Lucifer Rising

[thehoodedman]

By Kenneth Anger. Probably little known to many this 'arthouse' occultist film came to be, late 60's early 70's, though not generally released until 1980(ish). Despite the rather banal title, it displays some serious symbolism and occult practice, combine that with the soundtrack by Bobbie Beausoleil; created from behind bars for 1st degree murder on the orders of Charles Manson. This film touches on the border of extreme occultism, though which bits...are more of a mystery. Not a film for entertainment, more a watershed for American Occultists...and knowledgeable ones at that. 6026 Barton Ave, Sampson de Brier and a host of Hollywood occultists must have influenced this film. Not entertainment but good witchcraft. It's on YouTube, complete.

[emily]

Thanks. Shall have a peek

[Jevne]

I took a peek.  Interesting, though most of it did not particular resonate with me or my Path.  Of course, I am a Witch, not an occultist, so no surprise there.  Not too long, worth a watch . . .

[Wexler]

This sounds interesting, thank you for sharing.

[emily]

I took a peek.  Interesting, though most of it did not particular resonate with me or my Path.  Of course, I am a Witch, not an occultist, so no surprise there.  Not too long, worth a watch . . .

 

 

 

 

 

Yep I'll agree on that

[Michele]

I tried to watch it, but it doesn't have anything that resonates with me. But then I'm not into Egyptian (they looked Egyptian) lore, nor Luciferian lore (although I did explore some of it at one time). 

 

M

[thehoodedman]

I mean occult in the literal sense "knowledge of the hidden" of which witchcraft is a part. What interests me is how much of the craft shown is taken from European as well as American sources. Some will be Crowley, undoubtedly, some Masonic and an ecclectic mix...but exactly what craft/ceremony is being 'used' to illustrate in this film...I just am unfamiliar with so much of it. Many involved were leading wizards at the time so there are references there?

[RoseRed]

I'm not sure I clicked on the right links but there was music and lots of Egyptian type imagery.  Did I miss something?  I skimmed through them and they didn't hold my interest.

[thehoodedman]

That's it RoseRed, very arthouse and therefore not great viewing as I said, but it's the symbolism rather than the narrative, the objects they used and the magick behind the actions they are portraying. Perhaps it means nothing...or something, these people knew their witchcraft, they were some of the leading authorities, pre 1920's stuff at least. Not Gardinarians that's for sure. An elephant crushing a cobra what could that symbolise? And our own Marie Anne Faithful. Others at the salon occult meetings of that era: James Dean, Steve Mcqueen, Jane Fonda, Stanley Kubrick, Jack Nicholson, Richard Burton...

I find it an interesting avenue of knowledge perhaps. Also it fits in with other avenues I'm exploring. Not for everyone I guess.

[RoseRed]

I don't know.  I didn't think the actors really conveyed the intensity of what they were trying to portray.

[thehoodedman]

I totally agree RoseRed...awful acting LOL. But I suspect they incorporated some of their real ceremonies (makes acting easier) into it...disguised under the 'script'. Some parts are familiar, others...and they are what I'm keen to explore. What did they know that they weren't consciously  saying?

[RoseRed]

The whole thing came across as very Ceremonial. 

[Michele]

What was it, exactly they were trying to achieve with their ritual? To be able to decipher the symbolism behind what they were doing (if there was any - I am not familiar enough with them to know how legit they are or arent) I would have to know exactly what the point of the ritual was. Were they actually trying to raise Lucifer? From what - the dead (is he dead?), was it simply a ritual of worship (do they worship Lucifer?), or were they trying to call upon Lucifer's presence (and if yes - why? for information, for help with something...?), or was there no specific reason for the ritual? or some other reason not touched upon? I do enjoy ritual, but I dont do it a lot (on that magnitude of ceremonial formality) . But I do everything for a reason, for a purpose (even if that purpose is to say "hi" to the land spirits and communicate with the garden). So I would think that any symbolism within their ritual would tie in to the purpose of the ritual? I couldn't maintain that type of ritual on a regular basis - it is too involved to do daily (if you work, lol). But I communicate daily... just not in a ceremonial style.... I agree it was interesting, but it was interesting in the way watching Rosemarys Baby was interesting.... it wasn't a working style for me, not one that was realistic to do with any amount of regularity for the regular folk. So I wonder, then, what kind of daily relationship they have with this being?

