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 4. "One the All" and the Dragon Ouroboros 5. The Hermetic Presence 6. Creation and Myth 7. "Woman," "Water," "Mercury," and "Poison" 8. The Separation: Sun and Moon 9. Frozen and Flowing Waters 10. Salt and the Cross 11. The Four Elements and Sulfur 12. Soul, Spirit, and Body 13. The "Four" in Man 14. The Planets 15. The Centers of Life 16. The Seven, the Operations, and the Mirror 17. Gold in the Art 18. Shadow, Ashes, and Remains 19. Philosophical Incest 20. The Tomb and Thirst 21. Saturn: Inverted Gold 22. The Field and the Seed 23. The Sword and the Rose 24. Stem, Virus, and IronPart 2: The Hermetic Royal Art Introduction to Part 2: The Reality of Palingenesis 25. The Separation 26. Death and the Black Work 27. The Trial of the Void 28. The Flight of the Dragon 29. The Dry Path and the Wet Path 30. Hermetic Asceticism 31. The Path of the Breath and the Path of the Blood 32. The Heart and the Light 33. Denudations and Eclipses 34. The Thirst for God and the Corrosive Waters 35. The Path of Venus and the Radical Path 36. The Hermetic Fires 37. The White Work: Rebirth 38. The Coniunctio in White 39. The Eternal Vigil 40. The Body of Light and Production of Silver 41. Birth into Life and Immortality 42. The Red Work: Return to Earth 43. The Alchemical Colors and Multiplication 44. The Planetary Hierarchy 45. Knowledge of the Red and the Triunity 46. Prophetic Knowledge 47. The Four Stages of Power 48. Metallic Transmutation 49. Correspondences, Times, and Rites 50. Silence and the Tradition 51. The Invisible Masters Index Julius Evola (1898-1974), was one of the leading authorities on the world's esoteric traditions, and has only recently become known to more than a handful of English-speaking readers. He was a controversial philosopher and critic of modern Western civilization, and wrote widely on Eastern religions, alchemy, hermeticism, sexuality, politics, ancient traditions, and mythology.