Books

[Bigmac]

That seems like a fairly succinct summation, actually.

But yeah, I get what you mean about many different belief systems or traditions etc having common threads.

I often think that they are perhaps just different paths up the same mountain, all arriving eventually to the same peak. Or an origin of light, passing through a kaleidoscope of culture or similar, producing different explanations as to what the light source is, but ultimately describing the same Oneness or origin.

Though it's far too dense a topic to visualise so simply.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

Yeah, you might as well just read the Illuminatus! Trilogy along with the appendices. You'll learn the essential of the stuff all the while maintaining the perspective of humour and the absurd.

[Bigmac]

Secret societies, Hitler, and human sacrifice... I'm in.

[mugz]

That seems like a fairly succinct summation, actually.

But yeah, I get what you mean about many different belief systems or traditions etc having common threads.

I often think that they are perhaps just different paths up the same mountain, all arriving eventually to the same peak. Or an origin of light, passing through a kaleidoscope of culture or similar, producing different explanations as to what the light source is, but ultimately describing the same Oneness or origin.

Though it's far too dense a topic to visualise so simply.

I have the idea that we're being given a certain level of stuff to discover, but I wonder how bad things really are when you know all the stuff after that level.

[Scáthach]

Yeah the O9A stuff is a bit Gardnerian Witchcraft, a bit Crowley and a bit LaVey, in terms of the Ritual or magick side of things. As far as flavour, H. P. Lovecraft, Rosemary's Baby and SAS training seem to be influences. Oh and Star Trek chess and white supremacy. (and Evola, as mentioned above)

The guy that wrote most of it was the bodyguard of Colin Jordan of Combat 18. In the 90s he converted to radical Islam. He's a complete fruitloop.

I had previously read about them in Nicholas Goodrick Clarkes excellent book The Black Sun. Its a study of paganism / Heathen groups and their appropriation by fringe elements of both the far left and far right political groups. Also showing some interesting cases of "the horseshoe effect".

[Scáthach]

Yeah, you might as well just read the Illuminatus! Trilogy along with the appendices. You'll learn the essential of the stuff all the while maintaining the perspective of humour and the absurd.

Absolutely love that book, along with his Schrodingers Cat trilogy. My first time reading Illuminatus! was in 2001,about halfway through reading, the twin towers and pentagon were attacked on September 11th. I seriously considered making a tinfoil hat for myself. 

[Eoin McLove]

I just finished the science portion of What is Life,  and I managed, with quite some effort,  to wrap my head around a decent amount of it which was a pleasant surprise. Looks like I'm wading into the philosophical part next which will either be easier to follow or will be the death of me. Let's find out!

[Carnage]

Picked up Klaus Kinski's autobiography by chance earlier, didn't know such a thing existed. I expect a wild ride, even allowing for the inevitable huge swathes of ego and exaggeration.

[mugz]

I just finished the science portion of What is Life,  and I managed, with quite some effort,  to wrap my head around a decent amount of it which was a pleasant surprise. Looks like I'm wading into the philosophical part next which will either be easier to follow or will be the death of me. Let's find out!

if you mean the Schrodinger book, fair play

[Eoin McLove]

Seeing as it's the weekend and I'm feeling particularly wild I'm treating myself to starting another book.  Can't beat a bit of juggling!

The Count of Monty Cristo, let's go!

[mugz]

Seeing as it's the weekend and I'm feeling particularly wild I'm treating myself to starting another book.  Can't beat a bit of juggling!

The Count of Monty Cristo, let's go!

it's funny getting old, it's not funny, but disconcerting

[Scáthach]

Finally cracked into The White Goddess by Robert Graves last week. I really enjoy his writing, beautiful yet succinct. It also set me off reading a book about Irish trees and the Ogham alphabet. Fascinating stuff.

[mugz]

Finally cracked into The White Goddess by Robert Graves last week. I really enjoy his writing, beautiful yet succinct. It also set me off reading a book about Irish trees and the Ogham alphabet. Fascinating stuff.

can you stick up some blurb about the trees & ogham book? they both fall under 'mystical Ireland' but I hadn't considered the two topics side by side.

[Scáthach]

Sure. It's Irish Trees - Myths, Legends & Folklore by Niall Mac Coitir. It's a nice one, lovely botanical watercolour images of the trees and seeds/fruits and quite scholarly with regards to providing references and so on.
Each Ogham letter is matched with a time of year and native tree or Bush, along with various mnemonics and glosses.
For example letter Nin ascribed to the cherry tree, late Spring and early Summer. One of the medieval glosses given is costud síde, translated as, sustenance of the otherworld. Interesting stuff

[mugz]

Sure. It's Irish Trees - Myths, Legends & Folklore by Niall Mac Coitir. It's a nice one, lovely botanical watercolour images of the trees and seeds/fruits and quite scholarly with regards to providing references and so on.
Each Ogham letter is matched with a time of year and native tree or Bush, along with various mnemonics and glosses.
For example letter Nin ascribed to the cherry tree, late Spring and early Summer. One of the medieval glosses given is costud síde, translated as, sustenance of the otherworld. Interesting stuff

that sounds like just my thing. Ogham has a lot going on, this country's falling down with it, but for some reason it's not as well known as it should be.