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417 Comments
lashtal on September 7, 2015 at 9:20 am
Feedback so far has been extremely positive. My thanks to those of you who have reported difficulties – some minor teething problems have been corrected. Just to repeat: the Galleries, as indicated above, are currently unavailable but will return as will Tapatalk functionality.
Please report any technical issues via the Contact Form to the right of every page on the main site or via email to firstname.lastname@example.com
AbulDiz on September 13, 2015 at 3:23 pm
Thanks for making this available, i watched it last night and it bought back memories of the hazy, heady days of my youth! I like a lot of people came to Crowley via Wilson's Cosmic Trigger.
lashtal on September 14, 2015 at 9:00 pm
Filmed as 'Clive Barker's Book Of Blood' (2009): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1169809/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_22
lashtal on September 22, 2015 at 10:21 pm
A beautiful, practical edition. So far as I can tell, it's also impeccably proofed: not a trivial task with these texts.
christibrany on September 24, 2015 at 11:23 pm
The least they could have done is ask an English speaking friend to correct their horrible synopsis press release.
lashtal on September 27, 2015 at 8:37 pm
There's a well-written obituary at The Wild Hunt: http://wildhunt.org/2015/09/michael-howard-1948-2015.html
mutat on October 7, 2015 at 11:42 pm
Finally…… Can not wait for this.
lashtal on October 8, 2015 at 6:19 pm
chuck on October 12, 2015 at 10:19 pm
If you are reading this (and like me can't afford to subscribe) at least send AC a birthday gift thank you donation today.
If you do it once a month, may your Gods bless and fill you. If you only do it once a year, it won't kill you.
93 93/93
lashtal on October 12, 2015 at 11:05 pm
Many thanks for your kind donation, @chuck – much appreciated.
Horemakhet on October 12, 2015 at 11:49 pm
Happy Crowleymass! The pull-down pic of AC with party hat is pretty damn cute I must say…
ptoner on October 13, 2015 at 8:57 am
LOL, love the easter egg you had… "Give it a tug" 🙂
lashtal on October 13, 2015 at 9:17 am
Glad you enjoyed it! I can't take credit for the image, of course: happy to credit it properly if anyone knows the 'artist'.
Adam Clark on October 17, 2015 at 7:06 pm
I saw him do this at the Lowry in Salford four years ago. It was OK from what I remember, but it sounds like he may have done a bit of re-eriting since then.
ptoner on October 20, 2015 at 10:41 am
Johns own personal website.
lashtal on October 24, 2015 at 8:55 pm
Well, you've got to be admired for going to the trouble of registering on this site to add an utterly incomprehensible 'comment' on a decade-old post!
AbulDiz on October 30, 2015 at 11:08 am
Where do I order from please?
AbulDiz on October 30, 2015 at 11:12 am
I've found the site now thanks, for anyone else: http://www.landofzos.com/product/shades-in-mauve-by-edward-gauntlett-standard/
lashtal on November 8, 2015 at 1:37 pm
Received my copy yesterday. It's a handsome little book and Michael Staley's Introduction is good. I'll report back in the form of a review of the whole book in due course, following my customary two reads.
ZIN on November 11, 2015 at 5:02 pm
Back in the 70's Llewellyn publications: books, tapes, magazines, etc. were very influential for me and something I always looked forward to receiving… and thanks for all the Regardie works, Golden Dawn, and Gems From The Equinox.
William Thirteen on November 25, 2015 at 8:50 pm
Pried mine loose from the dead hands of the German Customs Office yesterday and am looking for to reading it this week. Will be interested in hearing your comments Paul.
lashtal on November 30, 2015 at 8:22 pm
My thanks to @herupakraath and @tor for submitting news items relating to this discovery.
Margaret Christie Burns on December 17, 2015 at 3:45 am
This is a wonderful article and great gallery! Thank you! 93!
Frater Sothis on December 18, 2015 at 5:21 am
Always with the satanic rituals..
michaelclarke18 on December 23, 2015 at 7:27 pm
I fear that the current owner – rather than rebuild – will decide to demolish the remaining structure and choose to build some ghastly new modern structure; possibly even dividing the current grounds into two parts to maximise return on investment. Hope I'm wrong……
lashtal on December 23, 2015 at 8:00 pm
Latest news from the emergency services: 'Scottish Fire and Rescue later established that there was no-one in the house at the time of the fire and there are no casualties.'
wellreadwellbred on December 23, 2015 at 11:13 pm
"It has since been used as a private residence and a guest house, and was put up for sale in 2009 for £176,000."
When did the current owners of the house buy it?
Or, when did the house stop being up for sale after it was put up for sale in 2009?
lashtal on December 24, 2015 at 12:56 am
The 'for sale in 2009' error is often repeated. For more details of what actually was sold that year, see http://www.lashtal.com/1130-old-news/
wellreadwellbred on December 24, 2015 at 3:17 am
According to those details, Boleskine House was not for sale in 2009.
Do anyone know in what year the current owners of the house bought it?
wellreadwellbred on December 24, 2015 at 7:54 am
The BBC article published 23 December 2015, and titled Firefighters called to historic Boleskine House on Loch Ness, in the following internet link,contains more photographs of the destruction caused by the fire: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-35171061
christibrany on December 24, 2015 at 9:36 pm
Horrible horrible news. Glad that no one was inside but it's a major loss for history…
TomBradley on December 25, 2015 at 4:46 pm
…if it must be that one's most sacred shrine be profaned, let it be the clean assault of laughter rather than the slimy smear of sanctimoniousness!
—Magick Without Tears
Ronin635 on December 27, 2015 at 10:10 pm
Pardon my french, but this is exactly why xmas shopping can go french itself.
lashtal on January 6, 2016 at 7:24 pm
The 'Notes Towards a Bibliography' are especially interesting. I didn't know, for example, that 'Keith Rhys', editor of the Temple Press edition of 'The Stratagem' is William Breeze, as is the Fr HHD who edited Jack Parsons' 'Magick, Gnosticism & The Witchcraft'.
ignant666 on January 7, 2016 at 1:18 pm
A very novel and interesting way of counting to one hundred for an organization founded in the late 1970s, and of measuring "success".
As to the described contents, it is good to know that high-ranking (c)OTO officials take their oaths of personal fealty to HB so seriously.
Jamie J Barter on January 7, 2016 at 6:04 pm
Success is thy proof, eh? Well, if proof of success is the criterion, what judgement can one be meant to draw from the fact that for the whole of this particular century so far, more and more Crowley titles – for which legacy the O.T.O. is arguably supposedly solely in existence for "in order" to promote and promulgate – have lapsed out of print: far be it from any new ones being allowed to appear for a long time either. To give the five main instances, the publication of properly edited and full, sensibly annotated versions of the Confessions, the Diaries, Magick Without Tears, The Equinox III.2 and The Book of the Law Full Commentaries has been promised throughout Hymenaeus Beta's (to give William Breeze his official nomenclature) 30 years tenure ever since the late 1980s, but are still nowhere near seeing daylight. Credit to where it is due, and so as to counterbalance any criticism a little, the O.T.O. can be commended for uploading publically accessible online versions of some of A.C.'s work, however even in this achievement they do not stand alone.
Unlike Kenneth Grant (for example), in his position as leader (or Frater Superior) of the O.T.O., there has been a considerable and conspicuous absence of either magickal works or original writings by William Breeze – Lon DuQuette has done a lot more in this field, which would have looked better coming from the supposed O.H.O.. In the meantime, Hymenaeus Beta is actually proving to be a purely administrative leader more than anything else and in this respect resembles David Miscavige with Scientology®, although Miscavige has himself proven to be a lot more successful in this area with the O.T.O. hardly having grown at all under Breeze's (mis)management. principally as a result of a combination of the above, tinkering around with the rituals & vexatious litigation.
Roll on another anniversary which is shortly coming up – in 2017, as a matter of fact – although that won't be for a 100th but a 70th,
Norma N Joy Conquest
Incidentally, HHD stands for the motto of William Breeze as (Frater) Homo Homini Deus. It is possibly an adaptation from Spinoza, and means roughly "Man as he appears to Man is a kind of God" or "Man is god to another man". One can draw whatever conclusions (or none at all) one will from this.
lashtal on January 16, 2016 at 11:04 am
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Jamie J Barter on January 23, 2016 at 2:46 pm
Whoever is the lucky purchaser – one thinks of the usual suspects: Kenneth Anger, Jimmy Page or the (c)oto – has a totally unique and magnificent item in their possession. I'm sure I woudn't be the only person to want to be fascinated looking at other pages in further detail: it would be too much to hope, I suppose, for the fortunate new owner to make these available as a download? Even a facsimile special print edition I'm sure would manage to pay back its own production costs. Let's hope that, whoever it is, s/he is not one of these hoarders who like squirreling things away things in their own private archive, never to be seen again by others with an interest…
It must have quite made the day of whoever originally found these items in the Detroit Leonard warehouse. That something could remain pristine & undisturbed for forty years gives hope for & makes one conjecture what other gems may lie similarly undisturbed elsewhere. Given that this was just one of the three items specially selected by Robert Lund (who originally bought the rediscovered collection from the warehouse owner) – and of these only 'arguably' and not 'definitely' "the most precious" – I am curious what the other two would have been "that appealed to him most from the collection" but which this synopsis of the events omits to mention.
Does anybody know what this item went for? The price can apparently be sought "on application", as it seems to be something else which, for whatever reason, is unnecessarily being kept a secret from open disclosure. Maybe we could hold a sweepstake with a modest prize going to the closest?! Given that just one page of an incomplete handwritten letter by A.C. to Lady Frieda Harris is currently being touted for $894, I'd start proceedings off with a conservative guesstimate of £31,000. Any advance, anyone?
Taking it all lying down
Norma N Joy Conquest
Jamie J Barter on January 23, 2016 at 3:08 pm
There doesn't seem to have been too much publicity after the initial blaze (if you'll pardon the pun) exactly a month ago.
Since initial reports suggested that even at the time when the first fire engines arrived 60% of the building had already gone up in flames, what can be the current state of the remains? Are they a wholly burnt out shell, and are there any plans to rebuild/ restore the building to its former glory? The Book of the Law stated: "though with fire and sword it be burnt down & shattered, yet an invisible house there standeth" (III: 34). So we've already had the fire – what is the probability that the "shattered" part of the 'prophecy' will now be fulfilled by the metal wrecking equipment of the demolition crew as it arrives to finish the job which the fire started?
And has arson by fundies been ruled out?
Norma N Joy Conquest
William Thirteen on January 27, 2016 at 3:05 pm
One of the other two was the author's edition of the Collected Works, auctioned off last year.
Long term memory going, eh Jamie?
lashtal on January 28, 2016 at 8:40 pm
This book will be going to the printers in early February for publication in March, and is now available for ordering ahead of publication.
Beyond the Mauve Zone by Kenneth Grant is an attractive, sewn hardbound book, octavo format, 324 pages, with a full-colour dust-jacket, and limited to 1500 copies. Included is a 24-page section of colour and half-tone plates, a colour frontispiece, black and white custom printed endpapers, and line drawings throughout the text, as well as a Glossary, Bibliography and Index. Further details about the content of the book, as well as how to order both the standard and the deluxe editions, can be found by visiting our website, or by following the direct link http://starfirepublishing.co.uk/Beyond_the_Mauve_Zone.htm
William Thirteen on February 6, 2016 at 12:01 pm
I also have a book or two from old Nick's collection, though I never had the pleasure of making his acquaintance.
"Unto them from whose eyes the veil of life hath fallen may there be granted the accomplishment of their true Wills; whether they will absorption in the Infinite, or to be united with their chosen and preferred, or to be in contemplation, or to be at peace, or to achieve the labour and heroism of incarnation on this planet or another, or in any Star, or aught else, unto them may there be granted the accomplishment of their wills; yea, the accomplishment of their wills."
lashtal on February 6, 2016 at 12:44 pm
I had the great pleasure of meeting Nick a handful of times and spoke with him on the phone a few days before his passing. He was a gentleman and a scholar in the truest sense. His funeral was memorable and very well attended.
sandyboy on February 6, 2016 at 3:23 pm
He was a real gent and a friend. I managed to visit with him a couple of times in the weeks before he passed. His funeral was absolutely packed with friends from various aspects of his life. Five years on and Weiser are still working through selling his book collection. There's supposed to be a book from them about the best items in his personal library at some point down the line. I still think about Nick often and it doesn't feel like half a decade since he went.
Nino Antinous on February 7, 2016 at 7:07 pm
Sandyboy – do you have any idea when Weiser to plan to issue their book on Nick's collection? it would be a wonderful tribute to him.
sandyboy on February 7, 2016 at 10:56 pm
No, I'm supposed to write something for it but I'm told they are still working through his sizable collection.
ptoner on February 8, 2016 at 9:55 am
Thanks to bothe RTC and Paul.
SPHINX on February 9, 2016 at 1:48 am
Hello Everyone,
Thank you for the consideration you've all shown posting more memories of Nicholas for us here.
With the 5th Anniversary of his passing now upon us his photo is before me – wearing his Baphomet T-shirt and enjoying his life.
I've been chatting with him all week… and happy to have provoked likewise thoughts from some of my "A.C.S." friends.
sandyboy on February 29, 2016 at 4:49 pm
It's wonderful how the star of AOS has risen in the last few decades. I remember in the 80s buying a framed automatic drawing by him for £50, and the shop had some tiny sketches on pieces of cardboard for a few pounds. Sadly I no longer have the piece.
Michael Staley on March 4, 2016 at 10:12 am
Is the automatic you bought a drawing originally owned by Hannen Swaffer and used to illustrate an article of his in the 'London Mystery Magazine'? If so, it's amongst the Spares coming up for sale at Christies on March 17th. Irrespective of that, there are some very good pictures amongst these lots, and like you I'm pleased at his work starting to gain the appreciation it deserves.
lashtal on March 18, 2016 at 7:49 pm
Useful information from a post by Caroline Wise on Facebook yesterday: 'Today's Austin Spares auctioned at Christies – Swaffer sketch went for £1,375. Hybrid £3250, Automatic sketch – £5000, Young Self with Witch – £22,500, Primal Urge £10,000 and Joan Crawford – £18,750. Masks and Faces £10,000. Neveresque £5000. Note these totals are rounded up to include 25% commission and the VAT the commission. Spares always sell, and he has always been highly regarded in the art world, but these premium prices of the last couple of years perhaps show a new and proper appreciation.'
