Bøger af Tarl Warwick

Magnus Jensen's "Everybody's Astrology" is a sure sign of its era of manufacture; one part astrological apologism, one part distrust of the rise of non-traditional (especially psychological) science, and one part utopian admonition to engage in the study of the stars and planets, this booklet is a decent primer to the basic tenets of astrology. It additionally lends itself to use by those interested in studying more about the topic from the occult perspective, listing a half dozen other related works some of which are explicitly applauded for their rigor.

This document is one of the foremost works penned within the path of Theosophy- specifically, by one of its foremost members, William Quan Judge, who became Vice President of the entire order.Much of the doctrine to be read about here stems from the East- elements of Hinduism and Buddhism were overlapped with some Western philosophy and crafted into a sort of mystery school that nonetheless was both public and lacked a strict hierarchy in favor of delving into spiritual lore. While some of the theory of Theosophy was eventually supplanted, some of its lore eventually came to be quite accepted- such as the exceptionally long dating of the Earth or the expansive nature of the universe.

The Omnium Gatherum is a combination work from the 1870s. One part fortune teller and one part temperance tract, it was distributed (apparently widely) in this era, a full five decades before prohibition took hold. The actual omnium gatherum, the fortune telling system it contains, is simplified and crafted in such a way as to become a social activity. While not an occult manuscript in the most strict sense, the basic premise of the social oracle (as opposed to potentially solitary oracles) is a novel concept considering the content of comparable works of the same period and could be adapted for such use.

This little booklet is a combination of spiritual and anthropological lore, consisting of dozens of individual accounts of the existence of a sort of tribe of extremely short, unique people in the mountains of Morocco. While these tales may have been fancy, the possibility of a dislocated splinter group of pygmies in the region does technically exist.The spiritual backdrop of dwarf worship that therefore exists, either as the result of fanciful folklore or literal reality, is of considerable interest and represents a potentially unique anthropological facet that existed (at least potentially) in part because of colonialism and Westernization.

This present Theosophical work is a compilation of four different lectures delivered by Annie Besant of the Theosophical Society, and details a bit about the history and lore of Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and Christianity (in both the Protestant and Catholic senses.) Largely, it seeks to display how they represent different eras and aspects of spiritual development, often drawing comparisons between them.It is well sourced and refers frequently to texts considered holy within each religious group, such as the Zend Avesta and Upanishads.

"The Mythology of Ancient Britain and Ireland" is one of the finest titles within the early 20th century creation series, penned by Charles Squire, and somewhat refining the same ideas in Anwyl's "Celtic Religion."It traces the linguistic and mythological development of Arthurian and similar folklore and pseudohistory in the British Isles from their ancient ancestry many, many centuries prior, with Celtic deities and forces which were transmogrified over time in accordance with the adopting of Christianity, and changing political and social tides.

Some works of astrology are highly simplistic, and some dwell on complex ephemera and intricate calculations; this work should be seen as a happy medium between those two poles, and combines fairly basic zodiacal lore regarding relationships, luck, physical features, etc, with the influence of signs moving through the sun especially with regards to cusp signs. The different signs are treated on fairly thoroughly.The author repeatedly alludes to the ability of individuals to transcend the "fate" of their birth by understanding the concept of self awareness and spirituality.

"Ophiolatreia," or "Serpent Worship," is one of the finest academic texts of the late 1800s. Not content to speak only of one time or culture, it delves into Hinduism, Druidism, Greek lore, the Roman Empire, Egypt ancient and then-modern, and Mesoamerica, and details a multitude of serpent-related rites, ruins, and religions therein. Invaluable to the academic and interesting to the occultist, the scope of this work is vast and its sources frequent and intricate. It lays bare the lore of a dozen ancient cultures and, in many cases, their modern counterparts, exposing the worldwide and constant prevalence of serpent worship which in some areas continues to this very day.

The Arbatel of Magick is one of the less enigmatic works within the world of true grimoires. Being neither concerned with "black" magic nor of dubious origin, it can be positively traced to the mid 16th century, although translations made thereof differ greatly in content. The work contains a series of short passages, termed "aphorisms" which detail a rudimentary guide to ay practitioner, giving commands (or advice) on the manner of living a holy life, commanding spiritual forces, and avoiding harm. Unlike some works from this date and later into the 18th and 19th centuries, it is less concerned with rites themselves so much as establishing a philosophy based around holy spirituality.

