The Thorn That Seduces

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The Thorn That Seduces, the Cut That Heals

Thoughts on Occult Revivals (Part 1)









Ambient emotive effects of cultural noise are more obvious when one is given a brief
respite from the interconnected technological web emerging around us. In a cabin, in the
woods, all that speaks is the breeze through the trees the bird song, the hum of bees
frogs, owl, coyote and the sudden silences that punctuate soft reveries.

Moving in these thoughts, I wandered one day deeper into the woods, considering how
many useful plants are ignored passed over for their more seductive psychedelic cousins.
My mind turned to how few today spend time reading the Mutus Liber, the Silent Book of
nature, and how many more spend time in their own imaginings as they are inspired by
interactions with image and iconography in the digital domain.

Stepping forward to a particularly pleasant spot, where the silver reflection of water in a
crevice and the faint flutter of a bird drinking drew me in, I stumbled straight into a twist
of green thorned vine that was scaling upward on a nearby tree and blocking my way to
the water. As red blood thickened on the gashes in my arms and thighs, here I was shown
the origin of seduction - the beauty of the world draws in with the promises of wings and
water, only to enwrap you in the thick embrace of thorns.

Yet the cut heals, for it was in that moment that a secret was revealed which if
contemplated would yield great fruit, an opening to the mystery of persuasion itself, the
secret of setting a well laid snare. Were I hungry it would lead to the ability to get food,
were I in society it would lead to the ability to lure the minds of those around me into my
own thorn woven words to catch them up in my will.

The thorns I encountered in the woods provided a visceral lesson that all around us the
unnoticed influence of opinions and mediated ideologies alters the way that we see the
world in very direct and drastic ways. On another level the sharp sting of the cut itself
hides the fact that the thorns are not out of the ordinary just as the deep influence of
esoteric ideas in popular culture is hidden by presentations which focus on extreme
imagery and stereotypes. As I have pondered these things, and reflected on my own
experiences this has drawn me to questions that circle the current occult revival that has
been seeing more mainstream coverage of late.

I began commenting on the current wave of 'occult revival' a few years ago, and at the
time the seeds of the current crop of media ripe occultists were already well soaked and
ready to break ground. Now with features in the New York Times and a recent piece
published in the New York University - Center for Religion and Media's online journal
The Revealer, we are seeing some blooms, it is still unclear, however, what the fruit will
be like when the blossoms wither and what social worth this exploratory esotericism
will truly show in the end.

As far back as 2004 the Esalen Institute had identified the burgeoning potential of this
social movement. A piece I wrote in 2011, called Digital Discussions and the Esoteric
Renaissance, observes that:

"In 2004 the Esalen Institute Center for Theory and Research hosted its inaugural
conference under the interesting title: Esoteric Renaissance.

The conference was organized by Wouter Hannegraff, professor History of Hermetic


Philosophy and related currents at the University of Amsterdam, and Jeffrey Kripal, J.
Newton Rayzor Professor of Religious Studies and Chair of the Department of Religious
Studies at Rice University, and hosted some of the finest scholars from around the world
working in the field of esoteric studies."

This conference itself was merely an outgrowth from decades of continued interest from
academia and think tanks which has grown steadily since the counter culture reformation
in the 1960s this focus is most notably expressed in the Changing Images of Man
report issued by the Center for the Study of Social Policy and Stanford Research Institute
International during the early 1980's. Written for distribution to corporate executives,
government officials and policy planners, the report is a fascinating look at how topics
often considered 'fringe' and 'marginal' are actually integral to the design and day to day
functioning of society.

As the report noted:

"There are increasingly evident signs of the imminent emergence of a new 'image of man.'
It is a new image in the sense of being very much a challenger to the dominant scientific
world view as that has evolved over the past few centuries, and also to the image of
materialistic 'economic man' that has become enshrined in the institutions and economic
theories of the industrial era. Yet it is not new, since traces of it can be found, going back
for thousands of years, in thh core experiences underlying the world's many religious
doctrines, as reported through myths and symbols, holy writings, and esoteric teachings.
The staying power of the new image is suggested by the facts that it reactivates the
cultural myths whose meaning had become forgotten, and it seems to be substantiated by
the further advances of the science which earlier played a role in seemingly discrediting it."

The document goes further in identifying Manly P. Hall's concept of a universal


Freemasonic ideal as one of the key symbolic structures for this 'new image' of humanity:

"In this version of the transcendental image, the central emphasis is on the role of creative
work in the life of the individual. (In 'true Freemasonry' there is one lodge, the universre -
and on brotherhood, everything that exists. Each person has the 'privilege of labor,' of
joiing with the 'Great Architect' in building more noble structures and thus serving in the
divine plan.) Thus this version of the 'new transcendentalism' (perhaps more than other
versions imported from the East more recently) has the potentiality of reactivating the
American symbols, reinterpreting the work ethic, supporting the basic concepts of a
free-enterprise democratic society, and providing new meanings for the
technological-industrial thrust. At the same time, it is compatible with other versions
more indigenous to other parts of the globe."

