Tag Archives: Magick

Ritual Year Ancient Egypt Course

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“Explore the fusion of Hindu Tantrik and Khemetic perspectives in ‘Tankhem,’ a transformative course in ancient Egyptian magic. Tailored for witches, natural magicians, pagans, and tantriks alike, this course offers a unique approach to unravelling the mysteries of ancient Egypt’s magical heritage. Dive into the depths of this ancient Egyptian magic course and unlock the secrets of the ages.”

Course Aims:

Embark on a journey to unlock the mysteries of Ancient Egyptian Magical Religion through an in-depth exploration of its reconstructed Ritual Year, which consists of 12 “god-bearing” months.

Course Leader:

Guided by Mogg Morgan, a distinguished Companion of Seth and Knight of Shamballa, renowned author of over a dozen books on magick. Immerse yourself in his wealth of knowledge and expertise. Additionally, delve into his insightful videos on YouTube @EgyptianMagick.

Objectives:

  • Develop a comprehensive understanding of Egyptian culture, delving deep into its magickal practices from foundational principles to advanced techniques.
  • Attune to the rhythms of ancient cosmic and life cycles, fostering a heightened sensitivity to the interconnectedness of the universe.
  • Acquire practical skills essential for embarking on the journey toward immortality and spiritual resurgence.

Outline:

Twelve modules including video lecture.

Module 1: MesoRe – Ra and the New Year

 MesoRe – Ra and the New Year and the Golden Dawn. Who are you? There were two major cults in Egypt and the sun god was one of them. His/her birth at the turning point of the year was a hugely significant magick event at a micro and macrocosmic level. It also functions as an entry into the entire year. If joining the course late then this module will be sent together with the appropriate month module. Drawing down the sun, opening rites and calls. The module reveals many hidden aspects of the moment and also acts as an opening rite for the entire sequence. Printouts, extra and first assignment, Feedback on that.

Module 2: Tekh – The Cup and Seth’s Magick

Tekh – the name of this month is literally “The Cup” which has many important connotations, to do with the Cup of Imbibition. Also intoxication, hence its connection with the Egyptian god Seth. So an exploration of the magick of the god Seth and related Typhonian entities such as Apophis. Ritual work with what used to be called exorcism but really about ecstatic cults such as the Zar. Assignments.

Module 3: Min – Exploring Sexual Magick and Life Force

Min – The Egyptian Pan. One of Egypt’s oldest gods. A first look at ideas of sexual magick and the life force. An ancient giant who lies buried just below the surface. He reminds us of the “golden couples” whose coming together is the driving force of transformation and transcendence with the Egyptian cosmological schema.

Module 4: Hathor and Isis – Lunar Blessings and Alchemical Practices

Hathor, and sometimes Isis. The Lunar Blessing. The idea of an alchemical body is connected in Egypt with this archaic goddess and techniques to do with the magical record. Also how to install different divine principles in their respective body realms. Her great book of life, how your name gets in there and how its return date can be altered.

Module 5: Osiris and Sokar – Alchemy and Resurrection Magick

Osiris and Sokar. Alchemy and resurrection magick. Work with Hathor brings us to the cult of Osiris and a primary corpus of beliefs that form the basis of what in later times was known as alchemy but is cited at the crossroads and are the ultimate secrets of body magick.

Module 6: Neith – Ancestral Magick and Rebirthing

Neith, the ancestral, grandmother. All these goddesses have something in common, rebirthing the future self, This is about ancestral magick … reacting back to the first generations of gods. Shu and Tefnut the biogenesis.

Module 7: Nwt – Exploring Stella Magick and Constellations

Nwt, the Star Goddess, explores the several secret books of this ubiquitous goddess, the books of day and of night, the book of Nwt which form part of the primary corpus. Stella magick and the drawing down of constellations.

Module 8: Anubis – Channeling and Underworld Journeys

Anubis the psychic god, the one who moves between ours and the underworld. We must know a lot about this shapeshifter who brings the others to us. We learn channelling and “ordinary trance” from him. 

Module 9: Renenutet – Unveiling Ancient Serpent Power

Renenutet, ancient serpent power. For the Egyptians, Serpents helped to represent the female reproductive organs – so the manipulation of the ancient power begins, with the equivalent of the middle pillar and “chakra” exercises of classical cultures. So for instance the serpent on the forehead is the well-known parallel to the ajna or third eye centre of Tantrik lore.

Module 10: Khonsu – Dream Incubation and Lunar Influences

Khonsu, the wandering moon god, dream incubation. The Moon god explained. The Hidden Moon within and how it moves through the microcosmic, the body and the macrocosm, the outer world.

