Bøger udgivet af Mandrake of Oxford

During the 1950s and early 1960s the Sydney-based trance-artist and Pan-worshipper, Rosaleen Norton, was well known in Australia as ‘the Witch of Kings Cross’ and was frequently portrayed in the tabloid press as an evil ‘devil-worshipping’ figure from the red-light district. Norton attracted attention from both the public at large and also the local police for engaging in bizarre pagan sex-rituals with her lover, the poet Gavin Greenlees. Details of these activities would surface from time to time in the local courts when Norton was defending her metaphysical beliefs and seeking to defuse claims that her magical paintings and drawings were obscene. Norton was also associated with the scandal that eventually engulfed the professional career of renowned musical conductor, Eugene (later, Sir Eugene) Goossens who had arrived in Australia in 1947 and became a member of Norton’s magical coven six years later.Norton dedicated her magical practice to the Great God Pan and to a lesser extent Hecate, Lilith and Lucifer. She was also intrigued by the visionary potential of Kundalini yoga, out-of-the-body trance exploration and Aleister Crowley’s Thelemic sex magick and combined all of these elements in her ritual activities.Pan’s Daughter is the only biography of Rosaleen Norton and provides the most detailed and authoritative account of her magical beliefs and practices. First published in Britain by Mandrake in 1993, it is now reissued in a revised and expanded edition.

"In the magical universe there are no coincidences and there are no accidents. Nothing happens unless someone wills it to happen. The dogma of science is that the will cannot possibly affect external forces, and I think that's just ridiculous. It's as bad as the church. My viewpoint is the exact contrary of the scientific viewpoint. I believe that if you run into somebody in the street it's for a reason. Among primitive people they say that if someone was bitten by a snake he was murdered. I believe that." - William S. Burroughs In Literary Outlaw: The Life and Times of William S. Burroughs, his biographer Ted Morgan wrote: 'As the single most important thing about Graham Greene was his viewpoint as a lapsed Catholic, the single most important thing about Burroughs was his belief in the magical universe. The same impulse that lead him to put out curses was, as he saw it, the source of his writing...' Burroughs' writings often describe magical, mystical or occult ideas - Invocations of Elder Gods, descriptions of Sex-Magick rituals, references to amulets, charms, ghosts, omens and spells - all the thematic set-dressing that we all know and love, from Hammer Horror Movies to Weird Tales, from H. P. Lovecraft to Dennis Wheatley and The X-Files... Then there is his personal involvement with belief systems and practices that come from strange 'other' territories outside the conventional mainstream - Scientology, Electronic Voice Phenomena,Orgone Accumulators; Ayahuasca, Rites of Pan in Morocco, Sweat-Lodges with Native American and, Chaos Magic. "Stevens has unravelled the threads to create a superlative supernatural treatise of El Hombre Invisible's life and work. Whether an initiate to the world of Burroughs or a seasoned scholar, this book opens new and fascinating vistas. Vitally unorthodox and yet true to the core, this is an essential text for anyone looking to go beyond the page into an alternative reality, where magic lives." Nina Antonia

This book gives the beginner and experienced practitioner alike a modern, 21st century view into the powerful and often misunderstood magical current called 'Chaos Magick'. Written in a clear and easily accessible style it examines the theory behind many techniques used in magical, artistic, religious and scientific systems of thought; then links and applies them towards desired goals. Separated into two volumes the book can be used by the reader as a workbook with rituals, techniques and exercises to be followed, as a window into contemporary magical thought at the turn of the century or simply as a rollercoaster of a good read! However you choose to use it, this book will leave you feeling positive, inspired and ready to apply any of the methods presented to your own life.

