Thoth Hermes Podcast: Recent Episodes
Rudolf M Berger
EPISODES EARLIER THAN SEASON 7 CAN BE FOUND ON OTHER PODCAST PROVIDERS OR ON THE PODCAST WEBSITE WWW.THOTHERMES.COM
A podcast about the world of the Western Esoteric Tradition
Occult-Magic-Mysticism-Paranormal
Greetings and welcome to the Pansophers Podcast!
We are excited to announce the launch of our new podcast, expanding on the content found on the popular pansophers.com website and blog.
Our goal is to explore the Universal in the Underlying and apply it to modern Mystery traditions.From now on, on this webiste you will not only find an extended blog, but also many other options: teaching, possibility of publishing and many more, and of course, this podcast. All areas rosicrucian, hermetic, neoplatonic ... and above all magical are open to investigation.
Sam Robinson as the initial creator of pansophers.com, Ian Gladwin, Ike Baker and podcast host Rudolf Berger will be the main leaders of that new venture, all four well versed in the matter and not unknown to anyone interested in the field of the Western Tradition. In this episode, we introduce ourselves and our new venture, and invite you to join us for Episode 1 on October 13th!
Special thanks to Chris Roberts for our Intro and Outro Music, and to Joshua Kirch for the music titles played during the show.
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Access Karin Valis' Blog https://mercurialminutes.github.io/
And this is her Substack https://mercurialminutes.substack.com/
Glitched Encounters with the visual examples https://mercurialminutes.substack.com/p/glitched-encounters
Tarot of The Latent Spaces https://mercurialminutes.substack.com/p/tarot-of-the-latent-spaces-by-hermetechnics
Divine Embeddings: The Large Language Models and Sacred Alphabets Talk from the Occulture https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1inYnG8gNVo
And finally, the very exciting Palinode Productions - Deep Learning Philosophy! https://www.palinode.productions/
Welcome to Season 11 of the Thoth-Hermes Podcast. On this first episode, Rudolf meets with guest Karin Valis to expand the growing conversation around Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Occultism. Karin is Slovakian, a Machine Learning Engineer and former teenage atheist “GO” game fanatic turned occultist This is to say that Karin is both a brilliant analytical mind and committed spiritual explorer. Karin is a blogger, conference speaker, musician, magazine editor and AI-integrated tarot deck creator. Most recently, she has been engaged in creating a philosophical learning platform designed to counterbalance the funnelling manipulation effect of Social Media on societal viewpoint dialogue.
A core question in the conversation today centers on how AI development can offer us insight into our very human development of occultism. Distinguishing the windows of learning available to us, Karin describes the mapping of semantic space in the meaning-making processes of AI model development. Karin highlights the parallels between Sacred Alphabet and Sacred Language concepts. Karin comments on theories of AI as a “super positioned simulacrum” of language model AI functioning as a multiverse generator. Karin and Rudolf, as both musicians and polyglots, describe the variance of spoken and written human language, embodied and disembodied: and the challenges that this presents to AI as a human tool.
Far from idealizing AI technology, several times Karin acknowledges the problems of AI: human workforce impact, and the “soulless” nature of AI prose. Her emphasis is AI as a tool to greater human creativity, as opposed to a replacement. Resourcing the knowledge of AI development as an opportunity- not replacement- for occult epistemology is an on-going theme in the episode.
Along the way, we hear about Karin’s experiences creating a recent tarot deck, a shocking synchronicity encountered during AI-enhanced editing of a shamanic ritual recording, and her recent exploration of AI in the context of Vanessa Sinclair and Carl Abrahamsson’s Cut-Up classes. Karin shares regarding her magazine, Gnostic Technology and her involvement with the European Foundation for Shamanic Studies. We hear about her expriences with technological, academic and occult conference audiences. Karin shares her intent to “soften the gaze” of the “tech bros” -which in response to Rudolf’s question- she describes as “complicated” in reception.
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Hello Friends and Listeners,
as announced a couple of weeks ago Ike Baker from the great Arcanum Podcast and I have decided to produce a monthly show together, where we interview each time two people about a particular subject, mostly around occult and magical practices.
And here we are: Enjoy a great talk, which we had about Modern Alchemy, with Phoenix Aurelius and Daniel Wiseman.
This episode is also available as a Video on my and Ike's YouTube Channels. https://youtu.be/7WuPr5X_1EI
So this is the first episode of that kind, and it ends the long break that I took with this podcast This will not mean that I will do weekly show again, but from time to time in between those monthly talks will also present the kind of episodes that you have been used to.I hope you will enjoy this new format.
Enjoy and looking forward to other projects I will produce for you.And
LVX
Rudolf
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07:20 MUSIC Over and Over
14:35 INTRO Interview
16:58 INTERVIEW Part 1
57:00 MUSIC Unio Mystica et Physica
1:00:49 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:45:49 MUSIC Gesund
1:49:48 OUTRO TALK
Welcome to Season 10, Episode 12 of the Thoth-Hermes Podcast. This afternoon’s dialogue finds Rudolf and Brian Cotnoir in circulatio on the experience of alchemy. Distilled in the process, Brian shares on his life as an author, filmmaker, and practicing physical alchemist of over 50 years. Please, listen for dispersion. Then consider his titles, On Alchemy (2023), Alchemy the Poetry of Matter (2017), many other publications and Zines!
Brian received his initiation of the Adult Library Card in 7th Grade, along with the core occult section maxim “don’t tell your parents”. We can speculate that many listeners would report a similar awakening. His first fleeting (20 minute) experience of New York City’s Weiser bookstore was also nascent. Continuing to function in consensus reality, Brian majored in Chemistry and minored in Physics, spending time also working at Weiser Books. An MFA in Film followed. Brian’s work on the big screen has been aired by HBO, PBS, Sundance Festival, and other luminary recognitions. Parallel to this, Brian has experimented as a true alchemist of physical matter- from mercury dime-making, to tea, to the slightly less mundane: all insightful to the “art of arts and the art of the creative act”.
Brian and Rudolf explore the esoteric discomfort with material and matter. Brian observes “you think because you have a brain”, recentering the necessity of both psyche and matter. Both men find parallels between matter and the creative process- Brian, in filmmaking and Rudolf in opera and stagecraft. The Secrets of the Maze are also ventured, as well as the Process of Reading. The conversation honors the human capacity for alchemical action as a gift and possible mission from the larger source. Our ability to separate, clarify, and recombine are core tasks to any creative endeavor, including the journey of an individual lifetime. Brian shares insight around his Zine making, as well as an invitation for future seekers to work the Zine themes into larger creations.
Brian will be featuring at the November 19th 2023 “Sunday Zine Fair” at the Brooklyn Museum, and welcomes any listeners to join him in conversation at that time.
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06:15 MUSIC Dolphin Dance
13:20 INTRO Interview
15:30 INTERVIEW Part 1
51:45 MUSIC Ghosts
56:30 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:41:43 MUSIC Shingetsu
1:48:47 OUTRO TALK
This is a warm November welcome to Season 10 Episode 11 of Thoth-Hermes Podcast. Today’s show brings us into conversation with American writer Peter Levenda. Peter has authored a range of titles on histories of American occultism, Nazi occultism, and the dynamics of conspiracy theory. After successfully pursuing an international business career Information Technology, Peter attained an MA in Religious Studies and Asian Studies. Peter is a member of the American Academy of Religion, several societies, and a member of AFIO (the Association of Former Intelligence Officers).
Peter is careful to distinguish his expertise as around the context and content of conspiracy, rather than their promulgator. Repeatedly in the interview, he stresses the importance of listeners self-educating on the factors that make populations generally- and occultists specifically- vulnerable to conspiracy content. Peter also clearly notes that he is a “left-leaning” political “independent” capable of engaging with a variety of worldviews. Peter also offers the Adorno “Fascism Scale” as a resource for study.
Peter shares formative childhood experiences- rejecting his childhood Catholicism, while retaining the seed of mysticism. A fearful encounter on a mountain in 1963 cemented his personal conviction on the presence of More. High school found Peter conducting seances, reading Crowley and the Tao Te Ching. All of this is reported with a combination of good humor and lasting reverence.
Rudolf and Peter explore his writing, some of it based around his premise that “America is a haunted house” of unceded territory carrying the displaced and disregarded practices of the First Nations people. Additionally, the influence of encroaching European settlers’ own occult traditions and folkways. Turning to the West at large, Peter and Rudolf distinguish between the “traditionalist” and “surrealist” edges of esotericism; one edge flirting with the Authoritarian Right and the other edge liable to persecution from the former. Peter describes the use of “fiction” as parallel to Surrealism in the ability to analogize “truths” that cannot be proven as “non-fiction”, in the midst of grey area on both. Peter suggests this wisdom is present in many Holy Books.
Peter identifies “magic” as situated in a space between Science and Religion, with the Shadow of conspiracy theory. A comprehensive take-down of conspiracy mindedness in the contemporary United States follows, including: “longstanding” inadequacy of news media, a population demotivated to learn context for theories, and the dearth of “tik-tok enlightenment”. Peter further names related internal difficulties within occult groups, including sections of the contemporary Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO) and the leadership of the late James Wasserman; the New York-based Wasserman and Levenda were aquaintances for decades.
While not an OTO member, Peter suggests that Chapter 3 of The Book of the Law is a “cri de coeur” of colonized and oppressed spiritualities, while naming Crowley as a member of the “Victorian drawing room” British colonial system unable to acknowledge that facet of his prophecy. Peter invites the necessity and potency of African, Afro-Carribean, South American and Asian practices into modern Esotericism: “the Law is in front of us all”.
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07:09 MUSIC Astrosome
11:52 INTRO Interview
19:30 INTERVIEW Part 1
1:00:51 MUSIC The Cave
1:08:09 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:46:29 MUSIC Eye of the Storm
1:53:18 OUTRO TALK
Greetings for Season 10, Episode 10 of Thoth-Hermes Podcast. In a calendrical resonance, Rudolf meets up with Robert Gordon- exactly one year after their last episode together! A gregarious Australian, Robert holds an M.A. in Museum Studies from University College London. In 2022, Lewis Masonic publishing released his book 21st Century Rosicrucianism.
Today’s exploration centers on Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly in the context of language-based models. Rudolf characterizes digital technology as typically either a non-topic or guarded subject in the worldviews of esotericists. Later, Robert observes that many depth creators in high-technology, green technology, and adjacent fields have esoteric involvement. With these twin realities concurrent, the discussion emphasizes the need for active contribution to societal conversations about AI as a “technology of the imagination”. As both men gamely note, we are in the 21st Century, not the 16th- as much as we seek to honor history.
Robert and Rudolf note the need for “reverential use of science”, Robert noting that Newton wrote more on theology than physics. Though exoteric religious doctrine is often at odds with the Esoteric (particularly in America), some parallels are noted. One is the belief in a higher Source as the bestower of human imagination, and consequently a form of sanctity in humans’ creative actions. Does AI connect to the Source through humanity? Is it fundamentally “natural” or “unnatural”? And how does the subjective, constructed nature of human-to-human communication mirror controversies with AI?
There is some specific time spent with the question of AI and it’s visual “art” forays. Robert truly “goes there” makes a comparison to alchemical manuscripts’ images. Can content and imaginal inputs from humans produce outputs with “soul”? Could the vast flow of creative information placed into AI datasets produce a new form of “collective unconscious”? In many cases, today’s conversation walks a non-directive, even-handed line between answering these questions and placing them back to the listener. The “hubris of the magi” narrative is acknowledged, as well as the mythos of Daedalus. Do we only hear about the hubris that creates catastrophe?
