Lux Occulta Press - The Occult Gateway: February 2011

Friday, February 11, 2011

Cultural Anthropology, Civilization – How Civilizations began

Stories From The Stone Age is a three-part documentary that attempts to explain why and how humans abandoned the nomadic hunting and gathering existence they had known for millennium to take up a completely new way of life - the decisive move to farming.

The programs also look at the beginning of the domestication of animals, permanent settlements and the discovery of metals - setting the stage for the arrival of the world's first civilization. Based on extensive research, Stories From The Stone Age takes us on a journey where we get to live alongside our ancestors as they cross between the Old and the New Worlds and into civilization.

PART ONE

PART TWO

PART THREE

The series utilizes detailed re-enactments and short interviews with key archaeological experts. The series asks some intriguing questions. Why did some of our ancestors never become farmers at all? Why do some still continue hunting and gathering despite their contact with farming people and advanced technologies? How and why did our paths become uniquely shaped after emerging as a species from a single genetic family in Africa?

Updated: 18-5-2023

Zolar's Encyclopedia of Ancient and Forbidden Secrets (1992)

The knowledge in this book is helpful to understand the belief systems of other religions, other thought patterns and different forms of logical thinking. While not every presented topic can be accepted as irreversible "truths" or point to the the key to salvation (which it does not), the book does serve as an educational tool in Liberal Arts. There are also clues to the mode of operation of the Enemy of Man.

The author is highly educated, as evidenced by his clean sentences and knowledge ability. It is pleasant to read after the onslaught of late 1970's and 1980's shallow, mass-market "self-help" books that were loaded with outdated buzzwords. This book is also well written, and contributes to the overall knowledge of the life-long scholar, or to anyone who loves and respects knowledge. It helps break the barriers of two-dimensional thinking.

Updated: 18-5-2023

Sunday, February 6, 2011

The Sacred Books of the East Series (Vol. 1 - 50)

The Sacred Books of the East (SBE) series, comprising fifty volumes, was issued by the Oxford University Press between 1879 and 1910. It has translations of key sacred texts of Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Zoroastrianism, Jainism, and Islam. The series was edited by the famous linguist and scholar of comparative religion, Max Müller. He wrote three of the volumes, and collaborated on three others. The SBE has been designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as part of the UNESCO Collection of Representative Works.

Updated: 18-5-2023

Michael Howard - Magie Der Runen (1985) (German)

A full investigation into rune origins, symbolism & use, traced from Neolithic & Bronze Age symbols & their connection with other magical & mystical symbols. Runic divination by Germanic tribes, Saxons and Vikings are also covered. Odin is discussed, as the shaman-god of the runes, with his myths & legends, the Wild Hunt, and the Valkyries. Magical uses of runes are explored with their use in divination. Fascinating information is included on discoveries made in archaeological excavations, rune masters & mistresses, the bog sacrifices of Scandinavia & rune master training.

Runic symbolism is detailed together with descriptions of each of the eight runes of Freya's, Haegl's & Tyr's Aetts with divinity, religious symbolism & spiritual meanings based on The Anglo Saxon Rune Poem. How to make your own set of runes, how to cast them for divination with suggested layouts & the use of rune magic. Also covers the gods & goddesses of the Aesir & Vanir, their myths & legends & the seasonal cycle of Northern Tradition festivals. Other topics covered include Hyperborea & the "Atlantis of the North", duality in Indo-European religion, the Web of Wyrd & the Norns, Saxon/Norse paganism & traditional witchcraft.

Updated: 18-5-2023

Michael Howard - The Book of Fallen Angels (2004)

In some ways this book is a sequel to The Pillars of Tubal Cain by Nigel Jackson and Michael Howard, in another way it is a prequel in the sense that it expands on the material and themes specifically contributed by the author to that book. However it also stands on its own as a concise, popular and reader-friendly introduction to this mysterious, and sometimes obscure and sinister, subject. This book challenges the concept that the fallen angels, or ‘Ben Elohim’ fell from grace and became demons, with their leader Azazel or Shemyaza, identified with the rebel angel Lucifer, becoming, according to the Christian texts, the Prince of Darkness and supreme principal of evil.