In May 1941, Ian Fleming of Naval Intelligence recruits Aleister Crowley to crack the recently captured Rudolf Hess by exploiting their mutual fascination with the occult. To fill in the background to Hess's disastrous flight, Fleming provides the diary of Albrecht Haushofer, the deputy führer's assistant. 1945 finds Crowley in a boarding house in Hastings where he tutors Will, a fledgling priest, in Latin. Will stumbles on a file that reveals the devastating consequences of Crowley's mission and discovers the true identities of the Reception Committee waiting for Hess in Scotland. Is the file genuine or a black-ops fake concocted by British Intelligence? Can a crazed rocket scientist in California supply the answer, or M, the Beast's controller? Featuring Dion Fortune, Anthony Blunt, Hitler, Jack Parsons, and the Beatles, Aleister Crowley MI6 is a riveting spy thriller anchored in fact. In May 1941, Ian Fleming of Naval Intelligence lunches with Aleister Crowley in a Mayfair hotel. Fleming wants the Beast to crack the recently captured Rudolf Hess by exploiting their mutual fascination with the occult. He gives Crowley the diary of Albrecht Haushofer, Hess's principal adviser, which fills in the background to the deputy führer's disastrous flight. In 1945, Crowley moves to Netherwood, a boarding house in Hastings and tutors Will, the teenage handyman who intends to become a Catholic priest, in Latin. Left alone in Crowley's room, Will stumbles on a file that describes the Beast's wartime encounter with Hess. Believing Crowley is Churchill, Hess reveals the date of the attack on Russia. Bent on revenge, Polish troops attack Hess's Surrey prison and shoot him dead. MI6 decide to substitute a double.Several visitors come to Netherwood: Dion Fortune, the occultist; Lady Frieda Harris, creator of the Thoth Tarot paintings; a female professor researching a book on magicians; John Symonds, the Beast's future biographer; and a pupil of Crowley called Maxwell Knight, in fact the spymaster 'M' who runs a division of MI5. Meanwhile, in a German castle, another MI5 operative, Anthony Blunt, burns correspondence that implicates the Duke of Kent in Hess's mission.A Hungarian professor and his wife come to stay at Netherwood, in fact Soviet agents hunting the Hess file. Will is the victim of a honeytrap and agrees to fetch it. He discloses the plot to 'M'. At the handover, commandos ambush and kill the couple. In disgust, Will renounces the idea of becoming a priest.Crowley dies at Netherwood in 1947. 'M' tells Will that Crowley has sent the Hess file to Jack Parsons, an American disciple and rocket scientist. In 1952, Will visits him and his wife Cameron in Pasadena. He and Jack perform an Enochian ritual in the desert. Ten days later Parsons blows himself up before he can give Will the file as promised.In April 1965, Will is working in the music business. The year is one of rapid growth for the counterculture that Crowley prophesied. Will works with the bandleader Graham Bond, who claims to be Crowley's son. Later, in a Soho club, Will encounters John Lennon and George Harrison on their first LSD trip. The next day he runs into Maxwell Knight who tells him the Hess File was fabricated by Fleming. In May Knight invites Will to his suburban home. Will comes across a photo taken at Hess's Scottish destination which reveals the true identities of the reception committee awaiting him.

The Luban Shu or the 'Book of Luban' or even the 'Luban Classic' is well known to the Chinese-speaking occult community. The book has the same or similar reputation as the Key of Solomon among Western practitioners of magic, and at one time nearly every village had a local magician, a 'fangshi' who was skilled in the Luban technique, and everyone, in older times, had a tale to tell about the Luban.The Luban was, and is, both loved and dreaded by the Chinese. Luban is at first appearance a collection of spells gathered into one volume along with information about the magical aspects of feng shui. Obviously, the text was meant for the well-educated magus as some of the spells concern complex notions of Chinese astrology and geometry as well as the procedures of magic in itself. The origin of the text is shrouded in mystery and a number of versions circulated throughout China.What makes the Luban so attractive is that it is free of the dogma of orthodox religious Daoism, Confucianism and Buddhism. And yet it relies on their principles in a certain folk manner, much, in the same way, the grimoires of the West implied a Christian or Judaic worldview. The Luban thus represents a means for the individual sorcerer to seek a pathway to power within a personal context and without having to limit themselves to the orthodox temples.This was a book for the outsider, the sorcerer who was also a scholar of the deepest and most profound mysteries of magic. Another attractive element was that there was no need for rare and exotic ingredients that are impossible to access and have lost their meaning to the modern mind. The Luban Shu is ancient but a LIVING tradition. Its gods and spirits are not only alive and well, throughout millions of Temples and shrines in Asia, but are part of the land, the rocks, the trees, the running waters and so forth.It is not a speculative tradition which tries to piece together fragments from long-lost practices that exist in broken papyri and attempt at a working tradition. Side by side with the text there is also an oral tradition of transmitted knowledge. We do not need to resort to often subjective reconstructionism to attempt a revival of a lost tradition.In this text, therefore, we give not only the text itself with notes on obscure terms, but actual oral teachings from my own teacher Dr. Liang.For scholars, it will be an interesting cultural source for the sorcerous magic outside of the main Dao stream. For many, it will be a teacher of a definite Way. If you choose this practical side, we urge you to follow all the oral advice and taboos and make a careful study of the initiation into the Luban Pai.In the Luban system, you must first enter its stream before it can work for you. The spells in the Luban must also be carefully cultivated. It is a myth that one can pick a random spell and hey presto it works. On average a spell must be PRACTISED many times before it can actually work. You will also see in the oral commentary there is inner work to do, some of which will be familiar to practitioners of more profound schools of neigong, as opposed to qigong.Jason Read 2022Year of the Tiger.

