Posts (page 2)
04 April 2008 (Friday)
Book Launch: Howlings
For the celebrated grimoire essay collection
Hosted by Scarlet Imprint
Free, but advance booking required to be added to the guest list
7.00 pm onward
Please reserve your place by mailing Treadwells on info@treadwells-london.com or calling them on 020 7240 8906
Scarlet Imprint cordially invite you to the join in the celebratory party launching their new book, which follows on the heels of their rampant success, The Red Goddess.
Howlings is a collection of 14 original and extensive essays exploring grimoires, written from a variety of perspectives, but all are passionate and informed by firsthand knowledge of contemporary magical practice.
Contributors: David Rankine, Donald Tyson, Peter Grey, David Beth, Stafford Stone, Paul Hughes-Barlow, Krzysztof Azarewicz, Jack Macbeth, Thea Faye, Aleq Grai, Zaheer Gulamhusein, and the anonymous author of The Grimoire of Pharaon. They draw inspiration from, and explore their reactions to, such works as The Picatrix; The Goetia or Lesser Key of Solomon; Four Books of Occult Philosophy; The Voudon Gnostic Workbook; Liber 231; Andrew Chumbley’s Qutub; And the grimoire itself. Editor: Alkistis Dimech. The volume itself is 8vo, 4 colour plates, bound in peacock blue and gilt-stamped cloth. It has been called 'strikingly handsome' and we are inclined to agree. £33.00 A strictly limited first edition of 333 copies.
Eight of our writers will be attending the launch, this will be an unmissable opportunity to meet them and have your copy signed.
We look forward to seeing you there.
In Nomine Babalon
Scarlet Imprint x
Dear Friends,
We are pleased to announce the birth of HOWLINGS.
A strictly limited first edition of 333 copies.
Subscribers who have pre-ordered will have their books sent to them in the next two days.
HOWLINGS is an octavo book of two hundred pages, four
sumptuous colour plates, handsomely designed and bound in peacock blue and gilt
stamped cloth.
Our printing house have described it as 'strikingly handsome' and we are inclined to agree. Images can be seen here
If you have not ordered yet, a copy can be yours for the princely sum of thirty-three English pounds plus postage.
HOWLINGS comprises fourteen original and extensive essays which explore the Grimoires. These are passionate, informed and evocative pieces which create a unique testament to the vibrancy of the modern magickal current.
Our writers pursue knowledge, power and wisdom through the pages of:
The Picatrix
The Goetia, or Lesser Key of Solomon
Four Books of Occult Philosophy
The Voudon Gnostic Workbook
Liber 231
Qutub
And the Grimoire itself
Our esteemed writers are,
David RankineDonald Tyson
Peter Grey
David Beth
Stafford Stone
Paul Hughes-Barlow
Krzysztof Azarewicz
Jack Macbeth
Thea Faye
Aleq Grai
Zaheer Gulamhusein
and the anonymous author of The Grimoire of Pharaon
Biographies of our writers can be found here
To order please make payment via paypal of £33 plus postage to scarletimprint@gmail.com
Postage rates are:
UK
First Class £3.50
Europe £5
Worldwide £9
If you do not have a paypal account and wish to pay by cheque (uk residents only), please email us and we will forward you our postal address.
If you need our IBAN and SWIFT numbers for an international bank transfer again, email us and we will provide you with them.If you wish to reserve a particular number copy do note this in your order, please bear in mind that numbers one to twelve have been allotted to our contributors and over an hundred and fifty of the run have already been allocated and sold.
This is a public press release, feel free to post online to any communities or groups which you belong to.
As with all our titles, this is a talismanic production. Every book mirrors our intent and is ritually consecrated. Each book has a job to do, a destiny to fulfill.
In Nomine Babalon
Alkistis Dimech x
Editrix
Dear Friends,
We've been silent on our journal as we are deep in the edit.
The response to our announcement of HOWLINGS has been extremely positive.
There seems to be quite a rennaissance in Grimoire magick and we want to be instrumental in encouraging that revival.
The book is taking on a life of it's own as the essays continue to come in from our contributors.
As has been said before, we do seem to have friends in low places.
We
are really delighted to have this opportunity to showcase the Work of
people who have gone deeply into the Grimoire tradition.
The
anecdotes, insights and passion are already informing our own practice,
and we know that they will go on to transform the work with Spirits of
everyone who reads this collection.
