Francis King

Tantra has been defined as a "mystical philosophy" and as an unorthodox branch of Buddhism, Hindism, and Jainism. It has also been described as an occult technique concerned primarily with polarity and sexual practices. Although each of these definitions contains an element of truth, none of them is complete. While Tantra has mystical, philosophical, and religious aspects, it is, above all, a technique of "action"--a path of physical, mental, and spiritual disciplines incorporating meditation, yoga, and sacramental worship. Its sole purpose is the transformation or spiritual rebirth of the individual into a new existence and an enlightened state of consciousness. In "Tantra: The Way of Action," Francis King provides a complete theoretical and practical guide to the Tantric path of liberation. Topics covered include esoteric physiology, Qabalism, pleasure and pain, power and passivity, right-hand and left-hand Tantra, and the arousal of the Kundalini serpent power. Following the spirit rather than the letter of the tradition, King maintains that Tantric techniques are universal processes. As such, they transcend the limitations of specific faith or dogma and are adaptable to Western culture and lifestyle.

A complete beginner's guide to understanding and harnessing the mysterious forces of nature. - Provides tools for self-initiation into the ancient and secret traditions of ceremonial magic. - Explains various divination systems and how to perform ancient rituals that open the doorway to secret and arcane knowledge. True magic can be defined as the art and science of using little-known or forgotten natural forces in order to achieve changes in consciousness and the physical environment. It concerns a wide body of doctrines and techniques, including the conjuring of spirits and non-human entities; the manufacture and consecration of wands, swords, talismans, and other tools of the magus; ritual divination; and the exploration of universes other than that with which we are familiar. The masters who taught others these ancient arts are gone, but Techniques of High Magic provides the practical and lucid instruction necessary for self-initiation into these secret traditions. Emphasizing the ordered nature of the universe and the power of will directed by imagination, Francis King and Stephen Skinner introduce the reader to magical practices, rituals, and instruments that have been used for centuries. They explain systems of divination such as the I Ching, the Tarot, and geomancy, as well as techniques of astral projection and elementary alchemy. Their disciplined approach to magical practice includes easy formulas and diagrams that will help the initiate navigate an ancient and potent universe of gods, angels, and spirits--the world of High Magic.

The secret writings of this mystical order reveal the keys to astral projection, clairvoyance, and other magical practices. The present-day revival of the practice of magic owes much to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the fin de siecle secret society that rediscovered many occult traditions dating back to antiquity. Prominent adepts of the Golden Dawn, whose members included W. B. Yeats and Aleister Crowley, preserved these traditions in manuscripts to be circulated among initiates of the Order. These documents, known as the Flying Rolls, reveal secrets of astral projection, clairvoyance, exorcism, alchemy, and other magical practices and occult philosophy. Many of the Flying Rolls escaped print and remained secret for some time, only slowly being tracked down over the years. Here, Francis King presents all the previously unpublished Flying Rolls. Renowned occultist Francis King includes previously unpublished secret writings of the Golden Dawn in this important collection. These are essential texts for practitioners of magical techniques, and of great interest to any student of Western occultism.

The story of an enigmatic 18th-century sorcerer whose work still influences occultists. This biography of Francis Barrett also describes his pioneering experiments in balloon flight and discusses his teachers and peers, and the subsequent progress of his disciples.

While Tantra has mystical, philosophical, and religious aspects it is, above all, a technique of action -- a system of physical, mental, and spiritual discipline incorporating meditation, yoga, and sacramental worship in the widest sense of the phrase. Tantra for Westerners is a complete theoretical and practical guide to the Way of Action, covering concepts of pleasure and pain, power and passivity, esoteric physiology, Tantra and Qabalism, right-hand and left-hand Tantra, tantric rituals for westerners, and the arousal of kundalini -- the serpent power.