An explanation of this sub-board (Sticky)

[us4-he2-gal2]

TThe Essays on Modern Occultism Sub-board

For years enenuru has concentrated more or less exclusively on academic information pertaining to Ancient Mesopotamia, and often, consideration has fallen specifically on the ritual and incantation texts that have been preserved from this area. And so when the notion to explore the modern occult is put forward in this way some explanation should be extended -


I have to some degree read into modern occult literature, although never in great detail. I always found that before I would really embrace this or that movement or occult legend, my faith would expire long before my interest was satisfied. In that way I moved from figurehead to figurehead until coming to archaeology as the route that I believe in - that is, I believe it is the most dependable way of answering the question what is tradition? What is authentic? What was magic to the people in the earliest tradition we are going to find?

I believe there are a number of benefits for re-examining the modern occult now that enenuru has found a reasonably solid footing - ultimately, I would propose that archaeology offers a more valuable glimpse at the root of tradition than anything modern occultists have managed to coble together, for the reason that even when their intentions are pure they simple lack reliable and dependable source materials. Anything passed from hand to hand down to our day has certainly undergone a transformation - but not that of lead to gold by any means, rather from pure tradition to hopeless corruption. These are the limits of transmission, and the reason clay in an Assyriologists hand is pure gold to some.

The effort here should be to contextualize the occult, the benefits are that we will be better able to define modern idea's of magic and this allows us to precisely separate the ancient and the modern, or the pure and the corrupt (the academic and the fraudulent). The idea is not specifically to debunk modern occult when this or that figurehead is found to corrupt tradition, but if the process exposes this shortcoming, this also allows one to explain why archaeology has the advantage. In the end, without an opposing pole its difficult to place yourself and your choices - this study, I suspect, will also help to contextualize Mesopotamian magic as the fruitful object of obscure intellectual curiosity.

[xuchilpaba]

A lot of Jewish Mysticism has its roots in ancient Mesopotamia. But I would have to dig everything up.

For example in Jewish extra biblical works and in the Zohar Cain was said to kill Abel over the desire of a woman. This confers more to the Wooing of Inanna than the biblical tradition.

[enkur]

I could also say that when reading some academic stuff I often need an effort of will-power to keep up my interest alive but if the topic really concerns me I have no problem with the academic dryness - I have accepted the reality that even after several incarnations, the academics will still lack my experience with the netherworld they investigate as "beliefs" held by the ancient people not willing to recognize the fact that the science by the same logic could be also classified as a "belief" held by the contemporary priesthood of the status quo. So I just use their dry data to restore the lost magical lore of the Bronze Age as far as it's possible and as far as it's necessary to me.


Problems arise when certain occultists deprived from any genuine feeling of antiquity try to make money by bending the ancient traditions to their poor taste. Problems arise when haughty academic students of no experience except memorized factology behave offensive with others who are far more experienced in their own sphere than them in theirs etc.


Obviously it's destiny which makes some people to feel the world that way and others in another way. The sorcerers, on their own part, are predestined to move on different tracks, to change them, to move from one destination to another, to investigate how it feels when being a scholar, when being a religionist, when being an artist, when being a warrior, when being a lover, when being other than human being etc. etc. - in this respect the sorcerers differ from the armchair occultists but their tragedy is that they will never get satisfied with anything and that's the price of playing with destiny. Yet there is a mystery which will never be revealed but they will always search for it - paradoxical enough, isn't it?



As far as the archaeology is concerned, to say I have a great interest therein will be not enough since it was an unaccomplished dream of mine, but anyway, I also regard it as the only trustworthy means to investigate the antiquity however profane this means is. Let it be understood that I find all the contemporary human civilization as profane and have no respect to anything except to the idealistic approaches of certain individuals to their own spheres of interest, and you, us4-he2-gal2, are one of them What makes the things sacred and numinous is our approach to them.