Other careful questions include: can we emphasize the use of AI for sorcery, hall-of-mirrors illusion, or as a possible bulwark against sorcery? Could AI be an actual human-created agent of healing in our society? Can we redevelop a cultural norm of functionally conversing with disagreement? Could AI help us? Does AI have to be marketplace centered or could it assist with counterbalance in the current corruption of political systems? Can AI possibly contribute or experience states that we broadly term as “shamanic”? Is there anything that this human creation can “unlock” for us? Can it become a “technological tradition of imagination”? What human wisdom is offered in the distinction between “dogmatic” and “voluntarily enigmatic”? These prompts are all introduced and posed on today’s episode. Enjoy!
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07:52 MUSIC Time
12:30 INTRO Interview
15:56 INTERVIEW Part 1
53:49 MUSIC Bohemian Rhapsody
59:39 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:39:32 MUSIC Sound of Silence
1:43:05 OUTRO TALK
"What is clear is that there are three main themes running parallel through the grimoires, with greater or less importance in individual works. These themes are spirit conjuration, divination, and simple charms/spells for dealing with the hardships of daily life and seeking to improve it."
(David Rankine)
Welcome to Season 10, Episode 9 of Thoth-Hermes podcast. Today, Rudolf shares a conversation with author and occultist, David Rankine. The exploration ranges over the past 40 years of modern British esotericism, and into David’s commitment to writing and knowledge sharing as an offering to Mystery. This is an easy-listening dialogue that carries its own treasures of tight question-answer teachings along in the flow.
David quickly brings us into the 1980s UK occult scene, which he describes as collegial, confidential and non-competitive. Oxford, London and Leeds are all identified as hotspots during this period. Turning to the Now, David weighs the balance between organizations’ tension of socializing and secrecy. David and Rudolf explore the question: “What is a ‘serious magical attitude’?” with way of daily life, worldview and engagement in the 100th Monkey influence all composing the answer. Ethics are undergirding principle in this definition, noting that “serious magicians” are “seriously ethical”.
David describes his slow development towards ancestor magic, and its interaction with aging as a human and maturation as a magician. This conversation honors the slow, serious adaptation of practices over a magical lifetime. Rudolf quotes David’s definition of “magic” in his early book Becoming Magic, “consciously direct energy flowing towards evolution”. David also shares his concept of “conjuration”, as a Process- occasional, exceptional, purposeful- which develops a long-term symbiotic dynamic with a chosen spiritual entity. Not, as David notes, “a Pokemon collection”.
This year (2023) David published volumes 1 and 2 of The Grimoire Encyclopaedia…. With more yet to be revealed! Describing the construction process, David credits the necessity of his enthusiastic, persistent editor Erzebet Barthold. David also centers on the Bible as the foundational grimoire of record, providing a lens for panoramic view of historical Western magical publications. Rudolf asks the core question: “what defines a grimoire?” and David responds gamely. Enjoy!
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06:45 MUSIC Ad Lucem
11:01 INTRO Interview
15:18 INTERVIEW Part 1
56:27 MUSIC Vorbeigeträumt
1:00:57 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:38:08 MUSIC Bas de Feu
1:41:22 OUTRO TALK
Today marks Season 10, Episode 8 of Thoth-Hermes Podcast. For this conversation, Rudolf reconvenes with Chuck “CR” Dunning. The conversation submerges into esoteric freemasonry, then transcends into the union of ritual and exoteric religion. Far from limited to the interests of masonry, this is a multi-layered dialogue about the timeless moebius between sincere seekers of “light, life and love”.
Chuck is a retired academic and psychotherapist, a self-disclosed Scottish Rite Mason, and author dedicated to guiding initiates into contemplative practice. Chuck has soft-spoken depth rare in today’s scholarly world. His most recent book is an accessible compass of the Rose Croix mysteries. A Rose Croix Oratory (Stone Guild, 2023) has been lauded by readers and reviewers, appreciating its hands-on, plain-language approach. An upcoming publication will delve into Platonic mysticism and its parallels with Craft Masonry.
The conversation speaks of the upper degrees’ mythos of descent, laying to waste, then renewal and ascension. The 17th and 18th Degree introduce a visceral story of a mourning initiate, who through persistence encounters the teaching figure of the Nazarene. An encounter with “love” as the “charitas” and “agape” archetype offered by this teacher. This is not the Jesus of fast-food and sound byte religion: it is a mystical encounter of visceral “faith, hope and love”. Religious acceptance is optional, but depth initiation is required. Chuck also notes that all three Abrahamic traditions have wisdom teachings represented over the course of the initiate’s journey.
Later, Rudolf and Chuck name interesting implications of the “priestcraft” of ritual found to create change in accordance with the Will of a Higher Power, to connect to the Divine, and to become more effective worldly agents for it. Chuck names the direct root connection with the Catholic Mass ritual as well as the Protestant Order of Service, even in those denominations who might strenuously distance themselves from the concept of “magic”. This flows from Chuck’s exploration of the Rose Croix texts and traditions that named ancient traditions illumination sources for the later emergence of Christianity.
Other joyful content along the way includes a service-centered interpretation of the potency of alchemy, magic/magia, and kaballah. We reflect on the verified “alchemy” of meditative practice on the neurochemical physiology of the practitioner. And define True Will as readiness for change away from herd behavior, resiliency under repeated testing, and skillful refinement of personal identity; requiring the recentering on faith, hope and love.
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07:58 MUSIC Aufstehen
11:52 INTRO Interview
14:34 INTERVIEW Part 1
52:15 MUSIC Endlos fliegen
55:44 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:35:19 MUSIC Ausreden
1:37:27 OUTRO TALK
Autumnal greetings as we converge for Season 10, Episode 7 of Thoth-Hermes Podcast. Today, Rudolf is joined by Jon E. Graham, of Inner Traditions Bear and Company, to explore the current state of occult publishing. Jon joins us from the northeastern United States, in historic Vermont. Jon is a translator, author, and acquisitions editor at Inner Traditions.
Jon relates his longstanding interest in initiatory synthesis between Surrealism and Occultism, the path which brought him into esoteric publishing. Jon recommends The Esoteric Secrets of Surrealism as a prompt for curious listeners. A second set of parallels that run in the conversation are the creative processes of a publishing house (Jon’s temple) and that of an opera house (Rudolf’s lineage). Together, they explore the balance of “profitable” and “important”, as well as inclusion of new and established authors.
Several times, Jon emphasizes the influence occult practice (as simple as sincere meditation) can have in counterbalancing the online “noise machine” and superficiality of cultural dialogue. He is refreshingly blunt in his rejection of social media, specifically its influence against the clear depth of thought sought by true initiates. With reference to “occult activism”, Jon and Rudolf converge over the need for an attitude of contribution and compassion, based in rational assessment over denial, ideology and Jon’s term: “unicorn fantasy”.
Steadfast to his bricks-and-mortar preference, Jon asks the question held by more than one listener: will the Mortlake Books Colloquium, Texts and Traditions, return to Seattle? Enquiring minds need to know
.
Jon names a variety of publishing trends, celebrating the movement from “101” titles into substantive material, also noting the nascence of translated European texts. Authors named in this Deep Dive renaissance include previous Thoth-Hermes guests, Sasha Chaitow, Marlene Seven-Bremner, and Shani Oates. Jon calls out the need to avoid the mainline tendency to “karaoke publishing” (our second Harry Potter reference, two interviews in a row!)
Rudolf asks specifically regarding the vibrant trend of small, independent artisanal occult publishing houses, and the “book-objects” they create. Jon responds with respect and enthusiasm for all involved. Closing with intrigue, Jon references an upcoming creative focus: Odin and the Surrealist process. As Odin undertakes to “sacrifice myself to myself” to receive the rune-mysteries, Jon suggests that Surrealism has parallel in “the psychic realm that is made available through automatist practices”. May more be revealed.
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06:05 MUSIC Your Love
09:22 INTRO Interview
13:50 INTERVIEW Part 1
51:32 MUSIC Four Seasons
56:27 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:37:58 MUSIC Carmen Fantasy
1:42:35 OUTRO TALK
It’s the return of a good friend! Today we are joined by John Michael Greer, on Season 10 Episode 6 of Thoth-Hermes podcast. Please see earlier episodes with John Michael to learn more of his prolific background. In this episode, we explore three historic Esoteric minds: Dion Fortune, John Gilbert, and Mouni Sadhu (the “silent monk”). We also hear of his upcoming 7-volume release (theme: “tentacles”) and pragmatic thoughts on the balance of Making a Living and Making a Difference as an author and occultist.
With John Michael’s usual good humor, we are provided with perspective around publishing’s norm of an audience “with the attention span of a hyperactive gnat”, and the dry statement “religion in the United States is not like religion anywhere else”. Along the way, we also get to hear some plain truths around Harry Potter, and in John Michael’s opinion the “one thing Crowley got right” (hint: it’s stellar).
John Michael and Rudolf look at some of the gifts we inherit collectively from Dion Fortune (Violet Mary Firth). One gift is the concept of The Three Rays (devotional, hermetic and nature) as co-creative streams for balance in the development of any spiritual path. A second is, the use of symbols to train the mind in an ongoing process as outlined within her authorship of The Cosmic Doctrine. John Michael also underlines the nuance that during Fortune’s career, there wasn’t yet a tension between Christian and non-Christian occultists.
John Gilbert, a 20th Century American from Colorado, holds the enigma of having intentionally chosen not to promote his works or an online presence even leading up to the Millenium. John Michael reflects on the reality of “hundreds” of late 20th Century American initiates who made a similar choice. These important acknowledgements lead into a conversation that includes details on the Universal Gnostic Church, a tiny schism from the founding of Unitarian Universalism.
Mouni Sadhu (Mieczyslaw Demetriusz Sudowski) wrote several books John Michael cites as formative in his own esoteric development, including “The Tarot” and “Concentration”. John Michael introduces listeners to several Sadhu titles, and encourages any deck designers to consider collaborating with him, using Sadhu’s work as the basis for a design.
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06:34 MUSIC Vers la flamme
12:17 INTRO Interview
15:29 INTERVIEW Part 1
53:41 MUSIC Hymn of Jesus-Excerpt 1
58:33 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:47:36 MUSIC Hymn of Jesus-Excerpt 2
1:51:39 OUTRO TALK
Welcome to Episode Five, Season Ten of the Thoth-Hermes podcast. This brings us the opportunity to join Rudolf in conversation with Paulina Gruffman, on the subject of GRS Mead. Paulina is a nascent luminary in occult scholarship, currently at PhD candidate at Sweden’s Lund University.
Paulina’s academic rooting began with reading CG Jung in her mid-teens. The relationship between Mead and Jung is explored in-depth during this episode. Paulina notes that Jung cited Mead in his own doctoral dissertation, holding dialogue and friendship with him during the development of his own career; 20 of Mead’s books are currently held in the Jung Archive.
Paulina speaks as a focused and nuanced researcher, in a long-term journey of examining the entirety of George Robert Stow Mead. She details and distinguishes his pursuits as all three of an occultist, theosophist, and a highly capable “amateur” academic. She acknowledges the critique his work has received from 20th Century academics, undercutting his capability as “amateur” from a dismissive definition of the term. Paulina reminds us that while Mead was an informal academic, and in this sense amateur, he was also amateur as a fully capable Cambridge-educated intellect.
