The Golden One

Lords of the Left-Hand Path by Stephen E. Flowers

Posted on June 8, 2022

I have read Lords of the Left-Hand Path by Stephen E. Flowers. I have previously reviewed three other works by Flowers: Icelandic Magic (review here), Rune Might (review here), and Revival of the Runes (review here). Lords of the Left-Hand Path is, just as the aforementioned books, well-written and insightful. In fact, it is one of the most interesting books I have read as of late – and I have read quite a few books over the last year (not all of which have been subject to book reviews). Thus, I can, without further ado, recommend the book to anyone interested in esoteric matters.

The author details various religious movements from antiquity up until our own time. Although the focus is on the Left-Hand Path and Black Magic (more on these terms further down), the book also highlights other interesting aspects of cults and heresies over the centuries.

Christianity and the Crusades

As stated above, the book is highly interesting and insightful, and in recommending it, I must also point out the following: my main (and perhaps only) issue with the book is the author’s sometimes overly hostile view of Christianity. I am not a Christian myself and certainly have my issues with Christian doctrine (as detailed in Dauntless). However, I deem it necessary to refute the following point: ‘Besides the Crusades, which sent tens of thousands of Christians to their horrible and useless deaths, the church had committed a number of other acts that corroded its previously unquestioned position of spiritual authority.’
This is congruent with an outdated analysis of the Crusades as a religiously inspired war of zealotry against another faith. In actuality, the Crusades were a (late) military response to continuous aggression from the Muslim south. A more recent example is the French conquest of territories in North Africa – it was undertaken to put an end to the transgressions of the Barbary Corsairs who had plagued the shores of Western Europe for centuries (bringing European slaves to African slave-markets). In regard to the Crusades, one can also note that the lands that were conquered by the Muslims had previously been under Roman rule – both Pagan and Christian. Similarly, in Persia the Indo-European religious tradition was replaced by Islam.

In mentioning this, I do not wish to promote a Neo-Conservative Counter-Jihadist narrative – I merely wish to point out that the Crusades were a response to aggression. Therefore, the Europeans who died in the Crusades did not do so ‘uselessly’ – just as the European men who fought against Communism during the last century did not do so uselessly.

Satanism

A large part of the bok concerns Satanism, more specifically Anton LaVey (founder of the Church of Satan) and Michael Aquino (who started out as a Satanist before becoming a Setian). Prior to reading this book, I knew next to nothing about Satanism, and I still know too little to give a definitive statement. Once I start bringing on guests on my channel (either on YouTube/Odysee or in a podcast format), I will interview Styxhexenhammer666 about it for more insights.

At a quick glance, Satanism seems to be a somewhat vulgar response to certain manifestations of American Christianity – I can imagine that Satanism had a certain allure for someone coming from an overbearingly religious household. It is also worth to point out that Sweden has also had its fair share of strange Christian sects. On a personal note, I have grown up in an atheist environment with aspects of Nordic and Greek myth as well as some minor aspects of Christianity. This has led me to have a rather positive view of Christianity – at least in comparison to other Pagans (such as Flowers, as mentioned above). I have elaborated on this at length before, primarily in the Greatest Podcast.

The author notes that Ayn Rand’s Libertarian books were recommended on the Church of Satan reading list in the early 1970s. This is hardly surprising, given the individualistic nature of Satanism. Libertarianism is often a stage that one outgrows – which is evident by the number of former Libertarians who have progressed further along their ideological journeys and thus ended up on the Right. As for Satanism, it could be fair to say that it held a certain level of attraction for different kinds of people – some were drawn to the anti-social aspects, some were drawn to whatever was opposed to a Christianity that they wanted to escape, and for some it seemed that Satanism was a way to explore metaphysics and the esoteric. Michael Aquino, for example, was more interested in the spiritual aspect of the endeavour – disappointed in the ‘showman-y’ direction of the Church of Satan, he broke away from it to found his own Temple of Set (you can hear more about it in an interview with him here).