Jamie J Barter on March 20, 2016 at 6:26 pm
Give it a few more years together with concomitant exposure to the rough Scottish elements, and Skene might end up in a similar sorry state to the Abbey of Thelema in the rather more hospitable climes and temperate surroundings of Cefalu.
We might even have a campaign to "Save the Kaaba", along the same lines of "Save the Abbey". With similar effects (=minimal, unfortunately). No murals or Chambre de Cauchemars there, of course, but…
Trust that the invisible house there standeth is itself made of sterner stuff!
Norma N Joy Conquest
ignant666 on March 26, 2016 at 2:33 pm
Just tremendous stuff, very well-written and researched- as good academic scholarship on AC as I have seen.
Makes a very cogent argument for peyote as the hidden thread throughout Thelema, Scientific Illuminism, and AC's work in general. The bits on TBOL are particularly interesting.
EL-Flippo on April 2, 2016 at 8:57 pm
EL-Flippo on April 3, 2016 at 6:30 pm
"It seems that Geb (earth) was largely worshiped as a goose, his sacred animal, during the pre-dynastic period" (http://www.ancientegyptonline.co.uk/geb.html).
Michael Staley on April 8, 2016 at 2:37 pm
Congratulations, El-Flippo, on making the most off-topic posts I have come across for a long time. This is a news item about a late 1940s pastel by Spare being reproduced as a print. Of what earthly relevence to that are your two posts? Are you always this incontinent?
EL-Flippo on April 12, 2016 at 3:11 pm
"What then is this? (P) They are the three bones of my IDS, made into sentient symbols that think for us understood by all the egos and gods: of sin" (Magical stele)
The 3 bones are depicted as 3 times 3 triangles in the formula of the Maya stele. A triangle is one half of a circle (180 degrees). I'm suggesting that the solution of the real YEARNING YANTRA is a 3 times cycle around a triple helix. Just take a look at the Magical stele. Two animals are hanging by the ends of the caduceus. What's so off topic about that?
lashtal on April 8, 2016 at 4:25 pm
Available in the UK here: Legend of Aleister Crowley
EL-Flippo on April 14, 2016 at 7:54 am
The Yantra of yearning is a very nice piece of art by the way! Appreciate the work of all who've contributed and made it available to the public. Try to turn the picture 180 degrees. Look at the head in the middle :=). I can also identify 3 double helixes in this painting – for what's that worth. And maybe a number to the left: 20 or 26.
EL-Flippo on April 14, 2016 at 8:06 am
When turned the picture I can actually see 5 double helixes. The plot thickens :=). There should be a way to edit the posts. Too many double and triple posts.
EL-Flippo on April 14, 2016 at 9:29 am
Note: The head in the middle might hint to a sixth helix by AOS (?). The end.
sandyboy on April 20, 2016 at 2:50 pm
I was forced to sell my copy of England's Hidden Reverse during a financial crisis – it was inscribed by Jhon and Sleazy and several others on the launch day. I wonder where the Coil collection Ralph Chubb volumes are now. I loved Balance's twinkling sense of humour. I was at the museum of witchcraft in Cornwall the other day and was pleased to see a photograph of him on the memorial wall in the entrance.
Sandy Robertson
Markus on April 24, 2016 at 8:55 pm
The caption beside the photo reads: Crowley, Aleister -1875-1947 – writer and painter, 68 – 1931
The photo is from the "Ulstein Bilderdienst", possibly related to the Ullstein-Verlag, being a well-known, still extant publishing house.
William Thirteen on April 25, 2016 at 6:16 am
AC met with one of the editors at Ullstein in November 1931 to discuss writing for them, so this photo may have been taken in connection with that, or it may have been created as part of the press package for the exhibition of his paintings which opened the month before.
William Thirteen on May 3, 2016 at 5:08 pm
The article mentions a family & children – is this correct?
lashtal on May 5, 2016 at 1:20 pm
I understand that Mo, Ataturk's daughter, passed away in February.
William Thirteen on May 8, 2016 at 11:26 am
93 Beryth,
while there may be many and varied Thelemic orders and individuals in South Africa – one that stands out is
93 93/93
Marc on May 10, 2016 at 10:50 pm
Thank you very much, appreciate
Fohat on May 11, 2016 at 1:45 pm
Thank you for this 🙂
christibrany on May 21, 2016 at 11:27 pm
That's really great, Paul!
Good luck with that all!
I would donate books except I only have 2 paperbacks I don't want because you wouldn't want them either. But I wish you success and that's really great!
ptoner on May 23, 2016 at 9:18 am
Thank you for your support Chris. Much appreciated!
lashtal on May 31, 2016 at 11:08 pm
Received my copy today – review to follow.
Jamie J Barter on June 4, 2016 at 6:20 pm
This is an interesting & imaginative theory and one to which I would like to be able to give at least some measure of credence for ingenuity alone, but the thing that stops it being some sort of a Thelemic update on Allegro's Sacred Mushroom and the Cross is the inconvenient fact that, as the author duly goes on to recognize, Crowley made no direct references himself to the A. muscaria mushroom anywhere throughout his extensive writings or pictorially, apart from depicting this one specimen in May Morn.
Michael Staley on June 4, 2016 at 7:05 pm
Why on earth would Crowley disguise his references to Amanita Muscaria in the first place, let alone as sex magick? After all, he showed little reticence in discussing a multitude of other drugs.
Jamie J Barter on June 7, 2016 at 9:14 am
Philip Newman goes on to state that:
"Perhaps it was due to an oath of secrecy. Perhaps we're completely off the mark (as well as off our rocker). The only safe thing we can say at this point is that obligations of secrecy never stopped Aleister Crowley from writing before."
Maybe that's it, then (that he's off his rocker?)!
Incidentally, while on the subject didn't I see a crazy Comment by one "mermaid tampon" the last time I passed this way, or was I imagining things?
N Joy
christibrany on June 7, 2016 at 2:42 pm
I saw it too. It was so crazy it reminded me of something written by a bot trying to appear human
Michael Staley on June 7, 2016 at 10:50 pm
I should imagine that it was removed by the moderator, and quite rightly too.
Jamie J Barter on June 8, 2016 at 1:54 pm
Just so – but the odd thing is, that such a Comment would have had to have already been "pre-moderated" to have been allowed to appear in the first place?! (Just as this Comment, and all other Comments to the News features, would need to be also).
N Joy
lashtal on June 8, 2016 at 2:32 pm
It's not in the least bit 'odd', Jamie J Barter. I keep moderating decisions to a minimum where they relate to non-Forum posts on this site. Basically, just deleting the inevitable spam bot Comments and approving the rest. Mermaidtampon's comments, however, generated a number of complaints. I acted on those complaints and deleted the offending material.
herupakraath on June 10, 2016 at 1:49 am
An outstanding lecture that demonstrates yet again the seminal influence Crowley was on others during his life and after his death. I have been of the opinion for some time that Carlos Castaneda was influenced to an extreme degree by the writings of Crowley; the insights provided by Mr. Everitt on Crowley's use of Peyote serve to reinforce that position even further.
Thanks for posting this.
lashtal on June 10, 2016 at 7:54 pm
Agreed, absolutely. Patrick's research is genuinely cutting edge – his thesis opens up all manner of possibilities.
mortimer on June 11, 2016 at 2:43 pm
My apologies for the somewhat hefty price. Making the book available for global distribution means that retailers like Amazon love to take a rather large slice of the pie (actually, pretty much all the pie). If you want the book cheaper, keep an eye out for regular publisher discount codes here: http://www.lulu.com/home
Michael Staley on June 11, 2016 at 11:51 pm
I don't think it's that hefty a price; in terms of number of pages, seems substantial. I knew Gerald on and off over the years. Though we differed on some points – in particular, about our respective estimates of Kenneth Grant – we had much in common as Thelemites and I respected him.
mortimer on June 12, 2016 at 11:31 am
Yes, I'm certain you are mentioned somewhere within these letters, Michael, although exactly where I cannot quite find at short notice. However, I recall that respect being expressed as mutual despite the different points of view held between the two of you. One other thing that might also be of interest to potential readers – which I failed to mention – is that there is an additional appendix in the book of Gerald's unfinished screenplay '666: The Life of Aleister Crowley'. Special thanks must go to Jamie Barter for allowing me to reproduce it within the pages, and hopefully between James and I, we'll be able to complete it to a standard that is in line with Gerald's original vision. It might turn out a little long to qualify as a feature film, but there is also the possibility of turning it into a miniseries, or even graphic novel (which might be another gateway to film perhaps).
the_real_simon_iff on June 20, 2016 at 10:53 pm
Thanks for that Paul! Very entertaining and so very british! I liked it a lot!
sandyboy on June 21, 2016 at 1:01 am
What an utterly fabulous book. It's no dry series of magical detail, but should interest anyone who simply is intrigued by Suster and his writings without being a practitioner of the occult themselves. I especially like the large format and reproduction of the letters themselves rather than re-typeset transcriptions. There are magazine columns and other bits and pieces by both GS and Mortimer too, and Suster's Crowley screenplay takes up a hefty page count too. Way, way better than even I hoped for.
mortimer on June 21, 2016 at 8:47 pm
Thank you, sandyboy. I hope I have done Gerald proud by giving people an insight into this fascinating man and his positive contribution to modern Thelemic culture.
Jamie J Barter on June 27, 2016 at 2:07 am
Mick, I have noticed that with all the publicity and notifications of the various fine quality reprints of Kenneth's works by Starfire, you mention they each "take account of annotations from his own personal copy of the book", etc (or words to that effect), and I take it that these may be silently edited (i.e., incorporated into the text of the new edition without a specific indication of whereabouts they occur and take place). And I was therefore wondering – this happening to be the case – is there some sort of a compilation or pamphlet available which contains a list of each of the differences that would appear between the various editions?
The reason I ask is although I have copies of all the older pre-Starfire versions (with the exception of BTMZ and TNA) I'm not in a position to acquire standard (let alone 'de luxe' unfortunately, more's the pity! :-(!) versions of the newer ones & so was also wondering if there was such a compendium, as it would be most handy & save having to buy "more-or-less" the same editions all over again? I am sure I am enquiring on behalf of others (apart from myself) as well that it would be highly convenient, useful, extremely interesting & most stimulating to be able to view what may have been going on in the actual development and evolution within KG's actual thought processes and mentation that would have set off & prompted all the particular revisions he then chose to be significant enough to make. In addition (for example), the earlier first edition of "Against The Light" is not easily or (relatively) cheaply available any more in order to be able to compare & contrast the two of them both, apart from the additional time & labour which this would experientially involve.
With best wishes: N Joy
Michael Staley on June 27, 2016 at 11:45 am
I do understand your point of view here, Jamie. This is something that we discussed briefly in the forums a year or two ago.
In the first place, Kenneth's corrections are relatively minor, mostly typos that he picked up; it wasn't Kenneth's practise to revise previous books in the light of his later thinking, so these changes won't throw any light on his development. The most significant correction made was to 'Cults of the Shadow' where two paragraphs had to be juxtaposed, and there were some other corrections which were consequential. Fortunately I was able to find a typescript by Kenneth from the 1950s or early 1960s upon which the chapter in question was based. This juxtaposition was amongst the errata listed in the Skoob edition, but was difficult to understand. In the case of 'Against the Light', the corrections in Kenneth's copy are few and minor. The most significant is the lack of a particular section break in part 3; this was a lapse on my part as an impatient young man back in 1997.
Changes are not restricted to those noted by Kenneth, however. Where there are errors in gematria, for instance, I do correct those, as well as typos not previously noticed. Basically, though, my aim is to change as little as possible.
I do have my work cut out at present, Jamie, but when I have more time I will tabulate the corrections, and probably make the tables available on the Starfire Publishing website. Obviously I would prefer that the new editions become the standard editions, but I also appreciate that not everybody is in a position to buy them.
Michael Staley on June 27, 2016 at 2:26 pm
I remember this as one of the best talks of the 'Kenneth Grant Day' at Treadwells in January this year. 'Against the Light' has been a passion of mine ever since 1996 when first reading it in typescript.
Michael Staley on June 28, 2016 at 9:41 am
I'm looking forward to this book. Ruth Bayer is an extremely good photographer. Her work appears throughout one of the books that Starfire Publishing issued last year – 'The Play Goes On: The Rituals of the Rainbow Bridge' by Zachary Cox and the late Jean Williams – and is excellent throughout.
lashtal on July 1, 2016 at 8:44 pm
Another article in The New Yorker: http://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-reinventions-of-genesis-breyer-p-orridge?intcid=mod-latest
sandyboy on July 2, 2016 at 4:20 am
Looks to be another bumper collection. I can commend Nina Antonia's Bosie and the Beast, an intriguing study on the antipathy of Crowley for Lord Alfred Douglas, Oscar Wilde's beau.
Jamie J Barter on July 4, 2016 at 9:47 am
Sorry I haven't replied earlier, Mick, but I don't pass by this way on Lashtal very often these days, the level of (non-) activity being what it has become. Still, there's no use in getting unduly blue about these sort of things!
Thanks for the reply & your comments. The situation more or less chimes with what I thought might be the case, although I don't actually remember it being discussed before in the forums offhand, myself.
The typos themselves are not really important and are of minimal significance; I had more in mind the sort of scale of amendments which will apparently be necessary with the revised forthcoming edition of "Confessions" (whenever this eventually appears sometime this century). In the meantime, along with everyone else I'll await for your publication of the amendments & differences between the editions on Starfire Publishing in due course, and which I expect will be the sooner of the two.
When you say you "correct errors in gematria", though, this must be rather difficult as Kenneth tended to have his own system & practice of "creative" gematria didn't he, which didn't/ doesn't necessariy accord with the conventions of "traditional" or commmonly-accepted gematria? (I take it that it was the latter you had in mind there, or did you in fact mean something else?)
