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The Red Lion: The Elixir of Eternal Life

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De rode leeuw beschrijft de zoektocht van de ongelukkige Hans Burgner, die na de dood van zijn vader een angst ontwikkelt voor het onafwendbare: de dood. Geobsedeerd door geruchten over een levenselixer gaat hij in de leer bij een mysterieuze geneesheer en alchemist. Door zijn gekmakende behoefte het elixer te bezitten vermoordt hij zijn leermeester. Spiritueel onervaren als hij is, brengt het elixer hem geen verlossing, maar juist vervloeking. Na het gedronken te hebben begint Hans reis door de tijd waarbij hij elke eeuw opnieuw geboren wordt, maar wel met dezelfde ziel en dus ook met dezelfde ervaringen en herinneringen. De lezer wordt meegetrokken in de labyrintische zoektocht naar de verlossing van zijn vloek. Wanneer Hans zich in de achttiende eeuw aansluit bij de magiërs van graaf St. Germain bepaalt het lot een nieuwe straf voor zijn vroegere zonde: hij wordt herboren aan het begin van de eenentwintigste eeuw.

438 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1946

About the author

Mária Szepes

61 books28 followers
Szepes was born Magdolna Scherbach into a Hungarian family of theater stars in Budapest. Her father, Sándor Papir, was a bon vivant and great star of Budapest's stages. Her mother was primadonna. Her parents and her brother were to her like "brothers and sisters in spirit", as well as she admitted only spiritual relationship: "Everything else is just experience, engagement, disengagement – karma."[clarification needed]
From 1916 to 1933, she appeared as a film actress (mostly under the name Magda Papir). One year after marrying Béla Szepes in 2 January 1931, she accompanied him to Berlin, where they lived until Hungary's Anschluß towards war's end. In her book Magie der Liebe ("Magic of Love"), Szepes writes about the marriage, which lasted 56 years, and discusses the so-called "Alchemistic Marriage", the dissolution of the ego in the other.
Szepes studied literature, art history, and biology in Berlin. Back in Hungary she first worked as a journalist, screenplay writer, and author. Her first novel The Red Lion was written in a hideout during World War II and became a worldwide bestseller of esoteric literature. The two Raguel volumes are referred to as her chief work by Szepes herself.

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5 stars
620 (66%)
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191 (20%)
3 stars
79 (8%)
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30 (3%)
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16 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
Profile Image for Andrei Stinga.
25 reviews59 followers
September 12, 2013
This is one of my top 5 books of all time. I have read it countless times and will continue to do so, because every time you read it, you find deeper and deeper layers of symbolism, connections and wisdom. This is one of those books that I would like to have with me if I was stranded on an island with only a handful of books...
Profile Image for Hakkalina.
43 reviews4 followers
September 24, 2009
My feelings about the book: Amazed, Startled, Excited, Peace

Maria Szepes was a Hungarian writer, so I read her book in Hungarian, but one of my dreams is to read this in English.
I like this book so much, it is about the development of the spirit through more course of lifes. It is an adventure book. Good for just reading too.
Profile Image for Heideblume.
228 reviews145 followers
February 23, 2017
È un libro degli anni '40 con una violenta storia editoriale che ci è giunto quasi per caso. La "gabbia" è quella del fantasy esoterico, ma in realtà, se scostate il velo, c'è molto di più. Il punto forte di questo romanzo è l'introspezione. L'autrice infatti, oltre ad essere molto acuta e pungente, vantava una specializzazione in psicologia.