Yet, on sorcery point of view the archaeologists are profanes. There are certain of their main enemy - the treasure-hunters, or the lotters who show a genuine sorcery respect when doing their dark deeds, so they survive unlike the archaeologists who often become victims of strange, or not so strange circumstances. The curses are fact despite of their denial by the contemporary materialistic science - here is the point we will probably NEVER come to agreement and maybe what I will say further will make me totally disgusting for certain people here. For example, the assertion that Lord Carnarvon didn't die by the curse of Tutankhmen, but by infection caused by some mosquito. Well does anybody expect some Holywood-like effect like two hands extended from his soup to strangle him? Magic works in the most economical way, mostly by what the contemporary people call "accidental circumstances" and those of the materialist belief will never arrange the events in their minds that way, regarding such "beliefs" as superstitions.


So the archaeologists die in the context of their work, not only because of human general mortality. To paraphrase the Devil from Boulgakov's "Master and Margarette" - human is mortal indeed but the problem is that sometimes he is suddenly mortal. The treasure-hunters, on the other hand, however mean and nasty, seem to have a certain magical preparation. Some of them are black magicians par excellence. Again in my accursed native country there is a very old treasure-hunting tradition which is even seriously investigated by certain folklorists as being an inseparable part of the folk psychology. So by the folklorist works of the social psychologist Ivan Hadzhijski (1907 - 1944) I came to know the treasure-hunting tradition used a mysterious manual called "Solomoniata" which contained instructions of how the spirits are to be summoned to show where treausures were buried, how the guardian-spirits of these places are to be made safe, and how guardian-spirits are to be set when a treasure is buried etc. This mysterious manual recalls me of the 17th century grimoire “The Lesser Key of Solomon” also known as the infamous “Goetia” which traditional source is allegedly supposed to be king Solomon himself who by the name of Yahweh summoned the 72 fallen angels and compelled them to do his will. Amongst these demonized entities some gods and goddesses of the Ancient Orient could be recognized. There are Astaroth, Belial, Amon etc. Some of them are supposed to help in discovering treasures, or to be guardians of treasures. The traditional treasure-hunters in my country observe secret rituals and taboos when dealing with certain places where treasures are supposed to be found. I’ve heard interesting stories from certain persons involved in such an activity. According to their tradition when a treasure is to be buried a guardian-spirit is to be set up there by a special sacrifice. For that purpose a fire by special woods is kindled on the spot of the buried treasure and a special incantation pronounced (probably from “Solomoniata”?). After the fire is burnt up the ashes is spread on the spot. On the next morning there should be an animal track – whatever animal is identified by the track such should be the sacrifice. If there is a human track, a human sacrifice is necessary. A guardian-spirit got by human sacrifice is regarded as the most murderous guardian against any intruders, so the traditional treasure-hunters have their secret means how to deal with such a guardian. This is obviously an age-old tradition which the materialist archaeologist neglect as a superstition and time to time, especially when an ancient Thracian tomb is excavated some of them die - were it by accident or by disease, quite by coincidence indeed


Recently a stout and complacent archaeologist got ill and died almost immediately after putting the golden funeral mask of a Thracian king on his face. The same archaeologist used to do excavations by using bulldozers justifying his barbarian actions as a way to get ahead of the treasure-hunters. True, some archaeological excavations in my country take place in the enforced presence of police units because of the eventual intrusion on the part of treasure-hunters who are also armed. Another archaeologist who excavates a certain Neolithic sanctuary says he is happy of having to work with a culture which didn’t use metals yet after having been visited by a band of treasure-hunters with their metal-searching engines. But the archaeologists in my country are corrupted as well. After the “democratic” changes in the 1990-ties the treasure-hunting tradition became a branch of the omnipresent mafia. The above-mentioned traditional treasure-hunters are already rare – the metal-searching engines replaced the traditional divinatory techniques. A historic object of national significance – a mediaeval fortress became a private property of a certain mafioso monopolizing the entire business with the metal-searching engines. No need to say that all the treasure-hunters in the region work for him. The excavated objects of high values are exported abroad through contraband channels to private collections all over the world. Of course, this profitable business gets its rivals, so the new exporters decide that they need more qualified workers than the mere local treasure-hunters, and there are so many unemployed young archaeologists indeed… First the land where the archaeological object is supposed to lie is bought and becomes a private property, then some unemployed archaeologists are engaged… The rest is silence.


