On the Trail of a Jinn

Jinn Hunter: Book One: The Prism by Tahir Shah
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A strange robbery takes place in the bank at New York were millions of dollars worth of gold melts away and is gone. Oliver who is a math genius can find pattens out of anything and use it to solve problems. His life is about to change. In the realm there is an upside down pyramid that houses all the rogue jinn who terrorize the world. It is guided by Morrocks. Neqsuimus is the most powerful jinn of all and he has escaped.

Right about this time people all over the world are going crazy and acting irrationally. Oliver’s uncle Sinan, owner of Ozymadias and Sons gives him a paperweight.Oliver travels through the dragons eye. In the realm of the Jinn Oliver realizes that he is part of a tribe called Jinn Hunters. Their job is to collect rogue jinn and return them to the prison but Oliver is hardly prepared.

So his training begins in the Crednta. Training is grueling but he is hardly prepared. If he accepts the job to bring down the Jinn what are his odds of surviving? Good question. Read the books and find out.

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Writing From Ursula K Leguin

No Time to Spare: Thinking About What Matters by Ursula K. Le Guin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ursula is a well known fantasy / science fiction writer, this book is a collection of essay written about a variety of subjects. She is no longer among the living yet her wisdom reaches out from beyond. One of the things she tackles is this positive thinking in regards to old age. Some people like to to say that you are only as old as you think you are. Nothing could be further from the truth. Old age comes with wisdom and many times aches and pains as the body breaks down. Age is not just a number. Youth is seen as a magical time like it is a time of innocence thst had some enlightenment attached to it. It is is not a virtue to remain as a child. We grow old for a reason. We are supposed to be more mature and more responsible. We are not supposed to stay the same.

She does address her cat Pard. He is a fun trouble maker with a sense of style all his own. Not much of an outdoor cat still he likes to run out every once in a while but soon he makes his way back home. He likes to hunt Beatles and mice and he enjoys playing with them in her Oregon home. The cat does not hunt to kill but rather it is instinct and he likes to play with them like toys. He brings the author mice as a gift because that is what cats do in the wild.

Does this make cats cruel. No , in fact only humans can be cruel because they have developed enough of a brain to enjoy being cruel.

It’s is great book with common sense anecdotes. I wish there were more like it. Enjoy

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Drug Addicts Do What Though wilt

Diary of a Drug Fiend by Aleister Crowley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Drugs like cocaine and heroine can I have an immense impact on individuals and their families. I should know as I have had family member lose their battle to drugs. By and large cocaine and heroine are not drugs that you can normally control/ but rather they control you. Crowley himself was addicted to heroine. None the less this is still a work of fiction.

The story or diary begins with Peter Pendragon being released from the Air Force after a major world war. His uncle leaves him lots of money. One evening he goes to a a fancy resturaunt/nightclub where he get introduced to Lou , his future wife and cocaine. The man doing the introducing is King Lamus who people have mixed emotions about . Lou is a great singer and she immediately captures Peter’s heart . The cocaine makes him feel exhilarating as there is nothing that can stop him. After there marriage they take a honeymoon in France then in Italy.

In France he and his wife get into heroine. It takes the edge off the coke. It also helps them keep focused. When it comes to heroine though things soon dissipate into self loathing and neglect . Heroine addicts don’t bathe and their clothes are often unkempt. Due to impurities they tend to age prematurely.

But this book is not about drug addiction or the dangers there of. This is a book about Magick and spirituality. King Lamus takes the couple too the abbey of Thelma where they learn about spiritual developement and finding and doing their true will.

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Amalgamation of Chaos and Tantra

Ultraculture Journal: Essays on Magick, Tantra and the Deconditioning of Consciousness by Genesis P-Orridge
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Jason Louv is fantastic. At a young age he is written some books and put out his own compilation which is what I am reviewing. Granted i read one of his works earlier and liked it even better. What transpired in this compilation is a mixture of magic stores and travelogues through different lands. Many of the spiritual world deal with Tantra and Chaos Magick.
Travels in India are typical. Backpackers go through places like Kathmandu,Nepal,Kashmir and other places in India. Saddhus or holy saints are everywhere. Having renounced the material world they shift their focus toward the spiritual. Practically naked ,dressed in rags and covered with ash these holy men rely on donations. Some great Saddhus spout some great spiritual knowledge. These Saddues make great psychological role models in their understanding of the mind and how it creates our reality. “Nothing can trouble you but your own imagination,” Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj wrote in I Am That. When talking about magic k Jason does a nice job of doing away with conspiracy theories and how we have become divided as a result. We did it for them. It was not done to us. The biggest conspiracy, after all, is perpetrated by all of us, when we agree to be afraid of each other, to separate ourselves into subgroups by belief and inclination. Ultimately we are the only ones who can do it to ourself. We are our own god. Real magic happens when you drop the bullshit and remember that you’re God. Just like everybody else. No ritual required.
God is not some thing outside yourself. Rather as the old saying goes , God lives within. We are God among God. There is not a being you can meet, from the lowest vibrations to the highest, that is not God also, and worthy of your respect. God is at play with God, a dazzling field of consciousness for you to remember yourself in. Since i am my own god and everyone is their God it would make sense to adapt a policy of live and let live. The ultimate path to freedom comes from this revelation. When you stop trying to make decisions for others, stop trying to control them, or save them, then they cannot make decisions for you. And then you’re free, to express your essence as you will.
Perhaps the biggest trap our thought processes and spirituality has ensnared us in is the need to improve our selves morally and intellectually. Now it is not a spiritual challenge to grow in either one really it is a matter of effort. The evolution of man is not the intellectual and moral betterment of all. It is the liberation from measured time.
Here is one gem I plucked from the book, it is an invocation to Choronzon.
Through the pearl of inverted synthesis; Do I STIR AND CREATE thy Nether Might! By the inexorable midnight sun oblivion, Poised on the edge of Anthrax Horizon; Do I CALL FORTH AND INVOKE thy Nether Might! With the wicked blade, forged of the triumphant Aphex Loa! Do I WIELD AND ENACT thy Nether Might! To the annihilation of the love supreme ingested within the tunnel of agape; Do I BECOME thy Nether Might! The dawn of light calls forth by the essence of chaos. By the waters of Nether Night is the EGG supplanted in the mind. WE come beyond the edge; infinity. Through the pearl of inverted synthesis; Do I STIR AND CREATE thy Nether Might! By the inexorable midnight sun oblivion, Poised on the edge of Anthrax Horizon; Do I CALL FORTH AND INVOKE thy Nether Might! With the wicked blade, forged of the triumphant Aphex Loa! Do I WIELD AND ENACT thy Nether Might! To the annihilation of the love supreme ingested within the tunnel of agape; Do I BECOME thy Nether Might! The dawn of light calls forth by the essence of chaos. By the waters of Nether Night is the EGG supplanted in the mind. WE come beyond the edge; infinity. Hail Choronzin

This book will take you to high of monastery in the Himalaya all the Way to the lows of a magical working in a basement. Remember the words of guru are horse pucky, be your own Guru.

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Genesis of a Hero

Bone Music by Christopher Rice
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This could well be the genesis of a new super hero. When she was young, both her and her mother were abducted by a couple who took pleasure in murdering people. They were a married couple of serial killers. Both Charlotte Rowe and her mother were abducted . Charlottes mother was murdered and her body buried after being burned in a furnace. Young Charlotte was raised by them until she was 7 years old. She never witnessed the killings, she only turned on the furnace while the couple did the murders.

After she was 7 years old she was rescued by police. Her father exploited her predicament by selling books and making movies. Later on she would get tired of it and move with her grandmother to Altamira outside of San Diego. When she got older she moved to Arizona. While her dad was making money off her experience she was followed by a guy named Jason. A fan, a nut job .

