Researcher, writer, and multimedia artist David Metcalfe is our guest in podcast episode 132.

“David Metcalfe is an independent researcher, writer and multimedia artist focusing on the interstices of art, culture, and consciousness. He is a contributing editor for Reality Sandwich, The Revealer, the online journal of NYU’s Center for Religion and Media, and The Daily Grail. He writes regularly for Evolutionary Landscapes, Alarm Magazine, Modern Mythology, Disinfo.com, The Teeming Brain and his own blog The Eyeless Owl. His writing has been featured in The Immanence of Myth (Weaponized 2011), Chromatic: The Crossroads of Color & Music (Alarm Press, 2011) and Exploring the Edge Realms of Consciousness (North Atlantic/Evolver Editions 2012). Metcalfe is an Associate with Phoenix Rising Digital Academy, and is currently co-hosting The Art of Transformations study group with support from the International Alchemy Guild. Metcalfe’s most recent project is a collaboration with Dr. R. Andrew Chesnut, Chair of Catholic Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, exploring the sanctification of death in the popular faith traditions of the Americas.”

David Metcalfe has emerged as one of the leading independent researchers in his field. I find his writing both accessible and insightful. The respect and reverence with which he treats his subjects makes his work even more special. I think this is crucial to David’s success and one of the reasons why I wanted to have him on as a guest.

Join David Metcalfe and I in the Occult of Personality Membership Section for the second part of this fascinating conversation, including a brief discussion of Ramon Lull and the Lullian wheel!

The Eyeless Owl

Most Holy Death: Exploring the sanctification of death in the popular faith traditions of the Americas.

Liminal Analytics

Mnemosyne Arts

Randall Carlson and David Metcalfe: PsychoGeography, Altered States of Consciousness and the Spiritual Technology of the Ancients

David Metcalfe’s Blog on Reality Sandwich

David Metcalfe’s articles at The Revealer: A Daily Review of Religion and Media

David Metcalfe’s blog at The Daily Grail

David Metcalfe at Evolutionary Landscapes

Randall Carlson of Sacred Geometry International is our guest in podcast episode 131.

“Randall Carlson is a master builder, architectural designer, teacher, geometrician, geomythologist, explorer, and renegade scholar. For over forty years, he’s researched the interface between ancient mysteries and modern science. Randall has been an active Freemason for 30 years and is Past Master of one of the oldest and largest Masonic lodges in Georgia. He has been recognized by The National Science Teachers Association for his commitment to Science education for young people. His work incorporates Ancient Mythology, Astronomy, Earth Science, Paleontology, Symbolism, Sacred Geometry, Architecture, Geomancy, and other disciplines. For over 25 years he has presented classes, lectures, and multimedia programs synthesizing this information for students of the Mysteries. With these unique qualifications, Randall’s aspiration is to affect a revival of lost knowledge towards the goal of creating the new world based upon universal principles of harmony, freedom, and spiritual evolution.”

Randall describes his passion for building and architectural design which began at a young age by being around his father’s construction business. As a “child of the sixties,” his experiences led him to investigate spiritual traditions of the East, as well as Western esotericism. His interest in these subjects coalesced when he was involved in the construction of a geodesic dome, inspired partly by Islamic geometrical design.

Randall’s curiosity about the work of Buckminster Fuller, combined with Islamic geometry, inevitably led him to deeper study of sacred geometry and architecture, principally that of mosques and Gothic cathedrals.

Noting the numerous references to Freemasonry in research material on sacred geometry and architecture, Carlson eventually became a member of the Craft and has had an extensive Masonic career. After years of study and travel, Randall began teaching sacred geometry and has had thousands of students over the decades. Among his influences, he counts Keith Critchlow and John Michell as the greatest.

Randall describes the intention behind Sacred Geometry International – to bring awareness of beauty and harmony into a world desperately in need of it. He notes that he derives great satisfaction from teaching and inspiring his students. From there, we delve into an exploration of sacred geometry and the purposes behind architecture that imitates the ratios and proportions found in nature.

