Alchemical Body

Author : David Gordon White
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
ISBN 13 : 022614934X
Total Pages : 616 pages
Book Rating : 4.49/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Alchemical Body written by David Gordon White and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2012-07-10 with total page 616 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “[A] brilliant disquisition on . . . mostly unpublished texts for three allied systems of tantric thought and praxis (sexual, alchemical, and hatha yogic).” —The Journal of Asian Studies The Alchemical Body excavates and centers within its Indian context the lost tradition of the medieval Siddhas. Working from previously unexplored alchemical sources, David Gordon White demonstrates for the first time that the medieval disciplines of Hindu alchemy and hatha yoga were practiced by one and the same people, and that they can be understood only when viewed together. White opens the way to a new and more comprehensive understanding of medieval Indian mysticism, within the broader context of south Asian Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Islam. “White proves a skillful guide in disentangling historical and theoretical complexities that have thus far bedeviled the study of these influential aspects of medieval Indian culture.” —Yoga World “Anyone seriously interested in finding out more about authentic tantra, original hatha yoga, embodied liberation . . . sacred sexuality, paranormal abilities, healing, and of course alchemy will find White’s extraordinary book as fascinating as any Tom Clancy thriller.” —Georg Feuerstein, Yoga Journal “Remarkable . . . a study of the language of mystic experience and expression—the multitudinous symbols, rituals, and doctrines of the medieval siddhis, yogis, and alchemists.” —Skeptic Meditations

Author : David Gordon White
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
ISBN 13 : 9780226894997
Total Pages : 620 pages
Book Rating : 4.91/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Alchemical Body written by David Gordon White and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 1996 with total page 620 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Beginning in the fifth century A.D., various Indian mystics began to innovate a body of techniques with which to render themselves immortal. These people called themselves Siddhas, a term formerly reserved for a class of demigods, revered by Hindus and Buddhists alike, who were known to inhabit mountaintops or the atmospheric regions. Over the following five to eight hundred years, three types of Hindu Siddha orders emerged, each with its own specialized body of practice. These were the Siddha Kaula, whose adherents sought bodily immortality through erotico-mystical practices; the Rasa Siddhas, medieval India's alchemists, who sought to transmute their flesh-and-blood bodies into immortal bodies through the ingestion of the mineral equivalents of the sexual fluids of the god Siva and his consort, the Goddess; and the Nath Siddhas, whose practice of hatha yoga projected the sexual and laboratory practices of the Siddha Kaula and Rasa Siddhas upon the internal grid of the subtle body. For India's medieval Siddhas, these three conjoined types of practice led directly to bodily immortality, supernatural powers, and self-divinization; in a word, to the exalted status of the semidivine Siddhas of the older popular cults. In The Alchemical Body, David Gordon White excavates and centers within its broader Indian context this lost tradition of the medieval Siddhas. Working from a body of previously unexplored alchemical sources, he demonstrates for the first time that the medieval disciplines of Hindu alchemy and hatha yoga were practiced by one and the same people, and that they can only be understood when viewed together. Human sexual fluids and the structures of the subtle body aremicrocosmic equivalents of the substances and apparatus manipulated by the alchemist in his laboratory. With these insights, White opens the way to a new and more comprehensive understanding of the entire sweep of medieval Indian mysticism, within the broader context of south Asian Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Islam. This book is an essential reference for anyone interested in Indian yoga, alchemy, and the medieval beginnings of science.