A mysterious man named Dylan acts as her therapist and gives her a new drug to try. Jason somehow finds where Charlotte is living. A confrontation takes place and Charlottes journey begins. Killing stalker and drug dealing bikers , Charlotte finds herself in the middle of a big mess . Returning to Altamira she hooks up with a former high school bully now turned cop, an attorney and Marty and old townie.

Together they keep ahead of the company and find another killer to stop. The drug Dylan gave her makes her super strong. What happens next?

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The Terrible Tome of the Al Azif

Tales of the Al-Azif: A Cthulhu Mythos Anthology by C.T. Phipps
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Al Azif or the book of insects if a forbidden tome brought into human consciousness by the mad Arab Al Hazred. The Mad Arab picked it up in some divine revelation after being banished to the empty quarter in Yemen. The revelations are derived from the sound of desert Cicadas. Apparently insects are the oldest beings around and have seen everything since the beginning of time. Therefore they have wisdom.

Al Azif comes from the Cthulhu myths written by HP Lovecraft. It has such a following that systems of magic have been based on it and other authors have written their own adventures in the Cthulhu mythology. This book is a collection of such tales. The first story tells how the Mad Arab first obtains the Al. Azif with his uncle. Another story deals with Henry Stubbs in finding the Al Azif. Another story has Elizabeth Dee going to Cairo in search of the book and fighting a group of assassin to stay alive and get the book. Don’t think that Cthulhu is confined to the Middle East. There are cave in the New York Hills where a cult sacrifices people to be taken over by insects. Once again the Al Azif is a source of power.There is a story about a 7 foot wooden cockroach that people pay to see. Instead of just seeing a Steven foot cockroach they get possessed by evil insects. Finally there is an apolylyptic at the end.

The Al Azif is the forerunner to the Necronomicon. It can be used to grant wishes but like the monkeys paw it’s all twisted and comes with a terrible price. The book is indestructible and if the pages get destroyed then the information can travel to another book.

The Cthulhu mythology deals with evil but not demons and devils rather it is about like being coming from another dimension to take us over. Occult means can be used too stop them. But they are really alien like.

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Revival of Norse Culture

The Northern Dawn: A History of the Reawakening of the Germanic Spirit: From the Twilight of the Gods to the Sun at Midnight by Stephen E. Flowers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In modern times there has been a call to revive the ancient Germanic culture. By Ancient culture the Heathen or Pagan past is what is meant. So the research begins to recover this lost German past, before it was Christianized.

Has the Germanic culture been completely lost to the process of modernity and Christianization? Author Edred Flowers says no it has not been lost. In fact it has not even been buried. It is still alive and kicking.

One of the places it is still alive is in the literature and folktales. In the Ancient poetry, bard songs and even fairy tales the Germanic ideas still live on . Germanic Literature focused on heroism and overcoming great opponents. The literature put an emphasis on bravery and martial courage.

Christianity was not supposed to be a violent religion or at least not one of warfare. If so then where did the tradition and ethos of knighthood come from? From the Norse ideology, of course.

As Christianity crept into Europe it had to exist side by with Heathenism Often times Roman Christianity absorbed so much German culture that it became Germanized. One example of this is the Helmand which rewrites the story of Christ and his twelve apostle. In the Heliand Christ is depicted as a warrior.

Many Saxon laws originate from the Germanic time and in many an instance have remained unchanged. Customs and tradition of Ancient German culture were retained in the courtly and secular level.

It wont be hard to revive Germanic Heathen culture . It might not look the same as it once did but still there is enough of it alive.

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Mizrachi Spies of Pre-State Israel

Spies of No Country: Secret Lives at the Birth of Israel by Matti Friedman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

During the pre-state days of the Palestine Mandate, years before the creation of the Modern State of Israel there was constant fighting between Jews and Arabs. While during the day to day routine they worked and lived side by side but as things progressed relations began to deteriorate.

The Yishuv or prestate government ran the Jewish settlement and the Hagannah was the self defense force for the Jews. The striking arm was called the Palmach. By and large these Jews had socialist.communist leanings. They were secular and very European. Events in Europe propelled them to Palestine. Yet as fighting increased and more lives were lost the Zionists needed a set of eyes within the Arab world to gather intelligence and to commit acts of espionage.

To get those spies in on the Arab side the Palmach created a division to infiltrate the other side. This unit was called the “Dawn” it was comprised of Mizrachi or Middle Eastern Jews who could look and act Arabic. This unit would operate both within the Palestinian Arab community and within the Arab world at large. The book focuses on 4 of them. They formed Beirut unit and sent messages via Morse code. All 4 of them had family from the Middle East.

Among some of the operation they performed were 2 inside pre-state Palestine. One operation involved the attempted assassination of a terrorist leader/preacher, which ultimately failed but in the end scared the fanatic into silence. Another operation involved hearing about an ambulance that was going to be rigged with bombs and set off to blow up in the Jewish areas. They blew it up in the garage killing the mechanic and other Palestinian fighter.

Most of their action though takes place in Beirut where they assumed the identity of Palestinian refugees. They ran the Three Moon kiosk and gathered tidbit of information which they radioed back to Palmach. Among some of their exploits are blowing up a ship and attempting to blow up a refinery only too have it cancelled at the last minute.

The book gives good insight into their lives and backgrounds. The scene in Palestine is described as well. Great book and too bad it was not longer.

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Chaos Politics.

Hyperworlds, Underworlds by Jason Louv
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Have you ever read a book that has everything and also at the same time strips away the lies and leave the truth naked and bare? Jason Louv has done it with this book, composed mostly of essays published in various publications and at different times. The book covers, politics, social issues, Eastern spirituality and Western Magick. Reader beware you may be blown away and you may also at the same time find out that this stuff resonates with you because on some deeper level you know it is all true.
Mr. Louv will talk a lot about politics. Let’s face it the government is not on our side. Rather they are backing the big money, corporations. Corporate America sees the common man as nothing more than cattle and money making machines. Their goal is to make up like robot or slaves. It I a soft cell slavery where we are chained to a desk and computer while we mine away information for these companies. The information will be used for marketing. In a way we already are slaves, our work hours get longer and our pay becomes less. Benefits are being stripped away before our very eyes. We are not the only ones who are slaves.
Across much of the third world forced labor or slave labor is used. Kids as young as 12 are denied education so they can work for major corporation at 12 cents an hour for like 15 hours a day. We Americans love our gadgets and Iphones but think it is an open secret by now that these products we love are built off the back of children who are worked to death. That makes us consumer accomplices to the crime. Nestle is one of the biggest users of child/Slave labor.
The NSA has since 9/11 ben monitoring our internet usage. They see everything we do. Their purpose is to spy on us and take away our freedoms. Big corporation by information from internet biggies like Facebook and google. Congress allowed them to do so. The big corporations are at the top of the pyramid. As it stands right now the corporations are becoming more powerful than the government. There are international treaties being drafted that give major corporations the right to sue a government if it makes laws that hurt its revenue. This undermines a countries and governments soverenty.
Our government does lots of dirty things like spying on friendly countries via our embassies, something which does not make them too happy. The CIA has also sold drugs to finance its operations. Even on the streets of America, especially towards minorities. Our crimes against minorities and the underprivileged is being played out in the prison system wherein female inmates were pressured into being sterilized. Our world is in trouble as our artificial consumeristic lifestyle causes us to deplete the earth’s natural resources and overpopulation is bourgeoning. Pretty soon our planet will not be able to sustain us. The solution is to explore space while we still have fossil fuels. It is our destiny to colonize space .
Jason Louv talks lots on chaos magick which strips away al the finery and gives you nothing but the barebones of the matter. Lots of what goes on in the occult world is baloney . But he gives yu the real deal and wipes away the glamor of magic so that all you have left is what works. I have only scratched the surface.

