To: tyagi
From: tims@megatek.com (Tim Scott)
Subject: About Abra-melin...FYI
Date: 31 Jan 1995 22:17:46 -0800

I got a request from a French gentleman for info on Bloom's new book (1992)
on his Abramelin work. I wonder how he got my name? Hmmm.

I am cc:ing this to you in case you are interested in putting it into your
archives (not that it's definitive in any way...) But it's a start, and
if you already have Abramelin stuff maybe there'll be a few new pieces
you can use.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

[some removed - tn]

The provenance of "The Sacred Magic of Abra-melin the Mage" is beyond the
scope of this short note, but suffice it to say that it has been kept in
print for many years by Dover Publications, 180 Varick St., New York,
NY 10014. You can probably order it directly from them, although many
large bookstores also carry their line. Older editions exist but are rare.

In 1976, "The Sacred Magician" was published on Paladin under the pseudonym
of Georges Chevalier. This was the first published account of someone who 
actually performed the Abra-melin work. This is a far superior if not
indispensible edition, since it restores many details purposely omitted from 
the first edition, and supplies most of the relevant parts of the Abra-melin 
work in the text.

In 1992, the book was reissued under the author's real name, William Bloom,
under the Gothic Image imprint. The ISBN is 0-906362-18-0 and their address
is (according to the copy I have) Gothic Image / 7 High Street / Glastonbury / 
Somerset BA6 9DP / England. Their phone is 0458 841 453 and FAX 0458 831 666 (!)

As long as I'm writing this, I'd like to comment on Bloom's experiences.
The intensity of the Abra-melin process was so great, that at its end he
experienced an intense reaction, such that he came down with a life-
threatening case of Hepatitis-B and was several years in recovery.

From careful reading of his book, and my personal researches, observations
and experiences I firmly believe that Bloom was incredibly brave, and maybe
more than a bit reckless. Essentially, he got what I regard was an old
manual for building a bomb, and set about to doing it with no more than
the information in it.

I am convinced that there is a much stronger tradition of energy work 
available through what are called Chinese internal arts: qi gong, tai ji,
and various aspects of taoist alchemy. But now you're back to the same
problem: without some guidance, you are really playing with fire. But
there ARE people outside China who know at least parts of it...this trick
is finding them, and preparing yourself to be ready when you do.

With that, I'll just repeat that Bloom has performed an invaluable service
to all students of magic(k), and I frankly believe his book is worth a
stack of speculative writing on ritual magic--as much for the problems that
can arise as for the other reasons.

Here is a bibliographic reference for the original work:
   Abraham ben Simeon, of Worms, 15th cent.
     The book of the sacred magic of Abra-Melin the Mage, as delivered by
   Abraham the Jew unto his son Lamech, A.D. 1458 / Abraham the Jew ;
   translated by S. L. MacGregor-Mathers,.  2d ed.  London : J. M. Watkins,
   1900.

For more information, drop me a note. Send it to tims45@aol.com or just
TIMS45 if you're an AOL lamer like myself.

EOF