Module 11: Horus and Sobek – Practical Application in Daily Life

Horus, and Sobek. A detailed examination of this important god, its long history and mythology but always with an eye on what we can use in our daily lives, in the magical practice. Rituals and assignments.

Module 12: Tawaret – Anchoring Chaos and Ritual Cycles

Tawaret .. anchoring chaos. What the Greeks and others called an omphalos, or navel in some greater sense. Think also of belly breathing at a microcosmic level, or centre. If you consider her Hippo form, very heavy and solid, The significance as the anchoring of the ritual year, the fixing of a point that gives us leverage in what is to come. The ritual cycle, whatever form it takes, forms a celestial horizon around the initiates in their extended temple … Who she is is explained in great detail along with appropriate rituals.

Bonus Module: Thoth – Hermeticism and Ancient Magick

Moreover, as a bonus, delve into the realm of Thoth, a wandering magician, and explore the depths of hermeticism. This module is strategically inserted into the sequence at the most fitting juncture – discover why as you progress through the course.

Furthermore, understanding and integrating oneself with the ancient Egyptian ritual year is crucial to unlocking its hidden magick. Symbolically, the Sphinx, with its four feet, resonates with the cyclic nature of the year. Each month is represented by one of these feet, embodying the ebb and flow of time and cosmic energies.

Central to this course is an online lecture spanning one hour, delivering indispensable insights tailored to each month’s essence. Supplementing this core material is additional ad-hoc content accessible online.

Enrol now to access twelve meticulously crafted modules, with a complimentary thirteenth module dedicated to Thoth. Keep an eye out for the soon-to-be-published start date, likely coinciding with the Egyptian New Year around the Summer Solstice. Rest assured, all details will be comprehensively explained.

Pay here $365

Payments and refunds

One instalment of $365 is to be paid in advance

Refunds within 30 days of the beginning of the course of the remaining credit.

About the Facilitator Mogg Morgan

Extras

Course Book

Demonic Horoscope

Readings/One-on-One

Thelemic Symposium 2024 equinox 21 September

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Reviving Tradition: The Oxford Symposium’s Return

After a decade of “silence” the celebrated Oxford symposium rides again, as always a meeting place for the many diverse threads that make the tapestry that is Thelemic magick. Ancient but also post-modern, a style set in motion by the mage Aleister Crowley in our age. Whatever the faults of the first prophet, the symposium aims to be diverse, non-sectarian, inclusive, inspiring, and fun.

Guiding Lights: Mogg Morgan and Sef Salem

Your hosts Mogg Morgan and Sef Salem have curated a potent mix of workshops, presentations, and rituals. 

Mystical Journeys: Chapman’s Angelic Insights

For instance, Alan Chapman, a full-time teacher for fifteen years, guided hundreds of would-be initiates through the reality and myths of profound spiritual practice and experience – traditionally known as the Great Work. Hours of free retreat talks can be found at barbarouswords.com.

 Chapman shares twenty years of mystical experiences. He promises insights into methods, visions, and prophecies.

Chapman authored “Magia” and other works. He founded Ordo Magia and edits for Aeon Publishing.

Esoteric Evolution: Dr. Angela Puca’s Presentation

Dr. Angela Puca presents “From Thélème to Thelema.” She traces esoteric traditions from Rabelais to Crowley.

This presentation examines the philosophical and esoteric lineage from François Rabelais’ ‘L’Abbaye de Thélème’ to Aleister Crowley’s Thelemic doctrine. By exploring the foundational motto “Fay ce que vouldras” within ‘Gargantua’, we uncover its profound influence on Crowley’s central tenet of “Do what thou wilt”. The discussion contextualises Rabelais’ vision of freedom and natural human inclination within the broader framework of Renaissance humanism and its reinterpretation and application in Crowley’s occultism. Through this comparative analysis, we illuminate the transformation of a literary utopia into a spiritual ethos, highlighting the enduring impact of Rabelais’ work on modern esoteric traditions. “Dr Angela Puca is a university lecturer at Leeds Trinity University and holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in philosophy. In 2021, The University of Leeds awarded her a PhD in Religious Studies, which will soon be published with Brill.

Her research focuses on magic, witchcraft, Paganism, esotericism, shamanism, and related currents.  

Author of several peer-reviewed publications and co-editor of the forthcoming ‘Pagan Religions in five Minutes’ for Equinox, she hopes to bridge the gap between academia and the communities of magic practitioners by delivering related scholarly content on her YouTube Channel and TikTok ‘Angela’s Symposium.’

Serpentine Wisdom: The Morgans’ Egyptian Workshop

Mogg and Diti Morgan introduce a workshop on Egyptian Serpent Power. They’re known as the Morgan Witches.