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The Phoenician Jesus Conspiracy

The Phoenician Code: Unveiling the Secrets of the Holy Grail by Karim El Koussa
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A church father calls together three individuals, one a historian, another an alchemist and still another an archaeologist. Together they are called upon to decipher an ancient tablet unearthed at the Phoenician city of Gebel. Central to this story is the building of Solomon’s Temple by Hiram Abiff. Hiram was Phoenician.

Before embarking on the church father’s quest , Paul the Historian, goes to a symposium on biblical archaeology. He gives a speech that denies the existence of Israel before the Babylonian exile. Citing the lack of archaeological proof as the reason why. He speculates that Ancient Israel was a historical hoax. Soon he is set upon by killers dressed in black suits. Turns out they are from the Babylonian Brotherhood.

This spirals Paul on a historical quest at the same time avoiding the Babylonian Brotherhood. Along the way he comes across documents explaining the Templar’s and their agenda and how it extends into the Scottish Right Masons. Documents that explain the real identity of Jesus and the real story behind the birth of Israel.

At the end he joins with the Great White Fraternity after he receives stolen document from Iraq. The author has a theory that many people will find wild. There is a lot we do not know about when it comes to Jesus or even that time in history. He may have been Phoenician or an Israelite following a Phoenician religion. Saying that Israel was created by the Persians after they sacked Babylon May come as far fetch but many aspects of Judaism were molded in a Babylonian exile.

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Travels of Alhazred

Tales of Alhazred by Donald Tyson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you are a Lovecraft fan fan you may find yourself enjoying these short stories about Alhazred, author of the Necronomicon . Donald Tyson is an accomplished occultist himself who has written both fiction and non fiction on HP Lovecraft’s Necronomicon. The book is comprised of short stories which mark their adventures. Alhazred is Joined by Martala, warrior woman and Necromancer in her own right, and Altrus , a mercenary .

The adventures take them across the entire Middle East practically. Some adventures happen in the Scholars Lane where he lives in Damascus. One adventure involves Moawiya a sultan who is set upon by an unknown assassin. It is up to. Alhazred to figure it out. Several adventures involve the Jinn and Ghouls. One adventure sends him and his crew to a cave of ghouls, his job is to rid the ghoul colony of something that is killing off their numbers. Another adventure involved a jinn trying to get Alhazred to free the jinn imprisonments by King Solomon. He frees them but is double crossed. Getting out of a double cross him in conflict with another half Jinn like himself. Many adventures involve raising the dead, murder, raiding monasteries etc .

If you are a Lovecraft fan you will enjoy this fair. I read the book in a matter of days. I consider it light reading and very enjoyable .

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Palestinian Life in New York

A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Etaf is the real deal. Born Palestinian and raised in a refugee camp as a child, she knows what her people are going through because she lived it. At age 19 she was married and at age 31after having having two children she went back for a writing degree.

Her debut novel is about Palestinian women living in the Bayridge area of New York. Starting with Ezra in a Palestinian village that is surrounded by two cemeteries, one Christian and the other Muslim. Ezra leads a typical life. Wearing a hijab and being religious she spend most of her time with her mother cleaning the house and preparing the food. Her father is rather abusive towards her mother and her. Often using physical violence to control them. She is also under pressure to get married and have children .

After several suitors she finally meets Adam from America . He marries her and takes her to the states. Ezra is expecting a better life but that is. Not what ensues. Seemingly trapped within her in-laws house her days are spent preparing food and cleaning the house. She lives with her husband in the basement of their dwelling. Adam is working a lot and comes home real late. There is not much of a relationship. Like her father back home he is forceful and. Physically abusive.

Her in laws were from Palestinian refuge camps. They had a hard life as well. Ezra ends up having 4 daughters. The eldest has ambitions to get into college. After her mother dies there is pressure on her to get married as well.

Through out this novel there are several themes that get touched upon. One is that Palestinian culture is hard on women. The husbands in this book are physically abusive. They are also addicted to alcohol at one point in their life. The women are expected to marry young and have children. Parents don’t want them going to college rather they want them to learn how to cook and clean. There’s is a heavy emphasis on honor.

As the story progresses people learn ugly truths about. Themselves and their families. In the end it is a story about personal liberation and standing up for yourself.

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Origins of the Gods

Gobekli Tepe: Genesis of the Gods: The Temple of the Watchers and the Discovery of Eden by Andrew Collins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A short while ago there was an ancient temple unearthed in Southern Anatolia and it was called Goblek Tepi. It challenged and changed our perception of humanities history. Common though is that the first three civilizations were the Sumerians, Egyptian and Indi. This temple is saying that there was developed humanity even before the Sumerians.

The temple was hidden inside a tel or a mound as if it had been buried over purposely. It has a ring of stones an altar and several rooms to this complex place. Very complex . There are representation of twelve for each of the months and the temple design suggests rather advanced knowledge of astronomy. Back in those days the pole Star was the Signus Star but over the thousands of years things have changed we have a new Pole Star but the name eludes me.

Who built this temple? Why was it build and why was it buried? The author puts forth a very intricate and exciting hypothesis. Y pulling together various pieces of archaeology, mythology and historical record. It will challenge several notions we have about humanities development. I will say it makes more sense than ancient aliens.

In a nutshell, there was a group of Neanderthal/HumAn hybrids called the Swaderians who were basically reindeer hunters. They forged specialized arrowheads and they leave a trail going from the Carpathian Mountains all the way to Goblek Tepi. This group had an elite priesthood that wore hoods or feathers and they taught a bunch of hunter gatherers how to build a temple and many other elements of civilization. But why would a bunch of hunter gatherers want to listen to strange looking people from a distant land.?

There is a ring of stones that represent hooded figures. These figure are wearing the insignia of foxes. What do the foxes mean? Foxes are interchangeable with wolves. Both are known to be tricksters and in many mythologies wolves bring bad news. Transitioning into the Neolithic period the world was faced with disasters. Comets, a mini ice age lead to frightening times.

The Swaderians would migrate from there and spread into the Levantine and Armenia. They, according to the author would later become the watchers. What follows next is a reexamination if ancient texts that changes the setting of many mythology from the levant.

If tracing human development is your thing this book is definitely for you. I thoroughly enjoyed it. With ancient history it is hard to say that certain things definitely occurred and lots of it is speculation at best. The author met with some scholars and a few had differing opinions but that’s ok.

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Dracula’s Origins

Dracul by Dacre Stoker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Vampires are among us. Written as a biographical narrative of Bram Stokers early life, the authors descendant went through his forebears journal and constructed this novel. Much like original Dracula this novel is written in different point of view. At times it will be a straight narrative and others will be from the journals and anecdotes of the novels characters. Dacre Stoker pulls elements from the original publication and from other horror stories. He has done his research as well. Such occult motif’s as the Hell Fire club and mention of Walpugisnaught add more genuine European flavor.

The most interesting part of the book comes after the story is told. The author states that when Bram first submitted his novel Dracula to the publisher that this is a true story. Some of the characters were based on people Bram knew that is for sure. Dacre refutes the notion that Dracula the vampire is an ancient evil far older than Vlad the Impaler. Before getting this book published in the UK Bram had to edit out a bunch of material, something like the first 101 pages but this only effected th UK edition. Other editions published elsewhere were not edited.

The story itself starts off in Bram’s youth where as a sickly child he. Is confined to his room. The Stoker family takes on a Nanny named Ellen. She is rather strange in that some days she appears young and others withered and old. Ellen takes many forays into the forest. One day they follow her and she disappears into the bog. After searching her room they find a map, dirt under her bed and everything appears to be untouched.