Paulina also shares openly regarding her own academic development. Rudolf and Paulina tackle the perennial question of academic objectivity’s tension or coexistence with personal occult practices of researchers. Paulina articulates her role primarily as a “historian” academic, and emphasizes the necessity of using primary sources and critical analysis… which do not preclude nor necessitate personal practices: a refreshing “it depends”!
The conversation explores Mead’s assertion of the term “gnosis” and “gnostic” as definable apart from the associated historical movement; further, as both a staged process and a state of being. Mead’s many years and roles with the Theosophical Society (leaving in 1909) informed his conceptualization. Mead served as the final private secretary to Helena Blavatsky, a member of the Theosophical Society’s Circle of Twelve, and editor of the Theosophical Review. Paulina also details Mead’s founding of the Quest Society, and interest in the development of the (still existent) Eranos conferences.
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09:22 MUSIC Gnossiennes 1
14:56 INTRO Interview
19:45 INTERVIEW Part 1
57:10 MUSIC Gnossiennes 2
59:08 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:37:44 MUSIC Gnossiennes 3
1:42:02 OUTRO TALK
Welcome to Episode Four, Season Ten of the Thoth-Hermes podcast. Today, Rudolf meets with Charlotte Cowell, translator of The Solar Way (Silver Age Russian Occult Rosicrucian Schools) and author of multiple other titles. Charlotte is the founder, owner and editor of Shin Publications.
Charlotte is a delightful guest, simultaneously a fierce, warm and self-effacing intellectual presence in the conversation. A graduate of Oxford University (MA in Ancient and Modern History), Charlotte has pursued the Mysteries for several decades after receiving solo and spontaneous esoteric
Christian rebirth in college. Charlotte cites The Meditations on the Tarot (Anonymous) as a cornerstone text for her during her initiatory unfolding. She is also refreshingly frank, in moments, around reconciling the dual paths of Christian… Esotericism. An example being, reading “Meditations” as distinct from using the Cards directly. Listeners on a similar trajectory may well relate to these personal processes.
Charlotte brings us into the stark and resilient journeys of Valentin Tomberg, Vladimir Shmakov, Nina Roudnikova and G.O. Mebes (the last, Swedish). These thinkers faced true and visceral danger from Russian political turmoil, in the face of this making many strategic decisions to preserve their body of work for future seekers. Alongside this important history, Charlotte and Rudolph explore the significance of “Shin”. The conversation re-examines “neutralization of the binary” (a term from last week’s interview) and the interplay with triangular transcendental synthesis.
Charlotte emphasizes her respect for the pragmatic effort made by the persecuted initiates, analogizing her work to laying a memorial wreath in their honor. Charlotte writes in one of her publications that her intention is “…a tribute to the Masters, from time immemorial until the present day, who’ve served to inspire and shine light on the otherwise solitary path of the seeker; a gift for those who find themselves peering across the abyss for such lights, or stand looking back at the ocean from the refuge of safe shores, searching the distant horizon for memories of the crossing…” from whatever personal vantage point, may this conversation inspire listeners.
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04:52 MUSIC La Boier
14:08 INTRO Interview
16:03 INTERVIEW Thomas Mayer Part 1
54:20 INTERVIEW Emerelle
1:13:16 MUSIC Elven Realms
1:18:32 INTERVIEW Thomas Mayer Part 2
1:53:24 MUSIC Evenstar
1:56:50 OUTRO TALK
Episode Three, Season Ten of the Thoth-Hermes podcast explores facets of Higher Worlds and the Anthroposophical traditiom. Today, Rudolf meets with Thomas Mayer, Anthroposophical teacher, author and direct democracy activist. In Thomas’s words, “you will meet the people you want to meet” which is an ongoing theme in this conversation.
Thomas “met” Rudolf Steiner at the age of 15, reading “How to Know Higher Worlds”; 44 years later, he is an Anthroposophical meditation teacher, with his partner Agnes Hardorp. Thomas recently published “Answering the Call of the Elementals” which is intended as a lively workbook to intentionally strengthen a practitioner’s connection to those Beings.
In their discussion, Thomas and Rudolf explore the path of supersensible perceptual development. Steiner’s work incorporated and influenced many aspects of esotericism; its wide-ranging impact is felt in the breadth of the interview. Topics range from the theme of the “I”/”Ich”, to organic architecture, to the Akashic records, to shadow work and the neutralization of the binary. The term “geisteswissenschaft” (“Spiritual Science”) is referenced and defined. Thomas describes the range of viewpoint diversity even within the Goetheanum as an institution, finding both more “intellectual” (scholarly, academic) thinkers and “spiritual” experiential artists. Solitary and group egregore work are weighed, with acknowledgement of their necessary coincidence. Rudolf and Thomas both note the bolster of healthy counterbalance that individual and cooperative esoteric work can provide.
Thomas recommends several foundational Steiner texts for listeners, including “The Theosophy of the Rosicrucians”. Rudolf notes that many Steiner writings are available in English, at no cost, online. Thomas enters more specifically into the ideas of the Aether plane and defines the concept of the “Elementals”. Thomas carefully notes the Anthroposophical belief that supersensible perception is available to all humans, but must be actively and personally developed. He reminds us that this is also In the context of mutual interest: that the Elementals seek human interaction as much (or more) as we seek them.
Also, on this episode, in the "interval", between the two parts of the main interview, a first short talk on a series that will appear from time to time in the next weeks and months, about the effects of sound and music in the spiritual world. Musician and singer EMERELLE, who also provides the music on this episode, speaks to Rudolf on her work and what she thinks music can do with our mind.
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08:23 MUSIC Drift
12:28 INTRO Interview
17:23 INTERVIEW Part 1
59:41 MUSIC The Night of Pan
1:03:41 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:46:18 MUSIC Sapphire
1:51:15 OUTRO TALK
Welcome to Episode Two of Season Ten with the Thoth-Hermes podcast. Today, Rudolf dialogues with Marco Visconti, author of “The Aleister Crowley Manual: Thelemic Magic for Modern Times” (2023), published through Watkins Press.
An Italian freemason living in London, Marco openly enumerates roadblocks and supports he has encountered in his personal magical development. Up into his mid-thirties, Marco pursued several initiatory paths alongside an international musical career. Retiring from musical performance, Marco committed to depth involvement with the Ordo Templi Orientis. He also worked on staff at London’s renowned Treadwell’s Bookshop. Following the OTO’s scandals and schisms of the late 2010s, Marco describes leaving the Order on conscience. He publicly articulated a depth essay on his experience of the OTO’s dysfunction.
During the COVID pandemic, a door opened for the founding of Marco’s present initiatory school. Rudolf and Marco examine the tensions of ethics and accountability within hierarchical initiatory organizations. Together, they highlight the responsibility of truly vetting lodge candidates. Marco directly names his experience of encountering unbalanced and destabilizing seekers in magical schools. He also references contemporary challenges around anonymity or confidentiality of membership.
The theme of finding the balanced middle way permeates this conversation. While examining selectivity within groups, Marco and Rudolf delve into the question of elitism. Both speakers acknowledge magical potential as an inherent human birthright, across all class, culture, race, gender, and other mundane identities. Simultaneously, they briefly share the posit that pursuing formal initiation is not appropriate for everyone in a given lifetime.
While describing Marco’s new book, they note the paradox of Crowley’s levelling articulation of Magic for All, yet his relatively scholarly writing style. While more accessible than any writing prior to his publications, the Oxbridge style and use of mainline theological terms carry potential obstacles. The discussion then turns to frank assessment of copyright debates in historical magical writings; Rudolf names parallels across many creative and performing arts content. Marco then shares briefly on his manuscript in process.
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09:51 MUSIC "East Gate-South Gate"
14:40 INTRO Interview
17:47 INTERVIEW Part 1
1:00:11 MUSIC "West Gate-North Gate"
1:03:41 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:38:03 MUSIC "Central Flame-Path Pastorale"
1:42:05 OUTRO TALK
Welcome to Season 10 of the Thoth-Hermes Podcast, dedicated to scholarly exploration of the Western Mystery Tradition.
In this opening episode, Rudolf re-engages with Italian-American author David Pantano. David provides a dizzying timeline of occult development in the landscape that has become modern Italy. In the spirit of the Golden Bough (Fraser), David’s book “The Magic Door” (2019) provides the canopy for honoring a history beginning with the European Wild West of Hesperia, embracing the varying definitions and forms of The Sacred through a culture’s dynamic development. This Italic mythological history has repeatedly and deeply connected into international occulture.
The conversation ranges from the importance of authentic linguistic diversity in both exoteric and esoteric reading to the appearance of Roman-era tripartite alchemical initiatory cosmology. Ovid, Virgil and the later Dante all receive citation, in addition Compano, and Ficino. The conversation explores Giordano Bruno’s complex contributions not only to esotericism but larger practices such as the Art of Memory (in recent resurgence). We learn of the recent restoration of The Magic Door itself, with its multi-faith, multi-linguistic alchemical script… illustrating the tripartite.
The repeated interaction, collusion and co-opting between Church and State are clearly acknowledged, as well as the pre-Rennaisance use of Magical Realism to influence the collective imagination towards the ideal of State. David and Rudolf take time to examine the influence of the UR Group, its writings, and ethical questions surrounding the figure of Julius Evola. David expresses his analysis that Evola, while holding controversial views, did repeatedly publicly and privately reject fascism David and Rudolph emphasize the rejection of hero worship toward any thinker, writer, or historical figure and the responsibility for sustained personal inner work as a bulwark against extremism.
Pantano also invites the audience to contact him personally to further discuss or question any aspect of his writing or this interview.
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06:12 MUSIC "Brahms Ballad 4"
14:15 INTRO Interview
16:52 INTERVIEW Part 1
50:24 MUSIC "Sinfonia"
56:29 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:44:37 MUSIC "Piercing the Psychic Heart"
1:48:33 OUTRO TALK
This week’s interview is with the definitively pre-eminent hermetic scholar, Wouter J. Hanegraaff. Wouter outlines his pioneering path to Department Chair of History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents at the University of Amsterdam. The interview explores the 1990s milestones towards academic recognition of esoteric history and practice. While not personally a practitioner, sub rosa or otherwise, Hanegraaff warmly engages on the questions surrounding practitioner-as-scholar status.
This interview is replete with the naming of Rejected Knowledge. A Calvinist minister’s son, Wouter both respectfully and assertively notes areas of understudied “history” within Hermeticism and the Early Church. Wouter notes the unnamed role of Egyptian, Persian and North African Hermetic thinkers, and calls out the difficulty of philhellenism. He describes the “narrow bottleneck of transmission” within early conversion of hermetic texts into Christo-centered language and analogy, followed by a “millenia” of basic silence before snippets of manuscripts re-emerged in the 14th Century.
Wouter denotes several basic truths of Hermetic spirituality (not solely “philosophy”). The first theme is of “reverence” and gratitude for basic reality of Life granted to us. Another is the necessity of our self-liberation from worldly sources of addictive illusion; ignorance, not “sin”, being our behavioral obstacle to growth. Wouter describes the challenge of return to our clear, full consciousness as spiritual beings. He invites the possibility of conceptually unlearning vestigial Christocenteric dogma, into receptivity of the Source, the unknowable, and engagement with the Nous: “the total Mystery at the heart of reality”.
How does a non-practitioner find such respect for these concepts? Perhaps some hint is found in his blog essay, Esotericism and Democracy, in which he writes: “never forget that in studying esotericism, we are ultimately studying people”.