 

M

Edited August 19, 2013 by Michele

[thehoodedman]

Thanks Michele, good points; especially ceremony without purpose? Why would you. I'm hoping someone will recognize some of it, as I'm sure this magick is still out there. Sampson de Brier isn't alive any more (I have studied him for other reasons) nor the salon's? For me the film comes over as an ourageous piece of vanity with disjointed and confused metaphors but there is something there, probably not intentional, a window into some working covens of the time maybe.

From the narrative, I doubt they have a relationship with this being, only the preoccuption with the sensationalism of it, naive preoccupation of the time perhaps? And just as likely had lots of volcano footage they could use. Scorpio Rising was a more successful idea/film by Anger, so why this?

I keep coming back to the soundtrack, written on death row by a murderer; and a brutal one at that, one of Manson's henchmen.

You may have gathered from all this I'm a metaphisical witch, hence my interest in the mindset that both creates and receives such shamanic intent. and the devices used to achieve it

Rosemary's baby yes...and Eraserhead, both turn my blood cold I have to admit. But that's magick for you.

[Michele]

Have you ever read the works of Chumbley? If not, you might enjoy them as they are steeped in  symbols and mysticism and such, for the reader to decipher (or not, lol). But he writes in a very intellectual academic way that can be quite appealing to the gnostic, metaphysical path. He's not cheap by any means, but enjoyable. He also had a friend (Daniel Schulke (sp)) who wrote a wonderful book called the Viraderium Umbris (sp again) which had much in it that could be applied to ritual work. A lot of his stuff is taken from Pursian origin and works with gods/archetypes that can be seen as Luciferian. (Lilith and Cain.)

 

The soundtrack - written by a murderer... I do not know that it would be something I am drawn to. It was not killing for survival (i.e. defense of one's own, for food supplies, to protect). In fact, perhaps those killings were rather like the video - the purpose they served unknown and perhaps even non-existent. In which case he is but a haunted man. Who could then create things (such as soundtracks) that merely reflect his confusion and his own darkness (fears, obsessions, misinterpretations, hauntings, obsessions, regrets, etc.). For me, that is not someone I would look to for enlightenment or guidance (were enlightenment or guidance the things I was looking for). 

 

My understanding of Luciferian paths is that they are not related to the Christian-defined "bad guy" but more to the "adversary" - a necessity for change and growth. The problem I think may arise when one gets stuck  in the darkness of that - in the excitement, and even in the despair of the ego (that the ego can so feel it is entitled to), and stops walking through it to the enlightenment, believing that the darkness IS the enlightenment. But again, I'm not a Luciferian, lol. My personal craft is much more related to the land and the archetypes of the land and land magic, than to the more sorcerous magics.   :-)

 

M

[thehoodedman]

Great tip, thank-you The Exiled Goddess, I will try and track down a copy of: Mysticism: Initiation and Dream, sounds like just the sort of material I'm looking for. Strangely I was at outside the Bodleian Library, Oxford today...I bet they have a copy. And for the record, just in case anyone suspects it, I have no interest in Luciferian or dark energy outside of the mechanism by which it operates. I don't want to use it...just understand it...if that's possible?

[Michele]

There is also a lot of his (Chumbley's) writings on the internet (legally- not the stolen stuff) including some rituals and essays. Also, if you look into the Cauldron magazine (run by Michael Howard, I believe)... he has quite a few things on there that may be right up your ally :-)   Happy Reading!!!

 

M

 

P.S.  do a search on here for Chumbley, Luciferian, or Cultis Sabbati (sp) and you'll probably bring up a lot more stuff... Search button is at the top of the screen, upper left...