After she disappears she is ever on their mind. Over the years they have visions and interactions with her some of which are forgotten. As a child Bram was a sickly boy, she made him well.
You can guess how. Ellen is a dag due. She was also connected to a Patrick OnCuive, someone who hung himself in prison. Years later he turns up dead again.

The search begins for Ellen. Bram and his sibling gather up artifacts and begin their search. Emily, Thornley Stokers wife is being vampirized by a mysterious stranger. An old journal comes up connected Ellen with the dark stranger Dracul. Upon finding Ellen they go on a quest to the city of the damned near Munich in order to confront Dracul and help redeem Ellen and the ones she loves.
Excellent story and it would be great to see this expanded into a series or movie.

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Was Jesus Phoenician?

Jesus the Phoenician by Karim El Koussa
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Who was Jesus? Was he the Messia or was he just a Jewish Rabbi or resistance fighter? Getting down to the nitty gritty we start to question if Jesus was even Jewish. Karim Al Kroussa speculates that Jesus was not only a non Jew but that he was Phoenician. While as a reader I am not entirely convinced of Jesus’s Phoenician identity the author does bring up several good points.

The author believes that Jesus was a member of a Phoenician healer sect called the Ashayas. These were the Galilee Essenes who believed in the loving god the Canaanite El. The Book of Isahia is really the book of the Asayas. In it there states that Immanuel is the name of the messiah. Not Jesus! I looked up Asayas on the internet and could not find any reference for them.
I would need more proof on the Book of Isahia being really the book of Asayas.

The author then goes into the Histroy of Mary’s parents and he believes that in one of the books they show her in a temple conversing with a divine figure that could be Gabriel, a priest or some other angelic being. The mother approached the bread and wine and the figure said she would have a child. That child Mary was then consecrated to the temple. This was not the temple in Jerusalem but one up north . The author makes good point when he states that often women did not have a big role in the temple and were not often accepted by the temples when it comes to Judaism. But in the Phoenician religion women were regarded as equal and Mary could have been held over to remain a version until the God El would impregnate her and give her Adon. Of course this story almost exactly mirrors the book of Samuel where in his mother cries in the temple for a child.

Geography does not lie. There is a Kfar Kana in Isrsel and a Kana is Lebanon near the city of Tyre. Nazareth was not yet a village and there was a Bet Lehen in Northern Israel. Joseph of Armimathea was from Remesh in Lebanon. In Lebanese Kana there is still rock portraits of the wedding. Jesus was born in the Northern Bethlehem in Galilee.

The author further notes that most of Jesus’s apostles and disciple were not Jews but rather followers from Other nations.The original disciples according to the author were Phoenicians except for two who were sent by the Jews to spy on him. The Galilee at the time was empty of Jews in fact the Maccabees rescued Jews from Galilee and it was empty of Jews until after the fall of the second temple.

The message of the Old Testament and the New Testament is like light and day. The Old Testament god comes off as a warrior god who is easily provoked to jealousy and will quite willingly punish if his laws are not obey. The Christian one is more loving and based upon forgiveness and mercy. The Christian way is Phoenician way. Upon this the author is correct.

It is not impossible that Jesus was not a Jew. After all Christianity is filled with Pagan concepts not present in Judaism and it is highly probable that he might not have been Jewish. After all he was not married and he grew is hair long.

None the less I am not entirely convinced Jesus was Phoenician. I am not entirely sure he really existed.


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Mini Biography of AlHazred

Ibn Khallikan's Biography of Alhazred by Siyah Qalam
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Not too often that I say this but don’t waste your money . This book is a big waste. For like 5 bucks you get what amounts to buying a 10 page pamphlet. It claims to be the biography of Al Hazred and it gives you only a brief over view of his life.

Basically Al Hazred was from Yemen and most likely Sana’a. His origins are a bit murky but what stands out is that he was purchased by the sultan at age 12. Al Hazred was supposed to be given everything a prince would be given. He was a gifted singer and was able to easily memorize verses of the Koran. His down fall was that he fell in love with the Sultans daughter. For this he was tortured and sent a way to die in Rub Al Khali or the empty quarter. It is believed he was taught his sorcery by the Jinn.

When he returned decades later to Damascus some wondered that his appearance did not change much at all. Some of Al Hazred statement were considered blasphemous and he was about to be sentenced to death until an act of piety convinced the Sultan other wise. After buying some Christian wine he was hurled to the air and torn to pieces.

There is some discussing his name and the lost alien city beneath Irene.

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Evil in the Rocks

Evil Archaeology: Demons, Possessions, and Sinister Relics by Heather Lynn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Evil, how do you define it? Is there an objective answer to this question or is the answer more subjective. Judeo Christian thinking would have us believe it is objective meaning that there is a definite right from wrong. God is good and the devil is bad. The ancient pagans saw things differently. The gods and demons were not so easy to tell apart. Both had their good point and their bad points. Pazuzu was a Mesopotamian demon was a bad boy that brought plague and pestilence in his wake. Yet Pazuzu was evil against evil. One of his jobs was to fight against other demons, especially Lamashtu.

The Gods themselves were not always good guy, or all good I should say. Goddesses like Sekhmet was considered as part of the good guys. When mankind was rebellious Hathor was turned into a lion goddess and she went on a killing spree taking out almost all of mankind. To placate her she was given pomegranate beer to settle her down and stop killing. Ammit a hippo goddess ate your soul in the afterlife if you were not good enough. The lines were blurred on that one there.

Both gods and demons demanded sacrifice, human sacrifice. The Celts would burn hundreds of people in Wicker Men to placate their gods in return for another year of abundance. Demons were given sacrifice in order to placate them not to use their powers against the community. A mock human sacfirice is held at the Bohemian Grove. Reminiscent of the biblical sacrifice to Molekh of young infant children. This could have been what gave rise to legend of Jinn.

Jinn are fire spirits and in fact they are comparable to Demons. Living mostly in desolate places like deserts, bathrooms, caves and abandoned dwellings, they used to be the rulers of the land. Jinn like demons can oppress and possess people. Places and things can be haunted. Always good to bless and remain at a high vibrational level. Great book.

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Statements of Deception

Spy the Lie: Three Former CIA Officers Reveal Their Secrets to Uncloaking Deception by Philip Houston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When someone is lying to you it is rather difficult to spot the deception. Humans are not natural lie detectors. Unless you know the truth for certain will never be able to know if someone is lying. Some things that make it difficult are that we assume people tell the truth. Our biases also help blind us. In addition we try to absorb information but that still does not help.

The model for detecting deception is simple. The first point is ignore truthful statements that do not deal with the issue. Most people tell lies within five seconds of hearing unpleasant stimulus. Look for clusters of behavior when determining deception. Communication consists of verbal and nonverbal behaviors. If there are three indicators of deceptive behavior chances are the person is being deceptive. People will often mask their crime by telling the truth about something unrelated.

What does deceptive behavior look like? When we take an oath in court we agree to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. There are three kinds of lies, the first kind of lie is a lie of commission where we tell a bald face lie. The second lie is a lie of omission where we leave out part of the truth. The third is a lie of influence , wherein the deceived tries to make themselves appear truthful. Here are some tactics people will use when being deceptive. Such behaviors include failure to answer, lack of clear denial,refusal to answer, repeating questions, non answer statements, inconsistent statements, overly specific answers, extreme politeness, high concern and procedural complaints among others.

When a liar does not have the facts on their side they will resort to making what is called convincing statements. For example let us say that you accuse someone of stealing something. They will not respond by denying the theft rather they will say “ I would never do that I am an honest person.” They lack sticking to the facts.
Another tactic liars use when the facts are not on their side is going on the attack mode. They will act all indignant and verbally attack the person who is asking the questions.