Mogg pioneered the first Thelemic symposium in the 1980s. Diti developed Aromamagick, inspired by Kenneth Grant’s teachings. Their workshop reconnects Thelemic magick with its Egyptian origins.

The session combines lectures with hands-on experiences. Participants will sample Egyptian magick techniques. These include ancient rituals and serpent channel work.

The Morgans also explore pharaonic magick’s modern remnants. They’ll explain practices like the Egyptian Zar.

A Gathering of Minds: Notable Speakers at the Symposium

This workshop is part of a diverse program. It features notable speakers like:

  • Cavan McLaughlin discussing optimal will manifestation.
  • Caroline Wise delving into Steffi Grant’s life and art.
  • Dr. Halo Quin examines encounters with Babalon.
  • Sef Salem & Societas Astris leading a group ritual.

Daoist Mysteries: Jason Read’s Exclusive Workshop

Jason Read offers a Daoist magic workshop. It’s open to all, regardless of experience. The workshop covers talisman crafting and ‘mana’ generation.

The lineup promises an immersive magical experience.

All this plus a closing ritual, evening entertainment and Social 

For more details on these and others, visit the newly minted Symposium website:


Get your early bird tickets now

 

Aromagick: A Scentual Guide to The Kalas & The 8 Colours of Magick

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Aromagick: Unveiling the Kalas and the 8 Colors of Magick

Aromagick offers genuine insights into the mysteries of the Tantrik “kalas”, something often referenced by other esoteric authors such as the AMOOKOS mages, Kenneth Grant et al. The fruit of a lot of experimentation and personal insight, this ought to be a welcome addition to the library of any mystoi, magician, or yogin, indeed anyone with an interest in the most direct of our senses and how these may be enlisted in the work of deep magick. The author also offers a second scentual sequence explicating the eight-colour system made famous in chaos magick. It is perhaps no surprise that the UK chaos magick scene grew out of, or developed pari passu with an interest in aromatics, real essential oils and incense. We recommend this for all mind explorers, especially those with a good nose for a mystery. 

 

 

In creating Aromagick,  Diti J. Morgan has crafted a beautiful and inspiring book about the use of botanical essences in magic of many kinds. Her deep knowledge and experience of the properties of plants lays brilliantly combined with her equally deep knowledge and experience of Hindu Tantra, Western Esoterics, Mythology, and Folklore, and contemporary Neo-Paganism and Magic. She provides a rich cornucopia of spells and recipes, poetry, imagery, and lore to guide us through the seasons of the year and the many forms of magic that we can attempt at any time. A great deal of research and creativity has gone into this book, and I found much in it to surprise and delight me. I recommend this substantial and remarkable book for deep and enjoyable study and preservation in one’s reference library. 
Peter J Carroll. Stokastikos. Southwest England, 2023.
 

“Aromagick: A Scentual Guide to the Kalas and the Eight Colors of Magic”,  is a tantalizing book which wraps Egyptian and Hindu myth, ritual, and magic around a core of expert aromatherapy and plant magic to create a complete system of magic powered by interpenetrating cycles of time.  Just as the cycles of moon and sun weave together to form a calendar, so does this book twist together many strands of magic to form an eternal braid.  In part one, we learn about the kalas, and ritual baths for every phase of the moon.  With each phase, we deep-dive into a ritual bath.  Deep and loving attention is played to the spirits of the plants on which the baths rely; each is a master class in plant and perfume magic.  In my opinion, just the bath rituals alone would easily be worth the “ticket price” for this book, but there is so much more!  Nearly every chapter is bursting with poetry, essays, and juicy magical tidbits.  

In part two, we expand our circle, now focusing on the eight witch’s sabbats of the wheel of the year and their relationship to the eight colours of chaos magic.  Here too, Diti’s depth of knowledge and joy in practice shine through.  Each sabbat has a ritual bath, as well as additional material that extends, contextualizes, and tantalizes.  I received the manuscript shortly before the autumn equinox, so that is where I started.  The chapter opens with the powerful gnostic poem “Thunder, Perfect Mind” from the Nag Hammadi manuscripts, continues with an invocation of the Egyptian fertility goddess Ipet, moves on to a short essay about the magical virtues of the colour blue, and its relation to the season, and then provides an essay by noted scholar of Egyptian magic (and Diti’s husband) Mogg Morgan about Ma’at, the Egyptian deification of Divine Balance.  The chapter concludes, as each does, with an amazing dreamy bath recipe – this one centred on blue lotus, chamomile, jasmine, frankincense, and bergamot.  Just listing the ingredients is enough to make me swoon at their intoxicating fragrance!  All of that is just one chapter of this fascinating book!  I can’t wait to continue working with it throughout the year. 
Sara L Mastros author of The Sorcery of Solomon: A Guide to The 44 Planetary Pentecals of The Magician King

 

Diti is an Aromatherapist, a magician/witch/priestess/dragon
and none of the above. She is an Artisan Perfumer of the Jitterybug kind. When she has time she hangs out at the Apophis Club and studies at the Fox Magic Mystery School. She also makes great apple cakes.

