Austin Osman Spare - Sigil Magick in Theory and Practice - The Origins of Chaos Magick

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Check out Dr. Puca's episode - kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHvHqmOvirZgaZY Make Sure to Subscribe & Consider supporting Esoterica by becoming a monthly Patron - www.patreon.com/esotericachannel or a one time donation - www.paypal.me/esotericachannel Your support is profoundly appreciated!

[@David-jq7wr]

I would love if you read and reviewed "Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie" or "The Doctrine and Ritual of High Magic" by Éliphas Lévi. One of the second books I read when I started getting into the occult through my first reading of "The Kybalion" and all other things related to Hermetics and Mental Alchemy. Truly an inspiring and great read. I would argue that Éliphas Lévi's contribution to the occult and magick is not properly appreciated.

[@jmp01a24]

@@David-jq7wr Aleister Crowley felt a connection with Eliphas Levi, so much he (jokingly iirc) said that he was one of his previous incarnations. He had put up some astro charts and crunched them numerical values of names, dates, etc.

[@savantofillusions]

I can’t wait for you to see what I’ve done

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

@@savantofillusions ?

[@savantofillusions]

@@TheEsotericaChannel it’s a long story - but the short version is that I’m doing automatic surrealism with my fingertips in a way thought to be humanly impossible - I’m a genius savant with a brain injury - I am somehow like Janet’s patients but proving “cognitive surrealism” that resembles Maxwell’s Demon for art (mathematically) also there are machine learning models that might show what I do requires a quantum computer equivalent in the brain

[@Bildgesmythe]

I'm still looking for the buried treasure. The only treasure I've found, so far, is this channel.

[@cjcj3222]

The lost seek

[@crustymcgee6580]

Awwww......

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Kind words....but I could use some gold, ngl ;)

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

and the bored.....and humble

[@johnnewton8017]

Amen to that! And to the trail of mana leading to and fro.

[@drangelapuca]

Thank you for the heartfelt introduction, my friend! I loved collaborating with you and I look forward to the next one! Hopefully, we'll get to meet in person as well. 😊

[@Youmama187]

I am glad he shouted out your channel. I will have to look at many of your videos that have popped my intrest

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

You deserve all the praise, many thanks for for your wonderful work. Hopefully we will meet in person soon - maybe even have a glass of absinthe together!

[@hechticgaming7193]

@@TheEsotericaChannel nothing better than getting in some Green Faerie while discussing the esoteric!

[@artistsurafel]

I subscribed

[@TheOneandPrime]

I'm so glad he mentioned you! I just subscribed to your channel :)

[@dcat1730]

Thanks for the wonderful university lecture content I can enjoy from home with a cup of coffee ☕ Cheers!

[@winoosbourne344]

Every time I'm going to play one of your videos, they look too long on paper, but then when they are coming to an end, they seem too short. Truly magical.

[@andythedishwasher1117]

I recently used a technique inspired by Spare's methods to create a musical chord sequence generator app which transforms a string of words (an intention to be sigilized) into a set of four chords which can then be used as an object of meditation or "activation" by other means... My method for activating such sigils is usually to sit at a piano, toodle around on the chosen four chords until I settle on a pleasant riff, and then repeat that riff mindlessly for an hour or so, zoning out on it as hard as possible to the point that I'm barely awake at the piano. When I reach a point of exhaustion, I go rest and try to forget about the whole affair as much as possible. This act of introducing the data repeatedly at a point of exhaustion is one of the ways you can create and take advantage of that "stack overflow" you mentioned. Forgetting about it keeps your brain from retroactively "correcting" the changes you made on a subconscious level to conform with your previous patterns and protocols which the magick aimed to alter. You're kind of exploiting back doors in your own psychological immune system. Pretty dangerous stuff in the wrong hands.

[@thenowchurch6419]

That is, if it actually works. Any evidence?

[@placer7412]

Ok you babbling mad man. Seek help.