Topics covered include what angels are and what they represent; their ancient origins; the major differences between Lucifer/Lumiel and Satan and how the early church demonised Lumiel and the pagan deities of the Middle East; the fallen angels and their stellar lore; the belief that the fallen angels are the same as the faeries and djinns of European and Arabian folklore; the universal myth of the great flood; the Nephelim or Anakim; the female consort of Lucifer, frequently associated in mythology with the dark moon goddesses and sorcery - Lilith, Hecate, Ishtar, Astarte, Asherah, Diana, the Shekinah and Sophia; the mystical symbolism of the rose in occult tradition; the process of cosmic redemption manifesting as a series of incarnations in human form; heretical cults and secret societies through history and in modern times claiming to follow Luciferian beliefs including the Sethians, the Essenes, Knights Templars, the Yezedi, the Ophites, the Mandean, the Order of the Morning Star and the Our Lady of Endor Coven amongst others; Arabic influences on the medieval witch cult; Renaissance angelic magic; the ‘teaching angels’ or archangels who feature prominently in angelic magick - Michael, Raphael, Gabriel and Two appendices are included with invocations to the Lord Lumiel.

Updated: 18-5-2023

Israel Regardie - The One Year Manual (1981)

God bless brevity. There is an awful tendency in occult literature to go on and on for hundreds of pages without saying much of anything of use. Most of Regardie’s books are relatively short, and the ones that are not spare no space for filler but are densely packed with information in the truest sense. The One Year Manual is the ideal “beginner’s guide”. It is short (the editions in my possession going to 70 pages, plus preface and suggested reading list), by design, and wastes not a single word on nonessentials. With a stated mission to avoid convolutions of theory in favor of simple, effective practice, Regardie provided the would-be magician and/or mystic with a complete kit for at least a year’s worth of training.

The book starts off with Crowley’s four solar adorations, which amount to simple, poetic prayers for the four “stations” of the Sun throughout the day. The goal is simple: the Sun, as a symbol of the Unknown God, is “adored” throughout the day to keep the student’s awareness focused on the Divine, while at the same time giving a sense of connection to the macrocosmic universe and its great movements and cycles.

Body awareness follows as the first “step” of the work; this is practiced at a set time each day, as well as throughout the day during normal routines. The benefits are manifold and include a greater degree of self-awareness, Zen-like mindfulness, and the gradual relaxation of physical tension. The second step concerns a method of very deep physical relaxation. In addition to deepending relaxation and body awareness, the student also learns to use this technique for healing simple physical ailments and complementing medical treatments for more intense illnesses. It is worth nothing that these two exercises also tend to produce a meditative state, which stands the student in good stead for more advanced training systems.

The third step, breath control, depeens the meditative state and further enhances physical and emotional relaxation. Just as importantly, we learn through breath to deepen our relationship with the vital energy which exists and moves around and through us. What is generally the first step in contemplative and meditative practices, mental awareness, is the subject of step four. This is quite simply quietly and nonjudgmentally observing the flow of your own thoughts. Here, the student becomes very deeply acquainted with herself, as well as gradually relaxing her thinking-mind’s tensions.

Expanding on the previous step, step five introduces the student to mental concentration, and deeper meditation, by way of mantra repetition. The second, more active, portion of the year is opened in step six with the training and strengthening of the will. Do to the discipline and concentration developed over the past few months, this exercise will likely come easily. Still, it is the first time in this programme that the student exerts any active volition as opposed to more or less passively experiencing herself. Step seven changes the nature of the work dramatically by introducing the daily practice of the Rose Cross Ritual. This ritual is, in my opinion, one of the finest techniques to come out of the Golden Dawn’s corpus. While Regardie does not state it implicitly, this ritual has some profound effects for the careful student. It banishes negativity, makes one astra-mentally invisible (as opposed to most banishing rituals, like the LBRP, which tend to “light one up” on the inner planes), and tends to induce a deep sense of divine peace. This ritual acts as a very intense prayer, and can really exalt and humble the student.

Step eight, as is the trend, expands upon the previous work by intensifying the student’s awareness of Divine Presence and energy by way of the Middle Pillar Ritual, another gem from the Golden Dawn. The remaining four exercises are more or less abstract magico-mystical practices entitled, in order, “Symbol of Devotion”, “Practice of the Presence of God”, “Unity - All is God”, and “Invoke Often! Inflame Thyself with Prayer”. While profoundly different on the surface, these final steps are the perfect culmination to the training year in that they entail finding and employing personalized, emotionally and intellectually engaging methods of prayer and meditation. These final chapters also include words of immense wisdom and beauty as well as encouragement. They are alone worth the cost of the book even to the most advanced student. I return to them periodically as “inspirational reading” and find them to be ever refreshing.