 

Scroll down for the full interview with Diti J Morgan

Can you introduce yourself and say a little about what you do, your aims and objectives with your writing?

I am Diti J Morgan, an aromatherapist with almost 27 years of experience. I learned that when I blend certain essential oils with a meditative and ritualistic mindset, something special and magical happens. Those who walk the magical path will discover that they have this challenge, to share their vision of the mysteries, instead of accepting what is already given. My challenge is to reveal the scentual path of Aromagik.

If you haven’t already, can you say a little more about your family background, ie past and current – ie are you married, have children, work – people like a little bit of personal stuff if you ok to share.

I feel extremely privileged and blessed to be sharing my life with a very special person. We explore together, which is perhaps one of the secrets of a magical life.

Do you call yourself an aromatherapist/witch/magician? –  if so what does this mean to you? And is it important?

I never liked using titles as I feel they are restrictive.

I go by Diti, which is a nickname for Judith or Yehudit in Hebrew. I was given this name (Diti) when I was a baby of three months. In Jewish culture, and more so in Kabbalah, a person’s name has a lot of meaning and influence. Judith was a lovely Jewish widow, who left the city that was under attack by pretending to join the enemy and predicted to Holofernes that he would be victorious. She entered his tent, where she cut off his head while he was in a drunken slumber and took it in a bag to Bethulia. The Jews then overcame the Assyrians who were leaderless. 

The greater the quality of the name, the more positive its influence is believed to be on the person’s life. According to Kabbalah, the letters that form a name connect the physical and spiritual worlds, not only in how the name is written but also in how it is perceived and recited. As a result, a name acts as a “channel” that transmits energy, whether positive or negative and serves as a bridge between a person’s physical and metaphysical worlds. In Hebrew, the name Yehudit contains within it the letters of God
– י ה ו י

A few years ago, when studying and exploring the path of the Kaula-Naths I was very excited to learn some more about the name Diti. In the excellent book, The Myths and Gods of India, the author Alain Danielou writes a short entry about the legend of the Maruts:

A Legend of the Maruts 

“In the Ramayana (1.46), the Maruts spring forth from an unborn son of Diti, the mother of the antigods. 

The mother of the antigods was in great distress. Vishnu had destroyed her two sons, Golden-Eye (Hiranyaksa) and Golden-Fleece (Hiranya-kasipu). In her desire for revenge, Diti, with womanly patience and cleverness, endeavoured to please her husband Vision (Kasyapa) and obtain from him a son who would destroy Indra, himself a son of Kasyapa.

Vision would not cooperate directly, but he advised Diti to perform the son-giving (pumsavana) penance. As the penance approached its completion, Indra felt anxious. He descended upon the earth and began to serve Diti like a disciple. Should she succumb to pride but for one instant this would give him a chance to frustrate her aim. For a long time, Diti was cautious in her austerities, but one day, at sunset, she fell asleep. Indra took advantage of this. Entering the womb of Diti, he tore the fetus into forty-nine fragments with his thunderbolt. These fragments became the Maruts. Indra made them guardians of the chalice of Soma.”

Judith or Diti, you may call me either, but I know for sure that both of my names are my “paths” that convey energy, good or bad, and connect my material and spiritual realms.

Mandrake has published your book – can you say a little about it?

The book Aromagick merges magical thinking and practice with my love for scents, aromatics, and perfumes. In the opening section, you can explore the fragrances and scents of the lunar journey through the Kalas. 

Kala means part, perhaps also a “lunar perfume or flower”. These mysterious but extremely important principles, derived from esoteric Hinduism, were related to the cosmic tides of the moon, those that ebb and flow during a lunar month. 

Following several years of studying the esoteric cycle of the lunar divinities, the Kalas, I gained a fresh perspective and understanding of these enigmatic deities. Each lunar day is said to have its unique magical quality represented by a Kala and a specific fragrance. In Aromagick, you can explore the lunar-Kala cycle’s two distinct sequences, namely the light and dark cycles, and discover the fragrances and perfumes that correspond to each of them.

In the second part of the book, I deal with the Eight Witches Sabbaths of the Ritual Year and how they resonate with the Eight Magics and the corresponding colours and scented essences.

Is the journey in your book for everyone or only for the expert or indeed aimed at the beginner?

Everyone can benefit from Aromagick. It provides a great introduction to essential oils, the moon cycle, the Kala sequences, and the Eight Sabbaths for beginners. For advanced magicians and witches, Aromagick offers new and deeper insights into familiar subjects. Additionally, advanced Tantrics and Naths can discover a fresh perspective on the Kala system.

