Mandrake Speaks Newsletter

• Tantra Sadhana

• Howling "Grimoires"

• The Chemical Wedding (Film Review) Julian Doyle & Bruce Dickinson

• Notes on Ardanari

• Paganism on "Second Life"

• Lectures Talks

• Groups Meetups

• Conferences & Exhibitions (click to view)

• Druid Camp (Forest of Dean)
  Colours of Chaos - Conference (London);
  Thelemic Symposium (Oxford)

Howlings / Scarlet Imprint

210 pages hardback journal, nicely bound in gold blocked turquoise wibaline. £33 plus postage from scarletimprint@...

This particular number focused on grimoires of various ages, with essays on The Picatrix, The Goetia, or Lesser Key of Solomon, Four Books of Occult Philosophy;
The Voudon Gnostic Workbook; Liber 231, Qutub, And the Grimoire itself by David Rankine, Donald Tyson, Peter Grey, David Beth, Stafford Stone, Paul Hughes-Barlow
Krzysztof Azarewicz, Jack Macbeth, Thea Faye, Aleq Grai, and Zaheer Gulamhusein. So a nice range of material, written by practitioner experts. The whole well illustrates the notion that Pagans are very much into their books. I was particularly interested in the twenty-five pages on "Liber 231", of which information is scarce, apart from Kenneth Grant's celebrated, if at times impenetrable (not to mention out of print) "Nightside of Eden". "Liber 231" is one of the more obscure of Aleister Crowley's "Holy Books". Basically it's a table showing two sets of 22 sigils corresponding to the twenty-two tarot trumps and paths on the Kabalistic "Tree of Life". Given that the spheres and paths on the tree are clearly derived from the Ancient Egyptian "Book of Gates" - the array suggest two tunnels through the underworld, one under the patronage of Horus; the other of Seth. It is the Sethian tunnel that has received most attention, I guess because the "Journey of Horus" is well covered by the conventional Tarot sequence.

There is a colour section of four full colour realisations of the "Nightside Tarot" cards, based I would guess on the prototypes in Kenneth Grant's "Nightside of Eden". "Liber 231" itself has no images apart from the very enigmatic sigils, drawn, so it is said, by Crowley's devoted disciple, Major J F C Fuller. Those in "Howlings" were created by Stafford Stone, who has been exploring and painting the cards and the related "Tunnels of Seth" for several years, during which time "his parents, a close aunt and uncle, a best friend and two pet cats all died." He lost his wife and young son, his home and most of his possessions,"close friendships imploded, relationships crumbled, jobs were lost, debts incurred, stupid actions undertaken and grave errors of judgment made." But hey, "Je ne regrette rien". All of which explains, in some perverse way the attraction of this and indeed other grimoires, although for others it might be a good reason to leave well alone. Although some sort of precaution in terms of banishing might be in order, of the kind recommended in the lead article by Krysztof Azarewicz of the Mihrab Camp OTO. He also suggests yogic exercises to calm the ego, before starting. There was much other useful information in this essay, including advice on how to colour the sigils if you decide to dispense with other people's full blown versions and just use the basic sigils and corresponding couplets. The later seems to be the original intention of "Liber 231", as a basic test or "mind gym" for the initiates astral skills.

Well, if the other sections are as meaty as the above, which my friend the cunning man Jack Daw assures me they are, then this is a nifty little volume and well worth the asking price of ?? My suggestion for the next number would be to maybe make better use of the gold blocking for a more eye catching cover. But on the whole - highly recommended [Mogg]

Notes on Ardanari (by Mogg Morgan aka Sahajanath)

Feedback please to the www.myspace.com/amookos

(You might also enjoy the short series of pieces on Kaula Lore)

A modern cult of Ardanari draws upon its ancient manifestations but differ in many important respects. For example the historical Kaulas worshipped a Goddess possessed of special abilities including the ability to produce an androgynous elixir or "goddess semen". The experts say that Ardanari was viewed as androgynous in a different way and that this does not include the production of male and female seed or both semen and menstrual blood. see (White 2003 : 278)

