Monthly Archives: December 2024

CATHARSIS – POETRY, DRAMA, MUSIC AND HEALING

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Mogg Morgan (c)

The literary vocabulary is peppered with metaphors of food and eating. We talk of good taste, to savour something or of food for thought. In this article I hope to show that this use of language is not accidental and in fact leads us to the heart of poetry. The contention that the mental feelings of enjoyment are indebted to bodily or physiological feelings may be difficult for some people to accept. We are inclined to draw a strict dividing line between mind and body; but this has not always been so, nor need it be in the future.

Aristotle in his Poetics speaks of “Catharsis” which is also a medical term meaning cleansing or purging a crucial component of the medical practice of his time (Poetics 1448b4-17). Aristotle was a physician as well as a philosopher and in the system of healing he practiced, which was based upon the Humours, Catharsis would have brought the sick person back to a state of psycho-somatic equipoise or isonomia

The similarities between Greek ideas and those of ancient Indian aesthetics are so striking that it is highly probably that they derive from a common source, which could be Egypt. 

The oldest system of Indian medicine is called Ayurvedic, which is a compound of two words, “ayur” meaning longevity and “veda” meaning knowledge. The main textual sources of Ayurveda go back to about the beginning of the present era. Many of its ideas are much older and derive from a very creative period in Indian culture at around the sixth century BCE (ie not thousands of years BCE but a time of intellectual and spiritual rebirth). Ayurveda views the world rather like a vast organism, in which all the parts are interconnected. The essence of this organism is a constantly changing liquid called “rasa”, and so one analyses all its various parts by the sense of taste, which in sanskrit is the same word “rasa”. This homonym has a number of interesting and related meanings, including Sap, liquid, essence, elixir, serum, chyle, mercury, semen, taste, feeling, and sentiment. Therefore the sense of taste is the connecting link between an individual and the larger whole; an idea that has very wide implications in art and culture. In this system there are said to be six varieties of taste: sweet, Sour, Saline, Pungent, Bitter and Astringent.

According to the Ayurvedic system what one eats, and therefore tastes is also the cause both of health and illness.(1) This is because all foods are broken down in the stomach into a pure liquid food chyle, (rasa) and its waste products. In this process three humours are also produced, in Sanskrit they are called Vata, Pitta and Kapha, and they are sometimes translated as Wind, Bile and Phlegm. The term humour is a translation of the Sanskrit word “dosha” which means to spoil; although these substances are essential constituents of the human body, but if they are produced in too great a quantity or in the wrong part of the body they are the fundamental cause of all diseases that afflict humanity. Thus one form of Bile keeps the skin in a good tone, but if there is too much of it leads to swelling.

The Ayurvedic system tells us that there is a dynamic relationship between the three humours and the six tastes. For example:

Bile, which is oily, hot, sharp, liquid, sour, fluid and pungent is soon overcome by medicine having opposite qualities.

Wind, which is rough, cool light, subtle, mobile, non-slimy and coarse, is reconciled by medicines having opposite qualities.

Phlegm, which is heavy, cool, soft, oily, sweet, immobile and slimy is relieved by medicine of opposite quality.(2)

The relationship between tastes and humours is complex but can be represented in a very simplified form by the following diagram: 

Equipoise is achieved by manipulation of these relationship through the food that one eats, so that a person is restored to or maintained in good health by an appropriate diet.

How all these factors effect the Mind gives us the link between medicine and art. The Indian intellectual tradition makes a division between Consciousness and the Body which is quite alien to that of the Western tradition. The Indian tradition divides all phenomena into two broad categories of spirit and matter. On one side is purusha, the transcendental aspect of ones personality, and on the other is ranged all our physical attributes, which in this system includes the Mind (manas), the Intellect (Buddhi) and the Senses (indriya). Thus ones mental sensitivities, although they are constructed from a finer material than the more gross aspects of the body, are still essentially part of the same model of causes and effects outlined above. The Mind has its food just like any other part of the body. Thus insanity (unmaada) means literally intoxication. Mental equipoise is achieved by reference to an allopathic model of mental tastes designed to counteract a particular temper.

