The Esoteric Library : Suggested Readings
and some rambling in between
In the last two years, I have been building what I call my “occult/esoteric library”. The readings and books I have come across were not always around occult theory, but also fiction or poetry works inspired by esoteric concepts, written by authors known for their spiritual inclination. Perhaps some of these suggestions will surprise you.
Suggested Readings
Ariel by Sylvia Plath.
The collection of poems are organized to follow the model of Major and Minor Arcanas in Tarot. Indeed, Sylvia Plath spent a lot of her time studying and practice Tarot, her application of her knowledge can be found symbolically in most of her literary works.
Collected Poems of W. B. Yeats.
William Butler Yeats is notoriously known for his esoteric inclinations. His poems often contain reference Irish Folklore and Mythology. In addition to his literary work, Yeats invested the rest of his time doing paranormal research and joining Theosophical Lodges during the Golden Age of Western Spiritualism.
The Serpent’s Gift : Gnostic Reflections on the Study of Religion by Jeffrey J. Kripal.
I am leaving the world of Poetry to suggest a more “academic” reading.
Jeffrey J. Kripal is a college professor and chairman of Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University (Houston, Texas). His work touch on symbolism and myth creations.
The Gnostic New Age by April D. DeConick.
This is another book on Gnosticism written by Rice University scholar April D. DeConick. It is important to remember that her work explores Gnosticism and Spiritualism from a Western perspective.
The Wanderings of a Spiritualist by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
I take it for granted you have at least heard of the name Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. If not, that is okay but you may know of Sherlock Holmes instead ! Doyle was more than just the creator of the famous detective Holmes, he also lived a life that still fascinates many occultism and paranormal enthusiasts like myself. This man lived an interesting life and I salute him for that. Not only he had several niche hobbies and career paths (he’s just like me), he also spent most of his life doing researching and writing about paranormal activities and parapsychology. His interest came from grief, as it is common for a lot of individuals who turn to psychics and seances after experiencing the loss of a loved one (Like Abraham Lincoln, but I will get into his case in the near future. After feeling the presence of his late son, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle began his spiritual journey and sought answers through seances which then awakened his curiosity to continue exploring other esoteric topics and phenomena. He is well known for his fascination with Spirit Photography and Fairies ( he wrote books about it too). Not only I admire Doyle’s fascinating fiction works but also his dedication to each topic that interests him, his thoughts and personal experiences truly immerse you in his world (and I am sure if you have read Sherlock Holmes you are aware of it).
All of Sir Arthur’s work can seem a bit chaotic to the individual who never read speculative theories on psychic phenomena. However, my role this time as a reader is not to debunk facts, as much as Doyle did not seek to make you believe in the paranormal but rather share how his personal experiences influenced the way he viewed the world around him. He was a true esoteric detective, always seeking answers, even on the other side of the world, to understand inexplicable events around him.
Last words…
It has been a pleasure sharing this list with you, and if you end up picking one of these books up, let me know if it awakens your curiosity to research more on occultism. We fail to acknowledge that a lot of authors we have read were exploring more than just the physical human experience. I hope that in the future, we can continue credit them for pushing us to see and feel beyond what we see with our eyes.
Floesie