Diving into the Aethyr: An Interview with Patrick Larabee
(Originally done for De Occulta Philosophia Blog) **
In the past years, a number of Occult artists have managed to capture our imagination, giving life through their art to that reality beyond ours. One of these artists, with a vision of his own delivered through the use of both shapes and colours and the written word, is Patrick Larabee. After his fascinating “Whisperings of the Void”, this young artist with an ancient soul has just started introducing us to his vision, so we approached him to know more about his work.
Greetings Patrick. You have been a dedicated artist for a long time now, but could you introduce yourself and your work for those who have not heard of you?
Hello and good tidings! By way of a simple introduction, I am an artist and author whose work focuses primarily on the mysteries of traditional witchcraft and the sorcerous artes. The writings and images I create are a direct result of my work within these and a few other specific currents. My path however is directly inspired and driven by spirit via the personal muse and the illuminating lightning flashes of the daemonic genius, as well as the gods and spirits unto whom I am devoted. I consider myself a solitary practitioner and seeker of the Mysteries in its various guises, mainly partaking of the various streams of wisdom inherent within such concepts as the left-hand path, witchcraft, animism, paganism, and have been inspired by numerous esoteric philosophies over the years such as one would find within systems like the Kabbalah, Hermeticism, Gnosticism, the Typhonian OTO, Lovecraftian Gnosis, and Sufism.
More about my work specifically I can say that I seek, in numerous ways, to create new forms that will serve as worthy vessels of Gnosis. And yet, I cannot say that what I am doing is unique as this form of transmission has been occurring since the dawn of time, especially with the awakening of consciousness IN man himself. In fact I very often struggle with the concepts and ideas that seem to fall upon me from what I call Other - this Other is a totally foreign entity most of the time and we are hard pressed to seek it out and assimilate what it has to offer. That it can be done is not the problem, I often feel that we do so more than we acknowledge. However, the hard part is comprehending what Other has given and then harder still is using and sharing that ‘gift’.
I have discovered that certain types of art-forms are fully capable of revealing this hidden wisdom, these daemonic whisperings, and they are many. I however have chosen words and images. If one seeks to define truth we constrain truth, yet, we can share our intimations, our emotions, those soul words that have effected us deeply, and if they are in any way a reflection of real Truth than those with eyes and ears to understand shall. The same applies with images and art. One must always remember and realise that behind every form there is an essential and powerful presence and force waiting to be discovered. In many ways this is what my own work intends: to reveal via signs and words that are, hopefully, doorways that lead to this essential force beyond the forms which are cast.
Greetings Patrick. You have been a dedicated artist for a long time now, but could you introduce yourself and your work for those who have not heard of you?
Hello and good tidings! By way of a simple introduction, I am an artist and author whose work focuses primarily on the mysteries of traditional witchcraft and the sorcerous artes. The writings and images I create are a direct result of my work within these and a few other specific currents. My path however is directly inspired and driven by spirit via the personal muse and the illuminating lightning flashes of the daemonic genius, as well as the gods and spirits unto whom I am devoted. I consider myself a solitary practitioner and seeker of the Mysteries in its various guises, mainly partaking of the various streams of wisdom inherent within such concepts as the left-hand path, witchcraft, animism, paganism, and have been inspired by numerous esoteric philosophies over the years such as one would find within systems like the Kabbalah, Hermeticism, Gnosticism, the Typhonian OTO, Lovecraftian Gnosis, and Sufism.
More about my work specifically I can say that I seek, in numerous ways, to create new forms that will serve as worthy vessels of Gnosis. And yet, I cannot say that what I am doing is unique as this form of transmission has been occurring since the dawn of time, especially with the awakening of consciousness IN man himself. In fact I very often struggle with the concepts and ideas that seem to fall upon me from what I call Other - this Other is a totally foreign entity most of the time and we are hard pressed to seek it out and assimilate what it has to offer. That it can be done is not the problem, I often feel that we do so more than we acknowledge. However, the hard part is comprehending what Other has given and then harder still is using and sharing that ‘gift’.
I have discovered that certain types of art-forms are fully capable of revealing this hidden wisdom, these daemonic whisperings, and they are many. I however have chosen words and images. If one seeks to define truth we constrain truth, yet, we can share our intimations, our emotions, those soul words that have effected us deeply, and if they are in any way a reflection of real Truth than those with eyes and ears to understand shall. The same applies with images and art. One must always remember and realise that behind every form there is an essential and powerful presence and force waiting to be discovered. In many ways this is what my own work intends: to reveal via signs and words that are, hopefully, doorways that lead to this essential force beyond the forms which are cast.
How did you become interested in the occult? Was it natural for you to mix occult themes with your love for drawing?
