On Thursday September 27th, 2018 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon

will review the new Collector's edition of Kurt Seligmann's 1948 classic

"The Mirror of Magic: A History of Magic in the Western World" and discuss Seligmann's career

as a surrealist painter,  a scholar of the occult and a practicing

ceremonial magician. This handsome new edition, published by Inner

Traditions, is a faithful reproduction of the original. Poke Runyon

inherited a 1948 copy Seligmann's  book from his late Master Frederick

Adams (1928 - 2008) with Fred's annotations. It was Fred's first book on

Magic and he treasured it. In his Introduction Seligmann wrote: "As an

artist I was concerned with the aesthetic value of Magic and its

influence on man's creative imagination." Fred Adams was also a very

talented artist and was inspired by The Mirror of Magic, as we hope a

new generation of readers will be when they discover this beautiful new

edition of Kurt Seligmann's Masterpiece.

On December 8th 2022 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will discuss the forthcoming Second Edition of "The Book of Solomon's Magick" which we first published in 1996 following the release of our video "The Magick of Solomon" in the same year. It is fair to say that the video and the book launched a revival of  Solomonic ceremonial Magick which is still going strong in the twenty-first century. We followed up with more books and films but continued to reprint the original book for twenty-six years without updating or revision. We continued to promise a new edition but it was too easy to just insert addenda in the original which continued to sell well even though it was outdated. Now we have finally gotten the new over three hundred page hardcover 2nd Edition of Solomon's Magick ready to go to print, up-dated with new equipment designs, authentic operational log entries, exorcism accounts, essays and original art. We expect it to be available by February of 2023. Watch for it.

On Thursday August 30th, 2018 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon

will review and explore the almost one thousand page introspective

philosophical and spiritual journal of the late California

science-fiction writer Philip K. Dick. (1928-1982) This remarkable

documentation of a classic mystical experience and its ramifications in

and beyond the author's literary works. The exegesis is also a chronicle

of a genius battling for sanity and a true religious philosophy as he

lives and works through what is obviously and admittedly mental illness.

Dick is best known for his darkly paranoid  science-fiction novels and

stories. The novel VALIS (vast active living intelligence system) is the

fictionalized version of his 1974 vision and much of the exegesis

ruminates on its impact and significance. As a Roman Catholic Dick's

vision is Biblical, especially Christian, but he analyzes it as Gnostic

and Neo-platonic (Hermetic) and defines Christ as essentially female. He

later defines himself as a neo-Marxist philosopher and gives us insights

into the spiritual aspects of the 1960s and 70s counter culture that

continue to perpetuate the social and political divide in our society

today. So, if you want to spend an hour in the mind of Philip K. Dick

join us and we will inquire within. As Above so Below, As Within so Without.

On Thursday August 2nd , 2018 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon

will present a discussion on the alleged Parallel world or

trans-dimensional ariel Queendom of the Sylphs known as "Magonia" that

was documented in medieval histories and has recently inspired a fantasy

novel of that title "Magonia" by Maria Headley (2015) and was the main

theme for UFO authority Jacques Vallee's "Passport to Magonia" (1969-93)

which delt with the Magonian "close encounters" from the 9th century

and other supernatural visitations recounted in European folklore as

early examples of alien sightings, close encounters, and abductions, on

through to the mysterious "airship" reports from the American West in

the 1890s, comparing them with modern reports and investigations. Vallee

contends, and as Hermetic devotees we certainly concur, that most of

these events are inter-dimensional rather than extra-terrestrial; that

there are parallel worlds co-existing with us as near to us as our

furniture. This is also the main theme of our film Beyond Lemuria

(2007-14) and, as I mentioned last week, is set forth in the old

Hermetic book "Comte d'Gablis" (1760) -- So if you'd like to spend an

hour in the absolute elsewhere, tune in and we'll take you down the

rabbit hole.

On Thursday July 26th, 2018 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will

discuss the Mysterious Voynich Manuscript (Beinecke MS. 408) a late

medieval herbal, alchemical and astrological book written in an unknown

language and illustrated with pictures of plants and astronomical

arrangements that are not of this world. Authorship was originally

attributed to Roger Bacon (1214 - 1292) but carbon-dating placed the MS.

in the early fifteenth century. John Dee and Edward Kelley have been

suggested because of their similar Enochian language creation, but there

is no proof of their involvement. The mysterious MS has fascinated both

scholars and amateur researchers alike with solutions announced every

year since 1943 when the U.S. Government code-breakers attempted to

decipher it. A new solution was announced just a week before this

broadcast and has already been discredited. The main reason most experts

fail seems obvious to a Hermetic scholar. The Voynich MS was not written

in cipher. It was written in a language and in an alphabet that has no

analog on earth or in this earthly dimension. The key to finding the

origin of the Voynich material might be found in another mysterious

manuscript published in 1670. We will read this revelation as our

contribution toward solving the mystery -- so put on your Indiana Jones

fedora and listen in.

