The Hermetic Hour

On Thursday October 12th the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon and special guest Frater Soun of Ubar will discuss the mythical Labours of Hercules in relation to the Hermetic tradition. We will develop the background of the myth evolving from Babylon's Gilgamesh through Melqart of Phoenician Tyre into the ancient Greek hero myth so often seen in films and television. We will look at works by Manley Hall, Albert Pike, Robert Graves , Alice Bailey and especially the French author Charles Francois Dupuis (1742-1809) who seems to be the only scholar who has sequenced the twelve labours in proper Zodiacal order. The labours of Hercules are a chart of the souls journey through a cycle of lifetimes. They represent the great wheel of birth and death and are considered one of the Keys to the mysteries. So If you want to follow the big guy with the lion skin and the club tune in and we'll go adventuring.

On Thursday October 5th, 2017 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon joined by Frater Soun, Magister of Ubar Lodge in Dallas, will air a discussion on the evolution of the the Solar Hero in mythology from the Sumerian Gilgamesh who was the model for the Phoenician Melqart, who in turn inspired the Greek Heracles. Gilgamesh is a four thousand year old epic adventure story which circulated throughout the whole Middle East with copies found among the Hittites and the Canaanites. Even as Ishtar and Tammuz were translated into Astarte and Ba'al, and subsequently became Aphrodite and Adonis. Gilgamesh like Hercules slays a lion, a bull, a giant and many-headed monster. His victories and Hercules' labours are seen as representing the sun's yearly progress through the signs of the Zodiac. So tune in and we'll go back to the  days of myth and legend and make our way through "The Circle of the Beasts" as the Zodiac was originally called.

On Thursday September 7th, 2017 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a follow-up to our previous review of "Sekret Machines" (2017) by Tom DeLonge and A.J. Hartley. In this program we will look at their major source work: "Insiders Reveal Secret Space Programs & Extraterrestrial Alliances" (2015) by Michael E. Salla, Ph.D. and his (2017) sequal "The U.S. Navy Secret Space Program & Nordic Extraterrestrial Alliance." These books and the plot of Sekret Machines are primarily based on the revelations of the age regressed whistle blower Corey Goode and other former U.S. Navy and Air Force operatives in a parallel secret advanced Space Program with alleged bases on the Moon and Mars. We will also examine Tom DeLonge and Peter Lavenda's (2017) book "Gods, Man and War" which establishes the historical and anthropological validity of the Ancient Alien and UFO connection without evoking secret space program conspiracies. So if you want to return to the absolute elsewhere for another hour, tune-in and we will have both a critical and a sympathetic look at this phenomenon.

On Thursday August 31st the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a review of the recent best selling novel: "Sekret Machines - Chasing Shadows" by Tom DeLonge and A.J. Hartley. This book purports to be The Truth about "The Phenomenon" (UFOs, Ancient Aliens, the Nazi Bell et allia) presented as fiction. It is very effective as a Dean Koontz-Dan Brown style multiple-viewpoint thriller. Readers will at first believe that this is a novelized version of the "X-Files" t.v. series but the final chapter proves that the 1940s Shaver Mystery by Raymond A. Palmer and Richard S. Shaver was the real inspiration for this project. We do not say this to discredit Sekret Machines but rather to recommend it. So if you want to spend an hour in the Absolute Elsewhere, tune in and we will take the elevator down to the "deep utilities" and visit with the Deros who run The New World Order.

On Thursday August 17th, 2017 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon is honored to present a review and discussion on the new book of magical fiction "Stories of Magic and Enchantment" by William Mistele, with the author as our guest. This book is handsomely published by Falcon Books, a new publisher in the field. As regular listeners will recall, we have supported Bill Mistele from the beginning of his writing and publishing career, having had him on as a guest with his first book "Undines" (2010.) This was followed by "Mermaids, Sylphs, Gnomes, and Salamanders" in 2012. As you might suppose Bill is very much into Franz Bardon's Hermetic Elemental personifications. He writes from a deep empathy for sacred nature and its spirits, encountering them in human form as magicians often do. He favors the feminine spiritual perspective. His stories are remarkably free from the usual horror and conflict we associate with supernatural fiction. We might say they are totally opposite to Lovecraft, while being lovingly crafted. Bill has a degree in philosophy and has spent years studying and meditating with Buddhist and Taoist teachers. He finally devoted himself to the Bardonian system of magic and has more books in the works. So, if you would like to meet a true magical maestro and learn about his visionary work, tune in and be enchanted.