When we have the full text
prepared for print we will reveal the full line-up to our subscribers
list, and begin to take pre-orders.
It is wonderful that so many of you have asked to be added to this, as we do like to speak to you all personally.
There are many voices clamouring to have their stories heard.
It seems a magickal revival is stirring.
In Nomine Babalon
Alkistis x
Editrix
Dear Friends,
Scarlet Imprint is proud to announce HOWLINGS a bestiary of essays on Grimoire Magick to be published in early Spring 2008.
Taking the established experts and ranging them alongside raw and hungry voices, we are creating a quite beautiful monstrosity of staggering scope.
From unpublished manuscripts on demonology to the accounts of working magicians, this is a unique publishing event.
Prepare to be delighted, inspired and intoxicated.
Contributors include experts in their fields, the authors of acclaimed modern grimoires and sundry sulphurous others.
Scarlet Imprint are in a unique position to gather together these voices, and let them be heard.
Texts examined in depth through eighteen original essays include:
Qutub
Liber 231
The Goetia
The Picatrix
The Greek Magical Papyri
The Voudon Gnostic Workbook
Anyone intrigued by the idea of the grimoire tradition will have their personal understanding and Work enriched by this collection.
We will be accepting pre-orders in late January as the smoke thickens in the triangle.
A full press release will be sent out to our subscribers at that time.
If you have not already joined our mailing list simply send us an email with the subject line 'subscribe' to scarletimprint@gmail.com
This will be a suitably delectable hardback in a limited and numbered edition.
It promises to be a truly magickal book.
Solstice greetings at this, the darkest time of the year.
In Nomine Babalon
Alkistis Dimech x
Editrix
Peter Grey will be speaking at the Bath Omphalos Magickal Moot on Sunday November 11.
DATE / TIME: 11th November, 2007 - 2PM (2.30 start) until 4PM
VENUE: Percy Community Centre, New King Street, Bath
COST: £5.00
Peter Grey takes us on a journey through history, searching for the tell-tale scent of the Whore Goddess. We meet her in ancient Babylon and get to really understand why the Old Testament prophets had such a downer on Her. We glimpse her brazen face in the Revelations of St.John, and her more intimate manifestations in the shew stone of John Dee and Edward Kelly. Tracking our quarry further, we spy Her in the work of Crowley and, crucially, see where Crowley couldn't get to grips with this most formidable force. Jack Parsons rounds off the history and brings us up to speed with what the Mother of Harlots has been up to since her début in ancient Persia.
'With Her back-story brilliantly brought to life, we are then offered an insight into the work of making contact with the Goddess through Peter's own work. This is devotional yoga and the key technique is Letting Go. In this sense the methodology of interacting with Babalon is very similar to that recommended by many adepts when dealing with any powerful, transcendent force. There are some inspired suggestions for specific techniques in this volume; the use mirrors, BDSM sexual explorations, drugs, Enochian . . . ' Julian Vayne for Mandrake Speaks 202 (review)
Website: http://www.omphalos.org.uk/
Every copy of The Red Goddess has now been secured or sold.
Just as She wanted, the copies have gone to those who deserve them.
A coin in every lap.
We have been deeply touched by the words, letters, poems and pictures that have poured in with the orders.
The text is being Worked with.
But this is only the start.
We have ambitious plans for Scarlet Imprint in the year ahead.
Ritual, pilgrimage, performance, conferences and speaking invitations are lined up.
Of course there are more publications slated for press.
Some extremely exciting titles are taking shape.
Those who have bought copies of The Red Goddess or add themselves to our mailing list will receive pre-publication notification.
We offer up our thanks.
Nothing wasted, every drop in the cup.
In Nomine Babalon
Scarlet Imprint
By Peter Grey
Published by Scarlet Imprint
2007
156pp, HB, beautifully bound and in a card slipcase
Reviewed by Sorita d'Este for Avalonia
When I ordered this book, I wasn't sure what to expect. Except that I expected something unique, interesting and exciting because, well frankly, the author is one of those rare people in the occult / magickal world who I find unique, interesting and exciting. As for Babalon, he describes her in Book I of "The Red Goddess" as (amongst many other things!) "the meeting point of ceremonial magick and the witch cult. She is a power that comes out of the past and resonates into the Now with the compelling song of the witch woman. She is both the primal form of the Goddess from the far distant past and the most modern icon of post-human style" (p2). His passion for the Holy Whore shines through on each page, even in the dedication and love which went into producing and presenting this volume. It arrived beautifully packaged, in a slipcase, with fragrant rose petals, bound in red ribbon, a beautiful and symbolic contrast to the white cover. Everything about this book is symbolic and magickal, a Work of passionate love rather than (yet another!) rehashed work, which in recent years seems to have become the hideous obsession of the occult publishing world.
