BookCon ran June 3 – 4 in the Jacob Javits Center, NYC. As it was my first, I wondered whether to go on Day 1 or Day 2. The first would have more freebies, but more people. Less free stuff on Day 2 but the chance of books at very discounted prices (what publisher wants […]
I must admit to having a ‘thing’ about Royal Arch Chapter Rooms – especially if they have an Egyptian theme. Perhaps it comes from Golden Dawn influences, seeing the Rosetta Stone in the British Museum at an early age, the fact that my car license plate is ‘Thoth’ and my former boat was called ‘Horus’, […]
The building is in brutalist style, similar to that of the Grand Lodge of California, and has won awards for its modernist architectural style. On entering, one is immediately struck by two circular elevators, with a winding staircase wrapping itself around one of the shafts, reminding one of the architecture of King Solomon’s Temple. The […]
Last week I was amazed to receive a very thoughtful gift from my Masonic and ‘Off Broadway’ friends for my 60th Birthday. They had taken the time to find a copy of the first edition of the Thoth Tarot Deck published by Samuel Weiser in conjunction with Llewellyn in 1973. The back of the cards […]
Last Friday I officiated at the wedding of two friends. It is funny how sometimes just about everything seems to conspire to prevent a ritual of love and positivity from taking place. Just as humans often appears to prefer bad news over good, so it seems the very spirits conspire on occasions to throw every […]
I’ve just returned from the immensely successful and invigorating Mason Con 2017, hosted by Ezekiel Bates Lodge A.F. & A.M. on Saturday. It was a wonderful day of fellowship, a large number of top quality speakers, a Masonic Panel Discussion, more vendors than I could count spread across the sprawling 4-story building, followed by initiations […]
What a delight it was to see an educational program on the Smithsonian Channel tonight, now that the History Channel regales us with Pawn Stars, Ozzie & Jack’s World Detour, Swamp People and Hairy Bikers. This evening they outlined a fascinating history about the Tower of Babel. Given that the Pentateuch wasn’t written down until […]
Last weekend I had the pleasure of visiting an old friend, Gordon Stuart, in Mississauga, Ontario. As well as being one of the most recognized and decorated Freemasons in Canada, he is also very well read in matters esoteric, and has a wonderful library. Every time I visit he has a number of exotic books […]
I’ve been doing research on the famous image of King Solomon’s Temple which suddenly started appearing all over Europe towards the end of the 17th Century. Most famously, perhaps, this image was used by Gerhard Schott as his design for the enormous, 80 feet round and 13 foot high model of the Temple for an […]
More of a public service announcement than a true Blog, really, but too important not to bring to your attention. From Friday, June 30 to Wednesday, October 4, 2017, there will be an exhibition of works from the six Salons de Rose+Croix organized in Paris by Joséphin Péladan during the 1890s, which focused on art […]
