What Does Popular Fiction Have to Do with the Occult?
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Irish Gothic Fiction
THE ‘If the Gothic emerges in the shadows cast by modernity and its pasts, Ireland proved EME an unhappy haunting ground for the new genre. In this incisive study, Jarlath Killeen shows how the struggle of the Anglican establishment between competing myths of civility and barbarism in eighteenth-century Ireland defined itself repeatedly in terms R The Emergence of of the excesses of Gothic form.’ GENCE Luke Gibbons, National University of Ireland (Maynooth), author of Gaelic Gothic ‘A work of passion and precision which explains why and how Ireland has been not only a background site but also a major imaginative source of Gothic writing. IRISH GOTHIC Jarlath Killeen moves well beyond narrowly political readings of Irish Gothic by OF IRISH GOTHIC using the form as a way of narrating the history of the Anglican faith in Ireland. He reintroduces many forgotten old books into the debate, thereby making some of the more familiar texts seem suddenly strange and definitely troubling. With FICTION his characteristic blend of intellectual audacity and scholarly rigour, he reminds us that each text from previous centuries was written at the mercy of its immediate moment as a crucial intervention in a developing debate – and by this brilliant HIST ORY, O RIGI NS,THE ORIES historicising of the material he indicates a way forward for Gothic amidst the ruins of post-Tiger Ireland.’ Declan Kiberd, University of Notre Dame Provides a new account of the emergence of Irish Gothic fiction in the mid-eighteenth century FI This new study provides a robustly theorised and thoroughly historicised account of CTI the beginnings of Irish Gothic fiction, maps the theoretical terrain covered by other critics, and puts forward a new history of the emergence of the genre in Ireland. -
The Egalitarian Occultism of Dion Fortune
1 Tea, Scones and Socially Responsible Sex Magic: The Egalitarian Occultism of Dion Fortune Georgia van Raalte Student number: 10864105 [email protected] Supervisor: Dr. Marco Pasi Second reader: Prof. Dr. Wouter J. Hanegraaff Submitted on 14th July 2015for: MA Religious Studies Department of Religious Studies, Faculty of Humanities, Universiteit van Amsterdam 2 Table of Contents 1. Preliminaries i. Introduction 3 ii. Academic Work on Fortune 7 iii. Fortune’s Biography 8 iv. The Occult Context 11 v. Fortune’s Published Work 14 2. Audience i. Egalitarian Initiation 21 ii. Esotericism for (Almost) All 23 3. Sexuality i. The Problem of Repression 27 ii. Spiritual Sexuality 30 iii. The Use of Sublimation 33 iv. The Doctrine of Polarity 35 4. Ritual i. Ritual and Ambiguity 40 ii. The Ritual Method 43 iii. Ritual as Outlet 47 3 5. Applied Sex Magic i. Sublime Sex Magic 48 ii. The Magical Relationship 51 iii. The Group Soul 55 6. Epilogue: Everyday Esotericism 56 Bibliography 59 Appendix 1 61 Appendix 2 64 Appendix 3 66 4 1. Preliminaries 1.i. Introduction: Sexual Magic and Social Responsibility Dion Fortune is a fascinating and neglected figure of 20th century occultism. In her lifetime, she published a prodigious number of books and articles on both occult and non-occult matters, and authored a number of novels. A full exploration of her work would take up many more pages that I have at my disposal, so I have limited myself to what I believe to be the most unique aspect of her work and the one which has the most significance for the modern study of Esotericism: her approach to sexual magic. -
Dion Fortune, (About the Author)
Here formatted for A4 paper, but original’s page numbers are also shown. And remark that the many of the illustrations inserted here, was not in the ‘old book’- as ex.this below of Duguay – and more of this same artist further on. Audiobook of this will also be uploaded, mp3. Dion Fortune, (About the Author) Through The Gates Of Death. THE GREAT ANAESTHETIST. (Anaesthetists are doctors who have completed a full medical training. As graduate doctors they choose to complete further training to become an anaesthetist) DEATH is a universal experience. No one can hope to escape. It is only a matter of time till it comes to each one of us and each one of those we love. Yet Death is called the King of Terrors and is the supreme threat of the law to the wrong-doer. What is it that makes a natural process so terrible? Is it the pain of dying? No, for anodynes can deaden that. Most death-beds are peaceful when the time comes, and few souls go out struggling. What, then, is it we fear in death that it should be for us a thing of grief and dread? Firstly, we fear the Unknown. For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil? Secondly, we dread the separation from those we love. These are the things which make death terrible. How differently should we set out to cross the Threshold - were our minds at rest on these two points. It is recorded that the great gift of the Greek Mysteries to their initiates was re le a se from the fear of death. -
