The Hermetic Hour

The Qabalah of Wizardry

On Thursday May 6th, 2021 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a revised chapter from the new edition of The Book of Solomon’s Magick, Chapter Five, the Qabalah of Wizardry. This revision is necessary because our version of Qabalah has undergone some evolvement since this chapter was published twenty-six years ago. We have discovered the Celestial Tetragrammaton, restored the Eleven Sphere Tree of Life before the Fall. Evolved the sacred marriage from Baal and Astarte to Jesus and Mary Magdalene in the Rosicrucian degrees and created new kameas for the outer planets. I suggest you have your Tree of Life diagrams handy as you listen so that you can follow along the paths.
 

Astral High Magic: De Imaginibus of Thabit Ibn Qurra (re-broadcast)

On Thursday March 31st, 2016 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a review of John Michael Greer's new translation from the Latin version of "De Imaginibus of Thabit Ibn Qurra" titled "Astral High Magic". This book replaces an earlier publication translated by Christopher Warnock in the Renaissance Astrology list. De Imaginibus is the technical side of Sabian elective astrology. How to make talismans. Thabit Ibn Qurra was the most famous of the Harranian astrological magicians. We will also discuss the Sabian planetary magick and hermetic affiliations. The surviving Mandanean cult claims to be preserving their traditions along with works attributed to John the Baptist. We were first on the scene with Sabian lore in our 1999 Book One, of the Seventh Ray (the Blue Ray) with our translation, from the German version of the Arabic original, of the Sabian planetary rituals from Picatrix. So if you want to know how to keep scorpions out of your house, among other things, tune in and we'll see how the Magi do it.

Fairy Magick with Feraferia and the Roebuck (re-broadcast)

On Thursday March 10th, 2016 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon and Guests Lady Jo Carson of Feraferia and Lady Ann Finnin of the Roebuck, will have a discussion on "Fairy Magick". We will recall the classics in this field such as "The Fairy Faith in Celtic Countries," Evans-Wentz,(1911) "The Faerie Queen" by Edmund Spencer (1590) and more recently Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Sussana Clarke (2004) Lady Jo will mention other recent books in the field, including one she is working on involving Fred Adams extrapolations from Robert Graves' Celtic "Tree Alphabet" from "The White Goddess" (1946) which should be a veritable Qabalah of fairyland. Lady Ann will mention the Roebuck's connections to Celtic fairy lore. I will delve into "The Book of Oberon" (2015) a translation of an Elizabethan 16th century magical compendium mixing Solomonic and fairy lore in a compendium similar to the Lemegeton - and including Lemegeton material. So let's all spend an hour under the hill with the changelings and the little people -- and remember what the old cunning man said: "Aye! You can see them if they want you to." He also asked: "What is your name? What is your quest? What is your favorite color?"

Secrets of the First Conjuration of the Goetia

We have had a photocopy of a 300 year old magical manuscript in our archives for fifty years and have used it or research, study, rituals, and publications but until we began a serious study of Valentinian Gnosticism we had no idea what secrets were hidden in this Elizabethan era manuscript that we had been using for years. The structure of the Celestial and Terrestrial versions of the Tetragrammaton was set forth in the First Conjuration of the Goetia. Elizabethan magicians were NeoPlatonists and Hermetics. They were partial to Christian Gnosticism and venerated the most high God, honoring Jehovah as the God of the Earth Sphere. I now wonder if Soane 2731 influanced us to realize the two Tetragrammatons years before we discovered them in the text of the First Conjuration.

Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and The Holy Grail (re-broadcast)

On Thursday February 25th, 2016 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon
will present a reading and commentary on a chapter, by Fraters Thabion
and Solomon, from the forthcoming book Hermetic Yoga, Beyond the Middle
Pillar, Vol. 2, titled Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and the Holy Grail. This
will trace the story from Bethlehem to Camelot with some remarkable
surprises, such as Jesus was the grandson of King Herod the Great,
Jehovah was not his Father in Heaven, that he believed in equality for
women, and tolerance for the Gentiles. That he married a Phoenician
princess and sought to unite all Israel under the original Most High God
EL That his cousin Herod Antipas bribed Pontius Pilate to have him
executed, and that Mary Magdalene barely managed to escape with their
son to Southern France where they founded the Cult and the lineage of
the Sangreal -- Its all documented with the latest discoveries from
ancient archives, so tune in and we'll go beyond The D'Vinci Code.

Consecrating a Bishop Hermetic Style

The Hermetic Hour for Thursday April 1st, 2021 with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the forthcoming Bishop’s Consecration ceremony and investiture we will be performing this weekend upon one of our senior Rosicrucian adepts. It will be modeled after the Roman ceremony altered to conform with Hermetic and Gnostic Christian (Valentinian) dogmas and symbolism. It will be divided into the traditional three parts: The Examination, The Consecration, and The Investiture. In our case The Communion of the Elements will replace the Mass as the ceremony of Consecration. Honey replacing wine. In The Investiture, Hermes will replace Moses, Melchizedek replaces Aaron and through Christ our Lord is extended to: “Through Christ our Lord and Mary Magdalene our Lady.” Although our broadcast is on April fools day the actual Ceremony will take place on the 3rd – but if the broadcast date casts aspersions on the merit of the occasion we might ponder why the Fool is at the top of the Tree?

Sir Francis Younghusband - Soldier and Mystic (re-broadcast)

On Thursday February 4th, 2016 The Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon
will present a discussion on the fascinating military and occult career
of Lt.Colonel Sir Francis Edward Younghusband (1863-1942) the conqueror
of Tibet (1904) and the author of several books on travel, adventure and
mystical philosophy. Colonel Younghusband was an officer in British
Special forces in India during a cold war between the British and the
Russians for control of the Central Asian highlands north of India in
the latter days of the 19th century. Their covert conflict was called
"The Great Game" and was the stage for high adventure. Rudyard Kipling
novelized "The Great Game" in Kim. In 1904 Lord Curson the Viceroy of
India sent Colonel Younghusband up into Tibet with an invading British
army to flush out the Russians whom Curson was convinced had infiltrated
the mysterious country. After slaughtering the primitive Tibetan army,
Younghusband took Lhasa but could not find a single Cossack, or even a
Russian rifle, However he did stay long enough to have a mystical
experience that transformed him from a ruthless conqueror into a
peaceful mystical philosopher. He retired to England to write books
about his adventures and his visions, which included life on other
planets, a philosophy of free love, a spiritual drama society and an
expedition to climb Mt. Everest. -- If you want to spend an hour with
the Colonel, tune in and we'll hit the trail going up.
 

Elizabethan Magick from Shakespeare to John Dee

In the Elizabethan period the Italian Renaissance came to England. Even though the English had broken with the Roman Church they were still following the Italians in astrology, philosophy, alchemy and Magick. During the reign of The Virgin Queen the British would exceed the Italians in that one aspect of the Hermetic Arts – Magick. The Angelic Revelation of Dr. John Dee is certainly the high water mark of Renaissance Theurgy. But we magicians sometimes forget that the English Elizabethan period was a Magical Age. It was the Time of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”, Milton’s “Paradise Lost” and Spencer’s “The Faerie Queene.” Magick was in the air. So let us look back on this golden age and recall some of its magical treasures.

Simon Magus and John the Baptist (re-broadcast)

On Thursday January 28th, 2016 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the Biblical personages Simon Magus and John the Baptist. We will discuss their association, their influence on the Gnostic movement and the rise of Christianity. We will have Frater Solomon as a guest commentator. Sources will be the works of Tobias Churton "Gnostic Mysteries of Sex" and "Mysteries of John the Baptist" also G.R.S. Mead's "Simon Magus" and "The Book of Enoch" which influenced Gnostic cosmology and the Mandanean books attributed to John the Baptizer. So if you want to be demystified about the Gnosis, tune in and we'll part the veil.

The Underground War and The Shaver Mystery

On Thursday March 4th, 2021 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on recent reports of an alleged underground war being waged by American special forces soldiers against a coalition of traitors and demonic aliens in a subterranean network of DUMBs (deep underground military bases ) connected to a tunnel network excavated and still inhabited by ancient Satanic humanoids usually described as “demons.” This vast underground network is said to extend worldwide. It was first revealed to the public in 1886 by French writer Alexandre St. Yves d, Alvedre, who claimed it was a subterranean kingdom under Tibet with tunnels that reached everywhere in the world. It was forgotten until 1922 when Ferdinand Ossendowski exposed it again in his best-seller “Beasts, Men and Gods.” Although he may have gotten the story from the Mad Baron of Mongolia who probably got it from St. Yves book, or perhaps from the drunken High-Lama of Mongolia who probably got it from the Mad Baron. In any case a Science-fiction writer (who was also mad) Richard S. Shaver re-ran it as series of truth-based fictional adventures in Amazing Stories right after the end of W.W. II. Shaver gathered a fan base of true-believers, including this reporter at age 16. This evil underworld was peopled by satanic mutants armed with ancient ray machines which could be used for mind-control, sadistic torture or seduction. It made great pulp fiction. Even after I outgrew Shaver, I couldn’t resist making a movie based on his Mystery. In 2007 we released BEYOND LEMURIA which includes all of the elements the present Underground War Reports are featuring: Government and military involvement, Satanic depravity, child-trafficking, and UFO super-science. Tonight we will focus on these current reports and the actual evidence of these underground facilities. So if you want to know what’s really down there stay tuned and we’ll go down the rabbit hole.

