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Friends,
In times of obvious schisms between human beings and their structures can stir up the opportunities that only frenetic and urgent intensity can reveal. In these times, we can see that there have always been many pathways available to us, that we were stuck, that we can be there for each other and dissolve obstruction. We can even redeem evil and turn it into the willing service of good.
It is with this sense of possibility that I turn to the occult and esotericism for direction.
The problem is, what are esoteric and occult development, anyway? Are they the same a self development, self help, abundance culture, using magick?
Or are spiritual development and self development quite different? And if so, are they therefore pointing us to two different worlds, two different sorts of being? And where do they touch?
Because spirituality is beyond desire, when we constrain it to desire – and that includes the spiritual paths that include the desire to get rid of desire – we limit the scope of spiritual landscape, the spiritual world, and spiritual truth. Which means we will develop differently.
To discuss this, I asked DUNCAN BARFORD and ALAN CHAPMAN for conversation and contemplation. Duncan and Alan are perhaps best known for the chronicle of their efforts to achieve enlightenment through magical traditions, The Baptist‘s Head Compendium: Magick as a Path to Enlightenment. They now cohost the excellent podcast on magick and spirituality, WORP FM. And Duncan appeared on AEWCH 219 to talk about the misuses of magick, which we touch on again in this episode.
I so enjoyed this clarifying, peace-filled conversation, and I hope you will too.
MORE ON DUNCAN
Duncan’s patreon features plenty of posts to explore. He’s the creator of the now-concluded podcast Hierophany; on which he discusses a different spiritual theme on each episode. He’s also author of many other books, including Occult Experiments in the Home: Personal Explorations of Magick and the Paranormal and The Magick of A Dark Song: The Abramelin Ritual in Fiction and Reality. He’s also appeared on Weird Studies for a great conversation about magick. Duncan is also a counselor; here’s one of his therapy-related articles, on narcissism, in Therapy Today.
Duncan and I met in London at legendary occult bookstore Treadwells to have a conversation in front of an audience about my debut novel, Hawk Mountain. A transcript of that conversation will be available exclusively for patrons.
MORE ON ALAN
Alan’s substack is here, with many of his talks, transcribed, and some of his other works as well. His Magia book, and some videos of him expressing what appears in the book, are all on his website. He’s also the author of an earlier book, Advanced Magick for Beginners.
Conner Habib 