It was not something that I actively sought out to do, it was one of those strange occurrences where one’s ability meets up with one’s interests. For me it was a natural progression. It was something that developed over time without a conscious effort until I became much older. It is then that I realized that power inherent within occult art, the ability to convey via image and form true power and essence. Now my love for drawing, that of course came from my mother. When I was younger I remember watching her spend hours drawing and it always fascinated me, held me entranced to see her fashion images from nothing…to me it was magic.
Yet, beyond this, I have always felt deeply that some external force has been pushing me to do what I do, God, Spirit, Genius, call it what you will. Of course for me, it was a natural. Everywhere I looked I could see this same thing occurring around me in the world. What I was doing was nothing new, it was something that ancient shamans and medicine men of all cultures had been doing for thousands of years. In many ways I felt as if I was carrying on a very long tradition…the sharing of wisdom via image. I have always felt though the need to create spiritual art rather than mundane art. By this I mean, that once I understood what I was doing, I was driven only to create if it portrayed aspects of the divine and essential character of Other. My purpose in creating art is to lead one to an idea of reality, to have then confront it, then move beyond it. If art, in any of its manifestations, fails to cause us to turn our eye inward and thus question reality, then it lacks that essential force that should potentially ensoul all forms and is rendered an empty shell bereft of virtue.
My actual interest in the occult is another one of those occurrences in which I never sought it out. I was very young, about 11 years old, when I starting reading about subjects like the occult, witchcraft, voodoo, and a myriad number of other philosophies and magical systems. My first actual book read was at this age a book called The Return of Magic, the author of this book now evades me as it was over 20 years ago. I also remember spending a lot of time reading books by Carlos Casteneda, which is what lead me into the studying of dreams and dream knowledge, and how to use it in our waking lives. To sum this up, my whole life has been spent being a devotee of what I call Mystery and the remainder of my life will be spent doing the same.
It can be very difficult to transmit through a static image the same level of deep understanding as a full written text; how do you accomplish this? What is your creative process?
This is true, working with images and art can be a very static process and this is one reason one must be able to bring life to a piece of artwork. To truly create an image that is ensouled in some way, alive with force, one must actually put their life into it. This is not an easy feat either, and sometimes I fail at it. I have drawn many pieces over the years that I have destroyed due to it’s lack of energy, it would be blasphemous to unleash upon the world an image that had no essence within it. It is easier to explain via words, yes, and yet sometimes even words fail to do and capture what one single image can give. To create a truly powerful image we must open within its lines and angles a portal that opens up the soul to mystery, thus allowing it to speak perhaps more words than any mere writing could ever do.
One way for me to accomplish this goal is that I make my art in such a way as to only draw what I feel comes from beyond myself… meaning that I believe the true images that are worthy of being created come to me via the Muse. This happens in a number of ways: dreams, from ritual, within trance, and more often than not it comes completely unannounced as a vision that falls upon my senses and appears within the mind’s eye, the location of spiritual vision. I have found that it is these images that once drawn are usually the most powerful pieces of artwork I create. Sometimes they are simple pieces, but they resonate with an inner dimension and that is what calls to me and others who enjoy my artwork.
The process I go through with each image I create is overall the same, and yet, during the creation of an image there will arise different ways of approach, different methods of drawing; sometimes an entire image will present itself and at other times an image will be ‘constructed’ over a period of time. Internally each image is a dynamic vision comprised of various levels of understanding and sight. Within mind an image is alive, three dimensional and sometime even more, it moves and pulses, changes, and it is my duty to capture in some way that one that perfect dimensional flux that when rendered as image will convey as much of that original image, as seen in astral, as possible. This can be a hard process and can take a lot of time to solve it out.
It was not something that I actively sought out to do, it was one of those strange occurrences where one’s ability meets up with one’s interests. For me it was a natural progression. It was something that developed over time without a conscious effort until I became much older. It is then that I realized that power inherent within occult art, the ability to convey via image and form true power and essence. Now my love for drawing, that of course came from my mother. When I was younger I remember watching her spend hours drawing and it always fascinated me, held me entranced to see her fashion images from nothing…to me it was magic.
Yet, beyond this, I have always felt deeply that some external force has been pushing me to do what I do, God, Spirit, Genius, call it what you will. Of course for me, it was a natural. Everywhere I looked I could see this same thing occurring around me in the world. What I was doing was nothing new, it was something that ancient shamans and medicine men of all cultures had been doing for thousands of years. In many ways I felt as if I was carrying on a very long tradition…the sharing of wisdom via image. I have always felt though the need to create spiritual art rather than mundane art. By this I mean, that once I understood what I was doing, I was driven only to create if it portrayed aspects of the divine and essential character of Other. My purpose in creating art is to lead one to an idea of reality, to have then confront it, then move beyond it. If art, in any of its manifestations, fails to cause us to turn our eye inward and thus question reality, then it lacks that essential force that should potentially ensoul all forms and is rendered an empty shell bereft of virtue.
