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Hidden Wisdom: A Guide to the Western Inner Traditions Kindle Edition
by Richard Smoley (Author), Jay Kinney (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 55 ratings
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Contemporary seekers on the hunt for an overview of the Western mystery traditions often face a small selection of dense, out-of-date tomes. Alternatively, Hidden Wisdom is a fresh, coherent, and accessible work that expounds many of the teachings of Western esotericism, examining its key figures and movements.
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C. Richard
4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but ...
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 10 April 2012
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This is a review of Hidden Wisdom by Smoley and Kinney. The subtitle of the book is A Guide to the Western Inner Traditions.
Overall, I liked the book, and it was well written for the most part. My only real problem with it is that it often left me wanting to know more on the various traditions it covered. That might actually be a good thing depending on one's point of view, however. Also, the authors did supply lists of Suggested Reading at the end of each chapter where more relevant information could be found.
There were 12 chapters, each on a different tradition or different set of related traditions. There was quite a range, starting with Jung and the Unconscious and ending with the New Age. Lots of useful and interesting background was provided, along with explanation of the main points of the traditions.
Reading this book inspired me to make further investigation into 3 of the traditions covered. I'll get started on that very soon.
11 people found this helpful
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Balanced Reader
4.0 out of 5 stars Jay Kinney wrote the better parts
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 22 June 2011
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Writer Jay Kinney did a better job of writing than Smoley in this book, but the book overall is informative, well written and very interesting.
There is a bit of an "I love the Golden Dawn magical stuff" going on and I can't personally stand Crowley...so in that regard the book was a miss and I knocked it down from 5 to 4 stars for the Crowley love.
Crowley was an idiot who took advantage of people. Any genius he found, he did so by accident or from stealing ideas.
Buy this book, you will enjoy it and you will be well informed for it. Ignore any positives about Crowley and you are on your way.
6 people found this helpful
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Beverly S.
5.0 out of 5 stars excellent overview of major religious approaches
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 18 September 2021
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Easy to understand text about the many ways to approach religion.
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S
3.0 out of 5 stars Very Subjective to the Author's POV, not reliable as a source
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 6 December 2015
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This book is interesting, but it contains a lot of statements that are not provable or are clearly the author's view, with no references to back them up or show where they came from. I am quite excited by the section of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky, but I need way better informed sources before I can begin to feel I know something about it all. This is a nice book to read but it is not one to rely on.
4 people found this helpful
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Gerald Porter
5.0 out of 5 stars A Mature Primer on the Western Mystery Traditions
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 27 June 2014
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A wonderful book. Well written, thoughtful, well researched. Smoley, the former editor of the magazine, Gnosis,has written an excellent introductory overview of some of the main themes of the Western mystery traditions such as gnosticism, alchemy and hermeticism, kabbalah, shamanism, and esoteric Christianity. Each of the 12 chapters explores a different topic and serves as an excellent springboard for deeper more serious study of the subject. The subjects are well-researched but not scholarly in tone. An enjoyable read for the casual reader and a useful preliminary resource for a more serious student.
8 people found this helpful
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Oberver
5.0 out of 5 stars Invaluable!
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 10 May 2013
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For anyone interested in the unseen world, theology and the people who traverse and write
about it all, this book is the ticket..
Smiley ties together famous figures, historical events and relevant topics
you may know a bit about yet feel the need for more knowledge.
Smiley, a Seeker par excellence, offers you his invaluable peek into the world
we all guess at, beyond everyday experience.
3 people found this helpful
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MermaidMorrigan
5.0 out of 5 stars a must-read for anyone wanting this deeper knowledge
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 24 December 2015
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This book will educate everyone about Western Inner Tradtions, and oh my goodness the types presented here are many. Richard Smoley is one brilliant author and his explanations are both easily understood and poignant. He makes no judgments upon anything here, but presents it all as gifts to us. This is a must-read for anyone wanting this deeper knowledge.
4 people found this helpful
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The Book Guy
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 22 May 2016
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Richard Smoley and Jay Kinney have produced a book that gives a person an excellent over view of the different strands that compose the western esoteric tradition. They're writing is factual and balanced. The suggested reading at the end of each chapter provides people with an excellent jumping off point for further study.
3 people found this helpful
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clay
5.0 out of 5 stars ... Western Esoteric tradition and one can not pick a better introductory text than this
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 22 March 2015
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Smoley is one of the clearest and coherent writers on the Western Esoteric tradition and one can not pick a better introductory text than this, even for one familiar with the esoteric tradition this is a good general reference and the recommened reading list is excellent as well.
One person found this helpful
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Professor Gillian White
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 4 October 2017
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Fascinating and thought provoking discussions
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