[@andythedishwasher1117]

@@thenowchurch6419 Well, the way I understand the theory dictates that the technique is primarily useful for breaking or forming habits on various levels of one's mental/emotional architecture. I can say that I've had success refocusing my nervous system onto tasks that were previously much more opaque to my understanding and abilities. For example, this method has been very helpful in my recent shift from an attempted career in music to a more stable career in computer science. I target my intentions mostly toward new abilities I want to cultivate, and it seems to be helpful. Can't say much beyond that. Probably not much different than other affirmation-based motivational techniques, but at least this one has an interesting theoretical basis that my overcomplicated brain can appreciate as potentially valid and therefore utilize.

[@andythedishwasher1117]

@@placer7412 I've certainly explored that possibility, but I think I've found a stable track now. Thanks for your concern.

[@PolarBear-rc4ks]

@@andythedishwasher1117 ignore the rude people, your idea sounded interesting.

[@salkimmich]

Nietzsche slide: "not pictured, the void, on the left" so good

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

That damn Freddy, always abyss-starin'

[@tithingfolk]

Outstanding! More scholarly Chaos Magic-related videos are incredibly appreciated.

[@venenuminauro]

Found the friend. Using this for future work as well.

[@tithingfolk]

@@venenuminauro OH hi my brother

[@chompythebeast]

This idea of encoding (or "discovering") powerful sigils and then tapping into their potency by storing them deep within the mind reminds me a lot of the Caryll Runes found in Bloodborne, a game heavily steeped in Gothic and Lovecraftian occultism. The idea of "vacuity" of mind being a purer form of consciousness which leaves one more open to communion with greater cosmic powers is also _explicitly_ present in the game. Very interesting―I knew little about Spare, so this was quite enlightening. Thank you, as always!

[@LlamaOccident]

God I love Bloodborne. Figures that only Dr. Sledge can help us make sense of the convoluted lore.

[@veraha4706]

@@Shin_Lona played Bloodborne and read Carroll’s work and I have never thought about this connection. Sweet!

[@ZenoMuncrief1]

You must be somewhat saddist if you are referencing bloodborne. That is a truly difficult path. HAHHAHAHAH.... that darn game kicked my butt for years!!

[@Alfred5555]

@@veraha4706 I think the majority of bloodborne (and some dark souls) is directly ripped from the manga Berserk, and then mixed with European naturalism.

[@audiomancytv4984]

@Ελιστέα Orula LaVey, Witch Cult of Zos bro's mad as fuck over a single name drop just fucking seething

[@chrischibnall593]

As someone who has attempted to go very deeply into Spare's philosophy myself, I must say this presentation represents a very brave and impressive attempt at understanding and summarising it: bravo, Dr. Sledge!

[@genghisgalahad8465]

Beyond excited for the Esoterica perspective on Chaos Magick with a “k”!! Thank you, Dr Justin Sledge! You rock!!

[@ocyruspythia1658]

"Not pictured: the void, on left" i love you dude

[@thehangedwoman8893]

@@ocyruspythia1658 you are the void. Dude.

[@bloke1348]

An amazing artist, spare, used to draw in complete darkness and a lot of his work depicts two or three images simultaneously.

[@ronalda3488]

A.O. Spare was a very enigmatic person, thanks for shedding more light into his precepts. I understood more from you than reading his texts a dozen times over!

[@zach7482]

While I'm VERY new to the world of magic and occultism, I could understand everything you've said in this video. You made 24 minutes seem like 5! You've definitely got my subscription. May many more come to you!

[@Alfred5555]

@@dr.faustus922 Can I get a hidden fortified base under the Antarctic ice with flying saucer air defence ? or like, even just £10 ?

[@PseudoMystic]

I feel like you're the only voice on the internet on these niche subjects who actually cites his sources, so I appreciate the link Dr. Puca's channel because the more the merrier.

[@Shadesatx]

Seriously, I know of no other channel where half the fun is knowing you'll get an evaluation of the most relevant academic texts at the tail end of the video! My wallet does not thank Dr. Sledge, but I do! My list of 'to buy' books has grown immensely.

[@badcooper235]

While citing sources has its value it can get in the way. AOS would never have existed if he only relied on things other people wrote. Imagine how sterile art would be if painters only could paint things that everyone could agree existed in the material world.

[@jmp01a24]

OMG you made a program of my favourite artist. He was magical and lived like an old wizard among the poor and downthrodden.

[@taddybear4244]

AOS created some of my favourite art of all time. "Ascension of the Ego from Ecstasy to Ecstasy" is probably the most beautiful piece of art I've ever seen.