My actual interest in the occult is another one of those occurrences in which I never sought it out. I was very young, about 11 years old, when I starting reading about subjects like the occult, witchcraft, voodoo, and a myriad number of other philosophies and magical systems. My first actual book read was at this age a book called The Return of Magic, the author of this book now evades me as it was over 20 years ago. I also remember spending a lot of time reading books by Carlos Casteneda, which is what lead me into the studying of dreams and dream knowledge, and how to use it in our waking lives. To sum this up, my whole life has been spent being a devotee of what I call Mystery and the remainder of my life will be spent doing the same.
It can be very difficult to transmit through a static image the same level of deep understanding as a full written text; how do you accomplish this? What is your creative process?
This is true, working with images and art can be a very static process and this is one reason one must be able to bring life to a piece of artwork. To truly create an image that is ensouled in some way, alive with force, one must actually put their life into it. This is not an easy feat either, and sometimes I fail at it. I have drawn many pieces over the years that I have destroyed due to it’s lack of energy, it would be blasphemous to unleash upon the world an image that had no essence within it. It is easier to explain via words, yes, and yet sometimes even words fail to do and capture what one single image can give. To create a truly powerful image we must open within its lines and angles a portal that opens up the soul to mystery, thus allowing it to speak perhaps more words than any mere writing could ever do.
One way for me to accomplish this goal is that I make my art in such a way as to only draw what I feel comes from beyond myself… meaning that I believe the true images that are worthy of being created come to me via the Muse. This happens in a number of ways: dreams, from ritual, within trance, and more often than not it comes completely unannounced as a vision that falls upon my senses and appears within the mind’s eye, the location of spiritual vision. I have found that it is these images that once drawn are usually the most powerful pieces of artwork I create. Sometimes they are simple pieces, but they resonate with an inner dimension and that is what calls to me and others who enjoy my artwork.
The process I go through with each image I create is overall the same, and yet, during the creation of an image there will arise different ways of approach, different methods of drawing; sometimes an entire image will present itself and at other times an image will be ‘constructed’ over a period of time. Internally each image is a dynamic vision comprised of various levels of understanding and sight. Within mind an image is alive, three dimensional and sometime even more, it moves and pulses, changes, and it is my duty to capture in some way that one that perfect dimensional flux that when rendered as image will convey as much of that original image, as seen in astral, as possible. This can be a hard process and can take a lot of time to solve it out.
You are better known for your work as an artist, but you are also a published author. Can you tell us about your work “Whisperings of the Void”? Was this project something you initiated or were you approached by Aeon Sophia Press?
Whisperings from the Void was actually a manuscript that I had been working on for some years before being approached by Aeon Sophia Press. In many ways it was the culmination of many aspects of my own spiritual praxis. It marked both an ending and a new beginning. Essentially it is the result of a very long and sometimes rough few years of my life, in which I sought in various ways to search out the truth of myself and of my own existence. This is not an easy path to walk either, and it is one that must be walked alone with only the gods and spirits to guide. This work specifically is existentialist, in that I was and perhaps still am one mere individual trying to make sense of this often confusing and at times absurd world we live in. I had to, for myself, set up some sort of construct that would establish a meaning and purpose for my own existence in the here and now. We are a part of something that is so vast and inconceivable, that it can be easy to become lost in this world and forget that we do have a purpose even if at times it seems that our understanding of it is beyond our grasp.
After having been approached by Aeon Sophia Press in the Spring of 2012 about the possibility of publishing a book of my art, and much negotiation, I spent another 8 months finishing the manuscript as a whole. In the beginning putting out a book of just my artwork did seem appealing but was not how I had envisioned seeing my first published work, since the artwork was meant to accompany a series of my own writings, ritual texts, and invocations. So that is the book Aeon Sophia Press and I brought forth into manifestation, a sort of exegetical treatise on my own spiritual work coupled with a series of rites and rituals stemming from my work with the Daemons that have been given prominence within this work specifically. Once all of this work was done, we started the actually process of getting the book out and it was officially published during Winter of last year.
You have a very personal style, very distinguishable and unique. Do you have any formal training as an artist? Who influenced you the most, both as an illustrator and author?
I am pleased to hear that you view my style as distinguishable and unique. In looking at my own work I have come to view it as ‘iconic’ in that my intention behind my own work is to draw forth powers that present themselves with a form in the here and now, yet also point to a reality that lies beyond the image itself. And although that is not unique, the way in which I do it is.
I do not have any formal training, as such. However, over the years I have taught myself various techniques that are perhaps classic methods that I have utilised in my own way as well as forming my own processes of manifesting art. I have found that this is sometimes one of the hardest problems I face when working, is that there are times when I set to do a specific image, to draw a vision of some particular nature, and find that I have to teach myself how to do the work as I go along. It is a never ending learning process and is something that I believe a lot of artists go through. Each finished piece of art goes through a lot of preliminary work, many sketches, scribbles, sometimes pages and pages of rough drafts in order to find that perfect form which I then use as the basis for the final image. This is a process that I can and often do go through many times on a single image. It can be difficult getting that vision in my mind’s eye out on to the paper.
