Alpha Omega’s Neighborhood

First, on this the occasion of the 50th episode, I want to express my thanks to all who have listened to Occult of Personality podcasts. It is my humble wish that you may have learned as much by listening to these podcasts as I have by creating them.

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In this 50th episode, we’re joined by Masonic scholar, researcher, and writer Angel Millar. He has an extensive historical knowledge of The Craft and associated fraternal orders and societies. We begin our conversation with the subject of the origins of Freemasonry and the seemingly diverse streams that may have fed it, specifically ancient Mysteries, stone masons, neo-Templarism, Enlightenment philosophies, and Christianity.

"Freemasonry: A History" by Angel Millar

The discussion delves into Rosicrucianism, particularly the Golden Rosicrucians that formed the basis for later Masonic Rosicrucian societies, such as Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia. This material is fascinating for those that enjoys the mysteries of the origins of Freemasonry and Rosicrucianism. Millar does a fantastic job of explaining his perspective based on extensive research displayed in both his first book, “Freemasonry: A History” and upcoming book, “The Forest of Symbols: Freemasonry and the Western Esoteric Tradition” soon to be released by Ouroboros Press.

"The Forest of Symbols: Freemasonry and the Western Esoteric Tradition" by Angel Millar

We also cover topics like Sacred Geometry, the concept of clandestine or irregular Masonry, The Rite of Strict Templar Observance, The Secret Order of the Golden Dawn, and Aleister Crowley’s Masonic adventures.

Rose Croix

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Gimme a V! Gimme an O! Gimme an X! What's that spell? VOX!

What better way to tell the world how much you love Vox than to announce it on Facebook? That's right: Vox now has an official Facebook page! Become a fan of Vox.com on Facebook and let your friends know what you really care about: staying connected with friends and family through blog posts, photos, videos and comments.

Once you're a fan, you can also add photos and videos to the page, write on the wall, and connect with other Voxers in ways you may not have previously. Plus, it's a great opportunity to let people know about your Vox blog, or start discussion topics. To become a fan, just visit the official Vox.com Facebook page and click the "Become a Fan" button in the upper right hand corner.

Once you've joined, why not post a response to the current discussion topic? Just post a link (and a brief description, if you'd like) to what you consider one of your all-time best Vox posts.

What are you waiting for? Become a Vox.com fan on Facebook today!

Our google alert brought up another reader review, we thought we'd share with you, the word is spreading:

review

Book Review
The Red Goddess By Peter Grey
Scarlet Imprint,
UK Summer Solstice 2008 edition

I enjoy the mythos of BABALON. There is something about powerful and sexual female energies that sits right with me (having worked in the past with Lilith and Morrigan, whom I still work with). But BABALON is the best aspects of both in a single entity.

So when I heard about this book, I insisted on buying it. Although the first time I heard about it, the first 2007 print run had been done (156 copies) and was sold out in quick time. And then I found a 2008 run being done, 777 copies (I got #63) with 49 hand bound leather editions being made. I bought both (still waiting for the hand bound edition to be finished and then arrive, it will be a few months).

This book is very hard to describe in words in a coherent manner. It is a wondrous mix of history, and gnostic speculation on the behalf of the author, Peter Grey.

He starts with the history of Babalon and her appearance in The Book of Revelations and why she is essentially feared by the Phallo-jealous monotheists. She empowers the freedom of enjoyment, pleasure and powerful-dangerous womanhood.

To quote two small paragraphs:

We are watchers of the dance of veils as Salome, Mary Magdalene, Isis and Astarte display the shrine of the mystery to our hungry eyes. She is a pole dancer, a dollar whore, a catwalk advert for impossibly red lipstick, a beautiful young girl. Your first love.
She is the Sophia of the Gnostics, a Black Madonna, a heroine of the heretic heart.

Both Aleister Crowley and Jack Parson's get a good lot of mention throughout the book, although in itself, it is not a Thelemic portrayed idea within the pages. Infact Grey spends a small amount of time politely attacking Crowley as a person and his documented behaviour towards women, whilst praising his spiritual practices and the path the To Mega Therion paved for the rest of us. In my reading, Grey's approach to Crowley didn't sit badly, although it may annoy or upset Othodox Thelemites partially.