Best wishes,
As Ever: N Joy
Jamie J Barter on July 13, 2016 at 1:35 pm
Never mind Major McMurtry, it looks more like there's been some sort of a Major accident! And that there's a disembodied foot resting against the guy's torso, like a lump of meat from The Beatles' "butcher shop" banned LP cover…
Norma N Joy Conquest
sandyboy on July 16, 2016 at 8:59 pm
Looks like a very much alive person, slender, big hair and possibly bespectacled – so it must be AC! (Not!!!). Self promo of the most ridiculous type.
lashtal on July 16, 2016 at 10:42 pm
You don't say!
Ray Chappell on July 20, 2016 at 8:01 pm
So Crowley spent his life holding seances at Warwick Castle? Well well, I never knew that.
christibrany on July 27, 2016 at 6:43 pm
"Living Thelema" as well as "Speech in the Silence" are both really good too!
lashtal on July 27, 2016 at 8:12 pm
Indeed they are. I didn't mention them, though, because neither seems to be current: my iTunes Podcast feed shows the last episode of 'Living Thelema' to have been published in August 2015 and the last 'Speech In The Silence' in September 2015.
christibrany on July 27, 2016 at 9:00 pm
Yeah it's too bad 🙁
lashtal on July 28, 2016 at 10:27 pm
More from Starfire…
This book will be going to the printers at the end of July 2016 for publication in August, and is now available for ordering ahead of publication.
Against the Light by Kenneth Grant is an attractive, sewn hardbound book, octavo format, 142 pages, with a full-colour dust-jacket, and limited to 750 copies. Included are black and white custom printed endpapers, and a full-colour frontispiece. Further details about the content of the book, as well as how to order both the standard and the deluxe editions, can be found by visiting our website, or by following the direct link http://starfirepublishing.co.uk/Against_the_Light.htm.
Against the Light was first published in 1997 but has been out of print for many years. This republication is freshly typeset, and incorporates corrections and additions by Kenneth Grant noted in his copy of the first edition. Illustrated endpapers include diary entries by the author from 1985 when the novel was started, some early plot notes, the first draft of a cover blurb from 1995, and a diagram where Grant gives the meaning of symbols on the front of the dust-jacket. A coloured frontispiece reproduces the bust of Mephistopheles, a mysterious and compelling figure which is an integral feature of this novel and which appears elsewhere in Grant's work.
The background to this Nightside Narrative, like so much of Grant's work, can be found in New Isis Lodge, a magical working group which developed from the late 1940s, was formally established in 1955, and carried on working until the mid 1960s. Some of the workings of New Isis Lodge were described by Kenneth Grant in Hecate's Fountain. In the late 1950s, the ritualists of New Isis Lodge began to receive a series of oracles which on subsequent rearrangement formed a coherent work known as 'The Book of the Spider'. When planning his third and final trilogy during the 1980s, Grant decided to publish 'The Book of the Spider' with extended commentary in the final volume, The Ninth Arch. He was aware, however, that assimilation of The Ninth Arch might be somewhat demanding, and thought that perhaps something was appropriate by way of introduction. That "something" turned out to be the novel Against the Light.
Grant started writing Against the Light in the mid 1980s, and he developed it to explore in a fictional setting some of the themes of 'The Book of the Spider'. It was his intention that Against the Light be published before The Ninth Arch, and this was achieved by its first publication in 1997. The Ninth Arch itself is now to be republished towards the end of 2016, and it is fitting that publication of Against the Light again precedes it, this time by several months.
christibrany on July 30, 2016 at 2:41 am
I really like this actually. It's far easier to find stuff, and a lot less scrolling 🙂
lashtal on July 30, 2016 at 10:04 am
Thanks for the positive response. It's all part of a process of professionalising the site! The key, obviously, is for members to report any issues so they can be fixed before they become 'established.'
herupakraath on August 1, 2016 at 10:15 pm
The site looks great; keep up the good work.
the_real_simon_iff on August 2, 2016 at 9:05 am
93, Paul!
I like it a lot! Very nice work. So far I encountered no issues at all.
Greetings from Munick
lashtal on August 7, 2016 at 11:05 am
Related event at Treadwells Bookshop in London:
Friday 16 September 2016
Beyond the Robot – Colin Wilson Launch
Launch Event with Talk – Gary Lachman
Colin Wilson burst on the world literary scene in 1956 with The Outsider, and from then until his 2013 death aged 82, Wilson created an enormous oeuvre on philosophy, psychology, sex, crime, literature, and the occult. His 1971 history The Occult became a bestseller, helping the subject recieve serious study. This new book, subtitled Life and World of Colin Wilson is the first full account of Wilson's career, from his early days as an Angry Young Man, to his last years as a philosopher of consciousness. Author Gary Lachman was a fan and a friend of Wilson – come for the talk, anecdotes, Q&A, signings and a free glass of wine. Collect your copy on the night as you arrive. Max 45 places.
Price: £17.99 (includes a copy of the book, a talk and a free glass of wine)
Register on 0207 419 8507 or book online
Time: 7 pm doors, half hour talk at 7.30. Ends 9.30 pm
Alan_OBrien on August 10, 2016 at 3:56 pm
Over the years I remember some other big fires in Britain, Windsor Castle and the Cutty Sark spring to mind, where the damage was colossal but nowadays one would never guess there had even been a fire. So if there was enough money available then there is no reason that the house could not be made as good as new! But it takes a lot of money, especially where demolition is an alternative.
lashtal on August 12, 2016 at 11:27 am
From Vents Magazine:
"Psychic TV return to us with Alienist. The album includes two original tracks: the haunting yet emotional "I'm Looking For You"; an epic, multi-layered, metaphysical exploration in the form of a conversation between Genesis and "Lucifer", who is in hiding after his failed rebellion is over. And "Alienist" which is a delightful fusion of dance grooves harking back to PTV's Acid House days and the group's current love of heavy psychedelic rock."
sandyboy on August 13, 2016 at 12:22 pm
I look forward to reading Cosey's book. Haven't seen her in many, many years, back in the day when TG/PTV were wreckers of what passes for civilisation. A great person.
christibrany on August 15, 2016 at 10:05 pm
That sounds very weird indeed, and maybe worth a read? Hmm…
lashtal on August 15, 2016 at 10:35 pm
One of my favourite albums. I envy those lucky enough to see it performed live. Not too sure about the article's reference to "Aleister Crowley's 'The Secret'," though…
lashtal on August 17, 2016 at 8:46 pm
Fixed now by @eol
sandyboy on August 21, 2016 at 5:26 pm
"Seemingly unread"!? Shocking heheh…
lashtal on August 21, 2016 at 5:50 pm
This copy, @sandyboy – my other (standard) copy is well-read.
sandyboy on August 22, 2016 at 3:25 am
My bad! You wild sex magickian you. Saw pic of J.Balance in Boscastle witchcraft museum recently – much missed.
lashtal on August 22, 2016 at 7:48 pm
Some typos in the original auction now corrected.
William Thirteen on August 23, 2016 at 4:29 pm
according to Christies:
This work was previously owned by Cecil Williamson (1909-1999) a Neopagan Witch and founder of both the Witchcraft Research Center (which was a part of MI6's war against Nazi Germany) and the Museum of Witchcraft in Boscastle, Cornwall. Williamson was a friend of Crowley's and presumably the present lot was a gift from the artist.
lashtal on August 24, 2016 at 2:28 pm
I think we can safely assume that the estimate will be exceeded!
lashtal on August 26, 2016 at 6:53 pm
The album is available through Apple Music today – and it's rather wonderful!
lashtal on September 2, 2016 at 10:27 am
BBC Radio 6 at 8pm on Sunday 4 September 2016: 'Stuart [Maconie] talks to Current 93's David Tibet about his collaboration with the legendary producer Youth as Hypnopazūzu and their new album 'Create Christ, Sailor Boy'.'
christibrany on September 3, 2016 at 4:47 am
brilliant! 😀
christibrany on September 4, 2016 at 11:16 pm
Lovely looking collection. Hope you arent being forced to sell for negative reasons..
Do you have any Schulke?
William Thirteen on September 5, 2016 at 10:56 am
Beautiful shelving Paul. I do hope that the 'change in personal circumstances' is bearable.
obscurus on September 9, 2016 at 5:57 pm
There comes a time to let them go, their purpose being better served in the hands of those with hungry minds. And deep pockets?
lashtal on September 9, 2016 at 6:44 pm
Well said, @obscurus
christibrany on September 10, 2016 at 11:39 pm
Paul, I may not have the money for anything but if something good comes up I may scrape it up somehow. When are you going to release your list?
lashtal on September 10, 2016 at 11:54 pm
I was working on a simple list but that got delayed by a number of time wasters who made contact through Facebook, professing serious interest in some of the high-value items but, I fear, just using their sale as the opportunity to get me to provide photographs and fill in gaps in their knowledge. I'm now inclined to add books to the Sales section of this site: https://www.lashtal.com/shop/ In any case, I'm working on cataloguing the collection.
lashtal on September 15, 2016 at 2:45 pm
Sold for GBP 17,500
lashtal on September 18, 2016 at 11:38 am
And this is presented as journalism in modern Britain. Still, the 'Thelma' reference amused me.
lashtal on September 18, 2016 at 9:38 pm
Dis on September 19, 2016 at 5:24 pm
Could I suggest changing the graphic? Really don't want to look at that image…
lashtal on September 19, 2016 at 5:38 pm
The graphic is taken from the original article. I tend to agree that it would be better not being prominently presented, though, so have swapped the 'featured article' graphic with one relating to another news item.
Jamie J Barter on September 23, 2016 at 1:57 pm
Don't get me wrong – I like Laylah too! – but does she take precedence over Rose the original Scarlet Woman, or even La Sublime Leah? (Some might even volunteer the 'elemental' ex of Jack Parsons & would-be avatar of Babalon herself, Marjorie Cameron!)
Positively bedazzled by a pageant of beauty (iconographically),
Norma N Joy Conquest
Jamie J Barter on September 23, 2016 at 6:41 pm
Reading back my comment, I feel maybe I ought to have highlighted the fact that it was prompted by the first sentence featured that "Leila 'Laylah' Waddell is perhaps the most iconic woman of Thelema", rather than it coming across as being some sort of an adverse reflection on her suitability to qualify for a commemorative memorial ahead of Rose, Leah and, er, Marjorie…
N Joy
lashtal on September 23, 2016 at 6:45 pm
I would have thought it's obvious that the OTO in Australia would focus their attention on the Australian, Leila Waddell? As regards 'iconic' – her image (as above) is probably far more widely recognised than any photograph of Leah.
Jamie J Barter on September 23, 2016 at 7:17 pm
Good points, Paul, though I was speaking more generally (globally) & arguably Marjorie Cameron's startling flame-haired image from Kenneth Anger's cinematography is even more widely recognisable to a contemporary audience.
N joy
lashtal on September 24, 2016 at 10:33 am
Updated to include instructions for making international contributions.
lashtal on September 24, 2016 at 1:17 pm
Reading this one now: really rather engaging. An impressive work. The best thing yet from Gary Lachman.
christibrany on September 27, 2016 at 3:29 pm
Update per David's site: late October 2016 is the new release date.
Looking forward to this one!
lashtal on October 3, 2016 at 11:01 pm
This episode of the podcast and the one preceding it are really rather impressive.
starla on October 13, 2016 at 7:48 pm
Excellent portrait, I don't recall seeing it before.
the_real_simon_iff on October 13, 2016 at 10:56 pm
Yep, a real nice one. 93's…
frater_anubis on October 15, 2016 at 8:27 pm
93 93/93
Many belived that AC could read your mind by turning on those piercing eyes. It was said that he would en-trance people by giving them the 'eye' and take them with him on some manic moneymaking or other enterprise…… being in his company in a room where there was no immediate means of escape could be overpowering, even when he was of advanced years.
lashtal on October 16, 2016 at 1:02 am
Sale abandoned. Too many time wasters.
Q: 'How much for that book?'
R: 'Well, I'm asking…'
Q [Interrupting]: 'That's too much, I once saw one on eBay for…'
Not sure why anyone would want to sell books for a living!
christibrany on October 22, 2016 at 8:56 pm
Paul I never saw any listings on this site?
I was waiting this whole time.
Perhaps I did it wrong, but I was under the impression you were going to list them all under FOR SALE but I never saw anything new; it was always that same Equinox book (I think) that has been there forever.
lashtal on October 22, 2016 at 9:05 pm
No, @christibrany, as mentioned in the Comment above yours, I abandoned the sale – having planned to publish a list on 12 October.
Quite simply, mentioning a handful of items on the Facebook posts generated such an enormous number of silly time-wasting responses that the prospect of generating a proportionate number of responses to a planned list of 300+ books was massively unattractive!
frater_anubis on October 24, 2016 at 9:54 pm
If you must sell your library, the best plan might be to take the catalogue to one of the specialist bookshops such as Treadwells, Atlantis or even Wieser and see what is offered for the collection.
daopig on October 30, 2016 at 5:57 am
Considering Delingpole has a ~way with words~, it is real shame that he failed to mention that Crowley – apart from his courageous self-exposure to ignorant idiots who number almost all of us, was also a bone fide master of the English language. Something very few humans have ever managed to achieve after Shakespeare. And Delingpole, as great an – unconscious – word-magician as he appears to be, will never be able to wear such a grand Edwardian literary hat without looking utterly, modernistically absurd.
lashtal on November 6, 2016 at 12:06 pm
Man, Myth and Magic – original TV advertisement.
Jamie J Barter on November 17, 2016 at 8:20 pm
"As befits a comedy, the reference is essentially humorous" – a summation which stretches my understanding of the words "comedy" and "humorous" just a little! Throughout the whole rather dismal thing, the only piece which remotely caused my lip muscles to twitch in an amused fashion occurred between 5:20 and 5:56 (approximately) on the subject of the "disneyfication" of Wernher vonBraun. The rest was appalling – appallingly unfunny and appallingly inaccurate and imprecise (perhaps not so surprisingly…but at least they didn't get around to mentioning Jack's mother's dog!)