Some time ago Sheski sent to me an article about an exposition of Thracian artifacts from the private collection of a local multi-millionaire who has bought them up from private collections all over the world at fabulous prices and he now is proud of himself to return the lost Thracian inheritance back to its land. Even a non-criminalist would appreciate the rich man in question as an unscrupulous murderer upon seeing his photography only but in fact the wealthy ones in this country are mostly of this category and it is from them that one may expect some charity rather than from the state and its institutions.


I suppose that most of you, dear enenurians, live in some different social and cultural realities, so you can afford believing in the civilization, humanity, science, progress etc. Me don’t believe in neither of them and tend not to regret about it anymore.

[us4-he2-gal2]

Hello Enkur:




I would differ with the above when it comes to the question of science and belief. I often have this discussion with a friend of mine who is an aspiring theologian, receiving that education at an academic institution. What is the difference between a religious view of the world and a scientific view of the world? In my mind it is belief. One will think, I believe in god because I believe. The other will measure, check, calculate and conclude. The difference is that the scientific person *bothered to check in the first place*. Whether or not information is fallible, and it is, bothering to check means a scientific person should be spared the classification of a simple believer - in my opinion. Therefore, I disagree with your basic premise, "science by the same logic could be also classified as a "belief".



As for treasure hunting and the black arts, that really is an odd topic. I think I remember reading in the middle ages that necromancy was often employed for the purposes of finding treasure - perhaps this is a good example of how an ancient tradition becomes twisted and corrupt in the degeneracy of the post dark age Europe. In Mesopotamia, Necromancy was given a degree of respect as it envolved the dead (who were greatly feared) - and yet, originally, it was hardly a black art of fraudsters , thieves and treasure hunters as in later times, but a form of divination often employed on behalf of the king. I guess we have quite a bit about that on the necromancy thread.



I will say that your country and it's laws and ethics etc. does sound quite bizarre from my vantage point! 0_0 Though I do have an incredibly inadequate knowledge of that place, past and present. I can see how some of your views are jaded by local situations and some of the apparent mess in those places - yet academia is an international phenomena , and Assyriology is a unique field of study. It's a collective not weighted down by any one place. At least, the progress of the field will surly carry on even despite one countries quagmire Symbolic as that may be.

[enkur]

Hello Us4-he2-gal2,


Science is a belief in reason - the faculty of making causal connection between the observed phenomena. Hence all the measurement, checking, calculating and conclusions are a kind of rituals (observance!) to worship the absolute value of reason - no matter what the evidences, the results, the conclusions are, they prove the validity of reason above all. The scientist believes in the evidences of reason in the same absolutive manner as the religionist believes in "God". For the true religionist the existence of "God" is as real as the observed facts for the scientist. His belief is enough, it needs no evidence as well as the scientific evidence got by observance is valid beyond any belief. Sorry but the essence is the same with reversed values however the reason is unwilling to admit it. Not unlike the religionist, the scientist will never question the belief in his observance - why his mind tends to observe certain things, and tends not to observe other things? He will never think about any possibility that his reason may prove to be a selective program which may control his senses and may block and winnow any sensory information which contradicts its materialist paradigm.


I speak from the view of magic to which both religion and science have denied the right of existence as a separate paradigm because it questions their monopoly over the human mind. Science is an instrument of analysis while religion is an instrument of synthesis. Both instruments have unlawfully possessed the mind and keep it divided by their dualism, so the human being is not able to develop its true potential. Both the instruments lead to dead ends when left on themselves. The scientific analysis tends to reduce everything to a dead matter while the religious synthesis tends to reduce everything to a barren spirit - they are both deprived of life without magic. Due to the human weakness to deal with a magical universe both the instruments have become institutionalized beliefs.


After all, the monotheist religion served the military institution which sought after an absolutist monarchic rule from the Iron Age onwards. Science replaced religion not because of progress but because of its invention of more and more destructive weapons which serve the military institution again. Since magic may make these weapons irrelevant it's again supressed by the new scientific priesthood. I speak about deep unconscious strategies. The inquisitor cassock may suits well many academics - the archetype is still the same, only the forms it takes differ. The moment the military institution manages to master magical technologies science and religion will become marginal.