“While the modern, academic approach to the study of geometry sees it as the very embodiment of rationalism and left brain, intellectual processes, which indeed it is, it has neglected the right brain, intuitive, artistic dimension of the subject. Sacred geometry seeks to unite and synthesize these two dynamic and complementary aspects of geometry into an integrated whole… Sacred Geometry, then, charts the unfolding of number in space and has symbolic value and thereby has conferred upon it a qualitative status absent from common geometry… At the very earliest appearance of human civilization we observe the presence and importance of geometry. It … was comprehended and utilized by the ancient Master Builders … geometry was, and is, closely associated with architecture,

Teacher, scholar, practitioner, and healer Craig Williams, who also authored “Beyond the Paths of Frustration: Daath Gnosis,” featured in the premier issue of CLAVIS Journal, is our guest in podcast episode 129. Craig appeared previously in episode 125, “Eastern Thought in the Western Occult World,” the recording of the panel discussion from the 2012 Esoteric Book Conference.

“Craig Williams is a renowned practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture and Ayurveda and an advanced esoteric-gnostic Initiate. He is one of the few Westerners to receive the “Veda Kovid” and “Yogacharya” titles from David Frawley and the American Institute of Vedic Studies recognizing extensive initiatic study in Yoga, Ayurveda, Tantra, Jyotish and Vedanta. Acknowledging the fundamental importance of teacher/student transmission on the spiritual path, he has been accepted as a personal student of Docteur David Beth working on the deeper mysteries of Esoteric Voudon, the JuJu Cult and other areas of occult technology. Ordained by David Beth as a Gnostic Pater within the Ecclesia Gnostica Aeterna, Craig is making select spiritual services available to the public as well as organizing study groups and lectures through his ecclesiastical parish. With undergraduate degrees in Religious Studies, Philosophy and English Literature, and a Master’s degree in Oriental Medicine, Craig lives in Austin, Texas where he has a private medical practice specializing in Ayurveda, Yoga, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture. He is a licensed Acupuncturist and a professional member of the National Ayurvedic Medicial Association and the American Herbalist Guild and gives lectures nationally. Currently working on his first full length book on Tantra for Theion Publishing, his writings have appeared in a number of anthologies and journals. More information can be found at his website www.AyurvedaAustin.com and on Facebook at Ecclesia Gnostica Aeterna Austin.”

Craig begins the interview by describing esoteric voudon as an African and Haitian form of magickal development and empowerment brought to America by Michael Bertiaux and popularized through Kenneth Grant’s writings. From this foundation, a new current has arisen, which Craig considers himself a part of, through the work of David Beth, involving the development of a system of esoteric voudon and connecting it with primordial gnosis, or “Kosmic Gnosis.” Craig brings his knowledge and experience of left-hand tantra, contributing to the evolution and development of this new stream of esoteric voudon. One point of intersection between left-hand tantra and esoteric voudon is the use of “gateways”: sex, death, spiritism, and a type of elemental shamanism. He notes that this system is not one of naive, dark sorcery, but rather of deep philosophical reflection and gnostic development. Williams describes the need for a student/teacher framework because the of the complexity, deep philosophical and psychological aspects of the work, oral teachings and initiations. We spend significant time discussing the value of studying established knowledge and having a teacher or mentor for aspirants within esoteric traditions.

“Study informed with practice is critical for any kind of development. You have to have both. And if you have the teacher/student realm, then those things have a chance to play out and d...

Peregrin Wildoak, author of By Names and Images: Bringing the Golden Dawn to Life, published by Skylight Press, and the Magic of the Ordinary blog is our guest in podcast episode 128.

