The Wisdom of Israel Regardie, Volume I, is filled with the rich wisdom and deep knowledge of the world famous occultist who was the personal secretary to Aleister Crowley for four years. This book contains the best of Regardies introductions to his and other authors books spanning the decades of his career. It also has some of Regardies best forewords and prefaces. This never before published compilation allows the reader to gain breadth and depth into many of Regardies writings, thoughts and philosophies in one amazing book. Israel Regardie (1907-1985) is a crucial figure in the development of modern occultism. At the age of 21 he travelled to Europe to work as Crowleys secretary, a period he writes about in his perceptive and sympathetic biography of the Beast, The Eye in the Triangle. This work describes (and is written despite of) their dramatic falling out which culminated in Crowley writing anonymously to every one whom Regardie knew or might come into contact with alleging all manner of extreme personal faults, no doubt intended to be as hurtful as possible. Regardies commitment to magick and spiritual advancement continued unabated. He joined the Stella Matutina, a continuation of the Golden Dawn. As the operations of this group faltered Regardie came into possession of the Orders papers. Starting in 1937, Regardie published them so that the system would be preserved forever. Hand in hand with his magickal activities Regardie explored Freudian, Jungian and Reichian psychoanalysis, and became a practitioner. For Regardie, magickal endeavour had to interface with spiritual awakening and psychological development.
Regardie authored nearly a dozen original books including such substantial works as A Garden of Pomegranates, The Tree of Life, The Philosophers Stone and The Middle Pillar all of which were first issued in the 1930s. He worked to make the Golden Dawn system available and understandable to a new generation with new revised editions of The Golden Dawn and original works drawing upon the system in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. His transmission of the Golden Dawn system went beyond just communication of information about the system, he also acted as ritual initiator permitting others the reactivation of the Order.