L'espressività linguistica è incisiva. Personalità e azioni sono delineate con la minuzia di chi sta un gradino sopra rispetto al mondo che lo circonda. In questo senso la Szepes è stata una rivelazione. Al di là della trama questo libro è ricco di spunti di riflessione e, poichè mi ha trasmesso tanto, finisce di prepotenza nella mia top 10.
L'Elisir ottenuto col delitto ti ha reso schiavo delle passioni. Si è trasformato in un veleno dentro di te. Esiste un solo antidoto: la Trasmutazione. Devi portarla a compimento su tutti i 3 livelli simultaneamente... Fino a quel momento dovrai impegnarti per giungere al segreto delle 3 chiavi. Devi trovare la "Prima Materia"
Il leone rosso è una storia di reincarnazioni, ricerca e realizzazione alchemica, romanzata attraverso esperienze di edificazione spirituale. È un libro a più livelli: ogni lettore ne trae messaggi diversi. Ma è tanto bello quanto complesso perché alcune chiavi di lettura non sono immediate ma, nonostante tutto, vale la pena fare quest'esperienza.
Dal punto di vista narrativo ci sono alti e bassi, ma - per stare in tema - mi vien da rispondere: per aspera, ad astra. Posso giusto dire che è suddiviso in 3 parti perché 3 sono le porte della conoscenza da varcare.
Stendiamo un velo pietoso sul non-lavoro di editing della casa editrice perchè ho trovato dai 10 ai 30 refusi per capitolo.

Curiosità: nel dizionario di alchimia di Paracelsus "leone rosso" equivale a "cinabro". In termini metaforici dominare/trovare il Leone Rosso significa acquisire le conoscenze base dell'alchimista; superare il primo step (acquisire consapevolezza psicologica androgina dei limiti corporei e delle potenzialità della natura umana, superando i limiti delle differenziazioni sessuali), cui seguirà il secondo stadio: il Leone Verde. Tutto torna!
1 review
March 15, 2008
The first novel by Mária Szepes was published 1946 in Hungary (original title: "A Vörös Oroszlán"). During the communist regime Rákosi The Red Lion was considered to be nonconformistic and therefore was prohibited. All copies of the book were ordered to be destroyed. Except that the librarian and novelist Béla Hamvas had managed to save four copies. Then several supporters of the author typed up the novel, made templates for printing, and released the self-made copies into the underground. Almost 40 years later the novel arrived at the desk of the Heyne publishing company via the agency Utoprop. The book was translated into German by Gottfried Feidel and was published as paperback in 1984. More details regarding the history of origin are reported by Hans Joachim Alpers in his preface of the 2002 re-issue.

Szepes tells the story of unhappy Hans Burger, a miller's son born in the 16th century. After the death of his weak father and of a likewise miserable but beloved teacher, he becomes afraid of the unavoidable death of all living things. Driven by omnipresent rumours of an elixir of eternal life, he accompanies a mysterious alchemist. Instead of listening to his warnings, Burger, in his feverish greed, does not shrink away from murder; therefore he gets hold of the elixir spiritually unprepared. This is the starting point of a journey through the centuries, because from now on Burger can physically die, but is born into different circumstances over and over again and retains his full memory. Several times he tries to perform the great transmutation, which delivers him from his self-imposed curse. In front of the background of last five centuries' European history Hans Burger undergoes a dramatic personal development: at first an unconscious, even infamous, character, he grows on the problems confronting him. He reaches human perfection and finally becomes a Magus, an initiate.

Profile Image for Hannah.
158 reviews6 followers
September 27, 2021
this book was recommended to me by a tattoo artist I met when I was living in Budapest, who messaged me recently with a photo of its cover and said “it’s a book for us— the people who like to think.”

I typically prefer to read physical books, so at his recommendation, I began looking for a copy at bookstores and online. the cheapest I could find in English was a used version for a whopping $180, and the quality was listed as “very poor.” I hadn’t known the history of the book at the time - that it was banned and all copies (except 4) were destroyed after its publication in the 40s, only to be rediscovered and reprinted in German in the 80s, before a limited run print in English in early 00s.

anyways - I bought the Kindle edition ($2), began reading, and was immediately hooked. it’s a spiritual book, for sure, but it reads like an adventure novel, telling the story of Hans Burgner and the many lives he leads after acquiring the Elixir of eternal life.