On Thursday August 10th, 2017 the Hermetic Hour with co-hosts Poke Runyon and Lady Jo Carson of Feraferia will recap last week's wonderful Feraferian power weekend at Rivendell. It began on Thursday evening with our previous broadcast of the Hermetic Hour then Friday evening we did advanced Feraferia initiations at Rivendell Henge and Temple for five candidates, this was followed by the Lammas (lughnasad) ceremony in the henge in which we invoked the Goddess Aphrodite for over thirty-five O.T.A. and Feraferian members and their guests. Some came from as far away as North Carolina to attend along with Feraferian and O.T.A. elders from the early days in the 1960s and 70s. This was a wonderful reunion and reconnection with the old and new. Rivendell seemed the perfect local for such a happy event. And we are already planning a Beltane here next May. Once again Lady Jo Carson, President of Feraferia will be our guest host as we recap our adventure and discuss what we have planned in the future. So, tune in join us ( we have the echo problem corrected so the sound is fine now) Hear us on Thursday, Evoe Kore! Good Magick!

On Thursday August 3rd, 2017 the Hermetic Hour with co-hosts Poke Runyon and Lady Jo Carson of Feraferia will discuss the Fifty year Anniversary celebration of America's premier Goddess worshiping, nature oriented Neopagan religion founded by Artist-Philosopher Frederick Adams in 1967 here in Southern California. Lady Jo will direct a Feraferian Lammas ceremony here at Rivendell this coming Saturday evening. Poke and Jo will discuss the history of Feraferia and reminisce about Fred and his remarkable priestess Lady Svetlana. For those of you who missed the magical 60s and 70s here in So Cal tune in and we'll try to recapture some of the glamor and for those who do remember, we'll probably see you on Saturday evening, Evoe Kore!

On Thursday July 20th,2017 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present the dramatic conclusion of Shamgar, the Purple Dragon by Poke Runyon. The first part of this Biblical adventure was aired on September 4th, 2014's Hermetic Hour and has remained unfinished until the original manuscript was rediscovered. Now we can complete this Cecil B. DeMillish Biblical epic from the Book of Judges. Shamgar's saga recounts how a Phoenician Pirate who claimed to be descended from Pagan Gods, becomes a Judge of Israel and battles the Philistines, slaying them with an ox goad years before Samson used the jawbone of ass. Shamgar almost becomes Israel's first King but his magical ox goad is passed down to a future contender at the beginning of the common era. So if you want to enjoy the Old Testament from a Canaanite perspective, tune in and join us as Shamgar rides again.

On Thursday July 6th, 2017 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the making and use of Masks, for magicians taking the roles of Gods and Goddesses in Seasonal Ceremonies. Our guest for this discussion will be Frater Isa Magister of the Ubar Hermitage in Dallas, Texas, who has been making and using masks in ceremonies for some time. Following this discussion we will be joined by our second guest Bryan Dini, The Purple Man, and head of the iconoclastic Purple Party (a sort of traveling Burning Man show) who staged a dramatic street version of Blake's America Prophecy which can be viewed on the internet. So, if you want to celebrate the 4th two days late, join us and  we'll do Blake and hang out the Gadston Flag.

On Thursday June 29th, 2017 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will  present a symposium on the topic of Assumption of God and Goddess Forms  in magical ceremonies. Call in guests will include Frater Heracles John  Sheffield whose new rituals and articles suggested the topic, Soror  Urania Ann Finnin whose Celtic Church, the Roebuck, has been doing these  operations for years, and Soror Ariel Jo Carson of Feraferia who will be  presenting a Lammas Rite at Rivendell in August, so if you would like to attend                                                                                                       this meeting of the minds on the subject of being God and Goddess-like,                                                                                                            tune in and we shall bring the heavens down to Earth.