All Episodes

On Thursday October 24th, 2013 the Hermetic Hour, with host Poke Runyon, will present another of our on-going lecture series on the Paths of the Tree of Life. This time we deal with 'The Devil', the Tarot Trump and other relevant symbolic aspects of the Path that leads from Hod, the
Mercurial Sphere of the intellect, to Tiphareth, the Solar Sphere of Mystical Transformation and beauty. Once again our primary texts for reference will be Gareth Knight's "Practical Guide to Qabalistic Symbolism" and Israel Regardie's "Garden of Pomogranates" (first edition), so if you want to journey from the laboratory to the temple,
and meet the devil on the way, tune in and travel with us from Darkness to Light.

On Thursday October 17th, 2013 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a dramatic reading of occultist and psychologist Dion Fortune's fictionalized account of one of her mentor's strange "cases." Dion Fortune was very influential on modern Hermetic magical theory and practice. Her occult novels such as "Moon Magic" and the "Sea Priestess," are considered classics of occult literature. Her work is carried on by the Society of the Inner Light. Early in her career her master in both occultism and psychology was a man she called "Dr. Taverner." He operated a private sanitarium in a secluded moorland setting in England and the 1920s. There he treated unusual cases of dementia that responded to his occult methods of healing and exorcism. Dion Fortune claimed that these "Secrets of Dr. Taverner" were really true accounts, especially the vampire episode called "Blood Lust" which we will read and then discuss on this broadcast. So, if you've ever wondered just what vampires really are and how they operate, tune in and Dr. Taverner will explain how the dead can possess the living.

On Thursday October 10th, 2013 The Hermetic Hour's host Poke Runyon will present a reading of Frater Thabion's ominous apocalyptic, conspiratorial speculation: "Return of the Dragon Lords" which first appeared in The Seventh Ray, Book II, The Red Ray, thirteen years ago and seems to be increasing in credibility as we move further into the 21st century. Dragon Lords is the esoteric "Dark Side" of UFO
abductions, Satanic ritual abuse, Illuminati mind-control and the Reptillian bloodlines of sensational writers such as David Icke -- who may be right for the wrong reasons. The "truth" about the reptilian menace to humanity might go deeper and actually be more disturbing....You are welcome to consider this only speculation, metaphor, and conjecture --but if you believe it, then keep it to yourself, because if you know about them, they know about you!

On October 3rd, 2013 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a dramatic reading of the ritual of the 30th Enochian Aethyr "TEX" (pronounced Tay-ets), which will include an opening by Watchtowers, a reading of the Call of the Thirty Aethyrs in Enochian and in English, and a reading of Aleister Crowley's vision of the Aethyr from "The Vision and the Voice" Equinox No. 5, 1911. We will give a short introduction to the Enochian Aethyr system and explain how the temple is to be arranged for the ritual. Those who have reproductions of the Enochian tablets on hand should pay particular attention to the Water Tablet. The four Governors for this Aethyr are all invoked from Water. So, if you would like to visit our virtual temple and go on a magical journey with Thabion (First Priest of the Phoenicians) and Therion (The Great Beast), then tune in and get Enochiated.

On Thursday, September 26, 2013 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on The Legacy of Mithraism on Magick and Masonry. We will trace the origins of the Mithra sect from the ancient Persian Magi -- an offshoot of Zoroastrianism -- through the Greco-Roman
Middle East, into the mileau of classical Alexandria, where its western branch acquired a cosmology that was largely Hermetic. In fact one might say that the Greco-Roman Mithra sect was ritualized Hermeticism. For several centuries it rivaled Christianity but was eventually overcome when emperor Constantine, himself a Mithraite, made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire for practical political reasons. The Mithra sect was an elite, initiatory, all male religious fraternity that extolled honor, bravery and loyalty. Great for the Roman army but not for the downtrodden masses. Its influence on the later Masonic
fraternity is obvious. Mithraism had seven initiatory degrees so similar to Crata Repoa that John Yarker called his Crata Repoa degree in Rite of Memphis "The Sage of Mithras." We will unravel the complex astrological symbolism of the "Tauroctony", the ritual slaying of the bull, the mystery of the strange lion-headed god, and the theory that the secret communion meal was the old Persian-version of Soma. Our main text reference will be D. Jason Cooper's "Mithras" (1996) with references to Franz Cumont's (1912) "Astrology and Religion Among the Greeks and Romans" and "Mushrooms, Myth & Mithras" by Carl A. P. Ruck,
et allia (2011). So, if you want to follow us down into the underground temple of the Mithraeum for a look into the origin of many of our rites and degrees, then tune in and we'll lift the veil.