The second third of the book, where the references to the O.T.O and Thelema exist the most follows on the history of Babalon to historical manifestations of her and her worship. Jesus is mentioned, along with Simon Magnus, Jack Parsons and other quite interestingly Iohn Dee, alongside his Enochian discoveries.

The third and final part explores the means to worship and bring Babalon into your life, through ritual practices, ingesting sacraments, sexual acts, bondage, chemicals and even as simple as inhaling the scent of a Damascus rose. But, as warned by the author, bringing Babalon into your life may leave scars, as she is a Goddess of both Love, Lust and War.

And last and not least, before words fail me entirely, the visual presentation of this book is breathtaking. White cover, with the BABALON lamen / sigil pressed into it in red, the bookends in a deep scarlet red, lovely thick stock paper, with smatterings of red text sprinkled throughout. And four gloss plates, illustrating Babalon herself in various forms. The Thoth Lust card by Lady Frieda Harris being the last plate.

I won't recommend everyone buys this, it may not be for them, but at least taste from its pages and get a feel for the Holy Whore, the Scarlet Woman that Rides the Seven Headed Beast.

Dear Friends.

Peter has been confirmed as opening the Thelemic Symposium in Oxford with an evocative piece on Babalon.
This will be a thirty minute prose reading, following similar lines to The Red Goddess but with some new material.
We are delighted to be speaking at this event and being given the opportunity to do this.

The Symposium is on October 4 running from midday to one in the morning.
As Peter is on first, you'll need to be there on time to catch his speech.
Full details of other speakers and how to buy tickets can be found here:

http://www.dowhatthouwilt.com/symposium/

Summer Road Trip '08

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Although we typically post on Team Vox to let you know about things that are going on with Vox (to, uh, state the obvious), once in a while, we like to let you know about other cool things that are happening around the blogosphere. And we think the idea of four hilarious mommy bloggers traveling across the U.S. on their way to the BlogHer '08 conference - all the while blogging and video blogging the journey - is one trip you will not want to miss.

Four adventurous bloggers from the Silicon Valley Moms Group were selected to participate in the Summer Road Trip '08 and blog about their travels, hotel stays, media appearances, time away from their families, and life on the road. Six Apart helped them partner up with General Motors, who provided the blogging mommies with a Chevy Tahoe Hybrid SUV to help make their journey comfy, safe, and a little more green.

In case you're not familiar with them, SV Moms is a group of over 200 bloggers who showcase the ups, downs, outrages, struggles, victories, and everyday humor of motherhood. There are currently nine regional and demographically tailored sites that give mothers from D.C., New Jersey, the Deep South, Rocky Mountains, L.A., and Silicon Valley a powerful voice and sense of camaraderie across the country. Whether you're a mother, a child, or just a person who enjoys a good blog, you'll really love reading the words of these amazing women.

Packed and Ready!

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The moms buckled into their Chevy Tahoe Hybrid SUV on July 11th and even got an encouraging message from Katie Couric to kick things off! They are currently somewhere in the middle of America making their way to San Francisco where they'll attend an SV Moms Group Party, as well as BlogHer '08.

You do not want to miss these entertaining and irreverent bloggers -- or their spontaneous contest giveaways! -- as they blog from the road. Experience the journey at MomRoadTrip.com.

And let us know about your summer road trip - or plane/boat/bus trip - in the comments! (I like to live vicariously.)

~daisy

Dear Friends,

ScarletImprint are deep in the French Alps under a world of thunderstorms and high peaks and writing, writing, writing.

There are six books in progress. We have our Work cut out.

Peter Grey has an extensive essay on Parsons and the Witchcraft published in The Oracle magazine. This is an entirely new piece of writing, which we will publish ourselves in due course.
The Oracle  is the only serious occult publication being produced with any frequency in the UK.
The website can be found here: www.oracleoccult.com
Copies can be bought in all UK Occult bookshops or obtained by emailing the editor (address is on the website).
The Oracle is the result of the tireless work of David Blank, one of the unsung heroes of the current revival. David is a true gentleman, modest and intensely dedicated to his work, a highly personal practice of sorcery. ScarletImprint hope to be publishing a piece from him later this year to bring much needed attention to his path.

The Red Goddess is continuing to make an impact, garnering lovely reviews and a steady stream of emails and orders.

We will be emailing our subscribers soon with details of our next confirmed publication, watch your inbox.

