Customer Reviews

The Key of the Mysteries

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

 

 

A difficulty approaching Levi's work is that his books are marketed under the heading of magic. Yet the later Levi moved steadily away from magic. As the anonymous author of Meditations on the Tarot wrote: `Eliphas Levi - this intrepid magician who evoked Apollonius of Tyana in London - having surpassed the bounds of ceremonial magic concentrated on the mysticism and gnosis of Christian Hermeticism. He passed through the Faustian trial ...'

Many people who come to the later books may be expecting magic - only to be disappointed, because there is far less magic in them and far more elements of a very mixed kind, including autobiography, a roughly sketched philosophy, social and political comments on his time - and I would say, a frequently sublime and beautiful Christianity.

I use the word `frequently' most advisedly. These books - of which this is a good example - turn from one subject to the next with rapidly fluctuating levels of quality. They are very uneven. Why do I give this book five stars, then?

Because what is beautiful here, is so very, very beautiful. There are so many, many gems scattered throughout this book. They are gems of an understanding of the sublime mystery of Calvary; they are gems of an immensely human and humanitarian thinker, who deserves not to be forgotten.

Levi is also notable because, although he could be seen as one of the fathers of the New Age movement, he doesn't have a `New Age politics'. That is, one the one hand, many ideas that now inform New Age thinking - such as `the interconnectedness of everything and how you effect others with your energy' to put it in `New Age speak'- are prefigured here in 1861. One the other hand, Levi has none of the New Age ideas of rejecting religion and the establishment. He is deeply Catholic and seeks a transformed Church vigorously supporting and informing the established order.

Many of the thoughts here seem like rough drafts of what the anonymous author of Meditations on the Tarot would later develop with more finesse. And those who know this astonishing book will realise how much Eliphas Levi was a seminal figure for that author's redemptive work. Scattered through MOTT are numerous references to help us understand what was at stake with Levi. For this same purpose, I would also recommend the beautiful little biography by Thomas A Williams: Eliphas Levi Master of the Cabala, the Tarot and the Secret Doctrines.

Oh, Eliphas Levi, beautiful humanitarian and lover of humanity and Christ. What more can I do to recall the living memory of your wide generous heart, open and pulsing with wave after wave of love ...

Perhaps I will just leave the reader here with a single quote from The Key of the Mysteries, which, when all its tensions and paradoxes are slowly contemplated , may reveal how deeply your heart felt and loved ...

`We will not speak of the criticism of Voltaire. That great mind was dominated by an ardent love of truth and justice, but he lacked that rectitude of heart, which the intelligence of faith gives. Voltaire could not admit faith, because he did not know how to love. The spirit of charity did not reveal itself to that soul which had no tenderness, and he bitterly criticized the hearth of which he did not feel the warmth, and the lamp of which he did not see the light. If religion were such as he saw it, he would have been a thousand times right to attack it, and one would be obliged to fall on one's knees before the heroism of his courage. Voltaire would be the Messiah of good sense, the Hercules destructor of fanaticism. ... But he laughed too much to understand Him who said: "Happy are they who weep," and the philosophy of laughter will never have anything in common with the religion of tears.'

There are numerous topics discussed in this book including `proof of God', the true religion, Science & Faith, the Qabalah, morality & virtue, Christianity and the evocation of spirits etc. Inclusive of this are numerous social and political comments as pertains to the time when Eliphas Levi wrote this book and earlier times. There are way too many jumbled topics leaving you wondering what the actual `key of the mysteries' is; a good way to market this book nonetheless. Perhaps the tile should be `Lots of little keys', but then you would not sell as many books. Personally, I could not wait to finish this book and get on with other books that hopefully offer greater esoteric depth.

Alphonse Louis Constant (pseudonym Eliphas Levi) attempts to prove the existence of God. This left no real impression on my mind. I prefer the arguments given by many philosophers (Descartes, Pascal etc). As to Science & Faith, this was obviously more pertinent when Eliphas wrote this book nearly two centuries ago i.e. an age of new discoveries; this also I did not care much for. I found it sad (but understandable as pertains to Levi's era) that Levi would state that the Catholic Church is the true religion. Having studied the Catholic Church in depth, I would have to say that this belief is riddled with a myriad of holes. See 'The Two Babylon's' by Alexander Hislop ISBN: 0937958573 for starters as a great insight into the makings and workings of the Catholic Church.

There is a minor amount of very interesting information as regards seances; Levi is NOT favourable towards this. He states that those conducting the seances prey on minds that are sympathetic, weak and feeble. This he states is achieved through the use of the electromagnetic fluidic astral light. Levi in no wise debunks the spiritual world, but warns of the dangers and deception associated with seances.

There is some interesting information in this book in regards to the Qabalah. On Page 174, Eliphas Levi gives a specific name of God as a name of power to command nature. I have not tried this, but I don't' think it fitting to include this in this review. "In order to pronounce duly the great words of the Qabalah, one must pronounce them with a complete intelligence, with a will that nothing checks, an activity that nothing daunts." I agree with Levi in the following chapters when he discusses idleness and inertia being sulphur in stagnation leading to death. To stand still is to go backwards and this is against the purpose and plan for us in life. I did mention that many topics are covered in this book.

I usually enjoy reading books from the 18 and 1900's. I find that the level of authorship and quality of use of the English language, to be of such a high standard. Eliphas Levi writes very eloquently, albeit jumbled. You will notice that the book ends with Levi once again mentioning `Science and faith'. I would surmise that this book was written in response to science exploding with many new discoveries in the 1800's. The concreteness of science saw the need for greater spirit proofs in the minds of many people. Seances and spiritualism flourished in response, as did arguments for the proof of God inclusive of the results of a virtuous life. Who then shall teach the people how to lead a spiritual and virtuous life? Yes, according to Eliphas Levi, it should be the Catholic Church (the true religion), led by the Jesuits, of whom Eliphas Levi is so fond of.

As I have searched for esoteric books of a high calibre, the name of Eliphas Levi seemed to be of renown. Others have stated that Eliphas Levi wrote more on magic in some of his earlier works. I have already read another of Levi's latter books i.e. `The Book of Splendours' and found this a little better, albeit jumbled also. For those interested I have written an Amazon review for this book. Having already purchased 'The Great Secret',`The history of Magic', `Transcendental Magic' and `The Magical Ritual of the Sanctum Regnum' by the same author, I am hoping for much more from these books and this author; still an interesting read and greater insights into Eliphas Levi nonetheless.

I was impressed at this book for a few reasons. It was the sequel to Transcendental Magic also by Levi and I really liked that book. I accomplished a long term goal by finally being able to afford and actually get in my occult grimoires collection a book by Eliphas Levi. Wicca was a ripoff of Aleister Crowley who in turn was a ripoff of Eliphas Levi, with Crowley even claiming to be the reincarnation of Levi. Even though I questioned Crowley myself if he was just looking for hard earned fame, the fact that he was apparently actually obsessed with esoteric subjects; he was the translater of this English version by Weiser books being offered here. I liked and respected Levi for his books on the occult and his drawing of the baphomet. I think this book could've been better written; some of it is a fictional story and other times just seemed like a cash in on the author's own notoriety. Get this book if you can afford it just because it is an impressive addition to anyone's collection. I don't really hate Christians nor Christianity, it's just I don't like they try to convert people on a mass scale and one of the reasons why I got into the occult is they don't try to convert people. You can get books by Levi and others on your own free will; they won't stop and harass you on the street or telemarket you in your home. Overall, it could've been better but as it is I still like it a lot and wouldn't really recommend this book by itself. Though it does have sound arguments validitating any non Christian lifestyle.