As noted earlier communication consists of verbal and nonverbal cues. When a deceptive person is lying you can often discern their untruthfulness by their physical reactions. Some physical reactions might be a behavioral pause or delay when asked a direct question if they did something or not. There may be a verbal/nonverbal. Which means that they might say yes if they shake their head back-and-forth right to left that would be a disconnect. Another behavior to look at his hiding their mouth or their eyes. As people live they tend to get more nervous nervous behaviors can include throat clearing or swallowing before answering a tough question. Another behavior might be increased and to face activity. Moving th anchor points is a significant teller of whether one was speaking truth or lie, also increased grooming gestures.

Other tactics to fish out liars include presumptive questions where In the questioner makes an assumption and puts it in question form. Hopefully the liar takes the bait. The second question is a baiting question that causes nervous tension in the liar. For example if you were accused of robbing s certain house and the questioner asked would there be any reason a neighbor saw you near the house?

The book was written by three former CIA trainers . There are case examples to test your skills and see the concepts in application.

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The Hidden War Against American Entertainers

The Covert War Against Rock: What You Don't Know About the Deaths of Jim Morrison, Tupac Shakur, Michael Hutchence, Brian Jones, by Alex Constantine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Think about all the rock stars who have died untimely deaths over the years and you kind of wonder if there is a conspiracy going on. Sounds far fetched at first and you may not believe what you read at first, why would the government care about musicians.?

Music has long had an impact on human consciousness and the musicians that were being killed were involved in social issue. As the book correctly notes there is a cooperation going on between the mafia, cia , record labels and drug labs. The American government has long wanted to subvert the hippie movement of the 60’s. One way to do this was to malign rock stars and make them look like drug addicts. The American government teamed up with LSD labs for the purpose of both human experimentation and both to get the LSD put there so as to poison the hippie movement. The mafia, government and record labels worked to keep rock music out of the top 40s and jukeboxes.

Sound surprising ? Consider the fact that recently it has been revealed that the FBI has kept files on various entertainers based on remarks they have made in public. Some of these Rock Stars who have died left behind muddled investigations where things do not add up. Take for instance Jim Hendrix. The great guitar player had a road manager who used to work for the government . This guy terrified Jimi Hendrix. Used to rip him off, set him up for drug busts and finally arranged for his death. The connections between the entertainment industry, government and the mob run deep.

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Old Style Witchery

Folk Witchcraft: A Guide to Lore, Land, and the Familiar Spirit for the Solitary Practitioner by Roger J Horne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Here comes a book that I found to be perfect for the novice witch and even beneficial for the intermediate witch. The book is not heavy on ritual and tools it does employ them. In many ways we are living in a golden age of witch craft . Thousands of books are coming out and scholars are investigating the old texts to determine the truths. New traditions are springing up all the time. Only problem is that they tell you how to do the magic but not the why. This could lead to an empty ritual. All traditions are valid. Witch craft does not stay the same but rather changes with the times. Usually techniques and traditions are culled from reading the classics.
There are three paths to initiate into the craft. First is through the lore, that means essentially studying the texts. The next is through the land and the spirits who dwell there. The last path is through spirit. Going into the realm of life one of the first few chapters has an in depth list of books along with a brief informative summary. Among the books covered are ; Reginald Scot’s The Discoverie of Witchcraft, Alexander Carmichael’s Carmina Gadelica, 1900, Folger Shakespeare Library MS. V.b.26, Lelands Aradia, Nicolas Culpeper’s Complete Herbal, 1653, History of the Devil and a slew of other books.
Witches work with spirits. This means that sometimes they work with the fae, old ones and the spirit . The old ones are usually the pagan gods of old like Cernunnos, Hekate, Nicniven and others. The author emphasises finding our own meanings and not to rely so heavily on books. The author advocates study the landscape of our immediate area and familiarize yourself with what it is and who the spirits are that dwell there. He also advised studying the lore of the land.
The magic performed by witches is frequently either sympathetic or contagious. Sympathetic magic works by using a stand-in for the person who is the target of the magical act. Contagious magick involves taking something that belonged to the person like some hair or something they touched and incorporating that into your magic. Folk Witchcraft does not hold much by karma or the threefold law. If justice must be done it is up to the people to carry it out. There is no karma. Malificium is magic that is meant to incure harm while beneficium is magic that is used to help or heal. Moon phases also determine what kind of magic we will do. Curses, hexes (maleficium), and the removal of things is frequently associated with the waning moon. The full moon is associated with powerful magic and is an opportune time for ritual. The waxing moon is a time for positive workings for luck, prosperity, healing, and gain (beneficium). Days and times also have an impact on the magic we will perform. Sunday is ruled by the sun and is associated with healing, happiness, and good fortune. Monday is ruled by the moon and is associated with the second sight and divination. Tuesday is ruled by Mars and is associated with defense and victory over enemies. Wednesday is ruled by Mercury and is associated with trade, communication, and travel. Thursday is ruled by Jupiter and is associated with prosperity, luck, and favor. Friday is ruled by Venus and is associated with love, friendship, and beauty. Finally, Saturday is ruled by Saturn, associated with curses, the dead, and baneful workings.
The book covers alot of ground and it gives over simple instructions on how to Do it. The author has included a small mini grimoire in the back. There are rituals, spell and healing. Enjoy.

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Have a Drink On Me

The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World's Great Drinks by Amy Stewart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Curious as to how different alcoholic beverage are made ? Then this might be the book you wanna read. This book covers all the flowers, fruits, grains, trees, herbs and grains that go into making our favorite alcoholic beverages.

The first part of the book discusses the process of fermentation and distillation . The second part of the book tells how brewmasters suffuse their beverages with different herbs and plants and fruits. Finally there is the trip to the garden.

Contained in this book is not only the natural herbal material that goes into making the different alcoholic beverages but there are also recipes for different cocktail which the home drink maker can easily make use of. There are also recipes for different syrups that can be used to flavor your drinks. Along with a discussion on the plant and beverages there is also some history thrown in to give a bigger.

One easy recipes for a cocktail is the one for Black Gold. This just requires 1 1/2 of Karlsons Gold Vodka along with crushed black pepper over ice cube. Prickly pears are like the fruit part of a cactus. A recipes for Prickly Pear syrup would involve taking 10 to 12 of the fruits along with a cup of sugar and a cup of water along with an optional ounce of vodka. Chop up the fruit and boil with the sugar and the water. Then once your done store it in a glass container.

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Back History of the Game of Thrones

The World of Ice & Fire: The Untold History of Westeros and the Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Before you watch or read Game of Thrones I think you may want to give this book a read . It gives you the whole back history of the series, especially Westeros.

Westeros is where the series takes place. Before men came over on a land bridge Westeros was inhabited by the children of the forest and Giants. The children of the forest worshipped their gods and carved their faces into the trees. Eventually the first men came over from Essos. They at first were friendly with the children of the forest but eventually hostilities would erupt and the children of men would drive them away. The first men set up small kingdoms which were petty for the most part. Then came the Andals on their ships from essos. THey were driven out by the wars over there, especially with the Valerians. When the Andals came they conquered all of Westeros and drove the children and the giants away further into the woods.

In Essos war was constant. Valeria is a volcanic land from where the Dragons and the Targaryans come from . The Valerians are known not only for dragons but also for their steal swords and their purple eyed women. Eventually the Valerians would set up 9 free cities in Essos each one independent. When the Targaryans came over first they settle on Dragonstone before conquering Westeros. Eventually they took kings landing for their own rebuilding the old castle. Other groups like the Royner came over on ships fleeing war between Andals and Valerians.

