Magi: the quest for a secret tradition

This was a very informative read for me. Lots of questions concerning the Magi were answered and many more brought up. Not only is this book informative, for me it was inspirational. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Absolutely fascinating. Adrian Gilbert is a consummate esoterist, astronomer and astrologer. He weaves bible information with ancient astronomy and astrology to tell a fascinating story.

So enlightening! And corrects many errors promulgated by lazy researchers who just repeat what they read somewhere else.

Gilbert is reflective and a bit redundant through this book. It is nice to have someone who actually went to the sites in question. The photos are also necessary and helpful in keeping reader attention.This is a must read for those wondering about the Star of Bethlehem and are interested another scientific theory for its origin. Gilbert proffers several questions about the Magi which he answers without sourcing. If you are a primary source person look somewhere else for proof, not in this book.This book would have been better written in 3 chapters and 150 pages.

interesting concept

Difficult read.

great book ,easy to read,entertaining,and loved thephotographs.a little bit light on what secret tradition buti read some of buvals books so i knew what the tradtion is.

CRITICISMS: Poorly organized. Very boring and dull to read. Does not make clear points. The book goes like this: I (the author) did this, then this. Then thought this. Then realized I was wrong and thought this. Then maybe this. And then went back to point 2 and thought this. Then went back to point 1 and thought this. In the end it leaves you wondering what you got from the book and what the whole point was. Book could have been summarized in 1 chapter. The rest is spent following the author around and on unnecessary history and quoting the Bible.WHAT I GOT FROM IT: It asks why the Israeli flag is 6-pointed star but Bethlehem has a 5-pointed star. It doesn't answer this. Google it.Shows similarities between the Christian/Zoroaster/Mithra stories and how they are all linked to Egypt (nothing you haven't heard before). 3) Does point out that like Mithras & Jewish Kabbalah (Menorah), Christianity has a 7 steps to Salvation linked to planetary bodies: 1) Baptism (Moon), 2) Penance (Mercury), 3) Marriage (Venus), 4) Communion (Sun), 5) Confirmation (Mars), 6) Holy Orders (Jupiter), and 7) Last Rites (Saturn).Mentions Antiochus IV Epiphanes causing the "abomination of desolation" by sacrificing a pig on the altar.Moves to a chapter about someone called ANTIOCHUS (not Epiphanes). Shows the father's line of descent represented as the Persian line and the mother's side as Greek (from Alexander the Great) to ANTIOCHUS (son of Mithridates Callinikos & Laodice, dau of Seleucid king Antiochus VIII). The Lion (Persian line) as the star Regulus and Eagle (Greek line) as Sirus giving birth to the New King - July 29 7BC. He shows that he believes this was Jesus' birth date. It coincided with the Egyptian new calendar or something, which is also the date that ANTIOCHUS & his father changed their own birth dates to. So all in all... I gathered Jesus' birth date. Okay... sooo... I skipped a lot because it was so painful...It matches up briefly Abraham with the people of his time and locates the city of Ur and where the Aryan peoples all flooded out of the mountains (Around Mt Ararat) from where Eden (it points out the 4 rivers the author believes were around the Garden of Eden) was. Rivers: Arax was Pishon and River Halys was Gihon.Page 294 was the most interesting of the whole book: Says the Mayan Prophecies (his other book) shows the Mayans believed at each end of the Milkyway was a STARGATE. The Southern gate was near Sagittarius and the northern near Gemini. Well known in the Roman world so author claims. Author claims Jesus went to sit at the right hand of God by going to "this" part of the sky. He doesn't mention which part but I guess either to the Northern or Southern end of the Milkyway? He says, Orion now represents Jesus like it does Osiris. It says that Orion "Father Time" is now reaching its maximum elevation in the sky. Could this be when the Star gate is opened? (End of book)So the only reason I gave this book a 3 was this last page & Jesus' birthdate. Otherwise I have heard all the rest before and ended up skipping chapters because they were painful! Pretty much it is saying the end of the age/life as we know it is coming around 2012 when Orion is at its maximum peak. Because I believe God uses astrology/astronomy to give signs, I hope to see the sign of Christ's return in the skies via some astronomical sign in the stars/planets.Oh, BTW, author predicted Aug 24 '99 as the "sign of the Son of Man in heaven"... based on what he saw in the stars with Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury coming together... didn't happen. So keep looking! :D

I already had a copy of this book and treated a friend to a copy as I’d enjoyed it.

Magi was informative but the copy I received was rather dated and I think a later edition might have been updated somewhat.

Great