Research Aids
This page contains annotaded bibliographies of books and journals, databases and indexes concerning the world's Ancient Wisdom Traditions.
This page contains annotaded bibliographies of books and journals, databases and indexes concerning the world's Ancient Wisdom Traditions.
The world's Ancient Wisdom Traditions are divided into Eastern and Western Traditions which further find their expressions in specialized currents of thought. This page presents annotated bibliographies of source and secondary works on each current, and includes a listing of journals and indexes to the most important ones.
From the standpoint of science, alchemy is considered a primitive form of chemistry. Tthere is also a tradition of spiritual alchemy, where the appearantly opaque writings are actually extended metaphoric discourses concerning one's transformation from baseness to spirituality: the turning of lead into gold.
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Ashmole, Elias. Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum. London, 1652. Modern reprints are available. A collection of extant alchemical works at that period.
Bacstrom, Sigismond. Bacstrom's Alchemical Anthology. London: John M. Watkins, 1960. 152 pp. Edited and with an introduction by J.W. Hamilton Jones.
Eirenaeus Philalethes et al. Collectanea Chemica Being Certain Select Treatises on Alchemy and Hermetic Medicine by Eirenaeus Philalethes, Dr. Francis Anthony, George Starkey, Sir George Ripley, and a work by an Anonymous Unknown Which is Attributed to Edward Kelley Edmonds , WA: Holmes Publishing Group. 160 pp. ISBN # 1-55818-149-0
Roos, Alexander. The Hermetic Museum: Alchemy & Mysticism. Koln: Benedikt Taschen Verlag GmbH, 1996. 7711 pp. Index. A collection of Hermetic works of art taken from alchemical manuscripts and other works published through the centuries.
Salaman, Clement, et. al. The Way of Hermes New Translations of The Corpus Hermeticum and The Definitions of Hermes Trismegistus to Asclepius.Rochester, Vermont: Inner Traditions, 2000. 124 pp. Includes a Bibliography.
Trismosin, Salomon. Splendor Solis. Grand Rapids: Phanes Press, 1991. Translated by Joscelyn Godwin with an introduction and commentary by Adam McLean.
Vaughn, Thomas. The Works of Thomas Vaughn Mystic and Alchemist (Eugenius Philalethes)Arthur Edward Wait, Editor. New Hyde Park: University Books, 1968. 498 + [12] pp.
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Burckhardt, Titus. Alchemy: Science of the Cosmos, Science of the Soul. London: Vincent Stuart $ Jon M. Watkins Ltd., 1967. A classic work advocating alchemy as a spiritual tradition.
Ebeling, Florian. The Secret History of Hermes Trismegistus Hermeticism from Ancient to Modern Times Ithaca: Cornell University Press. xiii+158 pp.
Faivre, Antoine. The Eternal Hermes From Greek God to Alchemical Magus. Grand Rapids: Phanes Press, 1995. 210 pp. index. illistrated. Translated from the French by Joscelyn Godwin. Six essays concerning Hermes-Mercurius, the god of Greek and Roman Mythology, and Hermes Trismegistus of the Alchemical tradition. These essays were previously published in French. They have been revised and reintroduced here as an anthology.
Redgrove, H. Stanley. Alchemy Ancient and Modern: Being a brief account of the alchemistic doctrines, and their relations, to mysticism on the one hand, and to recent discoveries in physical science and the other hand; together with some particulars regarding the lives and teachings of the most noted alchemists. London: William Rider & Son, Ltd., 1922. A classic.
Thompson, Charles J. Alchemy Source of Chemistry and Medicine. New York: Sentry Press, 1897. Reprint: 1974. xv + 335 pp. ISBN 0-8140582-5
Waite, Arthur Edward. Alchemists Through the Ages. Blauvalt: Rudolf Steiner Publications, 1970. Biographical sketches of famous alchemists.
Journals
Ambix The Journal of the Society for the History of Alchemy and Chemistry.Cambridge: (currently by) Maney Publishing. 5/1937 - present. Currently three issues/year.
On Line Resources
The Alchemy Website. Created by Adam McLean, author and publisher of over eighty books on the subject. An important resource for access to resources and mss.