I’m sure I’ll reread this at some point, and I’m sure I’ll notice things I didn’t pick up on the first time around, but for now, it’s inspired a lot of introspection about who and what I might’ve been before this lifetime, and where I am in my own eternal journey.
Profile Image for Carolyn Kost.
Author 3 books133 followers
August 13, 2017
This is a sweeping saga of a single soul's journey through time. The spiritually minded will find certain profound truths sprinkled throughout the narrative, like "earthly law merely executes spiritual justice." Like meditation, The Red Lion has the power to alter one's perception for a time and is a helpful means of piercing the veil to reach spiritual reality. Nevertheless, the book is overly long and indulges in the addition of too many characters and extended descriptions, and tarries far too long in the period of the French Revolution. Still, it's a worthy read that will likely stay with the reader for quite a while.
Profile Image for Flavia Ruxanda.
13 reviews
March 13, 2018
The book does take you on a spiritual journey. Must reread and get more information out of it. I'm sure it gives different insights every time, depending on your mind state. Now I truly wonder "who I've been?" and "where I'm at?" on my long journey. You start to look around and sort of understand or take people's actions more mellow.
Profile Image for Cristina Braia.
90 reviews16 followers
February 3, 2021
Nu am citit aproape deloc anul acesta dar pot afirma fara niciun dubiu ca aceasta carte a urcat in top 3 carti citite in ultimii 2 ani. Mi-a placut foarte, foarte mult si o recomand tuturor! E adevarat ca a venit la fix intr-un moment greu al vietii mele dar nu ma insel deloc cand spun ca este o compozitie literara extraordinara. Mi-a fost dor sa citesc dar, mai mult, mi-a fost dor de o capodopera.

Leul Roșu a fost scris în 1946 și a fost considerat un roman nonconformist. Din aceasta cauza opera a fost declarata ilegala si a fost dat ordin să fie distrusă dar un bibliotecar a salvat patru exemplare, iar susținătorii romanului au dactilografiat alte exemplare pentru a o păstra ascunsa înainte de a ajunge pe manile unui editor german in 1984.

Hans Burgner, protagonistul, s-a nascut in 1535 intr-o familie cu o mama instabila in comportament iar dupa moartea tatalui, el ramane sub teroarea acesteia. Totul se schimba pana apare unchiul sau, Sebastian, de care se ataseaza pentru ca, aparent, este singurul care ii tine piept mamei sale. Moartea insa isi cere tributul si Sebastian pleaca din aceasta lume. Hans se simte daramat si pierde sensul vietii.

„ Viata este superba, dar ce folos daca nu te poți bucura de ea decat câtiva ani – dacă după câteva placeri fugare omul se transforma într-o ruina epuizata, mușchii i se înmoaie, dintii îi cad iar viata i se stinge ca flacăra lumânării? Nu pricepeam cum pot oamenii sa se îmbulzească, sa năzuiasca la titluri si ranguri, sa se insoare, sa faca copii, sa exercite meserii, de vreme ce viața lor putea sa se sfarseasca in orice clipa, in cel mai bun caz peste cateva decenii, Cand ei mergeau la inmormântari si îl priveau pe cel mort in fata, isi vedeau de fapt propria condamnare la moarte. Cum de nu o luau la goana din cimitir, din casele lor, din familiile lor, ca sa caute pe undeva elixirul, viața vesnică?”

Povestea urmărește evolutia unui om obsedat de alchimie și dorinta sa de a intra in posesia Elixirului Vieții, elixir care ar garanta nemurirea. Calatoria protagonistului este una profund psihologica. Complotul este construit cu foarte mare atenție și plin de metafore ascunse, necesitând o lectură lentă și atentă, dar nu este lipsit de sare si piper. Cititorul progresează cu Hans Burgner și cu construcția remarcabilă a filozofiei alchimistului, pentru a se încheia într-o viziune deschisă asupra lumii noastre.