The Magical World of Dion Fortune
THE MAGICAL WORLD OF DION FORTUNE By Gareth Knight Draw a line from St Alban's Head on the south coast of England up to the holy island of Lindisfarne in the north east, passing through the great stone circle at Avebury, and another from King Arthur's legendary birth place at Tintagel in Cornwall, across to St Albans north of London, the old Roman city of Verulamium and place of Britain's first Christian martyr, and that line too will pass through Avebury. So says Mona Wilton, heroine of Dion Fortune's novel The Goat-Foot God, to Hugh Paston when he is seeking a suitable site to construct a nature temple dedicated to the great god Pan.Thus the land of Albion (the ancient name for Britain the White Island) is divided up into four quarters of real significance, each having a different approach and response to the legends and traditions, be they Brythonic Celtic, Saxon or Viking. What makes Dion Fortune's novel differ from the average fantasy novel is that she fully believed in everything she wrote, and not least that which she wrote under the guise of fiction, for in writing fiction she could speak of things that might seem strange if presented as bare fact. For there is a truth of the imagination, that when coming from sufficient depth of knowledge and conviction is just as valid as any more prosaic speculation. GLASTONBURY CONNECTIONS The proof of this is evident in the fact that her novels written almost 70 years ago are still in print today and much of what she wrote in them has been taken on board by the esoteric world. -
Works Like a Charm: the Occult Resistance of Nineteenth-Century American Literature
WORKS LIKE A CHARM: THE OCCULT RESISTANCE OF NINETEENTH-CENTURY AMERICAN LITERATURE by Noelle Victoria Dubay A dissertation submitted to Johns Hopkins University in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Baltimore, Maryland August 2020 Abstract Works like a Charm: The Occult Resistance of Nineteenth-Century American Literature finds that the question of whether power could work by occult means—whether magic was real, in other words—was intimately tied, in post-Revolutionary America, to the looming specter of slave revolt. Through an examination of a variety of materials—trial narratives, slave codes, novels and short stories, pamphlets, popular occult ephemera—I argue that U.S. planters and abolitionists alike were animated by reports that spiritual leaders boasting supernatural power headed major rebellions across the Caribbean, most notably in British-ruled Jamaica and French-ruled Saint-Domingue. If, in William Wells Brown’s words, the conjurer or root-doctor of the southern plantation had the power to live as though he was “his own master,” might the same power be capable of toppling slavery’s regimes altogether? This question crossed political lines, as proslavery lawmakers and magistrates as well as antislavery activists sought to describe, manage, and appropriate the threat posed by black conjuration without affirming its claims to supernatural power. Works like a Charm thus situates the U.S. alongside other Atlantic sites of what I call “occult resistance”—a deliberately ambivalent phrase meant to register both the documented use of occult practices to resist slavery and the plantocracy’s resistance to the viability of countervailing powers occulted (i.e., hidden) from their regimes of knowledge—at the same time as it argues that anxiety over African-derived insurrectionary practices was a key factor in the supposed secularization of the West. -
The Theosophical Seal by Arthur M. Coon the Theosophical Seal a Study for the Student and Non-Student
The Theosophical Seal by Arthur M. Coon The Theosophical Seal A Study for the Student and Non-Student by Arthur M. Coon This book is dedicated to all searchers for wisdom Published in the 1800's Page 1 The Theosophical Seal by Arthur M. Coon INTRODUCTION PREFACE BOOK -1- A DIVINE LANGUAGE ALPHA AND OMEGA UNITY BECOMES DUALITY THREE: THE SACRED NUMBER THE SQUARE AND THE NUMBER FOUR THE CROSS BOOK 2-THE TAU THE PHILOSOPHIC CROSS THE MYSTIC CROSS VICTORY THE PATH BOOK -3- THE SWASTIKA ANTIQUITY THE WHIRLING CROSS CREATIVE FIRE BOOK -4- THE SERPENT MYTH AND SACRED SCRIPTURE SYMBOL OF EVIL SATAN, LUCIFER AND THE DEVIL SYMBOL OF THE DIVINE HEALER SYMBOL OF WISDOM THE SERPENT SWALLOWING ITS TAIL BOOK 5 - THE INTERLACED TRIANGLES THE PATTERN THE NUMBER THREE THE MYSTERY OF THE TRIANGLE THE HINDU TRIMURTI Page 2 The Theosophical Seal by Arthur M. Coon THE THREEFOLD UNIVERSE THE HOLY TRINITY THE WORK OF THE TRINITY THE DIVINE IMAGE " AS ABOVE, SO BELOW " KING SOLOMON'S SEAL SIXES AND SEVENS BOOK 6 - THE SACRED WORD THE SACRED WORD ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Page 3 The Theosophical Seal by Arthur M. Coon INTRODUCTION I am happy to introduce this present volume, the contents of which originally appeared as a series of articles in The American Theosophist magazine. Mr. Arthur Coon's careful analysis of the Theosophical Seal is highly recommend to the many readers who will find here a rich store of information concerning the meaning of the various components of the seal Symbology is one of the ancient keys unlocking the mysteries of man and Nature. -
