The Hermetic Hour

On Thursday May 16th, 2013 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a review on the new book "Love Sex Fear Death" The Inside Story of The Process Church of the Final Judgment, by Timothy Wyllie, edited by Adam Parfrey from Feral House. Timothy Wyllie will call in and give us his inside story on "The Inside Story" of one of the strangest, and most influential "Cults" of the psychedelic 60s-70s era. The Processians were a spin-off of Scientology who worked a neo-Bibical mythology in which Lucifer, Satan, Jehovah, and Christ were equally venerated and extolled. The Process was a communal Millernarian (apocalyptic) cult that fascinated the youth subculture and frightened the older generation. They were very creative and dedicated to spreading their radical doomsday philosophy. They were masters of what we now call "disinformation." We will discuss their influence on the 1990s Satanic Ritual Abuse mass delusion, and the subsequent Demonic Illuminati conspiracy obsessions that pollute the internet. So, if you want to get to the Inside Story of The Process, tune in and get processed.

On Thursday May 9th, 2013 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the art and poetry of British 18th century mystic artist-philosopher-poet William Blake -- who was influenced by Milton (Paradise Lost) and Swedenborg (Heaven and Hell). Blake's subsequent influence on Crowley, Austin Spare, Fred Adams, and the modern Hermetic Tradition will be delineated. Blake's brake with the piety of Swedenborg to extoll a more romantic, solipsistic view of the creative artist's duty to explore life's adventures to the fullest measure is the theme of the discussion. Books by Blake and books about him and his work will be reviewed. So, if you want to spend an hour with the man who invented the comic book, tune in and meet an 18th century artistic Super Hero.

On Thursday May 2nd, 2013 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will review the novel "The Demonologist" by Canadian writer Andrew Pyper. This is a recent mainstream thriller from Simon & Schuster that is surprisingly accurate in its presentation of demons working in the realm of the human mind exploiting personal weaknesses and former tragedies to accomplish their ends -- with some obligatory exaggerations for horror effect. Popular writers usually try to find some old Necronomicon book-alike to hang their story on. In this case Pyper used John Milton's "Paradise Lost." At first this seems an odd choice; why not "The Key of Solomon," or the "Lemegeton," or the "Heptameron"? However, Milton's long Biblical epic is actually a good choice. It was published in the 1640s, was very widely read and dealt extensively with Satan and the Fallen Angels, even incorporating our Canaanite Baal (Bael) and Astarte (Ashteroth) into their ranks -- along with the archdemon who is the disembodied villain of Pyper's tale. Readers of "The Book of Solomon's Magick" will recall that I quoted Milton's poem in relation to our Canaanite pantheon. Milton (and to a lesser extent Pyper) tried to give Satan and his minions a creditable, even darkly heroic point of view. This influenced William Blake's "Marriage of Heaven and Hell." Blake illustrated one of the later editions of "Paradise Lost." -- So, if you want a demonic thriller that will make you wonder what you might have lurking between your ears, tune in and we'll recommend one.

On Thursday April 25th, 2013, the Hermetic Hour, with host Poke Runyon, will present a discussion on the practice of the Vajrayogini tantra as undertaken by O.T.A. members and Gardenerians at the Sakya Center in Los Angeles in Oct.-Nov.1985 under the direction of Abbott Ludhing Khen Rinpoche of the Sakya Order, Ngor Sect, of Tibetan Buddhism. This was a rare opportunity for Westerners to take initiations, and an extended training course in Tibetan Trantric practice, supervised by Tibetan lamas and delivered in English by an American lama Nagawang Samten. My mentor in anthropology, Dr. Robert Ravitz, had been to Dharmsala, India several times. He recommended the program, and frankly told me: "Poke, you will be getting something that many people have gone to Asia, given up everything, spent years, and still not received, so get the most out of it." I certainly tried to, and found it one of the most meaningful experiences in my magical career. Our sessions with Ludhing Khen Rinpoche and Lama Samten lasted a month. We started with a Hevajrah initiation, as the most important yidam practice of the Order (this was our certification and a "planting of the seed"), followed by Chenrezi initiation, Padmasambhava, White Tara, an intensive Vajrayogini Initiation and practice, from a 100 page syllabus detailing all the rites and practices. This is a complete tantric system, including, Tumo, and Pohwa (death practice).Vajrayogini is very popular with Tibetans and Westerners alike. She is a very close analog to the Canaanite Goddess Anath. Programs like the one we participated in are now being offered more frequently here in America. You might check with H.H. Sakya Trazin's website for details -- So, if you want to find out what it is like to meditate with the Eastern Masters, tune in and we will share our recollections with you.

