On the one hand I am glad to own that smaller paperback of the Necronomicon - in mint condition because it is still unread (I never dared or perhaps bothered), on the other like Lovecraft I hate seafood with tentacles. But if Cthulhu is a "mythological engine" nothing beats nausea or hate whenever strong (negative) emotions are called for. But we must not forget: We cannot love entities like Cthulhu or barter with them. And psychological models of magical doings based on the Mythos seem to me a shortcut to madness since death and insanity lurk in most Lovecraftian tales even though there ARE some in which the protagonist prevails.
That's why I very much admire your courage when you decided to do that Lovecraftian work with Asenath Mason on the beach with feeling "something" afterwards. I am completely convinced that your work was successful and your perception right and that there was something. But what was it? This was surely more than just an echo out of a "non-ordinary state of conciousness" which incidentally is an apt term, I think. But how can the magus protect himself efficiently during and after the operation?
Perhaps I have been reading too much of this (I can't help it, though - not that I ever wanted to).
Lovecraft’s fear and revulsion toward the Mythos were, in many ways, reflections of his own limitations—cultural, philosophical, and personal. His vision of cosmic horror stemmed from the terror of the unknown and the unknowable, but as magicians we are trained to move toward that very edge. What he saw as evil, we might interpret as transcendent.
The Simon Necronomicon indeed warns that there are “no banishings available” for the entities it deals with. That line is often misunderstood as a dire warning—but in the course I’ll be teaching, I’ll unpack the layers of meaning behind this. It's not about helplessness—it's about responsibility. The adept must learn not to cast away these forces but to contain, endure, and transform through them. Shielding is possible, but it comes from preparation, not denial.
What happened during the conjuration with Asenath Mason was indeed a turning point—it almost went very, very badly, and that is not an exaggeration. But initiation requires risk. Growth does not happen within safe boundaries. We must stand on the threshold and dare to look into the abyss—knowing full well that it looks back. That’s where the real transformation occurs.
Your mint-condition paperback might be unread, but it’s already part of your psychic ecology. The tentacles are calling—maybe not to drag you under, but to ask if you’re ready to see. Hatred or nausea in the presence of these symbols is not weakness—it’s sensitivity. And that’s the first gift of the Work.
Thank you for your kind words. May the path twist onward beneath your feet.
Cool. I have been into Alester Crowley and Thelma for some time. But I have recently been inspired by offshoots of Thelma, such as the Typhonian Tradition of Kenneth Grant, including the Lovecraft mythos and archetypes. And also the Dragon Rouge system of initiation, with its emphasis on the Qliphoth. I love discovering new archetypes like Cthulhu to ad to my personal pantheon. 🖤
I just posted my 1st substack about the true meaning of the philosopher's stone- evolutionary acceleration. 🔥
On the one hand I am glad to own that smaller paperback of the Necronomicon - in mint condition because it is still unread (I never dared or perhaps bothered), on the other like Lovecraft I hate seafood with tentacles. But if Cthulhu is a "mythological engine" nothing beats nausea or hate whenever strong (negative) emotions are called for. But we must not forget: We cannot love entities like Cthulhu or barter with them. And psychological models of magical doings based on the Mythos seem to me a shortcut to madness since death and insanity lurk in most Lovecraftian tales even though there ARE some in which the protagonist prevails.
That's why I very much admire your courage when you decided to do that Lovecraftian work with Asenath Mason on the beach with feeling "something" afterwards. I am completely convinced that your work was successful and your perception right and that there was something. But what was it? This was surely more than just an echo out of a "non-ordinary state of conciousness" which incidentally is an apt term, I think. But how can the magus protect himself efficiently during and after the operation?
Perhaps I have been reading too much of this (I can't help it, though - not that I ever wanted to).
Anyway thank you so much. All the best.
Lovecraft’s fear and revulsion toward the Mythos were, in many ways, reflections of his own limitations—cultural, philosophical, and personal. His vision of cosmic horror stemmed from the terror of the unknown and the unknowable, but as magicians we are trained to move toward that very edge. What he saw as evil, we might interpret as transcendent.
The Simon Necronomicon indeed warns that there are “no banishings available” for the entities it deals with. That line is often misunderstood as a dire warning—but in the course I’ll be teaching, I’ll unpack the layers of meaning behind this. It's not about helplessness—it's about responsibility. The adept must learn not to cast away these forces but to contain, endure, and transform through them. Shielding is possible, but it comes from preparation, not denial.
What happened during the conjuration with Asenath Mason was indeed a turning point—it almost went very, very badly, and that is not an exaggeration. But initiation requires risk. Growth does not happen within safe boundaries. We must stand on the threshold and dare to look into the abyss—knowing full well that it looks back. That’s where the real transformation occurs.
Your mint-condition paperback might be unread, but it’s already part of your psychic ecology. The tentacles are calling—maybe not to drag you under, but to ask if you’re ready to see. Hatred or nausea in the presence of these symbols is not weakness—it’s sensitivity. And that’s the first gift of the Work.
Thank you for your kind words. May the path twist onward beneath your feet.
Yes. We are entering the age of Cthulhu- truth beyond reason, acausal reality. 🐙
Interesting you mention that, as it’s one of the lessons I planned for the course.
Cool. I have been into Alester Crowley and Thelma for some time. But I have recently been inspired by offshoots of Thelma, such as the Typhonian Tradition of Kenneth Grant, including the Lovecraft mythos and archetypes. And also the Dragon Rouge system of initiation, with its emphasis on the Qliphoth. I love discovering new archetypes like Cthulhu to ad to my personal pantheon. 🖤
I just posted my 1st substack about the true meaning of the philosopher's stone- evolutionary acceleration. 🔥