Wouter’s essay, Imagining the future study of religion and spirituality (2020)
https://www.academia.edu/41320565/Imagining_the_future_study_of_religion_and_spirituality_2020_
Wouter’s blogs may be found at:
http://westernculturecounterculture.blogspot.nl
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06:19 MUSIC "Wagner Valkyrie"
14:20 INTRO Interview
18:41 INTERVIEW Part 1
56:05 MUSIC "Notre Dame"
1:00:42 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:41:30 MUSIC "Lakota Lullaby"
1:46:22 OUTRO TALK
In this week’s episode of the show the one and only John Michael Greer returns for his now 4th time on the Thoth Hermes Podcast. You are probably familiar with his blog www.ecosophia.net and I’m sure you’ll be enjoying our conversation on John’s latest work, the initiation system ‘The Fellowship of the Hermetic Rose’ or FHR which at the time of airing is available online for free, so please make sure to check out the show notes for further information.
it is not possible to explain JMG’s system without going back to the roots of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn established in 1887 although its founding history is more an appropriate material for a novel or a Netflix series. We will go into the lore behind the (in)famous Cipher Manuscripts and shed some light on the fragmentation that followed some ‘organisational issues’ and on the respective roles of Arthur E. Waite and Juliet Ashley resulting in JMG’s new system of initiatic practice.
JMG will go on to share his very personal story how he came to the conclusion that this particular system works so well despite of his original training with the classic Golden Dawn ceremonial magic work. He will also point out the main differences between both and give us immensely valuable insights into the original intentions of The Golden Dawn and the requirements and goals of its graduates. John will also elaborate on the issue how this changed and why during the order’s tumultuous course of history and emphasize how the Outer Order’s extensive practice offers a solid foundation for every magical working that is intended (though not obligatory) in some later phase of the practitioner.
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07:12 MUSIC "Hypnagogia"
14:20 INTRO Interview
18:16 INTERVIEW Part 1
52:39 MUSIC "Conjunctio"
59:12 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:41:15 MUSIC "These Beautiful Lights"
1:47:43 OUTRO TALK
“The Rose starts to Unfold… following the Still Voice within…”
This week, Rudolf meets up with initiate Robert Gordon. An Australian by birth and upbringing, Robert holds an M.A. in Museum Studies from University College London. Robert is a contemporary forty-something, with a career, family and devotion to a centuries-old esoteric tradition. This summer, Lewis Masonic publishing released his book 21st Century Rosicrucianism.
Throughout the interview, the role of truly experiential initiation is honored, emphasized and examined. Robert joined a Masonic order at 21, inspired by studies in Anthropology interacting with a lingering childhood inclination towards the mysteries. From freemasonry, he journeyed into the variations of Rosey Cross tradition. The conversation names the participatory paradox of both the slowness and persistent purpose found in an authentic Seeker’s process: “rest in it, sit in it, be in it, act in it”. Also, the fertility of any given individual’s conceptual discoveries: that, unwittingly, seeds may be planted which ripple through time to unknown spiritual students of the future.
Robert freely shares his encounters with the core three paths named in his book: personal devotional practice, social engagement, and spiritual retreat. Rosicrucianism’s historical and contemporary celebration of plurality is named, leading into the very current period of cross-fertilization available to it. The plurality extends into both the variety of Orders and the variety of individual Seekers.
Rosicrucianism does center around the specifically Christian tradition, but is open to all regardless of creed. Robert and Rudolf look at the tensions and possibilities available in this context, as a vessel for Western Esotericism. In what ways can “Jesus Mi Omnia” relate mystically to a universalist, egalitarian, ecumenical intention, and how may resonance be experienced by those who encounter it?
The conversation concludes around themes of discernment toward both utopian and dystopian futurism. Robert highlights the opportunity to articulate humanity’s spiritual core in the context of core cultural questions of consciousness and artificial intelligence.
Robert’s author profile is found at https://www.lewismasonic.co.uk/rob-gordon and his blog is located at https://www.futureconscience.com
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07:08 MUSIC "Nubian Tribal War Song"
11:48 INTRO Interview
17:45 INTERVIEW Part 1
57:20 MUSIC "Ancient Egyptian Love Song"
1:03:20 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:39:29 MUSIC "Traditional Nubian Music"
1:44:00 OUTRO TALK
This week we have a refreshing interview with Marlene Seven Bremner, an American artist and writer presently residing in New Mexico. While a student of polarity therapy, Seven initiated into Jungian alchemical teaching, which in turn flowed into her personal study and distillation of the Hermetica. This discovery process included visual art, textual exploration, and ultimately the writing of a full manuscript.
Seven has recently released her first title with Inner Traditions, Hermetic Philosophy and Creative Alchemy: The Emerald Tablet, the Corpus Hermeticum, and the Journey Through the Seven Spheres. The interview is a conversation aligned to her text, appealing to both the new and seasoned students of the Hermetica.
Seven’s unassuming, lunar quiet blends with solar scholarly intensity as she traverses the conversation. Subjects explored in dialogue with Rudolf range from the alchemy of oil painting; the call to expression through Logos; channeling poetry, and the creative alchemy of the ascent through the Seven Spheres. Bremner soulfully articulates the devotional-contemplative hermetic lifestyle, worldly input, and the influence of the natural elemental balance in Place.
Seven makes candid acknowledgement of the importance of attaining balance between the inspiration and distraction of artistic community. Seven and Rudolf specifically explore her painting Harmonia Elementorum,
Her website also features poetry including “Circulato” (dated May 2018), beginning: “I never learned how to dive. I only learned how to sink, in waters deep, deeper than three times my self and dark with the blood of my ancestors…”
Enjoy the still waters running deep in this conversation!
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07:00 MUSIC "Aka Dua"
14:58 INTRO Interview
20:04 INTERVIEW Part 1
56:22 MUSIC "Ecce Beatam Lucem"
1:05:30 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:45:17 MUSIC "Dir danken wir die Freude"
1:49:38 OUTRO TALK
Mark Stavish is back on the Thoth Hermes Podcast! And when you have someone like him to talk to, you choose subjects that need clarification, a structured mind and above all, a great knowledge of the field we all like: occultism, hermetism and the Western Traditions.
Dualism and especially Non-Dualism have been terms that have found a lot of attention especially during the last 15 years or so. But how does Non-Dualism work in a hermetic and magical context, where duality seems to be the foundation of the material life. What is the difference between duality and dualism. What is the difference between a Gnostic dualism and the Hermetic approach? And why is Traditionalism or Perennialism, as it is often called (is it the same, actually?) also being sometimes under attack.
In his very frank and outspoken way Mark will try to give answers to those questions, not without posing others. A highly interesting and educational talk!
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07:17 MUSIC "Cin-Ci-La"
13:17 INTRO Interview
18:08 INTERVIEW Part 1
57:28 MUSIC "Musica Romana"
1:04:42 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:36:42 MUSIC "Tarantella Napoletana"
1:41:07 OUTRO TALK
For many Giuliano Kremmerz is still quite unknown. Well, today's guest David Pantano has set out to change this, and today we want to do a step together in that direction. And the topic is worth it! Kremmerz tried to create a Hermetic School that is much less arcane that some of his contemporary occultists wanted it to be. Naples and Egypt, including Egyptian Freemasonry play a role in all that.
Also, to me Kremmerz' approach sounds also partly Rosicrucian, which in the context is surprising. But there are reaons for that, we hear. And of course, he did not come out of the blue, there is a long tradition of Western Esotericism, also influenced by antiquity and its history. David has published a book on that story as well and in this talk we are going to link history to Kremmerz' time. But we will also ask: what came after?
A lot to cover, and I think it became a highly interesting talk with a person who is extremely knowledgable: David Pantano!
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07:42 MUSIC "Without a Trace"
11:57 INTRO Interview
17:37 INTERVIEW Part 1
55:18 MUSIC "Miseinen"
1:02:08 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:34:14 MUSIC "Last Heaven"
1:38:54 OUTRO TALK
Welcome to this interesting talk on our new episode. It is rather rare that we talk politics here, or rather ideology, or... ? Well, with my guest Rhyd Wildermuth Occultism, or rather Esotericism, as he prefers to name it, and ideology are inseparable. Why? Well, he will explain you.
Who is Rhyd? A publisher, a writer ... well, let him tell us by himself: I’m a druid. A gay punk gardener gym bro. An occasional nomad. A theorist and a poet. A publisher and editor. Sometimes an anarchist, sometimes a Marxist. I’m devoted to Brythonic and Gallic gods and some local land spirits and ancestors. I’m all of those things, and also other things. I’m mostly on the side of good.
Enjoy the talk!
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06:56 MUSIC "Ajikan"
13:40 INTRO Interview
17:34 INTERVIEW Part 1
53:19 MUSIC "The 4 Great Vows, The 3 Refuges"
1:00:47 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:38:29 MUSIC "Dorje Phurba"
1:43:26 OUTRO TALK
When I discovered (well, I was actually made aware of it through a friend) Steve Dee's latest book "Chaos Monk", I was immediately taken in by the title. That combination seemed so intriguing: How would Chaos magic and monasticism be part of the same narrative? But when you listen to Steve you will soon find out that his own life experience shows us very well those links. His book is a deeply personal one, and so is this talk. How does monasticism work in the 21st century? Where do Magic and monasticism - or rather the lessons we can take from it - create a possibility to regain our balance in a world that seems completely out of balance?
Going on the quest that Steve proposes to us could be one of those possible paths to walk. Enjoy the episode!
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08:24 MUSIC "Religious Ceremony"
13:23 INTRO Interview
16:57 INTERVIEW Part 1
51:50 MUSIC "3 Pieces"
1:00:06 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:30:06 MUSIC "Prayer of November 4"
1:33:55 OUTRO TALK
Welcome back to the Thoth Hermes Podcast and the beginning of a new season, Season 9 it is already.
It is a huge pleasure – I’m sure not only to me – to start a new season with scientific ecologist, teacher at Schumacher College and author of ‘Gaia Alchemy: The Reuniting of Science, Psyche and Soul’, Stephan Harding.
In this episode of our show, we will first introduce Lovelock’s Gaia theory and reflect upon Earth’s four major components – rocks, water, beings and atmosphere – and how their interactions can be studied through means of cybernetics and system science. We will shed some light upon the self-regulating system that emerges due to the interactions and how the inherent ability of our planet can and does regulate its surface conditions, partly through classical Gaian feedbacks such as climate change.
we will also talk about ‘Deep Ecology’ as a science of recognising and dealing with the relationships between different parts of nature, Ecosophia as ecological wisdom and how Gaia Alchemy ties in with these concepts. In the end Stephan will take some time to explain quite a few fascinating ideas such as ‘Deep Time’ and what exactly living a ‘Gaian alchemical life’ means and highlight his hopes for the future of our civilisation.
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05:59 MUSIC "NImrod"
12:09 INTERVIEW Part 1
44:20 MUSIC "Die Tote Stadt"
50:14 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:21:52 MUSIC "Make you feel my love"
1:25:39 OUTRO TALK
Well, what should I say about myself here? Everything you would want to know - or maybe did not even want to know - has been said in the interview. And about myself you find a little article on the website anyway.
So, just to tell you, that I am extremely grateful that I have met so many interesting people in those first 8 seaons and roughly 140 episodes. I would never have imagined that I will be able to talk to the most important authors, occultists, magicians etc. in the field of Western Esoteric Traditions here. And I am so much looking forward to continue to do so.
