Books published by Mandrake of Oxford

During the 1950s and early 1960s the Sydney-based trance-artist and Pan-worshipper, Rosaleen Norton, was well known in Australia as ‘the Witch of Kings Cross’ and was frequently portrayed in the tabloid press as an evil ‘devil-worshipping’ figure from the red-light district. Norton attracted attention from both the public at large and also the local police for engaging in bizarre pagan sex-rituals with her lover, the poet Gavin Greenlees. Details of these activities would surface from time to time in the local courts when Norton was defending her metaphysical beliefs and seeking to defuse claims that her magical paintings and drawings were obscene. Norton was also associated with the scandal that eventually engulfed the professional career of renowned musical conductor, Eugene (later, Sir Eugene) Goossens who had arrived in Australia in 1947 and became a member of Norton’s magical coven six years later.Norton dedicated her magical practice to the Great God Pan and to a lesser extent Hecate, Lilith and Lucifer. She was also intrigued by the visionary potential of Kundalini yoga, out-of-the-body trance exploration and Aleister Crowley’s Thelemic sex magick and combined all of these elements in her ritual activities.Pan’s Daughter is the only biography of Rosaleen Norton and provides the most detailed and authoritative account of her magical beliefs and practices. First published in Britain by Mandrake in 1993, it is now reissued in a revised and expanded edition.

"In the magical universe there are no coincidences and there are no accidents. Nothing happens unless someone wills it to happen. The dogma of science is that the will cannot possibly affect external forces, and I think that's just ridiculous. It's as bad as the church. My viewpoint is the exact contrary of the scientific viewpoint. I believe that if you run into somebody in the street it's for a reason. Among primitive people they say that if someone was bitten by a snake he was murdered. I believe that." - William S. Burroughs In Literary Outlaw: The Life and Times of William S. Burroughs, his biographer Ted Morgan wrote: 'As the single most important thing about Graham Greene was his viewpoint as a lapsed Catholic, the single most important thing about Burroughs was his belief in the magical universe. The same impulse that lead him to put out curses was, as he saw it, the source of his writing...' Burroughs' writings often describe magical, mystical or occult ideas - Invocations of Elder Gods, descriptions of Sex-Magick rituals, references to amulets, charms, ghosts, omens and spells - all the thematic set-dressing that we all know and love, from Hammer Horror Movies to Weird Tales, from H. P. Lovecraft to Dennis Wheatley and The X-Files... Then there is his personal involvement with belief systems and practices that come from strange 'other' territories outside the conventional mainstream - Scientology, Electronic Voice Phenomena,Orgone Accumulators; Ayahuasca, Rites of Pan in Morocco, Sweat-Lodges with Native American and, Chaos Magic. "Stevens has unravelled the threads to create a superlative supernatural treatise of El Hombre Invisible's life and work. Whether an initiate to the world of Burroughs or a seasoned scholar, this book opens new and fascinating vistas. Vitally unorthodox and yet true to the core, this is an essential text for anyone looking to go beyond the page into an alternative reality, where magic lives." Nina Antonia

This book gives the beginner and experienced practitioner alike a modern, 21st century view into the powerful and often misunderstood magical current called 'Chaos Magick'. Written in a clear and easily accessible style it examines the theory behind many techniques used in magical, artistic, religious and scientific systems of thought; then links and applies them towards desired goals. Separated into two volumes the book can be used by the reader as a workbook with rituals, techniques and exercises to be followed, as a window into contemporary magical thought at the turn of the century or simply as a rollercoaster of a good read! However you choose to use it, this book will leave you feeling positive, inspired and ready to apply any of the methods presented to your own life.

An understanding of the three realities (physical, perceived, represented) enables us to make sense of concepts encountered in everyday life, in a negotiation, observing a physical phenomenon, a sports competition, biology, psychology or architecture.Why is it that, in a cathedral, if we take notice, we can see curved pillars whereas we know that they have been built straight, and that in taking a photo we can see another curve?According to individuals, eras, civilizations, these three realities have co-existed in a balanced way or not, evolving at different rates.What is happening at the present time?What kind of reaction does postmodern man have, faced with antiquated institutions inherited from modernity: trade unions, political parties, fellowships, religions, academies, old schools? How can we account for absenteeism at elections, the disaffection of institutional arts, the development of tribes, huge drinks parties, raves, Hip Hop where we dance on our head?This book involves us in a multiple and decompartmentalized approach to the world.Similarly, in daily life the average person supposes that, in principle, what he sees, what he hears, what he feels, corresponds to a solid reality, an undeniable truth of things. Yet at the same time, he will be able to adapt to any changes in perception that challenge his representation of things, taking a new path and perceiving the new reality. His new reality will be a new interpretation of his perceptions, in other words a new representation of the world. Perception takes place in the presence of an object. Representation is constructed in the absence of the object. Representation is built from perceptions, but also from other factors, like memory or purpose.Illusions are inherent to our biological constitution and functioning. According to Spinoza, the purpose of our body is to persevere in its own being, in other words to survive in the best possible environment and conditions. In this context, our visual system is not a photographic device. Our eye contains a lens, but our retina and visual system anticipate and transfigure the world, to bring about our life-saving actions.

