The Moon and Serpent Bumper Book

This is a great age for books on Neopaganism and the occult. It used to be that good books on such topics were difficult to find. Today, readers have access to many great books, and more are always coming to the market.

There’s a new occult book on the market that I highly recommend: The Moon and Serpent Bumper Book by Alan Moore and Steven Moore.

 

The Moon and Serpent Bumper Book (I’ll call it from here on out MSBB because I’m lazy) is fantastic. 

The book gets its title ‘bumper book’ from popular children’s books. It’s a giant tome of a book; it weighs over 2 pounds with a page size of 9.25 x 12.38 inches, which allows for fantastic art. The MSBB is a visual feast. Some art is reminiscent of Mad Magazine, while others remind me of Heavy Metal (the illustrated magazine, not the music genre). Other art reminds me of retro children’s art reminiscent of the 50s and 60s.   

Don’t let the cover art and bumper book in the title fool you. The MSBB has a warning on the back that the book is for adults only. This is primarily due to nudity and sexual content.

The MSBB is more than art and storytelling. It’s a fantastic starter for new magic-users. It gives excellent information on the Kabbalah and the Tarot. It explores why and how magick works. The MSBB also has numerous small mini-biographies on the sorcerers and alchemists of history.

This is one of those occult books that everyone needs in their home library.

Difficult Times

“There are two ways of meeting difficulties: you alter the difficulties, or you alter yourself to meet them.” - Phyllis Bottome, English Writer.

Anyone who read my previous post knows that the recent US election wasn’t what I and many others had hoped for. Because of the results, many people are highly concerned about what the future holds. This concern is understandable, considering the promises (threats) made by the President-elect and his allies before the election.

So, what are we to do now?

 

Job one is self-care.

If you don’t meditate, this would be a good time to start. While the positive claims about meditation have been overblown, meditation has been proven to aid in stress reduction.

In addition, I believe that arcane forces flow through the universe that can aid us and help ease stress. Therefore, I highly recommend including acupuncture and either Tai Chi or yoga.

Exercise and a healthy diet have both proven to be helpful. Like meditation, exercise, and a good diet are also proven to be good for managing stress. 

Connect with loved ones. By “loved ones,” I don’t just mean biological relatives. Loved ones can include close friends. The philosopher Epicurus believed that friendship was essential for human happiness.

Spirituality can be helpful. If you have a spiritual practice that’s still meaningful to you and let it lapse, consider restarting it. Or explore a new path. There are so many good spiritualities right now from which to choose.      

It helps to also keep things in proper perspective. First, remember that people have survived hard times throughout the centuries. We are stronger than we sometimes think we are. Second, nothing is permanent, and the pendulum ultimately swings back the other way. Change is the one constant in the universe. The philosopher Heraclitus wrote, “No man ever steps in the same river twice. For it’s not the same river, and he’s not the same man.” 

I’m not going to blow smoke. We should not assume that everything will be ‘okay.’ The right-wing has been emboldened. Economic and social justice are under threat. There will be those, especially those who are not people of privilege, whose rights will be attacked. We need to brace ourselves for this and plan accordingly.

Most importantly, remember to take care of yourself.

Threat to Democracy

“The greatest threat to democracy is indifference.” Franklin D. Roosevelt, U.S. President

We’re in the last days of an election season here in the United States. On November 5th, Americans will vote to decide who controls our Congress and who will hold the office of President for the next four years. Most political analysts consider this election one of the most important in American history. Our election results will have a global impact.

 

Philosophy and politics are inseparable. According to classic Greek thought, philosophy is more than an intellectual exercise. It’s a way of life. Philosophy is all-encompassing. Because of this, philosophy should determine one’s political views and not the other way around.

Those who have read my blog over the years will probably have an idea of my philosophical views. Humans are a paradox. We are independent individuals, yet we’re dependent upon others from birth. Each person is free, yet no one is an island. Our species is neither collectivist nor rugged individualist. The Self is the highest standard, yet its existence is tied to the welfare of others.

I hold these to be some of the core values of Dark Pagan philosophy.

Applying Dark Pagan philosophy to politics, I find Donald Trump and the Republican Party are not consistent with Dark Pagan values. Dark Paganism stands for freedom of choice and personal autonomy. Trump and other Republican leaders speak of freedom and autonomy yet promote authoritarianism. Trump himself has said on record that he intends to be a dictator on day one. He and the Republican Party leaders speak of supporting the individual, yet they attack diversity. They say they support individual choices yet pass laws restricting choice. In addition, they advocate for laws that cut social safety nets and give increased power to the religious and economic oligarchs who already have special privileges.

By contrast, Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party have established records of democratic values. They are certainly not authoritarian. Their record shows that they support freedom of choice and diversity. In addition, Harris and the Democratic leadership have shown support for strengthening the social safety net. Plus, they openly opposed giving more power to the religious and economic oligarchs. While neither Harris nor the  Democratic Party are perfect, they’re far better than Trump and the Republicans.

Therefore, of the two options, I believe that Kamala Harris and the Democratic party best represent Dark Pagan values. 

Obviously, the best action we can take is to vote. For those who say voting doesn’t work, the fact that Trump failed to be reelected in 2020 shows that it does work. Plus, the fact that there is so much effort to make it more and more difficult also shows that voting can make a difference. If voting didn’t work, they wouldn’t try to obstruct it.

Our options for change go beyond the mundane. We have spiritual actions we can take as well.

We can call upon two goddesses for help in political matters: Libertas and Ishtar. 

Libertas was the Roman goddess of Liberty. She became popular during the latter part of the Roman Republic. Libertas was often shown carrying a sword with a Phrygian cap at the end. The Phrygian cap was worn by freed slaves.

There’s a strong connection between the US and both Libertas and the Roman Republic. American Founding Fathers envisioned the young country as being a renewal of the Roman Republic. Plus, the Statue of Liberty is based on the goddess Libertas.

Ishtar (Inanna to the Sumerians) was the goddess of war, sex, and wisdom to the Mesopotamians. She was worshiped from the Near East to Britain under various names. Her worship lasted for over 2,000 years. 

To the Babylonians, Ishtar was a Sovereign Goddess in that the King’s authority was granted by Her. Ishtar is also a strong defender of justice and women. In the myth of Inanna and Su-kale-tuda, Inanna is raped. After finding the offender, before She kills him, She tells him that he will forever be known as a rapist and a coward.

No doubt, as a Sovereign Goddess, Her power would be very helpful in political matters. In addition, considering that Trump has been convicted of sexual assault, Ishtar would be an obvious ally.

Most importantly, you need to get out and vote as if your or a loved one’s life depends on it. 

Because it just might.