Help me, I think my sides may be in danger of splitting (- not!),
Norma n Jy Conquest
lashtal on November 18, 2016 at 1:06 pm
The latest edition of this book is now available to registered members for free – check out the Downloads section.
lashtal on November 30, 2016 at 1:57 pm
I had the great pleasure of attending the Exhibition Preview yesterday evening. Beautiful art displayed beautifully!
aldis on December 3, 2016 at 1:57 am
I have been interested in Theravada Buddhism for a long time – about as long as as I've been interested in Aleister Crowley's work. Of note is the fact that one of Crowley's first teachers, Alan Bennett, eventually retired to Ceylon and became a Theravada monk.
aldis on December 3, 2016 at 2:11 am
I too have a library, though a much smaller one. I'm seeking to release most of it as part of an ongoing project to reduce the number of possessions that I no longer use.
Thank you for posting about your experience with book sales. It has probably saved me some fruitless effort.
While money would be much appreciated, my main goal is to pass on a themed collect to a group or individual who could put it to use.
ptoner on December 8, 2016 at 12:16 pm
Attended on Monday 5th December. Really was blown away by the range styles and materials that AOS used.
A must see for anyone with an interest, that is in the area.
lashtal on December 9, 2016 at 8:31 pm
Fixed now… Thanks @eol
lashtal on December 13, 2016 at 11:12 am
Placed my order today for this Print On Demand title. Will report back when it arrives.
William Thirteen on December 13, 2016 at 12:00 pm
As did I. I hope it is not as poor quality as the Jane Wolfe book. When I want to wear out my eyes over barely readable text, i head for the archives and do it with the real stuff.
William Thirteen on December 14, 2016 at 1:12 pm
Initial impressions from the Kindle edition; primarily KG's correspondence with the Californians in the 40s/50s/60s. I found none of the German correspondence with Hopfer, Küntzel, Metzger, Lekve, Petersen, etc or anything before 1928. The notes are quite basic, mainly a reference of the persons named in the correspondence. The design is negligible – pretty much just a dump of the PDF. Perhaps a useful reference for some, definitely a cheap thrill but not something you'd take home to meet the parents.
ptoner on December 15, 2016 at 8:17 am
From Jerry Edward Cornelius on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/jerry.e.cornelius?fref=nf&pnref=story
My copy of 'Karl Germer: Selected Letters 1928-1962' arrived. I was looking forward to reading this book but within a few days I came to the conclusion that I cannot recommend it. Although it's nice to have some of the Germer Letters in a book format, after all, something is better than nothing, I see the over-all book as being utterly useless for academics, serious magician, scholars or even historians in general. Harsh? Perhaps but it is neither indexed nor footnoted adequately. The approximate two page bio trying to explain who Karl Germer was and why I should read his letters is amateurish at best, bordering on being a lame High School paper. I'd give it a 'C'.
Then the very first letter in the book is address to "Jane" but in the first paragraph Germer mentions her in the third person by name, i.e. 'Jane Wolfe' which is then footnoted to explain who 'Jane Wolfe' is but this leads us to assume that the Jane to whom the letter is written and the Jane mentioned in the first paragraph are two different people. They're not. The footnote is simply inappropriately placed. The book also tries to identify others mentioned in the letters in the footnotes throughout the book but right on page one the letter mentions "Dorothy" but who is she? They don't identify her. I knew who she was, she was Crowley's mistress but I fear the average reader will be lost. Throughout the book you'll be scratching your head wondering who is who.
Worst of all, it's not indexed! As one reads though its pages you'll find gems from page to page but you're supposed to remember where you read them in a 389 page book or you'll never be able to find them again. Be forewarned, you have to create your own Index as you go along or you'll be lost.
There is so much more wrong with this book but I think you get the picture. It is simply an 'unfinished manuscript' rushed into press and not carefully thought through by a descent editor. In my opinion any simpleton can enter letters into a computer but if you can't put them into a user friendly format, why bother? Still, it was a fun book to read and yes error slip into all books and mistakes are made because, after all, we're only human … but what is this over-all book saying about the magickal image and teachings of the College of (cough cough) or rather the High School of Thelema?
William Thirteen on December 16, 2016 at 4:50 pm
Yes, I can second that opinion. One might ask – what is the purpose of this book if not to provide an academic reference to selected correspondence of Karl Germer?
Michael Staley on December 22, 2016 at 8:34 pm
I'd love to read a good 'Selected Correspondence' of at least a representative sample of Germer's letters over the years. There are many sets of correspondence about. For instance, a batch of letters to Ithell Colquhoun was on the market about ten years ago. Whist researchiing the Jones-Yorke correspondence of 1948 and 1949 I came across several letters from Germer to Jones which were, to say the least, extremely interesting. I certainly agree with Jerry Cornelius that it's a shame that there is no index.
Does anyone know if the letters from Germer to Crowley are extant? I have seen a pdf of Crowley's letters to Germer, but not Germer's to Crowley.
christibrany on December 30, 2016 at 9:46 pm
Paul sorry its late but I hope your Xmas was great and London is awesome.
Although I don't post much BC I am workng on my gradework I still love to read the news and posts.
Keep up the Great Work
lashtal on December 31, 2016 at 5:41 pm
Thanks for the kind words, @christibrany!
elitemachinery on January 4, 2017 at 4:34 am
impressive numbers Paul! happy new year!
elitemachinery on January 8, 2017 at 3:05 pm
Moderator's Note: Off-topic post deleted. See below.
elitemachinery on January 8, 2017 at 3:10 pm
Moderator's Note: Off-topic post deleted. See below.
elitemachinery on January 8, 2017 at 3:12 pm
Moderator's Note: Off-topic post deleted. See below.
elitemachinery on January 8, 2017 at 3:12 pm
Moderator's Note: Off-topic post deleted. See below.
elitemachinery on January 8, 2017 at 3:13 pm
Moderator's Note: Off-topic post deleted. See below.
lashtal on January 8, 2017 at 3:16 pm
Michael: That's enough.
These posts will be deleted. Please do not abuse your access to this site.
elitemachinery on January 8, 2017 at 3:18 pm
elitemachinery on January 8, 2017 at 3:18 pm
ok thx
Jamie J Barter on January 9, 2017 at 3:41 am
Sorry to read the news – knew he had been unwell with some sort of pancreatic/kidney cancer for a time. Another one has had their fill of will & love, takes their leave of Spaceship Earth & bites the dust. The more pub-centred fora & moots of old London Town will continue to much miss his presence and unusually idiosyncratic but usually entertaining subject-matter for talks (I recall one in particular, in which he was attempting to digress upon Thelemic motifs camouflaged within sci-fi based tv series, notably Deep Space Nine which was fairly new and had recently just come out at the time.)
Devotedly sincere Priest of Nuit; "Chairman" Steve forever destined to be known in some circles as "the man in the red jumper" following his first prominent public appearance at the inaugural Oxford Thelemic Symposium; recounter of crap jokes & excruciatingly 'amateur' 'enthusiastic' caterwauler of da blooz – a man who was all of these things and more! – enjoy your greater feast for
"There is the dissolution, and eternal ecstasy in the kisses of Nu. …" (2,44)
Jamie, Norma NJoy Conquest
Thul on January 14, 2017 at 11:56 am
This is rather based on the Steele of Formation, the reverse rather is the Steele of Revealing, which catalogs rather the first few days of this earthly existence and the story of Amoun-Ra. Some Mysteria to be revealed at it's Maxim.
Jamie J Barter on January 14, 2017 at 4:06 pm
"Steele of Revealing"
– I've never come across this particular spelling of 'Stele' before. Assuming this variation is not just some form of typo, repeated, would it be known where and when the first usage of this came from?
"May 4, 2006"
– Can this now be a new record on lashtal for revivyfing an ancient news item/ thread?
Norma N Joy Conquest
Thul on March 1, 2017 at 6:35 am
Simply a Typo, my apologies. Revealing can be used by students of AA who know how to divine illuminated documents. The Reverse is the story of Khuit's Formation by our primal deity of Pakhet, Heru. This is at the beginning of the Kali Yuga, after Dvapara.
Thul on March 1, 2017 at 6:41 am
Thoth is the first person to write by Hand, but the Reading writing and speaking of the Khabs began in Kali Yuga. Before this time, it was only a time of "Calls" being common place. Aquamancy is one of the first languages between them, Davpara and Kali.
lashtal on February 6, 2017 at 12:00 am
UPDATE: The sale of the archives has begun! That's right, books and ephemera from the private collection of the owner & editor of LAShTAL.COM are now available at competitive prices. Kicking things off with a signed & inscribed Aleister Crowley classic, an affordable paperback from The Witch Queen and a limited edition piece of gold from Three Hands Press. New items will be added every day. Keep an eye on Twitter and Facebook for announcements – or just keep checking that 'LAShTAL Shop: Latest' item on the right of each page of this site.
lashtal on February 12, 2017 at 11:19 am
Just testing buyers' preferences so have listed 'The Star in the West' and 'Cosmic Meditation' on eBay with the convenience, reassurance and protection that comes with buying there.
frater_anubis on February 17, 2017 at 6:41 pm
I have always appreciated Kenneth Anger's work, but Lucifer Rising is wonderfull stuff….best played on a widescreen HD tv with surround sound tho to get the full impact…….wasn't Marianne Faithfull brilliant?
Many thanks to Paul for making this available on Lashtal
lashtal on February 19, 2017 at 2:10 pm
New items arriving this week – current items still on sale are offered at Sale prices to clear.
lashtal on March 7, 2017 at 11:08 pm
'Cosmic Meditation' now just £195.
christibrany on March 9, 2017 at 5:21 pm
Not sure how adept the rest of the articles are, but the whole issue looks very interesting.
elitemachinery on April 14, 2017 at 12:35 am
I had the privilege of attending more than one dinner with Donald Weiser and his wife Betty in 1988 at D.O.M.E. The Inner Guide Meditation Center while they were visiting Edwin C. Steinbrecher (my mentor and teacher) in Los Angeles and were about to publish the 5th edition of Edwin's book. Nice people, always gracious. I quietly listened and learned a few things about how the book publishing business works, and as a 23 year old recruit it was my job to do the dishes afterward!
William Thirteen on April 14, 2017 at 9:04 am
Thank you Donald. As I scan my library I see your life's work reflected from every shelf.
Unto them from whose eyes the veil of life hath fallen may there be granted the accomplishment of their true Wills; whether they will absorption in the Infinite, or to be united with their chosen and preferred, or to be in contemplation, or to be at peace, or to achieve the labour and heroism of incarnation on this planet or another, or in any Star, or aught else, unto them may there be granted the accomplishment of their wills; yea, the accomplishment of their wills. AUMGN. AUMGN. AUMGN.
Jamie J Barter on April 15, 2017 at 1:35 am
"Legendary bookseller and publisher Donald Weiser passed away peacefully at age 89 …"
Wasn't Marcelo Motta, acting under the erroneous belief that he had the magical power of being able to terminate his enemies at a dstance, supposed to have ritually cursed/hexed Donald back in the eighties (in page 388 of the court transcripts of the McMurtry v. Motta trial of May 1985, he claimed to James Wasserman to have already remotely assassinated Donald's brother and to have issued similar additional "metaphysical death threats" to related others if his wishes continued to be disobeyed. As he went on to testify (p. 910), "Let me state for the record, sir, that the grade of the Ninth, the power of the Ninth, allows us to kill people magically if we want to".
This being so, it must make it one of the longest acting and/or least successful operations of its kind, neither does it seem to have adversely affected Weiser's publishing programme or the family's esoteric books empire very much. Incidentally I've never actually come across this particular ability of the Ninth degrees anywhere else – if anyone happens to have any further information I would be interested to know since wouldn't homicide seem to rather go against the general Thelemic "grain"?
Rest in peace, Donald.
Norma N Joy Conquest
ignant666 on April 22, 2017 at 1:06 am
I probably wouldn't be here it it wasn't for that small ad at the bottom of the last page of the Sunday New York Times Book Review every week in the early '70s, the one for Weiser Books. As a small-town teenager back then, i snatched at that ad like a drowning man grabbing a life preserver.
When i moved to NYC in the later '70s, i visited the Weiser store on E. 24th often.
That bookstore and publishing company changed my life.
christibrany on May 19, 2017 at 3:21 pm
Oh boy! Looks fascinating, can't wait!
William Thirteen on May 19, 2017 at 4:21 pm
Yes, looks tasty!
Jamie J Barter on May 21, 2017 at 11:06 pm
Yes, it seems to promise most highly. Contents-wise though, I was disappointed not to see something along the lines of "The Role of Slime in the Work of Kenneth Grant" featured (the nearest to it being the 6th piece mentioned, on H.P. Lovecraft.) It appears to be a prominent omission of a fairly major theme from within his oeuvre (I simply don't have the time at present otherwise might have done one on it myself, in the absence of anyone else.)
Norma N Joy Conquest
ignant666 on May 22, 2017 at 1:11 am
I've noticed recently that when i post, i can only see my post by logging out- even though my post will be listed in the "Recent Forum Posts" sidebar, i can't actually see it until i log out. I first noticed this about three weeks ago or so.
Jamie J Barter on May 22, 2017 at 2:31 am
Me too! (As can be seen from my original double posting in the "Start of interest Crowley/Thelema?"topic). But as no one else commented & my experience with PCs & tech has alsways been a bit idiosyncratic I'd thought it was just me!
Michael Staley on May 23, 2017 at 9:04 pm
Yes, this is a very "tasty" collection of essays . One piece, by Michael Bertiaux, is cast as a short story a short story. The highly attractive cover is by Henrik's wife, Maria. The essay about the role of Lovecraft in Grant's work is not only free from any mention of slime, but is one of the jewels of the book.
ignant666 on May 23, 2017 at 9:31 pm
Just posted again, once again the only way to see my post is to log out; hitting reload after posting changes nothing. If i then log in again, it remains visible.
Jamie J Barter on May 24, 2017 at 2:50 am
"The highly attractive cover is by Henrik's wife, Maria."
But prominently using artwork by Austin Osman Spare. (Perhaps "cover lettering by Maria Bogdan" would have been more accurate!)
