Saturday and off to Glastonbury for the Book of Baphomet book launch. Decided to go a bit early and inspect glasto itself, it has rather a lot of mystical supermarkets and galleries, catering it would seem, largely to the tourist and pilgrimage trade, I can hardly imagine the local hippys and pagans managing to consume a fraction of the merchandise on offer. Some of the stuff on offer seemed totally OTT to a mage that just carries but a simple self-made wooden pocket wand. Just how much extra belief can you invest in a two foot long silver chased bar of machined quartz encrusted with half a pound of exotic semi-precious stones?
Anyway, I acquired a copy of Phil Bakers book on Austin Osman Spare http://strangeattractor.co.uk/shoppe/austin-osman-spare-2/ having read such glowing reviews of it on Arcanorium College www.arcanoriumcollege.com , and indeed it makes for a very informative read, it seems stylishly written and deeply researched, and really gives the flavour of the brilliant crazy old rogue and wizard, and his life and times. It also clears up certain misconceptions that have crept into more popular accounts of his life and work.
The Book of Baphomet book launch went well, Julian Vayne and Nikki Wyrd played their promo videos and then spoke about their work and book and I gave a bit of background to the development of the Baphomet concept since Levi. The guests included the extraordinary Orryelle Defenestrate Bascule with whom I spent some time, rather like Genesis P Orridge he sports a weird riotous fairground sort of appearance yet beneath the showmanship lies a serious alternative philosopher, we have exchanged publications and established lines of communication.
Thence to Druidry Grove on Sunday for some rather quieter reflective ritual work, and the usual philosophical salon with the Proff.
Refreshingly, during the entire 11 hours of these events nobody at all even mentioned the Olympics once.
In case they had done so I came prepared with my hound's results across Llangenith sands, she would have won the 100m rather easily, and almost reached a seagul before it lifted off, must discourage such behaviour.