Grimoires and Gematria and Giggles, oh my
March 28, 2022 8:34 AM Subscribe
Esoterica is the YubTub channel of Dr. Justin Sledge, a scholar of the arcane in history, philosophy, and religion. In each of his video essays he does a deep dive on the mystical traditions, texts, and progenitors of various occult traditions, with a very scholarly eye and a surprisingly witty dry humor.
Highlights to start off with, from the many dozens of available selections:
Austin Osman Spare - a delve into the origins of the sigilwork that became the core of modern chaos magic
Necromancy Manual in the Cambridge Library - or, Be Surprised at How Much of Classic Necromancy is Actually About Finding Lost Money
What is Enochian Magic? - A look at John Dee and the Book of Enoch
Gnosticism - Scriptures of the Cathars - talking about one of the most condemned sets of Heretical Christians to ever warrant an Ecclesiastical purge
What is the Dybbuk? - an investigation of Hebrew Demonology
Mystical Language - Hildegarde of Bingen's Lingua Ignota - a topic seen on the Blue in years past!
Highlights to start off with, from the many dozens of available selections:
Austin Osman Spare - a delve into the origins of the sigilwork that became the core of modern chaos magic
Necromancy Manual in the Cambridge Library - or, Be Surprised at How Much of Classic Necromancy is Actually About Finding Lost Money
What is Enochian Magic? - A look at John Dee and the Book of Enoch
Gnosticism - Scriptures of the Cathars - talking about one of the most condemned sets of Heretical Christians to ever warrant an Ecclesiastical purge
What is the Dybbuk? - an investigation of Hebrew Demonology
Mystical Language - Hildegarde of Bingen's Lingua Ignota - a topic seen on the Blue in years past!
Dr. Justin Sledge, a scholar of the arcane
Oh, we’re using our made-up names. Then I am Notoriety Public.
posted by notoriety public at 11:08 AM on March 28, 2022 [3 favorites]
Oh, we’re using our made-up names. Then I am Notoriety Public.
posted by notoriety public at 11:08 AM on March 28, 2022 [3 favorites]
Actually, this looks like an amazing resource. I wish it was also in podcast form though.
posted by gwint at 12:02 PM on March 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by gwint at 12:02 PM on March 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
I've been watching these for some months now. They're fascinating. Dr. Sledge lends an air of objectivity and rigour not often associated with subjects of the occult. Recomended.
posted by coolxcool=rad at 12:54 PM on March 28, 2022
posted by coolxcool=rad at 12:54 PM on March 28, 2022
This looks really interesting, thank you!
posted by jameaterblues at 9:05 PM on March 28, 2022
posted by jameaterblues at 9:05 PM on March 28, 2022
I watched the Enochian Magic episode and got quite a bit out of it, including a deeper appreciation of the importance of John Dee to English occult traditions as well as all subsequent occult traditions in English.
In particular, Dee's relationship with Edward Kelley reminded me of Alison Lurie's observation about James Merrill's Ouija Board work with his partner David Jackson:
Dee thought Kelley’s glossolalia was a kind of guarantee of the authenticity of the revelation, and the accounts of associated visual phenomena remind me of migraines, so it interested me to find a few references to Migraine Babble out there on the net.
Sledge also has a video on Hildegard of Bingen — a celebrated migraineur as well as another scribe of a divinely revealed language — so I’ll probably watch that one next.
posted by jamjam at 9:27 PM on March 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
In particular, Dee's relationship with Edward Kelley reminded me of Alison Lurie's observation about James Merrill's Ouija Board work with his partner David Jackson:
a game that got badly out of control ... couldn't tell what was real and what was not ... the board became a form of self-induced demonic possession, to which Merrill, driven by his ambition to make poetry out of spirit messages, was especially susceptible, and in which Jackson was enlisted against his will.Though Merrill did get The Changing Light at Sandover and a National Book Award for poetry out of it. And possibly a breakup with Jackson, since the year of the award (1983) also marks the beginning of his relationship with actor Peter Hooten.
Dee thought Kelley’s glossolalia was a kind of guarantee of the authenticity of the revelation, and the accounts of associated visual phenomena remind me of migraines, so it interested me to find a few references to Migraine Babble out there on the net.
Sledge also has a video on Hildegard of Bingen — a celebrated migraineur as well as another scribe of a divinely revealed language — so I’ll probably watch that one next.
posted by jamjam at 9:27 PM on March 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
So, I've watched a bunch of them, and:
1. Overall, I like them. He gives a very measured and historical evaluation of material and information, does not get bogged down in "did it work?" but focused on "what did the practitioners think they were doing?" and he mostly talks at a level accessible to the interested amateur.
2. Occasionally he throws out terms that are not necessarily familiar to people interested in historical esoteric topics but relating to semiotics or letter formation or other things, and he doesn't always define them. Sure, they are easy to look up, but, still, for a person running an educational channel, it's a bad look.
3. The visual elements aren't really used to their best effect. He out to have more specific examples and point out useful features of what you are looking at. It may be that he doesn't have the right editing skills or set up, but, really, it could be a podcast.
4. The episodes are in nice, bite-sized chunks, easy to fit into a busy day.
5. He has a review of A Dark Song, which is probably the best cinematic depiction of ceremonial magic. (Warning: lots of spoilers, including critical big reveals)
I will share this with the appropriate friends. Thanks!
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:45 PM on March 29, 2022
1. Overall, I like them. He gives a very measured and historical evaluation of material and information, does not get bogged down in "did it work?" but focused on "what did the practitioners think they were doing?" and he mostly talks at a level accessible to the interested amateur.
2. Occasionally he throws out terms that are not necessarily familiar to people interested in historical esoteric topics but relating to semiotics or letter formation or other things, and he doesn't always define them. Sure, they are easy to look up, but, still, for a person running an educational channel, it's a bad look.
3. The visual elements aren't really used to their best effect. He out to have more specific examples and point out useful features of what you are looking at. It may be that he doesn't have the right editing skills or set up, but, really, it could be a podcast.
4. The episodes are in nice, bite-sized chunks, easy to fit into a busy day.
5. He has a review of A Dark Song, which is probably the best cinematic depiction of ceremonial magic. (Warning: lots of spoilers, including critical big reveals)
I will share this with the appropriate friends. Thanks!
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:45 PM on March 29, 2022
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totally onboard for this, looks like a wonderful resource, many thanks!
posted by chavenet at 10:17 AM on March 28, 2022