John of the Cross, Selected Writings by Kieran Kavanaugh (ed)
New Catholic World John of the Cross: Selected Writings translated and introduced by Kieran Kavanaugh, O.C.D. preface by Ernest E. Larkin, O. Carm. I abandoned and forgot myself Laying my face on my beloved; All things ceased; I went out from myself, Leaving my cares forgotten among the lilies. John of the Cross 1542-1591 There are few works on the spiritual life in the West that can match the insight and sheer beauty of those of the sixteenth-century Spanish Carmelite, St. John of the Cross. A collaborator with St. Teresa of Avila in the reform movement that attempted to forge a new style of religious life, dedicated to recollection yet distinct from both the enthusiasm of the alumbrados and the sterility of the conventual Carmelites, John was no stranger to suffering. As he so memorable wrote in The Ascent of Mount Carmel, summing up his doctrine of detachment, "nothing (nada), nothing, nothing, and even on the Mountain nothing." Yet the harshness of his teaching that emerges in the context of his commentaries on his poetry is balance by the poetry itself-a poetry that breathes the warmth and sweetness of the tender love of God that made John one of the greatest mystical writers of all time and earned him the title, Doctor of the Church. Here, under one cover, are selections from his major works in a revised translation by Kieran Kavanaugh, O.C.D. Taken as a whole, this volume represents the essential St. John of the Cross and will serve well both the newcomer and the expert.
Publisher: Paulist Press
£69.99
Semesilam: The Eternal Sun by José Gabriel Alegría Sabogal
In the new prologue to Semesilam, Sabogal offers personal insight into the diverse circumstances that played a role in producing this corpus, including the motifs, symbols, and ideas behind them, and further interpretations of various images and themes – Gnostic Symbolism, Angelic Iconography, and Symbols of the Unconscious among others – which have been crucial to his artistic process.
Within this myriad of symbology and meaning, the Sun is at the forefront, a recurring symbol and inspiration for the book’s title, Semesilam – here identified as an inscription often found on the so-called Abrasax Gnostic gemstones, pointing to the everlasting nature of the solar orb.
The material from Handbook of Sacred Anatomy constitutes a Mutus Liber that explores mystical interpretations of human remains, while A Second Nature was significantly inspired by Jungian analyses, delving also into the mysterious Akephalos, the headless figure – symbolically suggestive of both the dragon and contemplation of death – used by surrealist author Georges Bataille, who, in an uncompromising non-rational way, sought to create its own visual associative language.
A new preface by Frater Acher (author of the Holy Daimon trilogy [Scarlet Imprint, 2018; 2020; 2022], Clavis Goêtica [Hadean Press, 2021], and Ingenium [Tadehent Books, 2022]), and an epilogue by Gabriel McCaughry (founder and owner of Anathema Publishing Ltd., and author of (h)Aurorae, [Anathema Publishing, 2018] also illustrated by José), both give testimony to Sabogal’s long-standing personal, literary, and artistic relationships – the fruits of which have taken the form of several publications and have inspired the artwork compiled here.
Semesilam features a new and carefully designed layout by artist and typographer Joseph Uccello, which enhances the presentation of this collection, thereby making it available as a fine edition, showcasing material that has been otherwise out of print for a considerable while. Certainly, a worthy addition for those who are interested in José Gabriel’s body of work.
Publisher: Anathema Publishing
out of stock - £40.00
The Search for Truth by John Temple
The Search for Truth is a unique investigation in twelve chapters of the occult secrets in the Bible, its Mystery Language, and their origin in the Wisdom Teachings of ancient Egypt. Throughout the book, occult writer and theologian John Temple discusses some of the mystery keys without which it is impossible to unlock the hidden meaning concealed within the many biblical stories, symbols and sacred teachings, some of which pre-date Christianity by many millenia.
Publisher: Anathema Publishing
£35.00
William Blake's Universe
A beautifully illustrated book that explores William Blake's relationship with Europe against a backdrop of political turmoil. Responding to revolution and war in Europe, enslavement and exploitation in European colonies, and repression and reaction at home in Britain, William Blake (1757–1827) produced an astonishing body of work that combined criticism of the contemporary world with a vision for universal redemption. Blake has always been seen as a distinctly English figure but, in reality, his art at all periods of his career is profoundly involved with Europe, as a source of his images and as a vision of the past, present and future of humanity.
This richly illustrated book, published alongside an exhibition at the Fitzwilliam Museum, explores the vital ingredients of Blake’s work and draws parallels with the ambitions of his artist contemporaries in Europe, most notably the German artist Philipp Otto Runge. In doing so the editors and contributors show that Blake was not alone in looking to art to build the world anew in the face of shattering political crises.
Publisher: Philip Wilson Publishers