The aim of Sanskrit poetry is to create a state of bliss in the hearer, an “impersonalized and ineffable aesthetic enjoyment from which every trace of its component ..material is obliterated.”(3) Aesthetic enjoyment is both a means of achieving perfect mental balance and ultimate salvation. This transcendental aspect of poetry is something lost in the present day, but would have been taken for granted by our ancestors. Plato spoke of the power of art to bring about spiritual liberation, and this tradition flows strong in the history of Celtic Bardic traditions. A good poem is often still recognized by the mysterious frisson it brings about.

Sanskrit poetry has several different moods designed to provoke particular emotions. “Mood” is another possible translation of the Sanskrit “rasa”, literally the taste or flavour of something. This is more than an accidental homonym. The fact that the same word occurs in medical and poetic texts has to mean that there is a fundamental unity of outlook.(4) There are eight or sometimes ten moods in Indian poetics: Love, Courage, Loathing. Anger, Mirth, Terror, Pity and Surprise and optionally tranquility and paternal fondness .

Interestingly Yeats used the term “Mood” in a short piece on the purpose of poetry published in Ideas Of Good & Evil, page ?? this volume.

Perhaps the most widely used Mood is the erotic one, as it is a remarkable feature of Indian culture that the spiritual truths are most often conveyed by erotic images. Thus the story of Krisna’s dance with the Cowherd’s wives conceals an essential spiritual message. Each girl dances with Krisna and feels that she is unique. This symbolizes the mystery of the communion of the multiplicity of all human souls with the undivided Absolute. This theme is the subject of one of Indian most treasured poems, Jayadeva’s Gitagovinda or “Love Song of the Dark Lord”. which should be sung with Raga Vasanta or Spring Mode

Soft sandal mountain winds caress quivering vines of clove.

Forest huts hum with droning bees and crying cuckoos

When spring’s mood is rich, Hari roams here

To dance with young women friend–

A cruel time for deserted lovers.(5)

Indian poetry is created within a totally integrated philosophy of the human psyche and body. Our aesthetic sense, literally our sense of taste, connects us to the wider universe of which we are only a small part. Perhaps here lies the mysterious secret of poetry. Its ability to lift us up out of ourselves, at the same time purifying and healing our alienated nature. The basis of which Indian poetical works may strike some as too literal an interpretation of the facts. However these ideas completely permeate the art of the sub-continent and have generated some of the most sublime artistic creations of any culture.

Mogg Morgan

1 Agnivesha’s Caraka Samhita translated in English by R K Sharma and Vaidya B Dash (Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office, Varanasi 1976) I.xxv.29

2 ibid I.i.59-61.

3 S K De History of Sanskrit Poetics (Calcutta 1960) page 37

4 R K Sen Aesthetic Enjoyment and Its Background in Philosophy and Medicine. (Calcutta 1966)

5 Jayadeva’s Gitagovinda – Love Song of the Dark Lord Edited and translated by Barbara Stoler Miller (Columbia University press 1977)

Winter Solstice Magic

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Tinkinswood Long Barrow

Tinkinswood Long Barrow on the morning of the Winter Solstice. (2022)

The winter solstice, the longest night of the year, has long been a time of deep spiritual and magical significance. Occurring around December 21st in the Northern Hemisphere, this celestial event marks the turning point when the darkness begins to recede and the light gradually returns. For centuries, cultures around the world have celebrated this moment as a symbol of rebirth, hope, and renewal.

Spiritually, the winter solstice is a powerful time for reflection and inner transformation. The darkness invites us to slow down, turn inward, and examine our lives with quiet contemplation. You might try journaling to explore your thoughts, emotions, and intentions, allowing yourself to process the past year and envision what you hope to cultivate in the months ahead. Alternatively, guided meditation in a calm, darkened space can provide clarity and peace, helping you connect with the stillness of the season and your inner self. Much like nature, which appears still and dormant during the winter months, we, too, are encouraged to rest, release the burdens of the past, and plant the seeds for new beginnings. In this way, the solstice becomes a bridge between endings and fresh starts, reminding us of the cyclical nature of existence.