Agon the conqueror and his sisters would conquer the Westeros and it would be house Targaryans that would ruled Westeros for 700 years. During this time there would be uprising and civil wars. The Dance of the Dragons was the Civil war that saw the demise of the dragon. There would also be Valerian rivals like the Blackfires and the 9 simple kings .

The Royner would eventually join the Dorns. This is a desert land and home of formidable warriors. They would eventually bend the knee after a real long time. The Iron Born from the IRon islands would make their fortune off raiding and mining. Their main god was the drowned god. Eventually they would turn to trading.

There is history on Essos as well. The Dothraki civilization is discussed along with what lies beyond the bone mountains , like the Yi TI, Ying Island and a haunted city.

For all die hard GOT fans this book will be a good edition to your library. If you are just starting this will give you a good background and you will get more out of the stories you are following.

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Travel Through the Mediterranean

How Shall We Sing? : A Mediterranean Journey Through a Jewish Family by Aline P'Nina Tayar
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jews have always been on the move so to speak, regardless of religiosity or politics. Aline’s family was constantly on the move for any variety of reason. Jews are always seen as the other, never being fully accepted where they settle. The authoress’s family came from two distinct points in the Mediterranean. Her mother came from Tunisia while her father came from Malta. Jews moved around quite fluidly in the Mediterranean. They were seen as the eternal business people or cosmopolitan, hence an outsider.

For a certain time Jewish life was rather stable in that region. Her mother Lina grew up in a religious house with a very strict grandfather. There was a clash between modernity and conformity to religious values.


Most of the Jews would leave either to find spouses or work opportunities. In Tunisia, A Muslim country Jews seemed to have warmer relations with their neighbor than they did in Catholic Malta.
World Wars shake things up and that bought in the colonial European powers. The powers did bring in economic opportunity and further chances for emigration. World War II saw an increase in antisemtism. The family moved for the Middle East to Italy and then back to Malta. The Nazis brought in anti-Semitism which most people living in Italy were not hip to, they hated the SS which oppressed everyone. Most of Italy’s Jews survived the Holocaust.
The family moved briefly back to Malta and then to Israel. Her family was disillusioned with life in Israel on the kibbutz. After an injury they move to Australia and then Finally to England.


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The Rise of King Matthias

Riding on the Tail of the Devil by Danielle DeVor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A great fun and entertaining read. Lighthearted and of good cheer. I would call this horror light as nothing in her was remotely frightening. The main character Matthias was your typical average American teenager. At an early age his parents are killed in a car crash and he is sent to live with his abusive aunt. Not only is the aunt abusive but her children are sadistic and resort to torturing young Matthias. After a particularly brutal session Matthias decides to run away. Living out on the streets he is taken in by Lucretia. She gives him a place to stay and she teaches him thee ways of the street. Alas good things never last, she is eventually killed by her pimp.

Eventually Matthias needs money so he consults a sorcerer named Nic. Nic sends him on a mission that practically gets him killed. It is Vladimir Tepes that saves him....by turning him into a vampire. Thus Matthias is thrust into the world of vampires.

The mythology on this volume original. Lilith was supposed to be the first vampire queen and someone else was supposed to be her consort. Unfortunately Adam messed thing up. They’re two types of vampires Lilitu and Myrdin. They are pretty much unified now. Matthias in an old incarnation was king of the Myrdin while Lilith was queen of the Lilitu. In another life she killed him.

Now that Matthias has been reborn as a vampire it is off to the university for him so he can learn what he needs in order too survive the vampires world.

Some parts of the plot are reminiscent of Harry Potter. Sort of like Matthias is the chosen one whose parents die in a crash and all the sudden he is given to relatives that do not like him and are rather mean to him. The University is kind of like Hogwarts. There is no romance in the book and we do not get a glimpse into the other vampire lives at the University. That would have been nice. This book could have made for a great young adult fiction but there is mention of certain situation and the there is profanity. The elements are in place to launch this into a classic .

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Where Are The Jinn?

Jadoowallahs, Jugglers and Jinn by John Zubrzycki
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Magic has long been the mainstay of India. Jugglers, conjures and tricksters line the street performing their stunts in order to get you to part with your hard earned money. India has long been considered by many to be the home of magic.

From the beginning it is hard to distinguish between a legit holy man who can do things like swallow swords, lay on a bed of nail or walk across hot burning coals and a jadowallah who does the same thing. After all both have similar techniques, pray to the same gods and perform. The same abolutions.

Even Indias rulers were taken with these juggler and jadowallahs. They would often times stroll to the park in disguise in order to see the performers perform their tricks. The relationship between the rulers and. performers gets even more complicated than that. Often times the rulers would invite troops of performers to perform in their court. At other times the performers would be used as spies.

Western interest in the Indian magicians grew under the British colonialization of India. Western audiences were blown away by sword swallowers, snake charmers and jugglers. This lead to promoters promoting the tours of Indian magicians to Europe and the west. Some of these magicians became really well known. Some would not come to the west for fear that crossing an ocean would cause them to lose their. Power. As they came in droves two things happened . FIrst was a sense of sceptisim. Enough searching lead to people discover that some of the Indian magic was tricks or sleight of hand. Other things like firewalking were real but could be explained by science.

Another problem caused by these roaming performer is that promoter would not pay them and often times left them stranded trying to find a way home. This caused lots of problems.

Nowadays it seems craft of the Jadowallah maybe in danger. As the government cracks down on certain practices and destroys the haunts of these magicians one is left to wonder.

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Rise of the Ash Queen

Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Kavolaxian conquest of Astrea was the most brutal thing that could happen to the young princess Theodisius. Watching her mother’s throat get slashed by the Kaiser and his chief warrior Theyn was only the beginning. Kept a prisoner in her mothers palace for 10 years she is forced to endure daily humiliation. Called the Ash princess she is forced to wear a crown made of ash at every royal gathering, she is lashed every time the Astrean rebel against Kavolaxian rule.

After 10 years she is forced to kill her father and that is when the seeds of rebellion are sown. Three rebel sneak into the castle with a plan for her to escape. Lady Thora as she is called at the Kavolaxian court decides to stay to see if she can gather information and sow discord in the castle.

The Kavolaxian are very reminiscent of German Viking and German occupation. They enslave the the Astreans by having them mine for magic gems but the mines can make people go insane. The insane ones are used at Berserkers./ Crazy experiments are performed on the Astrean. THe Leader is called the Kaiser. Kavolaxian come from a Northern land barren with snow. They go from kingdom to kingdom taking them over and draining them of resources . Then they move to another kingdom.

A long the way a love triangle developers. Theodisius falls for both a rebel and the prince. Excitment builds until the final moment.

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Strange Dreams of Weep

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lazlo Strange was one orphan of many in a Great War in Zosmos. Like most orphans he was sent to the monastery and raised to be a monk. Born with mtalic skin that soon turned normal, young lazlo had a vivid imagination and was always playing in the field and dreaming of faraway places. One of his favorite past times was listening to a monk tell stories of a mythical city in the desert called Tizkarin. One day while playing in the fields he realized everyone forgot the city’s name and its existence. Yet he rembered it. It became an obsession. Later on Lazlo becomes a librarian which gives him ample time to do research and prove to himself the city does exist.

One day the opportunity arrives for him to go to the city.The Godslayer comes to Zosmos recruiting people to help them with a problem in the Weep as the city is now called. A huge angel shaped citadel floats above the city. It is a remnant left over from godlike being called Mestarthim. The citadel is made from a strange metal called Mestarthium. The object is to get that citadel removed to the city can experience sunlight again. The Mestarthim basically enslaved the people of the weep. The Godlsaysr killed these godlike being and freed the people. He also killed off the godspawn, hybridized children of human and god.

