Treadwells and Secret Chief Talks

Mysteries of Mithras (Review)

Mysteries of Mithras: the pagan belief that shaped the Christian world. By Payam Nabarz,
Inner Traditions, 2005 isbn 1594770271 $14.95 approx £14.99, 230pp, heavily illustrated.

This is an engaging and entertaining book encompassing the author’s personal journey into the magick of a Roman mystery cult. The author, who has an Iranian background, was drawn to the schema of initiatory work, as set out in Aleister Crowley’s Liber Astarte. The idea of this particular practice is to counteract the overly intellectual character of the western mystoi, to thereby activate a more devotional mind set. Many on this path find it useful to work in a tradition that already possesses some form of cultural resonance. It was for this reason that the author chose to work with Mithraism. This book is one of the fruits of that labour. Not surprisingly the book therefore presents a lively combination of mystical insight and academic research.

The first half of the book sets out the basics of the Mithraic history and iconography. This section is a mine of interesting information, perhaps a little breathless in delivery; only occasionally inaccurate, well illustrated and often thought provoking. It is here that the author sets out certain facts concerning the influence of Mithraism on Early Christian iconography. In reality this is a minor component of the book, although the one that the publisher, rather misleadingly in my opinion, chooses to make the book’s chief selling point. Personally I wasn’t too convinced by this line of reasoning. I agree that Mithraism had some impact on Christianity after its rise to Roman state religion in the third century. However I cannot see how this justifies the conclusion that it shaped the Christian world – surely if anything, Christianity shaped the Christian world?

The book’s real core is the revivalist material, where over several chapters, the author sets out the main components of the cult. Here it adheres as much as sources will allow, to the inner workings of the Roman cult. Thus there is a chapter on the celebrated ‘Mithras Liturgy’ – a sorcerous rite used by the mage, whose library of magical books was only discovered in the last century, after two millennia buried in the sands of the desert. Into this mix, the author adds some material from the Persian manifestation of the cult, with a chapter on the pre-Zoroastrian goddess Anahita. This does much to correct the false impression that the cult of Mithras is only for the macho.

Some of these themes continue in what is undoubtedly the core of the book, a modern reconstruction of the seven fold initiatory schema of Mithraism. Archaeological and textual records demonstrate that the cult shared the classical world’s obsession with the symbolism of the number seven – seven stars in the starry plough, seven steps to heaven, seven Hathos etc., etc. Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that the actual details of a mystery cult are now lost to us. So the author uses whatever is to hand, grafting material from classical and Persian sources, and indeed where necessary reusing contemporary magical material, until the result is a pleasing revivalist version. I sometimes found it a little hard to see the join. Also, although the material works well as a literary fugue, I wasn’t sure how it would pan out as an actual set of ritual workings? The rubric was a tad confusing. But I for one was happy to just read it as a literary creation - which is indeed a form of trance or meditation work. Anything else and I wouldn’t be sure if I was supposed to be breaking off from the train of thought, to put more wood on the bonfire. Seen this way, this book did take me on an interesting and thoughtful excursion into the uncharted territory. - [mogg]

HORUS CyclicDaemon

“AL - 100th Anniversary” is 2 CD boxed set, compilation of Occultural and Ambient musick inspired, I would say, by Coil, Industrial, Thelema, Sisters of Mercy, et al. Limited edition – only 418 hand-numbered copies are being published – A3 poster, 8-page booklet and a short introduction by Carl Abrahamsson. So its got to be worth 29 EUR excl. shipping. http://www.horus.cz/www_hcd/releases.html

I've played my copy several times now - which believe me, is a big recommendation. Naturally, I have my favourites, like the first track of the second, more Ambient CD. “Secret Name” by Silence Strength, recorded in Israel, is especially interesting, with its inclusion of passages from The Book Of Lies and Liber AL.. But I'd say there are is nothing unlistenable or unenjoyable on the CD, which is something you couldn't say about a band like Coil, who can be a bit uncompromising sometimes. I remember chilling out nicely to Moon's Milk, only to be jangled out of my wits by the last track ; ) “AL - 100th Anniversary” passes the 'I wouldn't rush out and buy it' test. The only thing I wonder is how long magical musicians will be able to quarry the admitedly rich seams of imagery in Crowley's corpse? Isn't it time to write about some more contemporary magical themes - if you're stuck - maybe I could help you out? Even so, there is hardly anyone's record collection that doesn't need stuff like this - if you buy your musick on amazon or at HMV, then you're really do need it - trust me ; ) Do magicos give each other presents - well yes - then next time you're looking for one, think about sourcing it from a more left-field producer - I'm sure people can buy their own scented candles or Harry Potter books ; ) [Mogg]

