The Hermetic Hour

Latest Episodes:

Hieronymus Bosch vs. The Spanish Inquisition (re-broadcast) Jan 24, 2020

Show notes

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 Jan 17, 2020

Show notes

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) Jan 10, 2020

Show notes

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) Jan 03, 2020

Show notes

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 Dec 27, 2019

Show notes

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) Dec 20, 2019

Show notes

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 Dec 13, 2019

Show notes

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) Nov 29, 2019

Show notes

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 Nov 22, 2019

Show notes

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) Nov 15, 2019

Show notes

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".

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