Ambix The Journal of the Society for the History of Alchemy and Chemistry. Online access to all the articles published in the past issues: http://www.maneyonline.com/loi/amb
Where the Western Esoteric Tradition was born. Recent archeology and a resurgence of interest in the great city of learning where once stood the world's most famous library has brought about quite a few new studies on the subject.
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Empereur, Jean-Yves. Alexandria Rediscovered. New York: George Brazilier, 1998. An archeological study of Alexandria through the centuries. Much material on artifacts recently found in the harbour. Richly illustrated with over 200 color plates.
Engleman, Helmut. The Delian Aretalology of Sarapis. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1975. Translation and commentary regarding an inscription written about 280-200 B.C.E., on the Greek island of Delos in conjunction with the founding of a temple on that island for the god Serapis. The cult of Serapis, patron god of ancient Alexandria, became widespread throughout the Greek and Roman empires.
Fraser, P.M. Ptomemaic Alexandria. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1972. Three volumes with maps. The most comprehensive work on Alexdria during the Ptolemaic period. Fraser covers the topography of the ancient city, its politics, commerce, population, religions, the mouseion, its libraries, sciences, philosophies, and literature.
MacLeod, Roy, Ed. The Library of Alexandria Center of Learning in the Ancient World. A collection of nine scholarly essays on the library.
Thompson, D. Ptolemaios and the ‘Lighthouse’: Greek culture in the Memphite Serapeum. Proceedings of the Cambridge Philological Society No. 213 (New Series No. 33). 1987. [17 pp]. 14 ½ x 20 cm.
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Canfora, Luciano. The Vanished Library. An account of the history of the great library of Alexandria. The text is quite engaging,though the author's interpretations have been challenged.
Forster, E.M. Alexandria: A History and a Guide. Garden City: Doubleday, 1961. First published in 1922. This edition is a reprint but with a new introduction by the author. A classical early study of the city from ancient sources and archeology at the time.
Parsons, Edward Alexander. The Alexandrian Library Glory of the Hellenic World. New York: The Elsevier Press, 1952. A classic which still remains the most comprehensive work dedicated to the great library.
Steen, Gareth L., Ed. Alexandria the Site & the History. New York: New York University Press, 1993. A collection of essays on the history of Alexandria through the centuries. Richly illustrated with color plates.
Sometimes called Christian New Thought and Mental healing. The Psychologist, William James called it the Mind Cure Movement. The movement originally derived from the work of Phineas Quimby (1802-1866) who learned to bring about seemingly meraculous cures by simply convincing his clients that the illness is an illusion of the mind. Mary Baker Eddy, an early student of Quimby, claimed the ideas to be her own and subsequently organized the Church of Christian Science. Other New Though leaders influenced by Quimby's ideas inclue, among others, Thomas Troward, Christian Larson, Elizabeth Towne, and Emma Curtis Hopkins.
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Dresser, Horatio W. A History of the New Thought MovementNew York:Thomas Y. Crowell, 1919. Most comprehensive history of the New Thought Movement at the time. Credits Quimby as the pioneer of the philosophy. Includes accounts of the various pioneers and imatators, their organizations and schisms.
Source Works On
[Quimby, Phineas.] Phineas Parkhurst Quimby The Complete Writings Marina del Rey: DeVorss & Compqany, 1988. Ervin Seale, ed. 3 vols.
Journals
Mind. John Emery McLean, Editor. Later joined by Charles Brodie Patterson. New Yotk: Alliance Publishing Company. Oct. 1897-?. An independent publication that tried to represent ..."all phases of the 'New Thought'" Thus it drew from the early Psychological, Theosophical, Spiritualist and New Thought Movements. Articles from early New Thought pioneers such as Ursula Gesterfeld.
A catch word for certain esoteric currents which had their beginnings in Ptolemaic Alexandria. Some of these currents include: Alchemy, Christian Kabbalah, Hermeticism, Neo-Platonism, Rosicrucianism and Theosophy.
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(The source works are listed under the specific currents.)
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Faivre, Antoine. Access to Western Esotericism. New York: State University of New York Press, 1994. A Methodological study which provides definitions for such terms as "gnosis," "Hermeticism," "occultism," and "theosophy."