Unul din citatele mele preferate:

„A creat o capodoperă, o teorie aparent irefutabilă care a negat existența propriului său suflet. Astfel a închis al treilea ochi, vederea spirituală, din lumea oamenilor. Pentru a înlocui acest ochi văzător, omul a dezvoltat creierul central, care acționează ca degetul bâjbâit al orbilor. ”

Vă va merita timpul. Promit.
Profile Image for reea.
354 reviews12 followers
January 4, 2018
Aki utálja, hosszasan mesél arról mennyire lassú, feleslegesen részletes, mégis elnagyol és pátoszos az egész, s aki szereti, arról igyekszik meggyőzni a hajlandó hallgatóságot, hogy csodálatos, lassan építkező történet, alaposan kidolgozott karakteretekkel, elképzelhetetlen varázslatokkal, hihetetlen utazással. Szóval nem, nem biztos hogy szeretni fogod, és ha nem fogod szeretni, akkor csak utálni tudod.

http://napifalat.blogspot.hu/2018/01/...
August 5, 2018
I have read this book at least 5 times... I think that it would be fair to say it's a lot like Jonathan Livingston Seagull but more in depth and no crappy seagull pictures!!! Really enjoyed this book and recommend it to everyone and anyone who likes to think of our current existence as just a step in an evolutionary process!
Profile Image for Attila Benő.
Author 9 books13 followers
July 13, 2016
One of the best esoteric books around! Great story, great storytelling, great esoteric knowledge. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who is interested in spirituality.
Profile Image for Simona.
47 reviews5 followers
November 3, 2022
Nici nu stiu ce sa zic despre aceasta carte. Desi are actiune nu o poti citi repede, poate si din cauza intelesurilor ascunse . Oricum este o carte care se adreseaza celor care cauta acel "ceva" , informatia care sa te ajute sa gasesti iluminarea, si sa te dezvolti spiritual ( ,,inseamna a te domina pe tine însuți, nu a-i domina pe altii"). Cartea urmareste traseul de evoluție a "Leului rosu" de-a lungul mai multor reincarnari, cu obstacolele, esecurile, alegerile bune/rele, reusitele.
Ideile de aici nu mi-au fost straine, gasindu-le si in alte carti de spiritualitate : sa nu faci rau, ideea ca suferinta te poate face sa urci pe o treapta mai sus si sa arzi mai mult din karma, roata karmica si ideea cum sa iesi din ciclul ei, existenta vietii dupa moarte, existenta memoriei universale care este memoria akasica, existenta mai multor planuri ( astral, mental si fizic), crearea energiilor negative(demoni) in functie de pasiunile tale, legarea de corp, pierderea constiintei. Mi-a placut ideea ca Dumnezeu este calea de intrerupere a ciclului karmic si mi-a placut ca s-a recunoscut existenta arhanghelilor. Si daca tot vorbim despre roata karmica, cartea are actiune ciclica, personajul traind la final actiunea de la inceputul cartii. O idee frumoasa dar si terifianta, personajul ajungand sa traiasca greseala care a infaptuit-o dar dintr-o alta perspectiva.(la inceputul carti, acesta ucide si la final ajunge sa fie ucis din acelasi motiv) Si da este descris traseul fiecarui personaj cu greselile facute si plata lor in alta viata. Pentru acei oameni care cauta un raspuns este o confirmare dar si un indemn de a face bine si a te ingriji de sufletul tau.
Profile Image for Natalia Mat.
33 reviews6 followers
August 15, 2020
I feel like I still didnt really grasp the meaning of the book, but it was worth reading for its magical vibe. Fascinating, and oddly inspiring.
Profile Image for Morgiana.
179 reviews
March 11, 2020
Well...this was quite...interesting if you like esoterism, otherwise I found this is quite an unfinished book
75 reviews3 followers
April 19, 2021
Wow! I usually don't read fiction, but since it was Joe Dispenza that recommended it I had to.
This turned out to be one of the best books I ever read and now for sure among my favorites.

