Publisher's Synopsis
This book offers an inward journey of initiation into the first great secret of spiritual awakening: our home is not the body, but the soul. The book presents the reader with a uniquely focused exploration of ancient and modern Egypt; Paul Brunton goes in search of the secret hinted at by the mysterious Sphinx and deepened by his visions during his night in the Great Pyramid -- the secret means by which humankind can realise its spiritual destiny. The author introduces us to the faith-based power of a real snake-charmer (and becomes one himself!); he encounters a working magician, a renowned fakir (Tahra Bey -- Houdini's main competitor), and even his own former self, now a ghostly presence amongst the ruins of Karnak. If this book was only meant to display occult phenomena for our entertainment, it would do that job admirably, for it is a compelling account of many extraordinary, and somehow believable experiences. But what sets this book apart is not its occultism, nor is it the author's command of Egyptology, Asian history, nor his openness to Islam. It is the thread that runs through all these adventures that makes this book an essential part of every seeker's library, and that thread is symbolised by the mysteries of the Sphinx, the King's Chamber, and the myth of Osiris. Paul Brunton applies all his erudition and insight towards unlocking their deepest meanings; as he does so the purpose and value of each encounter with a Dervish chief or a temple bas-relief contributes to the successful unlocking of these age-old puzzles. If you haven't read this book before, you should! and if you have read it, read it again! It is a book of many secrets, and hides its greatest one in plain sight: it is here that Paul Brunton unveils the importance, method and consequences of properly seating the body in the mind. Once assimilated, the doors of occult perception are opened, and they open directly into the truly magical kingdom of the Soul itself. This new specially illustrated edition is designed to let you see for yourself all that the author saw on his own journey. There are maps to guide you through Karnak, Luxor, and Cairo; there are author's own photographs which document his adventures, including his deadly work with the village snake-charmer (who ultimately lost his life to a venomous cobra); and of course there are wonderful, inspiring images of the magical power and vivid mysteries which abound in the Egyptian landscape!
