Useful Books

News and Reviews by Bethsheba Ashe.

"Alphabets and the Mystery Traditions is a fresh and exciting anthropological investigation of the origins of the Alphabet. By charting the journey of an ancient Egyptian spell that travelled through widespread cultural traditions in the form of the Alphabet, Judith Dillon has unveiled a compelling story of renewal and resurrection in the ancient mysteries. I particularly enjoyed her descriptions of the role of the Goddess in the spell of the Alphabet, and it’s a pleasure to add my endorsement of her book." - Bethsheba Ashe.

Alphabets and the Mystery Traditions is due to be published February 6, 2024. Pre-Order today! 

Alphabets and the Mystery Traditions

The Tree of Spirit: Lessons on Tarot, Cabala, and the Spiritual Path, by John Gilbert.
The Tree of Spirit is a timeless and well-written work which explores the philosophical and psychological challenges of hermetic Qabalah within the framework of Tarot symbolism. Gilbert is one author who does not confuse the map with the territory, and the Tree of Spirit is a solid introduction to the subject. He takes you step by step through the symbolic journey of the Fool, and draws wise reflections on navigating the sorts of spiritual tests the reader are likely to face along the path as they refine themselves in the Great Work.

The Tree of Spirit by John Gilbert.

The Path of the Sun Keepers, by Paul Francis Young.

THE PATH OF THE SUN KEEPERS : A Philosophical Guide to the Great Mysteries of Modern metaphysics, and Ancient K-C-Qabbalah.
For thousands of years, Kabbalah has formed the intellectual backbone of Western Esoteric and Hermetic thought. There have been few magicians and mystics who have not tapped into this stream. Despite this, texts on Western Kabbalah have either been derivative and stolen from the eclectic magical group, the Order of the Golden Dawn, or too esoteric for most beginners to understand. This book resolves that problem by providing information in a straightforward and clear way that anyone new to occultism can understand.

Behold: The Art and Practice of Gematria,
by Bethsheba Ashe
The art of Gematria goes far deeper than the way in which people have come to understand it today. Originating in Biblical texts, Gematria is less about the cherry-picking and comparison of numbers, but a far more beautiful and ancient art, that is crucial for biblical interpretation and occult symbolism.

In this revised and expanded version of the classic book, Bethsheba Ashe tackles questions which have been asked for as a long as the Bible has existed - why Adam and Eve had to leave the Garden of Eden; how Moses parted the Red Sea; whether Elijah riding the fiery chariot to heaven as real - which can all be answered all through the art of gematria, in the most advanced and thorough study of the subject ever published to date.

The ciphers in the book are utilized by the Shematria Gematria Calculator, created by the author herself to assist readers as she guides you through the ancient Hebrew system. Behold can be read as both a student handbook, a history and an invaluable reference text; within its pages you will find everything needed to detect and read hidden gematria calculations.

Behold is published in paperback on October 31 2023, and it has the pre-order price guarantee of $25 with Amazon:

Behold! The Art and Practice of Gematria, by Bethsheba Ashe

Fooled by Randomness, by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets, by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

One of the best uses of numerology is to use it to spot one's own cognitive biases. Lately I've been recommending this book to numerologists because it covers all the naturally driven biases that people are prone to when they attempt a naïve exploration of numerology. 
Random events cannot be engineered to conform to a numerological pattern, and these “patterns” that you think you're seeing are all in your brain. Taleb tells us that things always look less random and coincidental when looked upon in hindsight, and he explains that we are designed by mother nature to fool ourselves. He gives us examples of probability biases inbuilt into our psychology. 
 
You can find it on Amazon. Personally, I loved the audiobook.