On Whether to Buy the Second Edition of TSOM
If you follow Tanya on Facebook, you've probably learned by now that the second edition of The Spirit of Magic: Rediscovering the Heart of Our Sacred Art (TSOM) is coming out soon. The first edition was published under a Createspace ISBN, which limits our options when it comes to distributing copies. Creating a second edition gives us the opportunity to publish under a Falcon Books Publishing ISBN, which gives us greater freedom in a variety of ways, including exploring multiple formats and offering discounts on special occasions. With that said, the second edition does differ from the first edition in more than just its ISBN number. From what I've heard, a number of people are having trouble deciding whether to buy the second edition if they already have the first edition. In this blog post, I want to give my thoughts on the matter.
First off, when trying to decide whether to buy any book, the first thing to realize is that unless the book is IIH, you don't need it. Sometimes, it's better to stick with what we know we need and focus on it rather than to spend a lot of time and money chasing after what may or may not be potentially useful. I tell people that anytime I am asked whether a certain book is worth buying, and I don't see why I shouldn't do the same when the book in question is one of my own.
Alright, now onto the second edition of TSOM. The second edition is simultaneously very different from the first edition and essentially the same as the first edition. That claim might seem to contradict itself, so let me explain what I mean. The second edition is different from the first edition in a number of ways. The main differences are listed below.
1. The second edition has a new introduction and preface.
2. The chapters of the second edition are better organized. For example, the asana chapter is no longer one giant block of text, but has been divided up into sub-sections.
3. I have completely rewritten the chapters titled "Magical Systems," "The Saturn-Venus Path," and "Heaven on Earth." I tried to revise them but then decided it would be better to just scrap them and start from scratch.
4. Quite a bit of additional content has been added to the chapters titled "Walking the Path" and "Thought-Observation."
5. The writing style is less rambly and more concise.
6. The commentary on "The Golden Key" has been expanded.
So as you can see, much of the content is different; not so different that it's no longer the same book, but different enough to warrant a second edition. However, while the content is different, the lessons it contains are the same. By lessons, I refer to the following.
-When it comes to magical training, striving for wisdom is just as important as striving for power.
-Compassion is the source of inspiration underlying magic.
-Magic of significant power cannot be performed unless one has first established an elemental equilibrium.
-Magical training must be balanced between the three planes and the four elements.
-It's important to follow a good system because dabbling around aimlessly is both dangerous and a waste of time.
-The purpose of magic is service.
-There are spirits on the inner planes that can teach you far more about any subject than any human could ever teach you.
-Much of what passes for magic these days is really pseudo-magic.
So with that said, here's my take on whether to buy the second edition of the book. If you had a hard time grasping the lessons in the first edition and feel that you could benefit from additional (and more organized) information that can help you understand those lessons better, then consider buying the second edition. But if you had no trouble grasping the lessons in the first edition, then there are a few things I want you to know. The Best Friends Animal Society strives to reduce the number of animals killed in shelters and find new families for homeless pets. They could really use your support, and their website is set up to make donating very easy to do :). And the Wildlife Conservation Society has contributed to the creation of numerous protected areas across the globe that play a key role in preserving the world's biodiversity. Their site is also set up to make donating easy to do, and if you donate before next Tuesday, they'll give you a free limited edition wildlife-themed luggage tag!
And hey, if the missions of neither of those two organizations align with your interests, Falcon Books Publishing is going to be releasing some pretty cool stuff in the future. Bill's two-volume series Ten Rules for Spiritual Beginners is coming out soon. I'm almost finished writing my fourth book, which will be released around April of next year. There are also a few projects Falcon Books Publishing is working on that aren't books, but involve other media. Right now I'm not allowed to say too much, but things are moving fast so you won't have to wait long to see what all of us on the team have been up to.
Be kind.
First off, when trying to decide whether to buy any book, the first thing to realize is that unless the book is IIH, you don't need it. Sometimes, it's better to stick with what we know we need and focus on it rather than to spend a lot of time and money chasing after what may or may not be potentially useful. I tell people that anytime I am asked whether a certain book is worth buying, and I don't see why I shouldn't do the same when the book in question is one of my own.
Alright, now onto the second edition of TSOM. The second edition is simultaneously very different from the first edition and essentially the same as the first edition. That claim might seem to contradict itself, so let me explain what I mean. The second edition is different from the first edition in a number of ways. The main differences are listed below.
1. The second edition has a new introduction and preface.
2. The chapters of the second edition are better organized. For example, the asana chapter is no longer one giant block of text, but has been divided up into sub-sections.
3. I have completely rewritten the chapters titled "Magical Systems," "The Saturn-Venus Path," and "Heaven on Earth." I tried to revise them but then decided it would be better to just scrap them and start from scratch.
4. Quite a bit of additional content has been added to the chapters titled "Walking the Path" and "Thought-Observation."
5. The writing style is less rambly and more concise.
6. The commentary on "The Golden Key" has been expanded.
So as you can see, much of the content is different; not so different that it's no longer the same book, but different enough to warrant a second edition. However, while the content is different, the lessons it contains are the same. By lessons, I refer to the following.
-When it comes to magical training, striving for wisdom is just as important as striving for power.
-Compassion is the source of inspiration underlying magic.
-Magic of significant power cannot be performed unless one has first established an elemental equilibrium.
-Magical training must be balanced between the three planes and the four elements.
-It's important to follow a good system because dabbling around aimlessly is both dangerous and a waste of time.
-The purpose of magic is service.
-There are spirits on the inner planes that can teach you far more about any subject than any human could ever teach you.
-Much of what passes for magic these days is really pseudo-magic.
So with that said, here's my take on whether to buy the second edition of the book. If you had a hard time grasping the lessons in the first edition and feel that you could benefit from additional (and more organized) information that can help you understand those lessons better, then consider buying the second edition. But if you had no trouble grasping the lessons in the first edition, then there are a few things I want you to know. The Best Friends Animal Society strives to reduce the number of animals killed in shelters and find new families for homeless pets. They could really use your support, and their website is set up to make donating very easy to do :). And the Wildlife Conservation Society has contributed to the creation of numerous protected areas across the globe that play a key role in preserving the world's biodiversity. Their site is also set up to make donating easy to do, and if you donate before next Tuesday, they'll give you a free limited edition wildlife-themed luggage tag!
And hey, if the missions of neither of those two organizations align with your interests, Falcon Books Publishing is going to be releasing some pretty cool stuff in the future. Bill's two-volume series Ten Rules for Spiritual Beginners is coming out soon. I'm almost finished writing my fourth book, which will be released around April of next year. There are also a few projects Falcon Books Publishing is working on that aren't books, but involve other media. Right now I'm not allowed to say too much, but things are moving fast so you won't have to wait long to see what all of us on the team have been up to.
Be kind.
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