Jacob Boehme (Western Esoteric Masters)

There are excellent introductory chapters on Boehme's life, background, influences from the sacred sciences and alchemy, and Boehme's influence on others. These take the first 50 pages and are well worth reading. His influence was significant. He is a figure who cannot be ignored for that reason.Boehme's writings in this book include letters to friends and enquirers. The tone is quite earnest, revealing Boehme's care in formulating his ideas and the difficulties he had with church authorities who felt their intermediary power between man and God was being undermined. Sections of his alchemical work, "Signatura Rerum", are also included.Reading Boehme is not for the faint hearted. It is useful to have copies of C.G.Jung's "Alchemical Studies" and "Mysterium Coniunctionis" at hand, particularly his paper on "Paracelsus as a Spiritual Phenomenon." Without this aid, much of Boehme remains impenetrable, as we are no longer conversant with alchemy, and still less with alchemy as a metaphor for spiritual union.I was hoping to find a modern translation of Boehme's "The Supersensual Life", as this is not difficult to follow in its exploration of contemplative meditation leading to unitive experience. The one text I particularly wanted to read in a fresh version was not here.I shall continue persevering with overcoming my limitations in approaching Boehme.

Good

lots of letters and some of the best selections from boehme's larger work.also has full texts of his best shorter works ,which is good before these texts were scattered around in pamphlets and the internet ,

Jacob Boehme, the humble shoemaker from Görlitz went on to inspire great poets such as William Blake. Boehme attracted criticism throughout his life from the religious establishment and posthumously from those who decried his lack of formal education. However the importance of his work should not be underestimated and in many ways his lack of formal education gives him a profound insight not found in many of his contemporaries. This book edited by Robin Waterfield offers excerpts from some of his main works and provides a means to learn about Boehme without the need to grapple with his more difficult works such as Aurora and The Way to Christ. Boehme was devoutly Christian and offers an esoteric interpretation of Christianity, preferring to focus on imitating Christ rather than arguing about theological issues. This book can still offer insight to Christians today and those generally interested in esotericism. Certainly worth reading and Waterfield's expertise on Boehme is invaluable to grasp the key themes.

Jacob Boehme (1575-1624) was a Christian mystic born in Germany whoseesoteric ideas about Good and Evil, the process of Creation, and the Nature ofGod, won him respect from like-minded peers and condemnation from hismore orthodox contemporaries. This book is one of the Western EsotericMasters Series which includes books on Robert Fludd and Paracelsus.The first part of the book is a description of Boehme's life and influence, andan introduction to his thought by the editor Robin Waterfield. The second partconsists of various selections from Boehme's writings; his books and letters.This part of the book is a difficult read. Not only have Boehme's writings beentranslated from 17th century German but they also deal with concepts which,as Boehme admits, are hard to understand. Boehme even suggests that,unless the reader is guided by the Holy Spirit, then much of his writings will beincomprehensible.Having said that there is also much which is familiar within Boehme's writings.His frequent references to Mercury, Salt, and Sulphur, reveal his alchemicalbent, and his description and Tables of God's Hidden Nature, the ExternalNature, and External World, although not identical, are reminiscent ofKabbalistic teaching. His explication of the words and names of God will alsoseem familiar to anyone interested in the esoteric tradition.Although these esoteric aspects may be alien to modern orthodox Christians,Boehme displays a much more familiar attitude in his letters to friends. Hetalks at length about the nature of humankind's resurrection, the struggleagainst temptation, and the necessity of being 'born again' to attain salvation.He is also contemptuous towards the rationalistic world, referred to as Babel,and those Christians of his time which did nothing but squabble aboutinsignificant doctrines rather than seek the Christ within.Jacob Boehme is certainly not light reading but is an interesting glimpse intothe history of esoteric Christianity, itself the forerunner of some of today'sesoteric beliefs and practices.

Jacob Boehme (1575-1624) was a Christian mystic born in Germany whoseesoteric ideas about Good and Evil, the process of Creation, and the Nature ofGod, won him respect from like-minded peers and condemnation from hismore orthodox contemporaries. This book is one of the Western EsotericMasters Series which includes books on Robert Fludd and Paracelsus.The first part of the book is a description of Boehme's life and influence, andan introduction to his thought by the editor Robin Waterfield. The second partconsists of various selections from Boehme's writings; his books and letters.This part of the book is a difficult read. Not only have Boehme's writings beentranslated from 17th century German but they also deal with concepts which,as Boehme admits, are hard to understand. Boehme even suggests that,unless the reader is guided by the Holy Spirit, then much of his writings will beincomprehensible.Having said that, there is also much which is familiar within Boehme's writings.His frequent references to Mercury, Salt, and Sulphur, reveal his alchemicalbent, and his description and Tables of God's Hidden Nature, the ExternalNature, and External World, although not identical, are reminiscent ofKabbalistic teaching. His explication of the words and names of God will alsoseem familiar to anyone interested in the esoteric tradition.Although these esoteric aspects may be alien to modern orthodox Christians,Boehme displays a much more familiar attitude in his letters to friends. Hetalks at length about the nature of humankind's resurrection, the struggleagainst temptation, and the necessity of being 'born again' to attain salvation.He is also contemptuous towards the rationalistic world, referred to as Babel,and those Christians of his time which did nothing but squabble aboutinsignificant doctrines rather than seek the Christ within.Jacob Boehme is certainly not light reading but is an interesting glimpse intothe history of esoteric Christianity, itself the forerunner of some of today'sesoteric beliefs and practices.