When I was writing on the contemporary 'occult revival' in 2011 Reality Sandwich Editor,
Jeremy Johnson noted that my tenor was, "overall...enthusiastic in an esoteric/mythical
revival or renaissance in the modern day, re-contextualized for the 21st century but
without losing the potency of esoteric traditions." Which indeed, in my naivete, was
certainly the case, making it odd now for me to see these more public observations in the
mainstream media not as a sign of success, but a dire warning that whatever movement is
growing may be moving fast off the track. The key lies in that last part of Johnson's
observation, the notion of assuring that any growth is done 'without losing the potency
of esoteric traditions.'
What we see today, I fear, does not pass this test.

The two sources that I mentioned above, the Esalen Institute's 2004 conference and the
Changing Images of Man document from Stanford Research Institute, both remain largely
unnoticed and unattended by any of the figures currently discussing this 'occult revival.'
This leaves those involved in a position of enthusiasm that is blind to where they actually
sit within the larger picture of cultural development. Like the thorny vine I encountered in
the woods, this makes me wonder if the full implication of a widespread occult revival
have fully sunk in to those popularizing these ideas.

In the Revealer article written by Don Jolly, we find references to Robert Anton Wilson,
Frances Yates, and a number of other surface level influences that most with an interest in
this area have become familiar with, yet we see no consideration for the deep integral
movement that lies beneath, nor the in depth analysis that befits students of the hidden
side of culture and thought. Most importantly there is a striking disconnection between
the actual social institutions that guide the culture and those involved in this current
revival movement.
Jolly's piece identifies Mitch Horowitz as one of the leading figures in the renewed
interest in this area. This was obvious back in 2011 when I mentioned him, along with the
popular scholar Erik Davis, in the aforementioned Digital Discussions article:

"Erik Davis and Mitch Horowitz, both authors and scholars who explore the esoteric
influences behind pop culture, (hosted) a workshop at the Esalen Institute on...March
25-27, 2011, called The Occult in America: An Adventure in Arcane History. Both Erik
and Mitch attended one of the conferences in the Esoteric Renaissance series, bringing a
contemporary perspective to the role of esoterica in the cultural narrative.

Erik recently released his latest study on the intersection of culture and anomaly titled
Nomad Codes. It features essays published in the Village Voice, Wired, Salon, and Slate
over the last decade exploring a wide range of mythically resonant topics from the pulp
horror auteur H.P. Lovecraft to Burmese transsexual nightlife.

Occult America: The Secret History of How Mysticism Shaped Our Nation is Mitch
Horowitz, editor at Tarcher/Penguin, latest book dealing with history on the fringes and
the intersection of mysticism and politics in the United States. This is not a conspiracy
tome, but a serious work of popular scholarship which investigates some of the more
baroque aspects of American history."

In order to fully compass the scope of Horowitz influence we have to understand that his
position as an editor at Tarcher/Penguin aligns him with an institution that has long been
a key in keeping the esoteric fires burning. Their publication of historically relevant,
classic works provided low cost editions of many standard works in the Western canon.
These were available at chain stores such as Woolworths (an analogous institution to
Walmart back in its prime) making them a significant contribution to the mass availability
to culturally important material.

Penguin even branched out into providing useful translations of significant works of
Islamic and Eastern traditions, and during the 1970's began a line of books under the
Arkana imprint that published writing from contemporary scholars such as Joscelyn
Godwin, Patrick Harpur, and Nevill Drury, as well as reprinting works by Knorr Von
Rosenroth, Aleister Crowley, E.A. Wallis Budge, P.D. Ouspensky, Joseph Campbell,
Arthur Koestler, and many others.

Joseph Campbell and Arthur Koestler are particularly relevant in that both were involved
with the Changing Images of Man document, Campbell directly as one of the contributing
scholars, and Koestler tangentially through his ongoing support for psychical research
which provided one of the main topics for the SRI report.

Koestler was also active in the mid-60's with a series of seminars presented at the Center
for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford, providing underlying support
for the later work that SRI did in advancing psychical research through government
programs such as Russell Targ and Hal Putoff's research into the Remote Viewing
protocols. In all of this we see a significant role played by these scholars in the
development of late 20th century society. Working directly with think tanks, corporations
and government policy planners, while also producing publicly facing popular works, they
laid down a strong infrastructure that the current interest in these areas owes a significant
debt to.

When we look to those involved in the contemporary movement, as it's been highlighted
in the media, we see a lack this fully integrated sense of purpose. This can be seen in the
observations of the scene participants themselves:

Theres been a magical revival happening in New York City for two to three years,
Damon Stang, the shop witch for Catland Books in the Bushwick neighborhood of
Brooklyn, told the New York Times last year. I think its a nostalgia that people have for
a sense of enchantment with the world.

