All Episodes

On Thursday July 24th, 2014 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will
present a reading of his 1977 article in Gnostica No. 44, "The Magick of
the O.T.A." This article described the philosophy, structure and activities of the Order thirty-seven years ago. You may be surprised to discover how long some of our advanced programs have been operative, such as our unique Hermetic Yoga system, our Celestial Magick Vault and our Magical journal The Seventh Ray. The article is short enough for the author to informally update the information given out at that time. So, if you want to learn where we were and what we did back then, and how we have evolved in the intervening years, tune in and be enlightened.
 

On Thursday Juky 17th, 2014 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will
present a discussion on the Order of the Temple of Astarte's unique method of Astral Time Travel. We first conceived and developed this method back in the early 1970s as an outgrowth of our Pathworking program. It has much in common with remote viewing in that a "target area" and, in our case, a time in the past, is selected and mapped. Then a celestial reference point and distance in light years is selected. This data is absorbed and studied. For example: if we want to visit ancient Alexandria (one of our favorite tours) we consult archaeological books with accurate graphic recreations to set the general environment at the time. We can use the overhead mirror or the Soul Door as our launch portal. We can use Kusor's Boat if we are launching through the Soul Door. In either case we will use a constellation rather than a Tattwa for a concentration point on the mirror. This is a second degree practice because previous Pathworking experience is required for it to be effective. It is a deep trance activity and can produce significant results. The more precise, well documented and prepared these operations are, the more impressive they will be. So if you want to read lost books in the Great library you
should at least know what ancient Greek looks like. Tune in and we'll take you on a very long journey. 

On Thursday July 10th, 2014 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will
continue our discussion of the Western psychic center (chakra) arrangement established by Boehme and Gitchel based on the Qabalah in relation to the Eastern (an adopted Western) sequence based on Alchemy. Again our guest will be Frater Osiris. We will look at the Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosenkrutz and conjecture what the secret "Key" to its symbolism might be. We will examine David Goddard's "Tower of Alchemy" in relation to these themes and attempt to reconcile the practice of both systems. This will be an exploratory symposium which may generate as many questions as it answers, but we at least promise to
stimulate your mind -- so tune in and we will at least try to define the mysteries even if we cannot solve them.
 

On Thursday July 3rd, 2014 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will
present a discussion and readings by the host from his forthcoming book
"Hermetic Yoga, Beyond the Middle Pillar." This will be an important
advance preview in our series on modern Hermetic practical magick. We
will trace the concept and the development of this tantric yoga of the
West from its origins in Ancient Alexandria starting with the
Orphic-Pythagorean "Music of the Spheres" through the astrological Soma
Sophia and the Alchemical "Ladder of Metals." We will show how the
blending of the Hebrew Kabbalah, with its Tree of Life and Adam Kadmon
concepts, into the Rosicrucian Hermetic expression led German mystics
Jacob Boehme and his follower Johann Gitchel to conceive of a Western
chakra arrangement similar to that used in the East. A short version of
this technique survived as the Golden Dawn's "Middle Pillar" ritual. Now
we can reconstruct and operate the full system. So if you want to bring
power down the Lightning Flash and activate all your mystic roses in the
Western manner, tune in and we'll raise the Dragon.
 

On Thursday June 26th, 2014 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will
present a discussion on the magical aspects of Abraham Merritt's (1884 -
1943) novels and stories of exotic fantasy adventure. Merritt was a
highly respected journalist who wrote his colorful tales of the occult
and the bizarre for his own pleasure and not as pot-boilers for the
pulps even though ARGOSY and other pulps were his main outlet. His work
had the quality of literature and the mytho-folkloric erudition of a
Robert Graves. Merritt had a library of over 5000 books on myth,
folklore and the occult. His tales of lost cities, ancient secret cults
and strange other-worldly phenomenon are unparalleled in beauty and
imagination. His "People of the Pit" (1917) was a profound influence on
H.P. Lovecraft and his masterpiece "The Ship of Ishtar" (1924)
described Richard Shaver's inter-dimensional "Simultane" concept. (It
was also the template for our path-working soul-travel boat.) His
"Dwellers in the Mirage"(1932) was an inspiration for my sc-fi novel
"Drell Master." Merritt was steeped in Blavatsky's Atlantis and Lemuria
lore and the obscure legendary sources behind these lost civilizations.
His "The Moon Pool" (1921) lured us out to the ruins of Lemuria in the
Pacific (see Beyond Lemuria). So, if you want to spend an hour with the
Dream-maker, tune and we'll set sail to evening Isles fantastical.
 