John was a student of Tantrik guru Dadaji Mahendranath [1911-91] in a correspondence that lasted from 1971 to 1991 and with occasional meetings. The last few years were difficult after Dadaji suffered strokes that affected his memory and ability to write with joined up lettering.Dadaji was a Londoner by birth, whose maternal family included hereditary witches, and after meeting Aleister Crowley in his final years, when he was translating Chinese Taoist texts, he advised Dadaji to travel East if he wished to discover the pinnacle of mystical practices. At length, after interceding war activity, he did just that, via Australia to the far East, before settling in Gujarat, India. In so doing he did indeed bridge the range of Eastern and Western philosophies. It was in respect of this that he first borrowed the Norse image of the Rainbow Bridge, when seeking to create a fusion of Eastern and Western practices.The two main streams of activity that Dadaji was most keen to see made available to westerners came from the two main initiations he received in India: The Adi Nath lineage from Matsyendranath, and the Uttarakaula tantrik tradition of North India. The former emerged as the Arcane Magical Order of the Knights of Shambala, AMOOKOS; the latter as the Fellowship of Uttara Circles of Kaulas, which he asked John to organise for him. Most of the contents of this book is the collected essays created as guidance for those taking initiation in the group, and others with interest.Otherwise John has worked as an Art teacher and therapist in schools, colleges and prisons, having achieved his Masters Degree in Jungian Psychology and Art Therapy from London University in 1982. Some of his paintings illustrate this volume.Gregory Peters is a writer and researcher who has written about Tantra, non-duality, and the intersection of East-West spiritual practices. He is an initiate of Adinatha and Uttara Kaula lineages of tantrika, as well as Dzogchen and western esoteric orders. His latest book was the Magickal Union of East & West from Llewellyn Publications.

This book will take the reader on a journey through the world of dreams, the history of dream interpretation and of how dreamers and dreaming in combination with taking action, have made the world what it is today. The author''s methodology explains the craft of effective dream capture and explores the meanings of over one hundred dream symbols. Above all, this manual is ideal for readers in search of self-knowledge and the personal power that comes through better perception of the immediate environment, career opportunities and personal encounters. Put your dreams to work now.Draw upon the wisdom of sages and writers from times past.Explore those uncharted depths of consciousness. Tune into your subconscious. Record your night time imagery. Converse with your dream counsellors and open up a bright new future - yours.

The Pagan Heart of the West challenges current academic notions that paganism died when Christianization occurred; that the transition from paganism to Christianity was a fairly easy, nonviolent one; that persons once pagan were happy to accept the new religion because it fulfilled them or because they viewed it as superior - as if the Inquisition never happened; and that all things pagan are in fact Christian prior to the mid-twentieth century, even though they demonstrate little or no connection to the Christian New Testament. Likewise, Pagan Heart challenges narrow conceptions of "the West." Applying Indigenous and decolonial theories, together with Michel Foucault's conception of subjugated knowledges, Pagan Heart suggests that instead, paganism should be explored as an ancient and indigenous set of common beliefs and practices, at once ubiquitous and local, that includes the reverence of deities; the veneration of nature; rites celebrating the seasons and the life cycle; practices of healing, divination, and magic, often guided by ritual specialists; and arts and philosophies giving expression to pagan figures, concepts, and narratives. In this second, Pagan Heart focuses on the veneration of nature -- flora, fauna, elements, celestial bodies -- and on rituals of the seasons, life cycle, healing, divination, and magic. Like the other volumes, this volume demonstrates that paganism has not only persisted over the course of millennia, but that it has also undergone metamorphosis and innovation. Most importantly, Pagan Heart emphasizes that the ancient gods did not die when Christian authorities forbade their worship and sought, in N. Scott Momaday's terms, to commit deicide, but instead that they continue to exist and thrive.