[Oakbuchanan]

Have you ever read the works of Chumbley? If not, you might enjoy them as they are steeped in  symbols and mysticism and such, for the reader to decipher (or not, lol). But he writes in a very intellectual academic way that can be quite appealing to the gnostic, metaphysical path. He's not cheap by any means, but enjoyable. He also had a friend (Daniel Schulke (sp)) who wrote a wonderful book called the Viraderium Umbris (sp again) which had much in it that could be applied to ritual work. A lot of his stuff is taken from Pursian origin and works with gods/archetypes that can be seen as Luciferian. (Lilith and Cain.)

 

The soundtrack - written by a murderer... I do not know that it would be something I am drawn to. It was not killing for survival (i.e. defense of one's own, for food supplies, to protect). In fact, perhaps those killings were rather like the video - the purpose they served unknown and perhaps even non-existent. In which case he is but a haunted man. Who could then create things (such as soundtracks) that merely reflect his confusion and his own darkness (fears, obsessions, misinterpretations, hauntings, obsessions, regrets, etc.). For me, that is not someone I would look to for enlightenment or guidance (were enlightenment or guidance the things I was looking for). 

 

My understanding of Luciferian paths is that they are not related to the Christian-defined "bad guy" but more to the "adversary" - a necessity for change and growth. The problem I think may arise when one gets stuck  in the darkness of that - in the excitement, and even in the despair of the ego (that the ego can so feel it is entitled to), and stops walking through it to the enlightenment, believing that the darkness IS the enlightenment. But again, I'm not a Luciferian, lol. My personal craft is much more related to the land and the archetypes of the land and land magic, than to the more sorcerous magics.   :-)

 

M

 

 

 

 

 

Voted that up

Edited August 21, 2013 by Oakbuchanan

[foxman]

I have the soundtrack by Bobbie Beausoleil regarding Lucifer Rising which was all the more surprising since a lot of the musicians were 'lifers' in a US state prison. I found the film by Kenneth anger quite disturbing but then so much that's come from him makes you think about your own position in the cosmos. foxman

[foxman]

incidentally, Merlin or to give him his proper name, Myrddin Emrys is the name of a magician often associated with a story by Geoffrey of Monmouth's "Historia Regum Britanniae" which was written in c. 1136.foxman

[foxman]

Oakbuchanan, if you can get the book "Azoetia" by Andrew D. Chumbley its well worth reading, despite its price - but you get rather more than a book of words and graphic artistry. If you touch the pictures and especially the glyphs you may find that there is something 'living' within the glyphs and the book which you can't see...the absolute blackness of space and perhaps, the Dark Matter that hides there, is a part of occultism that has yet to be explored fully - Lucifer is the key!. .. foxman

[SerpentWitch]

That certainly sounds interesting, I might try to find it on youtube :)

[Oakbuchanan]

Foxman, Although Chumbley is not really my thing, I appreciate some of his works are held dear by some- So thankyou for the recommendation.

 

 

OB

[Aloe]

I watched this a few years ago while reading Peter Grey's "The Red Goddess".  He mentions Kenneth Anger's films and goes into detail on his opinion of the meaning and impact.  I believe the imagery is (or related to) Thelemite philosophy.  In another of Anger's films "Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome" he featured Marjorie Cameron as the Scarlet Woman (Crowley's name for physical incarnations of Babalon).  Marjorie Cameron was married to the late Jack Parsons and was his participant in the "Babalon Working" intended to reincarnate Babalon on earth.  

 

Anywhoo, just thought I'd share what I remember about it since there were so many questions.  I didn't verify what I remember so if I've said anything inaccurate that needs to be corrected y'all feel free.  

[Jevne]

Prompted by your comments, Aloe, I looked into the interesting side-story of Jack, Marjorie, etc.  I wonder how much of that was a reflection of the times, (late 1940s?), as much as of Crowley's arrogance.  Either way, not something that I was previously aware of, so I appreciate you sharing the knowledge.  I am not sure, based on the little bit I found on the Web, if I find the whole idea liberating or discriminatory. :)