Though there is such a theoretical possibility, practically the military institution is unable to do it just because an institution cannot institutionalize something which is beyond the human need of creating institutions. After all, it's the basic human weakness which underlies that need of establishing an institution. ME is beyond NAM. Think about it.


As for my country, it's one of the zones on this planet which is out of control. That is, there are certain zones on the planet which are not liable to any human civilizing and whatever attempts are made there in this respect, they are predestined to fail, or to get distorted to the extent of becoming an ineffective farce, a parody of civilization. The history has shown that it doesn't depend on the human factor. Such zones are KUR zones and it's wise to be left such as they are, instead of trying to cultivate them. It's both blessing and curse to be born in such a zone. I will abstain from writing more here but will write a PM to you.

[creyente]

Sept 13, 2011 5:22:23 GMT -5 enkur said:

Hello Us4-he2-gal2,


Science is a belief in reason - the faculty of making causal connection between the observed phenomena. Hence all the measurement, checking, calculating and conclusions are a kind of rituals (observance!) to worship the absolute value of reason - no matter what the evidences, the results, the conclusions are, they prove the validity of reason above all. The scientist believes in the evidences of reason in the same absolutive manner as the religionist believes in "God". For the true religionist the existence of "God" is as real as the observed facts for the scientist. His belief is enough, it needs no evidence as well as the scientific evidence got by observance is valid beyond any belief. Sorry but the essence is the same with reversed values however the reason is unwilling to admit it. Not unlike the religionist, the scientist will never question the belief in his observance - why his mind tends to observe certain things, and tends not to observe other things? He will never think about any possibility that his reason may prove to be a selective program which may control his senses and may block and winnow any sensory information which contradicts its materialist paradigm.


I speak from the view of magic to which both religion and science have denied the right of existence as a separate paradigm because it questions their monopoly over the human mind. Science is an instrument of analysis while religion is an instrument of synthesis. Both instruments have unlawfully possessed the mind and keep it divided by their dualism, so the human being is not able to develop its true potential. Both the instruments lead to dead ends when left on themselves. The scientific analysis tends to reduce everything to a dead matter while the religious synthesis tends to reduce everything to a barren spirit - they are both deprived of life without magic. Due to the human weakness to deal with a magical universe both the instruments have become institutionalized beliefs.


After all, the monotheist religion served the military institution which sought after an absolutist monarchic rule from the Iron Age onwards. Science replaced religion not because of progress but because of its invention of more and more destructive weapons which serve the military institution again. Since magic may make these weapons irrelevant it's again supressed by the new scientific priesthood. I speak about deep unconscious strategies. The inquisitor cassock may suits well many academics - the archetype is still the same, only the forms it takes differ. The moment the military institution manages to master magical technologies science and religion will become marginal.


Though there is such a theoretical possibility, practically the military institution is unable to do it just because an institution cannot institutionalize something which is beyond the human need of creating institutions. After all, it's the basic human weakness which underlies that need of establishing an institution. ME is beyond NAM. Think about it.


As for my country, it's one of the zones on this planet which is out of control. That is, there are certain zones on the planet which are not liable to any human civilizing and whatever attempts are made there in this respect, they are predestined to fail, or to get distorted to the extent of becoming an ineffective farce, a parody of civilization. The history has shown that it doesn't depend on the human factor. Such zones are KUR zones and it's wise to be left such as they are, instead of trying to cultivate them. It's both blessing and curse to be born in such a zone. I will abstain from writing more here but will write a PM to you.

to add something, the cientist today are fighting over method just the same way religious people were fighting over method in old times... what about the differing paradigmas of different cientist schools of thought? no one can deny that science is becoming a cult if it wasnt at first... and dont make me start with cientific laws... they are the closest thing to religious belief you can get from an atheist, and they are basically the same... 

what science does have is a feeling of evolution, of progress that some other religions do not have... but we are in an age were science is replacing religions so much, that denying it to be one, is like denying celphones are phones... it does not matter how much they differ, they came to be because of men looking for answears and they both worship blindly over one or more things they believe are the explanation to all...

thats what i have to add.