Lastly, I must point out that Satanism is not something I endorse. In the current year of 2022, being a Satanist is a very safe way to feel rebellious. In fact, it is a lot more rebellious, in the sense that you will take heat from the powers-that-be, to be a Christian. Moreover, the individualistic and Libertarian nature of Satanism is completely outdated in our time. Satanism has never had any appeal for me, and I view it as an expression of modern American culture.

Aleister Crowley – The Great Beast

The author introduces Aleister Crowley, one of the most influential occultists of the last century. We encountered Aleister Crowley in our review of Introduction to Magic: Volume II & III, in which Evola states that Crowley was an accomplished spiritual master – who was ‘extraordinarily qualified’ to follow the Left-Hand Path. Flowers, on the contrary, notes that Crowley was in fact a practitioner of the Right-Hand Path. A large part of the chapter titled The Occult Revival is dedicated to Crowley. We will return to his life and teachings at length in later reviews (or a Podcast episode). Below is Crowley’s definition of magic:

‘Magick is the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will.’

Aleister Crowley

The Right-Hand Path and the Left-Hand Path

As the title of the book suggests, the central theme is to present various religious and spiritual movements and individuals who have embarked upon the Left-Hand Path of magic. A good definition of the Right-Hand Path (white magic in the context below) and the Left-Hand Path (black magic in the context below) is the following:

‘In a precise sense, the distinction between white and black magic is simply that white magic is a psychological methodology for the promotion of union with the universe and pursuing aims in harmony with those of the universe, while black magic is such a methodology for the exercise of independence from the universe and pursuing self-oriented aims. Structurally, white magic has much in common with religion as defined above, while black magic is more purely magical in and of itself. This is why magic as a category of behaviour is often condemned by orthodox religious systems.’

Stephen E. Flowers – Lords of the Left-Hand Path. Page 10.

The Tantric Paths

In The Yoga of Power by Julius Evola (read my review of it here), the concept of the Left-Hand Path is elaborated on in the chapter titled Pashu, Vira, and Divya: The Path of the Left Hand. The following quote illustrates it quite well:

‘There is a significant difference between the two Tantric paths, that of the right hand and that of the left hand (which are both under Shivas’s aegis). In the former, the adept always experiences “someone above him,” even at the highest level of realization. In the latter, “he becomes the ultimate Sovereign” (cakravartin = world ruler).

Julius Evola – The Yoga of Power

The quote above is not included in my review of Evola’s book, but I thought to add it here since it is relevant to the topic at hand. I re-read the chapter mentioned above after reading Lords of the Left-Hand Path. It is good to re-read books or parts of books when you can approach the writings with a new perspective.

Indo-European Cosmology & Neoplatonism

In the chapter titled The Roots of the Western Tradition, the author discusses the roles of Pythagoras and Plato in regard to the Left-Hand Path, which gives weight to the subsequent chapters, given the importance of both gentlemen in Western esotericism (and philosophy in general). Moreover, the following quote found in the same chapter presents Indo-European metaphysics in a good way:

‘Whether we see it in India or Ireland, in Rome or Greece, the Indo-European cosmology – its understanding of the world-order – hinges of the theory that this world is a material reflection of another, more real one (for example, the realm of gods and goddesses), beyond which looms a yet more real world of abstract principles. In Ancient Greek terms, this is expressed in the intrinsic dichotomy between physis (nature) and psychê (soul).’

Stephen E. Flowers – Lords of the Left-Hand Path. Page 62.

In a chapter titled The First Millennium, the author presents Neoplatonism and its chief proponent, Plotinus. He notes that Neoplatonism, with its roots in Platonic idealism, was a decisive influence on all schools of mysticism, such as the Judaic Kabbalah, Islamic Sufism, and various Christian traditions. This becomes apparent when reading esoteric literature due to how often references to the Neoplatonists are made.

