Magick Matters

"Science fiction has often been considered the literature of futuristic technology: fantastic warfare among the stars or ruinous apocalypses on Earth. The last century, however, saw, through John W. Campbell, the introduction of "psience fiction," which explores such themes of mental powers as telepathy, precognition of the future, teleportation, etc. — and symbolic machines that react to such forces. The author surveys this long-ignored literary shift through a series of influential novels and short stories published between the 1930s and the present. This discussion is framed by the sudden surge of interest in parapsychology and its absorption not only into the SF genre, but also into the real world through military experiments such as...>>

"Blending together the essences of Chaos Magic and modern Paganism, this book records the emergence of the new tradition of Chaos Craft. Many of the essays presented here were first brewed up in theblogofbaphomet.com. New pictures and fresh essays add spice to these existing writings. Some of which, previously unavailable, comprise the secret rituals of this unashamedly syncretic form of occultism. The potion you may sample inside is infused with the flavours of Gurdjieff, mindfulness meditation, trance-bodywork, entheogenics, Wiccan and Sabbatic Craft. The mixture has been diligently stirred widdershins for two years as the Wheel of the Year cycled through the Colours of Chaos. The explorations, the questions, the techniques and reflections presented here are...>>

"Matrix Magic is societal magic with a utopian twist. *Societal magic* is a sociospiritual discipline and art, involving work with spiritual elements, forces, and currents operating behind and embedded within human societies. Matrix Magic is focused at the point where sociocultural physical and ideological manifestation, laws, norms, and elements meet the realm of spirit. This metaphysical point is called the *sociospiritual realm*. Societal magic can be used to unlock and work with the occult mysteries, Societal Archetypes, machinations, and forces present within human societies. In addition, Matrix Magic can provide protection from and understanding of active and latent forms of negative influence initiated and perpetuated by omnipresent hostile societal^forces and ^elements. Within the Matrix Magic...>>

"In The Chaos Conundrum, historian Aaron John Gulyas examines how the paranormal has intersected and influenced our culture in myriad ways, from the conspiracy beliefs of William Cooper and Exopolitics to the challenge that the stories of Gray Barker presented to our concept of self and time. He looks at the maelstrom of personalities, agendas, impressions, data, confusion, and contradictions that can be found in the world of the weird, and demonstrates how they have become an integral part of our lives, whether in the form of flying saucers, hauntings, religious revelations, psychic abilities, or dozens of other guises. Gulyas delves into the stories of the people who have attempted to create order out...>>

"Similarities between esoteric and mystical currents in different religious traditions have long interested scholars. This book takes a new look at the relationship between such currents. It advances a discussion that started with the search for religious essences, archetypes, and universals, from William James to Eranos. The universal categories that resulted from that search were later criticized as essentialist constructions, and questioned by deconstructionists. An alternative explanation was advanced by diffusionists: that there were transfers between different traditions. This book presents empirical case studies of such constructions, and of transfers between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam in the premodern period, and Judaism, Christianity, and Western esotericism in the modern period. It shows that there were...>>