The Hermetica by Peter Gandy, Timothy Freke, Trismegistus Hermes (1999, Paperback)

Timothy Freke and Peter Gandy authors of The Jesus Mysteries and Jesus and The Lost Goddess present excerpts of the translations of the Egyptian classic by Hermes the Thrice Great, The Hermetica written around 3000 B.C.

The book introduction dives into the History of the Hermetica, who Hermes was and how the Hermetica influenced other religions such as Christianity and Islam. The rest of the book is a simple translation of the Hermetica which reads like poetry. I was fascinated by how much of what I read was so familiar even though I was reading this text for the first time. It became very clear to me that many philosophies, religions and thinkers have taken their ideas from this text. Some examples are the idea of God being a Supreme Mind in which everything in the universe exists within. And that man is God's most divine creation.

Some of the topics covered in The Hermetica include: The Prophecies and Initiation of Hermes, The Being of Atum (God), The Hierarchy of Creation, Incarnation of The Soul, Death and Immortality, and More! I suggest starting with this book and then moving onto the more complex works on Hermes which can bog down the new student.