Author : David Gordon White
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 596 pages
Book Rating : 4.28/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Alchemical Body written by David Gordon White and published by . This book was released on 1991 with total page 596 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Author : Nicki Scully
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 1591439302
Total Pages : 352 pages
Book Rating : 4.01/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Alchemical Healing written by Nicki Scully and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2003-07-28 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Combines shamanism, alchemy, and energy medicine to create a unique healing modality • Explores how to turn the base substance of who you are--the dark mystery of your subconscious--into the alchemical gold of knowledge and enlightenment • Includes techniques of distant healing and working with power animals and plant, mineral, and elemental spirits • Shows how to utilize the Universal Life Force to reawaken inherent healing abilities Alchemical Healing brings together innovative techniques of shamanism and energetic healing with the principles of alchemy, creating a practical form of physical healing, therapeutic counseling, and spiritual growth. The author provides ways to integrate spirit and matter, to develop communications between divinity and humanity, to retrieve knowledge, and to influence physical reality in order to achieve healing and transformation. With simple directions, readers are guided through attunements and empowerments that access the Universal Life Force energy and a five-element system for healing themselves and others. They learn powerful techniques, such as psychic surgery, distant healing, and how to work with power animals and plant, mineral, and elemental spirit guides. Alchemical Healing presents a sacred journey into the most profound principles and mysteries of creation. It offers both an art form and a spiritual path that develops one’s ability to co-create the future with the wisdom of the spirit world.

Author : Taylor Ellwood
Publisher : Taylor Ellwood
ISBN 13 : 1720222002
Total Pages : 314 pages
Book Rating : 4.02/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Inner Alchemy written by Taylor Ellwood and published by Taylor Ellwood. This book was released on 2018-10-10 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Unlock the hidden potential of your body… Do you feel unhappy with your body, your life, or mental outlook? So was I. But then I began a journey of exploration that would not only change my life for the better, but also showed me that I have a connection with this planet that can only be understood by first understanding the environment of my body. Sound new agey? Perhaps, but until you know your body, you won’t know the impact you have on the world around you. We are interconnected with each other and our world and when we harm ourselves, we harm this planet as well. In Inner Alchemy, I show you the first step toward undoing the damage and healing both yourself and the planet. I show you the practical magic of the body and how it can change your relationship with the universe. In this book you will learn how to: Find and work with neurotransmitters as spirit guides Balance your internal energy with external energy Use your body fluids in magic rituals Work magic using your DNA Consciously change your attitude and outlook on life Your body is a miraculous universe waiting to be explored, and Inner Alchemy opens the path to your microcosmic journey. You will learn how the practical magic of the body can help you change your life.

Author : Pedram Shojai
Publisher : Sounds True
ISBN 13 : 168364204X
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.46/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Inner Alchemy written by Pedram Shojai and published by Sounds True. This book was released on 2019-01-01 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bestselling author Pedram Shojai, “The Urban Monk,” presents a comprehensive guide on how Taoist alchemical practices can help you release stress, harness life force energy, and awaken your true self. “We have fallen asleep to the knowledge of our true nature, and now it is time to wake up.” —Pedram Shojai There is a way to break free from trance of modern life and awaken to your true, limitless nature. The path lies in an ancient system of Taoist alchemy, and with Inner Alchemy, qi gong master, physician, and former monk Pedram Shojai presents an in-depth guide for harnessing the transformational power of this wisdom in your own life: Part 1 lays out Taoist principles and philosophy for understanding the body’s energy matrix and the nature of our current challenges—all in down-to-earth languagePart 2 covers specific exercises and techniques for mastering your energy and awakening your true power—including diet, meditation, exercise, sleep, lifestyle tips, and traditional qi gong setsPart 3 provides an advanced exploration of traditional Taoism for modern times, along with a 100-day practice formula to help you regulate your energy, wake up from the hypnotic daze of daily life, and make the world we live in a better place “The process of turning the material ‘lead’ of our human experience into the ‘gold’ of awakening is the essence of this ancient science of spirituality,” writes Shojai. “My promise is that if you practice what you learn in this book, your life will change in ways that you have never imagined.”