Magically, the winter solstice is steeped in ancient traditions that honour the interplay of light and darkness. Many spiritual practices involve lighting candles, bonfires, or lanterns to symbolize the triumph of light over shadow. For a simple and modern ritual, you can place several candles of different sizes in a circle, representing the balance between light and dark. As you light each candle, pause to reflect on a specific aspect of your life where you wish to bring more light—such as hope, love, or clarity—and set a small intention for the season. This practice creates a gentle, contemplative space to honour the return of light. These rituals illuminate the physical world and represent the light of hope, love, and wisdom within ourselves. In pagan traditions, such as Yule, evergreen boughs and holly are brought into homes to celebrate life’s endurance. At the same time, the burning of the Yule log is believed to banish negativity and ensure prosperity in the coming year.

The solstice also carries an air of mysticism, as it is considered a liminal time—a moment when the veil between worlds is thin. To honour the beauty of both darkness and illumination, one might perform a simple light ritual. Begin by sitting in a darkened room with a single unlit candle. As you sit quietly, consider the lessons and growth the darkness has offered—the challenges faced, the strength gained, and the wisdom uncovered during this time. take a moment of gratitude for the stillness it offers. When you are ready, light the candle, watching the flame as it flickers and grows. Allow the light to symbolize hope, balance, and renewal, and visualize it dispelling any lingering shadows in your life. You can sit with this quiet illumination, meditating on your intentions for the brighter days ahead.

In essence, the winter solstice is a celebration of light in its many forms: the light that returns to the earth, the light that dwells within us, and the light of spiritual awakening. It is a time as we move forward into the brighter days ahead. In the stillness of winter, we discover a quiet magic—one that whispers of renewal, transformation, and the eternal rhythm of life.

Octarine magic, a concept introduced by Peter Carroll, is often described as the colour of pure magic and the energy of personal inspiration, creativity, and transformation. In the context of the winter solstice, Octarine magic aligns beautifully with the themes of balance and renewal. As the solstice marks the return of light and the triumph over darkness, it is a potent time to tap into this unique magical current, often connected to an individual’s deepest connection with their magical essence.

You can enhance this practice by combining Octarine energy with scents that evoke both stillness and transformation. Essential oils such as frankincense, myrrh, and cedarwood can be diffused or anointed during meditation, ritual, or reflection. These scents are believed to open pathways to higher understanding while grounding the spirit, harmonizing perfectly with the solstice’s call to honour both darkness and illumination.

To practice Octarine magic during the solstice, find a quiet space where you can sit comfortably. Light a candle and burn some incense that resonates with you, or add a few drops of essential oil to a diffuser. Close your eyes and visualize Octarine—a shimmering, otherworldly hue representing pure creative potential. Octarine often envisioned as a vibrant, shifting hue that defies traditional colour perception, serves as a bridge between the physical and the magical. It embodies the essence of creativity, transformation, and personal power. When visualized during solstice practices, it can act as a conduit for channelling inspiration and sparking inner transformation. Imagine this light illuminating both the shadows and the pathways ahead, connecting you to your inner magic. Allow yourself to receive insights and inspiration for the months to come, embodying the solstice’s promise of renewal and hope.

 

Mark L. Mirabello: Insights into the Unseen

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In Memoriam: Dr Mark L. Mirabello

It is with great sadness that we, at Mandrake of Oxford, mark the passing of Dr Mark L. Mirabello, an extraordinary author, historian, and thinker whose contributions have left an indelible mark on the world of alternative thought and esoteric studies.

Dr Mirabello was a man of profound intellect, boundless curiosity, and a deep understanding of the margins of human civilization. His works, The Cannibal Within, Handbook for Rebels and Outlaws, and The Odin Brotherhood, published by Mandrake, testify to his fearless exploration of taboo subjects, supernatural mysteries, and the untamed spirit of rebellion. His writing informed and inspired readers to think deeply and challenge conventional wisdom.

Beyond his written works, Dr. Mirabello was a captivating lecturer and an engaging voice on television, radio, and podcasts. From his appearances on Ancient Aliens to his thought-provoking discussions on afterlife concepts, he reached audiences far and wide, sharing his unique insights into the esoteric and the enigmatic.

Dr Mirabello’s passing is a profound loss to academia, publishing, and everyone drawn to the frontiers of thought. We at Mandrake are honoured to have been part of his journey and to have published his remarkable works, which will continue to inspire and provoke long after his passing.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and all those who cherished his wisdom and wit. Dr. Mirabello’s legacy lives on in the pages of his books and in the minds of those who dare to explore the unknown.

Rest in power, Dr. Mirabello. You will be deeply missed.

