Underworld Initiation

"An intriguing book which would stand many readings" —Circles

"Provides a unique insight into the initiatory path of theWestern esoteric system" —Prediction

"Something of a minor classic... I would recommend it unhesitatingly to anyone interested in the Celtic, Pagan way"— Aquarian Arrow

This stimulating and important study provides evidence for a potent transformative tradition within the esoteric consciousness of theWest. Drawing on material from hitherto disregarded sources, RJ.Stewart reconstructs the key to a true understanding of Western esoteric lore, suggesting that the bulk of so-called Western occultism is an intellectual fabrication derived mainly from nineteenth-century sources. The authentic magical tradition of the west, the author claims, is concerned with the UnderWorld Initiation, a powerful system of altering consciousness in a dynamic and far-reaching manner, the central symbols of which survive in songs and ballads whose roots are in the Celtic and pre-Celtic past.

Among the subjects covered are:

• the non-Qabalistic Tree of Life
• the emasculating role of psychology in esoteric studies
• the Summoning of Ancestors
• the Dark Queen and the Seer
• the Tongue that Cannot Lie

1990. The authentic core of Western mysteries revealed through oral traditions, Celtic myth, and legend. Cover art by: Heather Brown