The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam (re-broadcast)

On Thursday January 14th, 2016 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon
will present a commentary on and a reading of the Rubaiyat a Sufi poem
from medieval Persia by the mystic and astronomer Omar Khayyam
translated by Edward Fitzgerald and published in 1859. The Rubaiyat is
quintessentially romantic in style and content. It is said to reflect
the ancient cyrenaic hedonistic philosophy of Aristippus and extols a
libertine lifestyle in preference to piety. When I was a teenager I
needed to break away from Christian fundamentalism so I adopted the
Rubaiyat as my alternative to the Bible. I memorized the entire poem so
that I could quote seductive passages to Baptist virgins while drinking
beer on the beach at sunset. Ah! Those were the days! Or as Omar would
put it: "Alas that Spring should vanish with the rose, and youth's sweet
scented manuscript should close, the nightingale that in the branches
sang, ah whence and wither flown again who knows?" And so, if you yearn
to know "What Omar's moving finger writ, " then tune in and we will
inoculate you against excessive piety.

Valentinian Origins of the Enochian Aethyr System (re-broadcast)

On Thursday December 10th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the Valentinian Gnostic origins of the Dee-and-Kelley Enochian 30 Aethyr system. This ancient configuration indicates that John Dee had more to do with the actual construction than previously imagined. Apparently the Aethyrs did not spring full-armed from the brow of Kelley, like Athena from the brow of Zeus. Dee was the scholar and must have discovered the Valentinian model in research, thus directing Kelley's scrying. This has prompted us to add Valentinian angelic invications to the Aethyrs, similar to the way the Shemehamphorash angels are used in Goetia. It acts as a spiritual safety on what is otherwise an entirely elemental process and makes Enochian visions more spiritually and psychologically digestible. So if you want to experience sanctified Enochian, tune in and we will fire up the Tablets.

Kether and the Supernals (re-broadcast)

On Thursday November 19th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon
will present the final discussion on the Tree of Life -- Kether and the
Supernals. In our series on the Tree we have worked from the bottom up,
and now we will have to shift into reverse and start down from above. We
will outline the theory of four dimensions on the tree and how each
dimension contains its own Tree. Kether of Malkuth being the heaven with
God on his throne (if that's what you want) We will also deal with the
two higher dimensions Atziluth and Briah and the Chokmah-Binah yin-yang
effect, Our main text will be Dion Fortune's Mystical Qabalah which is
the main source for both Gareth Knight and John Michael Greer's works on
the the subject. There will be some surprises in store, so tune in and
we will take heaven by storm.

Al-Kindi’s Theory of Stellar Rays

On Thursday February 4th, 2021 - the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the 9th century Arab treatise on Stellar Rays by the Baghdad sage Abu Yusuf Al-Kindi. This work had a considerable influence on Medieval astrology and magick. Its influence continues to this day in the New Age astrology of Alice Bailey and in the revival of Picatrix an astrological magick grimoire from the 9th century that al-Kindi's work influenced. So if you want to find out where the mysterious Seven Rays came from, tune in and we will return to Baghdad in the days of the Arabian Nights.

Astral Time Travel - from Chesed (re-broadcast)

On Thursday November 12th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon,
will present a discussion on our Astral Time travel method and its use
in connection with Hermetic Yoga. We will explain our method of
celestial consciousness projection in relation to stellar distances
(light years) and our use of the Tesseract as a sighting and measuring
device. We will also discuss the remarkable video The Star of Bethlehem
which reveals, using the Starry Night program a conjunction of Jupiter,
Venus and Regulus when the nativity was said to have taken place. We
will mention our Soma Sophia magical celestial tablature in relation to
these phenomenon and cite the philosophy and the writings of Hermes to
back up our methods. So if you want to learn about magical time and
space travel tune in and we'll open the Star Gate.

The Outer Planets in Astrology and Magick

On Thursday January 21st, 2021 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon, Frater Thabion, will present a discussion on The Outer Planets in astrology and magick, joined by astrologer and occult author Ann Finnin, V.H. Soror Urania.  As most of us known astrology, Hermetic Magick and Alchemy arose and flourishied in the years before the modern trans Saturnian planets were discovered. In ancient times it was believed that Saturn was the outer limit of the Solar System and Astrology and its dependent sciences: magick and alchemy factored celestial influences based on what could be observed with the naked eye. According to Hermetic philosophy the Macrocosm of the heavens was reflected in the human Microcosm. We all behaved prospered or failed on the whim of the planets within and the surrounding signs of the zodiac. In magick we all had seven planets in our horoscopes to contend with and we created talismans and rituals to deal with them. In the middle ages and the Renaissance this astrological magick grew into an elaborate system. Which has continued into modern times but since 1791 when Herschel discovered Uranus beyond Saturn followed by the discovery of Neptune in 1846 and Pluto in 1030,the Hermetic Microcosm had to be extended. Astrologers managed to factor in the newly discovered heavenly bodies but magicians and alchemists were slow to adapt. These slow moving long term bodies have profound effects on individuals and societies. We will discuss the creation of talismans (kameas) and mythological  applications to the outer planets. So if you would like to know what lies beyond the abyss, tune in and we'll take you to the Outer Limits.

Da’ath - The Sphere of Saturn (re-broadcast)

On Thursday November 5th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon
will present a discussion on the mysterious hypothetical Sephira of
Da'ath. The eleventh sphere of the Tree of Life which was an actual
sphere in the so-called Tree before the Fall. This sphere is on the
brink of the Abyss between the dimension of Briah and Yetzirah and was
originally attributed to Saturn which is the most distant planet visible
to the naked eye in ancient times, thus theorized as the beginning of
the physical universe. Da'ath means knowledge and is related to the
descent of the Fallen Angels. This sphere is vitally important to magick
and to magical yoga. Our texts will be Dion Fortune, The Seventh Ray,
Book Three, The Red Ray, Hermetic Yoga, and The Book of Enoch, so for
Halloween let us journey to Mot's domain in the mountain of darkness at
the edge of the abyss.

”The Lost Pillars of Enoch” by Tobias Churton (2021)

On Thursday January 7th,2021 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will review "The Lost Pillars of Enoch" by Tobias Churton (2021)This is an important book on one of the most important themes underlying the Western Esoteric Tradition: the legendary secret wisdom  of the antediluvian civilization from before the Biblical flood that inspired later astrologers, alchemists, magicians, Kabbalists, Freemasons and Rosicrucians from the first century to the present. Beginning with Enoch's two pillars as recalled in Josephus, Churton follows the Ancient Wisdom theme through through Hermetic, and alchemical writings and on into the beginnings of Masonry. He cites the remarkable account of Scottish explorer James Bruce who brought the first copies of the Book of Enoch out of Ethiopia and reveals that Issac Newton was an alchemist and a Freemason. He carries his theme of ancient wisdom on through Blavatsky to Crowley, giving us a philosophical history of the Western Esoteric Tradition. This book is highly recommended.
 

The Year in Review -- Twenty New Shows in 2020!

This Thursday December 31st, New Year's Eve the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present our annual review of all the new shows aired in 2020. So keep your notebooks handy to jot down the dates and titles you may have missed so you can find them in the archives. We will try to recall some of the highlights as we go through the list. Due to the virus we did our seasonal ceremonies live on the Hermetic Hour with our members as the cast. So if you want to relive the sacred year, tune in and celebrate with us.

Chesed - Sphere of Dagon and Atlantis (re-broadcast)

On Thursday October 29th the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will
present a discussion on the Fourth Sphere of the Qabalistic Tree of Life
Chesed or Gedulah the sphere attributed to Jupiter the King of the
planets, and the physical locus of the Third Eye. We consider Chesed the
home of Dagon, Capricorn, the amphibian god of ancient Canaan, who is
related to Poseidon the patron deity of ancient Atlantis which we also
place in the Jovian sphere. Once again our texts will be Dion Fortune,
Gareth Knight, Michael Greer, and our own Hermetic Yoga, Volume One. So
if you want to visit the sphere of prosperity (and we could all use some
of that) join us for an eye opener (Third eye that is).And those of you
here in Southern California don't forget our Halloween Party Saturday
night, with the infamous Mot Mass honoring the dead.