"The essay about the role of slime in Grant's work is not only free from any mention,"
For shame! (I remain open to any suitably generous offers of commissioning from Starfire Publishng for a glittering jewel of an essay.)
N Joy
lashtal on June 1, 2017 at 12:29 am
For those who would rather not wait…
Michael Staley on June 3, 2017 at 9:18 am
I remember hearing this when it was first broadcast. The brief interview with Angela Yorke is interesting. Arthur Calder-Marshall's remarks, on the other hand, are simply hilarious.
Horemakhet on June 10, 2017 at 3:23 pm
Thank you so much for linking us to this wonderful article, Paul. It ends on a triumphant note but it saddens me that she never got to hold the eventual product in her hands. I suppose that she trusted in AC's genius enough that she could imagine just how far it would go. This work kept her going through the worst times, & we can see her state of mind upon completion of the Swords.
lashtal on June 11, 2017 at 2:24 pm
Gary Lachman responded to my Facebook post about this News item: 'They interviewed me for two hours and they used two seconds. As far as I know AC did not introduce AH to mescalin.'
lashtal on June 14, 2017 at 9:02 pm
Thanks to Mogg Morgan for the link, which I previously missed.
Mazus on June 16, 2017 at 8:29 pm
This New Dawn article is actually an excerpt from a longer thought provoking article in the book I have referenced below. Troy Southgate is a polarising figure himself but I recommend the book of essays that that the Bolton essay appears in (poor editing notwithstanding) .
Bolton, K.R. (2011). Aleister Crowley as political theorist. In T. Southgate (Ed.) Crowley: Thoughts and perspectives, volume 2 (pp. 5-
28). Black Front Press: London
lashtal on July 2, 2017 at 8:31 pm
Treadwells has them in stock in case people want one but don't want to pay Amazon shipping.
Jamie J Barter on July 19, 2017 at 4:22 am
Yes, surprisingly and unusually well-informed (and with some resourceful further links.) For example under the 19th entry "He referred to himself as 'The Beast'", we find the sensible account: "Crowley was known as "The Beast," a title that he himself gleefully used. He earned the name as a child, when his exasperated mother would call him "Beast 666″ in the wake of his mischief. As an adult, he proudly used the nickname, especially when he could appreciate the mystical context. His use of the term and his occultist activities led some to incorrectly claim that he was a Satanist." Perhaps there's hope yet!
Norma N Joy Conquest
Kadesh Vega on July 25, 2017 at 2:43 pm
A very interesting Article
christibrany on September 13, 2017 at 5:06 pm
Well i am certainly not going to buy a book I already have for just 3 new plates, so if anyone cares to share those when they receive their copy that would be appreciated!
lashtal on September 28, 2017 at 10:30 am
CLARIFICATION: The purchase price listed at the above link relates to the title page only. Subsequent pages from the 'album' comprised separate lots, all of which are listed at the auctioneer's site.
christibrany on October 12, 2017 at 11:43 pm
I don't have facebook, but I am curious why you closed it? Just wondering.
Thanks 🙂
lashtal on October 13, 2017 at 10:53 pm
Poor information-to-noise ratio…
ptoner on October 17, 2017 at 8:37 am
Thanks for posting Paul!
lashtal on October 20, 2017 at 6:02 pm
Text in the above News item is as provided by the publisher. However, I am the proud owner of the books described and can confirm that they are a splendid production, impeccably constructed and beautifully designed. They represent extraordinary value for money, containing – as they do – the full text of the Conversations. Highly Recommended.
christibrany on October 31, 2017 at 2:57 pm
Thanks Richard, looking forward to reading.
AbulDiz on November 1, 2017 at 10:23 am
Thanks for this. I have always loved Crowley's turn of phrase when he describes the death process and state as being 'absorbed into the infinite'!
Jamie J Barter on November 3, 2017 at 4:48 am
For the benefit of those of us who may be unaware, whom are the people this "recent death of brethren and other loved ones…in the Thelemic community" refers to? (And what is all this profoundly Unthelemic stuff about the pain, sadness, grief, suffering & loss of "many brothers and sisters"!)
N Joy
William Thirteen on November 6, 2017 at 9:06 am
The introductory note at the Hellfire books site suggests that the essays and the title were only finished sometime in the early thirties. This is incorrect as they had already been translated by Martha Küntzel in the 1920's (the title as well: "Kleine Aufsätze, die zur Wahrheit leiten"). In fact, the two essay "Man" and "Mastery" were first published in 1928, in German translations, in the first two issues of the Fraternitas Saturni's journal "Saturn Gnosis".
… but thanks for playing!
lashtal on November 10, 2017 at 9:56 am
Michael Staley on November 28, 2017 at 11:21 am
Thanks for the details, William. I'll try and get to it; looks interesting.
christibrany on November 29, 2017 at 11:58 pm
kickass ( i dont think brits say that do they? what's the equivalent?) . Thanks for all the work you do Paul. As you may know I am a huge Zepp fan. Going to check this out.
Been busy lately…
elitemachinery on December 1, 2017 at 8:57 am
Thank you Richard and LAShTAL
Michael Staley on December 2, 2017 at 9:49 pm
An informative review. Thank you, Ian.
christibrany on December 4, 2017 at 5:48 pm
thanks Richard!
frater_anubis on December 6, 2017 at 5:02 pm
Indeed, many thanks – it is an interesting read. But it's not Liber Appendix, is it? – the proof of Liber Bogus i mean
frater_anubis on December 6, 2017 at 5:05 pm
It is good to read something interesting from the redoubtable Ian Rons again – many thanks
Jamie J Barter on December 8, 2017 at 1:31 pm
I already have the physical book, but this is a lovely travelogue and depository of Abbey images. If it were ever to be made into a film, who do you think would be the best choice to play the part of Richard — Michael Palin, perhaps?!
Norma N Joy Conquest
Elsie Gray Parker on January 4, 2018 at 2:07 am
christibrany on January 15, 2018 at 11:32 pm
As far as I am aware Crowley was never a 'Satanist' in the way the term is meant as being opposite to a Christian and using Christian tenets to worship 'Satan'
Can anyone correct me?
cw on January 23, 2018 at 2:30 am
Nope, because you are right.
christibrany on January 20, 2018 at 12:38 am
This sounds absolutely quite terrible.
Written by someone with no knowledge of Crowley of course. Like he even in his deepest depravity would lock up chicks for murder.
christibrany on January 25, 2018 at 12:04 am
Danke! I wish I could be there to see in person. To think of all the tales those pieces could tell.
Was Eugen Grosche ie Frater Gregorius ever in among them?
William Thirteen on February 28, 2018 at 4:11 pm
Hi Chris,
no Grosche was never a member of the PG. Though Metzger was a member of the FS for a few years. The two had a bumpy relationship in the 50s & 60s.
michaelclarke18 on January 26, 2018 at 10:19 am
Absolutely no way, would I attend this.
azrael2393 on January 30, 2018 at 5:01 pm
No worries, we will do without you! Given all the other evenings (this will be the 10th just over a year and a half) were sold out, I am sure things will be just fine.
lashtal on January 28, 2018 at 10:33 am
First batch now available online.
That's 1,617 books!
azrael2393 on January 30, 2018 at 5:03 pm
Deactivated myself 2 weeks ago, never going back.
kurtvlcek on February 6, 2018 at 5:49 pm
Just what the we need…third-rate pot boiler fiction using the Old Sinner as a mustachio twisting, knob throbbing baddy.
lashtal on February 16, 2018 at 6:50 pm
Lots more on this production here: deadline.com/2018/02/strange-angel-six-cast-cbs-all-access-series-peter-mark-kendall-michael-gaston-greg-wise-1202291413/
William Thirteen on March 15, 2018 at 9:12 pm
Of course, the FS was formed years after the release of Nosferatu.
Markus on April 3, 2018 at 3:37 pm
Grau was never a member of the FS. He was allegedly offered the job of grandmaster, but turned it down due to the fact that he felt that his Book of the Zero Hour conflicted with Liber Al. He was however a high ranking member of the Pansophic Lodge, the precursor of the FS. Nonetheless, a welcome mention!
lashtal on April 8, 2018 at 11:13 am
William Thirteen on April 17, 2018 at 6:00 pm
Pleasant read – though I disagree with his the depiction of the Conference in Hohenleuben.
lashtal on April 28, 2018 at 12:37 pm
UK delivery date as advised today by Amazon UK is frustrating: 'Estimated arrival date: May 21 2018 – June 05 2018.'
William Thirteen on May 4, 2018 at 4:12 pm
well this is sure to attract some eyeballs!
lashtal on May 4, 2018 at 7:20 pm
the_real_simon_iff on May 6, 2018 at 8:03 pm
I think it looks quite okay!
lashtal on May 14, 2018 at 1:01 pm
lashtal on May 16, 2018 at 10:27 am
Amazon UK deliveries (see link in sidebar) now being fulfilled in UK. Received my copy yesterday. A handsome paperback: early chapters are very impressive!
lashtal on May 16, 2018 at 11:23 am
The eBay listing is closed but the book can still be purchased from this site at a significant discount:
michaelclarke18 on May 22, 2018 at 9:38 am
The word 'love' was used 65 times in the sermon.
michaelclarke18 on May 23, 2018 at 6:48 pm
Content blocked.
ignant666 on June 8, 2018 at 7:47 pm
Has anyone watched this?
The Variety review is based on 3 of 10 episodes, and most likely the first three, thus the complaint that it is slow getting into the meat of Parsons' life seems unfounded.
Apparently, i can sign up for a free one-week trial of CBS All-Access- that seems like enough time to get through 10 episodes. I will give it a shot and report back.
I am officially an idiot- i went to read the _Variety_ review, and left this comment there, thinking i was commenting _here_.
At least i reported the only comment they had as spam, and have done my Good Deed for the day.
kadeshvega on June 10, 2018 at 7:14 am
I am quite surprised they did not include that one band Mystifier that literally has a song titled "Aleister Crowley And Ordo Templi Orientis"
elitemachinery on June 17, 2018 at 5:08 pm
I really enjoyed the first episode of this series and i'm looking forward to the rest of them. These type of historical productions are not easy to pull off and are usually rushed through with limited budgets and descend into costumed cliche's riddled with tommy guns and tough guy one-liners. The casting, production value, and direction are top notch. The story is developing slowly along a few story-lines and I counted three "Do What Thou Wilt" stated in various ways in the first episode. I expect the story to continue to be entertaining and educational. Definitely a nice forward thrust for Thelema given it's so well made and featured on CBS.
lashtal on June 18, 2018 at 6:24 pm
Agreed – I was pleasantly surprised.
elitemachinery on July 8, 2018 at 3:43 pm
I'm enjoying the show each week 4 episodes so far 6 more to go…but it does seem to be proceeding a little slowly just like the reviews said.
elitemachinery on July 11, 2018 at 5:51 am
Great podcast. Very interesting to find out that they plan FIVE seasons of ten episodes each to tell Parson's story. WOW! I was under the impression it would only be one season. Great news. I really hope they follow through with this.
Jamie J Barter on July 17, 2018 at 2:04 am
"[…] revealed a mysterious stranger had taken up residence in only remaining room. […] Recently there had been a man – named locally as Mordechai Moshe – staying in the one and only room in [the] Boleskine House"
Well this is all news to me, and raises a whole heap of questions which would challenge the deductive capabilities of a Simon Iff… the photographs all show a burnt out shell and don't seem to reveal anything LIKE one room left standing! How could there possibly be any "furniture" left in "storage" in any such room after such an almighty conflagration? And who on earth is the enigmatic & highly mysterious Mister Moshe, who appears to be able to survive there without any public utilities or amenities – can it be a case of 'crazee name, crazee guy'?
Norma N Joy Conquest
ignant666 on July 19, 2018 at 1:53 pm
Who is "Christopher Josiffe Owner and editor of LAShTAL.COM"?
I can't recall ever hearing this name before.
What happened to Paul?
lashtal on July 19, 2018 at 3:45 pm
Well done for spotting the bug that appeared to show everyone as 'Owner and Editor'! Now corrected.
ignant666 on July 19, 2018 at 4:46 pm
Was genuinely worried, you are a wonderful host to this place.
Jamie J Barter on July 19, 2018 at 10:51 pm
I second that opinion.
I wonder how voluminous and erudite Crowley's annotations are (all being well there will be a bit more to them than e.g. "I agree"). Surely though, this is the type of publishing that the "O.T.O." should be putting out in the public interest – if they had their act together – rather than leaving it down to publishers such as Caduceus Books?
Despite Lutz's misgivings, hopefully this is the sort of thing we might be seeing more of now the 75 year copyright cut-off has been passed. What, I wonder, might be next – A.C.'s personally annotated "Table Talk", perhaps? (Or maybe even "Mein Kampf")
Norma N Joy Conquest
William Thirteen on July 25, 2018 at 6:11 pm
nice! perhaps I can convince the wife to pick it up for me as a Crowleymas gift!
pegasus on July 26, 2018 at 5:04 am
it seems to me as if the clouds are blurred words
William Thirteen on July 26, 2018 at 12:05 pm
Yes, saw some of these pop up on ABE yesterday… nice.
William Thirteen on July 28, 2018 at 1:31 pm
Don't do it, Jack!
pegasus on July 29, 2018 at 9:56 am
ALAS .. poor yorick I know him well
lashtal on August 2, 2018 at 1:10 pm
The book is now Sold.
Michael Staley on August 2, 2018 at 8:33 pm
:"He rubbed shoulders with . . . occultist Aleister Crowley"
elitemachinery on August 3, 2018 at 9:04 am
No. Writer did a hack job.
Michael Staley on August 5, 2018 at 12:00 pm
Someone posted to the Facebook 'Thelema' page a few days ago to remark that in the 1990s they had seen this picture handing in the office of John Symonds, which is a good piece of provenance. Though not amongst my favourite Crowleys, It's a nice picture. Though the price seems optimistic; interesting to see how much it goes for.
