My father was deep into Hesse as well but it was my crush that demanded i read Damien under threat of violenceHesse is my favorite author, have you read Demian?
Personally, I thought "Narcissus and Goldmund" was Hesse's best.My father was deep into Hesse as well but it was my crush that demanded i read Damien under threat of violence
dad insisted on steppenwolf and glass beads and it was a surreal read "hejustlikemeforreal.jpg" felt like the whole book was just for me
i enjoyed Demian (how bout that ending tho) but never finished stepenwolf got up to the part, as i just now realize, where he finds the sign with the word magic on it
All three of those books have and will continue to affect me im sure.
as much for the stories themselves and their connection to my loved ones
Interesting thesis there. The second half of Faust is pretty well rooted in alchemical thinking. I haven't really seen much about how deeply Goethe was actually into the arcane sciences, though. I'm sure it's out there. I just have other things taking up my time.Currently I'm reading one called "Um Obscuro Encanto(An Obscure Charm)" by Claudio Willer.
It's a book in Brazilian Portuguese.
I just started it but in short it's a book talking about gnosis, gnosticism and it's existence in literature but mostly in poetry, and it seems to be based on(or be actually in full but with some edits) the guy's doctoral thesis: "The thesis shows how Gnostic myths and subjects and even a Gnostic style of writing reappear or is resumed by romantic poets, symbolists and modernists, including those of Portuguese language."
A nice read so far, read one chapter and intend to read one chapter per day until I finish it.
Occult, yes, esoteric, no. I'm reading "The Romance of Sorcery" by Sax Rohmer, him wot wrote Fu Manchu.
And did Fu Manchu write back?Occult, yes, esoteric, no. I'm reading "The Romance of Sorcery" by Sax Rohmer, him wot wrote Fu Manchu.
It's a potted history of several famous occultists, including Apollonious, who I am shocked to admit I had not heard of before. Currently working my way through the dodgy, dastardly dealings of Cagliostro.And did Fu Manchu write back?
I hadn't heard of that one, "The Romance of Sorcery," though I've read some Rohmer and dabbled in Sax. Might give it a look. I like the times he wrote in, the atmosphere, &c.
Worth a look mebbe. Last year I started a bio of Apollonious and came to a screeching halt when I hit those Obligatory Pages. You know, the ones every history or novel about the ancient world written in English between 1850 and 1950 contains: "_________ was a proud, thriving city, for all it existed under the Roman thumb. Its markets thronged with stalls proffering cinammon, myrrh, cloves, frankincense, pearls, tea from far off Cathay, wines of Shiraz, swarthy Nubuian slaves, dancing girls of Ceylon..." (and so on ad nauseum. Combination of commercial inventory and stale cliche.)It's a potted history of several famous occultists, including Apollonious, who I am shocked to admit I had not heard of before. Currently working my way through the dodgy, dastardly dealings of Cagliostro.
As someone who always hankered after grimoires of power as portrayed in many stories, I found the description of the Book of Thoth quite thrilling:
“He wrote it with his own hands and it will bring (raise) a man to the gods. To read two pages enables you to enchant the heaven, the earth, the abyss, the mountains and the sea; you shall know what the birds of the sky and the crawling things are saying; . . . And when the second page is read, if you are in the world of ghosts, you will grow again in the shape you were on earth. . . .”
Imagine that. Our Aleister being disruptive. The man is a perfect beast, he is! Which Crowley book(s)? I kind of gave him up when I found myself going in circles chasing his references to yet other volumes promising explanations that were not forthcoming. Yeah, I know. I stumbled over the initiatory hurdle.Modern Magick and Kabbalah, Magic and the Great Work and f Self Transformation are my main reads for the next year. However, Crowley writings may very well disrupt and replace the current reading.
I may be looking into OTO or AA as the GD seems to not be fulfilling my progress.
So I guess the neophyte suggested reading list for either order, and get tied into a temple after applying (or stay my course is f I get rejected).
There are some groups out there claiming connection with OTO traditions that offer "distance initiation." I gather that the initiator(s) and initiate enact the necessary rite at the same time (allowing for time zones.) There are those who deny the efficacy of this, however. (I'm sceptical myself.) I wonder: would Zoom initiations work? I have heard it argued that electricity is inimical to magickal workings.This is a good idea imo.
Not that the OTO or AA are any better than another path but they are active groups that have many members and local chapters.
It would probably be beneficial to you as well to have a somewhat rigid and plainly laid out initiatory guide.
Plus you will always have someone a grade higher than you to report to and keep you focused.
You already have a huge leg up on other probationers by having studied a lot of the foundational materials plus you have practiced journaling a lot.
You will have to provide your journaling to your direct supervisor so that will be motivation enough to not slack. (Not saying that you do)
I would love to join either the AA or OTO myself but don’t have a chapter local to me right now and I can’t afford the travel expenses for the initiations but as soon as that changes I will join one of them.
I know I could use a little external pressure myself…lol
There are some groups out there claiming connection with OTO traditions that offer "distance initiation." I gather that the initiator(s) and initiate enact the necessary rite at the same time (allowing for time zones.) There are those who deny the efficacy of this, however. (I'm sceptical myself.) I wonder: would Zoom initiations work? I have heard it argued that electricity is inimical to magickal workings.
Yeah, Liber ABA might be the first reading material to switch to.
I guess my answer would be quite a few books. There is a Probationer syllabus for AA that is lengthy.