Also thank you to all the listeners who have followed the show so far. Today we have around 4000 of you a week and that is really great! And special thanks to those who support the show, without you this would not be possible.
And thanks to the wonderful Carl Abrahamsson for accepting to interview me!
Support this podcast by becoming a patron! https://www.patreon.com/thpodcast
06:38 MUSIC "Pyramids of Power"
14:13 INTRO Interview
18:05 INTERVIEW Part 1
55:32 MUSIC "The Mystic"
1:03:45 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:39:12 MUSIC "Drudge Ember"
1:43:35 OUTRO TALK
Meet Ian Rees! Ian is a psycho-spiritual psychotherapist practising in Glastonbury Somerset UK. He has been a therapist for 30 years and spent 10 before that working in Probation Work and Social Work at all levels Since 2009 he has concentrated on developing the Annwn Foundation workshops and the Awen training and presents this material in the UK and Israel.
What interests us most here is that he is a highly experienced Qabbalist and has recently published a book with AEON Publishing (UK), co-authored with Penny Billington, on DIon Fortune on how to use the brilliant insights from her occult novels to master the art of the embodied imagination, discover your vitality, and open up to the clarity and love that arise from the root of your being.
Dion Fortune’s esoteric novels were written as guides to magic and inner development to be used along with her great nonfiction work The Mystical Qabalah. We talk about how to work with her most popular fictions, exploring how the stories and characters can help you integrate the secrets of the Tree of Life and discover what Fortune called “the keys to the temple.”
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06:46 MUSIC "Ruins"
15:46 INTRO Interview
19:26 INTERVIEW Part 1
58:15 MUSIC "The Faceless Bringers of Pain"
1:06:48 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:41:32 MUSIC "The Slow March of Extinction"
1:48:04 OUTRO TALK
One of the greatest and world famous writers of Dark Fiction, or Weird Fiction, or whatever the genre may be called across the planet, Richard Gavin, returns to the show. But while we talked exactly about that type of literature he writes, about his life and backround back then in Episode 9 of Season 5, this time the subject is his non-fiction writing, where he excells just as much - a rarity among writers.
"The Benigthed Path" was his first highly acclaimed publication with Theion Publishing a few years ago. Now, literally a couple of weeks ago (yes, this podcast tries to be as close to the authors and publishers as possible) another book by Richard was published by Theion: "The Infernal Masque". It is kind of a sequel without really claiming to be just that. And by the way, "The Benighted Path" has also now just been republished in a second edition and will come out as an Auric Edition shortly.
Enjoy a great talk with an intelligent man after which you will see that the Left Hand Path and Ceremonial Magic are finally not far apart in their ideas, more in their means.
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07:42 MUSIC "Lempo"
13:17 INTRO Interview (with Jon Graham)
21:26 INTERVIEW Part 1
59:42 MUSIC "Finlandia"
1:08:10 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:41:08 MUSIC "Sanaton maa"
1:45:35 OUTRO TALK
Welcome to the Secrets of the Occult Tradition of Finland! In this episode, Rudolf speaks to Vesa Iitti, one of the authors of an astonishing book on Finnish Occultism, its history, which is about hundred years old, just like the young state of Finland. Madame Blavatsky once stated "The light will come from Finland"! Indeed, her theosophic movement was one of the early Western occultist movements that took roots in Finland. But there is of course much more to it, surprising facts, also a number of rather weird people, and of course, like everywhere also some problematic figures. What also comes to a surprise is that the awareness of Occultism in this country seems to be very high, with TV and radio shows talking about it etc. So, alltogether, a wonderful discovery trip to a wonderful place. And in the intro, Inner Traditions Acquisitions Editor Jon Graham will also tell us why he was particularly interested to get that book translated into English.
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08:47 MUSIC "Aquarius" (Xan Griffin)
12:59 INTRO Interview
18:30 INTERVIEW Part 1
59:57 MUSIC "The Age of Aquarius" (Villagers of Ioannina City)
1:08:39 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:47:24 MUSIC "The Age of Aquarius" (Cover Version from Hair)
1:50:54 OUTRO TALK
Welcome Frater Barrabbas, author and blogger with decades of experience in ritual magic and witchcraft on the invisible part of ritual work, groups, initiation, ‘otherness’ and a lot more. From a small town in Wisconsin, he realised at an early age that he was sort of differnt and did not fit in. He discovered witchcraft in his teens, also got in touch with the Golden Dawn. The talk develops in a great exchange on the role and relevance of magical/occult groups in general and their egregores, how they influence the individual’s abilities and workings, democracy vs. autocracy within healthy and less healthy orders, the difference between ceremonial and ritual magic, initiation and self-initiation and the ‘otherness’ that creeps up one’s spine as the reason for practicing the occult arts.
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07:48 MUSIC "Groundhog Day"
15:06 INTRO Interview
17:54 INTERVIEW Part 1
52:08 MUSIC "Observatory"
59:36 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:39:25 MUSIC "Karma"
1:45:00 OUTRO TALK
Delayed by a week, but finally out: our new episode:
This upcoming episode is actually a very special one as I have the pleasure to welcome Mogg Morgan as my co-host. Mogg has been the publisher of Mandrake Press for many years and recently we aired an episode of the show where he talked about himself and his work. This time we will be having a wonderful discussion with our guest, author and practitioner Nikki Wyrd on quite a few pretty fascinating topics. Her personal path, her time as head of the British IOT, the topic of women in magick and how divination, invocation, evocation, conjuration, illumination are all integral parts of serious studies of the occult.
Support this podcast by becoming a patron! https://www.patreon.com/thpodcast
06:34 MUSIC "She Got Arrested"
10:24 UPDATE JAKE STRATTON-KENT
13:14 INTRO Interview
15:54 INTERVIEW Part 1
59:06 MUSIC "Beethoven-Pastorale"
1:07:38 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:31:49 MUSIC "The Chariot"
1:38:52 OUTRO TALK
DO NOT MISS THE UPDATE ON JOHN STRATTON-KENT'S HEALTH
My guest this week is again someone who really does not need to be introduced in detail, as it is very likely that most of our listeners are familiar to some degree with the personality and works of musician and author Gary Lachman. It is a great pleasure for sure to welcome him back on the show and we’re going to have a great time talking about quite a lot but especially about his two most recently published books, ‘Dreaming Ahead of Time: Experiences with Precognitive Dreams, Synchronicity and Coincidence’ and ‘The Return of Holy Russia: Apocalyptic History, Mystical Awakening and the Struggle for the Soul of the World’.
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08:00 MUSIC "As within"
16:22 INTRO Interview
19:41 INTERVIEW Part 1
59:46 MUSIC "Pyramids of Light"
1:05:56 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:40:52 MUSIC "The Chariot"
1:45:34 OUTRO TALK
Welcome Naomi Ozaniec to the show, where I talk to her about her recent book - "Becoming a Garment of Isis": And even though this is of course a book that gives you in nine steps the possibility to delve yourself into the Kemetic tradition, to initiate yourself, by its title it shows that it is also a little bit about Naomi herself.
So we speak at first about her personal story, about how she got into the knowledge of the Kemetic tradition, why she felt called by it and is now teaching it. And it is a fascinating talk we have about how this tradition works, also for us in the 21st century. And don't think because the title speaks about Isis, that as a man this is not for you. Isis is just an example of a goddess that is not a goddess as we understand it today, but much more a principle of life, of being!
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07:34 MUSIC "The Aeon"
13:20 INTRO Interview
19:21 INTERVIEW Part 1
57:29 Meditation on Gimel - The High Priestess
1:05:56 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:41:02 MUSIC "The Chariot"
1:37:46 OUTRO TALK
This week I am happy and honoured to welcome once again one of those great "Tarot Ladies" on Thoth Hermes, Mary K. Greer. It is a pleasure to talk to her about her vast experience with the field, about how she got into all that, about different ways of using this Art, and many more details.
The original idea to inivte Mary came from another angle, though, and that gave also the title to this episode. Back in the 90's she wrote that wonderful and thick book on the "Women of the Golden Dawn", which is still available and also seems to be the only one on the matter. And we speak about those four women whose path she describes in the book, her motivation do take up that subject and also - very important - what it means today to be part of one of those occultist groups as a women.
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07:46 MUSIC "Native American Chant"
12:45 INTRO Interview
16:20 INTERVIEW Part 1
55:40 MUSIC "Coffee-Cantata"
57:13 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:31:23 MUSIC "The White Feather"
1:37:46 OUTRO TALK
My guest today is a very special man - Wolf DIeter Storl is cultural anthropologist, ethnobotanist and book author. At the age of eleven, he moved with his parents from his native Germany to rural Ohio, where he in a very deep and special way did not only get interested in nature, forests and plants, but also built a very deep relationship with them.
Today he lives on a remote farm in the south of Germany with his wife from Wyoming. He recently published his biography about his youth and life in America, which has shaped his life, called "Far out im America". We talk mostly about this part of his experience, but also about nautre activism and the role nature plays in our everyday's life.
Support this podcast by becoming a patron! https://www.patreon.com/thpodcast
06:22 MUSIC "Blurred"
11:26 INTRO Interview
14:27 INTERVIEW Part 1
53:05 MUSIC "Time and Space"
1:01:45 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:42:12 MUSIC "Transmission 94"
1:50:08 OUTRO TALK
Welcome back to Mark Stavish, the Director of the Institute for Hermetic Studies, where Rudolf and he discuss the not always easay way how to enter the world of the Western Tradition. This starts by how you want to name what you are looking for. Esotericism? Spirituality? Occultism? Or something else?
But this is only the start, of course. Has it become easier in the Internet age to find your path, the right approach to it, or more difficult? What are the chances, what are the traps? These and many other questions lead to the clear conclusion: you will need discipline, whatever your approach or your path is going to be.
If this now sounds to you like an episode for the beginner, then you might be wrong. It is certainly is thought to help the searcher, but with Mark's huge knowledge and personal experience also the seasoned esotericist will find points to think about, to discuss, to develop.
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08:43 MUSIC "Cloudy Scries"
13:03 INTRO Interview
16:40 INTERVIEW Part 1
55:21 MUSIC "Periphery in Context"
1:02:22 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:36:07 MUSIC "Razed Permanent"
1:39:54 OUTRO TALK
My guest this week is LA based scholar, tarot specialist, practicing astrologer and the author of ‘The American Renaissance Tarot’, Thea Wirsching. Thea will take her time to explain the way she practices astrology and what looking at a chart from an evolutionary point of view requires from clients in terms of carmic/cosmic lifetime homework assignment. She will also go into detail on the more common ideas and preconceptions of people regarding astrology.
But we will also talk at length about Tarot, namely the American Renaissance Tarot created by Thea, taking its name and inspriation from that great period of American literature in the early 1800's.
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6:16 MUSIC "The Concept of You and I"
10:07 INTRO Interview
15:53 INTERVIEW Part 1
50:49 MUSIC "In Principio"
57:20 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:35:13 MUSIC "Hard"
1:40:00 OUTRO TALK
Sometimes you just need to dare! I knew that Rawn Clark had not done many interviews, but I just got in touch - and he accepted! And so I am extremely happy to present to you this talk with a charming man, who through his enormous work and dedication have made the great Franz Bardon, Czech Occultist und important for many of you out there, well known (not only) in the English speaking world. Rawn gives us a deep insight into the approach to the initiative work you need to do, in what it can give to you if you do. But one thing is clear - YOU have to do the work!