The modern cult would be more flexible in its mythology - but is still able to draw inspiration from older sources for the idea that the male and female adepts can be the source of a (if not the) androgynous elixir. Inspiration for this could be drawn from the Tantrik kingship rites of Bali and Java - medieval centres of the Ardanari cult:

'An Old Javanese court poem, the Smara'Dahana ("The Burning of Kama"), translated and commented by C. Hooykaas, ends on the following verses:

Such is her loveliness, moving and sweet,
to be compared with mead in a chalice;
together with her as his principal spouse
did Smara come down to earth;
King and Queen as Ardhanaresvan
continuously on the jewel lion-throne;
King Kamesvara in [the] lotus' inner part,
having as sakti the eight goddesses after their arrival.45

This poem is in fact a reference to the Indonesian royal consecration, which was Tantric.Hooykaas explicates this verse on the basis of Balinese Saiva ritual, in which Ardhanaresvan is praised in the following terms:
"Hence a rain of nectar pours down, therefore on all the limbs and junc-
tions, born from the meeting of husband and wife, this is proclaimed to be
the 'real life.'"46

Here, the king and his queen, husband and wife, embody the divine pair Siva and Uma, who together are called amrti'karam, the "making of nectar, holy water." It is at this moment in the ritual, in which nectar or holy water is said to descend from the sky to earth, that the water in the vessel before the priest becomes transformed into holy water.47

This is the central mystery of Balinese Hindu religion. On the one hand, this consecration ritual transforms a man into a king: whereas as a boy, the king may have had an ordinary name like Ayam Vuruk, the Young Cock, following his "abhiseka" he is given the official name of Kamesvara. On the other hand, it transforms him and his spouse into the central deities of the Tantric mandala, vivifying the world with the nectar of their union:

In the moment of their consecration, the newly consecrated King Kamesvara and his spouse are identified with Siva and Uma bestowing the nectar of their supreme bliss upon humanity.48 The mandala is completed by the array of women that surround the royal couple: the king, together with his spouse, as Ardhanaresvan, are said to be seated in the padma'guhya, the hidden recess of the lotus, where they are surrounded by their eight Saktis, perhaps the king's lesser queens.49 However, as we noted in the previous chapter, the lotus and its heart are, in Tantric parlance, none other than the female sexual organ, and certain Kaula groups represented the Sri Cakra as a yoni surrounded by eight lesser yonis.50' (White 2003 : 135)

Thus we read in
Cassell's Encyclopedia of Queer Myth, Symbol and Spirit:

'Ardhanarishvara "The Lord Whose Half Is Woman" represents a transgendered being created by the union of the Hindu deities shiva (male) and shakti (female). Ardhanarishvara, above all, speaks to the totality that lies beyond duality. In Chinese Taoism (or Daoism), this concept is symbolized by the coming together of YIN AND yang in the Tao (or Dao). Like the Greek god Hermes, Ardhanarishvara is associated with communication; the intermediate being often serves to mediate between women and men, mortals and deities, and between other entities. For this reason, Ardhanarishvara is said to dwell in the chakra (sacred center of the human body) of the throat. In tantra, this chakra is also sometimes associated with oral intercourse, linking the deity not only to androgyny but also to homoeroticism. In the past, Ardhanarishvara was served by gender variant, cross- (or mixed-) dressing, priests.

Alain Danielou* writes, "The hermaphrodite, the homosexual, and the transvestite have a symbolic value and are considered privileged beings, images of the Ardhanarishvara. In this connection, they play a special part in magical and Tantric rites." To devotees, Ardhanarishvara, like Ganesha - Shiva's non-biological son and a companion of Ardhanarishvara - brings prosperity. In artistic depictions, Ardhanarishvarais typically shown with the left half of his body being female and the right half, male. The female (Shakti, or parvati, or Uma) half is usually garbed in red and often holds a lotus, while the male half (Shiva) wears a tiger skin or an ascetic's cloth around the waist. The skin of the female half is tan, while that of the male half is light blue. His/her gaze is pensive, serene; his/her pose sensuous, inviting. The cult of Ardhanarishvara appears to have reached a pinnacle during the tenth through the twelfth centuries and again in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, when he-she became a popular subject in sculpture and painting.