You who are now beginning to read this book will be either a king or a madman once you have finished. You can do what you want with it, you will never hate or forget it. If your heart is pure, it will be a shining torch. if your heart is strong, it will be a weapon in your hand. If your heart is wise it will become still wiser. But if your heart is base, this book will be hellfire to you, it will brand your soul and weigh your conscience with eternal sorrow and restlessness.
June 7, 2021
Nehéz volt elkezdeni. 80 oldal után szükségem volt egy szünetre mert untatott és nem tetszett a stílus. Aztán..
Beindult a könyv. Igazából ez nem is egy szimpla könyv hanem egy útmutató az élethez. És fantasztikus volt. Szerintem majd egy másik életszakaszomban is előveszem majd. Lehet akkor mást fogok levonni belőle. De most ez is elég.
Annyi elöljáróban írnék, hogy befásult ateistáknak nem ajánlanám. Sőt a “földhözragadtaknak” sem.
Ami engem megfogott: Mi kreálunk mindent. (Nem magyarázom meg, majd a Vörös oroszlán megmagyarázza helyettem)
April 5, 2024
This felt more like an autobiography. There were a FEW places I was a little bored (lots of names and places being thrown out). So much esoteric knowledge, I know a lot probably went right over my head, so it is a book I know I will want to read again in say.. 10 years time, just to see what else I can grasp from it.
Profile Image for Cristina Capozzi.
185 reviews38 followers
May 16, 2024
Una vera sorpresa!
Messo all’indice durante la seconda guerra mondiale, ne sono sopravvissute solo poche copie dattiloscritte. Riscoperto in epoca moderna è un libro che dietro l’apparenza di romanzo contiene profondi insegnamenti e spunti di riflessione.
1 review
December 19, 2007
An alchemical romp through four centuries by a man cursed by a murder to continually see a future he can not control. First published in 1946, this is the work of an author almost two well versed in religion and mysticism.
14 reviews
May 13, 2009
Interesting. The author definitely has an agenda. Her style is quite captivating, but you have to wade through the philosophy. It is also somewhat anti-woman, especial anti- sexual woman.
Profile Image for CR Mx.
3 reviews
February 23, 2019
Me gusto mucho este libro, creo que si de verdad uno se prepara, podemos reencarnar con total conciencia.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for 4ever1friend.
1 review
March 4, 2021
Amazing book. From the people I know they've read this book, I haven't met two persons who understood the same thing.
Profile Image for Kele Martins.
23 reviews
April 17, 2022
With such a magical atmosphere it's hard to grasp what the meaning behind this book is. I guess different people will get different messages depending on where we are at in their journeys. I thought of stopping reading this book a couple of times but I’m glad I didn’t. It did catch my attention all the way but I knew its dense and heavy themes could get the best of me. I’m glad I stuck to it though. It covers the laws of karma interestingly and it warns us of knowing how well we choose to take our path especially concerning the occult because it’ll reflect in many lives yet to come. Like attracts like and this is taught not exactly in the most enjoyable way through this book. For me, learning to handle our vanities and our ego demands are the biggest lessons in this book. The purest of heart are the one who will eventually reach illumination. It’s also a book about alchemy and it's fiction despite all the historical references. However, coming from this author I definitely say there’s more to it.
Profile Image for MeanyPanini.
31 reviews
April 13, 2024
A multi-layered book about the mysteries of the ancient sciences. The book was great, but I felt that the book was building up the entire time to something great, only for a simple and overall satisfactory ending. That may be the point, but the book sort of lacks a falling action, and instead ends at the climax. Even with that said, the themes and concepts posed in the novel are thought-provoking, with characters and drama that push you to keep reading. So much passion and research was put into this book, and when you realize Mária Szepes wrote this in hiding during WWII, its truly a miracle that this book even exists today.
Profile Image for Tuesday.
27 reviews1 follower
December 31, 2021
Overall, The Red Lion is a good read. However, Madame Pompadour died almost twenty years before the scene she appears in towards the end of this book. Since most of the characters were purely fictional, this one oversight of a real person's lifetime was glaring. The book had a few tedious moments, especially about three-quarters of the way through. I can see why others are so enthusiastic about the story, and I'm glad I can share it with them.
Profile Image for Veroni.
264 reviews4 followers
January 25, 2023
"...a halál íze megrontja az életet. Az élet gyönyörű, de mit ér, ha az ember néhány évig él csak... Aki sokáig él, változtasson nevet.
...a földi törvények mindig a szellemi törvények végrehajtói, akkor is, ha a jelenben úgy tűnik, ártatlant sújtanak. Mert ártatlanul bűnhödő ember nincsen. Az embert mindig saját tettei érik utol, hiába ölti fel egy-egy újabb test álruháját a tett helyéről való menekülés közben."
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews

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