Bull of Ombos: Seth Egyptian Magick
by Mogg Morgan

vol II 1869928873 356pp, 152x229mm, 78 illustrations £13.99/$25 in paperback original

Naqada is a sleepy little town in Upper Egypt, that gives its name to a crucial period in the prehistory of Egypt. In 1895, William Matthew Flinders Petrie, the ‘father’ of Egyptian archaeology, stumbled upon a necropolis, belonging to a very ancient city of several thousand inhabitants. With Petrie’s usual luck, he’d made yet another archaeological find of seismic proportions – not just an ancient city a quarter the size of Ur in Mesopotamia, a rare enough find, but the capital of the earliest state established in Egypt! Petrie’s fateful walk through the desert led him to a lost city, known to the Greeks as Ombos, the Citadel of Seth. Seth, the Hidden God, once ruled in this ancient place before it was abandoned to the sands of the desert. All this forbidden knowledge was quickly reburied in academic libraries, where its stunning magical secrets had lain, largely unrevealed, for more than a century - until now.

Contents: Gold in the desert / Sethians and Osirians compared / Cannibalism / Temple of Seth / Seth’s Town / Seth as Bull of Ombos / Hathor / The names of Seth / Animals of Seth / Seth - the red ochre god / Seth and Horus / Opening the mouth / Seven / The Boat / Heka Hekau / Magical activities / Cakes of Light / Magick as use and misuse of the funeral rite / Re-emergence of the Hidden God / Five useful Appendices / Extended bibliography /Glossary /

The author’s previous books include the critically acclaimed: Tankhem: Seth Egyptian Magick; Ayurveda: Medicine of the Gods, The English Mahatma (a Tankhem novel) and as ( ‘Katon Shual’) Sexual Magick.

Omphalos (Bath alternative moot) Talks

All talks held at Batheaston Scout Hall, School Lane, Northend, Batheaston 7.30 til 9.00 p.m
Take the Bath turning from the M4 (jct 18) and follow A46 to Bath. At the Bath roundabout take the first left onto the A4 to Batheaston. This becomes Batheaston High St, look for a sharp left up Brow Hill. Continue for about 1/4 of a mile, until you find School Lane. Park at the top and walk down past the Gothic looking school - the Scout Hall is the large modern building straight ahead, although the entrance is up and around to the left. It's easy to find - map on request

THE TRIUMPH OF PAN (Bath Omphalos) 17th September

An evening focused on Victor Neuburg poet, Aleister Crowley's greatest disciple and discoverer of Dylan Thomas, both in factual and creative interpretation.

FEATURING Marc Aitken's rarely screened classic film, 'Do Angels Ever Cut Themselves Shaving'

Richard McNeff, author of 'Sybarite among the Shadows' will talk about his novel and Victor Neuburg, and give an accompanying slide show.

This presentation will also incorporate a reading from the novel assisted by actor Oengus Macnamara.

'DO ANGELS EVER CUT THEMSELVES SHAVING'
Synopsis

Edwardian England, a house haunted by memories, and a man who has been to the brink of his sanity, and only partly returned. A man who was once privy to the circle of the "Great Beast", the celebrated occultist Aleister Crowley. Once a key figure in Crowley's, Magickal universe he now finds himself estranged, and attempts a return to normality. Traumatised by the horror of the First World War he returns home as one of a new species, the gentleman addict. During his chemical odyssey, his mind opens to the metaphysical world he only glimpsed during his brush with the occult. The distorted memory of the trenches, and ghostly spectre of Crowley, invade his visions with unwelcome regularity. An actress with whom he once fell in love is merged ethereally with the nurse who saved his life in the trenches, but who administered the first grains of his addiction. She continually appears during his visions as both Angel and Daemon. Despite all he suffered at Crowley's hands, he finds he cannot condemn him, and in a trance takes one last walk across the fields of memory, to be re united with his "Dear Beast".