Support this podcast by becoming a patron! https://www.patreon.com/thpodcast
8:40 MUSIC "Key 16-The Devil (Greg Kaminsky)"
14:55 INTRO Interview
19:34 INTERVIEW Part 1
56:06 MUSIC "Key 1-The Magician (Nick Farelll)"
1:02:54 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:42:40 MUSIC "Key 4-The Emperor (Angel Millar)"
1:51:25 OUTRO TALK
Sasha studied art, communication and English literature in Athens and after completing her Master in Western Esotericism at the University of Exeter she did her PhD on Joséphin Péladan. Actually it was her interest in French symbolism that got her the idea to do some research on Péladan who was a prolific author with more than 100 books and influenced artists and writers of his time alike. Luckily for us all, Sasha’s book on Péladan based on her PhD will be published by Theion Publishing late June or July this year and Péladan as a colourful and controversial figure as well as his work will be the main topic of our conversation.
Sasha will explain how Péladan was viewed as ‘difficult’ and ridiculed during his lifetime getting bad publicity. Although some fellow occultists such as Papus seemed to understand him, others like Oswald Wirth strongly opposed him and Aleister Crowley borrowed some of his ideas but at the same time wrote negatively about him. While he was almost forgotten and only briefly mentioned here and there, certain mid-20th-century Martinist and Rosicrucian groups claimed his work in order to establish their lineages.
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7:37 MUSIC "Everywhere and nowhere"
12:42 INTRO Interview
18:04 INTERVIEW Part 1
54:48 MUSIC "The Farewelll"
1:01:55 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:38:52 MUSIC "Una Nueva Alba"
1:43:42 OUTRO TALK
It has been part of the Mission Statement for the Thoth Hermes Podcast since its beginnings that the serious discussion of paranormal phenomena like precogntion, telepathy and clairvoyance shall be part of our subjects. But we have never treated the paranormal as such in a full episode, and now the occasion has come. Our guest today is Norwegian historian of ideas and author Terje G. Simonsen, well-versed also in all things esoteric and occult and also bearer of some quite extraordinary experiences in the field he will also tell us about. His book "A Short Story of (nearly) everything paranormal has become a real bestseller, and offers a wide overview of phenomena, tries to find explanations but without demystiying. In his very open and friendly way Terje explains us his view on the matter, but also has a lot to say about people like Carlos Castaneda, Michael Harner and Rudolf Steiner!
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6:47 MUSIC "Fun"
12:10 INTERVIEW Part 1
46:09 MUSIC "Las Vegas the Instrumental"
50:51 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:31:46 MUSIC "LA River"
1:34:41 OUTRO TALK
Do you remember the wonderful talk with Tamra Lucid we had on S/ E18 back in January, about her really lovely book on Manly P Hall and the 8o's around him in L.A.
Well, ny guest today on this second Special Anniversary Episode is Ronnie Pontiac. He is many things at once. He is now Tamra's partner and husband (she actually makes a quick appearance in the beginning to introduce him) - remember, they got married by Manly P Hall. He is like Tamra a wonderful musician. He became Manly P Hall substitute speaker and was very close to Mr Hall in those seven years. So he is in a way next to Mr. Hall the "other protagonist" of Tamra's book, hence the title of this epiosde.
But Ronnie is also an excellent writer and teacher preparing the release of two books to come, so we will certainly hear of him again on the podcast.
Support this podcast by becoming a patron! https://www.patreon.com/thpodcast
5:33 MUSIC "Think of the Day"
11:46 INTRO Interview
17:40 INTERVIEW Part 1
50:54 MUSIC "Let the Wind blow"
57:13 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:43:30 MUSIC "Night Sea Journey"
1:49:03 OUTRO TALK
This is the very special Anniversary episode for the 5th Anniversary of the first launch of an episode on our show. Back on April 20th 2017 it was Alan Richardson who was my guest.
Without evening mentioning that in the interview, you will see that Lionel Snell, also known under his pen name Ramsey Dukes, is a very special person, brilliant, with a lot of humour, always ahead of this time. The way how he explains the four levels in the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, comparing that to the computer world, is unique and only one example of the great things you will find in this interview.
At my side is Carl Abrahamsson; for this is the second so-called "TRIO-episode", where I invite a former guest to be my co-host for once, and Carl made the wonderful suggestion to invite Lionel. And Carl was a perfect co-host in all ways.
All of this makes this a worthy Anniversary celebration.
Thank you to all listeners, guests and musicians who have contributed to wonderful five years!
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8:18 MUSIC "Wahabibi"
12:41 INTRO Interview
16:33 INTERVIEW Part 1
57:39 MUSIC "Unlock an Immortal Seal"
1:06:55 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:39:27 MUSIC "Nine Doors"
1:41:47 OUTRO TALK
Please welcome my guests this week – yes, two of them – practitioner, author and creator of the website www.pansophers.com Samuel Robinson and his companion and co-creator Ian H. Gladwin as it is a really wonderful occasion to talk to both of them at the same time about their projects, utopian (or not so much) views on modern day occulture and so much more.
In our conversation we will try to find a definition for Rosicrucianism as a symbolic language of dying and resurrection, a universal idea that is told through myth ultimately leading to initiation. We will dive deep into the origins of the pansophic movement, the first manifesto of seven Rosicrucian brothers and how their promise to learn and share might work out in a modern version these days.
Another focus of the show will be Sam’s recently published book on Rosicrucian Alois Mailander who was born in 1847 and is supposed to be the well-kept secret Rosicrucian guide behind the Theosophical Society as well as Rudolf Steiner’s secret teacher.
And there is more...enjoy!
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6:41 MUSIC "Black Snow"
12:40 INTRO Interview
18:52 INTERVIEW Part 1
52:01 MUSIC "Space Dust"
57:19 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:33:42 MUSIC "Blue Notes"
1:37:31 OUTRO TALK
Hardly any other word has triggered more hysteria and wrong conclusions than the word "Illuminati". René Le Forestier has written a major work in the early 19th century about the real, the original Illuminati in Bavaria in the late 18th century. And our guest, Jon E. Graham has taken on the huge task of translating this major work into English. Jon has been interested in the occult since his teenage years but began to focus more on the subject while living in France having close connections to a group of French surrealists in Paris. One of the main characters of the Bavarian Illuminati is probably a well-known name among our audience, Adam Weishaupt, professor at the University of Ingolstadt, Bavaria. We will go into great detail on this fascinating individual and explore all the influences, how he ended up fighting against the Jesuits and against censorship at university despite of being not only a professor for law but also of Canon law.
In this episode, we will also explore the overall political and societal system in Bavaria and talk about Weishaupt’s ideas of democracy, freedom and (in a modern term) self-empowerment which made him turn against oppressive systems in general both of mundane and clerical nature and led to the foundation of the (in)famous Bavarian Illuminati on May 1st 1776.
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6:33 MUSIC "A Scarlatti - Concerto Grosso"
13:47 INTRO Interview
19:07 INTERVIEW Part 1
59:45 MUSIC "Corelli - Concerto Grosso"
1:09:23 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:48:03 MUSIC "D Scarlatti - Fandango"
1:56:06 OUTRO TALK
Welcome with us Chris Giudice, whose graduation thesis was now published by Oxford University Press in a great book whose title gave the name to this episode. In our conversation, we’ll explore the life of main protagonist, Arturo Reghini, who was born in Florence in 1878 and was not only a genius mathematician but also a pagan in a Pythagorean tradition. His early interest in theosophy influenced him to become the head of the Florence Theosphical Library and he was also involved in translations on theosophical subjects. As one of the major influences in Reghini’s life was Amedeo Armentano, we’ll be talking about this colourful personality’s role within Italian occultism of the early 20th century as well. We have an open discussion about the dark years in Europe that occured and how occultism can play a very bad role sometimes.
Support this podcast by becoming a patron! https://www.patreon.com/thpodcast
8:36 MUSIC "Veni Sancte Spiritus"
14:54 INTRO Interview
20:20 INTERVIEW Part 1
56:39 MUSIC "Velum Templi"
1:02:02 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:36:55 MUSIC "Perdono"
1:41:02 OUTRO TALK
Author, practitioner, Lucumi initiate and astrologer Eric Purdue who just published a brand new translation of Agrippa’s ‘Three Books of Occult Philosophy’ in fall last year with Inner Traditions, is my guest on this episode. Eric has been drawn to mythology, magic, astrology and occultism since his high school years. He pursued an 11 year long journey in order to translate and publish Agrippa’s life work and that is of course one of the main topics of our talk. But there is also some good advice to students who want to approach the path of magic in 2022!
Support this podcast by becoming a patron! https://www.patreon.com/thpodcast
8:05 MUSIC "The Dragon Invocation"
14:58 INTRO Interview
20:18 INTERVIEW Part 1
56:47 MUSIC "Fading-Wither-Perish"
1:02:54 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:39:45 MUSIC "Thrice"
1:43:39 OUTRO TALK
The subject of the "Machine Man" and Machinte Intelligence, the relation of spirit, mind and the machine, or rather all inventions that humankind made from the beginning of its existence, is the subject of this talk that I had with Luke Lafitte. He recently published his book on the matter and even though the subject might seem dry at first sight, it is a fascinating topic and very relevant to occultism and esoteric work and thought. Delve into it with us and enjoy!
Support this podcast by becoming a patron! https://www.patreon.com/thpodcast
10:35 MUSIC "Agnus Dei-Barber"
18:00 INTRO Interview
22:01 INTERVIEW Part 1
59:54 MUSIC "Pluto, the renewer"
1:06:35 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:44:48 MUSIC "Ode to Death"
1:55:51 OUTRO TALK
I have the pleasure to welcome a guest who really doesn’t need any introduction anymore, activist, author and practitioner of the occult arts, John Michael Greer who has been twice on the show in the past. Our focus will be on John Michael’s most recent book titled, ‘The Twilight of Pluto: Astrology and the Rise and Fall of Planetary Influences’ as well as on a re-edition of his ‘Sacred Geometry Oracle’ and on another book on sacred geometry ‘The Way of the Golden Section: A Manual of Occult Training’ which will open a series we will discuss in detail during our conversation. The musical contribution today is a bit longer than usual and classical music, but it felt like an urge in me to do that :). Enjoy!
Support this podcast by becoming a patron! https://www.patreon.com/thpodcast
7:07 MUSIC "Prelator"
11:30 INTRO Interview
18:00 INTERVIEW Part 1
53:05 MUSIC "Echoes of the Temple"
1:01:42 INTERVIEW Part 2
1:34:22 MUSIC "Ly O Lay ale Loya"
1:38:26 OUTRO TALK
My guest on this episode is William Mann. William was born in the 1950s and from an early age on he was interested in solving puzzles and following clues to discover hidden meanings of his surroundings. His father’s family had a rich Masonic tradition as far as it could be traced back and from his mother’s side William had the chance to be introduced to North American indigenous traditions. Today, William is the Supreme Grandmaster of the Sovereign Great Priory of Canada and lives in Ontario.
With him we discover the fascinating idea and possibility that the Templar Knights might have escaped to North America and created relationships to the indigenous people of Canada and the US.
The launch of our new Season 8 coincides with the release of a brand-new and interesting book on Anton LaVey, authored by the great Carl Abrahamsson. So a perfect occasion to have Carl back on the show and get some really first-hand information on LaVey, from someone who has even made a film on him, who is knowledgeable and can write and talk in a captivating way. And Carl is a specialist, certainly was also back then involved, but he always keeps his cool distance on things he talks about, staying objective, yet emotionally engaged. It was a lovely experience to have him back!
