Bücher von Gary Edson

Investigates the ways in which thought and belief have inspired collective human endeavours and traditions. The text brings the act of thinking into clear focus, outlining its effect on civic development while exploring the history of cultural epistemology.

An in-depth look into the foundations of mysticism and alchemy, this book describes both physical and spiritual aspects of the various theories and practices of transformation, with attention to the beliefs of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Sufism, Tantrism, Taoism and Yoga. The connection between early mystical pursuits and the development of alchemy from ancient China, India, and Egypt through Moorish Spain and into Latin Europe are illuminated, along with the activities of early alchemists. The book, which is heavily illustrated, describes the beliefs, experiments, and secret messages that drew the believers and dreamers of the world together in search of wealth and immortality.

For at least 20,000 years, masking has been a mark of cultural evolution and an indication of magical-religious sophistication in society. Placing the mask in the broader context of the evolution of humanity, this book argues that the mask itself should not be assessed in the service of any single function.