The Hermetic Hour

On Thursday April 11th, 2024 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will have as his call in guest America's foremost ceremonial magician, Maestro Lon Milo DuQuette. The primary subject Lon will discuss is his latest project: a color it yourself version of his and his wife Constance's 1998 Tarot of Ceremonial Magick. The new project, the color it yourself Tarot Deck is in line with his Chicken Qabalah "creation of magical toys" concept. By coloring your own Tarot deck you not only personalize it but you also internalize all the magical symbolism. This is not a new idea. It originated with the Golden Dawn in the 1870's and was perpetuated by Paul Case in his Builders of the Adytum in the 1920's. This is a fascinating subject and you have an opportunity to get a pre-publication preview of a Master's work. So tune in and let the Maestro get your creative juices flowing.

The Hermetic Hour for Thursday December 12th, 2019 -- will feature a discussion and review of the new edition of The Tarot of Ceremonial Magick by Lon and Constance DuQuette which was first issued in 1995 along with the book of the same title. Your host Poke Runyon will have as his guest the Maestro himself, Lon Milo DuQuette, who will describe and explain his masterpiece. The new deck has improved color separation and is more attractivly packaged and available at a lower price than previous editions. These cards describe a 360 degree magick circle with symbolic connections to the three Great Pillars of Magick: Astrology Enochian Magick and Goetia. They are a marvelous tool for the practicing magician and even the armchair magician. The book is still in print and this new issue of the deck is a welcome manifestation of the the wisdom of the Master and the symbolic art of his Lady. Although this deck is not intended for fortune telling, we invite you to join us as we shuffle the deck of the Multiverse and let the Maestro deal the cards.

On Thursday September 23rd, 2021, the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will review Journey to the Castle (2021) by Ann Finnin who will join us on the show to guide us recalling her journey to find the roots of Traditional British Witchcraft. As most of us know modern British witchcraft is divided between Gardnerian and Robert Gravesian branches. The Gravesian branch springing mostly from Bill Gray and Robert Cochcrane (Roy Bowers) and imported to America by Joe Wilson as the Order of 1734. Dave and Ann Finnin’s Coven of the Roebuck grew out of 1734 but they wanted to get to the real roots of their inspiration. Go to England, meet the elders, walk the lay lines, visit the castles. Learn the truth first hand. This book recalls that quest, documents their discoveries and presents Ann’s insights on the meanings and significance of this most shamanic form of modern witchcraft. If you want to know how to cross the moat tune in and take notes.

On Thursday August 26th, 2021, the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon, will explore the place of Hermetics and Hermetic Magicians in the coming Futurist society influenced and augmented by genetic engineering, nanotech, computer technology, artificial intelligence, and Clio-dynamics We will refer to our broadcasts over the past few years dealing with these super-humanizing or DE-humanizing techs and tech-systems predicted by science fiction authors such as A.E. Van Vogt, L. Ron Hubbard, Issac Asimov, and Frank Herbert. We will consult current works on the subject by Michio Kaku and Marc Zimmer. We will suggest that much of this futurism derives from Hermetic philosophy and therefore we magicians should embrace it providing we can become more than human rather than a swarm of sub-human drones in a hive. So if you wanna be Slans. (Fans of the Slans are today’s futurists) tune in and we’ll open the gate for you.

On Thursday August 19th the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present two Prophetic essays by American rocket scientist, magician and philosopher John Whiteside Parsons. Chapters Two and Three of "Freedom is a Two-Edged Sword taken from The Seventh Ray, Book IV, Omnibus, The Violet Ray" a reprint of the original publication in the Seventh Ray, issue 19, 1977 (Chapter 3) and a previously unpublished chapter 2, "The Sword and the State." These essays from the 1950s are particularly important in the present political, spiritual, and socio-economic situation. They should be of particular interest to our Thelemic listeners and Hermetic students generally. I do not always agree with Jack but I do agree that his work should be revived and reviewed at this critical time. So if you want to know what Maestro Belarion predicted tune in and find out.

On Thursday February 29th 2024, The Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will broadcast a memorial for Wiccan and Neo-Pagan elder Edward Sitch 1937 - 2024, with Pagan leaders and friends calling in sharing remembrances of Frater Ea and "Sitch the Witch" as Tom Snyder dubbed him. Ed was a VMI grad and a Lt. Colonel in the Air Force Reserve. He served in Viet Nam, Thailand, the U.S. and U.K. With Joseph Wilson and Raymond Buckland, Ed brought Witchcraft (Wicca) to America in the 1950s. He worked as a writer and editor on "The waxing Moon," and "The Crystal Well" both leading Neo-Pagan pblications. He was the author of several books, including "A Grimoire of Shadows" and "The Rites of Odin." He was a member of the original Brethen of the Coast Pirate Club; and as a sailor he crewed on Sydney Hatchl's schooner Escape, and was 2nd mate on my schooner Valkyrie. He was a witch and a magician, a wizard and a warrior, a sailer and a sage. He was a Gentleman of the Old School. He will be long remembered and he will be missed.

On Thursday August 5th, 2021 - the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on Magical (Electional) Astrology from Ficino to Campanella with Bishop Michael Beeson (V.H. Frater Suen). We will refer to D.P. Walker's book Demonic and Spiritual magic from Ficino to Campanella, recounting Campanella and Pope Urban's magical astrological operation. We will discuss Planetary Hours, Lunar Mansions, and other aspects of electional astrology. We will recommend the books of Christopher Warnock (Renaissance astrology) and Michael Beeson's own podcast, Hacking Fate. So if you want to know how the old wizards did it, tune in and find out.

On Thursday July 8th, 2021, the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon and Very Honored Frater Suon will present a discussion on the Ars Notoria, a medieval Solomonic grimoire of prayers and meditations designed to assist in learning the Hermetic arts such as astrology, alchemy, philosophy and even theology. Although attributed to Solomon it is heavily Christian but filled with Hermetic and magickal lore. It was often included in the Lemegeton compendiums of Solomonic grimoires; along with the Goetia and the Almadel. It originated in the 13th century but we are most familiar with the Robert Turner 1656 translation available from Trident Books (1997) but we will also discuss Stephen Skinner & Daniel Clark’s (2019) compendium of earlier versions. So tune in and learn how the old wizards remembered their spells.

On Thursday June 3rd, 2021 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a reading off the newly drafted Corpus Christi ceremony which will represent the Rosicrucian climax of the ancient pagan seasonal ceremony round. It will be performed following the Spring Sacred Marriage Nuptiae rite. In keeping with the Sacred Marriage being the supreme sacrament and passion of early Gnostic Christianity. The ritual will follow the ancient Naassene document honoring Jesus as the last of the pagan dying Gods coming down to rescue and marry Mary Magdalene so that they may rule together as King and Queen of Israel. So if you want experience the Second Coming, Valentinian style, tune in and receive the Gnosis.

On May 27th, 2021 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will have as honored guest Lady Jo Carson Avatrix of Feraferia who will discuss her restoration and fulfillment of Master Fred Adams cosmos encompassing mandala, the Enneasphere which incorporates Qabalistic astrological and Tarot correspondences in one great design. This masterpiece can be seen on Feraferia's website: < feraferia.org > under "latest additions" and on < chsota.org > on the blogs as "Fun with Enneaspheres" if possible look at the graphics on these websites while listening to the show. And also check out Lady Jo's film DANCING WITH GAIA. We just released it on Amazon. So tune in and get introduced to the Celestial Key to the Hermetic mysteries.