The acclaimed author of The Occult presents a groundbreaking theory of unexplained phenomena from ghosts and magic to the power of the unconscious.

A renowned expert on the subject of occultism, Colin Wilson’s sequel to his masterwork, The Occult, is “a major work” in its own right. In The Mysteries, Wilson continues his the investigation into magic, the paranormal, and the supernatural through extensive research as well as his own extraordinary first-hand experiences. The result is “an extraordinary tour de force” of scholarship (New Science).

Through a personal mystical experience, Wilson discovered that human beings consist of a ladder—or hierarchy—of selves, whose upper members may be called upon at will for personal transformation and deep knowledge. This experience inspired him to apply this insight to all paranormal phenomena, from precognition to Uri Geller's spoon bending.

Wilson presents detailed studies of hauntings, possession and demonic hypnosis, as well as magic, the Kabbalah, and astrology. At the heart of his work is a fascinating discussion of the Great Secret of the alchemists, which he sees as the key to the mystery of the ladder of selves.