The Red Goddess is a book for the coming century, a book which conveys modern ideas and practice without chucking out the old school necessities of magickal work. This book is about today and tomorrow, not about the past. It is not gentle, nor does it aim to disguise the realities of working with Babalon. The book is not "politically correct" so if you are expecting something gentle telling you about "womyn's things" then this book will probably offend you and is best left well alone. However, if you have at one time or another felt the calling of Babalon, felt her inside you or seen her in a lover, then this book may inspire you towards taking action. (Or possibly to let go of some delusions!). If you are a Thelemite (rather than a Crowleyite), a Ceremonial addict fascinated with the practices of sex magick or a Witch seeking to broaden your horizons this book may also appeal to you, if you enter it with an open mind, that is.
Mr Grey strikes a great balance between poetry and research, history and modern ritual in this work. My only complaint is that there is no index and no bibliography, which is a pity. But it does not detract from this book in anyway whatsoever and it has been given a special place on our shelves. More information can be gotten by emailing scarletimprint@gmail.com or by visiting http://scarletimprint.livejournal.com
The Red Goddess is a beautifully
produced book, but this really isn't a triumph of style over substance.
Too often with limited edition bound-in-genuine-un-baptised-toad skin
volumes of esoterica, the text is a big let down (do you really want to
read more oh-so-spooky Cultus Sabbati waffle?). The Red Goddess is
quite different. Peter Grey takes us on a journey through history,
searching for the tell-tale scent of the Whore Goddess. We meet her in
ancient Babylon and get to really understand why the Old Testament
prophets had such a downer on Her. We glimpse her brazen face in the
Revelations of St.John, and her more intimate manifestations in the
shew stone of John Dee and Edward Kelly. Tracking our quarry further,
we spy Her in the work of Crowley and, crucially, see where Crowley
couldn't get to grips with this most formidable force. Jack Parsons
rounds off the history and brings us up to speed with what the Mother
of Harlots has been up to since her début in ancient Persia.
With
Her back-story brilliantly brought to life, we are then offered an
insight into the work of making contact with the Goddess through
Peter's own work. This is devotional yoga and the key technique is
Letting Go. In this sense the methodology of interacting with Babalon
is very similar to that recommended by many adepts when dealing with
any powerful, transcendent force. There are some inspired suggestions
for specific techniques in this volume; the use mirrors, BDSM sexual
explorations, drugs, Enochian – it's right here and in some detail. But
most important of all, the book simply smells of Her. This isn't just a
history, not just another to-do list of tactics to deploy. Instead this
whole volume is suffused with the obvious power and passion for the
Work that Peter Grey has been pursuing. Finally the author also
contextualises Babalon in contemporary culture, demonstrating how she
is a thoroughly modern Goddess. I'm always dubious that just
reading a book can get you anywhere unless you act on the contents, but
this volume virtually glows with its own scarlet energy. Talismanic
production, excellent research blended with some delectable turns of
phrase, means that reading all 156 pages is itself a powerful
invocation.
Although the present volume is a limited edition it is
possible that the text will be made available as a less expensive
version (though not immediately). However, if you're serious about
getting close to The Red Goddess you're going to have to pay, and
honey, she's worth every penny. Seven stars out of a possible seven.
- Julian Vayne (author of Pharmakon)
With well over a hundred copies gone, we have been overjoyed with the response that we have received for the book.
Whilst we are awaiting a net connection in order to update www.scarletimprint.com we wanted to share some of the reactions and reviews from our readers.
These do not include the kind letters, phonecalls and personal thanks.
This is more than just a book to us.
We have moved past the hundred mark and there are still copies available, please email us to reserve a copy if you have not done so, as we do want practitioners to get them rather than collectors.
Names have been removed to protect the anonymity of our readers:
"Of all the grimoire texts I've purchased, this one seems to be the most viscerally and palpably magickal. I can feel the whole books pulsating with its living current, and I am most inspired by its talismanic power. Thank you for creating such a precious, welcome, and imposing treasure. This is clearly a book of great power."