“Peregrin Wildoak was born in Warwickshire, UK and emigrated to Perth, Western Australia at age 12, where he has lived ever since. In his youth he came into contact with the Western mystery traditions and was initiated into the Golden Dawn. He has also received initiation and training in several other traditions, including Wicca and an Isis Mystery School. Peregrin is a former editor of Pagan Times and Greenspirit, and co-founded the EarthDreaming tradition and the Golden Dawn Society of Western Australia.”

“The Golden Dawn system of magic is the main source of the esoteric and magical wisdom and techniques practiced in the West today. While the rituals and bare teachings of the tradition have been published for sixty years, the inner workings and esoteric keys that empower those rituals have largely remained unpublished or unexplored in contemporary works. By Names and Images remedies this lack by providing detailed and clear instructions for the visualisations, spiritual connections and energetic practices required for every major GD practice and ritual, as well as several unpublished techniques.

“Focusing on the meanings and use of sacred names and practical techniques of visualisation, the book thoroughly explores meditation and divination, purification ritual, invocation and evocation, grades of initiation, and direct experience of the inner realms. Also covered is an explanation of the Qabalah and its use as a magical framework. While the book is sufficiently practical and clearly explained to be of huge benefit to a newcomer of magic, its primary aim is to allow people already practicing the Golden Dawn system to do so more effectively, and to be touched by the amazing spiritual blessings the rituals offer.”

Peregrin begins the interview by talking about how his excellent book By Names and Images: Bringing the Golden Dawn to Life is intended to allow practitioners to engage with the tradition as deeply as possible, improve their lives, and serve the world in a meaningful capacity. Next, he describes how he’s been involved with the Golden Dawn tradition since his late teens and the appeal for him stems from its capacity to transform practitioners. It was important to Peregrin to account for this potential for inner transformation in his book, By Names and Images, as opposed to the outer manifestations of the Golden Dawn, as expressed by Israel Regardie. From there, Wildoak talks about his personal history in Golden Dawn lodges, his teachers, as well as his thoughts about the fact that much of the Golden Dawn tradition is in the public domain. Notably, Peregrin points out that despite the standardized public versions of the rituals and meditations, diversity of thought about theory and practice flourishes in the various GD lodges throughout the world.

Peregin shares his thoughts on the subject of initiation and connection with egregore with regard to the Golden Dawn tradition. We spend some time discussing the Watchtower ceremony, the Analysis of the Keyword, and Enochian magick. We wrap up the interview with Peregrin discussing his compulsion to write By Names and Images and his hopes for the inclusion of the inner work in all future magickal books.

I highly recommend Peregrin Wildoak’s By Names and Images: Bringing the Golden Dawn to Life. If you’re a GD practitioner, it’s a must have in my opinion. Don’t just take my word for it, read what the luminaries of the GD tradition have written

Julian Vayne and Nikki Wyrd are our guests in podcast episode 127 to discuss The Book of Baphomet, which they co-wrote.

“Julian Vayne is an occultist and the author of a number of books, essays and articles in both the academic and esoteric press. His name is most closely associated with chaos magick and he is also an initiated Wiccan and member of the Kaula Nath lineage.”

“Nikki Wyrd has practised doing Chaos Magick for 23 years so far. She could stop any time she wanted, but finds life a bit more exciting with it. She wears many hats, including the pointy Vice-Chancellor one of Arcanorium College.”

“This Book contains some of the secrets of Life itself; or rather, the occult deity of Life on Earth, Baphomet. Horned, vital, beautiful, awe full, our aeons old Chaos Magick idol finds a name from the Knights’ Templar, then goes incognito through the Enlightenment (when flourished those great natural philosophers beloved of science historians), before emerging via devil worship and witchcraft into this era of Deep Ecology. Darwin could have used a picture of Baphomet as his frontispiece, to demonstrate the one flesh from which all species originate. Contacting this Great Spirit, the anima mundi, allows access to a new way of ordering the world, with fresh visions of how and why we could Live. Here the authors weave strands from their lives into a rich tapestry of images, which might give you a pointer or two towards your own self-realisation, whilst amusing, entertaining, and instructing along the way. Revolution, evolution, leap beyond the apocalypse to the Now!”

