Book Reviews

Printed in the  Fall 2025   issue of Quest magazine. 

In the Company of Gods: Public Dialogues with an Unconventional Mystic
Ray Grasse
Chicago: Inner Eye, 2025. 197 pp., paper, $24.95.

Before I delve into this wonderful book, it is important to introduce Shelly Trimmer. “Shelly Trimmer (1917‒1996) was a Pennsylvania-born yogi and occultist who studied under the famed teacher Paramahansa Yogananda during the early 1940s, and was a student of both the Eastern and Western mystical traditions. After several years with Yogananda in California, he traveled back East to undertake an intensive regimen of private study, meditation and ritual practice, choosing to forego formal titles or an affiliation with any organization. He eventually married and moved with his family to a remote region of Minnesota, then finally to the West Coast of Florida where he lived until the end of his life. He never published books or articles, choosing instead to teach primarily on a one-to-one basis with a comparatively small circle of students.”

We are fortunate to receive this book through former Quest editor and frequent contributor Ray Grasse. I read his book An Infinity of Gods: Conversations with an Unconventional Mystic and yearned for more. My yearnings are answered with the current volume.

 Grasse learned about Shelly through Chicago-based Kriya Yoga teacher Goswami Kriyananda and then met with him in person at his home in 1977‒78, followed by a number of encounters throughout the eighties and nineties, which Grasse recorded.

Shelly was an unorthodox teacher. Grasse says that his teachings “prominently included elements of yogic mysticism and astrology, but also Kabbalistic, Hermetic, alchemical, and mathematical elements, all framed within a distinctly modern sensibility.” When Shelly talked about reincarnation, psychic phenomena, magic, or chakras, it never came through as dogmatic. As a true teacher, Shelly always wanted students to find out the truth themselves.

Shelly gave a series of four public talks in Chicago in 1985. Grasse’s book is a compilation of selected passages from the recordings of these talks. An additional blessing is Grasse’s commentaries. Shelly’s ideas at times are challenging, but Grasse’s interpretations serve as thought-provoking clarifications.

The twenty-seven chapters cover topics from reincarnation, meditation, free will, cosmic dreams, time and space, horoscopes, simplicity of love, to the archetype of the zodiac and even the big bang. Grasse leads us from simpler to more complex ideas, making our journey a little easier.

What is the nature of a true teacher? I always felt that it is the utter simplicity of his or her presence. I am reminded of my first meeting with my own teacher from a small town in India. He sat in a modest 10 x 14‒room dwelling and sent his assistant to fetch some tea leaves, giving him the equivalent of ten cents. I am still carrying the blessings of that “perfect ordinariness” (a term Grasse uses to describe Shelly). As Grasse described him, “If you were to meet Shelly on the street and have a conversation with him, without knowing anything about his background, you might not think there was anything exceptional or unusual about him, other than maybe those unusual eyes and that deep voice of his.”

Someone asked Shelly how one could attain Christ or God consciousness without “getting crucified.” Shelly’s answer was: “Well, the key there is to hide your sainthood under a bushel, so to speak.” Kriyananda once asked Shelly, “Can you prove to me that you’re spiritual?” After pausing for a moment, Shelly turned, walked to the other side of the room, grabbed his hat, then walked out the front door and went to work!

I am personally drawn to a Zen-like approach to life and living in its utter simplicity of love. Grasse relates a story when one of Kriyananda’s students approached Shelly and said, “My love is so imperfect. There is always some ego involved and I don’t know how to express true unselfish love.” Shelly said, “Just love!” Grasse comments, “Both Shelly and Kriyananda sometimes used the analogy of ‘priming the pump’—the traditional practice of pouring a little water down the shaft of a water pump to get it started, in order to draw more water out from the ground. In short: stop judging or analyzing how ‘perfect’ your love is—and just do it. Prime the pump of your heart chakra and it will naturally start to pour forth from there.”

Each topic in this volume is full of wisdom. Shelly’s teachings and Grasse’s commentaries are a combination made in  heaven. This is not a book that is to be read once and put back on the shelf. Please take your time to read it. Let the transmission of teachings take place. Be grateful!

Dhananjay Joshi 

Dhananjay Joshi is a regular reviewer for Quest.

 

 

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Printed in the  Fall 2025   issue of Quest magazine. 

The Life and Death of John Yarker
DAVID HARRISON
St. Neots, Cambridgeshire, UK: Lewis Masonic, 2025. xiv + 331 pp., paper, $22.99.

John Yarker, Jr. (1833‒1913), the intriguing British collector and purveyor of “high grade” Masonic degrees and rites, was one of the more enigmatic participants in the occult revival of the late nineteenth century. This recent biography is the first full-length study of his life, as well as a guide to his extensive research, writings, and esoteric activities.