Author : Bruce T. Moran
Publisher : Reaktion Books
ISBN 13 : 1789141761
Total Pages : 217 pages
Book Rating : 4.64/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Paracelsus written by Bruce T. Moran and published by Reaktion Books. This book was released on 2019-09-15 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Throughout his controversial life, the alchemist, physician, and social-religious radical known as Paracelsus combined traditions that were magical and empirical, scholarly and folk, learned and artisanal. He read ancient texts and then burned “the best” of them. He endorsed both Catholic and Reformation beliefs, but he also believed devoutly in a female deity. He traveled constantly, learning and teaching a new form of medicine based on the experience of miners, bathers, alchemists, midwives, and barber-surgeons. He argued for changes in the way the body was understood, how disease was defined, and how treatments were created, but he was also moved by mystical speculations, an alchemical view of nature, and an intriguing concept of creation. Bringing to light the ideas, diverse works, and major texts of this important Renaissance figure, Bruce T. Moran tells the story of how alchemy refashioned medical practice, showing how Paracelsus’s tenacity and endurance changed the medical world for the better and brought new perspectives to the study of nature.

Author : Mark Singleton
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0195395344
Total Pages : 273 pages
Book Rating : 4.41/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Yoga Body written by Mark Singleton and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2010-02-25 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Most people assume that 'postural' yoga is an ancient Indian tradition. But in fact, as Singleton shows, this type of yoga is quite a recent development. Singleton presents a study of the origins of postural yoga, challenging many current notions about its nature and origins.

Author : Clare Goodrick-Clarke
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 1594779139
Total Pages : 192 pages
Book Rating : 4.38/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Alchemical Medicine for the 21st Century written by Clare Goodrick-Clarke and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2010-06-08 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using the ancient art of spagyrics for treatment of today’s health problems • Contains detailed indications for using alchemical preparations therapeutically • Shows how the essences work holistically to heal the mind, body, and spirit with the energetic qualities of the plant • Provides effective therapy for a wide range of physical and mental disorders Spagyrics is a branch of medicinal alchemy that enhances the healing properties already existing in plants. Developed by Paracelsus, the magus and alchemist of the early 16th century, spagyrics is a holistic therapy that promotes healing at all levels of the human being--body, soul, and spirit. Spagyric essences harness the dynamic life force in plants that triggers recovery from the energetic imbalance of illness. The harmonizing and balancing qualities of spagyric essences differ from other plant remedies and aromatherapy oils because they not only include the plant’s energetic information but also incorporate the salt of the plant, from which all toxic matter has been purged. The preparation of this alchemical medicine makes it possible to capture the full therapeutic spectrum of plants, including the cosmic energies they have absorbed. Alchemical Medicine for the 21st Century contains detailed indications for using these alchemical preparations to treat both physical and mental disorders. The author shows, for example, that the tincture made from dandelion is especially potent on liver-related ailments and also raises the spirit and frees the patient from anger and bitterness. The immune system is also boosted by this essence, providing tonic effects for allergy sufferers. The author, a homeopath since 2000, also shows how these spagyric essences can be potentized homeopathically.

Author : Alan Bleakley
Publisher : Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
ISBN 13 : 3111157369
Total Pages : 262 pages
Book Rating : 4.68/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Psychotherapy, the Alchemical Imagination and Metaphors of Substance written by Alan Bleakley and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2023-07-03 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Alchemy is popularly viewed as a secret way of turning worthless base metal into gold, and then a precursor to modern chemistry. This is often taken as a metaphor for psychological development. This book describes an innovative "third way" for both the education and exercise of an alchemical imagination that embraces both material matters and psychological insight: alchemy as lyrical poetics, or the intensive production of embodied metaphor. Alchemy here is viewed as an immanent set of metaphor-driven "best practices" for indwelling complex and contradictory earthly matters in a sensual, artistic and humane manner. Or, again, it describes best psychotherapeutic practice. Alchemy is read not as a medium for "personal growth", but optimal co-existence with the natural world. It is an eco-logical rather than ego-logical project with deep aesthetic concerns (education of the senses in close noticing) and political intentions (a democracy of worldly things). The book echoes post-Freudian developments in psychoanalysis that avoid the mysticism of symbol systems to work rather with everyday signs and linguistic registers such as embodied metaphors, keeping the focus on known and sensed phenomena rather than abstractions.