In Like a Lion

Well, as the old saying goes, this month is roaring in like a lion.

A couple of people are arguing over who is the real Golden Dawn. So what else is new?

There are Witchcraft groups that are disagreeing with each other and separating. So what else is new?

Actually, there are a couple of things I’d like to mention. First I’d like to congratulate my friend, Lon Milo DuQuette for getting some incredible publicity in major media. Lon lives in Orange Country, California (behind the orange curtain), and the “Orange County Weekly” ran a great article on him that you can read via this LINK. Another major newspaper, the Orange County “Register” ran a great article filled with photos, too. Here is its LINK.

Lon is also a musician, and he’s performing tonight, also in Orange County. Here’s some information on that. LINK.

Speaking of which, he has a new album out. It’s called “I’m Baba Lon” and you can hear previews and order it through this LINK.

Lon is one of the most knowledgable experts on Thelemic magick in the world and has numerous books out, including Low Magick. If you ever get a chance to read any of his books, or even better, see him in person, I strongly encourage you to do so. He presents information in a wonderful, light way, so much so you won’t even realize how much you’re learning because you’re laughing so hard.

My deepest congratulations to Lon on his great successes. I’m looking forward to many, many more.

Some More Good News—From Me

I’ve been working on something very special for a couple of years. Unlike some writers who pump out stuff day after day, I have to get into the mood to focus and use the right words. A couple of years ago, Llewellyn offered me the chance to do a new edition of Modern Magick and I jumped at the opportunity. The new edition has 40% new material, a new chapter, new tips, all new art, a new format, and is just so much more complete than previous editions. I’m very proud of it.

However, it has taken about two years in the rewriting, editing, and promotion. Just as I was about to get back to my big project, Llewellyn asked me to do something else. Frankly, at first I turned it down. I thought certain other people might do a better job. But Llewellyn kept after me until I agreed to do it, and I couldn’t be happier.

So what is this mysterious new book? Well, I can’t go into the details quite yet. But I can tell you a couple of things. First, I just sent in the contract today but Llewellyn wants to get this to you in a modern way very fast. Normally, from the time a book is accepted until it is printed and distributed can take a year or more. This time, however, it’s going to be sooner…a lot sooner.

What’s it about? For six years I shared a two-bedroom apartment with Scott Cunningham. This was right at the beginning of the time when his occult books were being published. We remained friends for the rest of his life. I think I have some insights into who Scott was and why he wrote what he did. I also have personal experiences with Scott that before this have never been published. So, very soon, you should be able to learn about Scott’s magic, his major interests, how he literally changed the world, and details about our friendship. Although you’ll find a couple of previously-published recipes, about 90% of this information has never been published before. If you’d like to find out more about Scott and his magic, this is the book you’ll have to get.

So how will Llewellyn be able to have it ready so fast? Keep watching and you’ll find out. Oh, and another thing: although the price hasn’t been set, my understanding is that it’s going to be amazingly reasonable. How reasonable? As I understand it, the unstoppable paperboy in the movie “Better Off Dead” will give you a clue. Really? Really!

Is That It?

Nope. There’s more. The big project I’m working on is starting to come together. The words are sounding “right” to me as I write them. Unfortunately, when I did a web search on my proposed title, I found out that not only did someone have a website with that name, but they had also trademarked it. That means I have to change my title and all references to it. Grrr.

Well, that gives me a chance to go through everything again. And this time I’m really flying. What’s it about? Tantra.

Wait. Hold on.

Contrary to what you’ve read, Tantra is not just that sex stuff. Saying that Tantra is just about sex is like saying Wicca is nothing but the Great Rite.

For the first time, I’m going to be presenting the real Traditional Tantra in a way that combines East and West, old and new. You’ll discover that Tantra, real Tantra, is a complete spiritual system, filled with deities, spiritual practices, rituals, rites, festivals, philosophy, healing techniques, divination techniques, magickal techniques, and much more. It’s really one of the world’s oldest, continuously practiced forms of Pagan spirituality. In this new work I am revisioning it for today. It’s a complete, workable, Pagan system that you’ll be able to use by itself or by using parts of it for your own practices.

Right now, the bibliography has over one thousand books, all of which are in my personal library. Many of them I’ve had to import from India because they’re not available here. I’ll probably only include a small number of them in the book and then have a link to a website with the complete list.

This is not something I merely made up. Unfortunately, some people have read a book or two and think they know everything about Tantra when they’re not even close. Of course, reading or studying even 10,000 books wouldn’t make you a Tantric. I’ve also been initiated into several Tantric traditions. All of my training, study, experience, and practice are going into this book.

One of the things I’ve noticed is that a lot of people seem tired of newly-invented Pagan traditions. This is a system that legitimately goes back thousands of years, to a time before Hinduism became the religion of India, a time before the Ganges was India’s sacred river. You’ll learn about the ancient people who discovered Tantra and how they influenced the Kabalah and even the birth of Judaism.

<pant pant>

Whew. Well, I’m out of breath and I want to get back to work on this before Mercury Retrograde next week kicks us all in the butt. I just hope that you’ll be as excited about this new project (with a new name) as I am.