The Underworld has always been thought of as a place of darkness and despair. Even today there are many misconceptions about what awaits inside. Some cultures have their own unique perspective, but surprisingly, many across the world have similarities. Can this be a coincidence? We will learn how to journey there in the astral and map this incredible world. But be careful! Along with its many wonders and beauty, there are things that lurk in the dark that myths through out the ages have warned us about. For the shaman or witch, are these warnings to keep us away or to teach us how to commune with these ancient spirits and creatures?As we journey deeper into the Underworld, we will discover where the long forgotten dead rekindle our spirit and teach the ways of magick. They are waiting and have much to say. Sit and listen to the wisdom of ancient times. Discover places of healing and rejuvenation where hags guard magick wells. Waters of life and death spring from a source so old, no one remembers whence it came from. Wonderful and beautiful places but also dark and dreadful, the Hellworlds. The Underworld will test your spirit and what you thought was reality. You may never be the same, but will be transformed, renewed, and powerful.The Underworld is strange, wondrous and cannot be contained. Sometimes, spirits of the dead will not be bound, they stay in the world of the living. You learn why the spirits of the dead are here and how to help them journey to a place of rest. A spirit of the dead may be right with you now...Deeper into the Underworld we go...The Underworld is home to our beloved ancestors, those who gave us our flesh and blood and our breath. Their blood flows through our veins and contains great magick and power. They have the ability to help us heal old karmic wounds of the past and aide us in our spiritual development. They can teach us many things about the world of spirit. All we have to do is honor them. All we have to do is call to them. The cycles of Life are sacred to our pagan and magical cosmology, but what of Death? As we honor life, so, too, must we honor the sacredness of death and dying. As we go further in our Underworld studies, we will learn about the Angel of Death and energetic process of dying. Death is not the end. It is a magical transition into the world of spirit where we are rejoined with our beloved ancestors. The Ancestors are our link to our past. We will learn to honor them and create a sacred shrine so that we may commune with them in a magical and healing way. By honoring the ancestors, we will strengthen our bonds with the spirits and learn to heal our family karma that began long ago and affects us even today. By learning to work with the ancestors, we will learn to work with the spirits of the dead for magick and healing. We will learn how ancient cultures summoned the beloved dead to heal grief and say final goodbyes. We will also learn magical techniques to summon the shades of the dead and the Hidden Company; those powerful spirits that can teach us ancient wisdom of long ago that can help us tread our spiritual path to find balance and healing.