Conclusion

At 441 pages, the book is a bit thicker than some of the other ones we have reviewed, but it is well worth the time investment. As already stated, I can highly recommend this book for anyone interested in these matters. I look forward to reading more books by Flowers!

The Doctrine of Awakening by Julius Evola

Posted on May 28, 2022

I have read The Doctrine of Awakening by Julius Evola. Reading this book was a natural step after reading The Yoga of Power (read my review of it here). Evola was, as you may know, a Traditionalist and, generally speaking, wrote from a Right-wing perspective. Evola took issue with the faulty (i.e. ‘hippy’-like) interpretations of Buddhism that permeated the West (one could say that they still do). In the book, Evola emphasises the Aryan (i.e. Indo-European) and aristocratic (i.e. Kshatriya caste) origin of Siddhartha Gautama, better known as Buddha – the Enlightened One. It should be noted that the book can be read as a refutation of the aforementioned faulty interpretations of Buddhism. Therefore, it is, in my humble opinion, a good book to read for anyone who seeks a genuine understanding of Buddhism. I am not yet knowledgeable enough in regard to Buddhism to comment further upon many of the topics presented in the book – I will reread it later on when I have acquainted myself with more Buddhist texts. Even without any greater prior knowledge of Buddhism, The Doctrine of Awakening is interesting and contains plenty of unique insights as well as many truly epic quotes (some of which are listed below).

The Physical Aspect of the Buddha

‘Thou hast a perfect body, thou art resplendent, well born, of noble aspect, thou hast a golden colour and white teeth, thou art strong. All the signs that thou art of noble birth are in thy form, all the marks of a superior man.’

– Sutta Nipāta, 3.1.19.

This supremely epic and inspiring quote appears in the book to describe how Buddha appeared to kings. This descriptions comes from one of the oldest Buddhist texts, and paints a picture quite dissimilar to the rather round Buddha often seen depicted (in statues for example). You, my dear reader, must now excuse my hubris as I accompany this heroic quote with the following picture:

The Aryan-ness of the Doctrine of Awakening

As mentioned above, an important point Evola returns to in several chapters of the book is the Aryan-ness (Indo-European-ness) of Hinduism and, by extension, Buddhism. In the chapter The Aryan-ness of the Doctrine of Awakening, he elaborates on why he emphasises the Indo-European origins of Buddhism – he wishes to confront those who view the doctrine as one of Asiatic exclusiveness, i.e. one foreign to the European spirit.

‘We have to remember that behind the various caprices of modern historical theories, and as a far more profound and primordial reality, there stands the unity of blood and spirit of the white races who created the greatest civilizations both of East and West, the Iranian and Hindu as well as the ancient Greek and Roman and the Germanic.’

Julius Evola – The Doctrine of Awakening. Page 14.

Here Evola refers to the Indo-Europeans. Evola uses the term Aryan; I use the term Indo-European to be more specific and to avoid confusion. I asked the knowledgeable Chad Pastoralist for a comment on the genetic aspect of the Indo-European legacy – he kindly wrote a highly interesting, in-depth answer which can be read at the end of this article. Evola’s quote continues:

‘Buddhism has the right to call itself Aryan both because it reflects in great measure the spirit of common origins and since it has preserved important parts of a heritage that, as we have already said, Western man has little by little forgotten, not only by reason of involved processes of intermarriage, but also since he himself – to a far greater extent than the Eastern Aryans – has come under foreign influences, particularly in the religious field.’

Julius Evola – The Doctrine of Awakening. Page 14.

In this second part of the quote, one can surmise that it is Christianity Evola is referring to. A debate regarding which is more in tune with the Indo-European spirit – Buddhism or Christianity – would indeed be interesting. I am not yet knowledgeable enough to give a conclusive answer – perhaps I will include a chapter on the topic in my next book. What we can say for now, however, is that, as Evola himself has pointed out in his The Mystery of the Grail (read my review of it here), Christianity was thoroughly Germanised once it came into contact with the Germanic tribes. Thus, it can be fair to say that the origins of Christianity are more foreign than the origins of Buddhism – but that, as time went on, Christianity became more European, whereas Buddhism became less Indo-European.