 

 

The Witch of King’s Cross – Rosaleen Norton

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A story that needs to be told, this ground breaking documentary does the trick. Although at 1 hour 15minutes maybe a little overlong for the format and could be a bit faster. Even so it was great to see and hear her biographer, the late Nevill Drury contributing to the story he did so much to research over several editions of his book Pan’s Daughter : the magical world of Rosaleen Norton. I found the first half the most interesting, when she was younger and a rising star, before the grey men in the Australian patriarchy, and the catholic church brought her down and mostly extinguished her fire, sometimes literally in the fire, when the police were ordered by the courts to burn two of her paintings. Outrageous stuff that courts order burning of pictures, a real witchhunt.

The dirty tricks, the illegal raids on her home by the press are all there. And though she fought back and embraced and reclaimed her witch archetype, it was something of a pyric victory as she ended her days mostly as a recluse and died alone in a hospice run by nuns. Many of her former friends in the film seemed too untogether to be there for her at the end. 

She became something of a parody of herself, sometimes grotesque in the media game. I was so glad to see the pictures of her in her sister’s garden, her hair down and unbleached, no fringe and no crazy eyebrows – just the beautiful person she once was. 

So overall, despite a great body of work, she was well ahead of her time. But a wasted genius, and not through any fault of her own, other than being a woman and a witch.  Her astral magick, with which she connected with Gavin Greenlees and Eugene Goossens enabling them to connect across space and time, is experiencing something of a revival just now and the greater details in Nevill’s book will be useful for that. The patrician musician Goossens was an important occult influence though in the end, the career of this magical superstar was destroyed by a media conceived scandal. He died soon after but never blamed Roie for the any of it; despite her keeping a photographic record of their work, which was stolen from its hiding place in her flat by a hostile journalist and they then sealed her, and his fate. So let us remember her, and induct her into the company of gnostic and tantrik saints. A true original, whose magick and witchcraft did not come from the usual suspects of the time, but was a power of love, direct and from above. 

Honorable mention to the choreographer, actors and sound people for great soundtrack, though was odd that subtitles when pan danced musick subtitled as esoteric when Lilith danced is was dramatic, great track called “Dark Arts” by Brian De Mercia.  Everyone should see this film and support the makers by paying the modest fee to own it. 

Mandrake Newsletter has more information on the biography of Rosaleen Norton Pan’s Daughter and some words from its author Nevill Drury

 

 

 

 

 

Crowley peak moments

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For me, the story of Aleister Crowley’s moment of truth in Cairo 1904 is one of the most interesting in a lifetime graced by perhaps a half dozen such experiences. 1904 was the pivotal year in Crowley’s career, he was 29 years old and therefore well into what is popularly known as the “Saturn Return”. Difficult as it is to believe, Crowley had more or less given up on magick at this point in his life and concentrated on having a good time with what remained of his inheritance. I think we can surmise that he was disillusioned by his experiences as an unwanted member of the famous Victorian occult society we know as the Golden Dawn. Like any hierarchical organisation, internal reveries often blow things apart and in this case, the conflicts had ended in litigation and even, so it is said, deadly magical battles. Its autocratic master Samuel Liddell Macgregor-Mathers said to be overwhelmed by megalomania, locked in conflict with other former friends but also wannabe masters and mistresses. Crowley, still a relatively young upstart, had taken his chances with the boss. Significantly he had cut short his magical retreat in Scotland, for which he had obviously made lavish preparations – this was the famous Abramelin practice. 

In the version he was following, the practice began on Jewish Passover and continued for six months. From a more recent and complete published version, we now know this should actually be 18months. In the 15th century, Abraham began his retreat at Easter (Jewish Passover) itself a very important ancient feast connected with demons and angels of death. These myths make use of doorways of one kind or another, the ancient Hebrews supposedly inscribing magick signs on their lintels, a signal for the angel of death to pass over the house.

It terminated on the old feast of Tabernacles or “Booths”. The modern interpretation tells us this was originally a reminder of the temporary dwellings used by the early Hebrews during their flight from Egypt.  

Crowley’s short gambit with the Golden Dawn did not go well and he was either expelled or left the sanctuary under a cloud. As for The Book of Abramelin, the magical moment had passed and there was no point in returning to his house at Boleskine until the following Easter. So Crowley travelled to Mexico and as often happens, did not return for several years. When he did he was again distracted by his future wife Rose Kelly. 