"Witchcraft Detected and Prevented" is not really so much a protective guide for hunting down or opposing witches, as it is a grimoire of sorts from the early 1800s. Similar to (and taking some content from) the Petit Albert or some similar tradition, it also includes material from apparent folk rites as well as from the writings of Albertus Magnus. Covering topics as wide ranging as alchemy, herbal medicine, folk magic, and protective prayers and incantations, its title can only be considered an attempt to elude censorship or claims of blasphemy.

Haddons' "Magic and Fetishism" is an intriguing and sometimes delightful treatment of the subject of simple folk magic and the use of charms and similar personal magical methods. The number of individual usages here is quite large and mostly related to Asian and African tribal practices. At times, this is even humorous in nature. It is in essence a cross-cultural analysis of tribal and regional practices and what they define as magical, in the basic sense of the often protective and always personal.It contains, as well, a full bibliography, providing an excellent spring-board into related topics and works.

"A Primer of Theosophy" is a very broad overview of virtually every subject related to the tradition of Theosophy up until that era. It speaks of the psychic arts, spirits and mediumship, ethics, religious history, and more.There is, here, a quite exhaustive list of secondary works of note, and a description of a half dozen major figures within the spiritual movement.

The Biography of Satan is a lovely collection of lore, logic, and philosophy, dating to the middle of the rational days of the 19th century. Within this work, Kersey Graves lays waste to the doctrine of eternal Hell and the very concept of a Satan, claiming that it is, within proper tradition, the Christian god himself who is the architect of evil and suffering. With numerous references to linguistics, pagan lore, and then-modern historical science, Graves' work deserves far more attention from the world at large; and for those interested in the occult, and in magic, the comprehension of proper demonology requires such concepts to be understood- something sorely lacking in some traditions.

This book is a fine compilation of folklore, myths, and legends, spanning thousands of years and many cultures, always skeptical in tone. As a specifically rationalist- although not irreligious- volume, it presents legend to discredit it; superstitions regarding animals, astrology, alchemy, major figures in sorcery, poetry and play alike, are all explored, to be debunked. Many of the superstitions involve the occult, or the paranormal.In an intriguing turn, some of the discredited "myths" listed (for example the existence of "dwarves" or rather pygmy tribes in Central Africa, or the ability to destroy ships using mirrors or burnished bronze, as Archimedes engineered in antiquity) have themselves regained acceptance!

The Golden Tractate of Hermes, first created in the Renaissance and rendered into English in 1850, is one of a number of texts from its era attempting to explain alchemy, along with the works of Pontanus and Artephius. Through a veil of symbolism it attempts to inform the reader of the process of creating Ixir, and thus the universal medicine of alchemy.

"Weeds Used in Medicine" is one of a number of early 20th century government-made circulars for farmers and businesspeople attempting to aid the process of general societal improvement in that era. Bulletin 188 regards the removal, processing, and sale of certain pestilent species considered a nuisance and often then subject to mandatory extermination under anti-weed ordinances and laws. From pokeweed to catnip and couch grass, this little work is a decent herbal and an interesting early 20th century historical piece rolled up into one largely academic guide with quite a few medicinal references.

Mehmet Alis Oriental Interpretation of Dreams is a lengthy and interesting work of fortune telling which combines dream interpretation, an elaborate oracle, phrenology, zodiacal material, and folk charms. It is not dissimilar from Napoleons Oraculum and similar works.While the ascribing of this work to Arabic magick is not compelling, it is a great example of mid 19th century parlor prognostication and a formidable occult text for those who utilize dreams to help guide actions.

The Cultus Arborum is one of the foremost 19th century compilations of spiritual lore; and certainly the greatest of the era with regards to arboreal worship. Contained in its pages are two thousand years of wisdom, from Egypt, Greece, England, France, Germany, Russia, India, Tibet, and beyond. Its material is dense. To the occultist, there are few finer collections of such primary mystic knowledge available and none finer related to the use of trees and wood in a sorcerous context.

Lucasta is a long, multi-part poetic work by Arthur Edward Waite, known primarily for his work on the Rider-Waite tarot deck and his Book of Ceremonial Magick. A verbose and prolific author, Waite compiled several volumes of poetry, notably a work of English poems related to fairies and other supernatural topics- this present work is more personal and was titled after his first wife.The content here has been preserved near-verbatim except for a few typographical errors being corrected. The poetry is considerably overlapped with occult topics and references, and the main poem is joined by several shorter works at the end of the book.