On Thursday September 19th, 2013, the Hermetic Hour, with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on "Soma," the Elixir of immortality in the Shamanic, Magian, Vedic, Mithriatic, Orphic, Magical and Alchemical traditions. We will refer to the works of Gordon Wasson, Andrija Puharich, Clark Heinrich, James Arthur and Carl Ruck, along with the personal reflections of a magician familiar with the sacrament's use in magical practice. Although the use of this entheogen is legal, we do not require it in our degrees, we do not recommend it, and we will provide no detailed instructions for its use, however, we would be skipping over a very significant aspect of the Western and Eastern Magical Traditions if we ignored "Soma." Let me assure those of you who are still confused about the identity of the legendary Magical Plant, and its effectiveness, your questions will be answered. So tune in and we will go in search of the Food of the Gods. 

On Thursday September 12th, 2013 the Hermetic Hour's host Poke Runyon will introduce distinguished guest Dr. Ralph Metzner who will discuss his latest book "Worlds Within and Worlds Beyond," the seventh in his series of books on "The Ecology of Consciousness." All of Dr. Metzner's works are of special interest to students of the Western Esoteric Tradition. Check out his web site at www.greenearthfound.org. He was one of the original psychedelic experimenters and facilitators of that tempestuous era, an Oxford graduate, psychotherapist and a philosopher. His latest book will be of particular interest to students of Magick who may wish to compare his system of therapeutic soul travel to the Buddhist Six Worlds of the Wheel of Existance, the nine realms of the Nordic Yggdrasill World Tree, and the Octaves of Pythagoras with our own Pathworkings on the Qabbalistic Tree of Life. Many of his insights are applicable to our venue regardless of technique. He refers to his method as Alchemical Divination. Although we may use different techniques, and different mythologies we can always learn from the insights and the visions of a master -- so turn us on, tune us in, and don't drop out.

On Thursday September 5th, 2013 The Hermetic Hour, with host Poke Runyon, will present a discussion on the 27th Path of the qabalistic Tree of Life leading from Hod to Netsach, This is the lowest of three cross members uniting opposite pillars on The Tree. Gareth Knight considers it "The main girder of the personality." It connects the sphere of the Intellect with the sphere of Natural Forces, so sparks are bound to fly. The Path is attributed to the planet Mars and the Tarot trump "The Blasted Tower." This prompted Gareth Knight to relate the Path to the mysterious alchemical allegory "The Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosencreutz;" which he summarizes in the "Practical Guide." So tune in and we will walk the Path to "The House of God."
 

On Thursday August 29th, 2013 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the twenty-eighth Path of the Tree of Life, which leads up from Yesod, realm of the Collective Unconscious of the microcsosm, to Netsach, the realm of natural forces of the macrocosm. In the Hermetic Tradition this Path is attributed to Aquarius and the Tarot Trump "The Star," however, Aliester Crowley was moved to interchange The Star with The Emperor. We will discuss his reasons for this and its implications. This is an important symbolic path for neo-pagans and those who venerate The Goddess. So, tune in and we will try to walk this Path both ways.

On Thursday, August 22nd, 2013 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a report and discussion on our 16th through the 19th of August's Magical Pilgrimage to Northern California's remote and awesomely beautiful Mt. Shasta. This is not the first time for us. We shot our magical sci-fi adventure "Beyond Lemuria" at Mt. Shasta in 2006, and we have returned several times since. This time Soror Zandria and I had with us Sorores Seer and Sophia Draconia, and Lord Michael -- all together for the "yoga of the long drive;" (12 hours from L.A. to Mt. Shasta.) With only two days on the Mountain we concentrated on the Panther Meadows area where the founder of the "I AM Activity" met the Alchemist St. Germain. For an appropriate Mt. Shasta ritual we recited The Stanzas of Dyzan in Enochian and brought with us a rock from the Temple Vault at Nan Madol (Lemuria). We discovered a powerful vortex and brought back sacred water from the Panther Meadows spring. We each had our own visionary experiences which our team will share with you when they call in -- so, if you want to get first hand reports on America's most magical power spot tune in and and we'll unveil the mysteries of the Holy Mountain.