Wicca – Occult
May 30, 2012 Wicca – Occult Who are we? SSG? Colossians 1:13 Many Christians take their identity from what they do. We sin, so we think we are sinners. It’s not what we do that determines who we are, but it’s who we are that determines what we do. If we believe we are sinners, satan has little difficulty encouraging us to sin. If we believe we are spiritually alive saints in Christ, we will begin to live like one, even though we still sin. Satan’s greatest weapon in confusing us are his lies. He is the father of lies. (John 8:44). Children are not mature Christians, they can easily be confused. The battle goes on for the minds of young people. If we as adults don’t tell them they have no way of knowing that the thoughts they are thinking are really subtle lies of the evil one. Can Christians be tricked into acting on the evil’s lies? David taking a census in Israel. (1Chronicles 21:1). Ananias and the land he sold. (Acts 5:3) What did Peter say? God forewarned us. 1 Timothy 4:1. It is the truth that sets us free. (John 8:32). We must teach young people the truth about our identity in Christ, otherwise they will fall for the evil one’s deception and lies. There are many ways that the evil one comes to today’s youth. WICCA, New Age, etc. New Age Tenet: Reality is determined by what you believe. TM – Transcendental Meditation; Astral Projection; Dungeons and Dragons; The Wizard. -
Psychedelic Gospels
The Psychedelic Gospels The Psychedelic Gospels The Secret History of Hallucinogens in Christianity Jerry B. Brown, Ph.D., and Julie M. Brown, M.A. Park Street Press Rochester, Vermont • Toronto, Canada Park Street Press One Park Street Rochester, Vermont 05767 www.ParkStPress.com Park Street Press is a division of Inner Traditions International Copyright © 2016 by Jerry B. Brown and Julie M. Brown All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Note to the Reader: The information provided in this book is for educational, historical, and cultural interest only and should not be construed in any way as advocacy for the use of hallucinogens. Neither the authors nor the publishers assume any responsibility for physical, psychological, legal, or any other consequences arising from these substances. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data [cip to come] Printed and bound in XXXXX 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Text design and layout by Priscilla Baker This book was typeset in Garamond Premier Pro with Albertus and Myriad Pro used as display typefaces All Bible quotations are from the King James Bible Online. A portion of proceeds from the sale of this book will support the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). Founded in 1986, MAPS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research and educational organization that develops medical, legal, and cultural contexts for people to benefit from the careful uses of psychedelics and marijuana. -
The Occult Undercurrents of the European Union
The Occult Undercurrents of the European Union The subject that has been headline news in all the papers and television in the UK for some time is – the European Referendum. Oh no! You cry, not more of that! It is, however, not just a political or economic issue, about massive immigration or European laws against our own, or even our sovereignty which is extremely important; for if we stay in Europe we can say goodbye to our democracy which has been our standard since the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215! Do we really want to be a small ‘one twenty-eighth’ of the EU and ‘in thrall’ to unelected European bureaucrats? Valid reasons to ponder on are below, and these are facts that will not emerge from the lips of any ‘Remain’ or ‘Brexit’ proponent because the real reason we ought to leave is not political or economic, but spiritual! Whilst the politicians are boring everyone rigid with their tales of gloom and doom and instilling fear into those susceptible, it seems that they have no idea whatsoever of the true nature of the European beast, and yet she has shown us her true colours since her inception. The European beast has a spiritual heart disguised by its policy making powers. The Treaty of Rome, an international agreement, which brought into being the European Union, was signed on 25 th of March 1957 by Belgium, France, Luxemburg, Italy, the Netherlands and West Germany. Notice that it was called the ‘Treaty of Rome’ this is important, for, in short, the European Union demonstrates rebellion against God in more than one way, and is a revival of the old Holy Roman Empire. -