The book’s author, David Harrison, is one of the most prolific Masonic historians at work today. In that specialized field, he stands out as someone who seeks out down-to-earth facts rather than engaging in imaginative theories and flights of fancy. Since Harrison’s subject here—Yarker—was given to chasing attractive myths and legends, Harrison’s sober approach provides a good balance to the proceedings.

The occult revival that captured John Yarker’s imagination was marked by the overlapping popularity among the British intelligentsia of spiritualism, ceremonial magick, psychic practices such as clairvoyance and skrying, and interests in “oriental”  mysticism and Masters, as well as the belief that secret knowledge of these subjects was encoded within gnostic teachings, Masonic traditions, and even folk beliefs. Ancient wisdom was to be sought because it preserved the insights of earlier sages, whose traditions and consciousness were assumed to be purer and more insightful than what mankind was left with after the destruction of the library of Alexandria.

To ponder the motivations and insights of seekers such as Yarker, H.P. Blavatsky, or Annie Besant—all of whom were participants in the occult revival—is to wrestle with the choices they made in presenting themselves as privy to, and guardians of, secret knowledge.

In Yarker’s case, he concluded early on that speculative Freemasonry was a link in the chain of ancient wisdom preserved down to the present. (He was initiated into a Masonic lodge in 1854, when he was only twenty-one years old.) Because Masonic initiations were structured in a numbered progression, with each initiation presented as an advance in symbolic or intuitive knowledge, he came to believe that the higher one’s degree (of which there were ninety-six in the case of his Antient [sic] and Primitive Rite), the higher one’s attainment. This assumption lay behind almost all of the higher-degree Masonic orders that he propagated and preserved. It also seemed to motivate many of the spiritual teachers and seekers that Yarker communicated with.

I hope it will shatter no one’s fondest dreams to suggest that spiritual growth doesn’t work that way. As we know from today’s dysfunctional public school systems, just because one has graduated from the twelfth grade doesn’t mean that one is well versed in the subjects one has studied (or is even literate). In the case of spiritual growth, undergoing a ritual may or may not have a discernible effect, and no result is guaranteed.

As Harrison takes his readers through Yarker’s championing of various rites such as the Order of Elijah, the Sat Bhai, the Fratres Lucis, or the Hermetic Brothers of Egypt, one can see that sometimes much was promised, but little delivered. For many, a series of initiations into spiritual lineages or lofty brotherhoods amounted to another badge to wear on one’s chest or another framed certificate to hang on one’s wall. (At the same time, I can affirm that the conferral of a Masonic degree, such as the Royal Arch, when done skillfully and sincerely, can be a memorable and inspiring experience.)

Delving into the varieties of esoteric rituals and honors, Harrison devotes the final section of his book to the permutations and impact of Yarker’s lineages and organizations after his death. This explores the flourishing of apostolic lineages of independent “Catholic” and “Gnostic” bishops from Yarker’s time on up to the present. Unsurprisingly, many of the same individuals who sought out advanced Masonic degrees and rites were also interested in ordinations as priests and consecration as bishops in select orders and churches with metaphysical and mystical orientation.

Harrison describes the baroque power struggles that arose upon Yarker’s death in 1913 over who would be his successor to the leadership of his Antient and Primitive Rite and various other rites and lineages within his “collection.” Connoisseurs of the absurd may be entertained by the twists and turns of this fracas, with none other than the notorious occultist Aleister Crowley smack-dab in the middle of things, throwing accusations of improprieties committed by other rivals for the prize, including James Ingall Wedgwood, a Co-Mason and later presiding bishop of the Liberal Catholic Church. It is a shame that Gilbert and Sullivan had already passed on by 1913; otherwise they might have conjured up a splendid comic opera enacting the proceedings.

The Life and Death of John Yarker is not for everyone. If you have little interest in the vagaries of Masonic history (or of occult history, for that matter), you will likely find this book of little value. However, if you are someone with a keen interest in the curious pastimes of the esoterically disposed (both the ridiculous and the sublime), this book may well be your cup of tea.

 Harrison is obviously fond of John Yarker and feels a kinship with him, not only because they share an April 17 birthday and both hailed from northwest England, but because “we both had a deep interest in the esoteric nature of Freemasonry and the Occult,” as Harrison puts it. One charming feature of the book is the many color photos that Harrison took of the historic towns and homes of his subjects, including gravesites and local pubs. Lewis Masonic is to be commended for publishing such a unique work.

Jay Kinney

The author’s most recent appearance in Quest was an interview in the fall 2024 issue on Freemasonry. His 2009 book, The Masonic Myth, especially in its illustrated ebook edition, remains a popular overview of the Masonic Craft.