Five survived in the citadel each with a different magical ability. Some want to fight, others like Sarai want peace. She enters peopl s dreams by expelling moths from her body. She connects with Lazlo. It is here thst Lazlo finds his destiny. Will peace prevail or will there be all out war.

A rich story with a cast of well developed characters. The story is over 500 pages and I read it in 3 days. Enjoy!

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The Essence of Rebbe Nachman

The Essential Rabbi Nachman by Avraham Greenbaum
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When it comes to Judaism you cannot beat the spirituality of Rebbe Nachman. This book is a primer meant specifically for the beginner or someone just newly exposed to Rebbe Nachman. If course those more familiar with his works can glean some benefits as well. The author gives a biography of Rebbe Bachman along with a compendium of his books and works.
The book renders his teaching on a while variety of subjects , including prayer, serving hashem , repentance and a host of other subjects.Rebe Nachmans spirituality is Crystal clear, direct and simple. His philosophy is one of joy and optimism. His formost command is to always be joyous. One must never give up hope because of you can damage then you must believe you can fix. No sinner is even so low that Hashem will never forgive them for Hashem is there even in the lowest pit of hell. Worried about your lack of focus while praying then never fear. Just do the part that resonates with you while davening with intent. For that part of the prayer resonates with your soul. Why do families fight? Because parts of their soul that resonates with the different nations. Different nations fight.
The book also tells several of his stories. They tell a lot like faery takes but they convey a certain meaning. Many of them will tell how it is important for the Jew to bind himself with the tzaddik. The tzadik knows how to fix the soul and is the one who leads his chassids or followers to the her after. Rebbe Nachman introduced some new practices that are really useful. The first one is hisbodedute this is like freestyle prayer where you pour out your heart to Hashem. You tell Hashem what is troubling you, what is in your mind and how you plan to improve. In fact the Rebbe believed you should write your own prayers and even base them in Torah lessons. Another practice is the general remedy. You say 10 of certain psalms as a remedy for problems.The Rebbe was keen on waking up at midnight to say tikkun hatsote. This is mourning for the beit hamikdash. Rebbe Nachman was buried in uman in a Jewish cemetery where the martyrs of a massacre are buried. It is a big thing for his followers to go to his grave on Rosh Hashanah. Rebbe Nachman will alwAys intercede for his followers.

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Dark Twisted Tales

Occasional Beasts: Tales by John Claude Smith
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is dark and I mean really darker. It makes reading Stephen King, Clive Barker and HP Lovecraft like reading an innocent fairy tale for children. The book is compromised of some of the most eeriest short stories I have ever read. If horror is your thing then this book is for you. A word to the wise ,none of these stories have a happy ending.

In this world there are dark things that have only threw vilest and most evil intent for mankind. Some of it lies beyond the veil and some of it is right under our nose. Stories like the glove deal with aliens possessing humans for a time to explore our planet. When an Alien child is kidnapped the whole of humanity could be compromised. Enter a psychic investigator to find it in the nick of time. Innocent dandelions which are so good for your liver could end up to be man eating plants that will feast on you for all eternity. Several stories take place in a small town , always beware of small towns you might never be able to leave. That was the case in the story about the dandelions and in the last story Jeff goes to a broke down town where every one acts like schizo drug addicts. They are changed by the land lord.

The characters themselves must deal not only with the horrors that they are experiencing but also their own personal issues. Many struggle with drugs and alcohol. Some are in abusive relationships lie the one where the poet turns into a beast and eats her boyfriend. People come in but they do not come out. Dark twisted stories like this will more than chill. Your bones but dark stories like this never become classics because they scare and freak people out too much.

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Baba Yaga : a Different Telling

Finding Baba Yaga: A Short Novel in Verse by Jane Yolen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

On the whole I rather like Jane Yolens work even if the writing could use a bit more attention to detail. I liked this as well but with some caveats. First it was way too short. The story could have been fleshed out more with a few more plot twists added to make the story more exciting. The story is also lacking details and not very descriptive. It needs more of this. I am not a big fan of telling stories or tales thorough poetic verse I much prefer the narrative approach.

This tale of Baba Yaga has been reworked from the Russian fairy tale thus bringing it into modern times. Natasha is a girl that lives in what could be a household marred with arguments and fighting. Her father forbids her to use profanity and washed her mouth out with soap every time she used profanity. In a moment of tearful desperation she decides to run away. Alone in an unnamed city she roams the streets for seven days . Hungry, dirty and alone it is no fun being homeless. So she wanders into a forest and comes upon Baba Yaga’s house.

Now Baba Yaga is an old crone from Russian faery tales. An old woman with an Iron nose and teeth she gets around on a flying pestle. Her favorite dish is children who wander in her domain . Usually it is bad kids that get eaten up. At Baba Yagas she meets Vasilia who falls in love with a princes and she meets Kotschai the deathless. Baby Yaga has a hut that is armed with a modern kitchen and a microwave . In the end Natasha’s destiny is revealed.

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Philosophical Words of Ordo Dracul

The Prophesy of the Ordo Dracul: The Philosophy of the Vampire by William Allan Lavey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

From two great vampires comes a massive philosophical tome that gives off lesson to make us better human beings that are filled with warmth and love. Filled with great advice and anecdotes, it is one of those book I took my time reading so as to absorb the teaching as best i could. Kudos to Andreas Bathory and WD Allan for putting out one of the most humanistic books ever read. The book is close to a thousand pages and believe me when I tell you , get a highlighter or take good notes cause you will want to refer back them. I myself got the kindle version and i have made several high lights on this book.

This tome touches on several issues. The thrust that got my attention came toward the end of my reading was the focus on individuality and spirituality. In essence we are all individuals who must blaze our own path in life as well as in spirituality. We should not be expected to rely upon others to validate our path or spirituality cause each individual has their own way and their own destiny. People are moving away from the standard religions and embracing other spiritual ideals. It is becoming more individual. People are getting into meditation, wholistic health and yoga just to name a few. The church leaders are not to happy about this because they have less congregant which boils down to less money. THe established religions are losing their hold on the collective consciousness . Individualism also entails our relationships . We cannot have the heard mentality where we must rely upon the opinion of others. In fact it is most important to become/best friends with ourselves before we can become best friends to others. We must remember that the human mind seems to designed to seek out modes of spiritual transcendance. Let us seek. In the paragraph below a few quotes pulled out from the book will be shared.

When was the last time you took the time to attend to that innermost part of who you truly are within yourself and sat alone with yourself in silence so you could see, feel and listen to how you felt? Really took the time to notice what was affecting you and changing your inner vibrations, your inner resonance, that part of your core that is the “you”

This means getting in touch with your inner self and become aware of your feelings and how they affect your life. Sounds like good advice to me.

Happiness is another of those relative concepts that you occasionally come across that most seek, some claim to find, and others remain quite insistent that they have found while yet others will attest that there is no real happiness except what you create.

Read into this that you can and must create your own happiness but also think about how your smile can uplift someone else’s day despite all that they went through. The same can happen to you when someone smiles at you.

Drawing the grief of the past up for a re-experiencing again and again to the pain of all.

Speaks for itself. Grieve and then leave it in the past. Do not keep bringing it up.

If you are looking for darkness or arcane rituals go elsewhere . This is a tome of light love and humanity.

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Take This to the Trashbin

Celtic Heritage: Ancient Tradition in Ireland and Wales by Alwyn Rees
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was terrible. It is supposed to be a classic but it clearly lacks the making of a true classic. It is neither scholarly nor entertaining. If you wish to understand Celtic Heritage I am sure there are better books out there. It is not clear where the paraphrase stories begin and end before jumping off into explanation. There needs to be a clear delineation of things in order to be fully comprehendsble. There needs to be fuller biography of the heroes and characters in the story . This book lacks that. So this book has good information but the formatting is terrible. The writing is muddled making it hard to ascertain the point.