*Danielou, Alain (1907-1994) French musicologist, writer, translator, musician (especially of the vina), dancer, and sportsman known especially for his works on Hindu music, mythology, religion, and mysticism, which include Hindu Polytheism (1964), The Ragas of Northern Indian Music (1968), Shiva and Dionysus (1982), and While the Gods Play (1987). Inspired by a deeply religious mother, at age four he constructed a sanctuary in the woods with images of the Virgin Mary and small crosses. His attraction to the sacred eventually led him to explore other spiritual traditions, particularly Hinduism, and to view eroticism as a bridge to enlightenment. He described his first homosexual experience in beatific terms - he felt suddenly "infused with light." "In that moment of intense pleasure, a god of sensuousness, happiness, and light was revealed to me - that god of love whom mystics [of ancient Greek religion, Sufism, Christianity, and Tantra] write about, the god of Jalal al-Din RUMI and Saadi, of Saint John of the Cross [San Juan de la Cruz] and Saint Theresa of Avila [Santa Teresa de Avila], of Dionysian and Tantric rites."

In the 1930s and 1940s, with his lover Raymond Burnier, Danielou immersed himself in Hinduism, visiting, photographing, and writing about many otherwise neglected Hindu temples. In Fools of God (1988), one of his works which depicts the interrelationship of homoeroticism and the sacred, Danielou describes the erotico-spiritual dimension of the lives of certain sadhus (Hindu ascetics). For these, he insists, "the repression of sex is out of the question. The path of complete abstinence is considered impossible in the age of strife in which we live . . . The man who wishes to conquer heaven and earth must cultivate both sexual and mental energies and at length learn to channel the one into the other." While some sadhus have female companions, others, for reasons including the desire to avoid fatherhood, have male companions Danielou confirms that "relations between person same sex are . .. very widely practiced." Observing "this connection between homosexuality and spiritual life, and the sacred view of this kind of relationship, are well known in all religions," "Sex allows the pupil-teacher relationship to achieve fullness in which the flowering of the body leads to ennoblement of the soul."

see also

David White The Alchemical Body
David White, The Kiss of the Yogini
Sahajanath's Tantra Sadhana

Contemporary stuff Ihaven't yet got round to reading (thanks SD for the lead):

Hermaphrodeities by Raven Kaldera

website: O Grand Bucca, both Dark and Fair, divine androgyne, be in all heartsand on the tip of every tongue. For your time has come again as it does with the beginning of each moment! http://www.geocities.com/cronnekdhu/Traditional_Cornish_Witchcraft.htm

Paganism on "Second Life"

My current obsession with "Second Life" has certainly raised a few eyebrows amongst my friends, especially after the recent screening of the BBC documentary "Virtual Adultery and Cyberspace Love" in their Wonderland series. It's certainly true that all human life is here, well almost. Yes there is conflict and abuse, but there is also real learning and growth happening in this virtual world. At the moment I tend to avoid the seamier sides and concentrate on its powerful educational and/or transformational possibilities.

"Educate and Entertain" - said Bertolt Brecht - "Second Life" is entertaining and absorbing. You learn a lot too. It improves hand / eye coordination, your typing improves without you even realising it; and life skills, well they have to get better. So I've had to endure a lot of the "Get a life" type comments - even as in my other incarnation, I help out at the local Homeless Drop-in centre. I might be helping someone discover an interest in Spanish conversation or even Japanese, but I still get sneering comments from folk on the lines of "what's the point of that".

I have two "avatars" - one for my day job, the other to accommodate my pagan interests. What really turned me on was when I discovered it was possible to film yourself in the Second Life world. So using the practice tape of an old lecture as a soundtrack, I was able to add visuals "filmed" on location in Second Life. This is called "machinima" - and the first fruits of that can be viewed as a film on "Egyptian Magick (Typhonian)" currently viewable on Youtube. I spent some time on Second Life getting a reasonable look and perfecting things like gestures before heading off in search of interesting locations.