When it comes to influences upon my own personal work, it can be hard to pin-point who, what, where and when. Given that I’ve not really studied any specific form of art, or method, or time period, and given the immense span of time that has given birth to the various forms of art that we know today it is hard to voice specifics. I have found that I am quite fond of the religious and spiritual iconography from different times and cultures from around the world. I enjoy the ancient methods employed by the Egyptians for instance, very colourful and yet stark in their stance. Yet there are others who in different ways have accomplished this same type of art; and it is these forms of artwork that have proven to be most influential. I am by no means seeking to redefine any method or style, just to add my own work to the massive and perhaps unfathomable Body of Art that already exists.
I do however have artists that have proven to be an inspiration to my own work, even though how we manifest that work is chasms apart. Great people like Albrecht Durer, Salvador Dali, Aubrey Beardsley, Gustav Klimt, William Blake, to name just a few of the classics; and from the present times I have found the work of such visionaries like Nigel Aldcroft Jackson, Kyle Fite, Dolorosa de la Cruz, Andrew Chumbley, Valin Mattheis, Muriel Fonseca, CM Vaenus Obscura, Steffi Grant, and many others to be inspiring. The latter list, to me, are greater than our predecessors in that they are equally awe-inspiring but have gone beyond that to earth such a diverse and vast array of trans-mundane energies unto our manifest reality. In truth there are too many to name, and perhaps just as many who remain beyond my ability to even name.
When it comes to my written work, authors such as Kenneth Grant with his immense body of work that has come to be known as the Typhonian Trilogies, the body of work manifest by Andrew D. Chumbley in his short lifetime, the corpus of writings from Kahlil Gibran have been most influential in terms of my own inner mind and heart space, along with others of his ilk such as Idries Shah, Omar Khayyam and his The Rubiyat, Jalaludin Rumi, and Ibn ‘Arabi, plus the works of Nigel Aldcroft Jackson, Shani Oates, Paul Huson, Claude Lecauteux, Robert Cochrane, and this is to name but a few.
Whisperings from the Void was actually a manuscript that I had been working on for some years before being approached by Aeon Sophia Press. In many ways it was the culmination of many aspects of my own spiritual praxis. It marked both an ending and a new beginning. Essentially it is the result of a very long and sometimes rough few years of my life, in which I sought in various ways to search out the truth of myself and of my own existence. This is not an easy path to walk either, and it is one that must be walked alone with only the gods and spirits to guide. This work specifically is existentialist, in that I was and perhaps still am one mere individual trying to make sense of this often confusing and at times absurd world we live in. I had to, for myself, set up some sort of construct that would establish a meaning and purpose for my own existence in the here and now. We are a part of something that is so vast and inconceivable, that it can be easy to become lost in this world and forget that we do have a purpose even if at times it seems that our understanding of it is beyond our grasp.
After having been approached by Aeon Sophia Press in the Spring of 2012 about the possibility of publishing a book of my art, and much negotiation, I spent another 8 months finishing the manuscript as a whole. In the beginning putting out a book of just my artwork did seem appealing but was not how I had envisioned seeing my first published work, since the artwork was meant to accompany a series of my own writings, ritual texts, and invocations. So that is the book Aeon Sophia Press and I brought forth into manifestation, a sort of exegetical treatise on my own spiritual work coupled with a series of rites and rituals stemming from my work with the Daemons that have been given prominence within this work specifically. Once all of this work was done, we started the actually process of getting the book out and it was officially published during Winter of last year.
You have a very personal style, very distinguishable and unique. Do you have any formal training as an artist? Who influenced you the most, both as an illustrator and author?
I am pleased to hear that you view my style as distinguishable and unique. In looking at my own work I have come to view it as ‘iconic’ in that my intention behind my own work is to draw forth powers that present themselves with a form in the here and now, yet also point to a reality that lies beyond the image itself. And although that is not unique, the way in which I do it is.
I do not have any formal training, as such. However, over the years I have taught myself various techniques that are perhaps classic methods that I have utilised in my own way as well as forming my own processes of manifesting art. I have found that this is sometimes one of the hardest problems I face when working, is that there are times when I set to do a specific image, to draw a vision of some particular nature, and find that I have to teach myself how to do the work as I go along. It is a never ending learning process and is something that I believe a lot of artists go through. Each finished piece of art goes through a lot of preliminary work, many sketches, scribbles, sometimes pages and pages of rough drafts in order to find that perfect form which I then use as the basis for the final image. This is a process that I can and often do go through many times on a single image. It can be difficult getting that vision in my mind’s eye out on to the paper.