While definitely based in the Hermetic and Kabbalistic systems and traditions, there is nothing in this book which cannot be easily adapted for training a new student in nearly any magic-mystical system. I myself simply handed The One Year Manual over to my own student and said, “Here. This will be your course of training for now. If you can make it through, you’ll be ready for anything else you choose to study.” For the budding Hermetic, I can imagine no better first year of training than this book with, perhaps, The Kybalion and Regardie’s The Tree of Life to provide theoretical foundation.

Updated: 18-5-2023

The Samael Aun Weor Collection

The author of these books, Samael Aun Weor, (Victor Manuel Gomez Rodriguez; (1917-1977) has published over sixty books on Gnosis and the Esoteric Path, as well as a vast collection of lectures and conferences.

From childhood, he sought knowledge from many sources: science, mysticism, legend, parapsychology philosophy, art, archaeology anthropology mythology etc.

In rediscovering, researching and renewing the teachings of Gnosis, Samael Aun Weor, together with his wife, Litelantes, founded the International Gnostic Movement, now an organization with centers in South and North America, Europe, Japan, Australia and Africa.

As founder of the International Gnostic Movement, he lectured widely, wrote extensively on a broad range of esoteric, philosophical and anthropological subjects, taught and oriented many people in their esoteric studies, and conducted numerous seminars and international congresses on Gnostic studies.

1. Samael Aun Weor - A Treatise on Revolutionary Psychology (Christmas Message 1975-76)
2. Samael Aun Weor - An Introduction to Gnosis (1960)
3. Samael Aun Weor - Aztec Christic Magic (1962)
4. Samael Aun Weor - Buddha´s Necklace (Christmas Message 1966-67)
5. Samael Aun Weor - Christ Consciousness (1952)
6. Samael Aun Weor - Christ Will (1959)
7. Samael Aun Weor - Christmas Message (1952)
8. Samael Aun Weor - Esoteric Course of Kabblah (1977)
9. Samael Aun Weor - Esoteric Treatise of Hermetic Astrology (1967)
10. Samael Aun Weor - Esoteric Treatise of Theurgy (1959)
11. Samael Aun Weor - Extraterrestrials (1977)
12. Samael Aun Weor - For the Few (1977)
13. Samael Aun Weor - Fundamental Education (1970)
14. Samael Aun Weor - Gnostic Anthropology (1977)
15. Samael Aun Weor - Gnostic Meditation
16. Samael Aun Weor - Igneous Rose (1954)
17. Samael Aun Weor - Interview by Radio ICUR (1977)
18. Samael Aun Weor - Lectures from The Fifth Gospel - Analysis of Human Psyche
19. Samael Aun Weor - Lectures from The Fifth Gospel - Categorical Declarations by The Patriarch
20. Samael Aun Weor - Lectures from The Fifth Gospel - Psycho-Emotional Metamorphosis of Human Being
21. Samael Aun Weor - Lectures from The Fifth Gospel - The Authentic Christmas’ Symbolism
22. Samael Aun Weor - Lectures from The Fifth Gospel - The Chaotic Consciousness and The Intelligent Consciousness
23. Samael Aun Weor - Lectures from The Fifth Gospel - The Esoteric Rigour of The Passion Week
24. Samael Aun Weor - Lectures from The Fifth Gospel - The Pendulous Behaviour of Humanity
25. Samael Aun Weor - Logos, Mantram, Theurgy (1959)
26. Samael Aun Weor - Looking at the Mystery (1972)
27. Samael Aun Weor - Magic Runes (Christmas Message 1968-69)
28. Samael Aun Weor - Manual of Practical Magic (1954)
29. Samael Aun Weor - Pistis Sophia Univeiled (1977)
30. Samael Aun Weor - Technique for Dissolving The 'I' (Christmas Message 1963-64)
31. Samael Aun Weor - The Book of the Dead (1966)
32. Samael Aun Weor - The Book of the Virgin of Carmel (1952)
33. Samael Aun Weor - The Elimination of Satan's Tail (Christmas Message 1964-65)
34. Samael Aun Weor - The Great Rebellion (1975)
35. Samael Aun Weor - The Greater Mysteries (1956)
36. Samael Aun Weor - The Initiatic Path in The Arcane of Tarot and Kabbalah (1978)
37. Samael Aun Weor - The Message of Aquarius (1960)
38. Samael Aun Weor - The Mysteries of Life and Death (1962)
39. Samael Aun Weor - The Mysteries of the Fire (Kundalini Yoga) (1955)
40. Samael Aun Weor - The Mystery of The Golden Blossom (Christmas Message 1971-72)
41. Samael Aun Weor - The Parsifal Unveiled (Christmas Message 1970-71)
42. Samael Aun Weor - The Perfect Matrimony (or The Door to Enter into Initiation) (1950)
43. Samael Aun Weor - The Revolution of Beelzebub (1950)
44. Samael Aun Weor - The Revolution of The Dialectic (1973)
45. Samael Aun Weor - The Secret Doctrine of Anahuac (Christmas Message 1974-75)
46. Samael Aun Weor - The Seven Words (1953)
47. Samael Aun Weor - The Solar Bodies, or The Doomed Aryan Race (Christmas Message 1967-68)
48. Samael Aun Weor - The Three Mountains (Christmas Message 1972-73)
49. Samael Aun Weor - The Yellow Book (1959)
50. Samael Aun Weor - Treatise of Sexual Alchemy (1954)
51. Samael Aun Weor - Treatise on Occult Medicine and Practical Magic (Christmas Message 1977-78)
52. Samael Aun Weor - Yes There Is Hell, Evil, Karma (Christmas Message 1973-74)
53. Samael Aun Weor - Zodiacal Course (1951)

