Carl Abrahamsson's Blog, page 35
August 14, 2020
Intuitive Consciousness!
A brand new conversation with Jeffrey Mishlove! We talk about intuitive consciousness, Nietzsche, open-mindedness, empiricism, occulture, a promethean perspective, psychedelic spores from outer space, and more!
Photo by Vanessa
August 10, 2020
A Timely Excursion Into Space
I know you wonder what we’re up to over at Patreon. Well, here’s a teaser… Each Monday, Vanessa and I write about our magical experiences in order to inspire our patrons. This following text was posted today, for instance, for the $23 and up patrons. And there’s a whole lot more, too. Check it out at:
Magic Monday – A Timely Excursion Into Space
After several months of minimal contact with the outside world, we decided that it could be nice to go on a little outing. Summertime in Stockholm! And it’s Vanessa’s first real full summer in Sweden, too!
Not feeling completely ready to immerse ourselves in the respiratory vortices of all those “other,” strange, breathing people, we decided on a boat cruise in the Lake Mälaren inner archipelago, destination Birka. As you surely know, Birka was Sweden’s first real capital during the Vendel era (approx 500-750 AD, pre-Viking age), and it’s a real beauty. Not very big, but perfectly situated for sea commerce, trade, and… tourism.
Was there a mission? Yes. We brought our respective rune pouches on the trip, to have all of the runes blessed by the land at this historically significant place. (This, I think, will be the subject of another Magic Monday piece, as the experience brought many valuable insights…)
The boat ride takes about two hours, and while travelling we sat on deck in the sunshine, enjoying the sights and the fresh air. It wasn’t a jam packed cruise but there were just enough people for us to retract a little bit into our own corner of imagined safety.
Occasionally a loudspeaker on deck blurted out our guide’s messages about noteworthy sights along the coast, and one message startled me in my pleasant snooze. We were passing “Kungshatt” (“The King’s Hat”), an island with a big cliffside. On top of the cliff is a strange contraption: a tall stick or an antenna, with a big hat of sorts on top. It’s common that sailors salute the hat on the cliff when they pass it, for luck and good winds.
The guide enthusiastically told the story over the distorted speakers; it was impossible not to hear it. This was the place where the Swedish king Erik Wäderhatt had jumped off into the water after having been pursued by men sent by the Norwegian king Harald Hårfager (Harald the “fair-haired”). If Erik hadn’t jumped at that moment, he would surely have been killed. Although he lost his hat in the jump – his signature “weather hat” – he managed to swim away, survive and later on fight back. The Norwegians were eventually driven away.
A couple of years ago, Vanessa and I had passed the same point on another trip in the same direction, but the present one suddenly brought things to life. Literally. Because now I remembered that Erik Edmundson “Wäderhatt” was actually a relative of mine. Meaning then, that if he hadn’t jumped off the cliff at that moment, I would have been… Yes, what exactly? Not at all? Same, but different? Or inside Erik’s mind, jumping off, thinking of a later me looking up at the cliff and reminiscing about a past that had yet to come but perhaps, perhaps never would happen simply because I just jumped?
The beautiful thing about Erik Wäderhatt is that he was mostly known for his magical abilities. Via his hat, he was able to foretell the weather, and also control the direction of the wind by turning it on his head. I’m sure he had many other tricks up his sleeve – like surviving Norwegian attacks. His magic, whatever it consisted of, makes me genuinely proud to be an ascendant descendant of his.
But then it dawned on me as we passed the point and left that cliff behind us… Wasn’t I actually also related to the Norwegian king that had ordered Erik’s violent demise?
When we eventually got home again, I had to check. Lo and behold, a trans-generational, cosmic revelation: I’m 37 generations away from Erik Edmundson, and 37 generations away from Harald Hårfager. What to make of this? And what to make of that particular moment?
That these kings were battling it out is no surprise. That was the name of the game for hundreds of years; thousands, even. And even until recently: Sweden lost Finland in 1809, and let Norway go in 1905, so that they could somehow become countries of their own, and that was hopefully the last of that. “Geopolitics is so last season, darling.”
History is of course full of moments like this: mind boggling intersections of “What ifs” and “What if nots.” But this one really tilted me during that beautiful day at Birka – where I’m pretty sure other relatives of mine lived it up, too. If Erik Wäderhatt hadn’t jumped at that moment, things definitely wouldn’t have been the same for me.
Remember my text from June 15th about dear old Charlemagne, and the various kinds of memory – DNA being perhaps the most important one? It is just one tiny, tiny moment in space and time that decides where we go – and certainly where we come from. Erik made the decision to jump, and survived. And Harald was certainly doing fine, too, until he wasn’t. The DNA was pushed onwards in peace as well as in war.