On Thursday July 5th, 2018 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will be joined by author Stephen Flowers, Ph.D. to review and discuss the new revised edition of "The Fraternitas Saturni" (2018). This being the fourth version of the original copyrighted in 1990, and including previously unpublished material making this rendition sensational in occult circles. Flowers traces the FS from its beginning, with Crowley and the O.T.O. inspiring Gregor Gregorius in 1925, through its activities in the Wiemar era, its suppression by the Nazis, its revival after WW II and its eventual split into three bodies after Gregorius died in 1964. We are introduced to the "Adonism" of Franz Sattler (Dr. Musallam) a neo-pagan Venus-Adonis cult (!) that included Wilhelm Quaintscher and Franz Bardon who carried it with them into the Frateritas Saturni. We revisit the infamous FOGC black lodge from Frabato, and the Weida Conference in which Crowley attempted to take over organized occultism in Germany. Most importantly Dr.Flowers presents a detailed analysis of the Gnostic and Luciferian philosophies and doctrines behind the Saturian Gnosis. He outlines their cumbersome 33 degree system and their training program; much of it very similar to Franz Bardon's work. Of course the FS is most noted for its sex magick and we have one of those rituals provided. Quite frankly, this book raises as many questions as it answers, but It is well documented with references to works in German that some of us are going to want translated. So, if you want the answers to questions you had, and more questions you may want to ask about the Fraternitas Saturni then tune in and take notes. .

On Thursday June 14th, 2018 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on The Holy Grail and The Round Table in Magick. To begin this subject we will review the history of the Grail as presented in our poem: The Cult of The Sangreal which we published in our journal The Seventh Ray back in 1975 and which has since become the prologue to our First Degree (Pastophoris) initiation. We trace the Grail from its origin in ancient Phoenicia in the days of Melchizedek around 1500 B.C. It began with the ancient Canaanite God Baal’s yearly death at High Summer followed by his resurrection via the Chalice of heavenly nectar brought by his consort, the Goddess Astarte in the Fall. We trace this event through a series of mythical evolutions until the Grail becomes the cup of resurrection for the last of the dying gods, Jesus the Nazareen, raised by his consort Mary Magdalene.

This is the secret of the Grail Tradition which was carried on through the Arthurian Romances. It is a genealogical bloodline and a symbolic ritual implement. One of Four Grail Hallows presented in the Tarot and related to astrology. This symbolism is carried forth in the structure of Arthur’s (or more properly Merlin’s) Round Table. So if you would like to know what qualifies an aspirant to become a knight of the Round Table, tune in and we will start you on your quest. And Adonia is coming up at Rivendell this coming Saturday.

On Thursday October 27th, 2022 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will replay our 2013 Halloween performance of Sherlock Holmes and the Necronomicon a Gilbert & Sullivan style comedy from the pages of a 2011 issue of the Seventh Ray. This is highlighted by the The song "There ain't no Necronomicon"which infuriates the guardians of the evil book: "the invisible cannibal faries". Of course Holmes and Watson prevail against the villain Sebastian Crotchley, Crotchly.And the Loc Ness Monster returns to the Deep. During a seance in the play a medium channels The Queen of Sheba played by Soror Urania who, will again channel Lady Baltis at Mot Mass, our Halloween ceremony this Saturday night here at Rivendell in Silverado. So if you catch up on some Halloween nostalgia tune in and let us be your trick-or-treat.

On Thursday May 24th, the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a review and commentary on the Hypnerotomachia of Poliphili (1499-1999) translated by Joscelyn Godwin. This is one of the most important esoteric books ever published and five hundred years after its debut in Renaissance Italy in 1499, written in stylistic Italian, it finally became available in a readable English translation by Joscelyn Godwin. The Hypnerotomachia of Poliphili, subtitled "The Strife of Life in a Dream" is a romantic fantasy novel which establishes a template for many similar works to emerge in the five centuries following its initial publication: The Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosencreutz (1616) The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1785) The Wizard of Oz (1900) The Club Dumas (1996) filmed as "The Ninth Gate" (1999) and the novel "The Rule of Four" (2004). The real secrets hidden in the book are not cryptic codes but rather allegorical and thematic. Like the one tale in the Arabian Nights that reveals occult and Magical secrets, the Chapter describing the Isle of Venus near the end of the book carries the true meaning and reveals the esoteric secrets. So if you want to learn what is really hidden in this marvelous old book tune in and we will visit Poliphili's magical dream-world.

On Thursday May 10th, 2018, the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will review two recent books: "Original Magic" (2017)  by Stephen E. Flowers and "Real Magic" (2018) by Dean Radin. These books don't have much in common. Original Magic deals with the ancient Persian Magi, whereas Real Magic focuses on ESP and those who have special talents and powers. Both books are of interest to Hermetic students for different reasons, The ancient Persian Magi have been largely ignored in the present occult revival and yet their beliefs and practices have had a strong influence on modern Magick. Real Magic champions the natural psychic and clairvoyant and presents the usual arguments and data to validate paranormal experience and suggest that it can be induced by shamanic techniques. Radin also deals with controversial Futurist issues such as the universal mind. Both books are subject to some philosophical and technical criticisms but both are well worth reading.