When it comes to influences upon my own personal work, it can be hard to pin-point who, what, where and when. Given that I’ve not really studied any specific form of art, or method, or time period, and given the immense span of time that has given birth to the various forms of art that we know today it is hard to voice specifics. I have found that I am quite fond of the religious and spiritual iconography from different times and cultures from around the world. I enjoy the ancient methods employed by the Egyptians for instance, very colourful and yet stark in their stance. Yet there are others who in different ways have accomplished this same type of art; and it is these forms of artwork that have proven to be most influential. I am by no means seeking to redefine any method or style, just to add my own work to the massive and perhaps unfathomable Body of Art that already exists.
I do however have artists that have proven to be an inspiration to my own work, even though how we manifest that work is chasms apart. Great people like Albrecht Durer, Salvador Dali, Aubrey Beardsley, Gustav Klimt, William Blake, to name just a few of the classics; and from the present times I have found the work of such visionaries like Nigel Aldcroft Jackson, Kyle Fite, Dolorosa de la Cruz, Andrew Chumbley, Valin Mattheis, Muriel Fonseca, CM Vaenus Obscura, Steffi Grant, and many others to be inspiring. The latter list, to me, are greater than our predecessors in that they are equally awe-inspiring but have gone beyond that to earth such a diverse and vast array of trans-mundane energies unto our manifest reality. In truth there are too many to name, and perhaps just as many who remain beyond my ability to even name.
When it comes to my written work, authors such as Kenneth Grant with his immense body of work that has come to be known as the Typhonian Trilogies, the body of work manifest by Andrew D. Chumbley in his short lifetime, the corpus of writings from Kahlil Gibran have been most influential in terms of my own inner mind and heart space, along with others of his ilk such as Idries Shah, Omar Khayyam and his The Rubiyat, Jalaludin Rumi, and Ibn ‘Arabi, plus the works of Nigel Aldcroft Jackson, Shani Oates, Paul Huson, Claude Lecauteux, Robert Cochrane, and this is to name but a few.
Your latest published work is a collaboration with Zoupheus Journal. Can you tell us about it? What do you think of the recent “explosion” of magical publications? Do you think there is a risk of the market being saturated?
Zhoupheus Journal is a bi-annual esoteric and occult art magazine that features a lot of modern work from artists and occultists, and it was a good platform upon which to share both some of my artistic and written work. When I originally approached them about being included in their current issue I was quite honoured to discover that they knew who I was and that they were interested in having my contribution. One thing that differed from other magazines I’ve had work in, is that I allowed them to pick the work they wished to publish rather than submitting specific pieces on my own. This lead to a rather interesting mixture of my art appearing therein. Some old and some new.
Along with some of my artwork, there was also featured an essay that I wrote for them called The Magick of Art(e): Deliniations of the Divine. This written piece and its understanding occurs on many different levels. It applies to both my artistic endeavours as well as my own personal praxis within the Arte Magical as a whole. This might be apparent to many, but thought it pertinent to mention here. And for the sake of sharing, here is a small part from that essay that I believe is appropriate given the context of this interview:
"What is art but the magical process of creating from nothing, filling the void of existence, that begs for meaning, needs to be defined, with our imaginings: crafting the images of gnostic revelation, rendering our visions unto the manifest canvas of life. As an artist I seek to define, via the individual sight of my subjective existence, the unseen dimensions of mind, soul, and spirit. in phantastic and emotive forms the truth as veiled by visions of my heart. Art is about creation, it is the pure intent of one who desires to share what they see and what they know, yet exists beyond the mundane spheres of commonality, with others in the hopes that they might per chance come to gleam, to catch, some small fraction of that which is within me. All the better if the viewer can come to see with their own eyes something that was not intended, something that was rendered and pulled forth from the realms of spirit just for them. In many ways this is the essence of art(e), to reach forth into the aethyrs, those zones and dimensions that are beyond the grasp of mere physicalities, with the open hands of the soul and bring to earth a glimpse of that which dwells ever outside of our own understandings, yet is intertwined with our emotional and spiritual beings.
Within each of us there is a realm of heavens and hells, a world that is real in terms of how it affects us rather than how we see it. How often we seen the world around us without looking into the numerous worlds that exist beyond it. For me, art(e) is about capturing these fleeting moments of vision, of gnostic revelation, and giving this awesome and inspiring force a form; it is the desire and will of the divine artist to use his power to imagine forth, as best as he can, those subtle and yet otherworldly energies and manifest them within our own dimension of time and space. In doing this we create portals, only if even momentary glances, by which oneself and others may come to interact with these powers and energies of the other side. Art(e) if interacted with intentionally and with the desire to engage with the force behind the form, one can step into these gateways using that momentary flux caught in time and use the symbolic inferences as a key to enter a world that exists both beyond the artist, the canvas, and the viewer, stepping into the force itself for a direct apprehension of the subject thus imaged forth by the artist..