He eloped with and married Rose Kelly. It was for her patrician family, an unsuitable match, though he was a former family friend. Perhaps to escape the bad family vibe, they set out together on a world tour as a honeymoon. Their cruise ship arrived in Alexandra, a short hop from Cairo, where they planned some sightseeing in the fascinating metropolis. They no doubt took in the sites and the nightlife. Crowley, who already knew the city, having visited a few years earlier, paying a little baksheesh to the local family for special access to the pyramids at night, where in the King’s chamber, he was able to show off some of his old tricks, with a handy copy of the Goetia, which has a preliminary invocation taken from ancient Egyptian magical papyri. 

The results cannot fail to have impressed Rose Kelly, who later, back in their lavish hotel room, no doubt having imbibed perhaps a little too much of the local Omar Khayyam vintage, fell into a light trance and said: “They are waiting for you”. I’m paraphrasing really, more accurate accounts are available I’m sure. Some say Crowley had prepared for all this on his visit a few years earlier, why else did he have the right magical books to hand. But key perhaps is that is was Passover in Cairo, the full moon and exactly the right time to restart another Egyptian originated ritual, that of Abramelin, who according to his medieval account, was a supreme ritual of the adepts in Upper Egypt, which he got after his failed quest through Europe in search of illumination. 

Already experienced with the Abramelin system, Crowley seems to have used it to put himself in touch with his guardian daemon – Aiwass, an entity which some say was his own psyche. There is a famous photograph of Crowley posed with a magick book, a pentagram emblazoned on the front cover. What’s in the book, nothing other than his complete collection of magick squares neatly drawn during his preparation for the Abramelin practice!

The name of his angel lends itself to a bit of wordplay. Aiwass or “I Was” does indeed have a split personality, dictating a book that proposes entirely contradictory solutions to humanity’s problems viz “The Law of the Jungle” versus  “AL True Ism”?  

Snoo Wilson takes up the story some years later when Crowley, now reconciled with his revelation in Cairo, makes an attempt to found an alternative community, dedicated to the tenets dictated to him by those Egyptian spirits in Cairo. It was a brave attempt that eventually foundered due to its own internal conflicts, and the events outside the communards control, such as the rise of a fascist government in Italy, which was hostile to such alternative lifestyles. The Sicilian locals apparently had come to enjoy the presence of their purple priest and his followers. 

Snoo Wilson who carved out a successful career as a playwright specialising in the tricky genre of black comedy used all his talents on the Crowley story. The result was a successful stage play which is novelised as “I, Crowley, almost the last confession of the beast 666”. These days, Crowley people are not noted for their sense of humour and not everyone is able to see the funny side of some of our pretensions. Which is odd, given how fond Crowley himself was of a good joke or an extended tongue in cheek romp.   I’m pretty sure he would have enjoyed Snoo’s retelling of the end of the commune as much as anyone should. Remembering that one must first entertain before getting too serious. In the end, “I, Crowley” does all that, though it starts with a refutation of the accusation common in my hometown, that Crowley killed much loved Oxford student Raoul Loveday with a magick spell. Arthur Calder Marshall wrote that a hit squad was even sent from the Student Union to avenge the crime that never happened. The whole story is set out in this great act of what Snoo once called the “lesser form of magick” although he was again being ironic, there is nothing lesser about writing a good novel.

Part II of this essay
is about Aleister Crowley: A Beginner’s Guide …

 

NakedTantra

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There are many books on how to do magick, but not so many with stories about actually doing it and what happens.
NakedTantra lays bare the inner states of the two brave souls involved in this extended magical work. 

An experiment, two people, two countries, one mind, experimenting in tantra meta-magick, cosmic astral travel to the land of no boundaries, looking for the doors of perception.


Of necessity the contents of this grimoire might be considered erotic. And, with that thought in mind, it might also be that the reader is occasionally aroused by our story as it progresses. Some might find this an unwanted intrusion, into what is otherwise an exploration of a magical world. Others we surmise, will take this in good part, accepting that, a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. To those who do not share these sensibilities, and are unmoved by what you are about to read, we offer our sincerest apologies. 

Mogg Morgan talks to MIRYAMDEVI & MINANATH, pseudonymous authors of NAKEDTANTRA

About The Authors

Minanath
Miryamdevi


These are not their real-world names but neither are they false, they emerged in the dialogue. In real life, they both have experience in eastern and western magical styles.

You obviously have chosen to write under names other than those of your birth, which is not uncommon in magical publishing. The story of how you came by your writerly names is told in the book so I won’t spoil the surprise now. Even so, can you introduce yourself and say a little about what you do, your aims and objectives with your writing? 

Minanath:
When I first met Miryamdevi she called herself a simple “cowgirl”, which immediately brought to mind the Gopi-maidens who trail after Krishna. But then I discovered she really likes Tom Robbins who wrote Even Cowgirls get the Blues. So there’s something in that, but also, what she says about growing up on a farm; she has a certain earthiness and salt of the earth strength.