In addition to The Book of Baphomet, Vayne and Wyrd also co-wrote the article “Baphomet Unveiled” which brilliantly elucidates the concepts explored by the book and our conversation.

We begin the interview hearing Vayne and Wyrd describe their extensive experience in the esoteric arts. Both are prominent members of the Illuminates of Thanateros and they briefly talk about the history and philosophy of the order, which is based on chaos magick. They also mention that one of the most engaging deities for the I.O.T. is Baphomet. Through this association and other magickal workings, Vayne and Wyrd’s experience with Baphomet is extensive. From there we delve into the history of Baphomet, noting how a variety of disparate, but not unrelated ideas and concepts have coalesced. The horned god as a gnostic symbol is profound and it can be reliably traced back to antiquity in one form or another.

From the ancient world to mentions of it during the Templar trials, to Eliphas Levi’s drawing and writings, to Aleister Crowley’s all help to solidify Baphomet into the Western esoteric tradition. Nikki mentions that she and others view Baphomet as the deity which represents all life on Earth. This provides a nice segue into a discussion of the way this perspective can affect one’s thoughts and actions with regard to the environment, animals, diet, fossil fuel consumption, sustainability, and the overall future of the planet. We consider how the advances in science and technology facilitating communication, sharing of vast amounts of information, and a growing understanding of ourselves and our world all factor into a modern conception of Baphomet.

Next, we hear about the practical aspects of The Book of Baphomet, including an invocation included at the end of the text. We spend considerable time exploring the relationship humanity has with the natural world and the ways this may be reconciled in order to reach the type of symbiosis promoted by environmentalists. From there,

Author, teacher, and sorcerer Jason Miller (A.K.A. Inominandum) is our guest in podcast episode 126 to discuss his most recent book, Financial Sorcery: Magical Strategies to Create Real and Lasting Wealth, published by New Page Books.

Jason Miller had a series of psychic experiences when he was just 5 years old, which sparked his interest in the occult. He took up the practice of both High Magic and Hoodoo Rootworking while still a teenager, learning how ceremonial and folk magic can work together and complement each other. He’s been involved with a number of orders and groups throughout the years, always seeking the quintessence of the art. He has traveled to New Orleans to study Hoodoo, Europe to study witchcraft and ceremonial magic, and Nepal to study Tantra. Miller is a consecrated Bishop in the Gnostic and Apostolic Lines of Succession, a member of the Chthonic Ouranian Temple and the Sangreal Sodality, as well as an initiated Tantrika in the Nyingma and Bon lineages of Tibet. In addition to his most recent book, Financial Sorcery, Jason has also written Protection and Reversal Magick: A Witch’s Defense Manual and The Sorcerer’s Secrets: Strategies in Practical Magick. He teaches a year-long Strategic Sorcery course and you can find him online at strategicsorcery.net.

Miller begins the interview by describing his interest in the occult and magick, which began in early childhood and has extended into accomplishments within a variety of traditions spanning the globe. Next, Jason talks about his intention in devoting a book to the subject of finances. It seems logical to ask the question that if magick is real and works, why aren’t practitioners wealthy? Although some are, there are many more who desire to be more comfortable financially. Miller discusses how oftentimes our relationship with money is probably not what it should be, explains why that is, and shares tips on developing a healthier attitude. From there it’s a matter of employing the proper strategies and techniques to create success. He also addresses why practical magick is important and the consequences of paths which view material wealth as an obstacle to spiritual attainment. Miller also spends time talking about the current economic crisis, ways to think about poverty, and why he believes theological justifications for wealth and poverty are inaccurate. Jason also shares his insights about the syncretic nature of his work and the respect he’s earned from other esoteric teachers.