Advance Version Advance Version Doyle White / Correspondences 7, No
Advance Version Research Article Correspondences 7, no. 2 (2019): 1–43 “One Magical Movement from Kether to Malkuth”: Occultism in the Work of David Bowie Ethan Doyle White [email protected] Abstract One of the twentieth century’s best-known popular musicians, David Bowie (1947–2016) drew upon a diverse range of influences in crafting his lyrics. Among these was occultism. As with many members of his generation, Bowie pursued a ‘pick and mix’ individualist approach to what he called ‘spirituality,’ rejecting institutionalised Christianity while taking an interest in a broad variety of culturally alternative belief systems. Bowie introduced occultist elements into his work in the early 1970s, adding references to Aleister Crowley and the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn in songs like “Quicksand” and possibly also “After All.” Rather than reflecting a committed adherence or practice of these occultist currents, such references probably represented attempts to imitate other popular musicians like The Beatles and Led Zeppelin. Bowie’s interest in occultism resurfaced in a more concentrated fashion when living in the United States in 1974–75. Suffering from severe paranoia, he came to believe that male- volent supernatural forces were acting against him and turned to occultist literature, particu- larly the work of Arthur Edward Waite and Dion Fortune, for protective purposes. He also developed an interest in Qabalah, demonstrating this in the lyrics to “Station to Station”. After 1976, he vocally distanced himself from occultism, but his work continues to offer an impor- tant case study for the influence of occultism in the history of popular music. -
From Decadent Diabolist to Roman Catholic Demonologist: Some Biographical Curiosities from Montague Summers’ Black Folio
From Decadent Diabolist to Roman Catholic Demonologist: Some Biographical Curiosities from Montague Summers’ Black Folio Bernard Doherty Introduction The history and practice of black magic, witchcraft, and Satanism have long held a deep fascination in British—and indeed international—popular culture. Beginning with the gothic literature of the eighteenth century, through to the nineteenth century occult revival and Victorian “penny dreadful,” and then into twentieth century pulp fiction, tales of the supernatural involving maleficent magic have been authored some of Britain’s most popular—if not always critically acclaimed—writers including, among others M. R. James, Arthur Machen, William Somerset Maugham, Agatha Christie, Charles Williams, and Dennis Wheatley. These writers, as well as various other short story writers, novelists, and journalists, have all played an important role in shaping, recording, and reflecting popular beliefs about these topics. Indeed, not a few occult practitioners, most notably Aleister Crowley, Dion Fortune, Gerald Gardner, and Doreen Valiente, even turned their hands to writing popular occult fiction. Despite this, the frequent blurring of the often porous boundary between actual occult practices and groups, and the imagined worlds of the purveyors of popular and literary fiction, has been seldom explored outside of highly specialised academic literature dedicated to the history of gothic or weird fiction and the burgeoning study of what has come to be called Western Esotericism.1 Bernard Doherty is a lecturer in the School of Theology at Charles Sturt University. 1 See, for example, Nick Freeman, ‘The Black Magic Bogeyman 1908–1935’, in The Occult Imagination in Britain, 1875–1947, ed. Christine Ferguson and Andrew Radford, pp. -
Religion and the Return of Magic: Wicca As Esoteric Spirituality
RELIGION AND THE RETURN OF MAGIC: WICCA AS ESOTERIC SPIRITUALITY A thesis submitted for the degree of PhD March 2000 Joanne Elizabeth Pearson, B.A. (Hons.) ProQuest Number: 11003543 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 11003543 Published by ProQuest LLC(2018). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 AUTHOR’S DECLARATION The thesis presented is entirely my own work, and has not been previously presented for the award of a higher degree elsewhere. The views expressed here are those of the author and not of Lancaster University. Joanne Elizabeth Pearson. RELIGION AND THE RETURN OF MAGIC: WICCA AS ESOTERIC SPIRITUALITY CONTENTS DIAGRAMS AND ILLUSTRATIONS viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ix ABSTRACT xi INTRODUCTION: RELIGION AND THE RETURN OF MAGIC 1 CATEGORISING WICCA 1 The Sociology of the Occult 3 The New Age Movement 5 New Religious Movements and ‘Revived’ Religion 6 Nature Religion 8 MAGIC AND RELIGION 9 A Brief Outline of the Debate 9 Religion and the Decline o f Magic? 12 ESOTERICISM 16 Academic Understandings of