Mark Mirabello

Dr Mark L. Mirabello

Dr. Mark L. Mirabello, a distinguished historian and author, is a Professor Emeritus of History at Shawnee State University and has served as a Visiting Professor at Nizhny Novgorod University in Russia. Known for his expertise in “outlaw” history, he delves into the fringes of human civilization, covering topics such as death and the afterlife, alternative religions, cults, secret societies, myths, and legends.

Dr. Mirabello has gained recognition for his media appearances, including discussions on “deadly cults” on the History Channel’s Ancient Aliens and America’s Book of Secrets. He has also appeared alongside Noam Chomsky in The Kingdom of Survival and has been featured on Gaia TV’s Open Minds discussing afterlife concepts. His insights have been sought on prominent radio shows and podcasts, including Coast to Coast AM, The Conspiracy Show, and Darkness Radio.

As an author, Mirabello explores themes of the supernatural (The Traveler’s Guide to the Afterlife), the unnatural (The Cannibal Within), and societal rebellion (Handbook for Rebels and Outlaws). His academic credentials include a Ph.D. from the University of Glasgow, an M.A. from the University of Virginia, and a B.A. from the University of Toledo.

Dr. Mirabello’s work reflects a unique blend of historical scholarship and an interest in the esoteric, offering insights into the margins of civilization and the human experience.

John Wisniewski in Conversation with Mark Mirabello: Insights into the Unseen

To this day, I do not know why my contact with the Odin Brotherhood occurred. Was I “chosen” to reveal their lore, or, using the words of Philip Dick, the great writer of science fiction, was I was “picked at random”?

After my initial contacts, I was “tested”—put through an ordeal.  By letter, I was instructed to go to a certain location in London at a specific time.  I made the six-hour train journey, but the address was fake (no such street or number), and no one was there.  Later, I received a second letter.  This time, the address in London was real, but no one was present.  Of course, I saw the pattern and I assumed the third letter would direct me to a real address with real people, and I was correct.

Having passed the test, I was invited to dinners, usually in Edinburgh or London, and we dined only at night, during the time of the new moon. One evening, after discussing the legendary “13 Society, they suddenly began discussing The Odin Brotherhood.  All the material in my book is from these discussions and years of research into Norse paganism and Indo-European religions.

The first draft was a bland academic text, and the result violated my favourite principle:  “The historian must make the dead come alive, and not put the living asleep.” One member of the Brotherhood, who saw my draft, said, “You must write a book that will be read centuries from now. For Odinists, make a Bhagavad Gita, a Tao Te Ching, or a Gospel of Luke.

Time will tell if I succeeded.

 A common question is why, in our modern world, the Odin Brotherhood remain a secret.

Thanks to the discovery of a manuscript of 29 poems of the Eddaic Verses in 1643 (the Brotherhood claims the verses were revealed rather than discovered), the publication of my book, and the publication of Jack Wolf’s book The Way of the Odin Brotherhood, their lore is no longer secret.

What is secret and will remain secret are the identities of the members.  Why?  Like Odin himself, the Brotherhood thinks in terms of centuries. When dragon ships were sailing the seas and the Christians were running like frightened mice, who could have guessed that one day the followers of the Galilean would dominate? The Brotherhood knows that the “Burning Times” will return– perhaps 500 years from now– but they will return, so secrecy is still necessary.

The Koran, the infallible word of “The God” for 1 billion Muslims–contains this command:  “Fight and kill the pagans wherever you find them….”

Islam is on the march–Islam defeated the Russians, the Americans and NATO in one lifetime–so they are coming.

The Cannibal Within

The mutilated woman, with her “queerly pale skin” branded with “strange hieroglyphic symbols,” actually did visit my university office at Shawnee State University, as described in the preface of The Cannibal Within.

I do not specifically know what brought the stranger to my office, but her outrageous and revolting story fascinated me.  She claimed that “unknown superiors” exist—that her friend had been eaten alive—that she had been raped by arm-length penises covered with veins—and that she had escaped from a cage in a subterranean world.  I listened to her story and never again saw her.

Later, when I discovered that Oscar Kiss Maerth, a German writer, argued that devouring the soft, wet contents of any cranium caused evolution and that devouring cooked dead meat retarded our intellectual evolution, I was struck by the coincidence (the woman had made the same claim).