[@Youmama187]

I love Spare. I get many don't but there is so much there in how I do my work.

[@NYisconstipated]

Genesis P-Orridge introduced me to Austin Osman Spare. He owned a few of his paintings and he told stories of the painting coming to life on the days that the paintings were made

[@EthanMallory]

I’ve been doing automatic drawings for about two decades out of inspiration from Austin Osman Spare. Psyched to see you covering him!

[@disguisery]

That was the best “buried treasure” yet. Holy moly.

[@surrealdealpick3]

No words can express the gratitude I have for your channel.

[@PriestMelmoth]

Wow! This is an excellent look at Austin Osman Spare techniques in Sigil Magic in theory and practice. Thank you.

[@BRAVENEWORDERFILMS]

I really enjoy your collaborations with Dr. Angela. Thank you. May God bless you and yours🙏

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Me too!

[@literallyreal8938]

Gotta love how genuine that appreciation was at the end of the video!

[@sugaith]

the stack overflow analogy is perfect

[@Its-Lulu]

Happy you and Angela are covering AOS 🥰❤

[@masterdamonkey]

Thanks!

[@goblin3359]

I have been fascinated by Sigil and chaos magick for a while now, so I am absolutely delighted that you have done a deep dive into Spare's work and legacy. Brilliant video, as always, Dr. Sledge. Thank you.

[@wobfet]

loved this episode so much! extremely informative. Spare has always been an occultist I’ve wanted to delve deeper into but would just end up getting completely lost, feeling like I could never even scratch the surface. Excited to try to find the book recommended!

[@babymoon56]

I first watched your channel hoping to learn something and I have thank you but it's your sense of humor that keeps me coming back. I wish I was as quick.

[@GrantusM]

Yet another wonderfully informative and thought-inspiring episode. Thank you!

[@middleburyastrology]

Fascinating. There seems to be this need to create complex thought structures in order to prove a meta mechanism. Like we must invent such a clear vision of multiplicities and symbols in the outer world in order to get access to the front door of the inner world. Getting around doubt with a glorious technical manual and its obsessive studying to earn admission. There is something so human about this. Loved this episode!

[@theosophicalwatermelons8181]

You used the word 'multiplicity.' I like you.

[@Messedupshoes]

Thank you for filling a gap for me. I recently watched "the witch of kings cross". When it was over, I had a want for a good documentary on ol Spare.

[@r0ntr0n4]

I love this channel. Thank you.

[@davidwarwickanderson6604]

Thanking You Dr Sledge - I Created My First Sigil 2 Days Ago! My Kind Regards To Your Friend and Colleague Dr Puca! She Recommended You and Hence Forth - Speared Me Into You! Thanks Again ✨️ David 🌟 namaste 🙏

[@billgezella]

Saved!!! Looking very forward to this episode later tonight when I have the time to dig in! ❤

[@robertbradley8309]

Fantastic video on AOS!! You break down his occult philosophy where it can be understood!! Thanks again!!

[@NachtvorBaelZeburst]

Thank you, very much! I've waited for this presentation!

[@mpm1125]

This is self hypnosis on a grand scale.

[@edvardasps]

Shadow money wizard gang. We love casting spells 🔥🔥🔥🦅🦅🦅

[@thewizardofawes8194]

Thanks, Dr. Sledge: very clear and educational video about Austin O. Spares ideas.

[@charlieboone1298]

Great video, Doc. The stack overflow analogy is a good one. I've heard modern practicioners use computing nomenclature in magickal contexts a few times actually.

[@SK-le1gm]

Thanks

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Many thanks to you!

[@josephmay447]

Glad I found your channel, shalom!

[@JM-qi5dm]

Thank you! Please make more videos!

[@hehunches]

(4:44) I laughed at the succinctness in the eye movements, hilarious. Watching this after watching Dr. Puca's presentation, I thank you, Dr. Sledge.

[@youareivan]

i find your videos really interesting and appreciate the way you present them without feeling a need to editorialize. well done. this particular video reminds me of a comic book i was reading back in the 90's- "the invisibles" by grant morrison- wherein mr. morrison asked the readers to perform chaos magic to keep the book from being cancelled. in a note at the end of issue #14 he explained how to create a sigil and suggested that self pleasure was a good way to hack the perfect concentration requirement of the casting. the book continued for 45 more issues, so i leave it to the reader to decide whether it worked or not.