McLean, Adam. The Alchemical Manadala: A Survey of the Mandala in Western Esoteric Traditions. Grand Rapids: Phanes Press, 1989.
Wolfson, Elliot R.. Ed. Rending the Veil Concealment and Secrecy in the History of Religions. New York: Seven Bridges Press, 1999. A collection of contemporty essays on the idea of concealment in esoteric writings. This is a serious, scholarly and penetrating work which explores this idea in both Western and Eastern religious traditions.
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Journals
Alexandria the Journal of the Western Cosmological Traditions. David R. Fidler, Ed. Grand Rapids: Phanes Press. Annual. 1:1991, 2:1993, 3:1995, 4:1997, 5:2000. A combination of notable reprints and original articles concerning Western Traditions.
Hermetic philosophy arose out of the blending together of Greek and Egyptian religion during the time of the Ptolemaic Dynasty in Egypt: about 320BCE until the Death of Cleopatra VIII in the first century. It continued its development through the Roman and Islamic periods and was very influential upon Greek and Islam Cultures. Sometimes it is called the Western Esoteric Tradition. The tradition reappeared in modern times through Marcilo Ficino of Florence, who translated some ancient texts known is the Corpus Hermeticum attributed to Hermes Trismegistus.
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Copenhaver, Brian P. Hermetica The Greek Corpus Hermeticum and the Latin Asclepius in a new English translation, with notes and introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992. Translation of the eighteen known books and the Aesclepius.
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Hustin, Serge. The History of Alchemy. New York: Tower Publications, 1962. 120 pp. English translation of L'Alchimie. 1951:Presses Universities de France.
Van Bladel, Kevin. The Arabic Hermes From Pagan Sage to Prophet of Science Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009. xii+278 pp. Index.
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Philo of Alexandria. The Works of PhiloComplete and Unabridged New Updated Version. C.D. Yonge, Tr. New Jersey: Hendrickson, 1997. An updated reprint of a classic which was first published as a two volume work in 1854-55.
Synesius of Cyrene. Letters; Essays and Hymns of Synesius. A. Fitzgerald,Tr. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1926 and 1930. Two volumes. Synesius of Cyrene (370?-415?) was a neo-Platonist and student of Hypatiaof Alexandria. He was also a friend of Theophilus, Patriarch of Alexandria, and later became Bishop of Ptolemais in Egypt.
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Dzielska, Maria. Hypatia of Alexandria. F. Lyra, Tr. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1995. ISBN 0-674-43775-6. A comprehensive work beginning with a survey of popular works on Hypatia, a survey of source works, and the author's conclusions of what we actually know and what is most probable about Hypatia's life, and how she came to be murdered, by whom, and why.
Storvanes, Lucas. Proclus Neo-Platonic Philosophy and Science. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1996.
A belief which has many names: Perennial Philosophy, Primordial Tradition, Traditionalism and Ancient Wisdom. Simply, Perennialism, under what ever name proposes that there is an ancient tradition of ideas which can be discovered in the world's religions, mythology and folklore.
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(The source works are listed under their traditions)
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Quinn, William W. The Only Tradition. New York: State University of New York Press, 1997. An examination of the principles of the perennial philosophy with a particular emphasis upon the writings of Rene Guenon and Ananda K. Coomeraswamy. Quinn sees the perennial philosophy as informing the world's great religious traditions. Probably the most comprehensive introductory work in print on perennialism.
Perennialist currents of thought are among the earliest influences in the development of the primative Christian movement. Primary was Platonism, Stocism and Epicurianism, all of which deeply influenced and shaped early Christian ethics and theology. Most important was the Catechetical School in Alexandria where sacred and secular studies were integrated into a multidisiplinary pursuit. Thus, in addition to theology, students also studied astronomy, mathematics, logic, fine arts, philosophy and literature. St. Jerome records that the school was founded by the Apostle Mark. Theolgicns who received their education here were known as Christian Platonists. The most notable leaders of this school include Clement of Alexandria (150-211) and Origen. Their broad and inclusive education sharply distinguishes them from the later Evangelical currents of Christianity which begin with the idea of scripture as revelation and then build an exclusive theological system around it.
