HAU Books is offering a free download of Stephan Palmie’s translation of Ludwig Wittgenstein’s “The Mythology in Our Language.” This work comprises Wittgenstein’s remarks on J.G. Frazer’s “The Golden Bough,” a seminal work of cultural anthropology (a lot of it since discredited… Continue Reading
Last week, Science Magazine published a story discussing what seems to be the oldest documented story told by human beings. This is an account of volcanic eruptions in Australia some 37,000 years ago. The article ends: “Damein Bell, CEO of… Continue Reading
The BBC recently published a report on the South African government closing down some initiation schools due to deaths connected with ritual circumcisions. It’s noted that such tragic deaths are rare and that only certain schools are being suspended, largely… Continue Reading
New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art is currently hosting “Another World Lies Beyond: Chinese Art and the Divine,” an exhibition of artworks that document China’s various views of the religious and supernatural spanning centuries. The exhibition runs through January… Continue Reading
Next month sees the publication in paperback of Michael Crowley’s Secret Drugs of Buddhism. Amazon’s description of this book states: Secret Drugs of Buddhism is the first book to explore the historical evidence for the use of entheogenic plants within… Continue Reading
Ruhr University recently played host to a workshop led by Bernd-Christian Otto on “Western Learned Magic as an Entangled Tradition.” The University’s website explains “The workshop explores the textual-ritual tradition of ‘Western learned magic’ from an interdisciplinary, longue-durée and cross-cultural… Continue Reading
The second Trans-State Conference will be held September 13 and 14 England’s University of NorthamptonWaterside Campus University Drive Northampton Northamptonshire NN1 5PH . The programme currently stands thusly: Day One: Friday 13th, September 9.00-9.30 Registration & coffee Exhibition & Town Hall… Continue Reading
The UK’s Hadean Press is announcing the release of another booklet in their “Guides to the Underworld” series — Balkan Folk Magic: Zmaj by Katarina Pejović The publisher’s site says: “Within Serbian folklore, the zmaj is a kind of… Continue Reading
Here’s a vintage post from the PerfumedSkull blog discussing the ritual tools and substance typically used in mantra healing work by Ngakpa/ma’s. Here’s an excerpt: “It should be clear that the doctrine of emptiness undermines any sort of rank materialism,… Continue Reading
In Paraguay, the Roman Catholic faithful engage in the curious practice of donning bird-like costumes and parading through the streets to honor the memory of the 16th century saint St. Francis Solano and to entreat him for miraculous favors. Any… Continue Reading