Another thing that came up when we got into working with the archetype Babalon – who we, or could be Miryamdevi, worked out, is not some rare breed but is in every woman, Miryamdevi is in a very real sense: “Everywoman”. 

My name Minanath literally means (lord of) fish, and it seemed appropriate somehow. It is the name of a Hindu magician/mystic from old times. Also known as Matsyendra, Macchendra, and others. His biography can be seen as mythic or real, depending on who you read. I like the version that he worked in the sea, probably as a fisherman, a fairly taboo or lowly profession in India. But somehow he had a revelation and put together much of the spiritual system we know as Tantra. Perhaps it was because of his humble status people applied the story of his getting the wisdom from a secret scroll, written by the god Shiva, and hidden in the belly of one of the fish he caught. Sometimes it is he who ends up in the fish. But sometimes I just think he learned stuff from people he met on the harbour, maybe mariners from distant lands, like Egypt and Greece.

Anyway, my name Minanath is a reference to that guy who lived a long time ago, not thousands of years but long enough. I think magical tantra started or reemerged in India at the same time when things were getting difficult for magicians in Egypt, with the rise of  Christianity. To put it romantically, when the light of knowledge was being extinguished in Egypt and the Near East, the torch passed over to India.

Miryamdevi:
Miriam (מִרְיָם Mir-yām) is described in the Hebrew Bible as the daughter of Amram and Jochebed and the sister of Moses and Aaron. She was a prophetess and first appears in the Book of Exodus.

It is all in the name actually, the name Miryam suggest the strong connection she had with the sea and water (Yam in Hebrew means sea and the very obvious Mer-Mir). In the Jewish tradition and culture, The Tambourine is widely associated with Miryam and her love for music. Within the circle of Jewish midwifery especially the Israeli ones, Miryam and her mom Jochbed were the first midwives of the Israelites. I relate to all of this as I was born near the sea, I love music and I’m a doula.

The name Miryam is very popular in my family but although all the Miryams’ are very strong women, most of them had very difficult and unhappy lives. When Minanath said that I have to choose a magickal name it didn’t take long for me to understand that I have the chance to take the name Miryam and turn it into a healing name that will heal a long ancestral line of ‘broken Miryams’.  Miryam became MiryamDevi and as soon as I started to use it I felt the healing has begun.

Without giving too much away, are you able to say a little more about your family background, ie past and current – ie are you married, children, work – people like a little bit of personal stuff if you ok to share?

Miryamdevi:

I was born in Israel and grew up on the family farm. My dad was a horse breeder so we had lots of horses, I love horses, I love all animals. In my early twenties, I moved to the UK. After my husband died I moved back to Israel. No children. When Mina and I met I was living in Israel. I’m an aromatherapist and a doula.

Minanath:

I always lived in the UK originally from Wales. Divorced with no children. I work in the world of books, selling and occasionally writing them.

Naked Tantra is rather a striking title – can you say that a bit more about that, what does it signify? 

Miryamdevi:

The word Naked in this particular connotation – NakedTantra, signifies the naked truth of our practices. NakedTantra is a very intimate and personal book that reveals some secrets about ourselves and the way we do things.  When Mina came out with the name NakedTantra I thought it is the perfect name for the book which reveals so much about us. It feels like we are standing naked in front of the reader.

Minanath: 

Miryamdevi said it really, although of course, in the first part of the book there is an account of Miryamdevi’s initiation, which like mine a few years back, and like many initiations, requires some nudity as an act of love and trust. There is a fair amount of nakedness in our book. But mostly really it’s what for us is the naked truth – revealing things as we see them. It may not be true for everyone but it is true for us. Perhaps like those energy bars that have no additives, that’s us, pure and honest, as much as it is possible for anyone to remove the mask and record what they did. 

Well, that’s the Naked aspect covered. Can you explain something about the Tantrik aspect of the story? Most of our readers will have a general idea of what it means but I think, as there are so many misconceptions, it would be good if you could say what exactly you mean in this context? 

Miryamdevi:

Tantra, yes, a massive subject to talk about… The way I see it, it’s all about cycles within cycles, relationships, the balance between physicality and spirituality, SivaSakti and Lingam-Yoni, Yoni-Lingam, Lingam-Lingam, Yoni-Yoni, whatever.. you cannot do all this without some Serpent Power. I think Mina is the person to ask about Tantra for a clearer answer 🙂

Minanath:

What Miryam said is really good. Miryam always has a very down to earth way of expressing things, hopefully, you noticed that in the book. But technically, Tantra is a South Asian, Indian subcontinental esoteric tradition. Like the term Yoga, I think you could translate Tantra with the western term magic, but not everyone will agree and we probably need to argue that more. 


