The Philosopher's Stone by Regardie

My review of The Philosopher's Stone: Spiritual Alchemy, Psychology, and Ritual Magic by Israel Regardie pub. Llewellyn Publications 2013. 5th printing 2024.

Regardie's classic text, in the mid-1930s, Israel Regardie had an insight into understanding alchemical writings.
The result was The Philosopher's Stone, where he analyzed three 17th-century alchemical works symbolically, psychologically, and via magickal energy.
Israel Regardie (1907-1985) was an Adept of the Golden Dawn and he was one of the greatest exponents of the Western Esoteric Tradition of the 20th century. He was also an initiate of Aleister Crowley's Order of the A.·. A.·., and he was a IXth degree initiate of Crowley's O.T.O.
It was his aim to preserve the teachings and work of the Golden Dawn and Aleister Crowley. His success in this task has profoundly influenced occult thought.

Francis I. Regardie, born in London, England, November 17, 1907; died in Sedona, Arizona, March 10, 1985. Came to the United States in August 1921, educated in Washington D.C. and studied art in school in Washington and Philadelphia.
Returned to Europe in 1928 at the invitation of Aleister Crowley to work as his secretary and study with him. Returned to London as secretary to Thomas Burke 1932-34, and during that time wrote A Garden of Pomegranates and The Tree of Life.

In 1934 he was invited to join the Order of the Golden Dawn, Stella Matutina Temple, during which time he wrote The Middle Pillar and The Art of True Healing, and did the basic work for The Philosopher's Stone.

During his lifetime, he studied psychoanalysis with Dr. E. Clegg and Dr. J. L. Bendit, and later studied psychotherapy under Dr. Nandor Fodor. His training encompassed Freudian, Jungian and Reichian methods.