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Darkly Splendid Abodes

Darren White

The official podcast of Toronto Thelema, exploring the occult writings of Aleister Crowley and various other authors, and the Thelemic system of Magick, mysticism and philosophy.

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20 episodes
fortnightly
Avg 1 hr 41 min
English

Episodes 20

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S6 · E1
Saturday · 1 hr 41 min
Deep Dip: Kant's 'Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics'
The Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics by Emanuel Kant is one of the philosophy books recommended by Crowley to serious students of Magick and the occult. But why? Michael and I will dip into the bewildering depths of Kant's metaphysics to find out.
S5 · E19
June 6 · 2 hr 42 min
Finale: Enochian Grammar, Listener Comments, & Crowleyan Controversies
As we wrap up Season 5, Michael and I chat about Enochian grammar, respond to listener comments, and discuss controversies surrounding Aleister Crowley: Satanist, racist, and possibly something far worse still. Listener discretion strongly advised for the last half-hour.
S5 · E18
May 16 · 2 hr 15 min
Dissonant Dialectic: Mogg Morgan's 'Morality, Amorality, and Immorality in Aleister Crowley's Thelemic Cult'
Modern Thelema is an evolving discourse that benefits from absorbing the manifold perspectives of the world. We’ll bounce off of Mogg Morgans paper, ‘The Heart of Thelema: Morality, Amorality, and Immorality in Aleister Crowley’s Thelemic Cult,’ as we innaugurate our new discussion series: Dissonant Dialectic.
S5 · E17
May 2 · 1 hr 54 min
Spinning Stories: 2001: A Space Odyssey
When tales tap into the subconscious, their themes can transcend the arbitrary boundaries set by the rational mind. We’ll see how Stanley Kubrick’s ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ maps against the critical stages of Thelemic Initiation, as part of our spinoff series: Spinning Stories.
S5 · E16
April 18 · 1 hr 32 min
Who is Edward Mason? with Edward Mason (Magician)
Edward Mason has been a regular guest on Darkly Splendid Abodes going back to our very first episode. But just who is this fellow with the English accent, who evidently lives in Mexico and yet has apparent magical ties to Toronto? Today Edward shares his own journey and experiences from a lifetime on the Magical Path, from involment with various Orders to founding his own Temple, and up to his past fourteen years spent with the Temple of the Silver Star.
S5 · E15
April 4 · 2 hr 10 min
The Wake World, by Aleister Crowley
The Wake World, or Liber 95 (XCV), is included as the first part of Aleister Crowley’s book “Konx Om Pax.” Originally written as a bedtime story for his daughter, Lola Zaza, it is an allegory for the initiatory ascent of the Tree of Life. Michael and I will compare our past explorations of the Divine Feminine, as we delve into this “Tale for Babes and Sucklings.”
S5 · E14
March 21 · 1 hr 38 min
The A∴A∴ Path; and Enochian Magic, with Frater Baltan
Frater Baltan is an Initiate of Crowley’s system of A∴A∴, and a practitioner of Enochian Magick. We’ll discuss these two Magical systems, on the one hand exploring what the A∴A∴ is for and what an Initiate can expect from it, and on the other discussing the dangers, purpose and best starting-point for Enochian Magic.
S5 · E13
March 7 · 2 hr 7 min
Deep Dip: Liber 418, Aethyrs 9 & 4
Liber 418, ‘The Vision & the Voice’ is the record of a series of Enochian visions scried by Aleister Crowley in 1900 and in 1909 e.v. These visions are the most well-known example of putting John Dee and Edward Kelly’s system of Angel Magic into practice. Michael and I will look at Aethyrs 9 and 4, and see how our Deep Dips to date aid us in understanding the Angel’s message.
S5 · E12
February 21 · 55 min
The Stelé of Revealing, with Edward Mason
Of all the iconic images associated with Thelema, the most primal, sacred and important is the Stelé of Revealing, a funeral stelé dedicated to an Egyptian priest of the late 25th/early 26th dynasty, Ank-f-n-Khonsu. Edward and I will discuss this ancient depiction of the Thelemic Trinity.
S5 · E11
February 7 · 1 hr 57 min
Spinning Stories: Twin Peaks Season 2 & The Return