Johannes Trithemius is best known for his steganographia, but his less notorious works are no less interesting. Here, in de septem secundeis, we have a fusion of history and occultism, regarding celestial and angelic categorizations, used to predict the future as well as correspond past events to the different characteristics of the secondary causes- the seven angels with their seven planets. Trithemius, in his age, thus delivered this knowledge to then-emperor Maximilian of the Holy Roman Empire, and this same system can be expanded infinitely into the past or future.

This interesting little booklet contains a large number of short passages describing various usages for hypnotism and magnetism within a health context. Admonishing the reader to avoid some of the more obvious Mesmeric charlatans of the era, it is as much cautionary and dietary as it is technically occult in form and nature.While some of the medical suggestions made here are far from accepted in the modern sense, much of the content is innocuous at worst and sometimes still practiced today.

"Demons and Tongues" is an interesting early 20th century look at the opinions of the Pillar of Fire movement in regards to the Pentecostal assembly and demonology twain with the same. With a quasi-eugenic approach and a focus on Revelation, this manuscript is at once interesting and perhaps dated in the christian body. Speaking of the goals of Satan, that old Devil of antiquity, and the way this being uses heresy, it shuns the very concept of speaking in tongues and relegates it to the depraved and demonic.

Through the long history of man sound has always been a fixture within the context of occult ritualism. From the tribal beat of a shamanic ritual, to the manner of speech and elocution employed for propaganda purposes, to strictly occult music in the modern age, the sonic and the sensible have co-evolved. "Principles of Sonic Occultism" aims not only to describe these various forces and concepts but to make their usage easier for the practicing witch or warlock. It delves into philosophy, describes the antiquated basis of these forces as categorized under the pagans, and seeks to fundamentally transform the understanding of this topic for those within the practice of the occult. 130 pages.

F.B Jevons' work here is relatively well known; although its content is considered somewhat dated in modernity it retains an academic rigor that many contemporary works lacked. We might view it as part linguistic anthropology, and part religious history, in form and function.The basic development (or juxtaposition of) personal daemon and god, the development of polytheism, and other topics are explored in some degree of depth here with an eye to cultural evolution and the use of human language.

"Fraternalism and the Church" is an intriguing little book, with an anonymous author, created at the dawn of the 20th century, in a period when organized church authorities and mystic and charitable lodges often sparred.The content here of greatest interest to the occultist is that of the form and function of some of the lodges listed herein, and a lengthy section invoking the mystical, Essene side of Jesus and Christendom, and the admonishment thereof to initiate people into the spiritual and live charitably and in a benevolent manner.

The religions of ancient China are widely disparate; this particular little work was meant mainly as travelers' literature (and was part of a spiritual series including Greece, etc.) As such it condenses thousands of years of religious history into not even fifty pages; from Confucius to Taoism and the latter-day influx of foreign faiths, it relates the general periodic history of all of the major spiritual (and technically antispiritual!) movements in China up til the then-modern period a century ago.

The use of the fairy as a fixture in Shakespeare is quite well known- but where did Shakespeare get his imagery for this phenomenon from? Nutt here explores that, deriving from Grimm and other sources in order to create a study which compiles material both antiquated in Shakespeares' own era and contemporary to it in the folkloric sense.While short, it is dense, and provides a bibliographic appendix for further reading, among other things.

Manly Halls "Lost Keys of Freemasonry" is a significant bit of explanatory lore regarding the path of the Freemasons and the various symbols and spiritual purposes of the masonic system. The basic concept of the legend of Hiram Abiff and its symbolic meaning (the three ruffians killing the same figure being human vices, in essence) is explained, along with an interpretation of the Emerald Tablet, among other fixtures.The concept of Masonry as a path separate from organized religion per se is explored here in some depth.

"Apparitions, Ghosts, Hobgoblins, and Haunted Houses" is an intriguing work that compiles together several dozen extremely old folk tales involving hoaxes, misidentified animals, and strange but technically mundane phenomena of a chemical or atmospheric type. It seeks to provide a skeptics' explanation for some purported ghouls and cryptids through time.For those who practice the occult, or who delve into the mysteries of existence, this provides both entertainment and a substantial cautionary tale about being too believing in any particular paranormal tale.

This volume is one of three works on the Yoga system written at the dawn of the 20th century by Yogi Ramacharaka (generally understood to be William Atkinson, a new thought pioneer and prolific author and publisher.)It is quite good, combining calisthenic exercises and breathing techniques with philosophy both genuinely Eastern and occidental in derivation. It ought to be noted that some of the breathing techniques are taken verbatim from another Ramacharaka work, entitled "The Hindu Yogi Science of Breath."