Updates

I have a new post over at Gods and Radicals, "The Luck of the Times: A Ritual", in which I craft a ritual for the achievement of luck in dark times. In it I offer a call I wrote to the Roman goddess of luck, Temporum Felicitas i.e. "Luck of the Times", as well as using two rituals from the Greek Magical Papyri calling forth the Greek goddess of luck Tyche and the Agathos Daimon. The entire thing is book-ended by the assistance of the god Janus. Check it out, there is also a fair amount of investigation into the nature of luck, its connection to place, time, and the Good Daimon, as well as its distinction from Fate, Necessity, and Destiny. There is a lot more I wanted to discuss but the piece is probably already sufficiently packed with investigations into various more or less obscure occult and religious connections. However, I am tempted to pursue a future post, probably here, concerning the role of the serpent symbol in presenting both the goddess Ananke and the Agathos Daimon along with the interesting idea that the Agathos Daimon is potentially the serpent on the Rod of Asclepius, god of healing.

Review of the "Encyclopedia Goetica" at Gods and Radicals

I just published a review of the full Encyclopedia Goetica by Jake Stratton-Kent over at Gods and Radicals. Check it out if you are interested, here is the first paragraph of my review:

Jake Stratton-Kent’s Encyclopedia Goetica is a monumental achievement, but more than that it is of vital importance for practicing occultists, pagans, and all those who fall into both categories. A work spanning three official volumes stretched across five actual books, it is an invaluable addition to occult history, theory, and practice. I intend to offer, in this review, an extensive and careful consideration of the full sweep of the project but if you are waiting for the bottom line allow me to say at the beginning that anyone interested in western occultism and paganism must read these books. They are probably the most impressive occult works to be written in my lifetime.

I will likely have a bit more to add here on this blog as I see what other folks have to say in response to my review and mull over the issues and questions raised (some interesting ones have been raised in the comments already).

I do, however, want to stress how one can pick up the books if one wishes to. Do not try to buy them on Amazon, rather go directly through the publisher Scarlet Imprint. If you are looking for the affordable versions you want the Rouge edition, which comes as well with an e-book version.