The Hermetic Tradition: Symbols and Teachings of the Royal Art - Paperback

by Julius Evola (Author)

This important survey of alchemical symbols and doctrines sets forth the mysterious worldview and teachings of the practitioners of the "royal art." One of the leading exponents of the Hermetic tradition, Julius Evola demonstrates the singularity of subject matter that lies behind the words of all adepts in all ages, showing how alchemy--often misunderstood as primitive chemistry or a mere template for the Jungian process of "individuation"--is nothing less than a universal secret science of human and natural transformation.
First published in 1931 in Italian. This is the first English translation.

Draws from a host of sources in the Western esoteric tradition--works on theurgy, magic, and gnosticism from neoplatonic, Arab, and medieval sources.

Author Biography

Baron Julius Evola (1898 - 1974), born into an aristocratic Sicilian family, was a scholar, philosopher, writer, social thinker, a leader among 20th century Hermeticists, and a leading authority on Tantra and occultism. He is the author of Eros and the Mysteries of Love, The Doctrine of Awakening, Meditations on the Peaks, The Mystery of the Grail, Revolt Against the Modern World and The Yoga of Power.