Books
of Interest: philosophy
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SYNOPIS OR REVIEW |
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The
Mandate of Heaven - Hidden History in the I Ching by SJ Marshall |
While sinologists rely on historical criticism to explain the meaning of the I-Ching, those who use it for divination tend to accept without question the traditional account of its origin and purpose. Whereas modern scholars are generally dismissive of the book's reputed mystical significance, traditionalists often resent academic research into the oracle because it seems irreverent or iconoclastic. Marshall sets out to reconcile these opposing approaches, plumbing the book´s numerous, hidden historical references, reading them against other sources, and discovering that the oracle has far more narrative integrity and basis in historical fact than anyone has previously appreciated. The book is attributed to King Wen, who died before he could succeed in overthrowing the tyrannical Shang dynasty. His son, King Wu, eventually triumphed over the Shang and established the Zhou dynasty as the legitimate royal house. According to the tradition, these events are in some ways alluded to in the earliest layer of commentary in the I Ching, but no sound historical basis has been discovered to substantiate this claim. Consequently, since the 1930s sinologists have discounted the value of this tradition. Marshall uncovers an account of Wu's conquest in an important, previously overlooked passage that tells of a solar eclipse believed by the King to have been an omen from Heaven to immediately march against the Shang. Marshall is able to match this account with a scientifically verified solar eclipse that took place on June 20, 1070 B.C., just one of his many historical readings that show how the earliest layer of the I Ching has preserved a hidden history that has remained undetected for three millennia |
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What I did in my holidays by Ramsey Dukes |
Further
collected essays: In a way it's frustrating that when you get 'occult' attached
to the description of your book you've removed 99.9% of your potential
audience - frustrating because this book is *so* impressive it deserves to be
extremely widely read. Ramsey Dukes has a clarity, and creativity, of thought
that means each of the many and varied chapters of this book leaves you with
something to think about long after you've finished reading. The world needs
more original thought, and more people prepared to consider ideas too unusual
for most people to work with. |
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SSOTBME by Ramsey Dukes available
direct from publisher as paperback or electronic book |
"The
book that put the magic back in magic" Gerald Suster - First published
in 1974, SSOTBME immediately established itself as a seminal text of the
magical revival. The book became an essential text for the Chaos Magic
current as well as was a significant influence upon the later New Age
movement. Long since out of print, SSOTBME is now available as an internet
edition. It has been brought right up to date and enlarged with additional
commentary to over 150 pages by Ramsey Dukes. |
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Blast! By Ramsey Dukes |
Volume 2 of
the collected essays of Ramsey Dukes. “I want to be rich, happy, sexy, powerful…. Hey, I’ve discovered a thing called magic that can make you rich, happy, sexy, powerful…. It’s quite simple to become rich, happy, sexy, powerful… as long as you do one thing- you have to become perfect first. So how do you know when you’ve made yourself perfect? Oh shit. You know you are perfect when you no longer WANT to be rich, happy, sexy, powerful…” This
is a long text about the nature and power of belief, human mental evolution, artificial
intelligence modelling, chaos magic, the Abramelin operation, the dichotomy
between science and magic (which is not just a rehash of the beautiful
argument that appears in SSOTBME), and investigates some thorny little
paradoxes; like why do all occult leaders seem to be, at least in part, or on
occasions, charlatans? 'He appears
more than ever a combination of Robert Anton Wilson and Tommy Cooper... The
Peter Pan of the British occult scene, and long may he go on diverting us.' |
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Thundersqueak by Ramsey Dukes |
There are many challenges and insights in such a relatively short book- such as why academic research into ‘weird’ (another label!) subjects like magic is not done: “although society is now so rich in money that we are prepared to risk millions on a nuclear gamble, we are in fact so poor in time and trust that nobody is officially prepared to dedicate a lifetime to test an alchemical theory. (Unofficial testers are therefore suspicious and their conclusions therefore annulled), ” but “when we are taught to be suspicious of spiritualists who insist on working in the dark, what are we to make of nuclear physicists who do not ever allow any observers within a hundred miles of their tests?” More liberation stuff abounds: “Morality that depends upon individual judgment is a vigorous living thing; but when morality becomes equated with a rigid code of law and dogma then it is no longer part of us, we are ‘distinct’ from it and can grow free. The church did mankind the favour of thus enslaving morality long, long ago.” In other words- YOU ARE FREE TO DO WHATEVER YOU WISH (OR
