Drawing Down the Life of Heaven - An Introduction to Renaissance Magic: Institute for Hermetic Studies Monograph Series - Paperback

by Alfred DeStefano III (Editor), Mark Stavish (Author)

The Renaissance was the high point of the Hermetic arts and sciences with astrology, alchemy, and qabala being the cornerstones of cultural, scientific, and philosophical development. From the palaces of princes to the chambers of Popes, magic was practiced in secret and in the open. Through the power of the imagination, in conjunction with the use of stones, herbs, talismans, and astrological timing it was thought that personal and collective ills could be healed, the rift between heaven and earth repaired, and that the Magi would reclaim their rightful place as mediator of the soul. In addition, the various schools of natural, demonic, and angelic magic of the Renaissance are the basis for many modern practices, as well as the precursors of contemporary alternative and holistic therapies that seek the "re-enchantment" of the world. This monograph is a thorough and complete overview this critical period in European magical and cultural development.

Author Biography

Mark Stavish (Pennsylvania) is a respected authority in the study and practice of Western spiritual traditions. He is the author of several books, including The Path of Alchemy, Kabbalah for Health and Wellness, and Between the Gates - Lucid Dreaming, Astral Projection and the Body of Light in Western Esotericism and has been translated into over nine languages worldwide. He is the founder and Director of Studies at the Institute for Hermetic Studies (Wyoming, Pennsylvania) and the Louis Claude de St. Martin Fund. Alfred DeStefano III (Tulsa, OK) teaches mathematics at the university level. In addition to being a "Renaissance Man" of many varied and unique talents, he has assisted in the production of numerous esoteric publications.