One of my first hangouts was an island run by the UK's "Children of Artemis". The Children of Artemis, one of the UK's largest Wiccan organisations, is obviously quite ahead of the game when it comes to new technology. Their "witchdating.com" is one of the best I've seen on the net. They obviously have some excellent programmers working for them, as their site has an excellent "bar" - virtual drinks yes, but these are good places to hang out for a chat etc. They also have a shopping mall that mirrors the excellent marketing areas of their regular real life conferences. There was also a fun Greek style temple, and garden area for virtual rituals - but that seems to have been redeveloped now for flats. Sign of the times maybe? In the Second Life "economy" the selling of "real estate" is the primary way people make money - both real and virtual. I hung out at the Children of Artemis site for a while - and although I enjoyed it there wasn't an awful lot of Pagan conversation - mainly it was about clothes and fashion. Although recently I noticed there are lessons on aspects of witchcraft taking place there on a regular basis.

My next stop was the "Cathedral of Thelema" - which really is a fine place, complete with a subsidiary island, as in Liber Al "Build me an island". So far not much has happened in the cathedral, although it is all ready for a gnostic mass. But it's a cool place to hang out and have a chat, or edit one's appearance in private. Some might be sceptical about the value of rituals in cyber space. I have to say that so far I've not been able to make one - despite several invites - but I guess it might be useful for some sort of visualisation or training. Several scenes for my Egyptian Magick film were made in the Cathedral.

Next I went to SPQR Roma - which is a similation based on ancient Rome. I am currently an acolyte in the Collegia Roma, training for the priesthood, although I am really into the Ancient Egyptian religion. I've met a lot of Pagans in Roma and the acolyte training is one of the most thorough I've yet encountered in SL. It didn't take me long to find the deserted Mithraem, just outside the Forum. It's an accurate representation of the real macoy. I should say that as SL is mainly an American thing, it does tend to be deserted when I am about - but that's changing too. There is an excellent Ancient Egyptian simulation although this is used for war gaming. There are many combat areas in SL, but it's not really my thing. But it's usually possible to enter as a non-combatant, as these areas often have excellent simulations. The temples and palaces are really excellent, full of beautful details, including trapdoors and secret passages. All these locations are in my Youtube film. Even so I've not so far found an authentic Egyptian model in SL, neither is there an authentic Hindu Temple. But things are still developing.

My latest excursion is to the Pagan Dawn site - again very quiet when I am there. Pagan Dawn is the publication of the UK's Pagan Federation but I'm not too sure of the relationship between the two. In the island's centre a path laid out in the shape of the Chaos Sphere with eight spikes. Each of the spikes points to a different style of magick. There's also a "traditional English pub" complete with pictures of Austin Spare and Aleister Crowley on the wall. Another spike has a grove for Wiccan type things, another a broken down graveyard for traditional witchcraft. There's a lovely chapel for virtual handfastings. It looks fun. I plan to rendez-vous with some of my SL friends there someday soon. For more details of all these picks, why not look me up on SL. - "Mogg Morgwain"

PS: Here's some intriquing Group Notices: Beltane sabbat on Seasons alter at 9pm slt (skyclad) Please Join us for Beltane sabbat on Seasons alter at salem circle at 9pm slt. And for a Great right renactment *adult content* following Immediately afterwards at 11pm slt. Tonights ritual is sky clad. you do not have to come skyclad but please be advised. Use attached Land mark to attend. This notice has an attachment. The "skyclad" requirement was later made optional, guess it depends on whether one has a big part. For technical reasons, many SL "avatars" don't look so good "skyclad".

REWARD: $L 750.00
A thief has stolen the Sacred Golden Scarab from the temple while the priests were dedicating the soldiers Barracks yesterday afternoon. The thief was caught, but not before he was able to hide the sacred object (about the size of your foot). Anyone who is able to find the Scarab will be rewarded with special favor from the Gods and will receive a reward of $L 750. The thief was caught on the west side of the Nile. The Medjay will continue to interrogate the prisoner for clues as to where the Sacred item has been hidden.