Art(e) is about affecting changes in the sub-conscious self via the conscious self, through symbolic interfaces between these two realms of the self the artist seeks to open within others those essential qualities that lead to a personal experience of that which one has seen with an inner eye and felt with an inner sense. There are a vast number of veiled, and perhaps even occult, realities that exist beyond the pall of man, and it is these ‘worlds’ that the artist desires to share. Whether these worlds or dimensions or astral zones, call them what you will, actually exist as we have come to understand that word, they are manifestations of emotive, mental, spiritual, both heavenly and infernal, spaces that are as real as what they make us feel. Their existence is not one of physical, tangible presence, their reality subsists within the emotions that they engender within our being.”
- (Published in Zhoupheus Journal - Volume 1, Issue 2 - Spring Equinox)
On the subject of ‘magical publications’ and their apparent growth currently through various publishers…I don’t think we are seeing anything different than what has occurred at various other time through the last century or so. I think with each generation those involved with the myriad currents of praxis and occult philosophies, etc., there comes a time when those actively partaking of these various streams of wisdom reach an age where they seek to share the knowledge they have gained through there own hard work and progress on the paths they have chosen. Rather than viewing this as an ‘explosion’ I have come to view it as the advancement of the zeitgeist currently active within the conscious and sub-conscious mind of humanity. Some of this work is of the utmost importance in the overall structure and integrity of the occult community, some of it provides new avenues of thought and praxis, some in many ways provide new discoveries and roads to the an interaction with Spirit and the Mysteries. However, sadly, some of this ‘new’ material is nothing but a regurgitation of the same old thing we have been reading for years, but perhaps it needs be said that all of this work is valuable in many ways.
In regards to a ‘watering down’ of the market, this could perhaps be possible. Yet, if we take a look at the majority of current publishers, we see that many are extremely focused on one stream of praxis or belief. Some focus on certain aspects of Satanism and the left hand path, some on traditional forms of witchcraft, others on various streams of gnostic voudou, etc. What I view as the most worthy endeavour of any publishing house is their ability to offer a diverse and unique array of subjects. We have over the years been offered the same material over and over again, and this is what causes a watering down of the market. When publishers begin to offer the same types of books in different formats - this can tend to be boring and a waste of money for those who are unaware of it. People should be discerning and do some research before buying books today. What I find of most use are the books that offer new insights into less explored areas of the occult and that is where I place value in any publisher.
In the end I guess the proliferation of subjects and material now becoming available today should be viewed as a positive occurrence given that what we are really seeing is the movement of humanity towards the unveiling of the hidden aspects of ourselves that are begging to be revealed.
You are presently working on a new book. Can you tell us about it, or is it too soon?
I can mention briefly that my current work can be viewed as a prequel to my last book, but in many ways is also a direct manifestation of that work. This work I have titled Spectral Effigies and with it I am offering some insights into the Void as the substratum of being, a small look into how this concept has been adhered to through various times and cultures by looking into the creation myths of those peoples. I shall be taking a look at the certain types of Deity that have come to serve as vessel and mask for this primordial, primeval, and eternal a-cosmic force, along with a look into many of the philosophies and magical systems that serve and continue this stream of gnosis. A large portion of this manuscript will include what I have called The Vulvic Trans-Missonary which is a poetic rendering of my own understanding of these concepts and my own personal belief in the Void and its manifestation. Lastly we shall see a small grimoire of magical praxis that allows one to interact with some of these deific forms end the book. And as with my first book there will be an immense amount of artwork that will accompany my written work.
Here are a few excerpts from The Vulvic Trans-Missionary:
"I consume that which is and issue forth that which is not - my banquet a feast of the light and my womb-tomb is kala of the night. My dance is reversal, as I spin within the motionlessness of leaping by standing still. There is naught but that which IS: being from non-being manifesting an eternal masquerade of phantasmal-subjectivity objectifying desirous flesh and dreams of nodal awareness. I ravage the self-sane via Self-madness - THAT is but a web incalculable, a dimension beyond ego-absorbtion and reason of mind, bending free-will and crafting fate-mine: explosion of darkness to reveal the particle of dream’t object that is eternally dreamless. I am a mirror that reflects what it sees, seer of that which is beyond the eye - a reflectory glance of the object momentarily subjectified."
- Verse ll from The Vulvic Trans-Missionary
"The force that indwells within all form am I, the soul of infinite bodies: the essence of all shape and hidden within the occult conclaves of each thing, as the adytum of all-being - manifesting as diversity and uniquity. Occurrence of the infernal and empyrean inter-dimensional entity, daemonic-heart of genius dwelling as secret configuration residing within the vessels of flesh: mind and matter pushing forth from the unrevealed crown of all creation! A diaphanous light of swirling density, a lightning-strike of madness rising forth from the darkness of the infinite deep abyssal waters of naught: experience the path wrought by desire for fulfilment of Self, for thou art self by Self created - spirit of the waters of the night, a gleaming cast of moon-light crashing against the waves and then disappearing forever."