Geburah - The Sphere of Mars (re-broadcast)

On Thursday October 15th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon
will present another discussion in our on-going series on the Spheres or
Sephiroth of the Tree of Life. Sphere number five Geburah, the Sphere of
Mars. We will cover different concepts and attributes of this sphere. It
is traditionally ruled by Samael, the Hebrew counterpart of Satan, but
the G.D. changed the angelic attribution to Kamael, connoting a less
evil character to Geburah --or making it a "necessary evil" if you
will. This is reflected in the planetary spirits. The intelligence of
Mars is protective whereas the spirit is aggressive. We place the
Canaanite War-Goddess Anath in Geburah. Again we will refer to our texts
Dion Fortune, Gareth Knight, John Greer and our Hermetic Yoga. So, if
you want to get tough with Hermetic Qabalah, tune in and find out how to
sharpen your magical sword.

Rivendell -- The House of Magick

On Thursday December 10th, 2020 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a report on Rivendell our Church and Order Headquarters in Silverado, California where we have our magical temple and outdoor Henge. Rivendell just survived its second near disaster in this century this last week. Thanks to the God and the Goddess, Archangels Raphael and Michael, Paralda and Zephyrus, the Sylphs and Salamanders and our local fire department, we at Rivendell and Rivendell itself survived without damage, while 17 other homes in our town were destroyed. So this week the Hermetic Hour will honor and appreciate its home and give a history of the place and its unique community. So if you want to find out about America's magical headquarters tune in and I'll be your tour guide.

Renaissance Astrologer Guido Bonatti with Michael Beeson

On Thursday December 3rd, 2020 The Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will welcome V.H. Frater Suon, Michael Beeson the host wizard of Youtube and Bitchute's "Hacking Fate" in a discussion of the 13th Century master astrologer Guido Bonatti and his significant contributions to Renaissance Astrology which is the practical philosophy behind Hermetic magick. So, if you want to want to make Picatrix work for you, tune in and take notes.
 

Tiphareth - The Sphere of Beauty (re-broadcast)

On Thursday October 8th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the Sphere of Tiphareth, the sixth sephrioth on the Tree of Life. Tiphareth is called the Sphere of Beauty and is the center of the Tree just as the Sun is the center of the Solar System. It is the hub from which all the paths radiate and the downward reflection of the light from Kether. Mythologically it is the sphere of the dying gods, Osiris, Ba'al and Jesus, and thus the point of mystic transformation and enlightenment. Raphael is the presiding archangel and an agent of healing. Again our texts will be Dion Fortune, Gareth Knight and John Michael Greer. So join us for for an hour of inspiration as well get to the heart of old Adam Kadmon. Exam question: "How many kabbalists does it take to screw in a light bulb?" Tune in for the answer.

Netsach - The Sphere of Nature (re-broadcast)

On Thursday October 1st, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present the third in our series of lectures on the Spheres of the Tree of Life, The Seventh Sphere, Netsach, the sphere of nature attributed to Venus and the home of the Goddess Astarte. Netsach has been called "The Sphere of the Mysteries" and the womb of the creative process. The Goddess Herself is the Seventh Sphere in that She contains all the spheres of the Tree within Herself and is thus the supreme Initiator. Once again we will refer to texts by Gareth Knight, Dion Fortune, John Michael Greer. and our own Hermetic Yoga, Volume One. Come join us for some deep meditations and reflections on the most intimate aspects of occultism.

An Hour with Karim El Koussa - Jesus the Phoenician (re-broadcast)

On Thursday September 24th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour's host Poke Runyon
will have as our special guest bestselling author Karim El Koussa, who
will discuss his factual-historical "Jesus the Phoenician" and his Dan
Brown style thriller "The Phoenician Code". Karim is in Los Angeles on
a lecture tour. He'll be speaking and book signing at Glendale Masonic
center on Sunday the 27th. We have reviewed Jesus the Phoenician on a
previous broadcast and Karim honored us by quoting our review on the
book jacket of the the hard back of "Jesus". Please join us for an hour
of surprises such as "there was no Nazareth" in Jesus' time. And
Bethlehem was really in Galilee. Most importantly Karim confirms what we
have been saying for years. Jesus was the son of El, not Jehovah. So tune
in and get the gospel Phoenician style.

The Seventh Ray Omnibus Issue

We are finally going to publish the Seventh Ray Omnibus issue which we have been heralding for 20 years, reprinting the old journals from 1972 through 1978.The Seventh Ray, Book IV Omnibus Issue, The Violet Ray is a time capsule. Buried to preserve a record of the formative years from 1970 to 1978 of America’s longest running Ceremonial Magick lodge, the Order of the Temple of Astarte. The Seventh Ray journal was ressurrected at the turn of the century in a new format running for three issues from Book I to Book III in 2011. Now we are unearthing the time capsule and bringing back the originals in facsimilie to be studied and enjoyed by a new generation of magicians. In the pages of the old Seventh Ray you will find articles by William G. Gray, Frederick Adams, Geoffrey James, Luis T. Culling. David G. Kennedy and Janine Renee, and the first publication of Jack Parson’s Freedom is a Two-Edged Sword. You’ll find A History of the O.T.A. along with The Return of the Grail in the Age of Aquarius and Trisecting an Angle with a pentagram and those ribtickling cartoons. So watch for it and prepare to return to those thrilling days of yesteryear -- When Simon King of the Witches chanted Magnetic-Electric! Magnetic-Electric!

Hod - The Sphere of Magick (re-broadcast)

On Thursday evening September 17th, 2015, The Hermetic Hour with host
Poke Runyon will present the third in our series of discussions on the
Sephiroth of the Qabalistic Tree of Life, the eighth sephira Hod which
is called Splendor and the sphere of the intellect. Hod is considered
the sphere of Magick because it is the workshop in which astral preforms
are created and sent to Yesod for eventual manifestation in Malkuth. It
is presided over by the archangel Michael (some say Raphael) and
operated by the craftsman-alchemist gods of various traditions: Thoth,
Hephaestus, Vulcan, Tubal Cain and in our Canaanite pantheon Kusor. It
is also the sphere of the Elohim (the Gods) and the Beni Elohim (sons of
the Gods) so we might say it is strongly Pagan. We consider it Kusor's
library, laboratory and workshop. Once again we will cite Dion Fortune,
John Michael Greer, and Gareth Knight and our Hermetic Yoga book. So, if
you want to get something done magically we will visit the place where
creativity flourishes.

George Orwell’s 1984 (re-broadcast)

On Thursday August 25th, 2016 The Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon
will present a discussion on two modern classics that hold up mirrors to
modern society and recent history: George Orwell's 1984 (1949) and
Ortega de Gassett's Revolt of the Masses (1929). Both authors were
socialists and both were involved in the Spanish Civil War.
1984 is called a "dystopia"and describes British post World War II
socialism evolving into a nightmarish double-plus-ungood (Stalinistic)
tyranny where everyone is brainwashed into believing that: "War is Peace,
Freedom is Slavery and Ignorance is Strength." In "Revolt of the Masses"
Ortega de Gassett disputes the liberal dictum that universal literacy
and education can ennoble and uplift "the common people" into a body
politic capable of rational and reasonable self government, Hence
democracy must be controlled by an intellectual elite (sound familiar).
Both these books are classics and more important today than when they
were written. We will try to put them in a Hermetic perspective for you
(sociology is the new black magick) so if you want to peek into the
future from way back when, tune in and we'll part the veil.

Yesod - Gateway to The Astral World (re-broadcast)

On Thursday September 10th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present the second in our series of discussions on the Sephiroth of the Tree of Life, Yesod, the Foundation, the treasury of Images, the ninth sphere. Yesod is considered the transition point from the Yetzirah to the Ashia dimensions, from the etheric to the astral. It is related to the Moon and is called the sphere of the emotions, of memories and dreams. It is the sexual center both physically and spiritually. It is essential to the art of magick. Again our texts will be John Michael Greer's Paths of Wisdom, Gareth Knight's A Practical Guide to Qabalistic Symbolism and Dion Fortune's Mystical Qabalah. So tune in and come along with us as we delve into the mysteries of Yesod and Levanah.

Malkuth - The Kingdom (re-broadcast)

On Thursday September 3rd, 2015, the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present the first of a series of lectures on the Spheres of the Qabalistic Tree of Life and their relation to Hermetic Magick. The texts we will refer to are: Paths of Wisdom by John Michael Greer, The Mystical Qabalah by Dion Fortune and A Practical Guide to Qabalistic Symbolism by Gareth Knight, and Hermetic Yoga, Beyond the Middle Pillar, Volume One, by Frater Thabion. Malkuth is the sphere where the Holy Guardian Angel(s) are contacted (there are three of them) and where we find the treasure cave of The Dragon. So, if you want to start at bottom and then follow the Dragon upward tune in and we will begin the journey.

Jesus - Pagan Priest King (re-broadcast)

On Thursday August 27th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the theory that the Biblical Jesus of Nazareth, grandson of King Herod the Great was in fact not only the King of the Jews but through marriage to Mary Magdalene, a Phoenician princess and priestess of the Goddess, could claim to be King of all Israel. The new Melchizedek. Frater Thabion (Poke) will again be joined by
Biblical scholar Frater Solomon (Mike) in explaining this remarkable and exciting story. We will cite The Naassene document of Hippolytus, The Lost Gospel, by Jacobovici and Wilson, Robert Graves' King Jesus, and Joseph Raymond's Jesus the Herodian Messiah. This is the beginning of the Holy Grail mystery. Join us for an hour of amazing revelations.