‘WILT’). Providing you are also prepared to accept the consequences of your
actions, and act accordingly. This is perhaps the best modern exposition of
the Law of Thelema; and it goes way beyond that. It’s a magick book, it’s
modern politics and sociology torn to pieces with the claws of a Hawk, it’s
philosophy, it’s art (The insight of writers who can see Austin Osman Spare,
Aleister Crowley and Rudolf Steiner as archetypal figures of Pluto, Uranus
and Neptune respectively is just awesome), it’s science… it’s tragic, it’s a
laugh (The Civil Service letters trick on page 86 is worth the price of the
book alone- great idea and everyone
should do it at least once a year.) |
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Words Made Flesh by Ramsey Dukes electronic
book direct from publisher here |
Ramsey
Dukes' groundbreaking exploration of virtual reality and its impact on the
real' world. The information
universe' as an potent alternative model for chaos magic. First published in
1986, this e-edition updates the original text with the addition of later
essays. THE WONDERS
OF A FINITE UNIVERSE Many of us
struggle from time to time with the technology blues as we search for our own
path through the modem world. Futuristic visions tend to inspire anxiety in
seekers working within the context of their traditions, some of which may be
so ancient as to exclude any possible adaptation to contemporary life. With
Words Made Flesh, we have an articulate attempt to boost our understanding of
the world and enhance our vision - no matter how involved we are with a
traditional study or practice. This
book is not about artificial intelligence. Devoted to the presentation of a
new model of the universe, it develops the concept of artificial intelligence
as a cosmological metaphor. I believe this metaphor is of considerable
significance to mystic and mage alike. |
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The Good, The Bad, The Funny By Adamai Philotunus (Ramsey Dukes) available
direct from publisher as paperback book or electronic book |
Pseudonymous book, written by
Occult philosopher Ramsey Dukes, this title proposes a challenging
Trinitarian philosophical approach to escape the logical, moral and material
tangles of a Dualist philosophical stance: What would happen if we thought in
threes as naturally as we think in twos? If, in place of a God/Devil
(Good/Bad) duality we were brought up with a God/Devil/Trickster
(Good/Bad/Funny) trinity? This idea is explored in depth - as a philosophy,
as a psychology, as practical way to heal the divisions in society and in our
selves. With
practical suggestions for further work, including an entire revolutionary
magical system based on a trinitarian instead of the traditional fourfold
model. Until now only circulated in manuscript form to a select circle of
friends, this first edition includes the full account of Ramsey Dukes'
infamous "Cybermass of Thrice Greatest Data-Hermes" |
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Positively Wyrd by Tom Graves |
This is
a personal development book with a difference - literally a weird one.
Starting with a new way of looking at an old word, it merges chaos theory
with transpersonal psychology to create something that's highly practical and
that gives new power and new direction to the everyday confusions of life. In Nordic tradition, the
word 'wyrd' - or 'weird' - meant much the same as 'fate'. Like fate, it
describes the fabric of our lives: yet we always have choice, though there's
always a twist that changes each one to something we don't expect. It's those
twists that give our wyrd its weirdness; yet the real weirdness is that these
'messages from the wyrd' are always there to help us. We can ignore them, and
wait passively - fatalistically - for life to change: which it probably never
will. We can fight against them, try to wrest control of our life from the
Fates: only to discover that control itself is nothing more than a myth. Or
we can learn to work _with_ life's weirdnesses - and use their help to weave
the fabric of our fate into a new form of our choosing. That's our choice:
yet there's always that twist... It may seem a weird way
of working with the world, but unlike so many others, it's one that _does_
work. With commonsense and clarity, with humour and humanity, and with a strong
emphasis on practice and personal experience, this book shows how to develop
an affinity for the natural weirdness of life - and to make life positively
wyrd. |
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Wyrd Allies by Tom Graves |
No
matter how hard we try, we can never control our relationships with others.
Whether those relationships are personal or professional, social or familial,
there's always a hint of chaos and confusion. And sometimes it can seem that
life goes in circles and cycles: the faces and places may be different, but
in some weird way a different relationship can seem very familiar... Merging ancient
mythology and modern chaos theory with the subtle insights of transpersonal
psychology, this book shows how we can work _with_ the weirdness - the wyrd -
in our relationships, moving beyond the chaos of control and manipulation,
and towards a way of relating which empowers everyone. Here we learn how
every person can be our ally - whatever it may seem on the surface - and
every relationship can be a way of finding out more about our wyrd purpose in
life. |
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Salt on the absolute |
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