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The Clan of Tubal Caine

The Robert Cochrane Tradition:CTC: Tubal's Mill Revised: An Autobiography by Shani Oates
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A has been said about the Robert Cochran’s Clan of Tubal Cain and according to Shani Oates, maiden of the CTC, much of it is untrue and comes from outsiders looking in. This book is meant to deal with the distortions and misinformation that is out there . I for one am glad because believe me there is lots of confusion.

Shani starts off with explaining some basic tenets of Robert Cochran’s philiosophy and some of their praxis. She does Ltd the similarities between Wicca and the Clan of Tubal Cain. Last there is discussion on the possible origins of the clan.

Some of the most recent rumors devolve around three or four issues. There is speculation as to where the tradition originated. Some say he made it up, while some others believe it was a family tradition . Cochran’s family was Methodist . The Royal Windsor Coven is a rumored coven that Robert Cochran started or belonged to prior to starting the Clan of Tubal Caine. No evidence of this coven has been found and there is no mention of it in Robert Cochran’s writing or letters. Further more associates close to him like Evan John Jones, Doreen Valiente and Bill Grey make no mention of it.

Another rumor on the mill is that the regency Coven which sprung up after Robert Cochran’s passing was part of Tubal Cain. Nothing could be further from the truth. It was started by Robert White and George Standard. They were banished from the Clan and is not part of the tradition. Another rumor is that they are Luciferian, not true. They do not pay homage to Satan or Lucifer. They blend Northern Tradition with some Old Testament myths .the closest approximation of what they work with is Hermes, Hecate and Saturn.

If you are looking for Clan of Tubal Cain or to get involved with them then I Suggest you avoid Joe Wilson’s 1734 Tradition and avoid Ann Finnins Ancient Celtic Church which Claim or did Claim they were part of the CTC. Their material may have recieved inspiration and some teaching from the CTC but it ain’t CTC.

Shani Oates is the spokesperson for this tradition and no other. She mentions others who are responsible for spreading misinformation. Among those names are Michael Howard, Dave and Ann Finnin ,John of Montsmouth.

The world of crafters is a small world and there is often times misinformation out there meant to fool you or lure you in. Shani Oates sets the record straight .

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The Magical Trump Presidency

Dark Star Rising: Magick and Power in the Age of Trump by Gary Lachman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What is the secret to Trumps success and his presidential victory? He seems to bumble through his presidency without a plan or clue and yet he still manages to come out on top. Is it collusion with the Russians? Or perhaps it is his untold millions or is it a pact with the devil? The title does suggest something sinister.

The real secret lies in positive thinking. As Robert Spencer, the leader of an alt right group, proclaimed that we willed Trump into power. This sounds magical to me. Trump was a follower of Vincent Normal Peale, a minister who believed in the power of thinking positive. Vincent Norman Peale had a plan of action that stated “Picturize it, prayerize it, actualize it.” If the mind can conceive it then the mind can achieve it.

This incredible book details the history of new thought or positive thinking, going back to when it was used for health. Now it is being used to generate wealth or achieve ambitions. Trump approaches his job with a controlled neurosis and not much of a game plan to tie him down. Rigidity in his mind detracts from success.

In terms of getting elected several Magick terms are discussed. Egregires or group mind mascot is a being or way of thinking created from the energy of human thought. Pepe the frog is an example . He was used to get trump elected. It carried an idea from mind to mind. Pepe the frog could be an egregore. On the net lol was usd to mean laugh out loud. Well in the gaming world typing lol translated to Kek. Somehow this kek got attached to Pepe the frog. Kek was also an Egyptian deity, a frog deity.

Chaos magic comes into play over in Russia. Alexander Dugin himself appears to be a chaos magician, he wears the chaos star. Like Trump this guy is a post modern thinker where in the truth and reality are negotiable. He is also a traditionalist meaning that he believes that in the beginning there a divine revelation or period and since then things have digressed. He is using chaos magic techniques to restore Russia to a Eurasian super power. There is a conflict with the west it is over supremacy. It could also turn into an occult war.

This fascinating book opened for me an internal doorway. I plan to read this author’s book and some that have been recommended or mentioned. The imagination is everything.

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Reclaim the Feminie Power

Witch: Unleashed. Untamed. Unapologetic. by Lisa Lister
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Many women are starting to hear a certain call the comes from the depths of their soul. That call is to reclaim their feminine power. For millennia that power has been locked away. Time of remembering is upon us. Lisa Lister comes off as a strong feminist, which she is as this book is geared toward women.

To her it is time to recognize that a woman’s greatest source of power is between her legs and in her womb. The author is correct that women should embrace their feminine power. She advocates trying to step out of the dude centric paradigm. Women have been cut off from nature’s flow. Their menstrual cycles are in line with the lunar cycles. Their age corresponds to the wheel of the year. Women need to get back into sync with that Patriarchy has separated women from their feminine power by labeling it evil. One way to do that is to reclaim the word witch.

Women are natural creators,healers, oracles and workers of magic. What follows is an easy diy guide on magic. Lisa gives the reader a low down on all the systems of witchcraft that are out there. A few spells and recipes are thrown in for good measure . Lunar guides included as well so you best know when to use your spells. Color guides and herbal guides are there as well.

Lisa Lister is a 3 rd generation gypsy witch who learned most of her skills from her nana. Her reclamation of power happened after she experienced so health problems. While I can respect her call to shake up patriarchy I found some of her points rather far fetched. Research has shown that the number of women murdered during the burning times was not as high as 13 million,. She seems to blame patriarchy for everything especially as the fact that other women are each other’s own worst enemy. What I do like is that she breaks the dependency to rely on outside authorities and books on the rules of magic. No rules, you do what works for you.

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Escape From ISIS

The Girl Who Escaped ISIS: This Is My Story by Farida Khalaf
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Life in the Yazidi village of Koch’s was close to idyllic. Surrounded by a loving family , Farida led an ideal life. During the day she helped out with the chores and played with her friend. Her father who was in the Iraqi military taught her how to shoot a weapon. In autumn they would visit the village of sin jar and go to Lalish for spiritual pilgrimage. Farida was a math expert and the top of her class. All that would change in the most drastic of ways.

What started out as a Jihadist rebellion in Syria soon spread to Iraq. It was amazing how easy it was for ISIS to come into Iraq and take over entire cities without the Iraqi army doing anything. Soon city after after city fell and her village Koch’s was overrun by ISIS fighters with black flags perched on every roof. Life changed drastically.

In a scene that could could have come out of the Armenian Genocide, ISIS fighters walked into the village along with Muslims from neighboring villages and at first told people to hand over their valuables and then later their guns. The ultimatum came when Daesh told them to accept Islam. Most refused. The men were carted away and shot somewhere outside of the village. The young girls were then hauled off to different slave markets.

Farida was sent first to Raqqa and then to an oilfield south of Der Azore. Farida and the other girls were continually abused and assaulted in the worst possible ways. After numerous escape attempts and attempts at suicide she finally was able to break free. Breaking thro0ugh an unlocked backdoor and armed with a cell phone, Farida contacts a relative in Germany with a stolen cell phone and a smuggler gets hear over the border to Iraq. She end up going to GErmany and becoming a Math teacher.

These monsters in ISIS are not real Muslims and they have no knowledge of Islam. Even the Yezidi captive knew more about Islam than they did. ISIS fought against other Jihadis from/other organization. They persecuted other Muslims who were not religious , Shia and Christians. There is a difference between Jihadi and Muslim. Fanatics are a threat to humanity regardless of their color or religion.

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