The Hermetic Hour

On Thursday April 26th, 2012, The Hermetic Hour, host Poke Runyon, will review his 1980 master's thesis in cultural anthropology at Cal State, Northridge, titled: "A History of Magical Cults and the Rise of NeoPaganism in Southern California." This work has never been published and contains what some might consider "sensitive" material. It briefly reviews the history of the Western Esoteric Tradition starting in first century Alexandria, up through the 19th and 20th century magical groups, concentrating on the modern rise of Magick and "Wicca" in England -- and immigrating to America. Magick first in the 1920s, followed by witchcraft in the 1960s. The rise of nature oriented NeoPaganism in Southern California, through the turbulent psychedelic era, and the new "Coven model" organizations. I saw this phenomenon as a cultural revitalization movement I referred to as "NeoRomanticism." It is a sad fact that most contemporary witches and magicians know very little about the actual history of their "traditions," especially in relation to other earlier traditions, and groups they may not be aware they are related to. We will open a time capsule and go back 35-40 years to the thrilling days of yesteryear. Tune in and we'll ripe the veil of mystery from our history.

On Thursday, April 19th, 2012 the Hermetic Hour, with host Poke Runyon, will present a discussion on Magick and Politics. This is a controversial, difficult and delicate subject, but one of crucial importance that needs to explored and understood by everyone who belongs to a magical group, lodge, coven or order -- or is considering joining such an organization. We will cover the influence of Theosophy, and its distortions that influenced Nazism. The anti-occult, anti-Neo-Pagan bias that followed WW II, the danger of being tagged as a "racist" group, the problem with illegal drugs, and under-age sex in connection with occult-pagan activities. The problem with "Satanism" and the great 1990s Satanic Witch Hunt. The problem with raising children in Pagan homes. The problem of diminishing privacy and personal freedoms, especially the freedom of association. We will look beyond "Right Wing-Left Wing," "Democratic" buzz words into the reality of our diminishing freedoms under both liberal and conservative administrations -- and how we, as magicians can preserve our traditions and our practices in a "politically correct" world. Tune in and find out how to avoid what no one expects.....The Spanish Inquisition!

On the Hermetic Hour Thursday, April 12, 2012, host Poke Runyon will introduce Professor Curtis Shumaker who teaches English literature at Cal State and specializes in the study of science fiction. Curtis is also an occultist and a Masonic scholar. He will discuss the recent book on occult writers in literature "The Dark Muse" (recently reviewed in The Seventh Ray) and the concept of the "Weird" as a manifestation of an incomprehensible, irrational universe, as opposed to a "supernatural" universe where everything follows the rules of magick -- which seem reasonable in their own context. We will touch on Lovecraft's scientific/magical mythology, moving on to the later writers in the Lovecraft cycle: Fritz Leiber ("Our Lady of Darkness"), Matheson, Charles Beaumont, Jack Williamson ("Darker Than You Think") and even a Jungian perspective on GD/Crowley type magick. -- So, get your note books ready to write down some books you'll want to read.

On Thursday, April 5th, 2012 Hermetic Hour host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the ancient divinatory art of Geomancy, which is a little known but very important part of the Hermetic magician's tool kit. We will review the history of the process, comparing it to it's ancient Chinese counterpart the I-Ching, and the Tarot. Geomancy is divination by the figures of Earth, but very much related to astrology. Most of our practical knowledge of the process comes from Agrippa's 16th century treatise, but it is far more ancient, probably dating back to the paleolithic. We will discuss our own unique reconstruction of the most ancient method, involving huckle bones (the earliest dice) and flourite crystals (the Biblical Urim and Thummim). We were recently surprised when one of our members on duty in Iraq informed us that the Yezidis were using something similar. Geomancy also figures in the medieval Grail epic Parsifal. Tune in and find out about Western magick's own very ancient version of "casting the runes."

The Hermetic Hour for Thursday, March 22nd, 2012 will feature a discussion led by host Poke Runyon, with Ed Fitch, and Rustee Wizzerd, calling in, on the marriage of Paganism, Witchcraft and Ceremonial Magick seen in the revival of the 1970s Order of the Temple of Astarte in the 21st century. We will talk about how this all got started, what our original goals were, and what influenced the O.T.A. to attempt a modern synthesis of Victorian era Gnostic and Rosicrucian magical systems with the more shamanic and earth-oriented Neo-Pagan Movement. This will be an eye-opener to newbies who often have no idea what the real differences between Wicca and Magick are, or how much one owes to the other -- so, tune in and find out what's going on in strange, dark blue rooms in California, Texas, and Georgia. It's Magick!