An understanding of the three realities (physical, perceived, represented) enables us to make sense of concepts encountered in everyday life, in a negotiation, observing a physical phenomenon, a sports competition, biology, psychology or architecture.Why is it that, in a cathedral, if we take notice, we can see curved pillars whereas we know that they have been built straight, and that in taking a photo we can see another curve?According to individuals, eras, civilizations, these three realities have co-existed in a balanced way or not, evolving at different rates.What is happening at the present time?What kind of reaction does postmodern man have, faced with antiquated institutions inherited from modernity: trade unions, political parties, fellowships, religions, academies, old schools? How can we account for absenteeism at elections, the disaffection of institutional arts, the development of tribes, huge drinks parties, raves, Hip Hop where we dance on our head?This book involves us in a multiple and decompartmentalized approach to the world.Similarly, in daily life the average person supposes that, in principle, what he sees, what he hears, what he feels, corresponds to a solid reality, an undeniable truth of things. Yet at the same time, he will be able to adapt to any changes in perception that challenge his representation of things, taking a new path and perceiving the new reality. His new reality will be a new interpretation of his perceptions, in other words a new representation of the world. Perception takes place in the presence of an object. Representation is constructed in the absence of the object. Representation is built from perceptions, but also from other factors, like memory or purpose.Illusions are inherent to our biological constitution and functioning. According to Spinoza, the purpose of our body is to persevere in its own being, in other words to survive in the best possible environment and conditions. In this context, our visual system is not a photographic device. Our eye contains a lens, but our retina and visual system anticipate and transfigure the world, to bring about our life-saving actions.

John was a student of Tantrik guru Dadaji Mahendranath [1911-91] in a correspondence that lasted from 1971 to 1991 and with occasional meetings. The last few years were difficult after Dadaji suffered strokes that affected his memory and ability to write with joined up lettering.Dadaji was a Londoner by birth, whose maternal family included hereditary witches, and after meeting Aleister Crowley in his final years, when he was translating Chinese Taoist texts, he advised Dadaji to travel East if he wished to discover the pinnacle of mystical practices. At length, after interceding war activity, he did just that, via Australia to the far East, before settling in Gujarat, India. In so doing he did indeed bridge the range of Eastern and Western philosophies. It was in respect of this that he first borrowed the Norse image of the Rainbow Bridge, when seeking to create a fusion of Eastern and Western practices.The two main streams of activity that Dadaji was most keen to see made available to westerners came from the two main initiations he received in India: The Adi Nath lineage from Matsyendranath, and the Uttarakaula tantrik tradition of North India. The former emerged as the Arcane Magical Order of the Knights of Shambala, AMOOKOS; the latter as the Fellowship of Uttara Circles of Kaulas, which he asked John to organise for him. Most of the contents of this book is the collected essays created as guidance for those taking initiation in the group, and others with interest.Otherwise John has worked as an Art teacher and therapist in schools, colleges and prisons, having achieved his Masters Degree in Jungian Psychology and Art Therapy from London University in 1982. Some of his paintings illustrate this volume.Gregory Peters is a writer and researcher who has written about Tantra, non-duality, and the intersection of East-West spiritual practices. He is an initiate of Adinatha and Uttara Kaula lineages of tantrika, as well as Dzogchen and western esoteric orders. His latest book was the Magickal Union of East & West from Llewellyn Publications.

This book will take the reader on a journey through the world of dreams, the history of dream interpretation and of how dreamers and dreaming in combination with taking action, have made the world what it is today. The author''s methodology explains the craft of effective dream capture and explores the meanings of over one hundred dream symbols. Above all, this manual is ideal for readers in search of self-knowledge and the personal power that comes through better perception of the immediate environment, career opportunities and personal encounters. Put your dreams to work now.Draw upon the wisdom of sages and writers from times past.Explore those uncharted depths of consciousness. Tune into your subconscious. Record your night time imagery. Converse with your dream counsellors and open up a bright new future - yours.

The Pagan Heart of the West challenges current academic notions that paganism died when Christianization occurred; that the transition from paganism to Christianity was a fairly easy, nonviolent one; that persons once pagan were happy to accept the new religion because it fulfilled them or because they viewed it as superior - as if the Inquisition never happened; and that all things pagan are in fact Christian prior to the mid-twentieth century, even though they demonstrate little or no connection to the Christian New Testament. Likewise, Pagan Heart challenges narrow conceptions of "the West." Applying Indigenous and decolonial theories, together with Michel Foucault's conception of subjugated knowledges, Pagan Heart suggests that instead, paganism should be explored as an ancient and indigenous set of common beliefs and practices, at once ubiquitous and local, that includes the reverence of deities; the veneration of nature; rites celebrating the seasons and the life cycle; practices of healing, divination, and magic, often guided by ritual specialists; and arts and philosophies giving expression to pagan figures, concepts, and narratives. In this second, Pagan Heart focuses on the veneration of nature -- flora, fauna, elements, celestial bodies -- and on rituals of the seasons, life cycle, healing, divination, and magic. Like the other volumes, this volume demonstrates that paganism has not only persisted over the course of millennia, but that it has also undergone metamorphosis and innovation. Most importantly, Pagan Heart emphasizes that the ancient gods did not die when Christian authorities forbade their worship and sought, in N. Scott Momaday's terms, to commit deicide, but instead that they continue to exist and thrive.

