Kabbalah: An Introduction to the Esoteric Heart of Jewish Mysticism - Softcover

Tim Dedopulos is a British writer, game designer, puzzle-setter, and editor. Specializing in the esoteric, he has been studying Kabbalah for over 18 years. He is the author of more than 25 fiction and nonfiction works, including Wizards, The Encyclopedia of Fantasy (with Terry Pratchett and David Pringle), The Brotherhood, and Symbolism. In 2011 he devised The Great Global Treasure Hunt on Google Earth by Carlton, a book and online-based treasure hunt that uses complicated clues in the associated book, online social media, and Google Earth to find a hidden treasure. He lives in central London.

There’s no doubt that kabbalah, the practice of Jewish mysticism, is not for the faint of heart. As the book’s introduction notes, it is nothing less than God’s blueprint for creation . . . a vibrant body of mystical techniques and teachings. So it’s to Dedopulos’ credit that he makes (almost) understandable something that is so very complicated. He begins by tracing kabbalah’s history and then spends much of the book explaining the basic image of kabbalah, the Tree of Life—what it is and what it means. Kabbalah’s place in other mystical traditions and in today’s world is also covered. The clean format aids concentration, the historical images add interest, and illustrations of the Tree of Life are clear and helpful to learning, but many of the stock photos have little relevance (an image of swans is accompanied by the caption, Swans were thought of as the king of birds . . . as they carried messages and power between rulers). Exercises allow readers to try out meditation techniques that lead closer to the practice of kabbalah. A good starting point. --Ilene Cooper