O.T.A.’s Fall Equinox/Festival of Seven Gates - Live Performance

On Thursday September 24th, the Hermetic Hour will present a live broadcast of the Festival of Seven Gates, Astarte’s descent into the Underworld to ressuerrect Prince Baal. This is our 46th annual performance of this ancient Autumn Equinox rite which was inspired by Ishtar’s descent and Princess Salome’s Dance of the Seven Veils. Tune in and celebrate with us. Astarte to the Dark Lord:
“Seven Veils I left behind me, on the Gates through which I passed,
Seven treasures given dearly, but I freely yield the last!
For my hidden veil is darkness, where the final secrets lie….
In thy pride thou hast forgotten: Even Death must surley Die!”

The Samaritans, Good and Otherwise (re-broadcast)

On Thursday August 13th, 2015 The Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the Samaritans, and their position in Biblical and historical Palestine in relation to Magick and Qabalah. Poke will be joined by our Biblical scholar Frater Solomon. We will mention a remarkable discovery we have made in reviewing the newly translated Samaritan Torah, that tends to support our revision of the
Tetragrammaton. We will also discuss the Samaritan Book of Joshua and Budge's comments indicating that the Samaritans developed gematria before the Judeans. Also that famous, or infamous Samaritan magician Simon Magus. Did he really fly? So if you want to find out what the "cursed Cutheans" have been up to tune in and we will climb Mount Gerizim.

Creative Freedom and Hermetic Philosophy

On Thursday September 10th, 2020 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present an essay on Creative Freedom and Hermetic Philosophy. We will discuss the nature of God in the Hermetic Corpus and the concept that all humans are gifted with "Speech" (literacy) but only those who answer the call have "The Mind." This is a form of spiritual elitism more exclusive than Christian Salvation but more reflective of Human nature. We will trace the history of Hermetic study and practice in the Western World, its influence on Freemasonry and Western culture. We will examine its distortions which have given rise to the evils of the illuminati and communism. So, tune in and discover how to empower your dreams.

The Oldest Conspiracy for World Domination: Bread and Beer (re-broadcast)

On Thursday August 6th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon
will present a shocking new Conspiracy Theory based on archaeology,
ancient history, mythology and anthropologica and medical research. It
boils down to this log line: "Refugees from Atlantis conquered the
ancient world with bread and beer." We will be citing current books by
David Perlmutter and William Davis along with a review of what human
beings are designed to eat and what wolves are designed to eat. How
hunting and gathering humans were re-programmed or genetically modified
to eat grain as slaves of the Gods, and then they turned wolves into
dogs by a similar process. This is all highly controversial but there is
good science and anthropology behind it. So if you want to free yourself
of your slave collar (that's the spare tire around your waist), then
tune in and we will start the revolution!

A Lost Chapter from the Book of Shamgar

On Thursday August 27th, the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a newly discovered lost chapter from the Book of Shamgar which describes how the Purple Dragon and the Prophet Bezek found the Stone Pillar of Jacob upon which was inscribed Father Abraham’s Book of Creation (the Sepher Yetzirah). After fighting off bandits and the spells of a witch they brought the sacred stone back to the Tabernacle to take its rightful place beside the Ark of the Covenant and ensure Shamgar his election as Judge for the Tribe of Judah. This controversial document suggests that the Jewish tradition of Abraham’s authorship of the Sepher Yetzirah is correct and it also implies that he was the originator of the alphabet. So if you like ancient mysteries tune in and we’ll open the 32 gates wisdom.

Magical Health and Diet (re-broadcast)

On Thursday July 30th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon
will present a discussion on health and diet in relation to Hermetic
Magick. We will discuss various aspects of health and diet including
supplements, vitamins, so-called super foods and various diet regimes,
therapies, exercises, colonics, "The five rites," energized water, and
vegan advantages and problems. We will also discuss the great grain
conspiracy and genetically altered food. So if you want to go on the
wizard's diet, tune in and find out how to lose twenty pounds of ugly
ectoplasm.
 

The Astrolabe as a Magical Device (re-broadcast)

On Thursday July 23rd, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will
present a discussion on the Astrolabe as a magical device. Those of you who
have seen John Carter will recall the medallion of the Holy Therns that
enabled them, and Carter, to transmit themselves to other planets in the
solar system. It was a magical device that required a conjuration to make it
work. There is a very impressive scene inside a Thern temple with an
illuminated solar system on the transparent floor that shows the vectors and
the formulas. (if you can read Barsoomian.) Now this was created by an
earthling screenwriter, so do we, or did we, have anything like the Thern
Medallion in our magical tradition to inspire him? Yes, the Astrolabe -- a
marvelous hand held instrument from Classical times that could locate
celestial objects (stars) calculate their exact altitude and position.
Primarily used for navigation it was also used by astrologers and magicians.
Combined with the Soma Sophia (the completely gridded celestial sphere), it
also becomes a device to project consciousness (like the Thern Medallion) to
other worlds. With Soma Sophia derived formulas of course. This is all Sixth
Degree material but perhaps it will inspire some of you to keep climbing
Mithras' ladder, So, if you are curious to know how wizards explore the
heavens, tune in and we will plot a course and set sail. 
 

”The Rose of Paracelsus” by Leonard Pickard

On Thursday August 6th, 2020 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a review of William Leonard Pickard’s magisterial novelized biography “The Rose of Paracelsus”(2019). This 650 page masterwork is already considered literature by the academic community. Like Mallory’s “The Morte de Arthur” “The Rose” was entirely written in prison. It recounts Pickard’s academic, scientific, and extra-legal career from the early 1960s until his arrest and subsequent imprisonment in 2000. It is beautifully written, fast paced and well structured. It is subtitled “On Secrets and Sacraments” which aptly describes what it delivers. Pickard was not only a psychedelic alchemist, he was also an intelligence asset (say researcher) for the Ivy League think tanks and indirectly for government agents. So conspiracy theory and even UFO buffs will be pulling quotes from The Rose for the next decade. Pickard connected with an international network of psychedelic alchemists and visited each in a world tour that reads like a James Bond adventure. Returning to the U.S. he visited his mentor the venerable psychedelic sage, Sasha Shulgin, who warned him against a demonic cultist who inhabited an abandoned underground missile base used for an LSD laboratory and an orgiastic temple. But like a character in a Richard Shaver or Sax Rohmer story Leonard Pickard was lured into this hellish underworld where psychedelics were used to en-slave and abuse young women.And because this cult had better government connections than Pickard, he was set up to take the rap for their criminal activities. He was given two life sentences in Federal Prison. Fortunately he has just been released and we hope he will be listening to this broadcast. So. Turn on, Tune in, and learn what’s under the rose.
 

A Hieronymus Bosch Pathworking with Frater Solomon (re-broadcast)

On Thursday July 16th,2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon and Frater Solomon will discuss and briefly demonstrate a Pathworking to the late medieval artist Hieronymus Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights created and narrated by Frater Solomon. This was recently performed at Montsalvat for Inner Order members and, because of the complexity of the imagery it should be considered an advanced working. The presentation was enhanced by graphic backgrounds and sculptural figures on the altar, making it something of a "Perky Pat" layout. The spectral guide was a figure from Bosch's Revelation of St. John the Divine called "Tytinillus" a surrealistic version of a church choir proctor with an insect's tail. So, if you want to open your third eye and step into fantasy-land we will tell you how it's done.

Cliodynamics - Predicting Socioeconomic and Political Events (re-broadcast)

On Thursday, July 9th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will have a discussion on "Cliodynamics" a new "science" of socioeconomic and political trend and event prediction. Contrary to popular belief this discipline was not spawned by Issac Asimov's Foundation Series (Hari Seldon's Plan) but is very reminiscent of it. One of the founders is Peter Truchin, a biologist at the University of Connecticut who has written a book called "War and Peace and War". In which he examines the rise and fall of empires on the cliodynamic scale. This book invites comparison to Oswald Spengler's "Decline of the West" which was avidly read by Hitler and George Bush's Neo-Cons.  It was the Machiavelli of the 19th century. Cliodynamics uses Malthusian mathematical formulas to predict economic and political events. So if you want to know what the boys in the think tanks are reading, tune in and we'll invoke the muse of history (Clio).