When tales tap into the subconscious, their themes can transcend the arbitrary boundaries set by the rational mind. Dipping into the circuits of time, Michael and I conclude our exploration of the Magical themes of Twin peaks as we look at Season 2 and The Return, as part of our spinoff series: Spinning Stories.
S5 · E10
January 17 · 1 hr 33 min
Islamic Influence on Thelema, with Uthman Ken
Aleister Crowley had an admiration for Islam and tried to immerse himself in Sufi spaces on a few occasions. The Islamic influence on Thelema is sometimes overt, but often implicit. Author Uthman Ken and I will discuss the Islamic influence on Thelema and on modern Hermetics more generally.
S5 · E9
January 3 · 2 hr 28 min
Deep Dip: 'LILITH,' by George MacDonald
Crowley describes George MacDonald’s 1895 novel LILITH as “A good introduction to the Astral”, and cites it amongst the works of fiction included in the reading curriculum for A∴A∴ and O.T.O. Michael and I will dip into the dreamlike netherworld of this late-Victorian fantasy novel.
S5 · E8
Dec 20, 2025 · 39 min
Workshop: Thelemic Karma
Karma is commonly described as the results of one’s actions in one form or another, and often gets thought of as a cosmic justice system. But how is it seen from a Thelemic perspective? And how can the concept inform one’s pursuit to know and to do the True Will? Given in the August of 2025 e.v., this workshop explores how one can know who they are, how individual tendencies influence experience, and how to decide one's future.
S5 · E7
Dec 6, 2025 · 2 hr 18 min
Deep Dip, The Gospel According to St. Bernard Shaw
‘The Gospel According to St. Bernard Shaw’ is Crowley’s exhaustive response to Bernard Shaw’s preface to his play, Androcles and the Lion. Both pieces analyze the Jesus of the Gospels, with Crowley’s diving into the parallels with the life of the Mystic as well as the Dying God mythos, with abundant quotations from J.G. Frazer’s ‘The Golden Bough.’
S5 · E6
Nov 22, 2025 · 32 min
Purifying & Consecrating, with Edward Mason
Plenty of emphasis gets placed on the importance of Banishing Rituals, especially as part of a greater overall Magical Ceremony. But not as much is said about Purification and Consecration, in spite of being integral elements of Ceremonial Magick. Edward Mason and I will take a look at these Magical applications of Water & Fire.
S5 · E5
Nov 8, 2025 · 1 hr 57 min
Deep Dip: Liber LXV The Book of the Heart Girt with a Serpent, chapter IV
Liber Cordis Cincti Serpente, or The Book of the Heart Girt with a Serpent, is an inspired text written by Aleister Crowley that recounts the experience of union with his Holy Guardian Angel. Michael and I will delve into Chapter Five, along with Crowley’s Commentary on the text to help us elucidate its mysteries.
S5 · E4
Oct 18, 2025 · 57 min
Luciferianism, with Jeremy Crow
Jeremy Crow is a longtime proponent and practitioner of Luciferianism, and his Novus Ordo Luciferi and Flambeau Noir initiatives have helped promote the Lightbearer ethos internationally. We’ll chat about Jeremy’s ‘Promethean’ efforts, find out what Liciferianism actually is, as well as discuss the overlap between Luciferianism and Thelema.
S5 · E3
Oct 4, 2025 · 1 hr 45 min
Spinning Stories: Twin Peaks, Fire Walk With Me & Season 1
When tales tap into the subconscious, their themes can transcend the arbitrary boundaries set by the rational mind. Michael and I will delve into the lore of Twin Peaks, and see if we can read a Thelemic fable into the film, Fire Walk With Me, and the first season and a half of the television series, as we inaugurate our spinnof series, ‘Spinning Stories.’
S5 · E2
Sep 20, 2025 · 36 min
Liber Resh vel Helios, with Edward Mason
Liber Resh vel Helios is a Thelemic ritual adoration of the Sun. Performed at the four stations of dawn, midday, sunset and midnight, it is used as a regular Invocation of God-forms and as a mindfulness practice, by Thelemites the world over. Edward Mason and I will chat about this staple Thelemic practice.
S5 · E1
Sep 6, 2025 · 2 hr 2 min
Deep Dip: Nietzsche's 'History of Morals' (from Beyond Good & Evil)
Crowley considered Friedrich Nietzsche a prophet and forerunner of Thelema, and Nietzsche looms large at a critical point of transition for Western philosophy. We’ll dive into a chapter from his book Beyond Good & Evil that lays out the evolution of Western philosophy up to his day, and beyond.

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