Its main idea is the power of the mind to heal and find prosperity and happiness. It also has it own branches, including: Unity School of Christianity, Science.
Source Works
Barnstone, Willis and Marvin Meyer. The Gnostic Bible. Boston: Shambhalla, 2009.
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The most popular form of Hindu perennialism is to be found in the writings of Ananda Coormaraswamy, who was born in Hindu tradition yet deeply knowledable of the Western. His writings bridge Eastern and Western Though; Vedanta with Platonism.
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Derived from the Greek words, theos (god) and sophia (wisdom), signifying a spiritual wisdom which is derived through special knowledge of the secrets of nature and of the divine. Two movements most associated with the word theosophy are: 1) The German theosophical mysticism begun by Jacob Boehme which continued through the nineteenth century. 2) The nineteenth century, or Modern Theosophical Movement founded primarily by Helena Blavatsky, who was responsible for its earliest literature, and H.S. Olcott, who was primarily responsible for the organizational aspects of the Movement. These two movement are respectively listed as Christian Theosophy for the thought formed around Jacob Boemen's theosophical mysticism, and the Modern Theosophical Movement for H.P. Blavatsky's system of universal theosophy. Theosophy is also also commonly used as general notion applied to any mystical branching of a religion which seeks to commune with God, angels or spirits through certain spiritual disciplines. Therefore Jewish mysticism, or Kabbalah, is sometimes called Jewish theosophy. In the sense, Sufism is Islamic Theosophy.
Source Works
Blavatsky, Helena Petrovna. Isis Unveiled: A Master Key to the Mysteries of Ancient and Modern Science and Theology. New York: J.W. Bouton, 1877. 2 vols. xlv + 628 pp.; iv + 692 + 26 pp. The author's first book. The two volumes are divided into "Science" and "Theology." Also available online.
___. The Secret Doctrine: The Synthesis of Science, Religion, and Philosophy. London: The Theosophical Publishing Company, Limited, 1888. 2 vols.: xlvii + 676 pp.; xvi + 798 + xxx + [2] pp. Considered to be Blavatsky's Magnum Opus. Vol. 1: "Cosmogenesis."; Vol. 2: "Anthropogenesis."
Studies on
Christian Theosophy was a movement which began in the sixteenth century with the mystic, Jacob Boehme, but continued through the nineteenth century. Partly a reaction to the Protestant revolution, it seeks personal experience of God and the secrets of the universe through mysticism.
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Boehme, Jacob. The Key of Jacob Boehme with an illustration of the Deep Principles of Jacob Behmen by D.A. Frecher. Translated by William Law with an introduction by Adam McLean. Grand Rapids: Phanes Press, 1991. This is Jacob Boehme's own summary of his main ideas in his system. Freher's Illustrations of the Deep Principles of Jacob Boehme is thirteen diagrams which illustrate Boehme's ideas of the creation.
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The nineteenth century Theosophical Movement took a step beyond the Western Esoteric traditions by proposing an Eastern Esotericism and the notion that both the Eastern and Western Traditions are two main branches of a great tree and are joined together by a single universal Perennialism.
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Blavatsky, Helena Petrovna. Isis Unveiled: A Mester-Key to the Mysteries of Ancient and Modern Science and Theology. New York: J. W. Boulton, 1877. Two volumes. Blavatsky's first published book.
---. The Secret Doctrine: The Synthesis of Science, Religion, and Philosophy. London: The Theosophical Publishing Company, Ltd., 1888. Two volumes. Blavatsky's most important and most influential work. This may be the first work to advocate both an Eastern and Western perennialism.
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Journals
Theosophical History. A Quarterly Journal of Research. Leslie Price, founding editor. James S. Santucci, Ed. Since 1985. A peer reviewed historical journal dedicated to theosophy in its general term, including Jacob Boehme, Emmanual Swedenborg, to H.P. Blavatsky. Most notable are its original articles on the nineteenth century Theosophical movement.
Theosophical Journal Index: The most comprehensive online index files for Theosophical journals is the Campbell Theosophical Research Library:
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