Brigitte Gorez Santos on August 6, 2018 at 11:05 am
lashtal on August 5, 2018 at 12:56 pm
Channel 4 News at Tower House: https://www.channel4.com/news/basement-battle-jimmy-page-and-robbie-williams-planning-clash
rarebooks on August 6, 2018 at 2:44 am
It's hard to imagine what else there is to learn about Jimmy in relation to his music. I recently finished Martin Power's bio of Page (No Quarter, The Three Lives of Jimmy Page) and actually enjoyed it regardless of it being unauthorized. And Jimmy's photo autobiography is pretty amazing, especially the two signed deluxe editions. What I would like to see/read/own/cherish would be a descriptive catalogue of his book, art, and ephemera collection. That would be the real prize for me. I do wonder if he has ever considered having his collection properly archived.
Brigitte Gorez Santos on August 6, 2018 at 11:08 am
It is also interesting to see that Tom Symonds is selling off Daddy's stuff… apparently he still has his offices at the Pindar Press in Hampstead, I visited them in 1995. Damn that's 23 years… time flies.
lashtal on August 6, 2018 at 7:24 pm
For anyone interested, the expert valued it at £6,000 to £8,000.
Michael Staley on August 6, 2018 at 7:56 pm
A friend sent me a link to this programme yesterday evening. It's a wonderful picture. It's probably film stars transcribed from a movie poster at the time (probably mid to late 1940s). The woman looks to me like Rita Hayworth, so this could be a poster for 'Gilda'. However, the chap doesn't lto my admittedly tired eyes ook a lot like Glenn Ford, her co-star in that film.
Whatever its origin, it's a great picture in my opinion, and personally, given recent auction prices, I think the expert undervalued it
Jamie J Barter on August 9, 2018 at 8:43 pm
Refreshing to know, isn't it, that the Symonds family firm is still managing to coin it in from Crowley's estate and bits & pieces they have managed to acquire along the way? They must be quite comfortably off on the back of things. Although £22.5K does seem rather on the exorbitant side considering that fine Spare artworks in colour seem to be going for about a third of this.
Norma N Joy Conquest
Michael Staley on August 10, 2018 at 6:23 pm
The most recent example of "fine Spare artworks in colour" was a drop-dead gorgeous 1955 pastel auctioned six or nine months agoi at Christie, London. There was not much in the way of change from £50,000, me old mucker.
Having said, I think that the price of this on ABEBooks is optimistic.
lashtal on August 12, 2018 at 2:20 pm
diestechfliege on August 12, 2018 at 8:17 pm
One question, is there another sequel?
Or is there somewhere you can find out how it ended?
christibrany on August 24, 2018 at 7:33 pm
Someone ran out of lyrical ideas ! 😇
lashtal on August 26, 2018 at 10:29 am
More of the same kind of thing in the UK Telegraph, 'Just how much did Jimmy Page owe his success to Aleister Crowley? It's a question that is raised by Chris Salewicz's closely observed, exhaustively researched and hugely entertaining – if sometimes distinctly queasy – appraisal of the life and career of the Led Zeppelin guitarist.' — https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/repression-sin-debauched-life-led-zeppelins-jimmy-page/
Horemakhet on August 31, 2018 at 11:33 pm
It isn't quite accurate that Nergal has 'ran out of lyrical ideas', Chris, as he has been mining Crowley Mt. for a long time now for his music & plethora of band merch (which sets the standard in the Metal world, btw). I've yet to see another musician with such a massive international platform, as he undoubtedly has, being weilded in this way. I'd like to think of him as an honorary 'Lashtalian'…. & , certainly, a fantastic band to check out live if any of you haven't already. One need not be into Metal to enjoy their show.
Margaret Christie Burns on September 1, 2018 at 3:02 am
Love your store or site James! xo
wellreadwellbred on September 23, 2018 at 12:16 pm
"Hopefully, Strange Angel will return for Season 2 so fans can also get a deeper understanding about Jack Parsons' bizarre and complicated life."
"If it were granted a Season 2, there is no doubt that it would take on a much darker tone, a tone that fans of Parsons before the series aired might have hoped for up front. And while it might assume a darker tone at that time, it would require more than tone to get audiences fully invested, in my opinion. The pulpy stylization of Parsons's imagination remains with him through this season, distracting us from the deeper development of the narrative, while the stylization of Susan Parsons's Occult therapy sessions draws us in. […]
[…] Jack Parsons's introduction to the OTO was not by accident as the series portrays. His first visit was in January of 1939. According to Pendle's biography, which, of course, the series takes its name from, Jack and Helen joined of their own accord.
"The house's guest registrar shows Parsons visiting only once more that year, for a party celebrating [Wilfred T.] Smith's birthday. His interest in Thelema and Crowley, however, was growing. Smith judiciously began to sell him copies of Crowley's books, which he would study at home. Seeing her husband's mounting interest in Crowley, Helen also began to read the books. Although she was initially shocked by Crowley's sexist attitudes, she, too, was gradually drawn to what she read. By the end of 1939 Parsons owned a respectable collection of Crowley's work. The age of Horus, the wink of the grandeur of the past, even if it was wearing a robe made out of old theater curtain, seemed to be infinitely more in tune with his romantic leanings than Communism or even science fiction … Wilfred Smith wanted to initiate Parsons into the OTO as soon as possible, although Parsons' rocket work and Helen's initial reluctance meant the initiation would have to be delayed for a while. Nevertheless, Parsons' scientific learning, his natural aristocratic manner and his wealthy countenance all gave Smith hope that Parsons could be the "Rich Man of the West" he had been looking for all these years." (Source: Pendle, George. Strange Angel: The Otherworldly Life of Rocket Scientist Jack Whiteside Parsons, (New York: Houghton Mifflan Harcourt, 2005), p. 152-153.)
Smith seems to be the access point for Ernest's character, though neither he nor Parsons required the eccentricities invoked by the writers. The motivation of money and promotion is much more interesting than his character's motivation in the series, and isn't there something more exciting about Jack and Susan coming to the pariah religion with more agency than by external manipulation?" (Source: Posted on August 17, 2018 by Rob E. King Strange Angel: Season One Finale – – – https://25yearslatersite.com/2018/08/17/strange-angel-season-one-finale/#_ftn1)
Horemakhet on October 6, 2018 at 8:23 pm
Behemoth have a high standard for their videos & know the right people to work with. Always eye candy from a certain aesthetic. Of course the "bottomless pit of anger" towards christianity, as one reviewer of their new album put it, may be a turn off to those who are not in the mood, I usually am & am celebratory when a new album is released. Looks like we'll get 4 videos from this one. I've listened to the album only a couple times as it was released yesterday. If you didn't like them before then you probably won't like the new one… If you do like them then you'll not be dissapointed!
wellreadwellbred on November 1, 2018 at 10:33 pm
""Strange Angel" has been renewed for a second season on CBS All Access. The drama, about rocketry pioneer and occultist Jack Parsons, ended its first season in August." (Source: "CBS All Access Drama 'Strange Angel' Renewed for Season 2
Posted by lashtal | Oct 29, 2018 | News, Thelema" – – – https://www.lashtal.com/cbs-all-access-drama-strange-angel-renewed-for-season-2/)
"According to the current popularity rating for Strange Angel at IMDb (source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7210448/), this TV Show's page was the 911th most viewed page among all TV Show Pages, and a downward red arrow indicates a fall in the popularity rating for this TV series by 179 points." […] "After its first season, the TV series Strange Angel does currently have low ratings on IMDb." (Sources: https://www.lashtal.com/forums/topic/strange-angel/page/3/#post-109537 and https://www.lashtal.com/forums/topic/strange-angel/page/3/#post-109553)
Hmmm, low ratings and no cancelation, but renewed even with low ratings.
I have earlier on this thread suggested that the American actor Eric Stoltz could have played Lafayette Ron Hubbard in Strange Angel returning for a Season 2. But it might be the case that that a character based on Hubbard will not figure in the second season for this show.
Eric Stoltz
Lafayette Ron Hubbard in 1947 (the year Aleister Crowley died in Hastings, England on December 1).
wellreadwellbred on November 1, 2018 at 10:44 pm
Ooops, according to the current (Thursday November 1, 2018) popularity rating for Strange Angel at IMDb, this TV Show's page was the 1,320th most viewed page among all TV Show Pages, and a downward red arrow indicates a fall in the popularity rating for this TV series by 26 points." I am not sure if this means that this TV Show's bad ratings at at IMDb are less bad than they used to be?
ignant666 on December 16, 2018 at 11:49 am
"[A] precocious Jack" indeed- Crowley was 13 years old when the murders took place!
michaelclarke18 on December 16, 2018 at 1:55 pm
lashtal on December 16, 2018 at 4:52 pm
Certainly is! Which is, of course, the reason I linked to it! 🙂
Michael Staley on January 9, 2019 at 12:06 am
That's a good review, and pleasing to read. As the publisher of this book, I worked closely with Henrik Bogdan for many months in order for it to come to birth, and I'm very pleased with the result. The book has had an extremely good reception, and many people have emailed me with appreciative comments.
Many people sense that there is something profound in Kenneth Grant's work, but find it a somewhat forbidding and impenetrable body of work. This fine collection of essays that Henrik Bogdan has assembled provides a way in to that work, and as such plays a valuable role in consolidating and developing Grant's legacy.
choronzonclub on January 29, 2019 at 7:22 am
Has this film actually ever been released in full?
elitemachinery on February 4, 2019 at 5:34 am
Thanks for this info. Checking her website Scarlett appears to be quite a committed artist and poet. She is also quite beautiful. It's nice to see people keeping these arts alive and she looks to have found her voice in art and media circles. Much continued success to Scarlett.
lashtal on February 7, 2019 at 4:55 pm
Update here from the 'Egypt Independent': https://ww.egyptindependent.com/egyptian-chinese-mission-excavates-at-luxors-monto-temple/
ptoner on February 8, 2019 at 4:24 pm
Great video and not abad song either.
dom on February 17, 2019 at 11:57 am
that book Is incredible.
lashtal on February 17, 2019 at 6:17 pm
For the announcement of this publication and subsequent discussion, see: https://www.lashtal.com/forums/topic/publication-of-achad-yorke-correspondence-1948-49/
christibrany on February 19, 2019 at 6:00 pm
cheers lutz 🙂 93s 🙂
elitemachinery on March 4, 2019 at 9:16 am
This is great news!
Jeffrey D. Evans on March 6, 2019 at 2:30 pm
Jeffrey D. Evans: agreed. I recall how shocked people were in my school years when I pointed out that Crowley (whose Book 4, pt. 3 I was studying at that time) was pictured as one of the "people we like" on the Beatles' just-released "Sergeant Pepper's…" album. A lot of them quickly lost interest in him after looking closely at the book. So many of them were just looking for Free-Form-Fun….and that triple-F is NOT 666, no matter what people think!
William Thirteen on March 29, 2019 at 4:04 pm
Tobi's gonna keep mining that vein til the gold gives out!
Horemakhet on March 31, 2019 at 12:37 am
Ordered. Tobias is the best. Yes he is guilty of 'hero worship', but if you are reading this comment then you are too!
christibrany on April 1, 2019 at 8:12 pm
At least somehow someone is putting out unpublished exercerpts of AC's diaries; Churton's books are quite good. Beast in Berlin and AC in America highly reccomended.
The way he manages to weave the other personages around AC's life and explain their relevance to him, as well as to explain their and AC's relevance to current events of the period, and history is really well done.
There was less about magick and mysticism in AC in America than I would have expected though.
christibrany on April 2, 2019 at 8:41 pm
I am reading this book now and it is very good. Even if you have been a Thelemite, in an Order, or studied Crowley for years, there is still a lot in here to refresh your memory, to learn anew or to make you think a bit 🙂
Michael Staley on April 2, 2019 at 11:15 pm
I ordered this when first seeing the notice appear on LAShTAL. It arrived here at Starfire Towers this morning. Nicely printed on good quality paper, attractively bound, it consists of eight essays, some of which I'd seen before, others of which are new to me. I particularly look forward to reading 'The Essence of the Practical Qabalah', since in recent months I've become increasingly interested in Achad's use of gematria.
Noted that it arrived on 2nd April, 71 years after the Incoming of the Ma-Ion.
I'm glad to have purchased this. It is number 61 of a edition limited to 75. If the limitation numbers are allocated sequentially as copies are sold, then anyone wanting a copy needs to be quick.
lashtal on April 13, 2019 at 10:35 am
More details in the brochure: http://assets.reapit.net/ckd/live/pdf.php?p=INV190064&t=S
William Thirteen on April 15, 2019 at 3:57 pm
whaddya say, Paul – shall we go halves on it?
William Thirteen on April 15, 2019 at 4:14 pm
Just received mine this week. While I am not a big fan of fancy bindings, the contents are worthwhile. In particular, Achad's essay "Thinking Backwards", which describes an arcane method of meditation guaranteed to make your whites whiter and your brights brighter!
lashtal on April 15, 2019 at 8:28 pm
Don't tempt me!
Meanwhile, there's more here: https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/ruins-of-boleskine-house-overlooking-loch-ness-up-for-sale-176860/
lashtal on April 15, 2019 at 9:24 pm
'Ruined home of real-life Wicker Man and notorious Satanist goes up for sale for a devilish £500,000.'
You've got to admire the headline-crafting abilities od the Daily Mail's online Sub-Editor!
hadgigegenraum on April 17, 2019 at 2:07 am
Divide and conquer…one would have thought the estate should have been hacked into 14 pieces
for the bankers, barristers, real estate agents and other vermin
of paper spells and deeds
no trespassing and we will tell you not to walk on the flowers
thank you very much…
So perhaps ISIS will buy it all four
and four for one if you have enough five
in your account to even try
but the ply is to rip home from its grounds
to further mock and alienate
Just as Notre Dame will be puckered up
the Bolskine you say.
Turn your head the other way
I will take my ruins skyclad and spooky
Dark for stars to see
with groves on the grounds
for celebrants to so feast
with kiblah
potent through the ages
or until the deed is signed away
number three is still available
and two is on order
until the money can be confirmed of course
but four is best, but one is surely tempting
but if you get all four we will throw in
'Cefelu for free!