The Curse of the Maskim - Planetary Demons of Babylon (re-broadcast)

On Thursday July 2nd, 2015, the Hermetic Hours host Poke Runyon will present an essay on The Curse of the Maskim, the planetary demons of ancient Babylon. This will be an important commentary on the continuing influence of these ancient negative or demonic aspects of the seven planets upon magical theory and ritual. The origin of the Maskim in the underworld of early Mesopotamian mythology will be explained, along with their revolt against the heavenly powers and its influence on later Biblical themes of Wars in Heaven and Fallen Angels. The Maskim inf lance on Solomonic magick will be examined and Stephen Skinner's new book "Techniques of Solomonic Magic" will be critiqued in relation to this ancient demonic influence. The concepts of Earth centered verses Cosmic oriented astrology will be compared and explained -- This program may raise more questions than it answers but it will certainly stimulate thought, so tune in and cheer for the Lords of Chaos or the Forces of Light.

Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic with Catherine Yronwode (re-broadcast)

On Thursday June 25th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will
have as it's guest the leading authority on the African-American folk
tradition of Hoodoo magic, or "Root Work," Catherine Yronwode of the Lucky
Mojo Curio company. Catherine is the author of "Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic"
and "Paper in My Shoe" along with several other related titles. She will
explain the differences between Hoodoo, Santeria and Vodoun, and describe
how this unique American folk-magic tradition arrived here with the slaves
in the old South and continued to evolve incorporating European (Solomonic)
and even Native American additions to become a living magical system now
practiced all over the United States. So, if you want to catch up on your
American magical cross-training (sneaky pete anthropology) this is a session
you need to hear. 
 

An Astral Journey on the Soul Travel Boat

On Thursday July 2nd, 2020 - the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will reveal the lost Initiatory Scroll of the Soul Travel Boat written in the early days of the Order of the Temple of Astarte. This lost document was recently rediscovered while we were doing research for the second volume of Hermetic Yoga and we have decided to release it along with one of the advanced Pathworkings that uses The Soul Travel Boat. From Malkuth to Chesed via the 29th and 21st Paths. So if you want fly the skies of the Astral Plane with us tune in and climb aboard the Soul Travel Boat.
 

Mesopotamian and Canaanite Mythology with Frater Isa (re-broadcast)

On Thursday June 18th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will
present a discussion on ancient Mesopotamian Mythology and its relation to
the Canaanite myths that comprise the Seasonal ceremonies of the Order of
the Temple of Astarte. As our in studio guest we will have Frater Isa from
our Ubar Encampment in Dallas, Texas. We will touch on such subjects as the
Annunaki (Elder Gods), How Man was created by the Earth Goddess as a slave
of the Gods, how Oannes brought civilization to the Sumerians, and the
numerous parallels between Canaanite and Mesopotamian myth and legend. Our
primary text will be John Gray's Near Eastern Mythology which is
cross-comparative. If you have been curious about the similarities between
Ishtar and Astarte, or Baal and Marduk, then tune in and we will try to sort
out the pre-Biblical family-trees for you.
 

Adonia, the Summer Solstice festival of the O.T.A.

On Thursday June 18th,2020 at 8:00 p.m. Pacific time the Hermetic Hour hosted by Poke Runyon will broadcast live the 46th Consecutive annual performance of the Order of the Temple of Astarte's Summer Solstice "Adonia" celebration. Based on the ancient Canaanite Ra Shamrah tablets the drama depicts the death of the Year King Prince Baal at the hands of the Dark Lord Mot on the longest, brightest day of the year after he has joyously served the Dew of Heaven to the celebrants in a Golden Goblet that would be remembered as the Holy Grail. He is mourned by his consort the Goddess Astarte who promises to resurrect Baal and vanquish Mot in the the Festival of Seven Gates at Autumn Equinox. This is the second time we have had to perform one of our Seasonal Rites on the radio rather than in our sacred henge at Rivendell but we urge you to vue our video version of this event in "Rites of Magick" on YouTube.
 
 
Baal: "Behold the Golden Dew of Heaven
       Born of Thunder Clouds on High
       Drink with me this Life Elixir!
       Dance ye round 'til the Cup be Dry!"
 
Astarte: "Each rose is the blood of the Year King
          Burn it and thy sorrows be forgot
          These waters are the tears of the Goddess,
          Shed them and thy sadness shall pass."            

Hermetic Origins of the Sepher Yetzirah

On Thursday June 11th, 2020 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the Pagan Hermetic origins of the Sepher Yetzirah. This ancient book is the Philosophical and mystical foundation of the Medieval Hebrew Kabbalah. And eventually the Hermetic Qabalah which seems to recover its actual origins. It is traditionally attributed, by the Hebrews, to Father Abraham and was said to have been written by him in Harran where he is said to have “Made Souls” The Harranians were star-worshipers who preserved the star lore of ancient Babylon and eventually joined the Pythgorean - Hermetic magical tradition. The Sepher Yetzirah or Book of Creation describes how the Universe was created by the Word of God, using the proto-Hebrew Phonecian alphabet, the first alpha-numeric letter system. Which acquired twenty-four letters to accommodate the entire celestial sphere and the elements, and then became the origin of ancient Greek—which passed on its alpha-numeric heritage to Medieval Hebrew and Arabic. It has even been suggested that the second century Valentinian Magician Marcus wrote the earliest version of the Sepher Yetzirah. Even Gershom Scholem admits that the philosophy of the Sepher Yetzirah is Pythagorean. So, if you want to delve in to the depths of the mysteries join us for an hour of speculation on the origins of The Book of Creation.

Weird Pennsylvania - with Frater Julian (re-broadcast)

On Thursday May 28th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will have as its special guest Frater Julian of the Benjamin Franklin Encampment who is an expert in Pennsylvania folklore relating to witchcraft and magick. We will be discussing his paper on the mysterious Roman family in the colonial Quaker community, Johannes Kelpius "The Wizard of Wissahickon," and his Cave of Kelpius, and Apocalyptic prophecy in the 1690s. The Epherata Rosicrucian Cloister, then moving up toward modern times with Dutch pow-wow, hexcraft, the curious case of the Hexencat and its capture. The York County 1920s Hex murder case. So if you want to catch up on your American occult and witchcraft heritage be sure to tune in for Weird Pennsylvania on the air.

An Hour with British Magician Jake Stratton-Kent (re-broadcast)

On Thursday May 21st, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present an interview with British author and magician Jake Stratton-Kent. Jake Stratton-Kent is especially noted for his defense and support of the Goetic aspect of ceremonial magick and his research linking this practice to the deities and oracles of ancient Greek mythology, especially the denizens of the underworld or Tartarus ruled by Hades or Pluto. He is more partial to the Grimorium Verum than the Goetia or Lesser Key of Solomon although he stresses that both are essentially Goetic from the ancient Greek word "Goes" meaning a necromancer. So if you want to meet a master of art magical, tune in and spend an hour with maestro Jake Stratton-Kent.

The Twisted History of Christianity

On Thursday May 21st 2020 the Hermetic Hour, with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the Twisted History of Christianity. The general theme of this presentation is how the distortion of its original principles perverted its mission for the following two thousand years of world history. We will examine how the Christian religion, which was supposed to bring peace, love and comfort to the people who accepted it, brought instead War, hatred, persecution and despair. We will begin by recalling what Christianity was supposed to be and who Jesus’s Father in Heaven really was. We will remember how his wife, Mary Magdalene and later the bishop Valentinian and his follower Marcus tried to carry on the original teachings. We will recall how the Roman Church created its Inquisition to stamp out the resurgence of original Gnostic Christianity in Southern France where Mary Magdalene and Marcus had preached, and how the Roman Church launched a genocidal crusade against these innocent Cathars killing millions. The Inquisition went on to murder thousand of heretics and witches while the Church bishops exploited the poor and offered salvation for money. Finally Northern European Christians revolted in a movement called the Reformation, but the Protestants failed to correct the original mistake the Roman Church had made in accepting Yahweh as the father of Jesus and incorporating the corrupted Old Testament as part of the Christian Bible. By the 18th century all forms of Christianity were challenged by the rise of a new atheistic religion that offered the same promise: peace, love and comfort. It emerged from the horror of the French Revolution. You can call it socialism, humanism, or communism – but what ever name it goes under, it is actually a Christian Heresy. It is Christian altruism without salvation. So, If you want to want to know how the early Christians got it wrong and how we can fix it, tune in and we’ll reveal a real New Testament.

High Magick’s Aid with Ed Fitch (re-broadcast)

On Thursday May 14th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present the second part of a discussion on Gerald Gardner's 1949 novel of medieval British Magick and Witchcraft High Magic's Aid. The emphasis will be on readings of the actual rituals from the book, including "Making the Great Circle," "the Witch Cult initiation," and "The Spirit Dantalion." Poke will be joined by his long time friend and colleague Gardnerian Elder Ed Fitch as they discuss the influence of Solomonic Magick on Gardner's original version of modern Wicca. Gardner used rituals from both the Greater and Lesser Keys of Solomon in High Magic's Aid, so if you want to get the feel of the way it was in the beginning then tune in and we'll conjure some old fashioned spirits for you.