Nostalgia is the last thing that a social movement needs as a driving force, especially with
the implications inherent in flooding the public consciousness with potent esoteric
symbolism divorced from proper intent. When we start to combine this enthusiasm for
manipulating consciousness and society with occult ideologies with over a centurys worth
of parapsychological research, as well as less specialized research into the implications of
mind and matter, the laizze faire attitude towards the effects of these practices seems
dangerously nave.

When we look at the work of Elbert Hubbard and his Roycrofter movment, Joseph
Peladan's Rosicrucian Salons, Alice Bailey's occult theosophy, Manly P. Hall's occult social
philosophy, the utopian communal work of Peter Davidson and the Hermetic
Brotherhood of Luxor, Rudolph Steiners Anthroposophical movement, or any serious
and lasting movement that held transcendentalist ideas as a core motivator, we find a very
strong and central social consciousness that guides the development of the individuals
within it. The aforementioned movements themselves are only those that have reached
notice on a popular level, within more traditional forms we find an even greater
integration between social consciousness and what could be considered esoteric practice.

Looking back to Penguin, what we see in both the regular publication of low cost
editions from the Western Canon, as well as the admittedly more marginal works put out
under imprints like Arkana, is a perfect support for the idea of a social engineering
through an influx of esoterica as outlined by SRI. With Penguin's beginnings stretching
back to the 1930's, and its support for many of the scholars who worked on the SRI
project, we also see in this publishing house an early driver for the social changes that
were identified in Changing Images of Man.

We need to pay close attention to the fact that Woolworths was one of Penguin's largest
distributors. Today we find the 'occult revival,' as it is represented in the media by
enthusiasts and journalists, driven in large part by small publishing ventures catering to
upper middle class collectors and those who can afford artisan publications. This may
speak to a sense of nostalgia for the old ideals of an occult aristocracy, however the rare
manuscript works of past ages were produced by advisors to royalty, aristocracy and
church dignitaries, many of them were directly dedicated to specific patrons and aimed
towards very specific social goals. Popular tracts such as the Rosicrucian Manifestos or the
apocalyptic prophecies of figures within the Boehemist circles were presented to the
public as effective motivators during the hard fought days of the Reformation with the
very dire intention of wresting power away from the corrupt papacy.

The aesthetic faade of 'occult revival' being bandied about is missing very important keys
to understanding the integration of occultism within society, how this integration affects
social philosophies and what that might mean as we see increasing interest from the
mainstream in areas that have remained for the most part veiled and protected by cultural
mechanisms that excluded the curious from dabbling with them. Outside of popular
scholarship and aesthetic ventures, an understanding of the historical roots and
contemporary implications of expanded experimentation in this area are almost entirely
missing from the movement at the popular level. In fact, it might be said that those who
are so eager to venture into the shadows of occultism have very little understanding of
exactly what they are pursuing and what the true end is on the road that they are venturing
down.

The surprising thing here is that these missing keys are contained in works that were once
available in Penguin editions at local stores. If one searches on Amazon copies of classic
spiritual works from the Western Canon are available for as little as .99 cents in a Kindle
edition or .15 cents in a paperback edition. The less specialized works provide an entry
point into understanding these areas for those without access to or interest in an 'occult
revival.' What has started to reach the surface through pop-cultic aestheticism has been
growing in momentum via more obvious channels and with more integral influence for
decades.

One of the things that really opened up my research into the Santa Muerte devotional
tradition was realizing that it had nothing to do with any hyped out, aesthetically oriented
death cult an image that suits the mainstream medias need for stereotypes, but does not
suit the needs of dedicated devotees. When I saw the mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles,
grandparents, children, brothers and sisters gathered in front of her skeletal iconography,
praying for every day concerns I realized that the only way I was going to understand her
was to ditch any preconceived notions of death and find her sitting at a family picnic, at
the grocery store or at the corner gas station. This same sense of the mysterious nature of
the mundane was awoken in me this past New Years Eve when I found myself accidentally
attending a prayer vigil at a Marian chapel in Conyers, Georgia. Some of the deepest
spiritual experiences exist around us in elements accessible in the everyday world, rather
than the dusty confines of romanticized esoteric ideologies.

With this in mind it is interesting to note that the most succinct overview of the social
impact of the ideas that loosely make up the current occult revival and its historical roots
come from biblical scholars and Evangelical Christian critiques of New Age influence on
society. With the benefit of a concise world view afforded by starting with a foundation
stone of Western culture, the Judeo-Christian Bible, works such as Cris Putnams new
book Supernatural Worldview, Dave Hunts America: The New Sorcerers Apprentice and
the Biblical exegesis of figures like Chuck Missler may offend some who have grown cold
towards Christianity, but they provide a continuity in their critique that is lacking from the
surface level aesthetical concerns of occult enthusiasts and mainstream journalism looking
at the contemporary front of the occult revival.

In the quest for spiritual water, are some overlooking the awaiting thorns? In the second
part of this article series well take a look at the insights we can discover by stepping
outside of the occult revival and looking at the picture that emerges from the
Evangelical investigation of the unseen world.

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