"Our songs tell of service and honor … of firelight and kinship andblood and steel. They also tell of people who lived good lives and died inpowerful ways. They tell of legacies."So speaks Corva, a member of a secretive pagan society known as theThornish tradition. In this compelling narrative, she recounts the story ofhow she came to the Thornish path and the lessons she learned as sheapproached her initiation into the Thornish way. "What we do, we do for the sacred Earth and the Great Dark Mother isserved not only through our acts in balance but also in teaching what weknow. If we are to save our most sacred and beautiful world and the life-connections our world holds with so many other realities we need to furtherthe education and awakening of as many worthies as we can. And to thisact of reconnecting I will add my own voice."

The stars glow with their own special magick in the night time sky. For millions of years, the stars sent their light down to the earth. The same stars and planets we see today are the same bodies of light that ancient shamans saw around their camp fires. Countless generations looked into the night sky and wondered about the magick above. It was the shamans who traveled in spirit to the Upperworlds to discover the secrets of the Universe. There are many ancient beings in the above worlds that can help us learn about the energies of the Universe and transform our lives for healing, power, and spiritual evolution.As we journey into the Upperworlds, we will learn about the creation of the Universe and the energies that were formed from the first burst of energy and light. Shamans saw that these energies formed into powerful beings. Some called these beings angels, others called them ascended masters. Each of these beings has a divine purpose in the Universe and we will unravel these mysteries. We will learn to spirit travel into the many heavens from many different cultures. We will visit the heavens that were told to us in myths, as well as discover hidden parts of the Universe that await our arrival. We will also learn about the gods and goddess and how to honor them in our daily magical practice. The gods are powerful and they can grant us many blessings. Through our magical practice with the night sky, we will use the magick of the stars and planets to transform our lives the physical world around us.

The Pagan Heart of the West challenges current academic notions that paganism died when Christianization occurred; that the transition from paganism to Christianity was a fairly easy, nonviolent one; that persons once pagan were happy to accept the new religion because it fulfilled them or because they viewed it as superior - as if the Inquisition never happened; and that all things pagan are in fact Christian prior to the mid-twentieth century, even though they demonstrate little or no connection to the Christian New Testament. Likewise, Pagan Heart challenges narrow conceptions of "the West."Applying Indigenous and decolonial theories, together with Michel Foucault's conception of subjugated knowledges, Pagan Heart suggests that instead, paganism should be explored as an ancient and indigenous set of common beliefs and practices, at once ubiquitous and local, that includes the reverence of deities; the veneration of nature; rites celebrating the seasons and the life cycle; practices of healing, divination, and magic, often guided by ritual specialists; and arts and philosophies giving expression to pagan figures, concepts, and narratives.In these third and fourth volumes, Pagan Heart focuses on ritual specialists, including shamans and witches, and on the campaign of Christianization. Like the other volumes, this volume demonstrates that paganism has not only persisted over the course of millennia, but that it has also undergone metamorphosis and innovation.Most importantly, Pagan Heart emphasizes that the ancient gods did not die when Christian authorities forbade their worship and sought, in N. Scott Momaday's terms, to commit deicide, but instead that they continue to exist and thrive.

Khemetic Chess (aka Hypermodern Magick) is a stand-alone book that outlines my theory of magick, and sheds light on ‘active divinatory’ Enochian Chess. Exploring the 64 (8x8) paradigm, it looks at both historical and recent Enochian Chess variants. Aleister Crowley features prominently; and I look at strong Khemetic strands in Thelema such as the Crowning of Horus. It also encompasses Tantra, and Tsakli pieces (moveable shrines) for “No Self” Enochian Chess. This book explains how 88 Ptolemaic emblemata gave birth to familiar Christianised tarot designs. These 88 divide into four groups of 22 Atous, and these combine with the Minor Arcanaii of the Four Winds, 56 divination cards for each of the 4 Elements or Chessboards. Four packs of 78 “Tarot of the Four Worlds.” Khem, ancient Egypt, seems to be the fount of many magickal practices and survivals in diverse cultures. I trace some Khemetic influences on Tibetan Bonpo and Hinduism. Essential components and structure from Kabbalah also seem to begin with the Khemetic game of Zenet, and the Hymn to the Ten Bau of Amen-Ra rather than with such texts as Sepher Yetzirah and Zohar of the Late Medieval Period. Horus, Isis and the other Great Ones of Khem work better under governance of the Tetragrammaton (word with four letters) “AMEN” rather than under the arguably anti-Kemetic, Tetragrammaton YHVH. Hypermodern Magick explains, continues and augments innovations that began with the literary modernist and psychological experimenter, WB Yeats and continued with political surrealist, Ithell Colquhoun, and Don Kraig (Modern Magick). 