Because Real Estate
the only firm to go with
you know, yes you will know
because will have you
plus some plots in the western lands
that are wonderful little bardo placements
yours forever
just sign the papers and die
of course some trees in New Jersey might fit the bill
but we are going off track
where's the OTO
or rather the AA
no the LIL is coming out of hiding and have a bid in already
but wait is it confirmed that rainbow anarcho thelemic squatters have
already swarmed the place, refusing to budge
children have already been conceived
and in great numbers
locals say that a certain wafts of odor seem to overwhelm
a musky musk of electric ardor that swoons a breezy
enveloping tide
but such visions wane for the demographic umph died a long time ago
And then all that went silent and disappear
a news story
some sort of obsessions
something far from the maddening crowds
a silence of ruins
whose wings are open to fly
for to sky
but what ever happened to the ski's up in the attic
was there an attic?
Skyclad and comely…..when the fucking neighbors turn off their flood lights!
lashtal on April 17, 2019 at 9:40 am
Just a reminder that you can use the 'Tag Cloud' on the righthand side of each page to see a history of posts about particular subjects. For example, clicking on 'Boleskine' there takes you here:
lashtal on April 17, 2019 at 7:36 pm
William Thirteen on April 18, 2019 at 1:27 pm
While I appreciate his efforts to bring AC to the public and his enthusiasm for the work, I find his writing style disagreeable, his citations lacking, and his conclusions slapdash. I prefer the efforts of Marco Pasi, Henrik Bogdan, Richard Kaczynski and other, perhaps more thoughtful, academics. But, of course, that doesn't prevent me from purchasing & reading (painful as that is) Churton's works, nor from recommending them to those who I believe will enjoy them.
gardeck on June 28, 2019 at 6:25 pm
Nicely stated. I would only add that he's an unbridled AC apologist as well. Barring output, he's Kaczynski's inferior every other way.
sororpate93 on April 21, 2019 at 5:53 pm
Good morning, Happy Easter!!!🙂
Jamie J Barter on April 23, 2019 at 11:44 pm
And the Thelemic holiday/ festivity of "Easter" is celebrated as…? (Should "Good Friday" and the Saviour's return to life on the third day be included in this as well?)
Eggs-tatically yours,
Norma N Joy Conquest
Markus on April 29, 2019 at 6:15 pm
Thankyou for pointing this out, Paul!
William Thirteen on April 30, 2019 at 4:51 pm
Can't wait for VP Pence to weigh in on this!
Nexist Xendaths on May 3, 2019 at 6:08 am
Not sure why I should be happy about a group promoting mainstream normative culture under the guise of "satanism" getting labelled as a Church rather than a PAC. While they are amusing, we are in far more danger from Secular authorities than the attenuated vestiges of the Christian Religion. Hell, we are threatened more by Islamic religions than by Christianity.
Michael Staley on May 7, 2019 at 8:46 pm
Who is the publisher?
lashtal on May 7, 2019 at 8:57 pm
Strange Attractor Press
William Thirteen on May 8, 2019 at 2:19 pm
Strange Attractor has published a number of exciting works the past few years. And now this!
lashtal on May 11, 2019 at 3:17 pm
Just received a copy of the book I ordered via eBay from Liber-AL.com. Looks typically attractive for a Starfire publication. Looking forward to reading it, especially Christian Giudice's essay on Gerald Massey's influence on Kenneth Grant.
William Thirteen on May 16, 2019 at 4:38 pm
it will be interesting to see what they do with it.
William Thirteen on May 16, 2019 at 4:38 pm
yes, it is chock full of tasty treats!
wellreadwellbred on May 19, 2019 at 3:30 am
Yes, as for "perhaps more thoughtful, academics", the end of this yotube-video from the Workshop Thosophical Appropriations, held at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in 2013, contains interesting information about Sri Sabhapati Swami (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Sabhapati_Swami): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4Rsjq0BdUI&list=PLT1AcFHfC_XZZ6G2Vr5FdW90cdAT5QPC8&index=3 – – – The Integration of the Chakras into Theosophy -Karl BAIER
"Keith E. Cantú, a doctoral student in Religious Studies (South Asian religions with an additional emphasis in European medieval studies)", provides more about Crowley and Sri Sabhapati Swami (from 14 minutes within) in the following youtube-video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnrak1JyEmM – – – HGR Episode 6: Keith Cantú […] Hieros Gamos Published on 14 Mar 2018
Here follows a hyperlink to Keith Cantú's an academic conference paper titled Śrī Sabhāpati Swāmī: Forgotten Yogī of Western Esotericism: https://www.academia.edu/29691061/%C5%9Ar%C4%AB_Sabh%C4%81pati_Sw%C4%81m%C4%AB_Forgotten_Yog%C4%AB_of_Western_Esotericism
wellreadwellbred on May 19, 2019 at 3:36 am
Star Sapphire Lodge has hosted "… Brother Keith Cantú for a discussion of the "Tantric Roots of Thelema: Fact and Fiction" on Sunday, December 16." (Source: https://www.meetup.com/Star-Sapphire-Lodge/events/257158876/ – – – Sunday, December 16, 2018 Tantric Roots of Thelema: Fact and Fiction)
Michael Staley on May 19, 2019 at 3:38 pm
From the advance notice of this book:
"Churton shows how Vedantist and Advaitist philosophies, Hindu religious practices, yoga, and Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism informed Crowley's spiritual system . . ."
On the face of it, Advaita might be considered a key component in Crowley's "spiritual system", particularly in the formulation 0=2. However, Crowley's attitude to Advaita was a curious one: for instance, from Letter Five of 'Magick without Tears':, speaking of what he termed "The Monist (or Advaitist) school":
"It seems to me that this doctrine is based upon a sorites of doubtful validity. To tell you the hideously shameful truth, I hate this doctrine so rabidly that I can hardly trust myself to present it fairly!"
Personally I find Crowley's attitude to Advaita absurd, but there it is.
hadgigegenraum on May 22, 2019 at 8:09 pm
Mr. Staley,
I believe that a young Kenneth Grant was working as Crowley's secretary at the time of the writing of the letters that became 'Magick Without Tears".? Perhaps. if so, then Crowley poke at Advaita might have something to do with conversations between the two.
I agree, Crowley's attitude, in that quote is sad, but of course it is one of Mr. Grant's great contributions concerned the relevant inclusion of the subject of
Advaita as relates to Thelemic occultism.
Michael Staley on May 23, 2019 at 1:01 pm
'Macick without Tears' was largely finished when Grant met Crowley for the first time in December 1944. He undertook to have the typescript copied for Crowley. Grant spent a weekend at 'Netherwood' a few weeks prior to his engagement as Secretary, and spent some time studying the Letters then.
At this time (1945) I think that Grant knew little of Advaita. He wasn't really aware of Ramana Maharshi until a few months after his death, when he heard a programme broadcast on the BBC Home Service in the summer of 1950, 'The Sage of Arunachala'. His interest in Advaita grew from then on, and climaxed into a major epiphany in June/July 1952 into the essential truth of Advaita.
I know what you mean, but I don't find that quote by Crowley so much sad as inexplicable, especially given that 0=2 is at the heart of Thelema.
William Thirteen on May 27, 2019 at 11:22 pm
I must confess to being a bit disappointed. While it is an enjoyable tale of bibliomania, the layout is poor and the photographs low quality. This refers only to the 2019 3rd edition as I haven't had the pleasure of seeing the first two.
lashtal on June 2, 2019 at 11:28 am
hadgigegenraum on June 4, 2019 at 2:41 am
Mr Staley, ~ Thanks for the note it is nice to have clarification regarding Mr. Grant and the writing of "Magick without Tears"
As regards speculation that Grant was not familiar with Advaita in 1945, I would have to concur, for thinking about this question, of Crowley's attitude towards Advaita, I was wondering about how well know it was at this time. My thoughts were about what books were floating about on this subject?
Today their is a derisive label that is given as a prefix to Advaita, referring to the spawn of Ramana Maharshi as Neo-Advaita. Typhonians might defer to
Nu-Advaita, but that is another question.
Here upon the topic of Crowley's aversion to Advaita, it might be posited, that the word Advaita had come to be associated with a certain type of "Hindu nationalism" that in a certain sense provides a challenge to the World Teacher project of Crowleys that predates 'Magick Without Tears'
Perhaps Churton's next continental offering might bring forth some intriguing perspectives. I have yet to get through Crowley in America, but I appreciate that he has opened up discussion concerning what Spence had identified in Secret Agent 666, which I have never read but at a glance,
would I think like to refer back to the Confessions for source material.
Speaking of Source Material….!!! Congratulations and Much Thanks for the long anticipated unpublished letters of Frater Achad,…."The Official and Unoffical writings….."!
lashtal on June 7, 2019 at 10:44 am
The essays by Michael Staley are excellent.
christibrany on June 10, 2019 at 10:49 pm
lashtal on June 12, 2019 at 11:46 pm
Michael Staley on June 18, 2019 at 10:45 am
Thank you, Paul and Chris, for your appreciative remarks. In the course of preparing the material on the origins of New Isis Lodge, I came across something that has opened up new vistas.
There will be more volumes like 'Servants of the Star & the Snake' in years to come, and I hope to continue collaboration with Henrik Bogdan.
Mazus on June 20, 2019 at 8:16 pm
Watch out for this mob. I paid via paypal for this issue to have a rad and maybe to continue to support them. No magazine has been delivered and they have no responded to emails. Its a pity.
lashtal on June 21, 2019 at 8:19 pm
I receive my copies via the Magzter app.
mayet on June 24, 2019 at 11:05 am
Would you know if there is more on the sides to this piece or is this all that has survived?
What creature is next to thoth the scribe ibis on the left?
The stars along in a line, what exactly do they portray I have seen those exact stars many many moons ago
why is there two aspects of thoth, the scribe and the ape?
by helping hand does that mean osiris actually determines the outcome?
what dynasty does this piece come from? I have never seen maet so teeny tiny before.
Jamie J Barter on June 25, 2019 at 1:44 am
"Helping hand" is from Horus possibly assisting the outcome not Osiris. "Why is there two aspects of thoth, the scribe and the ape?" The second one is the Cynocephalus or "Ape of Thoth|", who chatters nonsense instead of wisdom – and is a sort of Janus – reverse/mirror image "The stars along in a line", maybe represents the course of a particular transit of some sort… The feather of Maat in the pan is very LIGHT – has to be!
William Thirteen on June 28, 2019 at 8:47 am
Let us hope for the best. In the meantime, they spelled "approximately" incorrectly.
Michael Staley on June 29, 2019 at 8:45 am
Yes, but it's only approximately incorrect.
christibrany on June 29, 2019 at 10:48 pm
I am approximately cheered by the fact that they hope to restore this once-beautiful house . Hope it is done and with 'business manner.'
vsrmarch20 on July 1, 2019 at 2:39 pm
like how can i join our community ???
lashtal on July 2, 2019 at 7:53 pm
Jamie J Barter on July 2, 2019 at 11:39 pm
A Tea Room, Visitor's Centre & Gift Shoppe may already be on the drawing board! Have your National Trust/ Historic Scotland membership cards at the ready…
Jamie J Barter on July 13, 2019 at 2:46 am
Purple beyond purple! (And is the hat supposed to match?)
Wouldn't he also look just so pretty in pink?
Chromatically & couturerishly yours… from somewhere deep within The Twilight, I mean The Mauve Zone,
NormaN Joy Conquest
William Thirteen on July 19, 2019 at 6:30 pm
oh that's wonderful news!
lashtal on July 19, 2019 at 10:04 pm
Now available in the UK from Amazon: https://amzn.to/2O3oNFG
milford on July 29, 2019 at 10:22 am
You have to read this
Jamie J Barter on July 30, 2019 at 10:54 pm
The posting is more than seven years old, the original article from where it came about times as long as that, the original Led Zeppelin lineup played their last gig together nearly forty years ago. What is the reason therefore for the apparent urgency milford & Why does one "HAVE to read this", moreover in French rather than the English language source itself?
lashtal on August 1, 2019 at 12:59 pm
Detective Inspector Eddie Ross has confirmed that the police are investigating the fire. He says "Our inquiries are at an early stage, although our initial assessment is that this fire was started deliberately. We would encourage anybody may have seen any activity around Boleskine House or nearby to come forward as soon as they can. It should go without saying that deliberately setting fires is incredibly dangerous as you have limited control over how they may develop".
"Anyone with information about this fire can contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident 3619 of July 31, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."
— From the Facebook page of The Boleskine House Foundation
christibrany on August 2, 2019 at 3:44 pm
What the heck….
Jamie J Barter on August 2, 2019 at 10:57 pm
What the blazes?…
Alan_OBrien on August 5, 2019 at 11:43 am
This is bad news. There is one good side to it: at least this second fire occurred before work has started to repair the house. If the house had been repaired and then there had been a fire it would have been a crushing blow.
It looks as if the new owners will have a security concern on their hands. It sounds to me as if there are nutcases around with a grudge against that house.
mayet on August 6, 2019 at 1:44 pm
Crews tackled separate blazes in Boleskine House and the neighbouring coach house.
yeah buck stops there
I will sit back and wait to see if those were the areas that had already begun restoration at a cost to the pocket
hadgigegenraum on August 7, 2019 at 2:41 am
Is the smell of insurance scam" wafting through the sir….?
Alan_OBrien on August 12, 2019 at 6:13 pm
How far is Boleskine from the nearest railway station?
lashtal on August 15, 2019 at 10:07 am
Two alleged offenders arrested, apparently. Security staff now living on site.
Alan_OBrien on September 10, 2019 at 5:59 pm
It's a shame that Christopher Josiffe's name appears everywhere online (with regards to this book) as "Christopher Josiffre".
Perhaps there is a spelling mistake in the book itself.
Josiffre sounds very cool, anyway: it reminds me of "Le Chiffre".
lashtal on September 10, 2019 at 10:13 pm
Or 'Louis Çifr' (William Hjörtsberg's 'Falling Angel'), perhaps. Or, 'Louis Cyphre' in the movie version ('Angel Heart').
