Fulcanelli: Master Alchemist: Le Mystere des Cathedrales, Esoteric Intrepretation of the Hermetic Symbols of The Great Work- English version

While I cannot say I have a good feeling about this book, I have put a lot of time and energy into understanding it, and have gotten a good mental exercise in symbolic thinking, but maybe not much more. While there was clearly a lot hidden here, I didn't feel the sense of devotion or reverence which is sometimes found in alchemical texts. Without this dimension, I imagine there is no way out of the labyrinth.On the subject of St. Christopher's belt, the crisscross (x) pattern: please refer to GRS Mead's  Thrice Greatest Hermes , the chapter on The House of the Net. You will find there a pretty clear exposition of Hermetic initiation what our author here occludes. (Mead's text is available online.)If you do look into this book, you will find some insight into Fulcanelli's riddles in these books: The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion: A New Abridgement from the Second and Third Editions (Oxford World's Classics)  (For some of the symbols of the king for a day celebrations and more.) Cosmos and History: The Myth of the Eternal Return  (On cycles of time, seasonal cycles as repetition of cosmogenesis.)And the book mentioned above by Mead. Notre-Dame of Paris (The Hunchback of Notre Dame)  (There are many allusions to this book in Mystery. The book begins on Epiphany. Hugo touches on cathedrals as texts and also on the green language.)Also, in  The Glory of Hera  there was a nice chapter on Apollo and his disconnection from Earth Mother. In that way, a king is a bit of a baby, needs other people to dress him, etc. This reminded me of Fulcanelli. However, the book does lots of psychologizing which seems a little simplistic.Anyhow, I wish you good luck.

Informative, but incomplete.

This book explores all the alchemical references that exist at Notre Dame de Paris and Amiens cathedrals as well as several other secular locations in Europe. If you are interested in the hermetic symbolism of these places this text explores them in detail. If you were thinking that this would be a look at the many cathedrals of Europe in relation to the symbolism of the Middle Ages in general, you will be disappointed. This is pure esoteric information that does get very detailed and off the subject of the cathedrals at times. If you want to get close to what alchemy is about, you will want to read this book.

Ok

This book was built up to be something special, and not that the information was interesting. However the information is just a side to the truth. Though I'm glad I did come across this tidbit of truth.

I got this from Adventures Unlimited several years ago, and actually read it. The main problem I had with the book is that it is extremely cryptic, i. e. I had great difficulty understanding what Fulcanelli was talking about. This difficulty was in fact so great that I still don't understand most of it. I think that this book would be highly useful to someone who had spent a great deal of time studying alchemy, but for those (like me) with only a passing (or less) familiarity with the subject, it amounts to an exercise in mystification. If I knew more about alchemy, I might give this a higher rating; I give it the rating I did, because I have the feeling that Fulcanelli is giving an accurate account, but this rating is no higher because of the sheer incomprehensibility of the text. Also, the publication of this work may have had some purpose other than that of informing the reader; if so, I haven't divined this purpose, and thus cannot tell if the book was successful in it. My rating is therefore in the middle of the road.

Facinating treatise of the alchemical symbolism of many European cathedrals. A sometimes challenging read. I often had to take a break in order to absorb his writing.

too complex

Essential esoteric text

The book is a list of symbols on Gothic structures in Europe but does not give any descriptions or discussion on the mason`s work.

Love the book.

I still haven't read this book fully...good pictures....but a small amount of information that I have gleaned from it made so much sense when i was in my Church singing....now i know where to stand!just to have this book has been a blessing in my lifethank you Fulcanelli

Exactly as described and in the time frame