On Thursday August 8th, 2013, the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the 30th Path of the Hermetic-Qabalastic Tree of Life. This is the Path of "Resh" and The Sun, called "The Collective Intelligence." It is the first Path in which we employ "Kusor's Boat," a magical device unique to the O.T.A. derived from ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian myth sources ( also inspired by A. Merritt's "Ship of Ishtar"). The Boat enables us to fly over Paths already walked in the astral journeys at the base of The Tree. The Boat is shown in our Pathworking video available to Associate Members. Our text will again be Gareth Knight's "Practical Guide to Qabalastic Symbolism, Vol. 2," and "Adamson's Quest" from THE SEVENTH RAY. This Path leads from Yesod, the Lunar sphere of memory, emotion and astral foundation to Hod, the Sphere of Mercury, reason, science and positive Solar-zodiacal progress. It questions the male and female spiritual perspectives and raises the current debate between techno-industrial progress vs. environmental and eco-centered spiritual philosophies, along with collectivism vs. individualism. So, tune in and find out about star-people and earth people, and why the Hermetic soul is androgynous.

On Thursday August 1st, 2013 The Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on Science Fiction classics that have influenced the modern occult revival. Our special guest will be Professor Curtis Shumaker who teaches a course in science fiction in the State University system. We'll cover Clarke's "Childhood's End" (UFOs and Fallen Angels), Asimov's "Foundation Trilogy" (Scientology,
the Process and CIA mind control), Herbert's "Dune" the psychedelic movement, Heinlein's "Stranger in a Strange Land" (the Hippie movement and CAW), H.P. Lovecraft's "Cthulhu Mythos" (post modern demonology). Philip K. Dick's "Valis" (God is information) and several titles that
Dr. Shumaker will mention. This will be a fascinating look into what our great imagineers have predicted and inspired. Tune in and Scotty will beam us up for an hour on the Final Frontier.

On Thursday July 18th, 2013 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the history and the use of the Dark Mirror in Medieval and Renaissance ritual magick. We will focus on historical accounts from Lynn Thorndike's "History of Magic and Experimental Science", the Latin "Picatrix", and passages from grimoires such as "The Grimorium Verum" and "St. Cyprian," and the kabbalistic "Ispaklaria" described by the late Aryeh Kaplan, along with references from folkloric sources and the" Saragossa Manuscript." Modern use by P. B. Randolph,
Franz Bardon and Joseph Lisiewiski will be examined. This is a controversial subject among some contemporary Renaissance Magick reenactors who use crystals for both evocation and invocation. We will attempt to sort this out so the newcomer to the Art will have a better understanding of the full range of magical equipment and technique. So,
tune in and go through "The Looking Glass."

On Thursday July 11th the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will review the new book "Gateways Through Stone and Circle" by Frater Ashen Chassan. We will have the author as a featured call-in guest. This book is, in our opinion, the best practical "how to do it" book on traditional Western ceremonial magick in the past 16 years. It is also one of the best "why to do it" books also. This is a magical book by a real magician who has studied, lived and mastered the Art. After working his way through the Lemegeton's Goetia and Almadel, he decided to concentrate on Trithemius' "Book of Secret Things" or "The Art of Drawing Spirits into Crystals" from Barrett's "Magus" and make this system of Angelic crystal conjuration his special forte. He built his own equipment -- graphically detailed in the book -- and described all the technical details, rituals and techniques necessary to replicate his experiments. The text is beautifully written in a mature, sophisticated and very readable style. So, tune in Thursday and visit with the Magus from "The Magus."

On July 4th, 2013 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the symbolism and meaning of the 29th Path of the Qabalistic Tree of Life leading from Malkuth to Netsach. This is the Path of the Moon (Tarot trump) and is a watery route up to the seventh Sphere of Netsach (Venus) which is attributed to the realm of Nature and natural philosophy. Once again our texts will be Dion Fortune's "Mystical Qabalah" and Gareth Knight's "Practical Guide to Qabalistic Symbolism." We will also summarize our own version of this Path as recorded in our special Pathworkings DVD used in our Associate Member Program. In our system the Goddess Astarte resides in the Temple of Netsach and Her divine body contains all the psychic centers (chakras) of the Lightning Flash. So, if you want to get up close and magical with Mother Nature tune in and we'll pay The Goddess a visit.