Accelerated Thinking

This month I have mostly been thinking about my holiday in Cornwall last year, and Boscastle’s Museum of Witchcraft and Magic in particular. Perched ravenlike at the edge of the harbour that far from unassuming building houses a veritable treasure trove of artefacts from the more folkloric side of the occult, as well as a library open to scholars by appointment too. A little on the claustrophobic side, and perhaps lacking in polish, the at times roughly associated display cases may require dedicated effort to decipher. That said the sections on hexes, curses and ceremonial sex magick upstairs are extremely well stocked, while some very important members of the occult community have artefacts on display downstairs too. It is a worthwhile visit, though the generally busy staff necessitate either a guidebook or prior knowledge to get the most out of the trip.

Empowered Words

“Now, as to whistling for the wind, let me give you my theory about it. The laws which govern winds are really not at all perfectly known—to fisher-folk and such, of course, not known at all. A man or woman of eccentric habits, perhaps, or a stranger, is seen repeatedly on the beach at some unusual hour, and is heard whistling. Soon afterwards a violent wind rises; a man who could read the sky perfectly or who possessed a barometer could have foretold that it would. The simple people of a fishing-village have no barometers, and only a few rough rules for prophesying weather. What more natural than that the eccentric personage I postulated should be regarded as having raised the wind, or that he or she should clutch eagerly at the reputation of being able to do so?”
— Professor Parkins, O Whistle And I’ll Come To You My Lad

Occult Almanac

January presents a much quieter month in the heavens than December. Lunar observances start with the Third Quarter on the 4th and New Moon on the 11th. Then the First Quarter falls on the 18th before the Cold or Birch Full Moon on the 25th. Mercury reaches its Greatest Elongation West on the 12th, and the Quadrantids Meteor Shower reaches its peak around the 3rd. Aside from this there is very little to report, no cultural observances except New Year’s Day on the 1st, and a lack of any Pagan or Demonological festivals of note either. Ever has this colder time of the turning year been one of quiet expectation, and with Imbolc awaiting us on February 1st it is not hard to see that our ancestors felt the same way.

Necronomicon Mortui

A list of notable members of the occult, paranormal and Fortean community, ordered by date of death as opposed to birth.  Arthur Ford, Medium, born 8th January 1896, died 4th January 1971. Derek Acorah, Medium, born 27th January 1950, died 4th January 2020. Eugen Grosche, Magickian, born 11th March 1888, died 5th January 1964. Dion Fortune, Magickian, born 6th December 1890, died 8th January 1946. David Bowie, Mystic, born 8th January 1947, died 10th January 2016. Robert Anton Wilson, Mystic, born 18th January 1932, died 11th January 2007. Michel Moine, Parapsychologist, born 8th March 1920, died 15th January 2005. Kenneth Grant, Magickian, born 23rd May 1924, died 15th January 2011. Frederic William Henry Myers, Parapsychologist, born 6th February 1843, died 17th January 1901. Jake Stratton-Kent, Magickian, born 27th April 1956, died 17th January 2023. Edward Bulwer-Lytton 1st Baron Lytton, Author, born 25th May 1803, died 18th January 1873. Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor, Alchemist, born 18th July 1552, died 20th January 1612. Lafayette Ronald Hubbard, Magickian, born 13th March 1911, died 24th January 1986. William Butler Yeats, Magickian, born 13th June 1865, died 28th January 1939. Zora Neale Hurston, Author, born 7th January 1891, died 28th January 1960. Ingo Swann, Psychic, born 14th September 1933, died 31st January 2013.

Memento Magus

It is not an overstatement to say that the passing of Jake Stratton-Kent (born 27th April 1956, died 17th January 2023) was felt throughout the UK occult community. Seeing print with Scarlet Imprint and Haden Press, among others, his contribution to the modern grimoire tradition is almost without equal. Writer, editor and a speaker of rare wit, his talks on the workings of the Grimorium Verum were a unique mix of dramatic readings and personal interpretation that helped introduce the topic to a far wider audience. A self described ‘late Pagan’, Jake tried where possible to divorce ritual magick from the Abrahamic overlay that has infested it for the last two centuries, instead pushing for a more grounded, hearth and home interpretation unique to himself. That this also showed a rare respect for the supposedly demonic spirits mentioned within those pages only added to his charm.

Audio Sorcery

By far the most fun I have ever had with an audio drama, The Scarifyers is a rip roaring jaunt into the sillier side of the occult. Part The Secrets of Dr Taverner, part League of Gentlemen, the series displays a rare roguish humour that fits the age of Secret Chiefs and unholy orders so perfectly that you would almost believe the events described are all true. Sprinkle in some Lovecraft, time travel, Loch Ness and an Arthurian legend or two, and the end result is the kind of British pre World War II shenanigans that were made for radio. With a rotating cast including David Warner, Nicholas Courtney, Terry Molloy, Brian Blessed, Leslie Philips and Nigel Havers, the results would make even Crowley laugh. And yes, he’s in it too, by the way. As is Harry Price, Sir Malcolm Campbell and the royal family. All in all one of the best takes on historical personality since Chemical Wedding, and gallows humour done right.

End Notes

So there we are, another Vulpine Occulture in the can and ready to go. As for portfolio news, things are generally pretty quiet behind the scenes here to be honest. I decided against producing the special Yule entry in December, mostly because I was wary of diluting my brand. This site was never about becoming an influencer or chaotic guru to the masses. It is instead a way to write my own legacy, to prove that I did the work to claim this little parcel of memetic land within the bounds of occulture. And that end can be better served through editing and formatting my old articles and getting them ready to repost here for everyone than by chasing a time based trend that others will likely have more to say about than I do. Also, I remain absent from social media, again to help me focus on the more important aspects of this project, but a like and a share goes a long way if you are in the mood.