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The Secret Garden of the Soul: an Introduction to the Kabbalah by Allan Armstrong, is one of the finest introductions to Kabbalah I have read. It is not light or naïve; it is a thorough and deep book, but very accessible.

Kabbalah is a not an easy subject to convey properly; it requires a rare combination of mental lucidity and mystical experience. The author of this book has the necessary skills to give the reader a good insight into the Kabbalah, its profound metaphysics, and to offer trustworthy practices.

In a well-ordered progression, Armstrong takes us from the known beginnings of the Kabbalah, through
its historical development, and up to the present time. Like a mighty river, many streams feed Kabbalah, and the author makes all this clear and available to the reader.

Stage by stage, Allan Armstrong guides the reader from the transcendental heights of the Eternal Mystery through the stages whereby it unfolds on Earth – in time and in space. The mystic fruits of the Tree of Life are presented one at a time, as well as in combination, so giving the reader a good grasp of their principles and dynamics. The intricate dance between Letter and Number, often so difficult for modern minds to grasp, is made clear with disarming skill.

Various techniques of meditation – all deeply rooted in this tradition – are clearly explained and shared. Armstrong manages to bridge the seemingly separate disciplines of mysticism and magic, by showing that they both derive from the desire for union with the Eternal. He is to be congratulated for his exposition on the levels of magic, from Natural Magic to Divine Theurgy.

Above all, this book is to applauded for clearly stating that the Kabbalah is not the possession of any one people or culture. Kabbalah is the birthright of evolving humanity, and the mystical heritage of the West. I highly recommend The Secret Garden of the Soul to anyone who wishes to journey towards unity with the All.

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