Seth is an ancient Egyptian deity, much maligned in popular, academic and theological thought. Up until fairly recently the only thing one needed to know about Seth was that he was the personification of evil and the prototype of the devil and Satan and all bad things in the world. He is the god who in one of the world's most ubiquitous myths, kills another god, his own brother Osiris no less, then usurps his role as king, persecuting the orphaned Horus who only survives to manhood, due to the cunning of his sorcerer mother Isis. Horus then overpowers Seth and ensures he gets his just deserts.This book explores the mythos of the god and various ways of seeing him; these may even appear antithetical, as is encapsulated in what is sometime known as "The Nagada Hypothesis" which stands in contrast to the consensus that Seth was always a malign deity. Topics covered include historical views of Seth such as Plutarch's Anti-God; Modern views of Seth; The Outsider: Gods of Sex and Death;The Two Ways. Includes extensive liturgy, ritual and appendices such as the Seven Spells of Nekhbet - a fantastic piece of battle magic in which the ancient Vulture Goddess enlists the power of Seth to protect Egypt's borders. Also a discussion of Apophis, an ancient personification of evil, who is often confused with Seth. cover: Horus & Seth blessing the King, Pharaoh Ramses III, from His mortuary temple at medinet Habu, Thebes (Luxor) Cairo Museum of Antiquities. ReconstructedThe author's previous books include: The Bull of Ombos; Tankhem: Seth & Egyptian Magick; Supernatural Assault in Ancient Egypt; The Ritual Year in Ancient Egypt & Phi-Neter: Power of the Egyptian Gods.

Edward Bulwer, Lord Lytton, once the most successful novelist in the English speaking world, now unfairly neglected and even derided, was also the central figure in the underground culture of magic and the occult. With his esoteric studies he built a reputation for deep learning in the history and philosophy of this alternative tradition, as well as passing for an adept in his own right. His creative influence, especially through his occult fiction, was surprisingly far reaching. The book sets the achievement of this nineteenth century magus into a large historical context, exploring the intellectual and other influences on him as well as movements he inspired. Some chapters discuss aspects of Bulwer's life, while some explore people and ideas that influenced him and others those he influenced. His seminal role in several cultural movements has been largely forgotten, not least in his home country. This book offers an often unfamiliar perspective on the Victorian era and hopefully succeeds in provoking some questions about our own times. With Bulwer as its focus, and employing a wealth of illustrations, it manages to provide a whirlwind tour of much occult and esoteric culture, from Iamblichus to Symbolist art and literature, Theosophy and modern psychedelia.

This book on spiritual alchemy presents an initiate’s undertaking of the internal alchemical process. It is a pathway of vision and illumination; and with particular emphasis placed on the induction of the alchemical dream, this movement becomes a visionary transition and passage. The practitioner’s psyche moves through the paths of the Opus Magnum, and these paths have a goal—the attainment of the Philosopher’s Stone. It is the internal alchemy that acquires access to the ethereal level of the body, and eventually to the enactment of the alchemical Will.

In Beneath the Pleasure Zones 1 - The Rupture Paul Green created a dystopian world disrupted by the Qliphothic forces of chaos. Its sequel The Polyverse takes us deeper into the inscapes of a ravaged Britain, where the pagans of Leynebridge, the digerati of London and battling fundamentalist militias all struggle to control the flux of reality, under the overview of those sinister cyber-demons the Quantum Brothers.In the midst of these upheavals, Lucas, poet and aspiring scribe of Thoth is still seeking Carla, his capricious sex-goddess, while Lombard the manic virtual reality tycoon undergoes a psycho-sexual metamorphosis that transforms his strategies of control. Ultimately things fall apart, on an apocalyptic scale, taking characters on journeys where everything they most love appears to be destroyed. Magicks work, but not as expected and signs in the sky can be deceptive. But from this maelstrom of horror, wonder and bleak farce, the possibility of Albion's new beginning emerges.Paul Green's other work includes the novel The Qliphoth and the poetry collection The Gestaltbunker. His dramas, which have been broadcast on BBC Radio 3, CBC Radio, RTE Ireland and Resonance FM, have been collected in Babalon and Other Plays - the title piece being his evocation of occult rocket scientist Jack Parsons. Based in Hastings, he has performed at numerous esoteric and literary events. He is not to be confused with the esteemed psychic biker of the same name, whose fascinating book is also published by Mandrake. insert link here?'Good storytelling always leaves you wanting to know what comes next... Plus Green has a talent for some splendidly epigrammatic and surprising phraseology. The bizarre events become satires for our fears and desires and fantasies about where magic and science and social fragmentation might take us...' (Peter Carroll on Beneath the Pleasure Zones - The Rupture)

