Israel Regardie wrote The Philosopher's Stone in 1936-37
while he was confined to bed with a severe bout of bronchitis. During this
time he was determined to comprehend Mary Anne Atwood's Suggestive Inquiry into the Hermetic Mystery. Written in 1918,
Atwood's text documented the enormous impact that hermetic philosophy has had
on human spirituality. Her tome presented readers with alchemical treatises
such as The Golden Tractate of Hermes
and The Six Keys of Eudoxus—texts
infused with riddles and symbolic codes used to secretly communicate to fellow alchemists
the true purpose of the Hermetic Art and the Great Work. In studying this
enigmatic text, Regardie states "Suddenly, and to my utter amazement, the
whole enigma became crystal clear and alive." Over the course of the next
two weeks, Regardie wrote the bulk of The
Philosopher's Stone.
In
this text Regardie analyzes three important alchemical treatises, explaining
how the operations they describe are in reality psychoanalytical processes of
self-realization and spiritual attainment. He approaches the documents
symbolically, using the symbol systems of magic, psychology and Qabalah. A this point in his
development, Regardie was convinced that alchemy was a thinly veiled psycho-spiritual
process—the operations in laboratory alchemy that professed to work on metals,
minerals and plant matter were in reality focused solely at man's mind, soul,
and spirit. After working with acclaimed alchemist Frater Albertus in his later
life, Regardie changed his opinion about the validity and goals of laboratory
alchemy. Although Regardie mentions this in his Introduction to the Second
Edition, where he candidly admits his earlier mistake, he also explains how he
wished to leave his original conclusions in the book intact because he felt it
could still be of immense value to students. As a result The Philosopher's Stone remains a classic text and a masterpiece on
spiritual alchemy.
This
new edition of The Philosopher's Stone
contains Regardie’s masterpiece in its entirety, fully annotated. The second half
of the book contains new material from prominent authors and Golden Dawn
Magicians, including essays which further explore the connections between
alchemy (laboratory and spiritual),
psychology, and magic, as well as practical rituals written in accordance with
the Golden Dawn's Z2 Formula of the Magic of Light (Heh Final), dealing with
Alchemy. The text is rounded out with further resources, Including a glossary,
biographical dictionary, bibliography, and suggested reading list.
Coming soon from Llewellyn Publications
