or the deist has each been able to find something familiar in the writings. One just had to have a penchant for remote antiquity, for the idea of a Golden Age, in order for Hermeticism, with its aura of an ancient Egyptian revelation, to have enjoyed such outstanding success."—from the Introduction Hermes Trismegistus, "thrice-great Hermes," emerged from the amalgamation of the wisdom gods Hermes and Thoth and is one of the most enigmatic figures of intellectual history. Since antiquity, the legendary "wise Egyptian" has been considered the creator of several mystical and magical writings on such topics as alchemy, astrology, medicine, and the transcendence of God. Philosophers of the Renaissance celebrated Hermes Trismegistus as the founder of philosophy, Freemasons called him their forefather, and Enlightenment thinkers championed religious tolerance in his name. To this day, Hermes Trismegistus is one of the central figures of the occult—his name is synonymous with the esoteric. In this scholarly yet accessible introduction to the history of Hermeticism and its mythical founder, Florian Ebeling provides a concise overview of the Corpus Hermeticum and other writings attributed to Hermes. He traces the impact of Christian and Muslim versions of the figure in medieval Europe, the power of Hermeticism and Paracelsian belief in Renaissance thought, the relationship to Pietism and to Freemasonry in early modern Europe, and the relationship to esotericism and semiotics in the modern world.

This book explores the supernatural and prophetic elements within Shakespeare's ten plays of English history: King John, Richard II, Henry IV (Parts One and Two), Henry V, Henry VI (Parts One, Two and Three), Richard III, and Henry VIII. Treating each as a form of nonfiction, it analyzes these plays and their prophecies through the lens of free will or fate, demonstrating how Shakespeare's characters are entangled with cosmic forces and the occult. The author makes several intriguing discoveries regarding Shakespeare's plays, beliefs, and the world he lived in.

Progress in Science and Its Social Conditions focuses on the drive to institute a sound development of science relative to technological innovations. Discussed in the book are the contributions of authors who have conducted research on the advancement of science in different environments. The contributions include literature that focus on tracing the history of science and how it has advanced in different countries. The book also elaborates on the emergence of various movements in scientific progress, including scientism, anti-scientism, elitism, and charlatanism. The conditions in the advance of science is then given attention. The book also highlights the role of higher education in research and development, and at the same time, puts emphasis on the recruitment of scientists in less developed countries. The processes and related factors of the advancement of technological innovation in various industrial settings are discussed. This is conducted by tracking how one company was able to upgrade the products it offers. The advancement of technology is identified as it is established that the company has continuously upgraded its products through the years. The contributions in this book can best serve the interest of those in the field of science, particularly those who are conducting research on its progress and utilization.

Western esotericism has been a pervasive presence in Western culture from late antiquity to the present day, but until recently it was largely ignored by scholars and surrounded by misconceptions and prejudice. This accessible guide provides readers with the basic knowledge and tools that will allow them to find their way in this bewildering but fascinating field. What is it that unites phenomena as diverse as ancient gnosticism and hermetism, the "occult sciences" of astrology, alchemy, and magic, rosicrucianism, as well as Christian theosophy, occultism, spiritualism, and the contemporary New Age spiritualities? What can the study of them teach us about our common cultural and intellectual heritage, and what is it that makes them relevant to contemporary concerns? How do we distinguish reliable historical knowledge from legends and fictions about esoteric traditions? These and many other questions are answered clearly and succinctly, so that the reader can find his way into the labyrinth of Western esotericism and out of it again.

A broadly interdisciplinary study of the pervasive secrecy in America cultural, political, and religious discourse. The occult has traditionally been understood as the study of secrets of the practice of mysticism or magic. This book broadens our understanding of the occult by treating it as a rhetorical phenomenon tied to language and symbols and more central to American culture than is commonly assumed. Joshua Gunn approaches the occult as an idiom, examining the ways in which acts of textual criticism and interpretation are occultic in nature, as evident in practices as diverse as academic scholarship, Freemasonry, and television production. Gunn probes, for instance, the ways in which jargon employed by various social and professional groups creates barriers and fosters secrecy. From the theory wars of cultural studies to the Satanic Panic that swept the national mass media in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Gunn shows how the paradox of a hidden, buried, or secret meaning that cannot be expressed in language appears time and time again in Western culture. These recurrent patterns, Gunn argues, arise from a generalized, popular anxiety about language and its limitations. Ultimately, Modern Occult Rhetoric demonstrates the indissoluble relationship between language, secrecy, and publicity, and the centrality of suspicion in our daily lives.