The Hermetic Tradition: Symbols and Teachings of the Royal Art

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. Draws from a host of sources in the Western esoteric tradition—works on theurgy, magic, and gnosticism from neoplatonic, Arab, and medieval sources. First published in 1931 in Italian. This is the first English translation. CONTENTS:Foreword by H. T. Hansen Translator's Note Preface Part 1: The Symbols and Teachings Introduction to Part One: The Tree, the Serpent, and the Titans 1. The Plurality and Duality of Civilizations 2. Living Nature 3. The Hermetic Knowledge