Accelerated Thinking

This month I have mostly been thinking about the effect that being out of the broom closet in my professional life has had on my practice. Sure, living in the United Kingdom is not a guarantee of safety when it comes to such things, but freedom of religion is taken relatively seriously here. Or at least the state turns a blind eye most of the time. Thus barring some radical Christian groups who insist on attempting to save out souls with fire and brimstone witches and sorcerers have freedom of expression. And in most cases those actions are protected by law. So by being open about my spirituality I have become something of a beacon to those working around me who otherwise would not have admitted to their Neopagan or Satanic leanings, and had some fascinating break room conversations as a result. I highly recommend that if you can, then do, because it is well worth the risk.

Publishing Updates

So I have a pretty big announcement this month. As of late June the contracts have been signed on my first book. No, not an anthology or magazine that I will be appearing in, but a whole 80,000 or so words of my own, cover to cover and bursting to the brim with uniquely positioned post-chaos content. Maybe a few thrills, chills and egregores along the way too. The pitch was accepted on the back of my previous longform narrative nonfiction, and despite all the usual advice I am starting from scratch. Which has left me with a very tight deadline. Probably best to keep the details of who has picked the manuscript up to myself for now, but it is definitely happening. And if all goes to plan it will be on the shelves by Halloween too. As befits my status as the Fox of Bones the topic will be unapologetically modern necromancy and the word count is over half way there already, so watch this space.

Empowered Words

“What does it mean? Well, Norman Mailer, he had an interesting theory that he used to explain the strange coincidences in the aftermath of the JFK assasination. In the wake of huge events, after them and before them, physical details they spasm for a moment; they sort of unlock and when they come back into focus they suddenly coincide in a weird way. Street names and birthdates and middle names, all kind of superfluous things appear related to eachother. It’s a ripple effect. So, what does it mean? Well… it means something’s going to happen. Something big. But then, something’s always about to happen.”
— Grant Mazzy, Pontypool

Occult Almanac

August is relatively interesting from a celestial point of view. For Lunar observances we have the New Moon on the 4th and First Quarter on the 12th, before the Blue or Reed Moon occurs on the 19th. This is the third Full Moon in a season, and thus has no set name within the regular sequence. The Third Quarter then ends the cycle on the 26th. For those who watch the skies the Perseids meteor shower peaks on the 12th as well, though the streaks of light and occasional bright fireball should be visible in the Northern Hemisphere a week or so either side, and Mercury goes Retrograde from the 5th to the 28th. Beware issues with communication and technology throughout that time. Neopagans celebrate Lughnasadh as the official start of the harvest season on the 1st, and necromancers with an eye to global occulture may choose to observe Obon from the 10th to the 18th. This is an ancestral festival from Japan that is gaining popularity among eclectic magickians in the West. All in all a time of harvest, toil, and warm summer nights, but well earned rest is just ahead.

Necronomicon Mortui

A list of notable members of the occult, paranormal and Fortean community, ordered by date of death as opposed to birth. Harvey Spencer Lewis, Rosicrucian, born 25th November 1883, died 2nd August 1939. Fabio Zerpa, UFOlogist, born 4th December 1928, died 7th August 2019. Paul Theodore Hellyer PC, UFOlogist, born 6th August 1923, died 8th August 2021. Robert Morris, Parapsychologist, born 19th July 1942, died 12th August 2004. Jon Nodtveidt, Satanist, born 28th June 1975, died 13th August 2006. Frank Podmore, Parapsychologist, born 5th February 1856, died 14th August 1910. Scott Rogo, Parapsychologist, born 1st February 1950, died 18th August 1990. Oliver Joseph Lodge, Spiritualist, born 12th June 1851, died 22nd August 1940. Dora van Gelder Kunz, Theosophist, born 28th April 1904, died 25th August 1999. Colin Fry, Medium, born 19th May 1962, died 25th August 2015. Count Alessandro di Cagliostro, Magickian, born 2nd June 1743, died 26th August 1795. Henry Sidgwick, Parapsychologist, born 31st May 1838, died 28th August 1900. Manly Palmer Hall, Mystic, born 18th March 1901, died 29th August 1990.

Memento Magus

A self identified Satanist, Jon Nodtveidt (born 28th June 1975, died 13th August 2006) is best known as the vocalist and lead guitarist of Dissection. While the connection between Swedish black metal and the darker aspects of human spirituality are well known, few musicians actually show a dedication to those ideals beyond the stage. But as an initiate of the Temple of the Black Light Jon’s understanding of such maters was likely better than most. With a career forever marred due to his role in the murder of Josef ben Meddour, the subsequent trial dragged both that genre of music and the wider occult community through the mud. He would later claim the incident was not motivated by race or sexuality, though it is rightly considered a hate crime. Nodtveidt’s suicide appeared to be a ritualistic act, with a copy of the Liber Azerate found open at the scene.

Grimoire Guides

The Hexorian Movement is a new force working at the fringes of occulture. Their debut work, #OpGrimoire is a fascinating but occasionally flawed pathworking through the realms of bleeding edge urban witchcraft. With a cosmology that brings such fictitious works as Neverwhere and Urban Gothic to mind, while also staying grounded in the language of actual real world sorcery, it offers a bold synthesis of old and new in a way that has not been done before. As for technical details, both chaos magick and the DKMU get a passing nod, and the way the Hexorian’s blend their new gods with the psychogeographic landscape is a really interesting touch. There are some issues with the presentation, mostly to do with formatting, but for those who know their way around a spellbook there is much of real value to take away. Feed the city, they say, and it will take care of you. Sounds like a plan to me.

End Notes

And there it is, the latest issue of my occult and paranormal newsletter waiting to reap the harvest of all my hard work up to this point. Visitor numbers are steadily growing, and a couple of my more controversial pieces have garnered quite a bit of attention in recent months. Of course I am the first to admit that making friends is neither here nor there for me. It is nice when it happens, but should the essays here at The Accelerated Chaote upset the more conservative sensibilities of a proportion of my audience then so be it. I do not write for profit, indeed this endeavour actually costs me money to maintain. No, I give a voice to these damned ideas because I have to. Their howling is as much a part of me as the blood, muscle and bone that hits the keys to make those words dance before your eyes. It takes a lot of effort, so if you enjoy it here then remember to like, share and follow for more.