Alan_OBrien on September 12, 2019 at 10:21 am
This excellent book has a full description at http://strangeattractor.co.uk/shoppe/lost-envoy/
Jamie J Barter on September 25, 2019 at 6:48 pm
"A true Initiate does not use powers to be better, wiser, more advanced […]"
No, s/he uses them to be worse off, more foolish & ignorant, and going backwards on the Path instead… I don't think?
wparfitt on March 10, 2020 at 8:33 pm
Hi Jamie, good joke! 🙂 … read the whole blurb, better still read the book, you might find out what an initiate is. Have fun! W
Alan_OBrien on September 27, 2019 at 6:36 pm
I have tried reading Crowley's early poetry, but like a lot of poetry from that time it often has a basis in Greek or Roman mythology. In order to understand it one has to learn the story of Halicarnassus's spider and the Atlantean dog. Or something like that. I am afraid I am not willing to learn the backwaters of European myth just to understand a poem – so this book is not for me.
I am sure it is a good book, though.
Nexist Xendaths on September 29, 2019 at 5:54 am
I am confused. What does this offer that Volume One of the Collected Works does not? It has four poems, so there is less content, though there are about the same number of pages, so probably a larger typeface.
Why would I want this book? (I would post on FaceBook, but I left it a couple years ago.)
the_real_simon_iff on October 3, 2019 at 6:31 pm
Hi Nexist!
As far as I know, the annotating and footnoting will add quite some info on the poetry and how it came to life, but of course there will be nothing new Crwoley-wise. Just like it will be with the nexet Kamuret book, The Sword of Song.
But how good it will really be? I don't know, but I am quite sure it is not just another money-milking by printing copyright-free stuff. Chris Giudice seems to be a dedicated scholar and the fact the Richard Kaczynski of perdurabo fame is releasing his Sword of Song work through Kamuret press should also be quite telling.
If in doubt, wait for the first reviews.
lashtal on October 4, 2019 at 12:53 pm
Well said, Lutz. This could well be the book I was always planning to write!
kamuretpress on November 17, 2019 at 9:43 am
Review of Early Poetic Works, gives a fair idea of the book contents. Thanks for posting this in the news section, Paul.
lashtal on November 17, 2019 at 12:40 pm
My pleasure, @kamuretpress. I hope that one of the lucky buyers of the book will submit a Review to this site. I'm hearing good things about it…
the_real_simon_iff on October 3, 2019 at 6:33 pm
Excellent! (aside from the winter 2020 release date)
AbulDiz on October 4, 2019 at 4:52 pm
Great news! I will look forward to this one. I need to explore Killing Joke a bit more than I have done, there is so much music out there to listen to if you are open minded and unbiased. Thanks for the heads up.
Fergus on October 5, 2019 at 11:24 am
likewise looking forward to this…I like the earlier orchestral work with Anne Dudley. Did Crowley know Alice Bailey or ever meet her? There is an Alice Bailey quote on the liner of the 1981 album Dweller on the Threshold by Francis Monkman…rock trivia fact of the day!
christibrany on October 25, 2019 at 3:58 pm
R.I.P. Mrs. Grant and thank you for your great contributions to life, art, and the occult.
alysa on October 26, 2019 at 3:29 am
R.i.p.Steffi Grant!
ateh on October 26, 2019 at 2:39 pm
"There is joy in the setting-out; there is joy in the journey; there is joy in the goal." (Liber XC/22)
Michael Staley on November 4, 2019 at 12:15 am
I first met Steffi Grant in the early 1980s. After Kenneth Grant's death in 2011, I worked closely with her on the systematic republication of the Typhonian Trilogies. She was very generous in allowing me full access to Kenneth Grant's papers, typescripts and correspondence, since her main concern after her husband's death was to preserve and build on his legacy.
Steffi was born in Berlin on 1st December 1923 into a Jewish family, and they came to the UK as refugees shortly before the Second World War, being settled in London. She met Kenneth in 1941, and they married in 1946. Over the next few years Steffi produced a fantastic body of art, much of which was published in the nine volumes of the Typhonian Trilogies. She was also a very good writer, producing a marvellous Introduction to 'Zos Speaks!', which is powerfully evocative of both London in the late 1940s and 1950s, and Spare at the time she and Kenneth knew him. She also wrote several of the essays in the series of Carfax Monographs.
I miss this extraordinary woman enormously.
frater121 on February 29, 2020 at 9:31 am
Thank you for sharing this Mr. Staley. My deepest condolences for the loss of your friend.
Michael Staley on February 29, 2020 at 6:22 pm
Thank you, frater121. She was an extraordinary person, and I miss her very much.
frater_anubis on November 17, 2019 at 6:38 pm
Apparently nobody has signed it yet. So I just did – seems like a good idea to me
kidneyhawk on November 18, 2019 at 2:06 am
I must say: I am generally unimpressed with Crowley's influence on so much modern music. English Heretic delivered the goods with regards to Grant. Twink and Co. do the same here. This stuff is such a wonderful rocking interpretation. Big applause for this work!
lashtal on November 18, 2019 at 1:00 pm
The counter showed 81 signatures a few minutes ago.
Alan_OBrien on November 18, 2019 at 3:42 pm
I cannot see the point of this. I also can't see much harm.
I won't sign the petition though, because I think petitions are bad.
Michael Staley on November 20, 2019 at 8:29 pm
I can see a point. There are some people who want to carry out detailed research on the original manuscript. It's not something which particularly interests me, but on the other hand there are all sorts of things which are of intense interest to me but leave others cold. I signed this petition on some Facebook page a few days ago. I don't think petitions are bad, but each to his own, Alan.
lashtal on November 20, 2019 at 12:47 pm
There's an interesting interview with Jaz in the current (January 2020) edition of 'Mojo'.
Alan_OBrien on November 26, 2019 at 7:44 pm
"The discovered cachet included hundreds of diversified objects…"
You would expect Egyptians not to make this mistake. What was discovered was a "cache".
I have cachet, but I do not have a cache.
frater_anubis on November 28, 2019 at 4:27 pm
Theres a museum dedicated to mumified cats in downtown Luxor. Fascinating.
mc156 on December 3, 2019 at 12:51 am
93 All… Um, I did sign it and I do fully support the publishing of color scans of Liber XXXI but I did not start the petition… Usually I avoid them as especially in this case it doesn't matter how many desire it or would be willing to produce it. It is not up for a popular vote.
I would dearly LOVE to have this manifested… I can still recall the sensation of actually *holding* the manuscript in my hands… it is only a matter of time, may it happen in my lifetime!
Love is the law, love under will.
lashtal on December 3, 2019 at 1:43 pm
Apologies… Post was worded (by Bathsheba Ashe) as published. Now fixed.
wellreadwellbred on December 4, 2019 at 5:57 am
"The text of all 30 aethyrs is set to an original synthesizer backing track, encompassing over 6 hours of words and music."
Is there an option for listening to this 'audiobook' format of The Vision and The Voice/Liber 418, with the original synthesizer backing track turned off? That is, can this audiobook be listened to in a way where only the words are audible?
wellreadwellbred on January 16, 2020 at 6:25 am
Reply from threefold31(@threefold31): "Dwtw
OT but not worth a new thread. The answer is no, it is not possible to hear the words without the music. Seven Ravens material uses music because I find plain spoken word to be somewhat boring. But that's because I'm a musician. YMMV.
RLG" (Source: 'Is that really a "G" in "ALGMOR"?' – – – https://www.lashtal.com/forums/thelema/is-that-really-a-g-in-algmor/paged/4/#post-102687 )
frater_anubis on December 6, 2019 at 6:24 pm
This grossly overpriced "pamphet" is another attempt by Richard Cole to earn a living out of Aleister Crowley's memory. Avoid
Shiva on December 9, 2019 at 8:58 pm
I checked with Lulu, the printer (not the publisher) to see what a 68-pahe, premium paperback, B&W text, color over, costs to make/manufacture. The answer, in USA size and currency is $2.90. By contemporary book-pricing standards, this would mean a retail list price of $11.60.
Mr Cole is listing this book at $8.85, and currently offers a 30% discount to arrive at a current net price of $6.20 – plus Shipping, but Shipping is wholly (holy?) Lulu's cost/fee. This is not "grossly overpriced," and I will eat my hat and coat if he is an example of "earning a living out of Aleister." Since Aleister's name appears in the book title, there is still room for viewing Richard as "riding on Crowley's coat-tails," but monetary gain in larger amounts than a single sip at the local pub is not one of his sins.
No, it's not money that is the key factor here. It is the content, plus the revelation of an alleged super-secret (coming next year) and its validity in terms of uniqueness and practicality, that everything rests upon. And everyone has to wait for the trilogy to be published before any final verdict can be made.
Alan_OBrien on December 14, 2019 at 6:23 pm
It's a sad, sad picture. Boleskine has started to resemble Cefalu. I think a rich Thelemite needs to take it over from secular hands.
William Thirteen on December 15, 2019 at 3:39 pm
indeed – it is always a good idea for a rich someone else to do … something.
in the interim – one can subscribe/donate at the above links.
Alan_OBrien on December 17, 2019 at 3:24 pm
I am sad to say that my budget does not stretch to donating money to dilapidated British stately homes. I have some repairs that I need to fix at my own house first.
NOTE TO SELF: Come back later and add gofundme links asking people to pay for house repairs.
Alan_OBrien on December 17, 2019 at 5:03 pm
I received my copy of this a few days ago and I am still reading through it. I am not overly impressed.
Alan_OBrien on December 21, 2019 at 8:54 am
I am glad to hear you are okay. You are doing the right thing.
If I were to die now (which is NOT likely) then all my books would be chucked in a huge bin. I am also thinking of selling them off in my own way.
Horemakhet on December 28, 2019 at 12:27 am
You're acknowledged once again Paul!:
"…Other helpful sources of ideas and information include LAShTAL, the remarkable website of the Aleister Crowley Society, run so ably by Paul Feazy…"
lashtal on January 2, 2020 at 8:42 pm
Now available online: http://www.weiserantiquarian.com/catalogues.php
azrael2393 on January 3, 2020 at 3:53 pm
Nice reframing of the facts.
Horemakhet on January 4, 2020 at 8:42 am
lashtal on January 4, 2020 at 10:22 am
azrael2393 on January 6, 2020 at 5:30 pm
[MODERATOR'S NOTE: This Comment has been deleted due to potentially libellous content…]
lashtal on January 6, 2020 at 7:31 pm
That's a very serious accusation, Marco. I trust you have evidence to support it?
azrael2393 on January 7, 2020 at 12:53 pm
[MODERATOR'S NOTE: This Comment has been deleted due to potentially libellous content…]
djedi on January 7, 2020 at 4:58 pm
Based on the inter-university match of 1898 and a few other games I've seen notated, Crowley appeared to favor the king's pawn opening (which we can ascertain from the 1898 article by realizing the French defense can only by played against 1.e4). If I had to make an informed guess, his response to Churchill's French defense would be Nc3 or even Nf3. This is unsurprising, and maybe I hoped his preferred openings were as arcane as his other interests, but oh well. When playing black, he has been demonstrated to use the Taimanov variation of the open Sicilian, and the unexciting Petrov's defense. He seemed to rely on knights to develop his game.
I can admire someone who takes the norm and plays it straight better than most, but we must consider it ironic that such a unique and pioneering mind was so orthodox in chess strategy.
frater121 on February 29, 2020 at 9:22 am
Her art was such an inspiration to me. My sincere love goes out to her family and friends.
Michael Staley on March 2, 2020 at 6:35 pm
I saw this at the time of broadcast, and thought it a lovely portrait. The woman talking about the drawing and the artist was clearly enthusiastic about Spare's work, and I thought her appreciative remark about the way that Spare drew eyes was spot on. I alsdo thought her estimate of the value a good one; she was giving the value not for what she thought it would sell for, but the likely estimate that an auction house such as Christies or Sothebys would assign as a starter to prompt the bidding.
Alan_OBrien on March 11, 2020 at 8:28 am
It seems that Spare was one of those artists who was not possessive about his art, and gave it freely away to his subjects. This characteristic can make artists the focus of forgers, but this has not happened to Spare. He does not attract big money and he takes great skill to imitate. It would be more profitable for a forger to make another Samuel Palmer.
Michael Staley on March 14, 2020 at 2:12 am
Unfortunately there are some forgeries around, Alan. Poor and sad examples turn up from time to time on ebay. As you say, though, none of them manage his exuberance of line.
Alan_OBrien on April 28, 2020 at 5:27 pm
This is a very generous offer. Many thanks.
lashtal on May 28, 2020 at 1:19 pm
I will happily publish a member's review of this new book.
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- Verda Kaukola - LAShTAL Review: The Complete Mystical Records of Dr John Dee - LAShTAL.COM [...]My Increased Self knows precisely what's best for…
- Westminster Paedophile Ring – Roddam Twiss / son of Sir Frank Twiss | goodnessandharmony - […] https://www.lashtal.com/570-old-news/ […]
- DOLPHIN SQUARE | HOLLIE GREIG JUSTICE : KAREN IRVINE IS EL COYOTE IS SNAKE LOGAN IS HOAXTEAD - […] https://www.lashtal.com/570-old-news/ […]
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Would Crowley have been targeted by the #MeToo movement
By dom, 22 hours ago
Aleister Crowley's Entry in a Children's Encyclopedia
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Does Liber AL presume Rare Earth hypothesis?
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Recent Posts
RE: Would Crowley have been targeted by the #MeToo movement
No it was also a big U.S. hit (I didn't know the guy wa...
By dom, 16 mins ago
@shiva I have a lot of experience w 'The examination ...
By christibrany, 14 hours ago
RE: The Incoming of the Aeon of Maat - publication update
Looking forward to JD shipping this one off to me from ...
By christibrany, 2 days ago
I spent most of my life operating on the "Live every da...
By ignant666, 2 days ago
RE: Aleister Crowley's Entry in a Children's Encyclopedia
For some reason that wiki made me laugh, imagine a rand...
By fraterihsan, 4 days ago
RE: The 'Starseed Transmissions'
Following the extravaganza ley line from eLGMOR through...
By Shiva, 4 days ago
And I thought I'd never have an excuse to post this! ...
By djedi, 5 days ago
Some more Aleisters-in-name-only that I compiled awhile...
By djedi, 5 days ago
RE: Does Liber AL presume Rare Earth hypothesis?
How dare anyone accuse me of innocence?
By Shiva, 6 days ago