"Our songs tell of service and honor … of firelight and kinship andblood and steel. They also tell of people who lived good lives and died inpowerful ways. They tell of legacies."So speaks Corva, a member of a secretive pagan society known as theThornish tradition. In this compelling narrative, she recounts the story ofhow she came to the Thornish path and the lessons she learned as sheapproached her initiation into the Thornish way. "What we do, we do for the sacred Earth and the Great Dark Mother isserved not only through our acts in balance but also in teaching what weknow. If we are to save our most sacred and beautiful world and the life-connections our world holds with so many other realities we need to furtherthe education and awakening of as many worthies as we can. And to thisact of reconnecting I will add my own voice."

The stars glow with their own special magick in the night time sky. For millions of years, the stars sent their light down to the earth. The same stars and planets we see today are the same bodies of light that ancient shamans saw around their camp fires. Countless generations looked into the night sky and wondered about the magick above. It was the shamans who traveled in spirit to the Upperworlds to discover the secrets of the Universe. There are many ancient beings in the above worlds that can help us learn about the energies of the Universe and transform our lives for healing, power, and spiritual evolution.As we journey into the Upperworlds, we will learn about the creation of the Universe and the energies that were formed from the first burst of energy and light. Shamans saw that these energies formed into powerful beings. Some called these beings angels, others called them ascended masters. Each of these beings has a divine purpose in the Universe and we will unravel these mysteries. We will learn to spirit travel into the many heavens from many different cultures. We will visit the heavens that were told to us in myths, as well as discover hidden parts of the Universe that await our arrival. We will also learn about the gods and goddess and how to honor them in our daily magical practice. The gods are powerful and they can grant us many blessings. Through our magical practice with the night sky, we will use the magick of the stars and planets to transform our lives the physical world around us.

The Pagan Heart of the West challenges current academic notions that paganism died when Christianization occurred; that the transition from paganism to Christianity was a fairly easy, nonviolent one; that persons once pagan were happy to accept the new religion because it fulfilled them or because they viewed it as superior - as if the Inquisition never happened; and that all things pagan are in fact Christian prior to the mid-twentieth century, even though they demonstrate little or no connection to the Christian New Testament. Likewise, Pagan Heart challenges narrow conceptions of "the West."Applying Indigenous and decolonial theories, together with Michel Foucault's conception of subjugated knowledges, Pagan Heart suggests that instead, paganism should be explored as an ancient and indigenous set of common beliefs and practices, at once ubiquitous and local, that includes the reverence of deities; the veneration of nature; rites celebrating the seasons and the life cycle; practices of healing, divination, and magic, often guided by ritual specialists; and arts and philosophies giving expression to pagan figures, concepts, and narratives.In these third and fourth volumes, Pagan Heart focuses on ritual specialists, including shamans and witches, and on the campaign of Christianization. Like the other volumes, this volume demonstrates that paganism has not only persisted over the course of millennia, but that it has also undergone metamorphosis and innovation.Most importantly, Pagan Heart emphasizes that the ancient gods did not die when Christian authorities forbade their worship and sought, in N. Scott Momaday's terms, to commit deicide, but instead that they continue to exist and thrive.

