Sepher Raziel: Liber Salomonis: a 16th century Latin & English grimoire - Paperback

by Stephen Skinner (Author), Don Karr (Author)

'Sepher Raziel' (also called 'Liber Salomonis') is not the same as the Hebrew 'Sepher Raziel ha-Melakh.' It is a full grimoire in the Solomonic tradition from a 1564 century English manuscript, derived from Latin sources. As such it is one of the earliest English grimoires published. It begins with directions for making the equipment, parchment, pen and ink of Art. It contains seven separate Treatises: 1. 'Liber Clavis' which is concerned with astrology and its correct use in magic. 2. 'Ala' outlines the magical virtues of stones, herbs. beasts, and words. 3. 'Tractatus Thymiamatus' explains why incense is essential to magical operations, and the effect of various incenses on the spirits. 4. 'Treatise of Times' gives details of the correct hours of the day and night for each operation, with associated angels. 5. 'Treatise on Purity' explains the exact preparations, and the reasons for ritual purity. 6. 'Samaim' is a treatise on the seven Heavens, with the names of their angels. 7. The 'Book of Virtues and Miracles' is a treatise on the names of God, and how they are to be used in invocation to produce miraculous results.

Author Biography

Don Karr (RISD: BFA 1974; Cornell: MFA 1976) is the author of numerous articles on Jewish mysticism and its influence on the Western esoteric tradition; prominent among these is a series of bibliographic essays covering merkabah mysticism and hekhalot literature, 'Sefer Yetzirah, ' early kabbalah, the Zohar, ' later kabbalah including the Lurianic kabbalah, and Christian kabbalah. Other works include 'Knots and Spirals: Notes on the Emergence of Christian Cabala, ' 'Approaching the Kabbalah of Maat: Altered Trees and the Procession of the Aeons' and 'The Methods of Maat: Sources for the Kabbalah of a Future Aeon.' Karr has also transcribed and edited several key works, making them available to the general public for the first time: Morton Smith's translation of 'Hekhalot Rabbati, ' British Library Sloane MS 3826, selected writings of Franciscus Mercurius van Helmont, and the Maatian writings of Ordo Adeptorum Invisiblum and 416. All of the works mentioned can be found online at: www.digital-brilliance.com/kab/. Stephen Skinner began his career as a geography lecturer. He wrote, with Francis King, the classic 'Techniques of High Magic' in 1976, and later The 'Oracle of Geomancy' 'Terrestrial Astrology' and 'Divinatory Geomancy.' He edited 'Aleister Crowley's Magical Diaries' and 'Astrology.' Highly illustrated books on 'Nostradamus' and 'Millennium Prophecies' followed. He was responsible for stimulating the renewed interest in John Dee and Enochian magic by first re-publishing Meric Casaubon's 'True and Faithful Relation...' in 1973. His recent books include two substantial reference books: 'The Complete Magician's Tables' and 'Guide to the Feng Shui Compass' and the Sourceworks of Ceremonial Magic series with David Rankine. He has written more than 30 books, translated into more than twenty different language