In Nomine Babalon

Scarlet Imprint x

Writer and reporter Louis Sahagun joins us to discuss his amazing new book, “Master of the Mysteries: The Life of Manly Palmer Hall” available from Process Media. Louis’ book is an incredibly well-researched and revealing a biography of Manly Hall that contains so many previously unknown facts and stories that it is simply amazing. This book is a must-read for anyone that considers themselves a student of Hall and his work, or is simply interested in how a man came from almost nothing and made himself into one of the greatest teachers of his generation.

Louis Sahagun's "Master of the Mysteries"

Our conversation begins by discussing how Louis came to know Hall and his work and describes his approach to writing the book as a history of Hall and the city of Los Angeles growing up together. Next, we talk about Manly Hall’s early life and how he began his career as a teacher and seer. In the early years, Hall was identified with Rosicrucianism, as were some of his contemporaries, including Max Heindel’s widow, Augusta, and H. Spencer Lewis. We get into Hall’s history as a Freemason and how this affected the subject matter of his writings and lectures. We trace the progression from writings on Magic, Tarot, Alchemy, and Freemasonry to his later works on mysticism, meditation, Eastern philosophy, and comparative religion. We also discuss the later years and Hall’s very mysterious death at the hands of the man who was supposed to be his friend and aide. Hall’s accomplishments are legion, including the hundreds of books, thousands of lectures, and the Philosophical Research Society that still stands as a living monument to the Wisdom of the Ages compiled by Hall during his lifetime.

PRS library doors

Do you live in or around Cincinnati, Ohio? If so, you're in luck because Scott and the Queen City Voxers Group have organized a Vox user meetup!

Ault Park Map

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If you do attend the meetup, have a great time and please take lots of pictures and send them to me so I can post them in Team Vox for everyone to see!

Thank you so much to Scott for organizing this meetup. Wish I could be there!

~daisy

Dear Friends,

The first public responses to The Red Goddess are being posted online, and we are thrilled with the reaction, as well as the emails sent to us.

Wanted to share this latest one from Lashtal forums with you all:

I got my copy of The Red Goddess a few days ago and I've done little more than read it since it arrived. It's a gorgeous book. It was expensive (at US$93 incl shipping), but 3/4 of the way through it, I can tell you: Man is it worth every penny! This is a serious piece of business. I'm not a Thelemite, nor a card-carry member of any tradition, but I am a practicing Tantrist and have studied and used various Western and Eastern practices for most of my life. I've never NOT been a devotee of The Goddess. With that as background, I count this as one of the best books I've ever read in the field. Peter Grey is a phenomenal writer. He's obviously well-researched, well-read, and well-practiced, but there's a relaxed, cocky, almost punk-rock style to his prose. There's real heart, gut, and immediacy here, and a kind of intoxicated lyricism -- it's gonzo occultism! But that's all balanced with sound scholarship, big ideas, and a palpable devotion to the subject matter. This is a man who LOVES his Holy Whore. As to do I. I'm so thrilled to be able to add this book as a tool in my devotion.

I can't recommend this book highly enough. I can only hope that after he's exhausted the 777 copies in this edition, he puts out a cheaper general market version. This is few nights in bed with the Goddess (I've been up till dawn the last two nights reading it) that everyone working with Her (or those just interested in knowing what the attraction is) should experience.

On a more tiresome note, the first overpriced copy has sneaked onto ebay.
This is a contraversial book and will scald a few readers into selling it on, that is also a sign of success, the books will all find their rightful owners. We still have plenty of stock left though, and without a marked up price. Again, thanks to our friends who draw our attention to these online listings. We are vigilant.

All our best,

In Nomine Babalon

Scarlet Imprint x

Although almost every day at Six Apart is Take Your Dog to Work Day, Friday was extra special because it was the official Take Your Dog to Work Day! Plus, as lovers of blogs and animals, we think it's great that active blogger and Human Society's President and CEO, Wayne Pacelle, thinks having dogs around the office is a good reminder of "who we're working for."

We realize some people have it ruff and aren't lucky enough to be able to bring their dog to work, but hopefully these pictures taken at Six Apart last Friday will get your tails wagging... And let me tell you, it's harder than it looks to get all the doggies and their fetching owners in one picture.

6adogs

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And Penelope Trott took Rudy for a quick spin in her wagon while Mom and Dad were hard at work

Penelope and Rudy

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