Much, much later, in 1486, the Swedish Knight and Nobleman Sigge Larsson Sparre had sex with his young wife Kerstin Månsdotter Natt och Dag; thereby celebrating, and also, more importantly, consolidating these two lineages that can be traced back to good old Harald and Erik. I am so happy that they did, and almost daily feel indebted to Sigge’s auspicious ejaculation, as well as to Kerstin’s loving embrace.
Now you may ask: what is the wisdom of this Magic Monday piece? Numero uno: going to historically significant places and spaces is to an equal degree time travel. Secundo: while at it, always celebrate and honour the ancestors. But it’s also to be continually aware of the absolute malleability of the fabric of life, and to always allow yourself to venture out so that you can be reminded of this. Movement in body and mind is “key.” There are no substantial surprises coming out of the armchair – except for, perhaps, a surprising increase of dust in the corners.
As I write this I’m not only happy that Erik jumped, and thereby (in)directly facilitated for me to become exactly the me I really love to be. I also remember one of Genesis P-Orridge’s favourite descriptions of his beloved wife Lady Jaye, and her general attitude and audacity in life: “See a cliff, jump off!”
(Photo by Vanessa. The effigy hat is visible under the brim of my hat, on the left side.)
August 6, 2020
A great conversation at Euphomet!
I was recently in conversation with the great Jim Perry of Euphomet, and you can listen to it now. On the importance of tangible evocation via the sorcery of reading, books, occulture, TOPY and much, much more! One of the best conversations in a long time – just for you!
Photo by Vanessa Sinclair
August 1, 2020
Freq_Wave 7 is out there…
I’m very proud to be part of the exciting project “FREQ_WAVE,” exploring the frequencies of the oceans in an interactive virtual mixing desk. You can experiment yourself… Pick an ocean of preference, and make your own mixes based on sound bytes prepared by a great number of truly fantastic artists.
https://ocean-archive.org/collection/152
Curated by the Maestro Emeritus par Excellence, Carl Michael von Hausswolff, together with Thyssen Bornemisza TBA21-Academy in Austria, this project is a sonorous homage to the deep seas and all their beautiful life forms. Dive right in, folks!
PS. I’m in the Humboldt Current: Mixer no 7. Please also check out all the previous mixers/artists! And the photo was taken by Vanessa Sinclair!
July 30, 2020
Thoth Hermes Lecture Series
Very soon I will be lecturing c/o the Thoth-Hermes Academy, together with these fine people: Angel Millar, Frater U:.D:., David Harrison and David Beth. You can now book/buy your tickets for this series, created by the great Thoth Hermes podcast.
Author photo by Vanessa Sinclair
July 26, 2020
Two Times Saturn
Is today the day when I start writing “Two Times Saturn” – my story of 35+ years of working the international trenches and pinnacles of magic?
Always more at: www.patreon.com/vanessa23carl
Author photo by Vanessa Sinclair
July 21, 2020
A new chapter is out there!
“There’s something unusual brewing. Very structured, organised, almost artistic… We’ve had some burnt bodies, all of them with chopped off heads.”
“Yeah, I heard about that. Not our style though. You know us: fast and cheap. You want me to ask around; is that it?”
“If you would. But preferably not too overtly. My gut feeling tells me that this is something that no-one wants to be involved in, and even less talk about.”
A new chapter of “The Exquisite Corpse” was added today. Join on the $10 (or up) level to get one new chapter every two weeks!
July 19, 2020
23rd Mind TV: Summer Edition!
It’s the summer edition of 23rd Mind TV!
We talk about our new record, books and podcasts, plus plug the great work of Bee Futon, Annie Bandez, Douglas Lucas, The Fitness Witch LA, Mary Wild at the Freud Museum and much more. Come soak in some sun with us!
July 18, 2020
New Thinking Allowed!
I’m on the New Thinking Allowed video cast with the great Jeffrey Mishlove, talking about my experiences with Anton LaVey and the Church of Satan:
And… have you watched my LaVey documentary “Into the Devil’s Den” yet?
July 14, 2020
Two new albums
In collaboration with Highbrow Lowlife, Trapart Editions have just released two new albums: Vanessa Sinclair & Carl Abrahamsson – “Switching” and “Mirrors.”
“In 2016, American poet Vanessa Sinclair and Swedish musician Carl Abrahamsson travelled in Portugal, recording Sinclair’s cut-ups and poems along timeless roads, breathtaking nature and majestic architectural structures. These recordings were then integrated in music by Abrahamsson. The pieces, as well as the totality, evoke not only geographical places the couple visited, but also states of mind and emotion. In a loose, free form and seemingly random manner, “Switching” is an album that penetrates the walls of expectations and keeps on exploring inside the listener’s mind. Provided he or she is willing, of course…”
The albums are available on Bandcamp if you want to listen and/or buy digitally:
https://highbrowlowlife.bandcamp.com/music
We have also made a collector’s edition of only eight boxes, containing two CDs, five photographs, two prints, one collage, a unique text plus info. We sold two copies immediately upon release yesterday, so there are only six left!
https://store.trapart.net/details/00111
