How to manifest light for spiritual regeneration in our dark age of technological materialism

• Explores the significance of light in spiritual life—drawing on the esoteric tradition of alchemy—to transcend materialism and seed new cultures rooted in perennial wisdom

• Examines ideas from Western mysticism, Tibetan Buddhism, and other traditions to show how spiritual alchemy is a path to transformation and regeneration

• By working with spiritual images, shows how to advance spiritual evolution and heal from artificial culture by learning to separate illusion from reality

This book weds lightwork and alchemy to offer a path to spiritual evolution. It examines the contradictions of modern times through the concept of the “end of an age,” revealing how to transcend materialism and create new cultures of light rooted in perennial wisdom.

In it, Arthur considers the ramifications of the materialism that separates us from nature. Modern technology may seem to point toward endless progress but, without a spiritual orientation, this progress is an illusion. Some may fall into pessimism, but Arthur shows that seeds of light are present in the darkness. Exploring the tradition of alchemy through the Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus, the Grail tradition, and other esoteric works, he shows how we can achieve psychological and spiritual transformation. Lightwork is also at the heart of how we wake up from the illusion of endless progress. The spiritual tradition of lightwork allows for a regeneration of self and reconnection to the Earth. The author has mined European alchemical manuscripts from the 16th—18th centuries for the best spiritual images for visualization practices. Readers learn how to work with these images to awaken to deeper truths and see beyond the veil of illusion. As this age eventually ends, alchemical lightwork can seed new cultures that are born out of ancient traditions to recover our humanity.

This book shows how to transcend an illusory sense of self in the evocation of a new culture of light. With the help of perennial wisdom, readers will be able to work toward achieving self-realization to improve our lives and the world.

Dr. Arthur Versluis is president of the Hieros Institute, a nonprofit devoted to realizing the sacred in contemporary life. The former chair of the Department of Religious Studies at Michigan State University, he has written numerous books, including Sacred Earth and The Secret History of Western Sexual Mysticism.

Tabula Smaragdina: Emerald Tablet of
Hermes Trismegistus

Introduction: The Emerald Tablet and
the Path of Light

PART ONE

The Black

1 The End of an Age

2 Alchemy: The Steps of Light

3 The Astral Shell

4 The Burdens We Carry

PART TWO

The White

5 The Light of Nature

6 Turning toward Earth

7 The Transmutative Process

PART THREE

The Yellow

8 The Mysteries Reborn

9 Light Eternal

PART FOUR

The Red

10 Seeding New Cultures

11 Restoring Wholeness and Flourishing

12 A Vision

Appendix 1: Additional Resources

Appendix 2: An Alchemical Community

Appendix 3: Dialogues and Illumination

Further Readings

Index

About the Author