[@lotusheart625]

Excellent episode (as always!). As a regular user of sigil magic, I never cared to learn much about the founder himself, and found this to be enlightening.

[@cemreeraslan1930]

Thank you, great video. Will check out patreon!

[@PseudoMystic]

One of the books I consider a great treasure of mine to own is Lost Envoy, Spare's tarot that despite being made in 1906 didn't see the light until 2013 is fittingly to me the most modern and innovate deck I've ever seen.

[@thomasnihil4878]

Have you read about the crowdfunding first print of his Tarot a while ago?

[@viktoriam8977]

Love your voice and pacing. I am so glad I found you! Subscribed, nothing but blessings to you my friend

[@danielx555]

I just subscribed. I saw Dr. Puca's video on Spare and I am getting back into esotericism after spending a few decades away from it. This is all so fascinating.

[@MariaMartinez-ti6ko]

you are god sent, EXCELLENT work as always!! 👏

[@helenbostock2350]

Best video for me. We say the only thing that changes is changed. Do you think people egos have changed. Has pride twisted ego. Being proud of an achieving

[@Jason.1734]

Keep up the good work from Melbourne Australia

[@visionplant]

Ah, finally doing vids on more modern occult stuff. I love ancient stuff, too, tho!

[@stonedolphin4617]

this is the good stuff. keep em coming

[@TheSolarian07]

Great podcast! Exactly the type of content I've been searching for!!!❤

[@christainroberts381]

This channel is a gift to us all. Thank you kindly for sharing all of your knowledge in such an inviting way.

[@FTW_666]

Just watched this a second time. Excellent presentation, I thoroughly enjoyed this. Thank you!

[@grewntd]

The algorithm reunites me such intriguing content. It must be true, chance is a form of science we don't understand yet

[@butterfacemcgillicutty]

You are 10000% correct regarding the difficulty of his written works. What I did was read his works multiple times, taking a fresh set of notes each time. ALSO you should view his art, not just a quick glance. Look at his art, spend time looking at his art works. His visual and written works are similar expressions of the same thing.

[@miguelsagueiii202]

Thank-you for this video, Doctor. The introduction to Spare is very comprehensive and particularly entertaining.

[@butterfacemcgillicutty]

OMG I love AOS!! I'm so glad you made a video about him. I've read all his books and biography and is such a big influence in my practice! I just turned my notifications on for this channel because I can't believe I almost missed this.

[@FreeFormFemi]

please speak about the stack overflow. I am much interested in the interplay of the digital world and occultism

[@tauruschorus]

Most excellent upload!

[@jennduncandeloach]

Thank you for the knowledge and timr spent to give it

[@leslenasloan7713]

This was a great overview. Thank you.

[@xaviox]

Esoteric shade honey! Love the little nods to the gurls. A truly enlightened teacher 😎✨💕

[@MorpheusMoon]

Always learn something new Dr. Sledge! Thank you

[@pootnikalexander]

Once again Brilliant! So informative and humorous Enjoyed this immensely! Thank You

[@dionysusyphus]

Been waiting for this since I found your channel! ZOS KIA CULTUS

[@F3z07]

What a surprise! I am entirely delighted that you've chosen to cover much more recent work in the occult! Thank you as always, doctor!

[@Ryo7_7]

Insightful thinking. I've thought about similar concepts separately but it links well.

[@AskALibbieist]

LOVE sigil/chaos magic and Spare. Great video, Dr Sledge!

[@ricktalks7420]

That's some good shade there , Again some magical shade 😆👏🏻👏🏻 . Brilliant episode.🙏🏻

[@Greentrianglegallery]

!!!!! So appreciated that was impressive and I can’t wait for more

[@integratedalchemist]

I've found this to be true at certain points of my life where I've allowed certain intentions or goals at times of care free but illuminated bliss, to be implimented and forgotten and later manifested with ease. I can see how using sigil magic would be a good exercise and way of strengthening this. I think we all do it consciously or unconsciously for better or for worse

[@samheinrichs8366]

The best occult content on youtube, by a distance

[@a.6900]

excellent timing with this video i am writing about this now.