On Thursday, March 11th, 2013 the Hermetic Hour will present a discussion by host Poke Runyon on the Japanese martial arts system known as Ninjutsu. This may not seem related to the Western Hermetic Tradition but it seems that Hermetic magicians find it to be the most magical of the oriental combat systems and are attracted to it. Ninjutsu combines techniques of armed and unarmed combat, along with other skills applicable to both paramilitary and magical operations. The Ninja tradition is 800 years old, originating in feudal Japan. Ninjas were originally of the Japanese peasant class defending themselves against the heavily armed and tyrannical samurai warriors. Some of these oriental Robin Hood types evolved from patriots into professional assassins, so there is a dark side to Ninjutsu. There is also a mystical-magical element in their yoga system called "Kuji" which they claim to have received from Tibet via Chinese master teachers early in the feudal period. This system involves an interlaced energy 'grid' of Nine bands or "cuts" called Kuji-kiri. We will discuss Ninja history, training methods, and philosophy -- so tune in and we'll explore the spiritual side of mayhem.

On Thursday April 4th, 2013 the Hermetic Hour, with host Poke Runyon, will present a discussion on the Sufis and Islamic mysticism. This is a subject that is impossible to fathom and difficult to summarize. The reason it is so difficult to understand lies in Sufism's passion for non-literal, allegorical and paradoxical teaching deriving in part from its fear of being persecuted by orthodox Islam for heresy; a very real fear which endangers Sufi circles all over the world at the present time. We will briefly outline the history of Sufism and highlight the work some of its legendary teachers with their profound, and sometimes humorous parables. We will recall the famous Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, comparing the Western version to what Khayyam actually wrote. Gurdjieff's debt to Sufism will be noted. We will outline the so-called "Arabic Kabbalah" sometimes called "Abjad", and discuss the controversial book "The Other Islam" on present day Sufism by Stephen Schwartz. So, if you want to find out what you don't know about the Sufis tune in and be mystified.

On Thursday March 28th, 2013 the Hermetic Hour, with host Poke Runyon, will present an interview with author, editor and publisher Darcy Kuntz, who is certainly the foremost authority and resource on the history of the Golden Dawn and its off-shoots on this side of the pond. Darcy has worked closely with Robert A. Gilbert -- the leading British Golden Dawn scholar -- in tracking down, authenticating, editing and publishing the extensive writings of Golden Dawn adepts. Darcy is the founding director of The Golden Dawn Research Trust. His current offering is "The Magical Writings of Florence Farr," who was a Golden Dawn adept and the originator of the Magical Astral Pathworkings in Western magick. Darcy is also bringing out an edited and annotated version of the "Collectania Hermetica.". So tune in and learn how to uncover and discover all of the secrets of the Golden Dawn.

On Thursday March 21st, 2013 The Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the rise of serious academic, intellectual, and scientific interest in Hermetic philosophy, spirituality and even practice in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. We will review the works of writers such as Joscelyn Godwin, David Fideler, Richard Kieckhefer, Kitty Fergueson, and Peter Kingsley. We will discuss the impact of new theories and discoveries in quantum physics on previous scientific and philosophical paradigms, leading to a renewed appreciation for the ancient Pythagorean cosmic and natural doctrines which were the foundation for the Hermetic sciences of alchemy, astrology, and the art of magick. In theoretical science one might say that the Qabalah is challengingEinstein. So tune in and find out just how serious the academy now regards our antiquated beliefs and superstitions. We don't need to go to the Moon anymore, we can send for it...

On Thursday March 14th, 2013 The Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a report on Frater Thabion and Soror Zandria's visitation to initiate nine new members, and help present the O.T.A. Spring Equinox Nuptiae pageant at the Austin, Texas Hermitage of Frater Heracles and Soror Omphala. This was a marvelously magical and wonderfully social weekend. The ceremonies on the spacious grounds, and inside the impressive temple were inspiring. Frater Heracles will be our call-in guest to give us his first hand report on the activities. We also visited the Scarlet Woman Lodge of the O.T.O. in Austin where Frater Thabion gave an after dinner talk on Evocation, then a tour of the State Capitol, and the Scottish Rite Temple.  We capped the expedition off with a carousal at The Spider House that was likewise memorable for magical fellowship. So tune in and we'll share Texas magick with you.

On Thursday February 28th, 2013, the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon, will explain the fundamental and practical changes the Order of the Temple of Astarte (O.T.A.) has made in Qabalah, Yoga, Angel gender, Evocation of Spirits, and both Biblical and Pagan mythology in order to make Hermetic visionary magick a gender-balanced system that men and women can feel is equally theirs, and still be within the compass of the genuine Western Esoteric Tradition. As most of you know The G.D., the O.T.O., Freemasonry and the Rosicrucians are all patriarchal, male-dominated and male-oriented systems in which there is no veneration of a true Divine Feminine and little concern for feminine viewpoint. The O.T.A. was founded in 1969, when modern Neo-Paganism was emerging as a dynamic spiritual force. We were very much influenced by Feraferia, and Robert Graves. We knew that if traditional magick was to be valid in this modern age, the balance of male and female elements had to be created and maintained. This is a controversial subject and we will be open to call-ins on the topic -- so, tune in and find out about traditional magick's affirmative action program.