In the book Naked Tantra, you list many songs and poems, some of which you wrote or translated yourselves. Are music and poetry very special to you, can you say a little bit about that, why it is so special?

Miryamdevi:

I love music. Music is a big part of my life and there’s always something playing in the background especially when I cook or clean the house, I’ll have the radio on and will sing along and dance to my favourite tunes. I also make lots of playlists. I have playlists that will suit any mood at any time and any day, I’ve got a good ear for mixing tunes and songs and fancy myself as a secret DJ. Music helps me write. It took me ages to write chapter one, I knew what I wanted to say but the words didn’t come out. One day I was listening to the Ganesha mantra and immediately I knew what to write, so I sat down and wrote chapter one. If you read that chapter you’ll see that there are few mantras which are linked to each other, each mantra was like a key that when played the words just came out flowingly without stopping. Poetry is also very special, when Mina and I met we were living in different countries and as we both like to write as much as we like to talk we found ourselves corresponding on a daily basis via emails. Sometimes situations in life can be very lyrical and when I sit down to write about it the words flow out of me in a lyrical rhythm, a poem of sorts some may say. Separation, longing and Karessa can turn one into an enthusiastic poet. 

Minanath:

Miryamdevi is the DJ. I like her style. I think we are a little part of a long tradition of mystics such as the troubadours, the Tamil Siddhas, the Bauls etc. Sometimes called courtly love, where the frisson created between two lovers, who are often separated, either by societal rules or physical distance and then their inner fantasies, their emotional energy is sublimated and channelled into poetry and storytelling. So one way or another we did a lot of writing, we still do. We do our magic, as described in the book, and we dream and write, and write and dream. We just hope our readers will enjoy the things we say, be entertained. As they say, first entertain, then educate. 

Is the journey in your book, the kind of rituals you describe, would that be for everyone, a beginner  or is it only for the expert?

Miryamdevi:

The journey is for anyone that resonates with our story, and the way we practice and dream.

Minanath:

Aleister Crowley, who turned up in our narrative, wrote or channelled “The Law is for All.” So yes, it’s for all. His magick was quite complex but also simple. Some like to talk about elites and special secrets they have, but it’s all out there already really. If it was all so secret we wouldn’t be writing a book about it, and in the tradition, there are thousands of old tantric texts in libraries, why did they write them if not to be read? I suppose the only qualification is the ability to read, understand, dream, do, and become. 

What do you think other explorers of this genre would make your work? There are a lot of books already out there, what is it you think you bring to the table that is new? 

Miryamdevi:

As I said earlier, the book is about very personal and intimate work. Some might like it and some won’t. Some might say that we lifted the veil of Isis too far  … for those, I’ll say “perhaps, but there again, she gives us life”.

Minanath:

Well, we’re not too sure about that. We hope they are entertained. I hope, if there is any shock, it will be of recognition. Some will perhaps question that what we have written, whether we are entitled to say it and whether what we experienced is appropriate. Almost every book these days seems to have to dismiss the connection between western sexual magick and the obscure secrets of real tantra, to dismiss other magicians’ ideas as new age. But then, in the end, these same people will carry on writing about tantra much as we do. So I think we are on the safe ground really, we can argue our corner. And in the end, does it matter? We are part of the same international community of magic that existed in India and Egypt in the past and is with us now. Mystical traditions cannot really be judged, or if they can, it is only by the results, ie pragmatically. Success is becoming.

Ps: I have to say that in the work, Miryamdevi really has, in my opinion, revealed some amazing insights into Jewish magick, something I’ve not seen anywhere before. Or put it this way, although Miryamdevi always denies any formal knowledge of Kabbalah, it just seems to be in her blood, to flow from her naturally. Which is what she says in the book at one moment  – women just naturally receive and know these things. I don’t know if this is all women but definitely her. 


That’s a lot of questions – can you try and summarise, in a nutshell, the enduring message of this book? 

MiryamDevi:

Follow your dreams.

Minanath:

Magic is complex but also simple.  It is sometimes said that the gods created the world as a game, remembering how to play, that’s the thing. 


Naked Tantra ends on a bit of a cliff-edge – without giving too much away, can you say what happened next in terms of what you are working on now?

Minanath:

Well, it seemed like the right place to stop, although the narrative obviously continues somehow and there are obviously some difficult moments ahead.  The story comes to a natural climax, in more ways than one, when we break through our self imposed purdah and come together at a place of obvious power. What happens on the other side of the cliff-edge, that’s in part down to the readers.

What are we doing now? More experiments in the hyperreal – a ritual year and surprise surprise, some angelic conversations, though something very common although at the same time, ignored. It’s the old old story, people look for complexity when what they really need is staring them in the face.