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b'Michael Bertiaux, artist, and the author of the acclaimed Voudon Gnostic Workbook and the recent Ontological Graffiti, is our guest in podcast episode 172. This interview was created in collaboration with our friends at Black Lotus Kult.

\\u201cMichael Bertiaux, author of the famed Voudon Gnostic Workbook and Hierophant of the Voudon Gnostic Current is a rare visionary in modern occult studies. Raised in a liberal theosophical household, he was drawn to the esoteric and spiritual approach to religion and Being from early on. After studying philosophy in New Orleans and having been ordained as a Deacon in the Anglican Church, Bertiaux was sent to Haiti in 1963 where he taught philosophy and was in charge of the local Anglican museum. It was on \\u201cthe magic island\\u201d that Bertiaux met his spiritus rector, Dr. Jean-Maine, who initiated him into the secrets of the Voudon Gnosis. His close collaboration with Jean-Maine, first in Haiti and then later in Chicago lasted until the Voudon master\\u2019s death in the early 1980s\\u2026 Bertiaux stands unique in the spiritual world. His system of occultism and gnosis is unlike any other. Instead of reworking the occult past and clinging to classical theories, he works mainly on gnostic-radionic lines and esoteric creativity. Deeply rooted and based in the magical world and traditions of Esoteric Voudon \\u2026 Bertiaux has managed to introduce a great number of other spiritual currents into his system\\u2026 To unite areas so seemingly apart as German Idealism and theosophy, to Shinto and Bon-Po, Bertiaux has spun a metaphysical web connecting and bringing them into occult harmony through the threads \\u2026 of Esoteric Voudon\\u2026 To aid in this \\u2026 metamorphosis Bertiaux also stresses the creative aspects of magic and gnosis. In addition to being a writer and philosopher, he has produced many \\u201cevocative\\u201d works of art, including paintings that have been used as magical instruments and gateways to the spirit world. He has not only greatly influenced contemporary occult circles and individuals such as Kenneth Grant of the Typhonian OTO, the Chaos magick scene, and Gnostic circles, but also musicians and artists\\u2026\\u201d

\\u201cA long-awaited new edition of the seminal text on the spiritual system that is a convergence of Gnosticism and Haitian voodoo, The Voudon Gnostic Workbook is a singular sacred work that is comprehensive in scope\\u2013from \\u201chow to be a lucky Hoodoo\\u201d to how magick and voodoo intersect energetically, to esoteric time travel. Complete with charts and graphs and instructive interdimensional physics, The Voudon Gnostic Workbook is an \\u201cobject of desire\\u201d among students of the occult.

\\u201c[T]he book itself is somewhat of an \\u201cunholy grail.\\u201d There are listservers devoted to it and much discussion of the mysteries held within its pages. While The Voudon Gnostic Workbook has remained a controversial book considered important for masters of metaphysics, it recently came into popular culture and renewed popularity when Grant Morrison revealed it had been the inspiration for his cult comics The Invisibles, using the cribbed time travel from Bertiaux\\u2019 s masterwork\\u2026 Launched out of a correspondence course and series of classes for students and followers of Voudon Gnosticism and the OTO, this seminal text is at once one of the most mysterious and magnificent of all esoteric books.\\u201d

\\u201cEverywhere in the Gnostic Continuum, \\u2018mind\\u2019 is active. The Hyde Park Lodge was able to tap into extra-dimensional, transcendental mind-forms, and develop methods to understand and make use of inner-plane communications. Ontological Graffiti details the work which allowed this ability, and serves as a magical record of a group of seekers discovering Gnostic and Vudu pathways and making use of the tremendous energy and knowledge gained from traveling them.\\u201d \\u2013 Michael Bertiaux

I\\u2019m proud to bring you this interview that was created in collaboration with our friends at Black Lotus Kult, who did all the heavy lifting.They\\u2019ve also created a new video series exploring a variety of interesting topics with Bertiaux, so be sure to check out the links in the show notes. Like Bertiaux\\u2019s books, you\\u2019ll find this interview with him to be surprising, insightful, erudite, and very magical. How could it not be? He\\u2019s one of the most original, creative, and artistic occultists of the modern age. Enjoy!

In the Occult of Personality Membership Section, you\\u2019ll find the second half of the interview with Michael Bertiaux featuring some very interesting insights from a living legend. Don\\u2019t miss that excellent, exclusive recording. Just go to http://occultofpersonality.net/membership and sign up if you haven\\u2019t already. It\\u2019s the best way to support the podcast while receiving access to a tremendous amount of additional exclusive content.

Thanks for listening and until next time\\u2026

intro music by Paul Avgerinos

outro music \\u2013 \\u201cPapadambalah\\u201d by Axial'