Unlock the hidden powers of crystals and gemstones.For millennia, magicians and astrologers, familiar with celestial magic, knew that precious stones held an important key for the maintenance of health and wellbeing. During the Age of Reason this knowledge was lost. Now, nearly 400 years later drawing from ancient sources, Peter Stockinger's astro-magical lapidary invites you to re-discover this long-lost knowledge and to learn how to utilise the magical and therapeutic powers of gems.· Read the in-depth descriptions of 30 gemstones and crystals revealing their hidden lore, and discover their practical use from antiquity;· Study real-life cases that demonstrate how to use the beneficial powers of crystals and gemstones;· Learn how to find your perfect gem, create gemstone talismans and manufacture lucky fixed star rings.The lapidary also contains a thorough introduction to the subject of traditional astrology, a therapeutic index and a detailed glossary.

Imagine yourself at the World Tree, Yggdrasil. You sit on one of its gigantic roots. Urd's Well is in sight and maybe you can see the Norns, the weavers of fate. The colours of a Rainbow touch the Well's shore. Your eyes follow the colours of the Bifrost Bridge high into the sky. Twelve specks of white light appear. Do you see the Aesir?Doors of Valhalla presents an exegesis of Voluspa, Havamal, and Lokasenna. The Voluspa poem is looked at from a contemporary esoteric perspective but particularly discusses the evolution of consciousness. Havamal is interpreted from a cultic perspective. The Gunnlod story and its initiatory implications, such as soul contact, are especially treated. Lokasenna outlines the Norse gods and goddesses as archetypes.The theoretical content is intertwined with practical hints. Chapter 2 features an exercise to contact a water spirit for Spá divination. Chapter 5 develops the creation of magical thought-forms. Chapter 6 describes a genuine Seidr trance technique. Chapter 7 includes hints on ceremonial magic. Last but not least, chapter 11 details how to work with god archetypes.

"Long ago the trees thought they were really peopleLong ago the mountains thought they were really peopleLong ago the animals thought they were really peopleSomeday, they will sayLong ago the humans thought they were really people" Constance O'Day-Flannery, Shifting LoveIntroductionShape-shifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. In its broadest sense, shape-shifting occurs when a being (usually human) either (1) has the ability to change its shape into that of another person, creature, or other entity or (2) finds its shape involuntarily changed by someone else. If the shape change is voluntary, its cause may be an act of will, a magic word or magic words, a potion, or a magic object. If the change is involuntary, its cause may be a curse or spell, a wizard's or magician's or fairy's help, a deity's will, a temporal change such as a full Moon or nightfall, love, or death. The transformation may or may not be purposeful.The desire to be different in some way so as to match some ideal promoted through advertising has become an obsession, especially for vulnerable younger members of society. Perhaps the pressure to conform to some unrealistic ideal is something that has always been with us, but surely not to the extent that now is the case. And it is this desire that helps to account for the current interest in shape-shifting as it would seem to provide a means of achieving the goal to bring about change. However, as many of the tales in this collection show, it is only by coming to terms with who we really are that peace of mind can truly be ours once again.Another, and perhaps even more significant reason for the fascination with shape-shifting is that stories and shamanic journeys that involve such transformations let us cross the threshold between this reality and other worlds, at least in imagination. Through such tales and journeys we learn to appreciate that we can in fact wear many shapes and inhabit many skins, and we are reminded that we are all living beings beneath the fur, the feathers, and the scales.Having no scripture, liturgy or singular deity, if one's ... desire is to find universal truth it is easy to perceive the Pagan outlook as too diverse and individualistic to have any weight or worth. (Restall Orr, 2012, p.96).On the other hand, if you take a Bible and put it out in the wind and rain, soon the paper on which the words are printed will disintegrate and the words will be gone, whereas for the Pagan his or her Bible IS the wind and rain. And although there may not necessarily be key texts or set teachings to guide the Pagan, there are stories: legends shared with other people, other lands, tales from other, older, cultures that speak to us, and it is those stories that form the focus of this book.