If you find the Scarab bring it either to to High Priest Akhom (Cal Hainsworth) or High Priestess Neferet (Foxy ) to receive your blessings and reward.

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The Chemical Wedding (Film Review) Julian Doyle & Bruce Dickinson

reviewed by Ivor Davies

Fun trailer, but bereft of the usual hype associated with the launch
of a movie, I arrived at the Apollo West End to see the Chemical
Wedding with mainly my own great expectations.

Stormtroopers from Star Wars greeted moviegoers at the doors as it
was the final night of a Sci-Fi festival and after a few beers at the
bar we all sat in the theatre and waited. Two simultaneous screenings
in adjacent theatres in the same cinema – cast and crew in Screen 4,
us common people in the one next door in Screen 5. After a personal
introduction by Bruce Dickinson (screenwriter), Julian Doyle
(director) and Simon Callow (lead actor) we all looked forward to the
film.

The story begins with the arrival of American scientist Mathers from
Cal Tech to supervise the installation of a virtual reality simulator
suit at Cambridge University. For the very first time this state-of-
the-art piece of equipment is being hooked up to a revolutionary new
British supercomputer, the Z93, which unbeknown to anyone, has been
programmed with a virus by lab assistant Victor who has reduced the
rituals of Aleister Crowley into binary code and infected it with
them.

The film time shifts back to when mild mannered university lecturer
Professor Haddo (Simon Callow) is willingly persuaded into the suit
by Victor for its first trial run. Haddo goes missing immediately
after his experience in the suit and turns up the following day at a
lecture theatre to give a talk on Shakespeare's "Hamlet" – except
that clearly he is no longer the man he used to be, no longer the
meek stammering lecturer he was before his VR suit experience but now
an outrageous sexually explicit speaker who urinates on his audience.
The film goes on to imply that the Z93 supercomputer virus composed
by Victor has actually caused Haddo to become the reincarnation of
Aleister Crowley and so begins a tale of the apparent depths of
depravity that a person possessed by the soul of Aleister Crowley
would sink to.

This is the crux of the problem that this film has – just what would
someone possessed by the late Aleister Crowley do all day long? "Sex
and murder" unfortunately is this film's disturbing answer and then
just how outrageous can this character become? The implication in the
trailer was that this portrayal of Crowley might be tongue-in-cheek
or humorous, but the result is far more worrying than that.

Numerous examples of exactly "just how evil could a person possessed
by Aleister Crowley be" continue in a procession of visual and
conceptual shocks ranging from relatively innocuous excrement
deposited on an office desk to the crucifixion of a prostitute. Now,
controversial a character as Crowley was, I really must ask what
Bruce Dickinson is up to here. I listened to Callow emphasise that
his portrayal of Haddo was "Playing the part of someone possessed by
Crowley… and not actually Crowley Himself" but I see this as a pre-
emptive excuse on his part for what we saw on screen and some of the
issues that we might have with it.

As for the characters: shallow, meaningless and undefined. Haddo
comes over as nothing and we don't care that he's been possessed by
Aleister Crowley (n.b. Simon Callow's performance is a delight – I
just wish the script had been up to it.), Lia the journalist is our
damsel in distress and you don't care if she's rescued or not,
Aleister Crowley is just pure evil and doesn't deserve to be
reincarnated, Victor is just a virus writing geek and got what he
deserved.

Deeply offensive, blatantly sensationalist, Bruce Dickinson's script
leaves me with questions about the target audience of this film –
fans of Simon Callow (?), fans of Bruce Dickinson (heavy metal fans
who will be disappointed by the soundtrack), fans of Aleister Crowley
(please note, only those who specifically want to be thought of as
evil and twisted) or practicing occultists (who will be annoyed by
this film's cold and completely non-spiritual content).

Three words describe this film: "Straight", "To", "DVD".

The Chemical Wedding - Official Trailer (Crowley Film):

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