All his books can be found here:

Internet Archive - Samael Aun Weor Collection

Updated: 18-5-2023

Friday, February 4, 2011

Hargrave Jennings - The Rosicrucians: Their Rites & Mysteries (1870)

An exhaustive study of the Rosicrucians and their beginnings. An important work and an excellent resource. With chapters on the Ancient Fire and Serpent-Worshippers, and Explanations of the Mystic Symbols Represented in the Monuments and Talismans of the Primeval Philosophers.

Contents:

* Critics of the Rosicrucians Criticized
* Singular Adventure in Staffordshire
* Insufficiency of Worldly Objects
* The Hermetic Philosophers
* An Historical Adventure
* The Hermetic Brethren
* Mythic History of the Fleur-De-Lis
* Sacred Fire
* Fire-Theolosophy of the Persians
* Ideas of the Rosicrucians as to the Character of Fire
* Monuments Raised to Fire-Worship in all Countries
* Druidical Stones and Their Worship
* Inquiry as to the Possibility of Miracle
* Can Evidence be Depended Upon?-Examination of Hume's Reasoning
* Footsteps of the Rosicrucians Amidst Architectural Objects
* The Round Towers of Ireland
* Prismatic Investiture of the Microcosm
* Cabalistic Interpretations by the Gnostics
* Mystic Christian Figures and Talismans
* The "Rosy Cross" in Indian, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Medi?val Monuments
* Myth of the Scorpion, or the Snake, in its Many Disguises
* Ominous Character of the Colour "White" to English Royalty
* The Beliefs of the Rosicrucians-Meaning of Lights and of Commemorative Flambeaux in all Worship
* The Great Pyramid
* History of the Tower or Steeple
* Presence of the Rosicrucians in Heathen and Christian Architecture
* Rosicrucians Amidst Ancient Mysteries and in the Orders of Knighthood
* Rosicrucianism in Strange Symbols
* Connection Between the Templars and Gnosticism
* Rosicrucian Origin of the Order of the Garter
* Rosicrucian Supposed Means of Magic Through Signs, Signals, and Figures
* Astro-Theosophical System of the Rosicrucians - The Alchemic Magisterium.

Password: USAWarez.com

Updated: 18-5-2023

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Satanism & Witchcraft - The Occult and The East & West

A article series from Dr. John Ankerberg & Dr. John Weldon that discuss the relationship between witchcraft and Satanism on the one hand and Eastern religion (especially Tantrism) on the other.