Aryan Attitudes to Lying

In the chapter titled Rightness, Evola notes that nothing among the Aryan peoples was as ignominious as falsehood. In an Aryo-Persian text it is even said that killing is not as serious as lying. On a personal note, I never lie. I lead a life in which I do not have to lie – not to others, not to myself. In fact, as a conscientious person, you cannot lie to yourself; which means that shame will be yours if you behave in a way that does not correspond to your vision of yourself – regardless if anyone else knows. Honour is all.

A Great Mental Image

In the chapter titled Determination of the Vocation, Evola quotes from a text named Majjhima. The following is said about the willpower of the ascetic:

‘The ascetic is one who has gained mastery over himself, who “has his heart in his power, and is not himself in the power of his heart.” He is the master of his thoughts. “Whatever thought he desires, that thought will he think, whatever thought he does not desire, that thought will he not think.” As a perfectly tamed elephant, led by his mahout, will go in any direction; as an expert charioteer, with a chariot ready on good ground at a crossroad and harnessed to a thoroughbred team, can guide the chariot where he wishes; or as a king or a prince with a chest full of clothes, may freely choose the garment that most pleases him for the morning, the afternoon, or the evening – so the ascetic can direct his mind and his being toward one state or another with perfect freedom.’

Julius Evola – The Doctrine of Awakening. Page 80.

With training, it is possible to gain a greater mastery over one’s mind. This mastery is a power that will be useful for any endeavour. Having his heart in his power – instead of the heart having him in its power – can be translated into being in control of any urge or temptation that goes contrary to one’s goals. Pictured below: yours truly choosing the garment that pleases me the most, just as I endeavour to choose the thoughts that please me the most.

The Demon of Desire

‘Hindus have the myth of Śiva, the great ascetic of the mountaintops, who with one glance of his frontal eye – the eye of knowledge – reduced Kama, the demon of desire, to ashes when he tried to disturb his mind.’

Julius Evola – The Doctrine of Awakening. Page 112.

For anyone struggling with desires, this image will be useful. Invoke the image of Shiva destroying Kama should you be in need of overcoming an urge – this can be a potent technique for anyone still addicted to pornography.

The Awakened One

In the chapter titled Signs of the Nonpareil, Evola again draws upon the Majjhima to supply us with an inspiring description:

‘The Awakened One is he who is detached from life and death and who knows the way up and the way down, he is “bold, not knowing hesitation, a sure leader, pure of passion, resplendent as the light of the sun, resplendent without arrogance, heroic”; he is the Knower “whom no mania dazzles, no trouble conquers, no victory tempts, no spot stains”; he is one “who asks no more, and who, as a man, has mastered the ascetic art”: he is the “great being, who lives strenuously, free from every bond, no longer slave to any servitude”; he is “the Valiant One, who watches over himself, constant in his step, ready to the call, who guards himself within and without, to nothing inclined, from nothing disinclined, the Sublime One whose spirit is powerful and impassible”; he is the “Awakened One whom no thirst burns, no smoke veils, no mist clouds: a spirit who honors sacrifice and who, like no other, towers in majesty.”’

Julius Evola – The Doctrine of Awakening. Page 210.

An ascended being of power completely in control of his own mind. Note: the pictures above and below are not of Buddha but of Shiva – they fitted the quotes aesthetically speaking!

Another epic quote that appears in the book is the following. The quote reminded me of another inspiring quote about Buddha and the prodigious cobra Muchalinda found in The Serpent Symbol in Tradition by Dr. Charles William Dailey (read my review here).

‘It is said that when Prince Siddhattha was sitting under the “tree of illumination,” resolved not to move until he had reached transcendental knowledge, he underwent an attack by the demoniacal forces of Māra, who was determined to move him from there, in the form of flames, whirlwinds, tempests, and fearful apparitions. But Prince Siddhattha remained unshakable and all these apparitions finally vanished.’ 

