Technoccult

The Shaman of Alta

Feeling a little historic.

“A criminal case was brought against a Sami shaman (noaidi ) called Quiwe Baarsen, working as a servant for Norwegians at Aaroya, in Altafjorden. From 1603 until 1607 he lived in Lappojavrre, at this time in the Swedish-Norwegian borderlands (Lapland). In 1608 he moved to Porsangerfjorden and after 1613 we can find him at Talvik and Lagnes in Altafjorden before settling down at Aaroya in the early 1620’s. He is one among twenty-six Sami accused of witchcraft in Finnmark (or Vardohus Len) in the 17th century.”

The 1627 Witch Trial Of Quiwe Baarsen

Tearing down Moscow

April 26, 2004 / Klint Finley

This is a series of articles examining the crisis facing Moscow’s historical buildings, the effects it is having on local communities, the activists fighting the changes and ideas from experts on how the design and planning of the city could be improved.

(via Things magazine)

Thookam Ritual

April 23, 2004 / Michael

Tension erupted at a Kerala temple Thursday when 13 of its office bearers were arrested in a bid to prevent a “barbaric” ritual that was to be revived after 17 years.”

“The ritual involves three people being lifted by a metal hook pierced through their back and hung from a scaffold. The men are brought down after three minutes.

The ritual is called “Thookam” and looks to be Hindu.

Full Story: Keralanext

Asatru

April 21, 2004 / Michael

Wes’ post on Icelandic magick got me thinking about other Scandanavian magick systems. The fastest growing (in practitioners) probably being that of Asatru.

I was once acquainted with an individual who belonged to this religion – he was in the process of writing a book on runes. He informed me about how he spent one day a week at various prisons in the area teaching Asatru. It seems that (and we all know that in prison you usually have to align yourself with one group or another) there are plenty of white inmates that don’t wish to align themselves with skinheads. Asatru – with its tough Nordic ancestry – has become the number one alternative.

Other links:
The Asatru Alliance
Religious Tolerance Info

The Exorcist (Bunny Version)

April 21, 2004 / Michael

I found this via Neil Gaiman’s Journal. The Exorcist in 30 seconds re-enacted by bunnies. Sick, yet strangely hilarious.

studies

April 21, 2004 / Wu

warren ellis/dhp had this link on icelandic magick which got me digging deeper into the rest of that directory: witchcraft and the occult 1400-1700 – with a vast amount of information and profiles on important figures, this is something that could take weeks to fully explore, and that ties in nicely with the merten j. mandeville collection in the occult sciences hosted at university of illinois/urbana-champaign and the witchcraft collection at cornell

(personally, I’d take an esoteric studies degree from American Pacific University online if they were accredited)

Brain Imaging applied to Political Advertising

April 20, 2004 / Wu

As I noted last week, commercial applications of brain imaging open up whole new vistas of manipulation via visual cortex…

Using M.R.I.’s to See Politics on the Brain:

“This research can show how a candidate is unfairly targeting the weaknesses and foibles of voters, and that can be empowering,” said Professor Montague, director of the Human Neuroimaging Laboratory at the Baylor College of Medicine.

Of course, political consultants could also use this technology to create more manipulative commercials, though Mr. Freedman and Mr. Knapp say they do not hope for partisan advantage from their research.

“We just want to start exploring this new frontier,” Mr. Knapp said….

Neanderthal = Nephilim?

April 19, 2004 / Michael

The argument is presented that the scientific facts verify that the Neanderthal were in fact one and the same as the ancient warrior race the Nephilim. It is here proposed that an examination of the evidence and facts currently available on Neanderthal man reveal that they could well have been a race of half-breed humans referred to in some of the earliest manuscripts found as the Nephilim.

Interesting, if extremely speculative, research paper found via Invisible College. I’ve read other research, however, suggesting that both Noah and Goliath were from the Nephilim. If it’s true in the case of Noah, that would mean that most of us are related to this half-angel breed and not the Neaderthals.

if you’re in tallahassee fl…

April 18, 2004 / Wu

via serendipitous surfing:

April 24: The Red Hills Pagan Council presents a Magickal Faire featuring hypnotherapist, neuro-linguist and enhanced magick practioner Philip Farber, workshops, presentations and performances, at the American Legion Hall at Lake Ella. The event concludes with a concert by Celtic fusion band Emerald Rose.

for those who don’t know, Farber’s work futureritual is a great piece of concise writing on magick – it’s something of a bridge. (Think of him as Charles Stross + Crowley, I do.) And if you aren’t anywhere near FL…

Czech art to check

April 17, 2004 / Klint Finley

Here’s a some of the cool art I’ve seen in Czech:

Jan Mitwally (at at the Gallery-Leftbank)

Michal Cimala (can’t find anything about him on the web). Saw this stuff at a cafe, need to find out the name and street name of the place… Update: Here’s his website.

Gallery Art Factory