Khemetic Chess (aka Hypermodern Magick) is a stand-alone book that outlines my theory of magick, and sheds light on ‘active divinatory’ Enochian Chess. Exploring the 64 (8x8) paradigm, it looks at both historical and recent Enochian Chess variants. Aleister Crowley features prominently; and I look at strong Khemetic strands in Thelema such as the Crowning of Horus. It also encompasses Tantra, and Tsakli pieces (moveable shrines) for “No Self” Enochian Chess. This book explains how 88 Ptolemaic emblemata gave birth to familiar Christianised tarot designs. These 88 divide into four groups of 22 Atous, and these combine with the Minor Arcanaii of the Four Winds, 56 divination cards for each of the 4 Elements or Chessboards. Four packs of 78 “Tarot of the Four Worlds.” Khem, ancient Egypt, seems to be the fount of many magickal practices and survivals in diverse cultures. I trace some Khemetic influences on Tibetan Bonpo and Hinduism. Essential components and structure from Kabbalah also seem to begin with the Khemetic game of Zenet, and the Hymn to the Ten Bau of Amen-Ra rather than with such texts as Sepher Yetzirah and Zohar of the Late Medieval Period. Horus, Isis and the other Great Ones of Khem work better under governance of the Tetragrammaton (word with four letters) “AMEN” rather than under the arguably anti-Kemetic, Tetragrammaton YHVH. Hypermodern Magick explains, continues and augments innovations that began with the literary modernist and psychological experimenter, WB Yeats and continued with political surrealist, Ithell Colquhoun, and Don Kraig (Modern Magick). 

Seth is an ancient Egyptian deity, much maligned in popular, academic and theological thought. Up until fairly recently the only thing one needed to know about Seth was that he was the personification of evil and the prototype of the devil and Satan and all bad things in the world. He is the god who in one of the world's most ubiquitous myths, kills another god, his own brother Osiris no less, then usurps his role as king, persecuting the orphaned Horus who only survives to manhood, due to the cunning of his sorcerer mother Isis. Horus then overpowers Seth and ensures he gets his just deserts.This book explores the mythos of the god and various ways of seeing him; these may even appear antithetical, as is encapsulated in what is sometime known as "The Nagada Hypothesis" which stands in contrast to the consensus that Seth was always a malign deity. Topics covered include historical views of Seth such as Plutarch's Anti-God; Modern views of Seth; The Outsider: Gods of Sex and Death;The Two Ways. Includes extensive liturgy, ritual and appendices such as the Seven Spells of Nekhbet - a fantastic piece of battle magic in which the ancient Vulture Goddess enlists the power of Seth to protect Egypt's borders. Also a discussion of Apophis, an ancient personification of evil, who is often confused with Seth. cover: Horus & Seth blessing the King, Pharaoh Ramses III, from His mortuary temple at medinet Habu, Thebes (Luxor) Cairo Museum of Antiquities. ReconstructedThe author's previous books include: The Bull of Ombos; Tankhem: Seth & Egyptian Magick; Supernatural Assault in Ancient Egypt; The Ritual Year in Ancient Egypt & Phi-Neter: Power of the Egyptian Gods.

The Pagan Heart of the West challenges current academic notions that paganism died when Christianization occurred; that the transition from paganism to Christianity was a fairly easy, nonviolent one; that persons once pagan were happy to accept the new religion because it fulfilled them or because they viewed it as superior - as if the Inquisition never happened; and that all things pagan are in fact Christian prior to the mid-twentieth century, even though they demonstrate little or no connection to the Christian New Testament. Likewise, Pagan Heart challenges narrow conceptions of "the West." Applying Indigenous and decolonial theories, together with Michel Foucault's conception of subjugated knowledges, Pagan Heartsuggests that instead, paganism should be explored as an ancient and indigenous set of common beliefs and practices, at once ubiquitous and local, that includes the reverence of deities; the veneration of nature; rites celebrating the seasons and the life cycle; practices of healing, divination, and magic, often guided by ritual specialists; and arts and philosophies giving expression to pagan figures, concepts, and narratives. In this first of five volumes, Pagan Heart focuses on the utilization of theories that contest absolutist language supporting the so-called death of paganism; and on the worship and veneration of ancient deities and kindred beings. Like the other volumes, this volume demonstrates that paganism has not only persisted over the course of millennia, but that it has also undergone metamorphosis and innovation. Most importantly, Pagan Heart emphasizes that the ancient gods did not die when Christian authorities forbade their worship and sought, in N. Scott Momaday's terms, to commit deicide, but instead that they continue to exist and thrive.pagan/paganismindigenousgods goddesssubjugated knowledgesearth-centeredIsisThorritual specialistfairies