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Undines: Lessons from the Realm of the Water Spirits
Undines—from the Latin root unda, which means “wave”— are water elementals, or spirits of the water world. Like their fellow elementals—salamanders (fire), sylphs (air), and gnomes (earth)—undines are united with, and personify, their element. First mentioned in the alchemical works of medieval botanist Paracelsus, undines appear throughout European folklore. Who are these mysterious creatures of lakes, oceans, and waterfalls?
Undines takes readers directly into the water spirits’ realm through stories, personal encounters, and interviews with such luminaries as Istiphul, the undine queen whose presence embodies the magical essence of the feminine. Whether seen as fact or fairy tale, Undines presents archetypal truths and insights into human nature. The powers and abilities that undines display are latent in us all and crucial to humanity’s evolution (or mere survival): harmony with nature, empathy and compassion, a deep capacity to love, and a cooperative rather than combative relationship to the world. Undines will appeal broadly to readers of mythology, fantasy, and fairy tales, particularly to practitioners that work with nature spirits and elemental beings—Druids, Wiccans, pagans, and those interested in magic and mysticism.
Undines takes readers directly into the water spirits’ realm through stories, personal encounters, and interviews with such luminaries as Istiphul, the undine queen whose presence embodies the magical essence of the feminine. Whether seen as fact or fairy tale, Undines presents archetypal truths and insights into human nature. The powers and abilities that undines display are latent in us all and crucial to humanity’s evolution (or mere survival): harmony with nature, empathy and compassion, a deep capacity to love, and a cooperative rather than combative relationship to the world. Undines will appeal broadly to readers of mythology, fantasy, and fairy tales, particularly to practitioners that work with nature spirits and elemental beings—Druids, Wiccans, pagans, and those interested in magic and mysticism.
- GenresNonfiction
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
About the author
William R. Mistele
11 books13 followers“I was born in Detroit, Michigan. My parents were extraordinarily dynamic. They were patrons of all the major Christian evangelists in the United States. They had contact with many political and business leaders. When it came to motor boats, sailboats, planes, and cars, they either set new records or owned some of the most famous ones in the world.
In this enchanting environment, you could come down to breakfast in the morning and meet a house guest like Captain Fuchida who led the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. You could hear the Captain and my mother discussing previously undisclosed details about the causes of World War II.
However, surrounded as I was by relatives who were masters of engineering, business enterprise, law, and accounting, I pursued a different path.
I graduated from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois with a BA in philosophy and a minor in economics. At that time, I began studying esoteric, oral traditions. In genuine mythology, individuals come into contact with the creative powers of the human spirit. Words and language possess a symbolic and imaginative quality that is magical. To understand an idea is to experience it from within. This involves a life-long, transforming journey–if you change the self, you change the world.
As part of my field research, I lived in a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Berkeley, California. I next studied Hopi Indian culture and language at the University of Arizona where I received a Masters degree in linguistics. At that time I became the only accepted student of a Hopi Indian shaman.
While living in Tucson, Arizona I began studying the Western hermetic traditions and the nature religions of Wiccans and Druids. I worked with a number of extremely gifted psychics and parapsychologists whose primary focus was on experimentation and research. I also practiced evocation with a Sufi master.
I then moved to Hawaii in 1982. There I studied with the relocated abbot of a Taoist monastery that existed for over two thousand years in China, a Vietnamese Zen master, and one of the foremost Tai Chi Chuan masters of China.
Since 1975, I have been a steadfast student of the system of initiation taught by the Czech magician, Franz Bardon, who died in the fifties. This system has provided the methods for contacting nature spirits and interacting with them in a personal and original manner. Franz Bardon’s mission was to offer a system of self-initiation that maximizes the spiritual powers and creativity of the individual.
Over the years I have worked as a group facilitator and a mediator in family and divorce mediation. I have taught as a civilian instructor for the U.S. Navy and marines. I have researched investing strategies for individuals’ portfolios. I am also a life long student researching strategies for resolving international conflicts.
I consider myself a spiritual anthropologist. Expanding on Bardon’s purposes, I am integrating into his system the wisdom of all traditions. To this end, I have created a new genre of modern fairy tales. These stories are not about belief or faith but direct experience. They open gates to other realms where we discover the keys to what is missing from life.
In 1998, I created a teaching website where I post my research and writings. This site currently offers a free correspondence course and on-going seminar for developing undine empathy. I am also establishing an archive on this site that gathers individuals’ experiences with undines from around the world. The goal is to expand and add clarity to the body of world literature in this area.”
~ William R. Mistele
In this enchanting environment, you could come down to breakfast in the morning and meet a house guest like Captain Fuchida who led the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. You could hear the Captain and my mother discussing previously undisclosed details about the causes of World War II.
However, surrounded as I was by relatives who were masters of engineering, business enterprise, law, and accounting, I pursued a different path.
I graduated from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois with a BA in philosophy and a minor in economics. At that time, I began studying esoteric, oral traditions. In genuine mythology, individuals come into contact with the creative powers of the human spirit. Words and language possess a symbolic and imaginative quality that is magical. To understand an idea is to experience it from within. This involves a life-long, transforming journey–if you change the self, you change the world.
As part of my field research, I lived in a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Berkeley, California. I next studied Hopi Indian culture and language at the University of Arizona where I received a Masters degree in linguistics. At that time I became the only accepted student of a Hopi Indian shaman.
While living in Tucson, Arizona I began studying the Western hermetic traditions and the nature religions of Wiccans and Druids. I worked with a number of extremely gifted psychics and parapsychologists whose primary focus was on experimentation and research. I also practiced evocation with a Sufi master.
I then moved to Hawaii in 1982. There I studied with the relocated abbot of a Taoist monastery that existed for over two thousand years in China, a Vietnamese Zen master, and one of the foremost Tai Chi Chuan masters of China.
Since 1975, I have been a steadfast student of the system of initiation taught by the Czech magician, Franz Bardon, who died in the fifties. This system has provided the methods for contacting nature spirits and interacting with them in a personal and original manner. Franz Bardon’s mission was to offer a system of self-initiation that maximizes the spiritual powers and creativity of the individual.
Over the years I have worked as a group facilitator and a mediator in family and divorce mediation. I have taught as a civilian instructor for the U.S. Navy and marines. I have researched investing strategies for individuals’ portfolios. I am also a life long student researching strategies for resolving international conflicts.
I consider myself a spiritual anthropologist. Expanding on Bardon’s purposes, I am integrating into his system the wisdom of all traditions. To this end, I have created a new genre of modern fairy tales. These stories are not about belief or faith but direct experience. They open gates to other realms where we discover the keys to what is missing from life.
In 1998, I created a teaching website where I post my research and writings. This site currently offers a free correspondence course and on-going seminar for developing undine empathy. I am also establishing an archive on this site that gathers individuals’ experiences with undines from around the world. The goal is to expand and add clarity to the body of world literature in this area.”
~ William R. Mistele
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October 6, 2020
Absolutely brilliant.
July 19, 2013
Amazing book! In the beginning I was thinking on rating it at 3 starts for I was feeling the author kind of floating above the book's main subject, further reading, the situation changed dramatically and the book seemed to deserve at least 4 starts, but the closing part of is really breathtaking and your overall view about the book is something totally different. The book is excellent for those who have interested on the matters and totally worth-reading
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews