Voudon Gnostic Workbook: Expanded Edition

by Michael Bertiaux

A 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--from "how to be a lucky Hoodoo" 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 "object of desire" among students of the occult. Weiser's long-anticipated republication of this rare text will be an event in the annals of esoteric publishing, as the book itself is somewhat of an "unholy grail." 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' s masterwork. Voodoo is not an evil religion and is much misunderstood. It derives from the Dahomean Gods called the "Loa." Esoteric voodoo is actually a highly practical procedure for leading us into making contact with the deepest levels of our being and most ancient modes of consciousness. Michael Bertiaux's Voudon Gnostic Workbook is the most comprehensive and illuminating contemporary book on the subject. 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. "Voundoun, popularly referred to as "Voodoo," has held a great mystique for Westerners for centuries--inspiring tantalizing legends of "voodoo dolls," "zombies," and ecstatic possession during wild orgiastic rituals of drumming and dancing. Bizarre depictions of "Voodoo" have featured in many Hollywood movies since Voodoo Woman, a 1957 horror film now considered to be one of the 50 worst films ever made. The ghost of Marie LaVeau, the famous "Voodoo Queen of New Orleans," still haunts the graveyards and bayous of urban myth. But behind the myths and legends have always lurked the deeper Mysteries of an ancient tradition of magic and spirituality rooted in the blood-drenched soil of Western Africa, from which generations of tribal peoples were captured and transported into lives of slavery in the plantations of America and the Caribbean. The fear in which "Voodoo" has been held for centuries attests to its power. This long-awaited grimoire of authentic Voundoun will be a treasured gem in any occult library!" Oberon Zell-Ravenheart Headmaster, Grey School of Wizardry Author, Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard

Genres: Occult, Magick, Religion, Nonfiction, Gnosticism, Magic

672 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1989

About the author

Michael Paul Bertiaux (born January 18, 1935) is an American occultist and Old Catholic Bishop, known for his book Voudon Gnostic Workbook (1988), a 615-page compendium of various occult lessons and research papers spanning the sub-fields of Voodoo, Neo-Pythagoreanism, Thelema and Gnosticism. Long considered by occultists one of the underground classics of 20th century occultism, the book was out of print for many years and fetched increasingly high prices in the antiquarian market before it was reprinted in paperback by Red Wheel/Weiser in 2007. Note that the unique spelling of "voudon" is an innovation of Bertiaux's, (though it is similar to the traditional spelling of vodun). Bertiaux also coined the term vudutronics to refer to his idiosyncratic interpretation of this religion.

Bertiaux was born in Seattle, Washington, on January 18, 1935. His father was a captain in the merchant navy and his mother was a prominent Theosophist. Bertiaux served as an Episcopalian minister in the Seattle area before traveling to Haiti in 1964.

In 1964, Bertiaux traveled to Haiti, where he was initiated into the system of Haitian Voodoo. He settled in Chicago in 1966, where he formed (among other bodies) the Neo-Pythagorean Gnostic Church. Bertiaux's interpretation of Voodoo has been strongly influenced by Martinism, a Francophone version of esoteric Christianity and Masonry which became established in Haiti in the 18th century.
Bertiaux has long been associated with the Ordo Templi Orientis Antiqua, an initiatic gnostic-magical order supposedly founded in 1921 in Haiti by the gnostic patriarch and voudon high-priest Lucien-Francois Jean-Maine.[citation needed] The O.T.O.A. tradition comes from the gnostic voudon, as practiced in secret societies. There a synthesis was developed of European gnostic-hermetic currents, being the heritage of the ancient western initiatic tradition, with the Haitan metaphysics. Inside the O.T.O.A. works the Monastery of the Seven Rays. Both of these organizations cooperate with the gnostic church Ecclesia Gnostica Spiritualis.
La Couleuvre Noire (Cult of the Black Snake) is an independent order founded in 1922, closely cooperating with the O.T.O.A.. It is dedicated to the practice of advanced techniques of gnostic voudon, a powerful system of afro-atlantean magic in its traditional and purest form. Today, Courtney Willis (Tau Ogdoade-Orfeo VIII) is the Hierophant and the Sovereign Grand Master Absolute (SGMA) of the L.C.N. as well as the S.G.M.A. of the O.T.O.A. Michael Bertiaux (Tau Ogdoade-Orfeo IV) is the Grand Conservateur of the L.C.N. and the Hierophant of the O.T.O.A. Bertiaux also heads the Choronzon Club, in his words "his personal magical club" for his personal students and initiates.
For a period Michael Bertiaux was also a secretary of the Theosophical Society until moving to Chicago in 1966, where he trained and qualified as a social worker, a job he remained in for just under forty years. He worked especially with the Chicago Haitian community, now comprising approximately 5,000-15,000 individuals.
Bertiaux's life and occult system are examined in Kenneth Grant's books, Cults of the Shadow (1975), Nightside of Eden (1977), Outside the Circles of Time (1980), and Hecate's Fountain (1993). Grant devotes two entire chapters of Cults of the Shadow to a discussion and analysis of Bertiaux's work in La Couleuvre Noir, as well as a portion of the chapter “Afro-Tantric Tarot of the Kalas."
Bertiaux was also featured in the 1985 book and documentary by Nevill Drury, The Occult Experience.
Bertiaux's magical system is complex, including terms unique to himself, such as the "meon" and "Zoythrian" energies but also drawing on magical extensions of the writings of H.P. Lovecraft and the teachings of Aiwass.
Following his retirement, Bertiaux has focused on his art and writing.

Reviews

[Chris Feldman · Rating 4 out of 5]

...and I thought Kenneth Grant was a head case.

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

After at least ten years studying this book finally went through and read it cover to cover. Many insights gained and a lot of things that were previously unclear made sense. Amazing.

[Jim Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Every chapter elaborates upon Bertiaux's mystical and esoteric Voudon Gnosis systems until they start to fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. MIchael B.'s nearly mad genius demonstrates a vast mind and a desire to teach or help others.

[Rorry C · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm impressed that a garbage work of a cultism that presents child rape has a workbook. So does this work look happy work through how you're going to rape the child? This guy is complete garbage and if you follow him you are endorsing child rape. Just get that through your heads with your purchased religion and maybe stop buying your beliefs from people that write about raping children.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

real mind bender.

[Samantha Françoise Dark Regions Press Proofreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very insightful for those wanting to understand this path on an indepth view and perhaps, learn. Great starting point!