Occult London (Pocket Essentials (Paperback))

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The topics range from astrology to black arts, passing by masonry, mythology, Wicca, paganism, Celts, taoism, buddhism, Zen, Christianity, Judaism, yoga, hermeticism, hermeneutics, philosophy, fables, and countless other occult and religious texts. Watkins Books is situated on Covent Garden’s Cecil Court, a mecca of rare books and fine art prints. Rather, he was an archetypical hero, who lived in the constellation of Ursa Major, known as the ‘Great Bear’, meaning Arthur. Occult London rediscovers this history, unearthing the hidden city that lies beneath the known, from the Elizabethan magic of Dr. Crowley had his hands in all sorts of occult traditions, and despite his Masonic involvement elsewhere in Europe, the United Grand Lodge of England denied him admission.

The tradition of creating buildings with occult dimensions had been re-born and continued in later periods of development, such as the nude, winged statue of Anteros, the Greek avenger God of requited love, erected in Piccadilly Circus in 1892, and which was originally orientated in the direction of Parliament, presumably to send ‘love’ and to produce greater synergies within government. There's enough social history to ground the work, and an interesting appendix detailing notable areas, such as Barnes Common (setting for the first sighting of Spring-Heeled Jack) or Highgate Cemetery (home to the Highgate Vampire in the 1970s).Miraculously, the stunning edifice survived the bombings of a world war, and it is no wonder that Prime Minister Winston Churchill addressed his staff each morning with the pensive question; “Is Saint Paul’s still standing? Some say it came from Troy, others believe it was a druid stone or even the stone from which Arthur extracted Excalibur. But even if you have no intention of leaving the house, or even going to London, this is a beautiful object to own. The gory urban myth appears to be without historical merit, causing some to speculate that the legend of a serial killer in the vicinity of the Templar precinct may be a memory of former ritual sacrifices.

Ritual killings continue in London, and the river Thames continues to be the depository for the ritual remains of victims.Sadly, it is now embedded in an abandoned building across from Cannon Street Tube Station, its former glory but a distant memory.

Also check out Kate Hodges’ new book, Warriors, Witches, Women – “the stories of 50 goddesses, ghosts, and half-monsters, revisited from a modern, feminist perspective”, with a foreword by Maxine Peak. Other landmarks are Freemasons' Hall in Covent Garden, the Warburg Institute housing the Crowley archive, and outlying sites such as the Black Madonnas of Willesden. However, there is an extensive bibliography at the end of the book for readers who want to properly delve into the occult history of London.In this episode, we embark on a journey through the mystical and esoteric significances embedded in the Christmas and Yule celebrations.