Biography
January 1, 2024
Nicholas K. Mohlmann
Cryptozoologist Jonathan Downes uses subcultural ideological values to either stabilize or destabilize the proper name in biographical writing. Through paranormal concepts, his work enacts a theory of the biographical signature that highlights the uncanny ways biographical texts invest proper names with meaning.
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
July 23, 2023
Leonardo C. Olyachim
The author introduces an algebraic framework for working with the equations of CMT, presenting an operator that represents magick intent and extending the treatment to cases where multiple such operators act on the same state or event.
Occult World
January 1, 2014
In 1969 German artist Sigmar Polke created a large canvas featuring one black corner and a typed message that reads 'Höhere Wesen befahlen: rechte obere Ecke schwarz malen!' ('Higher beings command: paint the upper right corner black!'). The work presents an ironic commentary on artistic authority and the sources of creative direction, suggesting that artistic decisions may be dictated by external, even absurd, commands.
Technoetic Arts
December 1, 2013
Pam Payne
Many contemporary art and cultural practices in the United States and Europe trace their origins to the Western Mystery Traditions, which are rooted in ancient esoteric philosophies from Greece and Egypt. Video mash-ups and audio sampling derive from cut-up methods used by Beat poets and artists, who were influenced by Surrealists. Early twentieth-century artists like Austin O. Spare employed magickal practices from Renaissance figures such as John Dee and Giordano Bruno. Methods using graphical imagery to access insight from alternate realms continue to draw on Gnostic and Hermetic philosophies. The persistent influence of these ancient beliefs is evident in contemporary logos, symbols, art, and music.
Goldsmiths
January 1, 2003
Justin Woodman
3 citations
Practitioners of Chaos magick, a form of magical practice that emerged in the UK in the late 1970s, use trance states to access an indeterminate ground of being called 'Chaos,' which they believe they can reshape according to their desires. Merging with spirit possession therapeutics, these practices aim to render visible and control the 'demons' of the psyche—socially inculcated fears, desires, and behaviors. The demonic is an ambivalent category that mirrors the uncertain experience of modernity; possession can be positively valued as a source of creativity and self-empowerment, allowing practitioners to construct contingent self-narratives.
Magic, Ritual, and Witchcraft
December 1, 2025
Cusack M. Carole
Thee Temple ov Psychick Youth (TOPY), founded by Genesis Breyer P-Orridge in 1981 after the end of Throbbing Gristle and COUM Transmissions, blended chaos magick, art, and esoteric practices while drawing on imagery of destructive cults. The group ended in 1991, just as the World Wide Web emerged. In the decades since, TOPY and P-Orridge have been rediscovered and venerated by contemporary occultists. This article examines TOPY's magickal frameworks to assess their significance for esotericism, popular culture, and political rebellion, emphasizing artistic and creative methods as sources of spiritual power. Chaos magick and individualism strongly shaped the nature and impact of their activities.
Open Journal of Stigmatized Knowledge & Suppressed Discourses
October 10, 2025
Dr. Sixbert Sangwa
Twentieth-century occult manuals described repeatable techniques for contacting spirits, which have migrated into wellness culture, social media algorithms, and prophetic movements. A historical-comparative review of esoteric texts paired with content analysis of over 200 contemporary artifacts—websites, livestreams, and social-media campaigns—identified twelve operational pipelines, including ritual invocation, algorithmic entrainment, media hypersigils, remote energy transmissions, and prosperity-prophecy. After May 12, 2025, there was a quantitative spike in vision reports and viral prophecies, alongside a shift in prayer priorities from repentance toward financial breakthrough. The authors argue these findings expose a trans-media apparatus normalizing counterfeit experiences that redirect allegiance from Christ to a syncretic New-Age narrative, matching biblical eschatological warnings.
April 22, 2025
Aaron Michael Ullrey
Constructive imagination is a pedagogical method in which students generate structured mental experiences of course content—here, magic rituals—and use them for creative non-fiction writing. The chapter presents two writing prompts: “Write a Rite!,” where students create a magic ritual based on South Asian sources, and “Chaos Magick,” where students create a novel magic ritual invoking personally relevant or pop figures. The authors argue that constructive imagination improves with practice and that playful creativity fosters greater understanding of course content and more fluid engagement in writing practices.
Svetovi revija za etnologijo antropologijo in folkloristiko
July 29, 2024
Andrej Kapcár
1 citation
Magical practices have become more accessible and individualistic in recent decades, with practitioners increasingly incorporating elements from popular culture into their rituals. The immersive visual aspects of popular culture, reaching wide audiences, have influenced new schools like Chaos Magick, which provides a fertile ground for such innovations. This paper examines the mutual interaction between occult knowledge represented visually in popular culture and the actual magical practice of modern mages.
June 17, 2024
Andrej Kapcár
Popular culture frequently depicts occult activities in spaces such as basements, forests, cemeteries, hospitals, and schools, and these depictions share common visual features. Some creators draw on historical occultism, but often they amplify certain features for aesthetic appeal. This aesthetic influence extends into real-world occult practice, particularly in Chaos Magick, where the boundary between fiction and reality is deliberately blurred. The chapter categorizes ritual spaces in popular culture and compares them with those used by contemporary occultists, analyzing their mutual influence.