The Hermetic Hour

On Thursday December 15th, 2016 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will review and discuss the 2004 novel "State of Fear" by the late Michael Crichton (1942-2008). This is a highly controversial work that is particularly important at the present time. Although presented in the form of a novel, it is in fact the most significant criticism of "Climate Change" (formerly "Global Warming"). A Geo-Political Doctrine promoted by today's Globalists and opposed by today's Nationalists. As a novel it is not one of Crichton's best. The characters are obviously symbolic, intended primarily to act or react to the author's message which is critical of the climate change proposition and even suggests that its proponents are guilty of bad science, data manipulation and even the sponsoring of eco-terrorism. However, if you suspect Crichton is correct you will enjoy the book and can even identify with his heroes as they battle against the eco-terrorists who are trying to create a catastrophic Tsumnami -- which actually did occur in the same month, December 2004, that the book was published! (twilight zone theme) So, if you want to look back at "State of Fear", tune in and we'll catch the wave. Surfs up!

On Thursday December 1st, 2016, the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will review the recently published compendium of manuscript translations dealing with the Homunculus, compiled and edited by Joseph Uncello from Four Hands Press, Viatorium and Ouroboros Press. This is one of the most remarkable books on alchemy and magick to have appeared since the release of Picatrix. We now have Paracelsus's own detailed accounts of the Homunculus operation.The creation of a humanoid being, using male sperm in an artificial female womb. This is followed by other Renaissance period authors elaborating on the process and presenting eyewitness accounts of successful Homunculi experiments. We are treated to works that seem to be the source material for The Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosencrutz, the Tyrol experiment cited by W. Somerset Maugham in his 1908 novel "The Magician," and the little King and Queen created by Dr. Pretorious in the 1934 horror film "The Bride of Frankenstein." For comic relief we have an Arabic version of the operation using a sheep and a cow (without their consent) and for cultural diversity we are treated to a poetic Taoist perspective on the process, and for redeeming social value. We have a Valentinean Christian approach to making a Magical Child by the German philosopher Jacob Bohme, which may well have been the inspiration for Aleister Crowley's "Moon Child" -- So, If you want to delve into the dark secrets of creation, join us and we will open up the forbidden book: Codex Homunculi.

On Thursday November 10th, 2016 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will review the career of Steve Ditko's Dr. Stephen Strange, "Master of the Mystic Arts" from his Marvel Comics' debut in 1963 to the 2016 Disney/Marvel film released this month. We will discuss Doc's ancestor the 1930's Radio sorcerer "Chandu the Magician" and give a synopsis of Strange's early comic book adventures and the live action films. Both the1978 and 2016 films emphasize Hermetic symbolism and method drawing on Eastern yoga for power and technique; resulting in a system that is a sort of astral Kung-Fu. In both films the Master Teacher is European, whereas in the original comic book version he was a Tibetan Lama called "The Ancient One." In the recent film there have been some changes in the service of political correctness that are difficult to understand. Why change Baron Mordo the original Euoropean villian into Doc's black side-kick and then create a new villian to play Mordo's traditional role played by a European actor. So, if you want to explore this and other deep mysteries of Dr. Strange's magical universe, tune in and we'll consult the Orb of Agamodo.

On Thursday November 3rd, 2016 the Hermetic Hour with Host Poke Runyon will present an essay on how the Atheistic Marxists hi-jacked Christian idealism and used our two thousand years of devotion to Christian principles of Altruism and charity against us in order to enslave us. Also conceding the influence of Hermetic Elitism in this process, we will trace the development through the Roman Church, the Illuminati, and the Marxists to the modern New World Order. We will use "The Matrix" as a metaphor for our present political and economic state. So if you want to get unplugged tune in and take the red pill.

