This work comes strictly from the rationalist camp of its era. Seeking primarily to discredit phrenology, dowsing, seances, and spiritualistic beliefs in general, Clodd managed to perform two tasks; first, to give a good cautionary warning to occultists, and second to categorize some interesting phenomena (including the legendary appearance of angels on WWI battlefields, aiding...
This is a fairly short work that is nonetheless interesting for two types of content; first, its fusion of apparently religious Christian material with Hinduism (often an element of theosophy although I could not find any information on the author being involved with the same) and second, its allusions to telegraphy, atoms, magnetism, and the like, in regards to the occult. These...
This is a rather nice work that primarily relates to demons and demonology, from the particular perspective of the fire and brimstone Methodist path that, in the 19th century, was at war with spiritualism. In the foreword, I had to make it clear to the reader that as an occultist I reject some of the anti-spiritualist materials here, although the first sections primarily deal with...
And now comes one of the most recognizable works released within Theosophy; an early work, "Echoes of the Orient" by the esteemed William Quan Judge.
Altogether it is a broad overview of 1. What Theosophy is, 2. What Theosophy believes, and 3. A mild refutation of some criticism aimed at the same. It should be noted that Judge was vice president of the rapidly expanding order at...
This is an excellent work delivered in the form of multiple lectures rather than as a single stand-alone book. It is at once an early example of pro-spiritualist literature and a brutal attack on then-mainstream religious sentiment regarding seances, ghosts, and other similar topics. Refuting the concept of Heaven and Hell in favor of spiritualist explanations, this book is one of...
This is an excellent work delivered in the form of multiple lectures rather than as a single stand-alone book. It is at once an early example of pro-spiritualist literature and a brutal attack on then-mainstream religious sentiment regarding seances, ghosts, and other similar topics. Refuting the concept of Heaven and Hell in favor of spiritualist explanations, this book is one of...
This short booklet is an exceptionally bizarre one in which a pair of women living in early 20th century Alaska utilized the then-modern Ouija Board and attempted to communicate with spirits, deriving two basic meanings: First, that the board works in part because of its occupation by what we would now call hidden folk (dwarves, elves,) and secondly that the Ouija Board is a...
Of all of the odd arcana I've encountered during half a decade editing occult works, this takes the cake for the most odd of all. Invoking none other than Eliphas Levi, it purports to tutor the reader in how to become a magi. Here I insert an opinion; this work is typical of the era (and for a couple decades after) and is more like the Book of Forbidden Knowledge than it is a...
This is of interest potentially to two groups of people; the occultist will here find some interesting folk tales and spiritual rites from cultures then being actively studied at the height of the colonial era, and the history buff will find in these pages an interesting but sometimes outdated colonial perspective on non-European cultures. It focuses mostly on African lore but...
This quite short work is an excellent example of the type of Theosophical writing common in its era; a remarkably detailed study of some of Shakespeare's plays and the occultism and references to omens, witches, and so forth present therein; it labels "The Tempest" as the most outwardly occult (which I happen to agree with) and also speaks about "Julius Caesar", "Macbeth", and a...
This short work is interesting for two reasons, neither of which has strictly to do with the stated main topic; it is all about how to develop the skill of mediumship, but the occultist has perhaps more use for it in its admonitions regarding self awareness and focus, and the literary buff will find it more of interest because it's an exceptionally good example of the specific...
It's time for a rather short update here as one of the most major occult works ever compiled nears completion- in the case of my edition, it is about 90% done as of now. The infamous Lesser Key of Solomon!
1. The Foreword is written, the Ars Goetia, Ars Paulina, and Ars Almadel are formatted with their new settings. 2. I am half done with the rough format of the Ars Theurgia Goetia.
