Arabic & Persian Occultism - the Great Sun of Gnosis

[Picatrix]

Hi, l just wanted to mention that you can download PDF eBooks of the Picatrix (Ghayat al-Hakim), Shams al-Ma'arif, Asrar-i Qasimi, Rasa'il Ikhwan as-Safa, etc. at http://www.antiochgate.com . There is a selection of free texts that you can download too, and the free texts are of no trifling importance! The other texts are quite cheaply priced.

Many people dismiss the Arabic and Persian cultures after the advent of Islam as being purely derived from Hellenistic, Babylonian and Indian sources. That is not true - much of the occult tradition was actually derived from the new religion, and also, the Arabs and Persians rapidly began to innovate in all fields of science. It would not be practical to elaborate further, as it would require bookshelves to accommodate all the information on the golden age.

Please note: to save download time and money (the individual texts are quite cheap anyhow), it would be best to buy one of the CDROMs, which are only £15 each, and contain several texts.

[deviadah]

What else do you sell?

:eyebrow:

[Picatrix]

Hi,

I'm afraid that is just about it.

As an asides, l've got a mass of general occult eBooks, just about everything on the net until 2006. I cannot list it all, though, but l've got just about everything. I've never bothered sellling it though ...

One thing l am very rueful about not having is an eBook version of the book on Cathedrals, by that medieval scared geometricist, whose name l cannot recall. I've written the title down somewhere, to purchase in hard copy at a future date.

[Oblio]

Thanks for those links, although I have to agree with Devi that your approach is rather mercenary thus far...

I've got a copy of the Picatrix, it's interesting, although a little heavy on astrology and talismanic work for my liking. Running with your point about people dismissing Arabic and Persian culture as derivative, I haven't actually come across that mindset myself, more often it's just ignored :laugh: Really, it's not easy to distinguish pure lineages in any religious tradition. There has always been interactions between systems, and they've influenced each other immensely. Moreover, a lot of information has been lost, making proclamations of original knowledge or original truth more than a little suspect. Not to mention the cyclical nature of life, wherein the same thought forms have been cycling and reforming over millennia.

[Picatrix]

Hi, l did mention that l wanted to mention the website before l signed up to this forum, and my account was validated all the same - l don't want to break any rules !

[Picatrix]

Thanks for those links, although I have to agree with Devi that your approach is rather mercenary thus far...

I've got a copy of the Picatrix, it's interesting, although a little heavy on astrology and talismanic work for my liking. Running with your point about people dismissing Arabic and Persian culture as derivative, I haven't actually come across that mindset myself, more often it's just ignored :laugh: Really, it's not easy to distinguish pure lineages in any religious tradition. There has always been interactions between systems, and they've influenced each other immensely. Moreover, a lot of information has been lost, making proclamations of original knowledge or original truth more than a little suspect. Not to mention the cyclical nature of life, wherein the same thought forms have been cycling and reforming over millennia.

Oh by the way, l said that it was untrue to say the Arabic / Persian culture was purely derived from the earlier Hellenistic etc. cultures. Of course, knowledge is universal, it has no beginning and end. There was a lot of adaptation and revival of the older civilisations of antiquity.

But l've read remarks on some reputable websites to the effect that "the Arabs rediscovered ancient Greek and Roman culture, and then during the renaissance, they gave it back to Europe", which is kind of dismissive. :)

[Oblio]

I hear ya Picatrix - I got that you didn't agree with the derivation position, was just adding my thoughts on the matter :)


I wouldn't really say you're breaking any rules, but as this forum is for discussion, we'd love to hear what you have to say about Arabic magical traditions, rather than just a link to a place we can buy stuff.

I don't want to get off on the wrong foot with you, but there is also a tendency towards openness of information and sharing of resources, so you might find people a little off-put by your marketing of information... although, it's cool that there's free downloads as well!

Still, welcome to the forums, hopefully we'll have some profitable discussion :twub:

[Picatrix]

Wonderful!

Ok, l don't practise any system in particular, l'm just gathering information for future study.

As far as alchemy goes, l believe that matter is not all there is, and it's not the most solid thing there is (l can't explain it very well, but l've had experience of a more solid reality, wouldn't like to say any more at this point) and so it's probably mutable. There have been anecdotes of gold accidentally being formed from lead in nuclear reactors, and whether this is true or not, l really do believe in physical alchemy.

I've heard that there needs to be a particular astrological alignment for the transmutation, and also that maybe royal blood needs to be used, but l am not an advocate of regicide.

I've heard that even non-adept, non-religious, non-spiritual folk can perform miracles in times of famine (as has been known to happen in India) and also, l'm not sure about needing a laboratory set-up for any alchemical experiment - l've read about people just blowing on broken pieces of ceramic and it being transmuted into gold.

That's what l can say about alchemy.

As far as jinns are concerned, l'm sure they exist and l think l've seen them ...

[Oblio]

C'mon for once those unelected sponges might contribute to something useful :rofl:


Anyway, as you might have noticed there's a LOT here on alchemy, so I think you'll have fun looking around!

I've heard that there needs to be a particular astrological alignment for the transmutation

There's a great deal of information out there on the various correspondences for magical workings, the planets being just one of them. I personally don't think they're necessary, but whatever aids belief and raises gnosis is useful (and these things will change from person to person of course).

[m1thr0s]

Hi, l did mention that l wanted to mention the website before l signed up to this forum, and my account was validated all the same - l don't want to break any rules!right...and we were a little concerned about that but as a rule we allow members to promote their own sites with discretion. As for discussion though, we are all a lot more interested in your own original thoughts, opinions, ideas etc...

feel free to post a link to you site in your sig if you like. That way you'll get good coverage and can still post more freely...

welcome to AF...hope you enjoy your time here.

m1thr0s