 

 

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Printed in the  Fall 2025   issue of Quest magazine. 

Practical Magick: Ancient Tradition and Modern Practice
MITCH HOROWITZ
N.p.: G&D Media, 2025. 299 pp. paper, $21.98.

Not everyone can abide by magick (with a “k”). Neither sleight-of-hand nor stage illusion, it signifies real-world magic—bringing about change in accordance with the will in ways that are extraphysical and beyond standard scientific understanding.

Those who haven’t understood, believed in, or experienced magick—such as hardcore materialists—are typically convinced that anyone who thinks otherwise is a fool. Others know that magick is quite real but avoid it because of warnings from many spiritual and religious traditions that it will distract, debase, or destroy those who undertake it.

 Practical Magick: Ancient Tradition and Modern Practice, by Quest contributor Mitch Horowitz, is an ambitious, fascinating, and provocative volume written for those who do seek to use magick. Beyond all else, it aims to convey the quintessence of a seasoned practitioner’s personal understanding of why magick works and how you too can succeed at it. To make this quintessence more digestible, as a respected occult historian, he has provided the reader with a great deal of fascinating context.

If Horowitz’s distilled insight is the main course, he also provides stimulating appetizers and desserts such as the history of magick (from Neolithic times through Egypt and the Hermetic tradition and then on to various occult revivals up to the modern day); how to tip the scales of luck (including a fun look at ubiquitous “superstitions”); a look at the Tarot; a reevaluation of the classic text The Kybalion; a month-long positive thinking exercise from William James; and an appendix on “Wild Talents: Why ESP Is Real.”

 Previously published in Quest, this appendix reviews a century of psi or ESP research. It shows, without question, that something extraphysical—beyond what materialist science can statistically account for—sometimes occurs. This makes magick, which is also extraphysical and overlaps with PSI in many ways, easier to accept and discuss.

Back to the quintessence: Horowitz questions the need for the preparation and rehearsal of in-depth rituals—as in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Thelema (Aleister Crowley’s religion), and some modern Wiccans—as well as paraphernalia (costumes, wands, candles, etc.). Instead, he focuses on spontaneity, depth of feeling, and being fully honest with oneself about what one really wants and what one is willing to energetically, physically, and emotionally exchange for it. If you are spontaneously drawn to an unusual location where you find yourself enacting a declaration or speaking a vow with intense emotion, go for it! If a prayer or invocation to someone or something comes through you, emote and charge it. The key is bypassing the rational mind to engage the parts of us that tap into our deeper selves, higher minds, nature spirits, or petitionary deities. (Horowitz suggests calling and befriending any you might resonate with.)

One powerful technique, associated with chaos magic, is sigil creation. A simple glyph or symbol is formed by playing with the letters in a phrase that represents one’s true magickal desire—they’re turned upside down and around, overlapped, and ultimately reduced to a single form that might be about as complex as an astrological sign. The sigil is memorized and charged with sexual or emotional intensity (sexuality is not required, but there is a long history of using it to supercharge magick). The conscious mind lets go of the outcome, but the unconscious retains it. Magick occurs in that gap.

But, you still might be wondering, exactly how does that happen? (Fortunately, as with electricity, we don’t have to know exactly how magick works in order to effectively use it.) Horowitz explores various possibilities: quantum theory, superimposition, the many-worlds hypothesis, the intricacies of many beings cocreating reality simultaneously—all through the lens of the Hermetic axiom: as above, so below; as within, so without. (Resonance ripples outward; perhaps chaos magick works by summoning a primordially chaotic part of yourself that paradoxically sows a seed of supercoherence in an even larger sea of chaos.)

Horowitz’s bottom line: Be real. Be honest. Dig deep. Be spontaneous. And be willing to pay the price—magick always requires a price—both ethically and energetically. (By the way, to be successful, show up as your unique self, dress well, do what it takes to be lucky, and never purposefully humiliate others.)

There may be books with similar titles, but none will challenge or provoke like this one. If you know magick is real but it’s not working for you in your life—what aren’t you being honest about? What price won’t you pay? What primordial part of yourself are you avoiding? Horowitz isn’t just a scholar, he’s a vetted practitioner whose insights and historical depth invite you to transcend your previous magickal limitations to cocreate the life you most desire.

Jordan Gruber

The reviewer is coauthor, with James Fadiman, of Microdosing for Health, Healing, and Enhanced Performance (2025) and Your Symphony of Selves (2020).

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Printed in the  Fall 2025   issue of Quest magazine. 

The World Peace Way
Middletown, Calif.: Karuna, 2024. 182 pp., paper, $15.