And it's the Season finale!! For this I am happy to welcome Patrick Dunn, linguist with a PhD in literature, occult and magical practitioner and author. And we are having an excellent time talking about magic, the power of language, Hellenic concepts, theurgy, magic without BS and cartomancy. We talk about his five books in detail, but also about his personal backgrounds and his upcoming book projects. Patrick is an extremely knowledgable but at the same time calm and silent occultist. To be copied! To Know - To Dare - To Will - To bei Silent! Good motto for our season break... no worries, one week only!
My guest in this episode is Peter Mark Adams. You might have come across his great books "The Game of Saturn" on the Sola-Busca tarrochi, and "Mystai" on the Mysteries of Dionysos. Both also beautiful books. So it came a bit as a surprise to me, that he published very recently a book on Energy Healing. And those who know me are aware that I am very hesitant to talk on those subject in this podcast. But Peter Mark Adams has a very special approach and a deep personal knowledge and experience in this field which made this book and the talk we have about it a wonderful and deep moment. I am sure you will enjoy!
When I meet Greg in my show, it is not only that "great pleasure" that I always have meeting my guests, but - even though we have actually never met in person, the Atlantic Ocean being between us - it is meeting a friend again, a special occasion. And when we talk in this episode about Greg's new book, "Celestial Intelligences", which he published a few months ago, it becomes clear that we like to drift off into philosophy, like to carry the thoughts that the Western (and in Greg's case, also Eastern) Traditions give us further into daily life experiences. And hey, isn't that, what working the Occult Arts should actually provoke? So, do enjoy this talk - and listen also to the Outro talk, because I have a little announcement to make there that might interest those of you who like what both Greg and I do!
This episode’s guest is Thomas Negovan, who has a background as an artist and has been working in galleries specialised on the period between 1880 and 1920 hosting exhibitions for more than 20 years. Thomas has just published an amazing book on the pinnacle artist of the Art Nouveau movement, Alphonse Mucha and his masterpiece ‘Le Pater: Alphonse Mucha's Symbolist Masterpiece and the Lineage of Mysticism’, originally illustrated and interpreted in the most occult and hermetic ways by the artist himself. So we have an exciting discussion and exchange on those topics, on Mucha and his masonic and spiritist background, on what led him to paint those "Le Pater" Illustrations, and about Thomas' personal motivation to produce this wonderful book.
Please welcome Prof. Carole Cusack who has been working and teaching in the field of religious studies at the University of Sydney for more than 40 years. Carole is not only well-known and highly respected in the world of academia but also among practicing occultists despite of not being a practitioner herself. She has been involved in teaching undergraduate courses since 1984 and her work covers many different topics of religion, esotericism and spirituality. she is not interested in opinions but in arguments supported with references from reliable evidential sources. In this episode of the show we’ll be talking quite a lot about the strange relationship between academia and esotericism and how there’s a turf war between secular studies and especially Christian theology.
We are visiting my guest Mathieu Ravignat in his home town Gatineau in Québec, Canada. And there we have a fascinating exchange on two of the (related of course) topics of Mathieu's three and recent books: the French Gnostic Church and its history mostly in the 19th century, its mix of mysticism and occultism, where it relates to such currents as Catharism and where not. Then, after the usual break, we concentrate on Egyptian Freemasonry of the 17th and 18th centuries, when it was mostly influenced by Hermetic traditions. Two fascinating topics Mathieu is a real specialist in.
Happy New Year and welcome back to a new episode of our podcast. We open the year with a talk with the wonderful Tamra Lucid, writer and editor, film producer and author of that great little book "Making the ordinary extraordinary", where she relates her experiences about seven years of encounter and friendship with one of the great teachers of the esoteric and the occult of the 20th century, Manly Palmer Hall, or, as she calls him: Mr. Hall. A first-hand tale of those years and that extraordinary man, very personal and told by an interesting woman. Enjoy!
I have the pleasure to talk to Cherokee record keeper Barbara Hand Clow, who used to introduce herself as a researcher, left-brain writer and publisher but due to a very influential event in 1994-1995 (which we will of course discuss) became a spiritual teacher. Some of you may already be an avid reader of her books while others just tap into them maybe also by listening to our conversation. Barbara was introduced to higher planes of consciousness and that experience left her deeply disturbed. But then her Grandfather chose to educate Barbara as his successor and continued to teach her until college. In this episode we talk about quantum mechanics, string theory, channelling in altered states of consciousness and much more.
In this episode I welcome TWO guests, in two distinct interviews, but which are of course related, and I find the topic highly interesting! Jobe Bittman, a game designer for tabletop games presented his new book to me, a Grimoire for the Game Master of such games. Yes, a grimoire, because the magical content of those games is quite amazing - discover for yourselves. But I wanted to combine this subject with something else, and so I found (in Tasmania!) Dr. Morgan Leigh Serong, not only active pagan and occultist, but she also wrote a PhD Thesis on Virtual Reality and the Cyberspace. Does ritual make sense in VR? Well, it certainly does, if you follow its own particular rules. New terrain for me, and maybe also for some of you, but excessively interesting:
The wonderful John Michael Greer is back on the Thoth Hermes Podcast. In this talk, JMG and I are discussing a historical topic: the so-called Occult Revival that started supposedly in 19th-century France and then sweeped the UK, the US and finally the whole world. In his usual easy-going way, John Michael Greer delivers us facts and important genuine thoughts on the matter, starting from Eliphas Levi, of course, and finally ending up with the question, if our times just saw, or rather will see, if at all a new occult revival. Don't miss this episode!
This new episode has been recorded for a special occasion. I have invited my good friend and fellow podcaster, the great Greg Kaminsky, to interview a common friend together, Charles "Chuck" Dunning, on his take on comtemplation, in the masonic context, but also much beyond that. This recording was initally a live event on video for our Patrons, who could be with us back than in September and also ask live questions. Now this is the interview version of that live event for everyone, but audio only, of course. We had a great time together and I am sure you are going to enjoy Chuck's deep wisdom on the matter and Greg's intelligent questions.
Take a trip that is unusual on this podcast - a trip to the Far East! Like our guest did, Jason Read, but he took much more than a trip. UK-born and now again based, he immersed himself deeply not only into Chinese Magic, but also in the language and the culture, living in China for quite some time. And it is highly iinteresting to discover how he got there, what made him discover this magic. This is also why we have the c(k) in the title of this episode - the way he discovered the East was built on his previous discovery of the West. So, listen to this interesting talk with a fascinating personality!
David Beth is back! He was with us here on Thoth-Hermes just at the beginning of the Covid lockdowns here in Europe and I.couldn't help to share some thoughts with him about that at first. But then we delve deeply into Arthur Moros' book "The Cult of the Black Cube", which David has added another chapter to for this re-edition by his publishing house Theion Publishing. And the foreword has been written by another former guest on this podcast, Tomas Vincente. We talk about biocentric vs logocentric worldviews, Cosmic Gnosis, modern Saturnian groups etc. A highly interesting talk and inspiring for me to talk to David. Hope it will inspire ye'all as well!
Please welcome my next guest on the show, astrologer, bee keeper and practitioner of the occult arts, Shu Yap. From an early start reading a small advertisment in a bookstore in Western Australia, where she lives, Shu has since then shifted her focus to traditional astrology, specialising in Hellenistic and Arabic methods. In this talk, we go into the different layers of chart interpretation and discuss what distinguishes modern astrology from the ancient arts. Living on a farm keeping animals has given Shu a deeper understanding of knowledge of Babylonian and horary astrology as well and she’ll be sharing her amazing experiences with this method. All in all, a lovely talk with a fascinating personality!
My guest in this show is hermeticist Rufus Opus, whose work is widely known in occult communities, especially his Red Work Course and his book ‘Seven Spheres’, a manual on planetary magic that teaches how to open up gates and provides the working magician with initiatory experiences. The influences Rufus Opus received on his path were pretty diverse, partly coming from Crowley, the OTO, the A.:A.: and Chaos Magick as being a valuable meta-system. In our conversation we will explore the reasons why Rufus chose an alchemical way of teaching in the very first place, how ‘Seven Spheres’ was born out of it which can be considered his key work so far providing the practicing magician with ways to become the ruler of their own kingdom.
After some technical problems a few weeks ago we are now finally meeting Orryelle, a fascinating multi-facetted personality, almost a "baroque" person in the middle of the 21st century, at least concerting the arts and magic - poet, musician, sculptor and painter, film visual artist and of course magician . To Orryelle, art has always been a way of dealing with things that he initially thought to be disembodied and he shares how his personal boundaries between expressing himself by artistic mediums and consciously performing ritual work have blurred over time until finally all art and magic felt like one thing.
This is EPISODE 100 ot the Thoth Hermes Podcast!! A very special moment and a very special guest. For 32 years he had been the Chosen Chief of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, they started at roughly 20 members and are now about 25.000. And as he laughingly says: There were probably never as many Druids in the world at any time in history than now. To talk to Philip Carr-Gomm was a great experience, he talks very openly about his time with a guru, which he "fell out of love with", about the OBOD of course, but also about his profession as a psychotherapist and how this is related to his spiritual path. For those who are interested. As this is Episode 100, this episode is also on VIDEO, to be seen on our YouTube Channel.
Have you ever considered to HEAR your astrological natal chart? Well, Jaime Paul Lamb does exactly that, put musical notes on it. In this episode, you can listen to yours truly's, your host's natal chart! But that is just one part of the episode. We discuss the esoteric and occult roots of masonry, but do not limit ourselves to the Craft. And Jaime is an extraordinarly well versed man, and he can write! His two books are both in the Top 7 of Southern California Research Lodge's well-know chart for the best masonic books of the century! To show you the quality of Jaime's books but also how esotericism has come (back) to the centre of interest of Freemasonry.
My guest today is a "record holder" - it is his fourth appearance on the show, no other guest has even done three! And we talk mostly, but not only, about his 26th book! It was released last January - The Pillars of Enoch - and is an incredibly dense history of the relation between science and religion literally through the Ages. And this once again show how incredibly vast and deep Tobias' knowledge is. And like always with him, at some point he makes the link to today and we also talk about what all of this means for us, children of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Nick Farrell joins the small and selected group of "returners" to the show. It has been two years and those two years have had a massive impact on the world in general and of course also on the magical and occult lives. At the beginning of our talk we speak about this, but the main topic and reason for Nick's talk is his brand-new book "Star and Stone" on Geomantic Divination. Used at the same level as Astrology in the "olden times", it has not seen the same revival as its starry brother in the 20th century. Nick tries to change that and explains us a lot on the history and functioning of Geomancy.
NOTE: In the YouTube Version of this episode, you will be able to see during the interview break seven examples of our guest's art, accompanied excerpts from a soundtrack particularly written for one of Bianca's shows.
Bianca Bondi is just taking the world of art by storm. She defines herself as a multidisciplinary artist while her speciality is creating very specific installations with occult references. We talk a lot about those references and she gives us a very open account on how the occult and the work that she personally undertakes in that field influences her life and art and vice versa. An exceptional and a bit different episode!
The Mesopotamian Gods are alive - says Jack Grayle in the preface to my guest's - Samuel David - book "Rod&RIng". If we have recently learned about worshipping ancient Egyptian Gods on this show, today the Gods of Bablyon and Sumer are the topic. Through personal experience and research Samuel has recreated numinous worship and personal advancement. And he is sharing this with Rudolf in this episode!