On Thursday June 19th, 2014 the Hemetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will
present a discussion on the English translation of "Secret Practices of
the Sufi Freemasons" by Baron Rudolph von Sebottendorf first published
in German in 1924. This is a highly controversial book by a notorious
author. Sebottendorff was the founder of the Thule Society which
Germinated (pun intended) into the Nazi Party. When he tried to take
credit for that the Nazis kicked him out and sent him back to Turkey.
How he managed to be a devout Muslim and a Nordic pagan at the same time
is one of the many mysteries this book conjures up. Transcending his
politics and fanaticism there is very provocative and profound occult
knowledge in this book --- much of it hidden even to European students
until recently. We will compare Sebottendorff's revelations with Gerard
de Nerval's "Sufi" version of The Masonic Temple Legend, and P.B.
Randolph's discovery of a Syrian Love Cult which may have been the
original source of the O.T.O.'s 9th Degree. So, tune in and find out how
the Sufis get a grip on themselves.
 

On Thursday June 12th, 2014 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will
present a discussion on ancient and modern Multiverse concepts in relation to Hermetic Magick, the Qabalah, astrology and Fortean phenomenon. We will examine philosophical. scientific, literary and cinematic models of the Multiverse, sometimes called the "Holographic Universe" or "Parallel Worlds." We will trace the idea through the "nesting spheres" of the geocentric age, to the heliocentric
Renaissance, the invention of the telescope and the discovery of other galaxies and anti-matter, both in terms of science and the pages of science fiction. Our references will be Mary-Jane Ruberstein's "Worlds Without End," Michio Kaku's "Parallel Worlds," the science fiction of Phillip K. Dick, and Richard S. Shaver, and films such as "The Matrix," "Dark City," and "Lost Highway." Our challenge will be to reconcile ancient Hermetic philosophy with the Multiverse concept --- so, if you want to go through the looking glass or down the rabbit hole, tune in a
we will tour the endless "nows" of the Simultane.
 

On Thursday, June 6th, 2014 The Hermetic Hour will present a reading by Poke Runyon (Fra. Thabion) of his 1976 essay "Negative vs. Positive Gnosis" from Gnostica magazine, no. 40. This is an important instructive paper dealing with the ancient and modern spiritual differences between Thelemic (libertine) Gnosticism, Hermetic neo-Platonism and ancient and modern Paganism (wiccans, druids, etc.) These differences are so deep and so misunderstood that many New-Agers involved in the Occult do not know what they profess to believe in. They participate in various groups simply because they are attracted to the style and glamor of the organization and because it provides a rebellion against the religion of the parents. The article explains the fundamental differences between  Gnosticism of the negative world view and Hermetic magick of the positive world view, comparing them to the Pagan and neo-Pagan "natural" world view. You will discover how similar Thelemic Gnosticism is to the Fundamental Christianity it rebels against, and how similar Hermetic magick is to Tantric Buddhism. This paper will be reprinted in text form and posted as an instruction on our web site. So tune in and become transcendentally demystified.
 

On Thursday May 28th, 2014 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will
review the 2008 book "The Music of Pythagoras" by musicologist Kitty
Ferguson. This is a wonderfully erudite and deeply meaningful book on
the accomplishments, and lasting influence of the most important of the
pre-Socratean philosophers, and perhaps the most important ancient
avatar of the Western Esoteric Tradition. As a musicologist Ferguson is
able to fully expound on the master's development of "The Music of the
Spheres" from mythical Orpheus through Kepler to Close Encounters of the
Third Kind (we can all whistle that one). The Pythagorean harmonious
universe of music, mathematics, and geometry has been re-validated in
modern times with the advent of new theories in quantum physics. It was,
of course, the bed rock of Qabalah, Alchemy and Magick. We will
demonstrate some applications of the Pythagorean magical scale used to
activate psychic centers (chakras) and discuss the employment of these
techniques in magical operations. So tune in, tune up and we'll sing
along with the planets.
 

On Thursday May 22nd, 2014 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will
present a review on a very important recent book on the Hermetic Tradition by Dutch author Jacob Slavenburg titled: "The Hermetic Link." Reviewing this book will be a team effort between the host and our esteemed guest Frater Ophis (Freeman Presson) who beat us to the punch and reviewed Slavenburg's book on his website two years ago. How did we miss it? No excuse because it should not have been missed. Certainly there have been other surveys of the Hermetic Tradition, usually combined with other related elements such as Kabbalah, Rosicrucianism, magick, etc. but this is the best and most complete tracing of the great Hermetic Gnosis from ancient Egypt, through Alexandria, Harran, the Dark Ages, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the so-called "Enlightenment"
and the present modern age. Slavenburg takes us from Zosimus to the Kybalion in a sympathetic, very thoughtful and comfortably philosophical style. He quotes Peter Kingsley ("Reality") frequently and does as good a job as Kingsley in getting across the deepest meaning of the Hermetic Mystery (the Great I AM) - perhaps he does it better in that he uses excerpts from Hermes to reveal the treasure we ardent Hermetic devotees hold so dear, whereas Kingsley in Reality depended on pre-Hermetic Parmenides and Empedocles. If all this is Greek to you, it shouldn't be and Slavenburg goes a long way toward establishing the true and enduring magnificence of our venerable Tradition. Tune in and get yourself
Hermetically sealed. (Preserved for the next incarnation.)
 