'SYBARITE AMONG THE SHADOWS'

Richard McNeff's talk will focus on the poet Victor Neuburg, remembered as both Aleister Crowley's greatest disciple and the discoverer of Dylan Thomas. The magical workings performed with Crowley in Paris and the Algerian Desert resulted in Neuburg's breakdown. In the aftermath, Neuburg could never decide if Crowley was the greatest magician of the age or the worst man who ever lived. Such a perspective provides an interesting slant on the life and practices of the Beast. It was explored in Jean Overton Fuller's groundbreaking the Magical Dilemma of Victor Neuburg, currently reissued by Mandrake (ISBN 1869928792), and is the cornerstone of McNeff's Sybarite among the Shadows: both the short story, which appeared in International Times in 1977 and was subsequently republished in America and Russia, as well as the recently-published novel (Mandrake of Oxford ISBN 1869928822). In the latter, Crowley and Neuburg are reunited by Dylan in 1936. Against the backdrop of bohemian London, they complete their magical work together, while at the same time getting embroiled in an MI5 plot to avert the Abdication. A reading from this and slides will accompany the talk.

"McNeff's novel is so different from anything else you'd normally find on a bookshelf that it should perhaps be a compulsory purchase." -The Independent On Sunday

Marc Aitken; Biography Marc has been involved in the music and film industries for over 25 years. The film "Do Angels ever cut themselves shaving?" based loosely on the circle of characters surrounding the occultist Aleister Crowley was shown at last years Glastonbury Festival, to the surprise of mushroom users and readers of the Daily Mail alike. Returning to his first love of lighting Marc has been lighting director for a number of music videos including most recently the "Father and Son" video for Peter Gabriel.

Richard McNeff; Biography
Richard McNeff was born in London. He is a published poet and writer who works internationally in education and the art world. Early contact with associates of the Beast sparked his interest in Crowley.

Oengus Macnamara; Biography
Oengus Macnamara has been an actor for many years, working in TV, and on stage and screen. He is a member of the Godot Company and frequently appears in works by Samuel Beckett. This year, among other things, he has been in Casualty on BBC1 and Kathy Burke's acclaimed production of Brendan Behan's The Quare Fellow.

4 pounds/3 pounds concessions.
For details contact omphalospaganmoot@...

Egun - The Cult of the Ancestors -

Sunday, September 25 2005, 11am-5pm

WORKSHOP

"Egun - The Cult of the Ancestors -

How to Integrating your Ancient Roots into your every-day life." with Santero Elliott Rivera

Elliott Rivera is a Santero and Espiritista. He has been working as a Spiritualist Medium for more then 30 years. Elliott was initiated as a Santero (into the priesthood of Yemaja) 16 years ago. He is also an initiated Tata Nkisi in Palo Mayombe for over 22 years. Elliott lives in Amsterdam, where he gives workshops on Santeria, Egun (ancestors) and Energy Work.

He is a massage therapist and a drug and alcohol counselor with over 25 years experience in teaching, counseling and bodywork.

Topics will include:
- Who are the Ancestors and what do they represent? - Added value of working with the Ancestors
- How to make an Ancestor altar
- How to communicate with the Spirits of the Dead - Divination systems
- Dream Work
- Ancestor veneration in Santeria
- Ancestor veneration in Shamanism

Venue: Dragon Hall, 17 Stukeley Street,
London WC2B 5LT
Nearest Tube Station: Holborn
Area map: http://tinyurl.com/d44q9
Event Fee: £25 per person

THE MAGICKAL DILEMMA OF VICTOR NEUBURG'
JEAN OVERTON FULLER (review)

During a small occult Fair at the beginning of 2005 I had discovered that Marc Aitkin who was organising sound and lighting for the event, had also made a short film around a 'what if' future of Victor Neuburg.

Victor Neuburg being best known as Aleister Crowley's disciple and lover but he was also a poet, editor and the man who 'discovered' Dylan Thomas.

The film was screened at the fair, but the impromptu showing didn't do 'Do Angels Ever Cut Themselves Shaving' justice; so we decided to give the film another, more focused viewing.

During preliminary arranging of this screening I discovered Richard McNeffs novel, 'Sybarite among the Shadows'; a strangely similar 'what if' also centred on Victor Neuburg, (similar in intuitive direction that is rather than in execution and result) complete with wartime settings and dedications to Mercury and Thoth respectively. Both of these creative works were initially inspired by a book by Jean Overton Fuller, 'The Magickal Dilemma of Victor Neuburg' Needless to say after encountering the works of the two above artists I very quickly purchased and read Jean Overton Fullers book, to check out the source of such abundant inspiration.