The Hermetic Hour for Thursday, March 1st, 2012 will highlight our C.H.S. Associate Member's program. It will also be call-in night, so let's hear from you. Our call-in number is: 374-857-1830. We will be previewing our forthcoming video, now in production, "The Pathworkings of Magick." This is going to be the first time that anyone has attempted to actually do traditional inner plane projection operations over a computer or on DVD home theater. We've already shot the live temple footage and we will post stills on our website. These Pathworking DVDs will go out to our Associate Members as part of their instructional program. Tune in an learn how you can take magical journeys at home.

The Hermetic Hour for Thursday the 23rd of February, 2012 will present a report by host Poke Runyon on the recent PantheaCon convention in San Jose, California (from the17th through the 20th of this month). This gathering of NeoPagan tribes, magical lodges and Wiccan covens was attended by 2000 colorful characters with nearly a hundred events, lectures, ritual presentations, and handcrafted treasures for collectors of the exotic. We attended as part of the Feraferian entourage and helped Feraferia's leader Jo Carson to present an enchanted Oimelc rite that featured talented dancers, musicians and an experienced cast of ritualists.  Lady Jo will be calling in discuss this event with us and her upcoming book on Feraferia. We also attended lectures and classes given by our friends Chic and Tabatha Cicero, and Lon Milo DuQuette. We touched base with Ed Fitch who was promoting his forthcoming book Pirate Magic -- or is Pyrate Magick? (Arrgh!) A great time was had by all -- so tune in and we'll share the magick with you.

On February 16th, 2011 the Hermetic Hour, with host Poke Runyon, will present a lively discussion of the great anti-Masonic hoax of the late 19th century, the "Order of the Palladium," allegedly founded by General Albert Pike, 33rd, and conferred, through secret sex magick rites, by the mysterious beauty Diana Vaughan. This French-based tabloid serial was the creation of a self-admitted journalistic "prankster" Leo Taxil, aided by his attractive female secretary Diana Vaughan, and a certain "Dr. Bataille". Working together they concocted the fantastic memories of the high priestess of an international luciferian masonic sex magick cult which sought to secretly initiate the leaders of the Western World in a demonic conspiracy. The repentant Diana Vaughan was said to have converted to Roman Catholicism and to be hiding somewhere in a undisclosed convent. When the Pope asked Taxil if he could visit her and bestow his blessing, Taxil knew that the jig was up. He called a press conference and made an outrageous public confession of the whole affair. The transcript of his confession -- complete with laughter and insults -- has been translated into English and would make a hilarious one-man stage show. Up until recently many anti-masonic conspiracy buffs still believed the Palladians were the real deal (David Icke still does) and there is even a Palladian Skull and Bones chapter at the University of Arkansas. We have a special connection to this mad adventure through our late senior adviser Louis T. Culling, who claimed to be "the Last Palladian." So, tune in and we'll unveil the secrets of the Palladians.

The Hermetic Hour for Thursday February 9th, 2012 will feature a discussion, led by Poke Runyon on the psycho-philosophy of Carl Gustav Jung and its relation to the Hermetic Tradition. We will set forth the basic tenants of Jung's psychology, how it differs from that of Sigmund Freud, and how Jung's theory of the "Collective Unconscious" matches up with the Hermetic theory of the "Universal Mind." We'll also consider how the Jungian "archetypes" and "the shadow" relate to angels, spirits and demons. Jung's interest in Alchemy will be mentioned, along with his notion that UFOs might be the medieval angels returning in modern times. Our reference text will be "Modern Man in Search of a Soul" and "The Red Book," which was Jung's personal diary of his own spiritual quest. So curl up with your anima (or animus) and we'll get analytical.

The Hermetic Hour for Thursday February 2nd, 2012 with host Poke Runyon, will present a discussion on the life and times of America's most famous and notorious ceremonial magician John (Marvel) Whiteside Parsons. You don't have to be "a rocket scientist" to understand the secrets of magick -- but Jack Parsons actually was a rocket scientist, and he not only established the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA's JPL) in Pasadena, but also ran the Agape Lodge of the O.T.O. from a mansion on Orange Grove that members called "The Ghastly Gables." Parsons has a lunar crater named after him -- on the dark side, of course. We will trace Jack's fantastic career from the depression years through WW II, and the the post war era. Our references will be John Carter's (Warlord of Mars?) book "Sex and Rockets" (1999), our own conversations with Lou Culling and Cameron Parsons, our own 1976 Seventh Ray publication of Parson's "Freedom is a Two-Edged Sword." We'll discuss the "Babalon Working," and the Cal Tech drama department's recent stage play "Pasadena Babalon." Launch time: 8:00 p.m. Thursday -- five, four, three, two, one...Blast Off ! (Io Pan !)