- Verse Xl from The Vulvic Trans-Missionary
Zhoupheus Journal is a bi-annual esoteric and occult art magazine that features a lot of modern work from artists and occultists, and it was a good platform upon which to share both some of my artistic and written work. When I originally approached them about being included in their current issue I was quite honoured to discover that they knew who I was and that they were interested in having my contribution. One thing that differed from other magazines I’ve had work in, is that I allowed them to pick the work they wished to publish rather than submitting specific pieces on my own. This lead to a rather interesting mixture of my art appearing therein. Some old and some new.
Along with some of my artwork, there was also featured an essay that I wrote for them called The Magick of Art(e): Deliniations of the Divine. This written piece and its understanding occurs on many different levels. It applies to both my artistic endeavours as well as my own personal praxis within the Arte Magical as a whole. This might be apparent to many, but thought it pertinent to mention here. And for the sake of sharing, here is a small part from that essay that I believe is appropriate given the context of this interview:
"What is art but the magical process of creating from nothing, filling the void of existence, that begs for meaning, needs to be defined, with our imaginings: crafting the images of gnostic revelation, rendering our visions unto the manifest canvas of life. As an artist I seek to define, via the individual sight of my subjective existence, the unseen dimensions of mind, soul, and spirit. in phantastic and emotive forms the truth as veiled by visions of my heart. Art is about creation, it is the pure intent of one who desires to share what they see and what they know, yet exists beyond the mundane spheres of commonality, with others in the hopes that they might per chance come to gleam, to catch, some small fraction of that which is within me. All the better if the viewer can come to see with their own eyes something that was not intended, something that was rendered and pulled forth from the realms of spirit just for them. In many ways this is the essence of art(e), to reach forth into the aethyrs, those zones and dimensions that are beyond the grasp of mere physicalities, with the open hands of the soul and bring to earth a glimpse of that which dwells ever outside of our own understandings, yet is intertwined with our emotional and spiritual beings.
Within each of us there is a realm of heavens and hells, a world that is real in terms of how it affects us rather than how we see it. How often we seen the world around us without looking into the numerous worlds that exist beyond it. For me, art(e) is about capturing these fleeting moments of vision, of gnostic revelation, and giving this awesome and inspiring force a form; it is the desire and will of the divine artist to use his power to imagine forth, as best as he can, those subtle and yet otherworldly energies and manifest them within our own dimension of time and space. In doing this we create portals, only if even momentary glances, by which oneself and others may come to interact with these powers and energies of the other side. Art(e) if interacted with intentionally and with the desire to engage with the force behind the form, one can step into these gateways using that momentary flux caught in time and use the symbolic inferences as a key to enter a world that exists both beyond the artist, the canvas, and the viewer, stepping into the force itself for a direct apprehension of the subject thus imaged forth by the artist..
Art(e) is about affecting changes in the sub-conscious self via the conscious self, through symbolic interfaces between these two realms of the self the artist seeks to open within others those essential qualities that lead to a personal experience of that which one has seen with an inner eye and felt with an inner sense. There are a vast number of veiled, and perhaps even occult, realities that exist beyond the pall of man, and it is these ‘worlds’ that the artist desires to share. Whether these worlds or dimensions or astral zones, call them what you will, actually exist as we have come to understand that word, they are manifestations of emotive, mental, spiritual, both heavenly and infernal, spaces that are as real as what they make us feel. Their existence is not one of physical, tangible presence, their reality subsists within the emotions that they engender within our being.”
- (Published in Zhoupheus Journal - Volume 1, Issue 2 - Spring Equinox)
On the subject of ‘magical publications’ and their apparent growth currently through various publishers…I don’t think we are seeing anything different than what has occurred at various other time through the last century or so. I think with each generation those involved with the myriad currents of praxis and occult philosophies, etc., there comes a time when those actively partaking of these various streams of wisdom reach an age where they seek to share the knowledge they have gained through there own hard work and progress on the paths they have chosen. Rather than viewing this as an ‘explosion’ I have come to view it as the advancement of the zeitgeist currently active within the conscious and sub-conscious mind of humanity. Some of this work is of the utmost importance in the overall structure and integrity of the occult community, some of it provides new avenues of thought and praxis, some in many ways provide new discoveries and roads to the an interaction with Spirit and the Mysteries. However, sadly, some of this ‘new’ material is nothing but a regurgitation of the same old thing we have been reading for years, but perhaps it needs be said that all of this work is valuable in many ways.
In regards to a ‘watering down’ of the market, this could perhaps be possible. Yet, if we take a look at the majority of current publishers, we see that many are extremely focused on one stream of praxis or belief. Some focus on certain aspects of Satanism and the left hand path, some on traditional forms of witchcraft, others on various streams of gnostic voudou, etc. What I view as the most worthy endeavour of any publishing house is their ability to offer a diverse and unique array of subjects. We have over the years been offered the same material over and over again, and this is what causes a watering down of the market. When publishers begin to offer the same types of books in different formats - this can tend to be boring and a waste of money for those who are unaware of it. People should be discerning and do some research before buying books today. What I find of most use are the books that offer new insights into less explored areas of the occult and that is where I place value in any publisher.
