Entering the Qlippoth with Lilith

The Tree of the Shadows: Lilith: The Woman of the Night by Daemon Barzai
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Exploring the dark tree of life is an exercise of  the left handed path, where in the individual strives to realize their own divinity and godhood. Enter the dark tree is  magical work that takes place without an external teacher. It is one that is solitary and internal. You contact demons and gods who dwell in these dark realms. they are the ones who guide you.

Opening these portals can be risky business.Once open they do nbot close rather those energies come into your life offering permanent change. You have to be ready for it.

The first Qlippa you enter is the dark side of malkuth or kingship. This is ruled by Naamah , sister and or daughter  of Lilith. She rules over the earthly realm but has influence in other astral realms as well. When you call her you will sometimes see a host of other beings who dwell in the Qlippotrh. Her realm is filled with vampires and succubi and incubi.They can trap the magician in his desire and slowly drain his energy. One must cut through the veil of pleasure and crack the illusion. THe book is filled with invocations, mediations and evocations.

Next you work with Lilith as she is present in realms of the Qlippoth. After that is Lucifer. Lucifer, is powerful on certain dates like Easter and Saint John's night. He is a teacher who teaches with the use of tricks. He can be a hard teacher but once you learn his ways you find his friendship of extreme value. He is best summoned on a moonless night at the crossroads.

Belial is the consort of Naamah. He is a ruler of earthly riches and lustful desires. In the biblical times temple of lust were dedicated to him. Great balance to the energy of Naamah. finally you consult with Behemoth, a giant dragon of the underworld. There is a good meditation with him where you come down a mountain littered with skeletal  bones. THe book finishes off with a self initiation ritual.

The book provided for a super fast read which is both a strong point and a weak point. On the one hand the book was short and there were some editing issues in it. THe company needs to improve on editing  the works they publish. THe fact that I read it quickly meant that it was enjoyable reading and comprehendible . All the ritual are simple and easy to perform . THey can be done inside your temple or outside. Many use the option of blood drops to open gates. I am not down with blood. If anything take what you need and discard the rest. Not bad.

View all my reviews

Sufi Masonic Practices

Secret Practices of the Sufi Freemasons: The Islamic Teachings at the Heart of Alchemy by Rudolf von Sebottendorf
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book desperately needs illustrations to go along with what the author is writing. Sufi meditations and Masonic work require the use of certain hand positions and grips all of which have specific meanings. The author describes what the hand positions and grips are supposed to look like but illustration or pictures would do a much better job.

This book may be more appropriate for someone with a more advanced knowledge of Sufi practices and freemasonry. I did not get much out of this book at all. In fact I captured a small part of it To be fair some books should not be made available to the public as the meaning can be missed or misconstrued.

The book starts off with a history of Sebetendirf and how he being the typical German feels more than a healthy dose of national pride and a strong urge of wanderlust. This German fell in love with Turkey and met a Jewish bektashi family. Bektashi is a school of Sufism and Sufis accept everyone regardless of background. This Jewish family also was well versed in the Kabbalah and Rosicrucianism.

The book then follows with a history of Islam and Sufism. The meat of the book discusses different hand positions and grips along with meaning of mantra like sounds. The book has an outline of practice.

Personally if one is interested in these subjects I would look elsewhere. I normally like Mr. Thorsons work but not this one.

View all my reviews

Tale of David Reubeni: A Would Be Messiah

The Messiah by Marek Halter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Throughout history the Jews have been downtrodden and persecuted. At times someone would arise offering the hope of salvation and a return of the Jews to their ancient land.

One such figure was David Reubeni. This account is a novelized account of his travels to Europe. Starting with His landing
In Venice where he is welcomed by the Jewish community, yet the Jewish leadership is rather weary of him and rather distrustful. One particular opponent is Giacobo Mantino, who fears David Reubeni will spark antisemitic outrage. Various priest and Christian clergy are ready to support Mantino and bring down Reubeni. David's main objective is to raise a Jewish army to redeem Israel. First he approached the Pope who is very supportive of the idea. Yet unable to assist directly. From there David goes to Portugal where the ruler there is rather supportive. The success is so great that Diego Pires decides to stop being a Christian and embrace his Jewish roots. This causes the ruler of Portugal to mistrust David and accuse him of proselytizing. Bear in mind this is taking place during the inquisition. Driven from Pprtugal David goes to France, gets captured by pirates and eventually he goes back to Rome. In the end the inquisition catches up with Diego and David...... Read the book to catch news of their ultimate fate.

View all my reviews

The Evolution of the Vampire

From Demons to Dracula: The Creation of the Modern Vampire Myth by Matthew Beresford
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

We are all familiar with the sexy suave vampires that dance across our tv and movie screens all across the world. Their image is based primarily on one that was created since the victorian times, where in the vampire is charming, seductive and aristocratic. Fo  course some authors are having their vampires sparkle like diamond when they go intro the sun.