Food for Freedom: Reclaiming Our Health and Rescuing the World
Karuna, 2024. 361 pp., paper. $18.

WILL TUTTLE

These two recent books by TSA member Will Tuttle make a passionate and convincing case for veganism, a way of plant-based living that is free from meat, dairy, and other animal products. An accomplished musician who has produced ten albums of original piano music, he has lectured extensively throughout the United States and abroad. A well-known advocate of veganism and ahimsa—dynamic harmlessness—Tuttle has received the Courage of Conscience Award and the Empty Cages Prize.

The World Peace Way is a practical workbook emphasizing that world peace begins with peace within and showing how we can integrate freedom, vitality, and joy into our daily lives. The author ably accomplishes these goals through describing six essential “keys”: healthy diet; meditation and spiritual practice; healthy relationships and communication; the healing power of movement; the healing power of nature; and the healing power of creativity.

Emphasis on a natural vegan diet of vegetables, fruits, nuts, pulses, and grains is a common theme throughout this book, along with questioning the prevailing cultural narratives about food, health, and humanity’s role in today’s world. Tuttle encourages the reader to discern truth and make one’s own personal decisions in a world where social conditioning from the media, government, and big business influences our lives more than ever.

Each section is clearly written and well-organized and is filled with practical suggestions as well as personal anecdotes and clear “how to” examples. The book includes a section of culinary guidance from Tuttle’s wife, Madeleine; a shopping list of healthy plant-based foods; and an extensive list of resources, including literature, online connections, and suggested sources of foods, household goods, and personal care products. There is even a list of animal sanctuaries.

This book is a joy to read and is recommended not only for readers who are considering a vegan lifestyle but for those who want to bring more health and harmony into their lives.

While The World Peace Way focuses on the “how” involved in achieving peace in the world, Food for Freedom focuses on the “why.” According to the author, “This book is an exploration into the underlying cultural food narratives in this society, and how they have eroded our freedom, health, spirituality and awareness.”

Food for Freedom is a complex, passionate, wide-ranging, and powerful book that is often controversial and not always a comfortable read.  The author documents the numerous benefits of a plant-based diet of natural, unprocessed foods, while challenging the reader to become aware of the forces in our society that inhibit independent thinking and limit our freedom to make personal life choices, especially regarding food and health.

In addition to presenting convincing arguments for adopting a vegan lifestyle, the author offers an in-depth analysis on the path of technology versus the path of spirituality. He explores issues such as the worship of materialism; the marriage of science, money, and narrative control; the evils of medical corruption and vaccination; and the forced mandates of lockdown and the wearing of masks during the recent Covid epidemic.

Tuttle takes aim at “herdism,” which originally stems from human control of animals used for food through “superiority, force, reductionism, disconnectedness from nature, and the routine domination of the sacred feminine.” He criticizes mainstream institutions in our society that manipulate us to accept the status quo and conform to prevailing narratives. In his view, these include mainstream and social media, government institutions, large food conglomerates, big pharma, the agrichemical industry, and other global institutions. The author takes aim at vegans’ use of heavily processed plant-based foods, which are often loaded with pesticide residues as well as sodium, sugar, fats, and other unhealthy ingredients. He also chastises the double standard of ethical vegans who were vaccinated during the recent Covid pandemic even though the vaccines had been tested on animals.

Food for Freedom is an important book, with a wealth of valuable insights into the human condition. The book challenges many accepted beliefs about diet, health, and the role of government and the media in our lives.

At the same time, some of the arguments presented in this book may be questioned as well, such as the claim on page 182ff. that “the COVID pandemic event was initiated and organized as a military operation in the USA by the CIA, the Pentagon, the Biodefense Commission, and the Department of Homeland Security in conjunction with the World Health Organization” and that wearing protective masks not only increases criminal activity but reduces intelligence levels. Although protective masks have been routinely worn in classrooms and on public transportation in China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan for many years, these countries enjoy the world’s lowest crime rates, and their students boast the highest IQ scores in the world.

When I read a book, I do not expect to agree with everything the author has written, and I welcome the opportunity to consider ideas that do not initially align with my own. Food for Freedom is a sincere, well-written, and complex book that promotes a way of life based on compassion for other animals, protecting the planet, and advancing health, happiness, and personal freedom. It also inspires independent thinking. Like The World Peace Way, this book contains numerous resources for future study and activity, including a booklist, food ideas, and online connections.

Nathaniel Altman

 

Nathaniel Altman has been a member of the TSA since 1970. He is the author of many books, including Eating for Life: A Book about Vegetarianism and Ahimsa: Dynamic Compassion, both published by Quest Books.

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