Julius Evola – The Doctrine of Awakening. Page 116.

Conclusion

At 239 pages, The Doctrine of Awakening is not a long book. However, since the topics are quite heavy and Evola’s works are usually quite dense, the book will require a bit more time than many other books of the same length. As stated previously, the book is best read when already having an understanding of Buddhism – there are easier introductions to the subject. That being said, reading about the topic from Evola’s perspective makes it much more interesting and certainly gave me new and valuable insights. I look forward to reading more about Buddhism in the coming time!

Appendix – Indo-European Genetics

The following explanation was given to me by The Chad Pastoralist. If you are interested in these matters, I highly recommend that you follow him on Telegram (https://t.me/thechadpastoralist).

Northern Europe

‘Northern Europeans on average are about 40-50% descended from the Yamnaya. The ‘Yamnaya-like’ or ‘steppe’ component of ancestry entered Northern and Central Europe via various Indo-European-speaking cultures such as the Corded Ware Culture and Bell Beaker Culture, which in itself was a Western branch of the Corded Ware Culture. Steppe ancestry entered Scandinavia via the Battleaxe Culture, which was a Northern branch of the Corded Ware Culture that had mingled with the Funnelbeaker Culture in Northern Europe. Modern English people receive around 47-49% of their ancestry from the steppe which was introduced via the Bell Beaker Culture around 4,300 years ago. Steppe ancestry reaches its peak in Britain at around 50% amongst the Irish and Scottish, and this number can also be found in Scandinavia.

Southern Europe

In Southern Europe it varies. In Iberia steppe ancestry is about 31-40%, but over 90% of the non-Indo-European lineages were replaced by the Beaker folk just like they were in Britain. This ultimately means that regardless of what percentage of steppe ancestry an Iberian male may carry, if they have the R1b Y-DNA haplogrpup, they descend directly from a Beaker warrior from thousands of years ago.

Scandinavia

In regards to Scandinavia, the Battleaxe Culture was an Indo-European-speaking culture that emerged as a Northern branch of the Corded Ware Culture. The Battleaxe Culture mingled with the Funnelbeaker Culture, which was an Early European Farmer culture rich in indigenous Western Hunter Gatherer ancestry. Due to a Founder Effect in Scandinavia, the I1 haplogroup, which is associated with the Western Hunter Gatherers theoretically speaking, had become the dominant Y-DNA haplogroup amongst that culture. Autosomally speaking, steppe ancestry outweighed WHG ancestry, and most Scandinavians today have a very high prevalence of steppe ancestry up to 50% and sometimes ever so slightly higher.

India

In India, steppe ancestry was brought into the area via the Sintashta Culture. The Sintashta was an Indo-European culture that had invented the spoked wheel specifically for chariot warfare, and they had the highest prevalence of blonde hair and blue eyes amongst several Indo-European groups. Most Indians today only inherit about 20% of their ancestry from the Sintashta, but some high-caste Indians carry haplogroups associated with a direct paternal Indo-European lineage.

Yamnaya

In regards to the Yamnaya themselves, they were on average 55% descended from Eastern Hunter Gatherers, 35% from the Caucus Hunter Gatherers and the other 10% was minor amounts of Western Hunter Gatherer and Early European Farmer ancestry. These numbers fluctuated throughout history which has resulted in the present-day genetic make-up of modern Europeans, with Northern Europeans receiving most of their ancestry from the Yamnaya via their descendants (such as the Corded Ware Culture and Bell Beaker Culture). Southern Europeans receive Indo-European ancestry to an extent, but importantly via the Y-DNA haplogroup like R1b which specifies a direct unbroken paternal lineage back to the Steppe herders.’