Once upon a time there was legend of vampire like creatures all across the world.Greece, Rome, Egypt and Mesopotamia  had vampire like creatures.  At first they were rather spiritual in nature and even some would drink enery as opposed to blood. Since prehistoric times there are have been burials conducted that would stop a vampire from rising to haunt people. Sometimes a rock would be placed in the mouth, or the heart would be staked  and the head removed. Some rituals  called for burning the body. Yup vampires seem to have been around back then. There were even dome covers to stop a vampire from coming out.

Vampires were not turned or made they were originally predestined from birth to become vampires. How did this come about? Well believe  it or not people who were werewolves were destined to become vampires after they died. So were witches. Some  names  for vampires include the term varkolack which pertains to wolf and upir which means vampire but also has witch like connotations. After all  witches traveled at night and eight  small children.  Those were born with a caul  would also be detained to become vampires.alcoholics, violent deaths, suicides and unbaptized children would become vampires after dying. 

Blood drinking was not so central to vampires in ancient lore. THey would often rise from the grave at night and eat people and drink their blood yes that is true but sometimes they ate other human foods and blood drinking was a side note. They would at first visit their family member and make them sick one by one and then they would die. Angry family relations. Heck vamps  could even fornicate 

Garlic has been a way to repel them. That is a constant. Vampires seem to have many constants going all the way back to Egypt in the book of  the dead. There in is references to shapeshifting, eating in the after life, resurrecting and even staking. pharaohs used to bathe in the blood of children. They could even drink the blood of the vampire to cure vampire related illnesses.

Vampires started out in pagan times. There were vampires who served aphropdite, Hekate and Diana. Lamias were owl like female birds who sucked the blood of men or even their energy. In the Middle East you had the linin or female demons who drained the energy from men as they had relations with them. THe vampire stated out as a spiritual entity and then morphed into the living dead.

THe image of the vampire would under go even more changes. WIth John Polydori's story the Vampyre , our horror creature become a suave and dashing aristrocratic debonair  Varney the Vampire would go back to the orginal concept of the vampire, while the story Carmilla would focus on Lesbian attractions .

Movies like Blade, Vampire Diaries turn the vampire into an action figure with not m,uch thought requirement. Now they are action figuires. THey are a part of our lives whether they live among us or whether they are non existent. Vampires play on our fear and yet they live for ever which is something wew all would like  that to live forever.

View all my reviews

Nomads of the East

In Search of Nomads: An English Obsession from Hester Stanhope to Bruce Chatwin by John Ure
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

All across the Middle East, Northern Africa, Iran and Asia there are or were countless tribes of nomads. In parts of North Africa, Arabia and Syria they were Bedouin. In North Africa you have the Tuaregs, Moors and Berbers. In Iran you have the Lurs, Quashkais and Bakhtairi. In Mongolia you have Kirgystan Turks, and Mongol. All through out the years various Europeans and Americans ventured into these nomadic terriritories. The view these Europeans had of these nomads was often times romanticized, other times the view point was one of disdain. Nomad, regardless of their label, made their living hunting, drinking water from wells and sometimes raiding. They disdain the agricultural lifestyle or sedentary lifestyle but can still be territorial of their grazing and water ground.

The Bakhtiaris are located in Southern Iran, they came here with the Mongols back in the 13th century. These nomads have never enjoyed an easy relationship with the governing authority. Often times there were crackdowns in order to confiscate their weapons. They would fight against the governing authorities. These nomads often times travel beyond the Zagros Mountains to herd their sheep. The Quashkai are another set of nomads in Iran.

The Bedouin of Arabia are probably the most famous. TE Lawrence and Pasha Glubb were two famous British military officers who worked extensively with the Arabian Bedouin. Both helped form Bedouin military units to fight against the Germans and the Turks during World War One. Glubb Pasha helped form the Jordanian Army but issues with King Hussein caused his departure. Lawrence felt that nomadic lifestyles were pushed onto the weaker tribes as stronger tribes would come and push them off the choicest of land.

Going further into Asia the nomads are very prevalent in Afghanistan. There are Hazars, Pashtun, Afghans etc. Nomads are also in Mongolia and Kirystan. The Mongols use Camels to move around the desert and tend not o be as smart and flashy as the Turks of Kyrgistan. Mongols and Turks both live in Yurts. The turks use horses and tend to have nicer accommodation.

Finally the journey goes back to North Africa where the Tuaregs reign supreme. They are a mighty nation consisting of tribes. They are normally dressed in blue and are very protective of their domains. They have resentment against foreigners. They guard their pathways and water walls quite jealously. The Moors tend to be more individualistic and settle in smaller settlement.

Over the years, Europeans have been fascinated with nomads, it has been going on since the Crusades. The explorers mentioned in the book are numerous I cannot remember them all. Read the book it is fun, enlightening and enjoyable.


View all my reviews