"Yours is
an important book, and clearly a work of love. The perfumed rosepetals
that adorned that talismanic package are now resting in a white bowl on
my altar"
"I have nearly finished my reading of /The Red Goddess/. I must say it
is was an absolutely wonderful volume! If you can imagine: there i
was, sitting in the middle of a field, unwrapping this beautiful
talisman, the scent of rose and spikenard (i think) saturating my aura
with a glorious and sumptuous bliss. Oh, if only all gifts (and i am
strongly aware that such a book is a gift, even though it was i who
purchased it) were so wonderfully presented. The wax seal and rose
petals are now permanent additions to my altar.
And the text; well-researched, amusing, insightful, witty and
sarcastic in turns, but always with its face turned to Her. The
playful and careful subtextualising is marvellous. Her veils are drawn
back, one by one, a striptease indeed! Until finally, we are teased
with the barest glimpses of the powerhouse of the author's magick; but
those glimpses are more than sufficient.
And it is always so visual! In truth, it is rather more about what
Peter's writing made me *see* than it made me *think*: to ignite the
Vision is a rare thing in a book. And that in itself it makes it
impossibly hard for me to write the review i intended to write here. I
will have to settle with what i have managed to wring from the stone
here.
It is a great thing that all these ideas have been collected together
into one volume and presented to the world. Therefore: Bravo. I seethe
with envy and admiration "
"The
book arrived perfectly preserved today and all I can say is Wow. You've
done a fantastic job. For once, this is a magickal text I can't wait to
read through - most we get sent I go, oh that looks interesting, set it
to one side and dip into it on occasion. This is a book which will be
read, most likely reread and certainly treasured."
"You've done a fantastic job and should be well pleased."
"Wow what a book. So far I have just skimmed the text, but it is clearly a highly important book and beautifully produced."
"Believe
it or not, I got as far as to clear a space for it (un-opened, with wax
seal still intact) on my altar to await the proper moment to open it. I
am in the midst of a project onslaught at the moment, and have actually
dreamt about this book already, several times. To me, this is more than
just a book, it's part of turning a new page in my life, in a way. I
want to open it when I am cleared of my distractions, and the moment
will arrive this weekend! I even took a photograph of the lovely seal
on the packaging. So exquisite. "
"The Book is absolutely exquisite. Many Thanks.Due to
my ranting a number of my friends have expressed great interest in reading
The Red Goddess, which I fundamentally refuse to lend out. "
"Seven stars out of seven!
Well, what a fabulous book!
very, very lovely. expertly written with lots of delightfully juicy turns of phrase. A real star turn."
Our heartfelt thanks.
In Nomine Babalon
Scarlet Imprint x
Scarlet Imprint announces the publication of:
The Red Goddess by Peter Grey on 07/07/07
A strictly limited talismanic publication in an edition of an hundred and fifty and six copies.
All copies are hardback slip cased and 156pp, professionally printed, bound, consecrated, numbered, signed and sealed.
The contents and conclusions of this book have never been published elsewhere.
The Red Goddess takes you through a tale of sex, drugs and violence.
This is an explicit and challenging vision of a very modern goddess coming into power.
This is more than a history, it is a passionate account of living magick and the transcendent power of Love.
The Red Goddess answers the fundamental questions:
Who is BABALON?
Why should we care?
Where did She come from and where is She going?
Is there a hidden western tradition of sacred sex?
The epic sweep of the text takes us from Babylon to Jerusalem to Rome, and onwards to Apocalypse.
It looks at the angelic work of renaissance mage John Dee.
It delivers a devastating exegisis on the excesses of Aleister Crowley, and unlocks the secrets of Waratah Blossoms.
It
explains the immolation of the Californian antichrist-superstar Jack
Parsons and his relationship with Scientology founder L.Ron Hubbard.
There is also a full supporting cast of Solomon, Simon Magus, St John the Divine, Earl Bothwell, the Templars, Mary, the Magdalene and countless others.
This is the missing history of the Holy Whore.
Thirteen essays conclude the book on subjects including: roses, mirror magick, BDSM, aphrodisiac drugs, the information age, love vs lust, and the meaning of apocalypse.
Those
working with Ishtar, Inanna, Lilith, Kali, Sekhmet, Bast, Freya, Pomba
Gira, Erzulie, witchcraft, tibetan tantra, sacred sex and transgression
will find much here to intrigue and inspire them.
The Red Goddess is suitable for anyone with blood in their veins, regardless of tradition, background or experience.
It is a Love story.