Gerald Gardner’s High Magic’s Aid (re-broadcast)

On Thursday May 7th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will review and discuss Gerald Gardner's classic novel of medieval magick and witchcraft in England "High Magic's Aid." We consider this a very important work in the Modern Hermetic Tradition because it vividly describes the synthesis of surviving Paganism with the Solomonic school of ceremonial magick in the Middle Ages. A mix of esoteric themes that returned in the form of Gardenarian and Alexandrian Wicca in 1950s England, from which it quickly migrated to the United States. Gerald Gardner was a member of the O.T.O. and worked closely with Aleister Crowley to produce the first modern Book of Shadows. High Magic's Aid tells the story of three Saxon Solomonic magicians in the days of Robin Hood's King John 11th century, who are not able to work their magick effectively without the help of a female Witch. They rescue their priestess from the local inquisition and dig up her precious Athame and white handled knife without which they can not operate. The story is very well written and well researched. Better than Crowley's fiction although he was probably Gardner's editor. We strongly recommend this book to our neo-pagan and wiccan friends who may think that witchcraft and magick cannot co-exist. They can, and they did, and they do -- so if you want to know where and how the wizards and the witches got together tune in and "Merry Meet!" and "Blessed Be!"

Doc Smith’s Lensmen -- The Original Jedi

On Thursday April 30th, 2020 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion and review of the 1934 to 1954 science-fiction Lensman series, by Edward Elmer Smith, PhD, a scientist in the food industry specializing in pastry, whose major accomplishment in food engineering was making powdered sugar adhere to doughnuts, and whose major accomplishment in science fiction writing was the creation of a sub-genre called “Space Opera” His Lensman series and its concepts and themes influenced Frank Herbert’s Dune, Roddenberry's Star Trek, and Lucas’ Star Wars. It even re-influenced the screen version of one of Smith’s inspirations The 1912 Burroughs’ John Carter, when Burroughs's Therns were rewritten by Andrew Stanton as Smith’s evil “Eddorians” and their medallions given the powers of an Arisian Lens. Smith developed the concept of the Multiverse, laser and particle weapons and super computers years before they appeared. His concept of the Lensmen as an incorruptible Galactic police force, guided by secret masters from a hidden planet seems to have been inspired by Theosophy’s “Ascended Masters” from Tibet, and King Arthur’s knights of the Round Table and the Holy Grail. The Lensmen are obviously the origin of the Star War's Jedi.  Another imitator of Doc Smith was Issac Asimov with his Foundation Series. Asimov was so successful with his Foundation series that he beat out Doc Smith for the 1966 Hugo award for “the best all time science-fiction series.” But at least they declared that Doc’s epic was runner up. So if you would like to look deeper into this and even review what happened when Doc ran one of his Lensmen for president and how Clarissa MacDoughil became the first Lenswoman, tune in and we’ll activate the lens. 

The Rite of Memphis and Misraim (re-broadcast)

On Thursday April 30th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the quasi-Masonic Rite of Memphis, sometimes called the Rite of Memphis and Misraim which is highly irregular in orthodox Masonic circles and is usually considered a Clandestine (unrecognized and proscribed) organization to which regular Masons cannot belong. This collection of rites or degrees (96 of them) has a long and colorful history which we will delve into consulting Mackey, Calvin C. Brut, John Yarker and Allen Greenfield. In the 1880's the Rite of Memphis infiltrated the Scottish Rites Northern Jurisdiction and went into competition with Scottish Rite itself to see which system would become an accepted Advanced (Red Lodge) along with York Rite for regular American Masons. Scottish Rite's 33 degree system won the turf war, with Albert Pike's help and the Rite of M&M disappeared into the College of defunct Masonic Rites (yes there is such an institution). The same thing had happened to it in France a hundred years earlier when the Grand Orient absorbed it and locked it up in their archives -- but the M&M is not easily suppressed. Its founder, after signing it over to the Grand Orient, sneaked it into Moldavia (one of Dracula's hang outs) and it briefly rose again. Recently Masonic mavericks Allen Greenfield and Jeff Peace have tried to resurrect it here in the United States. Jeff Peace tried to get a number of regular Masons who were interested in the esoteric involved in M&M, at their peril. So if you would like to explore a delightfully conspiratorial and deliciously controversial secret society that claims to have "All the Secrets of ancient Masonry and certainly enough of its degrees" then tune in and we'll sail up the Nile to the Pyramids. 

The Hermetic Hour’s 10th Anniversary Special

On Thursday April 16th, 2020 -- the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will celebrate its Tenth Anniversary. Like the seasonal Ceremonies of the O.T.A. the Hermetic Hour is the longest running periodic (in this case weekly) Magical podcast serving the Magical, neo-pagan community. We stayed the course for a whole decade, and will continue for another. Tonight's show will be a gathering of O.T.A, adepts familiar to our regular listeners: V'H. Frater Memnonides (Master Phylos) V.H. Soror Ariel (Lady Jo Carson) V.H. Frater Solomon (Michael) V.H. Frater SithMeth (Max) and especially V.H.Soror Zandria (Lawren) who imagined, created,on-goingly produces and edits the Hermetic Hour. She is now officially my better half and this show is more in her honor than in mine. So if you'd like to celebrate a Happy Anniversary with us, tune in  and get Magick!

”The Broth from the Cauldron” by Cerridwen Fallingstar

On Thursday April 9th, 2020 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion and review of "Broth from the Cauldron" by Cerridwen Fallingstar who will join us in the discussion of her book. Cerridwen is a Neo-Pagan Witch who writes Historical novels based on her past lives. She lectures and teaches on shamanic magick, spiritual development and ecological philosophy. She has joined us in Feraferian rituals and is a leader in the Northern California Pagan scene. Broth from the Cauldron is somewhat auto-biographical with most chapters recounting personal experiences which are almost parables, describing the lessons her life's adventures have taught her; from her childhood to maturity living and practicing her Craft. So if you would like to spend an hour with the wisest of the witches join us and sip the Broth from the Cauldron. 

The Whispering Swarm, by Michael Moorcock (re-broadcast)

On April 16th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will review the
new semi-biographical novel by fantasy grandmaster Michael Moorcock "The
Whispering Swarm." This remarkable book should be of special interest to
magicians and Hermetic students. Moorcock is the modern heir to the mantles
of J.R.R. Tolkien, and Robert E.Howard. His fiction is deeply magical and
steeped in Hermetic lore. The Whispering Swarm is somewhat experimental. His
protagonist is himself and he tells his life story up to his passage from
adolescence into adulthood through the entrance into a secret enclave in the
multiverse, inhabited by historical and fictional characters he has read
about. Raised in London during and after WWll, he discovers an ancient
hidden medieval village called the Alsacia, or The Sanctuary, inhabited by
magical monks in an old Abbey, a tavern full of swashbuckling cavaliers,
including the Musketeers from Dumas and a glamorous Hughwaywoman called
Molly Midnight. He also lives in the real world, having a wife and children
and a job as an editor, but is driven to escape into The Sanctuary by the
tumult of Whispering voices in his head (the Swarm). Most importantly it
explores Moorcock's two warring personalities in emotional spiritual and
political conflict. He is a romantic at heart and an agnostic socialist in
intellect -- so he fights to save King Charles from Cromwell's Ax because
his cavalier heroes need his abilities to walk between the worlds. One
wonders all through the book, just how much of the fantasy is real, or a
metaphor for reality. So, if you want to visit an adult's Land of Oz then
follow us through the London fog to the hidden gates of the Sanctuary and
we'll find the Swan with Two Necks tavern for a shant of ale and an hour of
High Magical Adventure.
 

The Illuminati Revisited -- ”The Secret School of Wisdom” (re-broadcast)

On Thursday April 2nd, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will review and discuss the newly published book "The Secret School of Wisdom" Authentic rituals and doctrines of the Illuminati edited by Joseph Wages, Rienhard Markner and translated by Jeva Singh Anand. Host Poke Runyon (Marion Roland) will be joined by his fellow Beyond Lemuria stars Merrick Rees Hamer (Master Phylos) and Frater Solomon (Samyaza) in our discussion of the various aspects of the Bavarian Illuminati: their Masonic infiltration, Christian-based socialist ideology, and conspiratorial agenda. We will discuss Adam Weishaupt's mysticism and contradict some previously held opinions about his atheism. We will discuss his relation with Baron von Knigge and some of the later individuals and organizations influenced by the Illuminati -- so If you want to immanenitize the eschaton (whatever that means) tune in and be illuminated.

Spring Equinox/Nuptiae Ceremony LIVE on The Hermetic Hour

Supporting the National Effort to restrict public events in order to suppress the Corona Virus, we have moved our Annual Spring Equinox, Nuptiae the Spring Marriage and Communion of the Elements ceremony from the Rivendell Henge to the Hermetic Hour. All our presenters will recite the ceremony on the air Thursday March 19th, 2020 at 8:00 p.m.  pacific time. We invite all our Active and Associate Members to listen in and we suggest that you have incense (frankincense or sandal wood) and a candle, a cup on Mead and a platter of wheat crackers so you may take communion with us. If you want to see what a Hermetic Communion looks like review "The Rites of Magick" which you all should have a copy of. Let us hope and pray that we don't have to do this for Summer Solstice. But let's make the best of this alternative. Take care and be well, Thabion, Poke Runyon host The Hermetic Hour.
 

