Although it has been downplayed or forgotten, some of the most important spiritual teachers of the last few hundreds years have been hypnotists. (Christian mystic Saint-Martin and G. I. Gurdjieff among them.) We look at the influence of hypnotism on the West’s spiritual tradition.

Social media causes stress. And, even in the short-term, stress can lead to “binge eating or consuming excessive amounts of alcohol or drugs.” In the long-term, the brain itself can degenerate. Here’s what’s going on and how to fight back.

My latest book, The Path Of The Warrior-Mystic, is now available in the USA. Mitch Horowitz, PEN Award–winning author of Occult America and The Miracle Club, has said that “As steeped in magic, rite, and hidden history as he is in good sense, Angel delivers the book on positive manhood for which our culture has been yearning.” Here is a little about the book.

“This world is one of hypnotisation,” said Swami Vivekenanda (1863-1902). “Whatever you tell yourself that you become.” Yet, Vivekenanda claimed, we must “de-hypnotize” ourselves from wrong beliefs. In this, he was in agreement with the Western fields of hypnosis and positive thinking, though he departs in significant ways from them. Here, we look at de-hypnotizing ourselves from negative influences and negative, internal, self-talk and becoming our true Self.

Known today for founding the ritualistic Martinist Order, and for his writings on magic, Gérard Encausse was one of France’s most prominent, pioneering, and respected medical hypnotists. Indeed, for Encausse (and for 19th century France) there was a great deal of overlap between the magical and the medical. Here, we explore some of the stranger connections.

While we all want to have a good support group, there are times when — like it or not — we have to go it alone. Such times can be challenging but they can also be times of personal growth. Here’s some advice for the road.

Overcoming Pain ”Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls;” wrote poet Khalil Gibran, “the most massive characters are seared…