On Thursday May 15th, 2014 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the re-release of our science fiction epic Beyond Lemuria (Second Edition) which is presently available on Amazon in DVD. As our guests we will have Beyond Lemuria's director Gregory Jednack, who also plays the villain Zoltan Nodesque in the film, and Ed Fitch who has the dual role of Colonel Rich and Reverend Bobby-John. Our main topic will be the new format with our Dero Princess on the cover this time and our new booklet that explains the Shaver Mystery aspects of the film. This is an important addition to help viewers understand the complex and esoteric meaning of the film. Our Intragravatron machine
opens a vortex between dimensions that is very similar to one described in a novel by Richard Shaver. He postulates an endless "Multiverse" of dimensions he calls "The Simultane" which is compatible with ancient
Hermetic philosophy and the latest theories of quantum physics. That we live different lives in different "Nows" both by choice and by accident is our occult interpretation of the Shaver Mystery, and the key concept
in Beyond Lemuria. So tune in and find out what lies beyond the vortex. 

On Thursday May 8th, 2014 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the mysterious origins, myths and magick of the Polynesian islanders of the Pacific. Having just returned from a vacation on the island of Maui we are still under the spell of the islands and inspired to share experiences and insights. We visited a fascinating custom jewelry shop in Honolulu called "Sacred Jewels of Mu" where we met Crystal Tones guru Lupito and acquired a singing bowl made
of stellar Moldavite, then on to Maui and a visit to the vast crater of the sacred volocano. We searched the jungle for ancient petroglyphs and encountered the "original Hawaiians." All this led to a speculation about the prehistoric Polynesian diaspora from and later return to
"Lemuria." Based on legends, archaeology and intuition. So, if you want to share in the adventure and ponder the mystery, tune in and catch the wave.
 

On Thursday April 17th, 2014 The Hermetic Hour will celebrate its four year anniversary with special guest Frater Osiris, Wor. Michael Downs, Magister of the O.T.A.'s Atlanta Lodge, who will lead us through 500 years of Symbolism, History and Practice of "Transforming the Unpronouncable Tetragrammaton into a Speakable Magickal Logos, the Pentagrammaton," and reveal the relevant practices for achieving Adepthood that this Arcanum encodes and points to: We will learn about the open-secret practice of Divine Theurgy called "Soliliquea" that is intimately tied to "Pronouncing" the Pentagrammaton, better known to us in our time - but identical in essence --as the "Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel" which leads to our 3rd Degree. We will reveal how the Ubiquitous Pentagram of our most fundamental Rite - when understood in its fullness - is the Key in plain site to this August Operation. Osiris will cover the origin and use of the Classical Name YHShUH - an Hermetic Jesus - by which YHVH was Transformed when Cabala was first added to our Tradition by Christian Hermeticists in the Renaissance, and what becomes a proper NEW WORD or Magickal Logos of Transmutation, for our Hermetically purified Tetragrammaton AMShT...This is a visual and diagram intensive exercise, so Frater Osiris has put up some follow-along resources for this talk at < http://wwww.MagicalMason.info > which will become active just before the show -- just click on the Dove of Astarte on the Top of the Monk's head ...So tune in for an Hermetic-Cabalistic meditation on the creative and
liberating consequences of the O.T.A.'s swap from the traditional Jewish
Godname of YHVH to the Hermetically 'purified' formulation AMShT as its
Elemental Tetragrammaton.
 

On Thursday April 10th, 2014 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon
will present a discussion on different interpretations and conceptions
of Qabalah. This is a subject we have covered before, however, that was
years ago before we started climbing The Tree in our weekly lectures.
Now that we have arrived at The Abyss and and are venturing onto The
Eleven Sphere "Tree Before the Fall", it is appropriate for us to review
our Hermetic Qabalistic structure and establish the philosophical,
mythological and metaphysical differences between the various Kabbalahs,
and the particular innovations we have made in our modern Hermetic
version of the ancient system. On next week's show Frater Osiris,
Magister of our Atlanta, Georgia Lodge will be giving a lecture on this
subject with some insights of his own, so our talk can be considered a
preliminary to his program. Tune in and we'll play Monopoly on the
greatest board game in the universe.
 

On Thursday April 3rd, 2014 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a special program discussing the O.T.A.'s Pathworkings beyond the Sphere of Chesed. These Paths lead to the re-manifested Sphere of Da'ath, which in the Eleven Sphere Tree becomes Saturn, the beginning of the physical universe and the gateway to the Abyss. This concept and its practical applications are covered in "New Tarot Trumps for an Eleven Sphere Tree of Life" in THE SEVENTH RAY, Book III, "The Red Ray." We will also discuss the Golden Dawn's eleven sphere tree and the idea of the Tree before and after "The Fall." This is a Key lecture and lesson in our study program. So tune in and we will journey to Mot's Back-o'-Beyond.