The Grand Key of Solomon the King

On Thursday March 12th, 2020 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will review and discuss "The Grand Key of Solomon the King" (2009) and other works translated by Mamdouh Al Daye otherwise known as Nineveh Shadrach. Nineveh is a Golden Dawn adept whom we have known since 1998 when he sent us a copy of his first book "The Magical Tome of a Divine King;" this was also a Solomonic grimoire in Arabic called "The Medicine of Solomon" which was eventually pirated and became "The Book of Smokeless Fire." "The Grand Key of Solomon the King" is commonly referred to as "Al Ajnas" and is attributed to Asaph Ben Berechiam in the Ishtar Publishing edition, probably to help Solomonize the work. Arabic editions would be attributed to Asif ibn Barkhiya, an Arab version of the same legendary Jewish sage of Solomon's court who supposedly wrote the book. It dates back to the 12th century of the common era. Not quite as old as Picatrix but old enough to make it venerable on the magician's book shelf. I'll be joined by V.H.Frater SithMeth who has some thoughts on "The Book of Smokeless Fire." So if you would like to spend an hour in the study of forbidden and forgotten lore, sit on your magick carpet, rub your magick lamp and join us.
 

The Universal Master Key by Franz Bardon (re-broadcast)

On Thursday March 26th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon
will present a review of the new book: "The Universal Master Key" alleged
to be a newly discovered manuscript by the late Franz Bardon. This book is
actually a reconstructed series of lectures by Bardon to his students
on mastering and balancing the four Hermetic elements in the personality
as set forth in the first section of his book Initiation into Hermetics. The texts
of the lectures are rewritten from a collection of class notes by the students
and rendered in Bardon's writing style by his publisher and editor Dieter
Ruggeberg. The book is published by Faulks Books which mistakenly
represents it on the internet as taken from a "newly discovered
manuscript by Franz Bardon." However it does not appear to be entirely a
hoax. If Dieter wrote the entire book, he has at least mastered Bardon's
style and philosophic attitudes. The book is certainly worth a place in
a Magician's Bardon collection. It is very moralistic and sermonizing in
tone with a strong emphasis on ethics and spiritual integrity. It has
its short-comings. It was supossed to be organized according to the
qualities of each element but he seems to go off the track into a
general discussion on how to live and die well in this and higher worlds
-- so if want to revisit the Bardonian internal tetragrammaton process,
tune in and we will go to Hermetic Sunday school with Reverand Franz.
Next week we revisit the Bavarian Illuminati.

The Ideomotor Effect in Hermetic Magick

On Thursday February 27th, 2020 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion of the mysterious Ideomotor effect which motivates such divinatory devices as the Ouiji Board, the Pendulum and the Golden Dawn Ring and Disc. It is also related to dowsing rods and our Zero Lite. Although the effect is considered a scientific rationale for the phenomenon, it in itself is miraculous and may be more complex and supernatural than the de-bunkers imagine.So if you want to learn how to contact your deep mind, tune in and hang out with the pendulum swingers.
 

The Lightning Flash and The Blasted Tower

On Thursday February 20th, 2020 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a lecture on the Lightning Flash or Flaming Sword on the Tree of Life and its relation to the Blasted Tower of the Tarot on the 27th Path. This is a remarkable synchronicity between Tarot symbolism and Qabalah. In this case it marks the dividing point of the united soul in its descent down the the Paths of the Tree Before the Fall. When the House of God is struck by Lightning Eve falls toward Netsach and Adam falls toward Hod. From then on the human soul is divided. The Goddess rules the Sphere of Nature on the pillar of Mercy and the Fool rules the Sphere of Knowledge on the pillar of Severity. From there on down to Malkuth they remain divided, united only in dreams. So if you want to know why you can’t find your Soul-Mate, tune in and we will tell you where to look.

Merrick Rees Hamer the Magical Mason (re-broadcast)

On Thursday March 12th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon,
will have as its honored guest Merrick Rees Hamer a leading Masonic
ritualist and lecturer in California, a master story-teller, talented
musician, and a leader in the Golden Dawn Rosicrucian Magical
tradition. Merrick is also a classical actor having portrayed "The
Master Phylos" and his evil counterpart "Magister Abaddon" in the Church
of the Hermetic Sciences Production of "Beyond Lemuria" filmed at Mt.
Shasta in 2006 and recently re-released in a second edition. He is also
a leading officer in the Church and in its magical fraternal order the
O.T.A. Merrick will give us a history of his creative and esoteric
interests and accomplishments. So if you would like to spend an hour or
so with a modern master of traditional magick and the arts related to
it: music, drama, and poetic expression, then join us and be inspired.

The Multiverse and Chaosphere from Michael Moorcock (re-broadcast)

On Thursday March 5th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will
have a discussion on the magical heroic fantasy fiction of British
literary lion Michael Moorcock. Although Moorcock did not coin
the term Multiverse he did much to popularize it in his Elric of
Melnibone series. H.G. Wells used it in Men like Gods, and Richard
Shaver's Red Dwarf called it the "Simultane." Parallel Worlds is perhaps
the best description of it. What Moorcock did coin was the "Chaosphere"
that mace-like symbol of the black ball with eight spearheads emerging
that was adopted by Peter Carroll as the symbol for their Chaos Magick
system. Moorcock's literary concept of the Chaos world is presented as
an ocean of swirling colors and energies dashing against the cliffs of
his fantasy world -- and periodically invading and claiming lands ruled
by the Lords of Law. The Lords of Chaos, one of which is Elric's patron,
play a constant game with men as the pawns. Moorcock was perhaps
influanced by Vance's Cudgel, to create his anti-hero The Albino
ex-emperor Elric of Melnibone, who struggles to overcome the sociopathic
heritage of his race and finally secumbs to it under the influence of
his black-magick sword which is a vampiric weapon with a evil mind of
its own. This was a perfect fictional character for the darkness that
followed the era of the flower children, a presage of the current goth
and black metal fads. Moorcock describes himself as an anarchist and is
a controversial literary figure in Britain. He is presently writing a
Dr. Who novel, his first using someone else's character. So if you want
to discover the magick of Michael Moorcock tune in and we'll navigate
the multiverse.

Beginning Magical Training in the O.T.A.

Hermetic Hour host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the beginning of magical training which we sometimes call "Franz Bardon for Dummies". We will certainly concede our debt to Bardon, and to Crowley but we will point out our improvements in their programs and explain the psychological and physical factors involved in conjuration to visible appearance, creative visualization, trance states, scrying and channeling and other skills and techniques the magician needs to master. So if you really want to know how to DO IT, remember the wisdom of the Sphinx who said: "In order for you to learn our teachings, we must first teach you how to learn." He also said:"He who doubts his powers, only lends power to his doubts."
 

Hieronymus Bosch vs. The Spanish Inquisition (re-broadcast)

On Thursday February February 12th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the late medieval Dutch surrealist painter Hieronymus Bosch whose remarkable works have not yet become the secret code behind a Dan Brown novel (hint Bro. Dan) but would certainly provide a great background for such a story. His most famous work "The Garden of Earthly Delights" is a phantasmagoria a of bizarre and nightmarish symbolism. Which scholars relate to the Gnostic sect of the Adamites -- a cult of mystic nudists who were trying to recreate the Garden of Eden. Super Catholic Spain had taken over the Netherlands in those days and the Inquisition was burning the Dutch Adamites as fast as Bosch could paint them but the King of Spain was Bosch's biggest fan, which probably kept Bosch alive. So you can look at some great Bosch graphics on your computer while you listen to us recount the tale of the Devil's painter.

Lucifer, the Cathars, and the Holy Grail

On January 16th, 2020 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the controversial themes and symbols of the Medieval Holy Grail legend. We will first establish that the entire concept of “Lucifer the Light bringer” is a hoax launched in the Old Testament to cover-up Jehovah’s palace coup (the War in Heaven) and the subsequent exile of Elyon and his Elohim (the Fallen Angels). Next we will examine the Medieval Cathars, their origins and beliefs. We will consider the survival of Valentinian Gnosticism in Southern France and the Troubador Courts of Love. We will describe the Grail and its Hermetic-Sabian Celestial origin as set forth in von Eschenbach’s Parzival – and we will reveal what the physical Holy Grail really was. So if you want to know what those nasty French knights were hiding in their castle, join us on the quest.

Dan Brown’s ”Inferno” and Transhumanism (re-broadcast)

On Thursday February 5th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon
will present a discussion on the recent Dan Brown novel "Inferno" and
the the cult of Transhumanism that it seems to advocate. This is a
highly controversial subject and deals with issues that are deeply
challenging from a moral and ethical position. We will also go back to
an earlier novel by H.G. Wells "Men like Gods" which deals with the same
issues and projects a genetically perfected future utopia that seems to
be the goal of the transhumanists. We will compare this form of human
elitism with the process of Hermetic self development and ask ourselves
which way we would rather follow to become "more than human?" So tune in
and find out what's coming in the next 100 years.
 