The first part of 'The Magical Dilemma' is centred on Jean in 1935 when she was in her early twenties and she first became part of a circle of poets, which included Dylan Thomas and Pamela Hansford Johnson, and which was formed by Victor Neuburg when he was Poetry Editor of The Sunday Referee.

This part of the book was a joy to read, as it fleshed out many of the names that I have encountered in various books and references over the years; creating a reality from history so to speak. In this first section of 'The Magical Dilemma', we see Victor Neuburg through the eyes of the younger Jean Overton Fuller and gradually realise the impression this gentle soul made upon her. Not simply a strong enough impression to last over the years to the time when she finally wrote this biography, but also powerful enough for her to overcome her personal beliefs and morality in the face of the said sexual and magical behaviour of Neuburg.

Truth to tell, in many ways I would say that Fuller adored Neuburg. That she thought him a good, gentle and talented man is beyond doubt but in many ways a sort of love and idealisation of him on her part comes across in the book that must have made some of the research into Newburg's past difficult for her.

'for me he lit a flame that can never be put out'…

I was intrigued as to the belief system of Fuller, which in some way seems contradictory. On one hand she has a working knowledge of palmistry/astrology and more academic branches of esoteric lore but on the other seemed to have what could be seen as a type of near Christian morality; more than one could explain as being a purely generational thing. Discovering Jean Overton Fuller's Theosophist affiliations clarified this, though the inclusion of Pamela Hansford Jones verbatim views of that period also helped me realise more about the standard morality of that time for women; even women of the more 'bohemian' set of that time.

In later parts of the book, Fuller goes more into the life of Neuburg, and particularly his relationship, both sexual and magical, with Crowley. The conflict of her obvious fondness for Neuburg, with detailing his relationship with someone like A.C whom she saw as an 'inflated pseudo messiah' and as 'exceedingly coarse' with near no redeeming features becomes obvious at points, though she generally retains the degree of professionalism necessary to rise above this, introducing statements from those she respects such as Gerald Yorke who retained a high opinion of A.C.

Whilst 'The Magical Dilemma of Victor Neuburg' book did not take me to the same places of imaginative and creative exploration as it did Marc Aitkin and Richard NcNeff, I still found it to be an interesting and stimulating book. I wont deny that some of the opinions and perspectives of Jean Fuller differ from my own, however this didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book as anything that triggers a process of thought and evaluation can only be a good thing!

Reading 'The Magical Dilemma of Victor Neuburg' caused me to re examine dynamics of creative magical relationships in general, as well as mulling over some fundamental aspects of the contemporary magical community that are well worth looking at. It also painted a very loving and more complete image of Victor Neuburg who for many years has existed only as a vague shadowy outline along with others of Aleister Crowley's associates and lovers in my minds eye, and this is a great thing as even in death AC has been allowed to reduce those who helped create the magick of that time, and this is something that has long needed rectifying.

One of the most poignant parts of the book was a quote given by Preston; 'Victor…was a dead man; he gave up magic and spent the whole of his life feeling he was not doing what he was meant to be doing' Jean Overton Fullers book shows that Victor Neuburg never gave up magic…just changed the way in which he performed it and without Crowley remained a creative, wondrous and spiritual man in his own right.

I think the best close for this review is a verse from 'The Epilogue' in Victor Neuburg's collection of poetry,'Triumph' of Pan, dedicated to A.C.

Because the fulfilment of dreams is itself but a
dream,
There is no end save the song, and song is the end;
And here with a sheet of songs bareheaded I stand,
And the light is fled from mine eyes, and the sword
from my hand
Is fallen; the years have left me a fool, and the gleam
Is vanished from life, and the swift years sear me
And rend.'

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Groups

Bath Omphalos, a Moot for LHP magicos in Bath area. For more details contact omphalospaganmoot@.... Essentially a discussion group at the moment, open to all. The first speaker meeting is

Conferences

5th Annual Witchcraft Seminar 23rd October 2005

Wookey Hole Caves, Somerset.

Speakers include Cassandra Eason, Rae Beth, Jack Daw, Julian Vayne, Teresa Moorey,

Ian Read, Cassandra Latham, Damh the Bard, Melissa Rufus Harrington and Hollow Bones.

For more information phone Adrian on 01749 674712 or visit our web site at www.witchcraftseminar.com