In the end I guess the proliferation of subjects and material now becoming available today should be viewed as a positive occurrence given that what we are really seeing is the movement of humanity towards the unveiling of the hidden aspects of ourselves that are begging to be revealed.
You are presently working on a new book. Can you tell us about it, or is it too soon?
I can mention briefly that my current work can be viewed as a prequel to my last book, but in many ways is also a direct manifestation of that work. This work I have titled Spectral Effigies and with it I am offering some insights into the Void as the substratum of being, a small look into how this concept has been adhered to through various times and cultures by looking into the creation myths of those peoples. I shall be taking a look at the certain types of Deity that have come to serve as vessel and mask for this primordial, primeval, and eternal a-cosmic force, along with a look into many of the philosophies and magical systems that serve and continue this stream of gnosis. A large portion of this manuscript will include what I have called The Vulvic Trans-Missonary which is a poetic rendering of my own understanding of these concepts and my own personal belief in the Void and its manifestation. Lastly we shall see a small grimoire of magical praxis that allows one to interact with some of these deific forms end the book. And as with my first book there will be an immense amount of artwork that will accompany my written work.
Here are a few excerpts from The Vulvic Trans-Missionary:
"I consume that which is and issue forth that which is not - my banquet a feast of the light and my womb-tomb is kala of the night. My dance is reversal, as I spin within the motionlessness of leaping by standing still. There is naught but that which IS: being from non-being manifesting an eternal masquerade of phantasmal-subjectivity objectifying desirous flesh and dreams of nodal awareness. I ravage the self-sane via Self-madness - THAT is but a web incalculable, a dimension beyond ego-absorbtion and reason of mind, bending free-will and crafting fate-mine: explosion of darkness to reveal the particle of dream’t object that is eternally dreamless. I am a mirror that reflects what it sees, seer of that which is beyond the eye - a reflectory glance of the object momentarily subjectified."
- Verse ll from The Vulvic Trans-Missionary
"The force that indwells within all form am I, the soul of infinite bodies: the essence of all shape and hidden within the occult conclaves of each thing, as the adytum of all-being - manifesting as diversity and uniquity. Occurrence of the infernal and empyrean inter-dimensional entity, daemonic-heart of genius dwelling as secret configuration residing within the vessels of flesh: mind and matter pushing forth from the unrevealed crown of all creation! A diaphanous light of swirling density, a lightning-strike of madness rising forth from the darkness of the infinite deep abyssal waters of naught: experience the path wrought by desire for fulfilment of Self, for thou art self by Self created - spirit of the waters of the night, a gleaming cast of moon-light crashing against the waves and then disappearing forever."
- Verse Xl from The Vulvic Trans-Missionary
Are there any other projects you are involved with in the present? What do you have planned for the near future?
Currently my main focus is upon finishing my manuscript as my publisher and I hope to see it manifest towards the end of this year. I am constantly working on new artwork and ever writing on various subjects that I find relate to my own individual praxis and beliefs. Recently I had some artwork appear in Qliphoth Opus II that was made available via Aeon Sophia Press, who also are currently working on creating a new journal that will offer an interesting array of material on various subject and I will be contributing to this when I can. I also have some of my artistic work appearing in the next issue of Starfire: A Journal of the New Aeon made available by Starfire Publishing due out some time in the latter part of this year. And last, but definitely not the least of these, I am honoured to be once again featured in Pillars Periodical Journal published by Anathema Publishing, Volume 1 - Issue 2: The Golden Etir and this will include some of my artwork and a devotional written piece - The Luminous Masquerade of Qayin: Multifarious Adorations unto the Shadow of the Night.
Currently my main focus is upon finishing my manuscript as my publisher and I hope to see it manifest towards the end of this year. I am constantly working on new artwork and ever writing on various subjects that I find relate to my own individual praxis and beliefs. Recently I had some artwork appear in Qliphoth Opus II that was made available via Aeon Sophia Press, who also are currently working on creating a new journal that will offer an interesting array of material on various subject and I will be contributing to this when I can. I also have some of my artistic work appearing in the next issue of Starfire: A Journal of the New Aeon made available by Starfire Publishing due out some time in the latter part of this year. And last, but definitely not the least of these, I am honoured to be once again featured in Pillars Periodical Journal published by Anathema Publishing, Volume 1 - Issue 2: The Golden Etir and this will include some of my artwork and a devotional written piece - The Luminous Masquerade of Qayin: Multifarious Adorations unto the Shadow of the Night.
** If you would like to read the original interview, please go to:
De Occulta Philosophia
De Occulta Philosophia