Revival of the Runes by Stephen E. Flowers

Posted on May 24, 2022

I have read Revival of the Runes by Stephen E. Flowers. Just as Icelandic Magic (review here) and Rune Might (review here) by the same author, it is highly insightful and interesting. I thought that the only reasonable course of action was to continue along the same path by reading more about the runes.

Stephen E. Flowers and Edred Thorsson

You may have noticed that Rune Might is authored by Edred Thorsson (Stephen E. Flowers’ pen name). Why does he write about the same topic under two different names? Simply put, it is to distinguish between his role as a scholar and as a magician. Stephen E. Flowers is the academic who presents certain topics in a more scholarly manner; Edred Thorsson presents them in a less restricted manner – allowing him some poetic license as well as some room to elaborate on certain magical practices as he sees them. On a personal note, I view this as a reasonable way to distinguish between the works. It must be noted that the style of the books is quite similar regardless of which name he uses.

Rune Might and Revival of the Runes

As you may have discerned from the information regarding the names above, Revival of the Runes focuses more on the runes from the perspective of a historian – Rune Might is more practically oriented. As I noted in my review of Rune Might, I appreciate practical instructions that I can implement, and experiment with, in my own meditations. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed Revival of the Runes as well. The story of the runes is, to a large extent, also a story about the Germanic peoples. Moreover, in reading the book, I was introduced more thoroughly to certain Swedish scholars whose names I had previously only been familiar with in passing – such as Johan Bure (more on him further down).

Pictured below: yours truly in Uppsala, a place of both spiritual and scholarly importance. Gamla Uppsala (Old Uppsala) was an important place for Pagan rituals, and Uppsala University (founded in 1477) has, as you may have surmised, always been an important place for all manner of studies and research.

The Shift From Elder to Younger Futhark

The Younger Futhark (of 16 runes – pictured below) was a shortened version of the Elder Futhark (24 runes) and was in use during the Viking Age (from about 800 to 1100 CE). The author notes that the motives behind the reform of the runic system – i.e. going from the Elder to the Younger Futhark – remain a matter of scholarly controversy. One theory is that the shift was done to shield the runes from the unworthy – on a practical level it was a way for runecarvers to preserve and promote their profession.

‘The newly reformed system also made runic texts more difficult to read, with single runes being made to stand for a variety of sounds. One might logically ask: Why was this obfuscation deemed necessary? Since the phenomenon did occur, and because it runs contrary to the normal and expected development of a writing system, we must assume that it was the result of a conscious plan. Here the simplest answer is probably the right one: The system was made more difficult so that it could not be casually learned by those outside the gild of runecarvers.’

Stephen E. Flowers – Revival of the Runes

The author also notes that the Norse dialects became more phonetically complex at the time, meaning that a reduction of the runes was not a result of a linguistical changes. On a related note, the Germanic languages (Swedish and English for example) were more similar (basically identical) during the Viking Age than they are today.

Gothic Blood

Just as in Rune Might, the concept of Gothicism is presented, and the author notes that the legendary status of the Goths could be harnessed for European nations to increase their prestige. This is reasonable since the Goths left a great legacy.

I will elaborate on this at length in my upcoming book, but what we can note for now is the following: the nations that were infused with Gothic blood (from the Migration Era), primarily Sweden, Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal, would have a certain drive to pursue greatness in a Faustian manner. However, certain nations that were not touched by the Gothic migration (England and the Netherlands to name two) still had the same Faustian spirit of conquest and exploration. This is, in my humble opinion, due to the fact that it was the Indo-European (i.e. Steppe DNA) blood in the Goths that facilitated this spirit. The same Indo-European blood was, of course, present in the Saxons as well (as well as the ancient Greeks and Romans, as we have noted in previous articles). Moreover, as stated by Survive the Jive, it should be noted that there is no genetic difference between a migration era Lombard, Goth, Angle, or Jute. Thus, one can conclude that the adventure-seeking, glory-driven European spirit comes from a more distant past – i.e. from the Indo-Europeans.