Without wanting to be too patriotic, I am nevertheless happy to present you our first Austrian guest here on the show, occultist, magician, teacher and storyteller Bernhard Reicher. Born in 1976, he encountered magic very young through his grandfather. Bernhard calls himslef a weird kid, but I believe he turned into a very interesting adult - well, that is probably related! Today he runs a magical school online and believes stongly in the magical power of stories - and he will even give us an example of one of his own... And, by the way, even the music is from Austria in this show - no, not Mozart, Dark Rock, we also do that!
It is a pleasure to be back after our three week summer break! My guest in this first episode of a new season is Pat Zalewski, prolific author and specialist of the Tarot and the Golden Dawn, particularly in its Whare Ra tradition, a Temple that was one of the last ones that could trace back its lineage to the original Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. In this talk, we also "meet" Israel Regardie, and ask ourselves about the GD tradition in general and how much you can understand occult secrets by just reading, without making personal experiences. But is a psychoanalysis really needed before you start magic? Pat certainly does not think so. Enjoy the talk!
This episode, where Rudolf speaks to specialist in Egyptian Magick and its link to South Asian practice, Mogg Morgan, closes Season 6. They talk about the Egyptian current in general and its relevance for the 21st century as well as its shamanic aspects. The subject of the god Set comes up pretty soon as a central blueprint for âEvilâ in societies all over the world. And of course Mandrake of Oxford, that great publishing company of which Mogg is the CEO, will also be a topic. The new Season 7 will start after a two-week summer holiday break on August 15th. Stay tuned!
Rudolf's guest, Diana Kreikamp, was fascinated by the divine from very early childhood on as she could see things and communicate with them. Her inspiration to write âAmduat: The Great Awakeningâ began a decade ago as a series of dreams of Ancient Alexandria, especially of the lost library. In this interview we talk about the creational process of this exceptional book as well as its hidden intention and its use as a handbook to enable readers to manifest their unique selves into this world. Another very fascinating subject will be what exactly the term Great Awakening means and how it is attainable for persons living in the 21st century by using an ancient Egyptian initiation system.
In this talk with Scottish scholar Stewart Clelland we speak about a very interesting and also rather strange group of occult masonry that formed in the 18th century (and still has its descendants being active - even though in a slightly different way - today), the "Order of Knight-Masons Elect Priets of the Universe", better know by their short name in the original French, Elus Coens. Stewart hat recently published his translation of their main Grimoire, and he tells us a lot about their background, their links to other groups and the effect and impact they had and still might have. And the main question remains: was their work really masonic or did they onla use the structure for their own magical gnostic aims?
It has been about time that Mark Stavish appears on this podcast! Today Rudolf and Mark speak - after a short introduction on Mark's "Institute for Hermetic Studies abut the concept of contemporary occultism vs occulture. What kind of future we are looking at and what it will take to build one worth passing on to our children and grandchildren? Highly fascinating talk with one of the leading esoteric teachers of today.
Prepare yourself for an episode where syncretism at its best is to be enjoyed, in a very holistic, deeply connected way but at the same time going into detail instead of the superficiality of many negative examples to be found in occulture nowadays. Rudolf and his guest Chris Allaun will be talking about how shamanism and civilisation interact and sharing experiences on attending sweat lodge ceremonies and entering deep trance states. And of course they talk about Chris' four and soon-to-be five books about the Three Worlds: Underworld - Upperworld - Otherworld
Welcome one of the leading figures of the Left Hand Path today, Don Webb. The immediate reason for this talk with Rudolf is the release of his book "Energy Magick of the Vampyre. Needless to say that we are not talking about the blood-sucking monsters here, but about something much more subtle... And we also talk about much more! Don's background, the origin of the name "Left Hand Path" and its definition, the Temple of Set and many other interesting topics. Don't miss this one!
Devotion and Veneration of an Ancient Egyptian God, but that goes much beyond what other Kemetic modern religious movements do? This is what Zemaemidjehuty (or Reverend Zemmi) has developed with his Church of Flesh and Feather after a personal life-changing encounter.Rudolf and Reverend Zemmi speak about this moment, but mostly also about how this belief has developed especially during Covid times, why devotion is important to Zemmi and many other topics - not to forget the beautiful "Book of Flesh and Feather" that has been published by Theion Publishing a few months ago.
Today Rudolf is talking to Sara Mastros, from Pittsburgh who teaches witchcraft, Greek and Near Eastern mythology, Jewish Kabbalah, Pythagorean Mysticism, and practical sorcery online, and at festivals all over the East Coast. Weâll be talking about the definition of a witch, different categories of magic/witchcraft, and how translation of words and practice from distant past creates tension and ways to deal with it. Another subject are the highly appraised âOrphic Hymns Grimoireâ where Sara strives for accuracy in translation but at the same time takes the nature of the respective god/goddess into account.
Saraâs teaching work will be also a subject along with some good advice for beginners and an outlook on her upcoming book project, âThe Big Book of Magical Incenseâ
Please welcome Jack Fox-Williams, who graduated in philosophy and history at Goldsmiths University in London. Jack is a freelance writer in Cornwall, an amazing musician and vocalist and a curious-minded explorer of the relationship between science and occultism.The definition of semantics as essentially the study and analysis of linguistic systems, how they develop and how we use it becomes a major point of our conversation. Jackâs passion is not confined to theoretical musings though, he is also a seasoned practitioner of the occult arts where he tends to take on a holistic approach combining different methods that simply work well for him. And do not miss his own music, which is played during the show, his talent as a performer is quite stunning as well.
Finally he also appears on the Thoth Hermes Podcast! We have been talking about this for quite some time, but now John Michael Greer, one of the most interesting writers on the Occult is my guest on this show. His range is so wide: Occultism, UFOs, American society, peak oil... and his own Cthulhu style fiction! And of course we speak about the practicioner JMG, his time as Archdruid, his blog.... so many things, that I would almost like to promise already today that this interview will have a sequel!
In this episode Rudolf has a fascinating conversation with Italian witch, High Priestess and teacher in the Temple of Ara tradition, Giulia Turolla. Giulia has been leading circles for the Temple of Ara in Italy since 2008 and actively teaching study groups and advanced workshops since 2012. Her personal path focuses on the practice of witchcraft as an indigenous form of shamanism and aims to rediscover and rebuild the Sacred Net that binds humanity to the Spirits and the Gods of the place they live in.
In this episode Rudolf welcomes legendary Jake Stratton-Kent who is one of the most knowledgeable authors and practitioners of grimoire magic and has been called the most notorious necromancer in England.
Jake describes himself as a âvery late Late Paganâ which is a reference to his focus on the historical time where late Paganism overlaps with the early church period forming a fascinating and nurturing soil for magic as we think of it these days.
Having started out as a solitary practitioner more than 40 years ago with Paul Husonâs âMastering Witchcraftâ Jake worked his magical path through different techniques always seeking out the historical roots of ideas and ultimately coming back full circle to one of his very first interests, grimoire magic. Since then Jake has become a widely renowned authority on goetic workings and in this episode he shares why he was drawn to this kind of so-called âleft-handâ or âdarkâ magic.
In this second episode of season 6, Rudolf has a most interesting time talking to photographer, author, stonecrafter, theologian, witch and devoted family man Daniel Yates (www.photophrenic.com) about existentialism, occultism and art, occult photography in particular, and how those tie in together.Daniel has been dedicating himself for more than 20 years to grassroot research into witchcraft practices in northern England. Having graduated at Liverpool Hope University in theology and religious studies his current postgraduate research focuses on seasonal effects on religious practices in pre-Roman Lancashire.
Danielâs photographic artwork for which he has received a variety of commendations and awards reflects major parts of his research.
Embracing scientific and spiritual traditions in his work Jonathan is a lecturing member of the International Society for Music and Medicine. As director of the Sound Healers Association he is dedicated to teach about sound and music in transformational, therapeutic and healing processes. Being an international authority and Master Teacher Jonathan conveys his vast experience and knowledge to students in the US and in Europe, facilitating Healing Sounds Seminars at universities, hospitals, holistic health centres and expos.
AS PROMISED, AN INTERVIEW-ONLY EPISODE TODAY!
I recorded this lovely talk with Canadian author RICHARD GAVIN back in September 2020, at the occasion of the release of his book "Grotesquerie". And it is MUCH MORE than an author talking about his books - we speak about the depths of initiation, artistry, occultism and psychology.
While waiting for the new Season 6 to start on Easter Sunday, I am releasing this interview now. Just the interview with just a little explanatory intro, no music or other content. Hope you enjoy!
In this interesting talk Rudolf speaks to American scholar of occult, esoteric and marginal cultures with a passion for accessibility and outreach, Amy Hale. The address many points concerning also a very contemporary approach to occultism. Part of the talk is also consecrated to Ithell Colquhoun, the British occultist and Artist about which Amy Hale has just recently published a highly interesting book!
Meet one of the most interesting occultists of the young generation, Georgia von Raalte. She is an academic, author and a Priestess of Babalon. Just after having released her first book she talks to Rudolf about occultism today, her work around Dion Fortune, the difference between Sex Magic and sexual Magic and many other interesting topics that should interest every occultist today. Not to miss!
Rudolf meets today with another key figure of the O.T.O. and A.:A.: in the US and worldwide - David Shoemaker. Mentored by no less than Phyllis Seckler (Soror Meral), he is Past Master of the 418 Lodge O.T.O. in Sacramento, CA and Chancellor and Prolocutor of the Temple of the SIlver Star. For more than 25 years, David has been a very active member of Thelema, producing also the Podcast "Living Thelema"
The World of Western Esotericism and the Academic world have approached each other quite a bit in the last 20 years. Our guest today, Prof. Henrik Bogdan from Gothenburg University in Sweden is a living example. And in his talk with Rudolf, through his insight, clear language and extremely broad knowledge he proves how important this getting-together is for the understanding of Esotericism and the world as a whole.
He is one of those people - like others, who have already been here on the Thoth Hermes Podcast - who shaped the history and evolution of magic in the late 20th century - Peter J. Carroll, co-founder of the Illuminates of Thanateros, one of the key figures of the Chaos Magic movement. In this rare interview he talks to Rudolf about that time, but also about his projects and views today.
Charlotte Rodgers is Rudolf's guest in this episode. Charlotte is a New-Zealand born animist, artist and author who works with remnants of the dead and the discarded to create talismanic and totemic art. "I welcome the insight and stimulus that comes with the unexpected, the strange and the challenging. This doesn't make my life easier, but it definitely makes it interesting." - this is what you can read on her website. And the interview with her has become a very deep and stimulating talk about many things magic(k) that are part of our lives' reality!
Dr. Dean Radin, who is Rudolf's guest today in this show, is Chief Scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences and Distinguished Professor at the California Institute of Integral Studies. The IONS, founded by Apollo 14 astronaut Dr. Edgar Mitchell, uses science to explain phenomena not previously understood in the mysteries of the natural world. A fascinating subject, and a fascinating man!
A great start into the new Season! - After his first interview with Rudolf two-and-a-half years ago, Frater Acher returns to the show at the occasion of the immediate release of his new book, second in a trilogy he publishes at Scarlet Imprint: Black Abbott, White Magic. This book is at the center of Acher's and Rudolf's discussion, but they also speak about many other interesting and important matters regarding magic and occultism today.