If you’re looking for a book that will guide you to a better understanding of, and perspective about, personal finances through a magickal lens, I can think of no better text than Jason Miller’s Financial Sorcery. The practical magickal advice contained within has the potential to alter one’s relationship with money, allowing for mastery instead of struggle. Highly recommended!

In the Occult of Personality Membership Section, Jason Miller shares some practical magickal guidance for dealing with personal finances. We also discuss some strategies that were not included in the book! Please join us for that informative interview.

Jason Miller – Inominandum

Financial Sorcery: Magical Strategies to Creat...

The 2012 Seattle Esoteric Book Conference panel discussion, entitled “Eastern Thought in the Western Occult World,” was recorded on Sunday, September 16, 2012. Craig Williams and Gordan Djurdjevic were the participants and the discussion was moderated by Greg Kaminsky, the host and producer of Occult of Personality podcast. In addition, this recording was made possible by two of the hosts of the Esoteric Book Conference – William Kiesel of Ouroboros Press and Catamara Rosarium of Rosarium Blends.

Most of the key historical figures of the Western esoteric tradition, including the Knights Templar, the mythical Brother C.R.C., Helena Blavatsky, Albert Pike, and Aleister Crowley have found both inspiration and instruction from Eastern sources. The journey to the East has always held a place of tremendous importance for those interested in esotericism and this trend continues today. Almost every practitioner and teacher of Western esotericism that I know of has very deep roots in Eastern tradition(s). Most books on the subject employ Sanskrit terms to relate ideas because readers are already more familiar with words that come from a foreign culture. What are some of the deeper implications of these facts? In this panel discussion, our intention was to examine some of the pervasive Eastern influence in Western esotericism with the hope of gaining greater understanding. It is our hope that a deeper grasp of the historical and cultural influences from the East leads to a greater appreciation of the Western esoteric tradition, inspiring further attainment and realization by its practitioners.

During the 90 minute discussion, the panel explored some of the manifestations of Eastern philosophies and practices that inform and enliven the Western esoteric tradition, including the allure of the exotic, Tantra and misconceptions, the influence of Helena Blavatsky and the Theosophical Society, Aleister Crowley’s syncretic approach to magick, the integration of Eastern philosophy and practice in the West, and views of attainment and accomplishment of the sages from the East versus the West.

Craig Williams is a student of David Beth and an ordained Gnostic priest within the Ecclesia Gnostica Aeterna. Craig is one of the few westerners to receive the “Vedakovid” title from David Frawley and the American Institute of Vedic Studies recognizing initiatic study in Yoga, Ayurveda, Tantra, Jyotish and Vedanta. With undergraduate degrees in Religious Studies, Philosophy and English Literature and a Master’s Degree in Oriental Medicine, Craig lives in Austin, Texas where he has a private medical practice specializing in Ayurveda, Yoga, Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture. He is a licensed acupuncturist and a professional member of the American Herbalist Guild and National Ayurvedic Medical Association. His writings have appeared in a number of anthologies and journals. Most recently his article “Beyond the Paths of Frustration: Daath Gnosis” is included in the upcoming CLAVIS Journal.

Gordan Djurdjevic holds a Ph.D. from the Department of Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. He is the author of Masters of Magical Powers: The Nāth Yogis in the Light of Esoteric Notions, “The Great Beast as a Tantric Hero: The Role of Yoga and Tantra in Aleister Crowley’s Magick” published in

Author and lecturer Timothy Hogan returns to the show in podcast episode 124 to discuss his most recent book, entitled Entering the Chain of Union. He was our guest previously in episode 91. In addition to his renowned writing and lecturing about the Western esoteric tradition at venues worldwide, Hogan is also the Grand Master of the Knights Templar (Ordre Souverain du Temple Initiatique) and runs CIRCES International.