Since we are on the topic, it is good to point out that there are no ‘pure’ Indo-European populations. Generally speaking, Europeans can be said to have three components: Indo-European, Early European Farmer, and Hunter-Gatherer. In conclusion, it can be noted that the Indo-European spirit can manifest itself as long as a touch of the blood remains. Moreover, I must add that this is an esoteric take on the spirit, not a comment on pure biology.

In my meditations on my own being, the following thought presented itself: perhaps the Indo-European spirit within me is particularly potent due to epigenetic factors. In my case, it may be that a great consumption of dairy products throughout my life, in addition to other factors, has facilitated the Indo-European spirit to dominate.

Again, this is a topic I will return to later on.

Paracelsus

Theophratus Bombastus von Hohenheim (Paracelcus) appears in this book as well. He is introduced as one of the greatest intellectual heroes of the Northern Renaissance. We encountered him in relation to the arcane arts (in this case: magic, alchemy, and astrology) in our review of The Hermetic Tradition by Julius Evola (review here). Paracelsus was an inspiration for later Swedish mystics. In said Northern Renaissance, an interest for the runes was reignited. We will, as we continue on our esoteric path, most likely come across Paracelsus again.

The Swedish Mystic Johan Bure

In Rune Might, the author presents a number of German esoteric masters, primarily active during the early 20th century. In Revival of the Runes, the focus is on a number of Swedish men who were important to the survival and revival of the runes. Perhaps the most important one of these esoteric masters was Johan Bure, whose life is the main topic of the chapter titled From the Renaissance to the Baroque. In addition to his research on the runes, Bure was, to our great interest and admiration, a regular companion of Gustav II Adolf, also known as Gustav Adolf the Great. Gustav II Adolf was one of Sweden’s greatest kings and one of the most competent military leaders in history. Johan Bure instructed the king on matters of Swedish prehistory and esotericism up until the latter’s departure for Germany and the Thirty Years’ War. This royal patronage enabled Bure to pursue various esoteric paths:

‘This period was, of course, also rich with esoteric discoveries and explorations. Bure came under increasing attacks for his heretical ideas, but he was solidly supported by the royal house against any and all critics, the majority of whom were members of the Lutheran clergy.’

Stephen E. Flowers – Revival of the Runes

The author notes that Bure’s esoteric works largely remain unpublished today, being stored away in archives in Stockholm, Uppsala, and Lund. On a personal note, I was actually admitted to the archives in Uppsala when I wrote a paper on the Swedish import of colonial wares during the 1700s. I will endeavour to get better acquainted with Bure’s teachings in the coming time. Pictured below: Johan Bure (to the right) and his mighty patron (to the left).

Controversies Surrounding the Runes

In a chapter titled The Rise of Contemporary Scientific Runology and the Re-Emergence of the Rune-Gild: Phase VI: 1975 to Present, the author discusses the view of the runes in later years. He notes that two opposing views came to prominence:

‘It might be said that from the early 1980s forward, there developed two schools of esoteric runology: the Blumian and the Edredian. The motto of the Blumian school would be: “Do your own thing” or “If it feels good, it’s right.” On the other hand, the motto of the Edredian school would be: “Verified tradition activated by experience leads to inner truth.”

Stephen E. Flowers – Revival of the Runes

One could thus say that these disputes follow a similar pattern as today – where various ‘woke’ activists try to misconstrue the teachings of the ancients to suit their own political agenda. Survive the Jive made an interesting video on a similar matter which you can watch on Odysee: Good Walls for Bad Neighbours: The Meaning of Asgard’s Walls. On a personal note, I am more inclined to agree with the assessment of the Edrerian (as in Edred Thorsson) school – i.e. a healthy respect for the doctrines our ancestors.

Conclusion

Revival of the Runes is, just as Rune Might, a well-written and engaging book full of interesting insights. At 209 pages it is also not a big time-investment. For anyone interested in the runes, I can definitely recommend it. In closing, I will also add that I have grown fond of the writing style of Flowers and look forward to reading more books by him.