- Joined
- Aug 28, 2026
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Greetings -
This forum popped up as I searched for PDF resources to send a friend who is designing a ritual for a Bacchanal we are planning. This place seems like a great resource, so I am excited to contribute and to take as needed.
My magical journey has been quite winding. I was not raised with religion per se. Through my studies of science, I found myself in the temple of nihilism and at a philosophical, emotional, spiritual impasse. Concurrently, I was studying and practicing buddhist meditation and yoga in a secular manner in accordance with my studies of neuroscience. After reaching a breaking point, I 'tricked myself' into believing in the Buddhist cosmology and reincarnation, as an antidote to that pesky nihilism - the universe is much more interesting under that framework. This breaking point included a peculiar experience and vision which I now attribute to an early contact with the personal daimon or Holy Guardian Angel.
By and by, I became serious about my Buddhist studies and practiced outer tantras and started wondering whether there are any analogues in the west. Hermeticism and Alchemy came to be of interest, as they seemed to contain 'tantras of the west'. I have since been in contact with Thelemic (Estai-Meral) and Golden Dawn (Ciceros) currents, as they seem to be the most available and accessible, but have not joined an order. I have been on the fence as to whether the Crowleyania is for me, and whether Liber AL is something I can jive with - some elements are in line with my world view, while some give me pause. The Golden Dawn is somewhat more appealing, but I am taking my time in deciding.
As a practicing scientist, I owe my arts to hermeticism and consider my studies of ceremonial magic to be an homage to the roots of my tradition and profession. I say a little prayer to Lavoisier and go about my alchemy.
Curious to know if there are many other scientists amongst you and how you have found congruence between your practices.
This forum popped up as I searched for PDF resources to send a friend who is designing a ritual for a Bacchanal we are planning. This place seems like a great resource, so I am excited to contribute and to take as needed.
My magical journey has been quite winding. I was not raised with religion per se. Through my studies of science, I found myself in the temple of nihilism and at a philosophical, emotional, spiritual impasse. Concurrently, I was studying and practicing buddhist meditation and yoga in a secular manner in accordance with my studies of neuroscience. After reaching a breaking point, I 'tricked myself' into believing in the Buddhist cosmology and reincarnation, as an antidote to that pesky nihilism - the universe is much more interesting under that framework. This breaking point included a peculiar experience and vision which I now attribute to an early contact with the personal daimon or Holy Guardian Angel.
By and by, I became serious about my Buddhist studies and practiced outer tantras and started wondering whether there are any analogues in the west. Hermeticism and Alchemy came to be of interest, as they seemed to contain 'tantras of the west'. I have since been in contact with Thelemic (Estai-Meral) and Golden Dawn (Ciceros) currents, as they seem to be the most available and accessible, but have not joined an order. I have been on the fence as to whether the Crowleyania is for me, and whether Liber AL is something I can jive with - some elements are in line with my world view, while some give me pause. The Golden Dawn is somewhat more appealing, but I am taking my time in deciding.
As a practicing scientist, I owe my arts to hermeticism and consider my studies of ceremonial magic to be an homage to the roots of my tradition and profession. I say a little prayer to Lavoisier and go about my alchemy.
Curious to know if there are many other scientists amongst you and how you have found congruence between your practices.