Old Testament Pseudepigrapha (re-broadcast)

On Thursday January 29th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion and review on a newly published collection of Old Testament pseudepigrapha (apocryphal works) edited by Bauckham, Davila and Panayotov from Erdmans. What makes this 800 page doorstopper of particular interest to us is "The Legend of Melchizedek" and Solomon's Hygromancy which is very similar to the medieval Greater Key of Solomon and may be a later version of the Key's original source. Poke will be joined by Biblical scholar Frater Solomon who first discovered this very interesting publication and brought it to our attention. So if you want to hear about some strange old magical manuscripts that have just come to light, tune in and we'll delve into this collection.

The Hermetic Hour 2019 Year in Review

On Thursday December 26th 2019, the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will
present a review of the new shows we aired during 2019. These programs are all
available for listening and download on our Hermetic Hour Blog Talk radio
web site: > http://www.blogtalkradio.com/the-hermetic-hour > so have your note
book and pencil handy as you listen and jot down the ones you missed so you can
catch up with us. And Merry Christmas, Happy New Year from Zandria and Thabion.

Hermetic Magical Ethics (re-broadcast)

On Thursday January 22nd, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon
will present a discussion on Hermetic Magical Ethics. This will be
somewhat controversial in that we will examine the ethical aspects of
Hermetic philosophy in comparison to Christianity and other Gnostic
variations including Crowley's Thelema and Golden Dawn Rosicrucianism.
We will also question the merits of egalitarian collectivism compared to
the American/Masonic work ethic and personal responsibility standards.
We will review our newly adopted Code of Conduct for members of our
magical lodges and explain some of the reasons for establishing these
guidelines. So if you want to know how well-behaved and nice to each
other magicians ought to be, tune in and we will give you our Golden
Rules.
 

The Tarot of Ceremonial Magick, New Edition with Lon DuQuette

The Hermetic Hour for Thursday December 12th, 2019 -- will feature a discussion and review of the
new edition of The Tarot of Ceremonial Magick by Lon and Constance DuQuette which was first issued
in 1995 along with the book of the same title. Your host Poke Runyon will have as his guest the Maestro
himself, Lon Milo DuQuette, who will describe and explain his masterpiece. The new deck has improved color
separation and is more attractivly packaged and available at a lower price than previous editions. These
cards describe a 360 degree magick circle with symbolic connections to the three Great Pillars of Magick:
Astrology Enochian Magick and Goetia. They are a marvelous tool for the practicing magician and even the
armchair magician. The book is still in print and this new issue of the deck is a welcome manifestation
of the the wisdom of the Master and the symbolic art of his Lady. Although this deck is not intended for
fortune telling, we invite you to join us as we shuffle the deck of the Multiverse and let the Maestro
deal the cards.
 

Parzival, The Hermetic Grail Romance (re-broadcast)

On January 8th, 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will
present a reprise of the 1977 article in the old Seventh Ray number
nineteen by author Janine Renee titled: Parzival and the Hermetic
Grail. The author researched and wrote this at our request. It forms an
important element in our reconstructed linkage of ancient Phoenician
rituals to early Valentinian Christian Gnosticism and to medieval Grail
lore. The major source for Janine's article is the 1965 "The Krater and
the Grail: Hermetic Sources of the Parzival by Henry and Renee Kahane.
Modern neo-pagans have never lost their fascination for the Holy Grail
quest. The idea that the Grail was originally pagan (The Hermetic
Krater) goes along with the recent revelations of Jesus and Mary
Magdalen and the paganizing of Christianity. So if you want to start on
your own Grail Quest tune in and we will give you directions to to the
Grail Castle Montsalvat.
 

”Aleister Crowley in India” by Tobias Churton

On Thursday November 21st. 2019 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will review Tobias Churton's "Aleister Crowley in India." This is another in a series of books by Churton covering portions of Crowley's life and work, We have already reviewed his "The Beast in Berlin" and will certainly get to last year's "Aleister Crowley in America," but Crowley's India adventures should probably have been first in the series. I personally found this book to be fascinating. In its pages I rediscovered Crowley and relived the excitement of his early magical experiences along with big-game hunting and mountain climbing adventures. Churton had access to many records and archives not available to previous writers. We have a more Crowley-favorable version of the infamous Kangchenjunga tragedy than previously reported. The primary theme of this book is magical yoga or yoga for magick. We start with Crowley and Bennett in Ceylon studying Theravada Buddhism together and then on to Crowley's discovering and adapting the Gnostic tantric system of Sabhapaty Swami. So if you'd like to return to the thrilling days of yesteryear, then join us and sit down, shut-up and get-out with Aleister Crowley.

Canaanite Mythology in Magick (re-broadcast)

On New Years Day 2015 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the importance of Canaanite/Phoenician mythology in Magick and magical Qabalah and in Solomonic ceremonial magick. We  will explore how it can relate to Alchemy, astrology, and Hermetic Solarism. We will discuss the Alchemical symbolism of our Canaanite Seasonal rites and the relation of Canaanite Gods and Goddesses to the Sumerian and classical Greek Pantheons. So if you want to explore what lies behind the myth of Solomon being the Master Magician, tune in and we'll introduce you to the real "oldest religion".

The Zero Lite and the ”Bloody Mary” Evocation

On Thursday, November 7th, 2019 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the scientific technology behind modern ceremonial magick and reveal for the first time a device he developed in the early 1970s for training students to make use of the "Troxler Effect" (facial reflection-distortion in a dark mirror; the "Bloody Mary" effect) for Magical spirit evocation. This device called "The Zero Lite" was based on U.S. Army battlefield research and it is so sensitive to human will power that it can respond to non-verbal telepathic commands in group practice. We stopped using it in the late 1970s but in recent years we have encountered students who subconsciously override the Troxler effect in the mirror, even when they consciously want it work for them, and so we are going back to Zero Lite training for Second Degree candidates. And so, if your spirit doesn't want to show up for you, then listen in and we'll tell you how to solve the problem.

Books and Films that Inspired the O.T.A. (re-broadcast)

On Christmas night December 25th, 2014 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a special program in which Frater Thabion, your host and the founder of the Order of the Temple of Astarte, will trace the books and films that influenced and inspired him to create and develop his unique American system of Magick. I grew out of the Oz books and graduated to the Mars books (John Carter) then into a teenage fascination with Richard Shaver's hi-tech Lemurian survivor stories. I will go to my 1950s early college days watching films such as Jean Cocteau's Orpheus, and Orson Welles Black Magic (on Cagliostro and Mesmer) and move on through to a study of Voodoo in line with my Caribbean adventurer-fiction writer persona. The Saragossa Manuscript for Kabbalah and mirror magick, Graves The White Goddess. Then my illness which I tried to cure with self-hypnosis. This led to a serious study of hypnosis along with Tibetan Tantra (Evans-Wentz) and finally Western Magick. Mastering the Goetia with the mirror method led to Jungian psycho-philosophy and the study of anthropology culminating in a Master's Degree in the subject from California State University. During this program I created the modern Hermetically oriented Neo-Canaanite Seasonal ceremonies for our magical order The Temple of Astarte, The main purpose of our Goetia was to bring up and reestablish the Secret Goddess of old King Solomon himself. We use the 1770 Hermetic-Masonic rite of Crata Repoa as a structure for our system and I will discuss the sources behind this. Perhaps some of these books and teachings will help others to understand our perspective on the Western Tradition and what we expect to accomplish by what we call The Great Work.

The CHS/OTA Mission Statement (re-broadcast)

On Thursday December 18th, 2014 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will
present a discussion on the Mission Statement of the Church of the Hermetic
Sciences and the Ordo Templi Astartes. This is one of the topics that was
discussed at our last Board of Director's Meeting as especially important
with our membership increasing and new lodges begin opening around the
country. In the magical community we are known as the folks that know how to
make ritual magick work, but that in itself is not enough of a reason for
people to join us unless they simply want to learn our techniques and
methods to use for their own purposes. Frankly, that is not what we are here
for and we are not teaching magick so that it can be misused. We consider
magick to be a system of mental and spiritual development that leads to what
we refer to as enlightenment -- which we define as a close personal
relationship with God. We follow a pattern of hermetic mytho-philosophy born
in Alexandria in the first century and perfected by the Renaissance
neo-platonic/hermetic magi in 14th-15th-16th century Europe culminating in
the Rosicrucian tradition. We combine paganism, Qabalah, astrology and
alchemy in line with Jungian psychology in a neo-romantic Quest for the Holy
Grail based on a linage of eternal goddesses and dying gods from the time of
Melchizedek to the beginnings of Christianity. So, if you have wondered just
why we do what we do and where we are going with it, tune in and be
enlightened.
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