On Thursday October 27th, 2016 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will recall and review Frank (Dune) Herbert's first published science fiction story "Nightmare Blues" (Operation Syndrome) 1954. This is an ominously prophetic and frightening tale of electronic mind control which seems to have been inspired by The Cabinet of Dr. Calagari. A scientist (who ends up in a mad house) invents a machine that projects thoughts (a telepathy transceiver) which is stolen by a music industry producer promoter who uses it to enhance his star's vocal performances. However each city where they perform experiences catastrophic outbreaks of mass insanity. One of the mad scientist's former students, a psychologist, teams up with a ham radio operator to create an antidote machine. This story was published in 1954 and set in 1999. It deals with issues and theories that resonate today. So if you want to contemplate some high-tech horror, for Halloween tune in and we'll turn up the volume.

On Thursday October 13th, 2016 Poke Runyon host of the Hermetic hour will present a reading of the mystical magical poem "The Hashish Eater" by the late Poet and Fantasy writer Clark Ashton Smith. Smith was a friend and colleague of H. P. Lovecraft whose magical fantasies were also featured in Weird Tales in the 1930s and 1940s, and in "Dark of the Moon" from Arkham House and in "New World's for Old" edited by Lin Carter. This poem is a fantastic magical experience and invokes dreamlike visions. Tune in and discover a magical psychedelic masterpiece.

On Thursday October 6th the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will review and describe our recently reprinted and updated publications, The Seventh Ray, Book I, the Blue Ray with new material on Enochian Book H and the OTA Geomancy system. We will also discuss the recently reprinted Book of Solomon's Magick now issued to members with an up-dated addendum. We will also review our entire line of publications and productions available from Amazon and to Associate Members. So if you want to know what we have to offer and what you have been missing tune in and catch up on our latest and a preview of what we have coming in the future.

On Thursday September 15th, 2016 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the Alchemical Classic "Splendor Solis" by Solomon Trismosin 1582. This magnificently illustrated work is considered to be the most beautiful illuminated manuscript of all the Medieval and Renaissance occult books. It draws on all of the earlier Alchemical classics such as the Turba Phiosophorum. Solomon Trismosin was said to have been the mentor of the most famous of all alchemists Paracelsus. The twenty-two beautiful allegorical paintings that illustrate the book are the work of the Renaissance master Lucas van Leiden. The symbolic paintings have been likened to the twenty-two greater arcana of the Tarot.This book has been a great influence on Rosicrucianism and deserves a place in any study of that tradition, so if you want to peek at the Splendor of the Sun, put on your dark glasses and tune in.

On Thursday September first, 2016 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will discuss James Branch Cabell's romantic fantasy novel JURGEN (1919).This delightfully satirical and deeply esoteric work is considered Cabell's masterpiece and a classic of American literature. It might best be quickly described as an Oz book for adults. Modern readers will liken Cabell's tale to a Monty Python script. Chapter XXII was inspired by Aleister Crowley's Gnostic Mass which prompted Crowley to praise Cabell as America's greatest novelist. We will read the infamous 22nd chapter along with some of the symbolically described erotic passages that got the original book banned in New York. This backfired and made JURGEN a national bestseller in the 1920s. And it is still a great read -- so if you want to spend an hour with Messers Cabell and Crowley, tune in and we will follow Jurgen chasing his first love all the way from puberty to Hell, which is a liberal democracy and up to Heaven which is a Southern Baptist dictatorship, administered by a black house slave. Maybe we can get it banned again!

On Thursday August 25th, 2016 The Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on two modern classics that hold up mirrors to modern society and recent history: George Orwell's 1984 (1949) and Ortega de Gassett's Revolt of the Masses (1929).Both authors were socialists and both were involved in the Spanish Civil War. 1984 is called a "dystopia"and describes British post World War II socialism evolving into a nightmareish doubleplusungood (Stalinistic) tyrany where everyone is brainwashed into believing that: "War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery and Ignorance is Strength." In "Revolt of the Masses" Ortega de Gassett disputes the liberal dictum that universal literacy and education can enoble and uplift "the common people" into a body politic capable of rational and reasonable self government, Hence democracy must be controlled by an intellectual elite (sound familiar). Both these books are classics and more important today than when they were written. We will try to put them in a Hermetic perspective for you (sociology is the new black magick) so if you want to peek into the future from way back when, tune in and we'll part the veil.