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Posting Peter Levenda's history of the dark underbelly of occultism becasue I mentioned them in another thread.
This is a tough topic, and it can lead to paranoia. But kept in perspective, it might keep people from being herded onto a people-farm by some cult leader or toxic group who will monetize your hopes, dreams, and ignorance.
Gordon White, looking at the full history of magic, made the observation: "magic"—used with all-inclusive connotations here—is the plaything of either the very poor or the very wealthy. Peter Levenda's historical trilogy, Sinister Forces, is about the weaponization of our tech by powerful (i.e., the sinister) forces for their benefit, often at our expense.
Keep in mind Crowley and many members of the OTO were atheists, and the "magic" they talk about is New Thought mind mysticism (no slam, good stuff) dressed up in aesthetics lifted from Goetia and later Renaissance Angel magic, filtered into the psychology of British and Americans who need some robes, nudity, and wands to jazz up their otherwise flaccid imagination.
All fine, once tagged as such. And as the Boomers finally leave us to experience the Buddhist oneness, the rest of us will be cleaning up the messes they've made for some time to come.
See also:
Very Bad Company – Occultism And Power
July 25, 2013
History, Magic
Book 1, The Nine
Book 2, A Warm Gun
Book 3, The Manson Secret
This is a tough topic, and it can lead to paranoia. But kept in perspective, it might keep people from being herded onto a people-farm by some cult leader or toxic group who will monetize your hopes, dreams, and ignorance.
Gordon White, looking at the full history of magic, made the observation: "magic"—used with all-inclusive connotations here—is the plaything of either the very poor or the very wealthy. Peter Levenda's historical trilogy, Sinister Forces, is about the weaponization of our tech by powerful (i.e., the sinister) forces for their benefit, often at our expense.
Keep in mind Crowley and many members of the OTO were atheists, and the "magic" they talk about is New Thought mind mysticism (no slam, good stuff) dressed up in aesthetics lifted from Goetia and later Renaissance Angel magic, filtered into the psychology of British and Americans who need some robes, nudity, and wands to jazz up their otherwise flaccid imagination.
All fine, once tagged as such. And as the Boomers finally leave us to experience the Buddhist oneness, the rest of us will be cleaning up the messes they've made for some time to come.
See also:
Very Bad Company – Occultism And Power
July 25, 2013
History, Magic
Book 1, The Nine
Book 2, A Warm Gun
Book 3, The Manson Secret
