Customer Reviews

Highways of the Mind: The Art and History of Pathworking

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Highways of the Mind" is an excellent book on the nature and structure of pathworking. Where many books give specific Qabalistic, Celtic, or Egyptian style tours of the Inner Planes, "Highways" explains in detail the process whereby they are created, as well as how and why they work. At the end of reading "Highways of the Mind", the reader is left with the confidence that they not only understand pathworkings, but are also able to create them on their own, regardless of their chosen tradition or pantheon. This is an ideal book for beginners as well as advanced readers in esotericism.

With such an engaging title, Highways of the Mind sounded to me as if it would contain everything needed to do Pathworking. I purchased it and hungrily began reading it for knowledge about a topic with which I've only just become acquainted.

It does not have everything.

What it has: 1) imaginative and descriptive applications of creativity, often taken from the author's own life. 2) Fluffy filler about parts of the world's history and their connection to creativity and the mystical Pathworking field of experience. 3) Way in the last quarter of the book, some guided imagery examples are floweringly written. They are decent, affording the book the 2nd star.

What it does NOT have: 1) descriptions of the sephiroth, where from the term Pathworking comes. 2) How to make your own way through the paths--i.e. descriptions of where, how and why one would travel, likely scenes, etc. 3) any description of the progression of these worlds, as one moves further on their path of Light.

At the very least, I thought it would contain examples of pagan/occult or Christian rites/ traditions rooted in Pathworking. Sometimes, the examples do come close to this.

My opinion: Rent this from the library. The first third is a decent read, but it is repetitive, and the guided imagination examples are in Chapter 11, as I recall.