“Entering the Chain of Union explores different esoteric, spiritual, and initiatic traditions from around the world and illustrates how they share similar doctrines and rituals. This book is a first hand account by a western initiate as he examines traditions as diverse as Gnosticism, Hermeticism, Sufi, Druze, Taoist and Tibetan alchemical doctrines, Egyptian mysteries, Mayan traditions, and an exploration of many sacred monuments from around the world. It is also a first hand account of his meeting with spiritual leaders of different traditions, including Harun Yahya. This book will be particularly interesting to anyone with a background in Templarism, Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism, or Martinism… This book follows some of his travels as he attempts to do The Great Work.”

Hogan begins the interview by describing his extensive recent travels to meet the leaders of esoteric traditions and tour ancient monuments. The goal of these travels was threefold: diplomacy advanced through meetings with religious leaders, to gather research for CIRCES International in studying spiritual traditions in a comparative manner, and to collect research for his book, Entering the Chain of Union. His destinations were as exotic as Nigeria, Lebanon, Turkey, and Egypt. From there Hogan begins to tell us about the intitiatic tradition of the Druze.

Hogan discusses some of the esoteric symbolism used by the Druze, including the five-pointed star and the twin pillars. He explains how esoteric traditions and ideas from antiquity were preserved and flourished in Islamic lands during the Middle Ages. Next, we learn about Sufism and how some aspects of their initiation ceremonies resemble aspects of initiation ceremonies in the West.

Hogan describes how the ritualistic chants of the Sufi emphasize the same vowel sounds as those used to represent deity in Gnostic traditions and some of the passwords of Freemasonry. He also provides an informed opinion about the reasons for the similarities between esoteric traditions that are vastly separated by distance and culture. Next we hear about some familiar aspects of Mayan ritual that Hogan witnessed, followed by some fascinating details of his experiences conducting initiation ceremonies within the Great Pyramid of Giza.

The wonders of megalithic monuments and their origins also are integral to Hogan’s work in connecting the symbolism and ritual of traditions from all over the world.

Finally, Hogan shares his hopes for the future – of working together with leaders from other traditions to help guide humanity in building a peaceful and brighter tomorrow.

“The Mystic Chain binds us through time and space, it comes from the past and leads to the future. It links us with our ancestor’s line, with our Masters who formed it yesterday, and with our Masters of tomorrow – so that initiates of all rites and origins may be united… Let us strive to bring all people closer together through fraternity! Let our resolve be as unbreakable as the affection forming this Mystic Chain!

Scholar and author Richard Kaczynski is our guest in podcast episode 122.

“Richard Kaczynski, Ph.D., has been a student of the Western Hermetic tradition since 1978, and has lectured internationally on these topics since 1990. His writing has appeared in numerous magazines and books. A research scientist and statistician with the VA Northeast Program Evaluation Center, Kaczynski is also affiliated with Yale University’s School of Medicine (Department of Psychiatry).”

Richard authored Perdurabo: The Life of Aleister Crowley, the definitive biography of the Great Beast 666, which was published in a revised and expanded version in 2010 by North Atlantic Books.

“Perdurabo traces Aleister Crowley’s remarkable journey from his birth as the only son of a wealthy lay preacher to his death in a boarding house as the world’s foremost authority on magick. Along the way, he rebels against his conservative religious upbringing; befriends famous artists, writers, and philosophers (and becomes a poet himself); is attacked for his practice of “the black arts”; and teaches that science and magick can work together. A tireless magician, prophet, poet, and adventurer, Crowley has inspired generations of social and spiritual truth-seekers and has shaped modern popular culture through his philosophy of “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law,” making him one of the most colorful and fascinating characters of the twentieth century. Taking an evenhanded and accessible approach to an extremely controversial figure, author Richard Kaczynski draws from his extensive academic and personal expertise with the subject matter, including over twenty years of research, to present Crowley’s story in a way that is unmatched by any other biographer. Featuring over 150 pages of new material–including previously unpublished biographical details and rare never-before-seen photographs–this revised and expanded edition paints an illuminating and memorable biography of the man who inspired the counterculture and influenced generations of artists, punks, wiccans, and other denizens of the demimonde.”

