Truly amazing, yet obscure occult tome, Anyone heard of it, read it? Options

Most everyone knows all the classix like Bardon, Crowley, Levi, Regardie, etc.

But I've been studying one book in particular that is right up there, and yet I've never, in my experiene, heard anyone else ever mention it. And yet it deserves to be placed in the hall of the classics on the Occult.

It is Mouni Sadhu's "The Tarot", and I think it deserves a standing (IMG:style_emoticons/default/clapping.gif)

Not really much of a review.
Why is it so good? Why should I bother to go a track down a copy and read it? Come on, share with us what got you so excited about this book.

I have found this site which shows a selection of Sadhu's books and a little bit about him, that may help (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I have found this site which shows a selection of Sadhu's books and a little bit about him, that may help 

I am not able to see any link or site that you have found @ Radiant Star.

Ooops! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

Lets try again

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/wizard.gif)

http://www.mounisadhu.com/

Mouni Sadhu's writings do not seem to be original. It seems he has edited what he read from various sources.

Mouni Sadhu's writings do not seem to be original. It seems he has edited what he read from various sources.

Hello Durki / Blonde (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)

This post has been edited by mediocracy: Nov 14 2005, 10:18 AM

Well, Bamboo, I highly disagree with that opinion. Where did you get that info, and about which books? Have you even read The Tarot? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/butcher.gif)

Perhaps this is true of a few books, because I did try to read his Samadhi, and I was surprised because I thought it was terrible. But The Tarot is in a class of its own. Besides, IMHO it bears the unmistakable mark of coming from years of experience and practical work which "unoriginal" works "edited" from "various sources" could not hope to ever accomplish.

Each chapter is a tarot card, and rather than going into interpretations of the symbolism (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sleeping_.gif) , he reveals them as the occult tomes they are, in a way I have seen no other author accomplish, not even, dare I say it, Crowley, Matthers, Fortune, etc. But that's just my opinion. At the end of each chapter there is also some very useful practical work (nothing like Bardon, but still...)

He discusses things like the physical exteriorization of the astral body, exorcising the astral body of larvae and parasites, the illusory feats of fakirs and how to disspel them, and he also claims that the clues to creating astral votexes are within the book, but clues that can be read only by initiated minds. As well, he discusses a few of his own experiences when he feels he needs to elaborate.

All in all, this book should NOT be dismissed. If you don't like it, that's your opinion, but read it first and come from an informed point of view instead of just parroting things you've heard. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/00000047.gif)

Another thing, instead of disoursing on occult symbolism, as so many authors do, he really gets into the actual principles of the occult. His discussion on the Tetragrammaton at the very beginning, for instance, I found quite amazing. I would like to post a short excerpt here, but unfortunately, I've lent the book out.

I'm sorry, Bamboo, if I offended you, or got overly-defensive; didn't mean it like that. It's just I consider your statement ... wrong. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

The Tarot is a great book. Sadhu was in a hermetic lodge in Russia about 1900 or later and went through the grades and wrote it all down. He is not an original thinker, which to me means nothing. His book is incredibly detailed and covers all the major arcana in great detail. But don't look for Golden Dawn/Crowley imitations. The lodge he was in was totally unconnected with either of those and in another area of Europe. He eventually ditched hermeticism for straight yoga meditation, about which he wrote two books, Concentration-A Guide To Mental Mastery and Meditation. Of the two, Concentration is stunning in it's breadth and thoroughness.

He was a disciple of Sri Ramana Maharshi, whom he speaks of as if he was God on earth. Otherwise, his works are full of exercises and are very useful-I read The Tarot every night for two years.
Glad to hear someoine else evn heard of him or his books. they are published by Wilshire Press, also known as Melvin Powers books.
See? I wasn't nasty or sarcastic or condescending once. I must be slipping...
P