[@thomzwiefler6305]

"And you guessed it, you can use it to find buried treasure" Dee and Kelley look at each other in excitement and clap hands 👏.... The archangel nods in disapproval.... Again.

[@aaronjennings8385]

I'd never heard of Spare before this. Thanks for the intro.

[@aaronzigelbaum]

Great video! insightful, fun, and really funny :D - this guy had a unique brilliance, as do you all!

[@THATMERGOAT]

Hi! I am so glad I found this channel. Oh, lucky day! 😊

[@MagickinMusick]

Great study and insight in the subject....very informative - Thank you 🖤

[@Davlavi]

Always informative

[@jackpayne4658]

I knew very little about Spare before watching this. For some reason, I was often reminded of William Blake and Michel Foucault - an unlikely duo.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Def get Blake vibes....not so much Foucault though.

[@atana.potnia]

I was, too, reminded strongly of Blake mainly due to the similarities I can see between Spare's Zos and Kia and Blake's four Zoas; as well as the whole idea of alienation which happens in a similar fashion to Urizen in Blake's work. Very interesting video and comments, too!

[@jackpayne4658]

@@TheEsotericaChannel Foucault had a personal interest in 'limit experiences', though his interpretation would be rather different from Spare's. For me, Foucault is a nihilist - 'nothing is true, all is permitted' - which reminds me of chaos magick. Post-modern esotericism, if such a thing is viable.

[@kiowhatta1]

Hi Dr Sledge, firstly a heartfelt thanks for providing this invaluable repository of exemplary information. I am wondering if you are considering doing any videos on the rise and/or history of modern Demonolatry: ie Elemental magic, Dukante, the works of S.Connolly and the shift towards demon relationships as mutually respectful, to name a few.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

No, probably not

[@evans808274mc9la]

Looking forward to a thelemic episode in due time. 93's

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

At some point, that episode would be a minefield :)

[@evans808274mc9la]

@@TheEsotericaChannel just a bit.... Would probably excite the oto no end with every supposed reincarnation of Crowley arguing all over lashtal

[@sonder152]

@@evans808274mc9la there is no reincarnation of Crowley other than that in Thelema (like other traditions involving nondualism/monism) all things that have been, are and will be are incarnations of God. Also the actual formula of La-ShT-Al is directly involved, 0=2, as I'm sure you'd know. (although I know you were talking about the internet forum and not the theological formula)

[@evans808274mc9la]

@@sonder152 yes, the forum :-) a great place wind up the dogmatic

[@Gohliath]

Hurray! A chaos magic episode!

[@andrewmendez299]

excellent, you got around to Spare.

[@HiDesert004]

The Baker book is getting a revision (I checked Amazon) with a new forward by Alan Moore, supposed to be out at the end of the year.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Nice to know!

[@stevenalpha331]

Thanks for all your great work.

[@bevinmodrak4997]

Fantastic. Very helpful.

[@synthzz9178]

For those who missed it, Baker's beautiful book about Spare will be available again on June 23rd - also in the next months from Strange Attracror press there will be the third reprint of Keenan's England's Hidden Reverse, my all-time fav music book about Coil, Nurse With Wound and C93 and also a collection of Coil'interview called Everything Keeps Dissolving: Conversations with Coil.

[@Jimmy-vn9hv]

Thank you Justin. Hey you should do a little bit on Jane Roberts!! She influenced the so called new age movement big time w the Seth Speaks channeling material. Seth could have been Set! Who knows, but I find it incredible that she could come up with such amazing concepts while in a trance. Love your channel!

[@johnferry7778]

As with Crowley’s Thelema, Spare’s Zos Zia Cultis is often impenetrable and idiosyncratic, like learning an instrument we just need to find our own true will and style to take what we need from other peoples talents and works as signposts to help inspire and guide us along the way, but we don’t want to get overawed by tradition and get bogged down into trying to become second hand versions of artists and thinkers of the past. Time will tell who among us will develop our own great works and serve to inspire others in years to come.

[@corysmith6907]

I have learned so much from your videos. Thank you for giving your time and expertise.