Book of Splendours, by Eliphas Levi

[@Scottx-LVX]

Another great review. I’d like to add that, interestingly, not only did Levi reconcile with the Church at the end of his life but SL MacGregor Mathers and his wife Moina, of the Golden Dawn, converted to Catholicism. Also, Chris Monastre, an initiate of Israel Regardie, reconciled with the Church at the very end.

[@Catholic-Perennialist]

@@Scottx-LVX Catholicism can be understood as a system of magic in its own right. It has a power that is not fully explained by orthodoxy. I've described it as the sum of all myth, and seeing that it's actually quite perilous to have a spiritual life apart from a spiritual tradition I have opted to stay. I think that's why Levi never could sever himself from the church entirely, and the Church has many other unlikely converts, not the least of which is the hermeticist, Valentin Thomberg. I did not know that about Mathers. I will have to look up his conversion story.

[@Scottx-LVX]

@@Catholic-Perennialist Absolutely, the sacraments themselves are a system of initiation.

[@Scottx-LVX]

@@Catholic-Perennialist Moina’s brother was the philosopher Henri Bergson whom the Mathers lived with towards the end of their lives. I’m sure it was a hefty factor among many others that pointed them in that direction.

[@Scottx-LVX]

@@Catholic-Perennialist and one more thing, I hope you review Thomberg!

[@Catholic-Perennialist]

@@Scottx-LVX I had a big set-back with Thomberg when I had my last surgery, but I'm plugging away at it again now. Can't say when I'll review it; I'm working on three different tomes ar once. But I will review it when I finish.