I was also struck by her assertion that paranormal activities in our world are caused by these creatures, which have finite telepathic abilities.  To quote my novella:

During their stealthy forays into our world, these masters of illusion can appear in any number of forms.  Always seen at night, they may appear as Puritanic gods, bringing commandments or revelations, beautiful succubi, flaunting their high and youthful breasts, androgynous angels, pulsating with light and fire, ghoulish old vampires, lusting for blood and shapely flesh, kindly space travellers, conveying messages of hope and peace, and malignant grey aliens, stalking victims for their vivisections.

So, I decided to write the story. I blur the lines between fact and fiction—that is called roman à clef—so Mogg Morgan, the publisher-in-chief at Mandrake of Oxford, released it as a horror novella.

In the past, certain individuals declared that only sacred knowledge—knowledge found in the Bible or the Koran—was valuable, and all other books should be destroyed.

Today, some people ignore or ridicule magical lore, myths and Fortean phenomena because they insist that only scientific knowledge—knowledge derived from our senses and our instruments– is legitimate knowledge. I study all knowledge, but I spend a great deal of time on the occult precisely because it is despised today.  As Aleister Crowley said, “The dead dog floats with the stream; in Puritan France the best women are harlots; in vicious England the best women are virgins.”

The modern West is a herd stampeding toward science, so the Occult attracts me.

Handbook for Rebels and Outlaws

Nietzsche said we are now pygmies with equal rights. I wrote the Handbook for Rebels and Outlaws for “intellectual swashbucklers” who understand that “freedom is a treasure that must be stolen.”

A citizen, it is true, may complain, make suggestions, or cause disruptions, but in the ancient world, these were privileges that belonged to any slave. The book covers a wide variety of topics, including non-violent resistance, asymmetric warfare, revolutionary cells, clandestine communications, and surviving disasters and wars.  It is a manual for freedom in an unfree world.

As always, I concentrate on the unusual. 

I discuss the most ingenious improvised weapon ever made: a pipe bomb constructed by a San Quentin death row inmate named William Kogut.  Using an old-fashioned deck of cardboard playing cards and a length of metal from his cot, Kogut made a “poor man’s” form of nitroglycerine.  Kogut knew that the spots on the red cards (diamonds and hearts) contained diazo dye, a material which acts with nitrogen. 

Or, I discuss how the mafia plants an innocent person’s fingerprints to frame him.  Using a photocopy machine that has had its “heating element” removed, the Mafia makes a copy of the “patsy’s” prints.  The toner dust (which will not be bonded to the paper) is then collected and placed at the crime scene.

Or, I discuss how torture really works.  In Paraguay, under Alfredo Stroessner, the secret police immersed their victims in tubs of human excrement until the victims complied.

A Traveler’s Guide to the Afterlife: Traditions and Beliefs on Death, Dying, and What Lies Beyond

Scepticism about the afterlife is a recent development in history.  As Sir James Frazer pointed out, some cultures do not believe in god, but all cultures ever found believe in ghosts.

Indeed, Charles Darwin himself attended séances with the novelist George Eliot in 1874. We do not know what life is–ninety-nine per cent of the living human body—the “meat body”—is composed of six elements–but what gives it life?  As Professor Lynn Margulis pointed out, “For all the accomplishments of molecular biology, we still can’t tell a live cat from a dead cat.”

Death is also a mystery, but any intelligent gambler will bet on the afterlife.

Since, as Aleister Crowley said, we all live under a death sentence, we have two options.  Here, I am paraphrasing Blaise Pascal, the great mathematician and one of the fathers of probability theory:

Option ONE: you may wager that there is no afterlife, and live only for this world and no other.  If you place your bet on this option, and you are correct, you win absolutely nothing, because everyone ends up the same.

Option TWO: you may wager that there is an afterlife, and prepare yourself for the other world by believing rightly and acting appropriately.  If you are correct — and there is an afterlife — you will win a huge jackpot — a priceless treasure — perhaps an eternity in paradise.

Based on probability theory alone, the ONLY sensible wager is Option Two. Besides, if the Yogavasistha, a classic Hindu text, is correct, after death, we will encounter what we expect and desire.

In other words, believe in nothing, my friends and that is what you will experience.