The Candle of Vision: Inner Worlds of the Imagination

by George William Russell

First published in 1918 this masterpiece by one of the major figures in the western occult tradition discusses concepts that anticipated the modern human potential movement by half a century. Russell taught what we would call creative visualization and believed that the creative powers of imagination could become a passport to other worlds. This study of the true nature of visionary exploration will appeal to the artist and the poet as well as the mystic.

Genres: Nonfiction, Poetry, Occult, Spirituality, Religion, Mysticism

160 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1974

About the author

George William Russell (1867-1935), the Irish poet was an Irish writer, editor, critic, poet, painter, political activist and theosophist who also wrote under the name Æ (also written as A.E. / AE / Ae / A.e.).

Reviews

[Averill · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first I was like "this guy is high af" lol, but by the middle of the second chapter I knew he was the real deal. IV read a ton of what I call "swami books" From Krishnamurti to Deepak Chopra. Most if not all were guys that like to hear themselves talk, make promises, and appear, well you know swami like. Lol. But, not Æ he's the real deal. Giving amazing insights, he answers questions I had every since I was a kid. The writing style was eloquent and poetic. It was a true masterpiece. I wish I could have given it more stars.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love mystical/visionary books (and I do!), then you will thoroughly enjoy this. I read it because it was quoted in "The Doors of Perception" by Aldous Huxley, so that should give you some perspective on what type of book it is. It's leagues ahead of its time and I found myself taking long breaks to contemplate the ideas discussed. Wonderful!

[Merinde]

I find this impossible to rate because I feel I am just the wrong person for it. I loved descriptions of his visions, but I really didn't care for his attempts at understanding the world, himself, or anything at all, actually. Still, there are some beautiful passages in there, and the fact that I love his paintings probably helped me get through the chapters.

[Rowan · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's definitely some gems in here, but for the most part this is a treatise on AE's specific theosophist view on mysticism. Its about 70% arguments for vision and what he labels imagination being more than simply an internal fiction, arguing simultaneously for seeing into other worlds, past life memories, remote viewing, and an internal creative agent who uses information from the akashic record (a theosophist belief) to create new visions. Its interesting if youre interested in theosophy. However, if like me, you wanted simply records of his visions, this is pretty scant. What's there is interesting, especially the chapter on Irish Cosmogony, and if youre able to seperate his beliefs from his mystic experience, you might be able to glean something from this. But it isnt a must-read, by any means.

[Jayson Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't had a work paint such vivid and resonant images of the mystic's inner life. His language, depth, and empirical views on the worlds sacred literature and mystic experience are powerful and definitely worth sitting with. This is definitely a reread.

[W.L. Hawkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I longed to throw my arms about the hills, to meet with kisses the lips of the seraph wind" (2).

What drew me to AE was his poetic voice and passion to connect with nature. I read a quote in a Druidry course I studied this year and had to know more about him.

AE was a friend of WB Yeats. This summer, I walked by both their offices at Merrion Square in Dublin. The man was loved and considered a saint by some. He painted faeries and mystical beings that, I believe, he saw.

Russell becomes awakened by Nature and experiences moments of vision and ecstasy. He meets kindred spirits on their spiritual quests. One is Yeats, whose voice he considered "the most beautiful voice in Irish literature."

"We need a power in ourselves that can confront these mighty powers [of the Iron Age]. Though I am blind I have had moments of sight. Though I have sinned I have been on the path. Though I am feeble I have seen the way to power."

"I am convinced that all poetry is, as Emerson said, first written in the heavens, that is, it is conceived by a self deeper than appears in normal life, and when it speaks to us its ancient story we taste of eternity and drink the soma juice, the elixir of immortality."

[Zachary Mays · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the introduction suggests, not a book for everyone, but for people who can sympathize with George William Russell's intuitive type of visionary mysticism. Since I do, I enjoyed the book immensely, though certain chapters and passages shine brighter than others. AE was a contributor to Wentz's study The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries, a book I have long been hoping to read in it's entirety. A good example of a mystic alive with the idea of "the Otherworld," one that always exists often unseen within and behind our own, a world of living spirits and forms, a world we often visit and live in without knowing it, in our dreams, in our thoughts, and in the thousand visions that flit across our inward sight every day.

[Bruce · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I tried to light the candle on my forehead to peer into every darkness in the belief that the external evidence of nature had no more exquisite architecture than the internal universe of being..." I'm quite sure that's the case, but there's only so much of this type of writing I can reasonably stand. Those whose interest lie in mysticism, theosophy, and metaphysics will undoubtably find this quite concise book to be a revelation as well as a confirmation of previously held beliefs. As far as the rest of us...

[Ken Lange · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably one of Waite's better books.

[Aine MacAodha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book by George Russle known as AE and friend of Yeats

[Rand]

illumine your mind

[Tod Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring and beautiful.

[Ziggy Mcalinden · Rating 5 out of 5]

A BRILLIANT AND INSPIRING BOOK, THE THOUGHT OF AMYSTIC/POET/PAINTER/ECONOMIST AND MUCH MOR. A LEADING FIGURE IN THE IRISH RENNAISANCE. THIS HIS MYSTIC THOUGHTS...