These show notes typically attempt to describe the interview, however, I’d prefer you listen to Richard and I discuss his research and insights about Aleister Crowley rather than attempt to describe them here. This interview runs about an hour and twenty minutes or so because it was necessary to have an extended amount of time to devote to Crowley and Kaczynski’s marvelous book about him. Contained within are Kaczynski’s thoughts about Crowley, and as the foremost authority on the subject (based on this biography), it is not only interesting, but invaluable.

I cannot praise Perdurabo: The Life of Aleister Crowley enough. It is perhaps the most insightful and well-researched biography of any historical figure of the Western esoteric tradition and I highly recommend it to you. But don’t just take my word for it – read some of the praise for Kaczynski’s work from far more authoritative sources:

“I’ve avidly devoured biographies of Aleister Crowley since my teens, because like other great artists (such as Oscar Wilde), half his genius went into his life. Perdurabo is undoubtedly the most complete and best researched of all the biographies, yet manages to be un-put-downable, tragic as well as laugh-out-loud funny — and best of all, it takes the Magick seriously.”

— Peter Lamborn Wilson (aka Hakim Bey), author, Green Hermeticism: Alchemy & Ecology

“This is truly an impressive biography of one of the m...

Joscelyn Godwin is our guest in podcast episode 121. A highly-regarded academic scholar of Western esotericism, Godwin co-authored The Forbidden Book with renowned novelist Guido Mina di Sospiro, and the novel was released by Disinfo.

A multi-faceted mystery that incorporates the most serious and sensitive issue of our time: religious extremism. The evocative setting of Venice and the Veneto dominates the action, supplemented by vivid scenes in Santiago de Compostela, Provence, Washington, and the Vatican. Occult beliefs and practices fuel the action as the main characters become embroiled in an aristocratic sex magick plot.

While on one level The Forbidden Book is a murder mystery set against the conflicts of Islam and the West, the book also delves deep into esoteric knowledge and practice, thanks to Guido Mina di Sospiro’s extensive knowledge of Catholicism and Joscelyn Godwin’s authoritative studies of the western esoteric tradition. Underlying the fast paced action, the reader will find a profound treatment of moral and political dilemmas, the conflict of religions, and the frightening possibilities of the occult.

Godwin begins our interview describing his background as a professor of music history and his specialization in the analysis of Western esotericism. From a young age, taboo subjects fascinated him, inevitably leading to an interest in the occult and mysticism. Next, he describes how he co-wrote The Forbidden Book with novelist Guido Mina di Sospiro over the course of several years as a way to explore his creative urges and as a challenging departure from non-fiction books, for which he is so well known. The Forbidden Book explores themes of magick and symbolism juxtaposed with political extremism and violence. In addition, the novel is based upon a real “forbidden book” – Il mondo magico de gli heroi (the magickal world of the hero), a seventeenth-century Italian text by Cesare Della Riviera.

Godwin shares his perspectives on fiction versus non-fiction, traditionalism versus liberalism, Eastern esotericism versus Western esotericism, and music and alchemy. Rather than attempt to summarize his views, I would encourage you to listen to the recording as Godwin is one of the most erudite and important scholars of Western esotericism in the world today. I will, however, praise The Forbidden Book as a wonderful novel that is realistic, widely-accessible, and a thrilling read. In my opinion, this is simply the best work of occult fiction that I’ve ever read and sets the standard for the genre. The finely crafted plot, nuanced characters, and realism with regard to magick, alchemy, symbolism, and political / religious extremism make this novel an exquisite read, with no suspension of disbelief required. If you enjoy this show, you’ll definitely enjoy The Forbidden Book. I highly recommend it!

The Eudaimonia of Joscelyn Godwin

Guido Mina di Sospiro

The Forbidden Book by Guido Mina di Sospiro and Joscelyn Godwin

“The Forbidden Book: An Interview with Guido Mina di Sospiro” by David Metcalfe