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Pagan Imperialism – Julius Evola (1928/2024)

I never really intended to read Evola’s early and what I expected to be his most political work. Then I noticed that a new English translation has been published and decided to read it after all. At least I would know what it is (all) about.

Evola (1898-1974) published this book as Imperialismo Pagano when he was 30, so not that young. In the few years before he had published a few other books.

It appears that the English translation that has been available so far, was a translation of the 1933 German edition Heidnischer Imperialismus. Here we have a brand new translation with an introduction plus at the end, responses of Evola to reactions he got to his book.

There are two points that bring this book a hurdle. For starters, the writing style is pretty polemical. Second is that Evola wrote it when he still had hopes that he could turn the new Italian fascist movement into a direction he preferred: away from ties with the Catholic church, more “imperial”.

As an example of the polemics, especially Christianity is frequently burned by Evola, with remarks such as: “In conclusion, we must absolutely end Christianity today.”

As the title of the book suggests, Evola posed a ‘pagan alternative’: “the pre-Christian, living, and creative Roman tradition”. Or even stronger: “we, who without dilution and without compromise, reclaim the imperial and initiatic conceptions of the ancient Roman and Mediterranean traditions.”
But what exactly is this Roman tradition when Evola speaks of the “Roman gods, Mithras, Shiva and so forth” or “Mithras, Shiva, Plotinus, and Pythagoras”? Apparently mostly pre-Christian Indo-European religion and philosophy.

Pagan Imperialism is less (or perhaps just differently) ‘against the modern world’ than Evola’s later work. He does aim his arrows on the degradation of the West and especially the role that Christianity plays therein. As mentioned, at the time of writing this book, Evola still had hopes that he could turn the fascist movement in his preferred direction. The book is full claims about fascism, but also critical notes because of the Catholic link that was being established in his days.

I find this not the most interesting book of Evola, but more than a few things he says are still valid (and current). You do have to be able to wade through breast pounding politics and lengthy discussions about Christianity, but as the introduction says: Evola frequently is misquoted or quoted without context. Now you can read what he actually wrote in his younger days in a new English translation. It seems that the publishers did not tidy up the book for sensitive souls either.

We advocate a new classicism, a solar era of active and magical realism, an absolute integration of the physical and metaphysical, human and non-human.

2024 Arktos, isbn 1915755778

Passages: Studies in Traditionalism and Traditions – Volume I (journal)

Looking for contemporary Traditionalistic writings, I ran into a recently published (December 2023) first volume of a new journal. The editors have seen the coming and going of journals such as Luvah, Sophia, Sacred Web, Tyr and The Initiate. None of them is currently active, so it was high time for a new journal.

The foreword seems to promise a contemporary, spiritual approach to Traditionalism. The content is actually more political, Evola-like in approach with a lot of philosophy, mostly that of Martin Heidegger (1889-1976), some psychology even.

The contributors are mostly from the Slavic and Italian ‘spheres’. Even though the chief editor is American and we run into Collin Cleary and Troy Southgate, most essays had to be translated to English. There are familiar and unfamiliar names (to me). Alexander Dugin is probably the most famous name, but we also find a text by Askr Svarte / Evgeny Nechkasov (not unexpectedly).

There is a lot ‘against the modern world’, Heidegger (philosophy), the social/political side of the ideas of Guénon and Evola and similar subjects. Not uninteresting, but I would not have minded to read more from and about Traditionalism today and/or the more religious side of it.

The journal has almost 400 pages. It makes an interesting read, it does indeed fill a gap, but I would like a wider (other?) approach to Traditionalism in a future volume.

2023 Prav Publishing, isbn 1952671159

The de Grainville Manuscripts – M.R. Osborne (2024)

With some excitement I ran into a “Élu Coën Library” on Amazon. Four Élu Coën source books that were recently (re)translated. One of them, I proved to already have in a Dutch translation.

The current volume is a massive 680 page book which presents the notes collected by Lieutenant-Colonel Pierre André de Grainville (1728-1794), that he gathered as a student of Martinez de Pasqually. Interestingly, the documents are from the same “Fonds Maçonnique” that is kept in the Bibliotheque Nationale de France (and available online!) as the massive pile of ritual texts that form the basis of the Rite de France of Freemasonry. I suppose the documents are from the library of the Grand Orient de France.

the folios are not a complete Coen grimoire, but an incomplete and fragmentary snapshot of the original rituals in a state of rapid development.

Indeed. What you can find in this book are images of the pages of the notes, handwritten, hard to read and printed very small. On the opposite pages you will find English translations of these hand written texts. Thus, you have access to the original material and you do not even have to decipher the handwritten French.

“Élus Coëns Ritual and Instruction From the Eighteenth Century” does perhaps fit the bill, but I had some hope that there would be Masonic-like rituals here. Rather, there is a wild array of Theurgical and magical operations and invocations and only towards the end there are some Masonic-type questions-and-answers. Not really what I had hoped for.

It is great that this kind of material is more and more becoming available more easily, but I suppose this is a sourcebook for people with a more serious interest in the Élu Coën than myself. But, it was easier to read than De Pasqually’s text. The library contains two more books. I do not think I am going to try to read them.

2024 Rose Circle Books, isbn 9798892171977

Treatise on the Reintegration of Beings – Martinez de Pasqually (2023)

Book 2 of 4 of the “Élu Coën Library” is most likely the most famous one. As a matter of fact, I also proved to have read a Dutch translation! After ordering the English translation I wondered: “Did I not already have a book of Martinez de Paqually?” Well, I did not, but my girlfriend did and it is a 2012 version of the Dutch Martinist Order of this very book…
We both got stranded in the book too! I does not happen often that I do not manage to finish a book, but this is one of them and now I have two copies of it.

The new English translation claims to correct omissions of earlier versions. I suppose that includes the fact that the Dutch version has added headers in the text, which are included in the table of contents, while the English book is a massive wall of text. A few images were added to the English version to brighten things up a bit.

“Jacques de Livron Joachim de la Tour de la Casa Martinez de Pasqually (1727?–1774) was a theurgist and theosopher of uncertain origin”, according to Wikipedia. He not only forms the cradle of Martinism, but in his own time he was the founder of the Ordre des Chevaliers Maçons Élus Coëns de l’Univers, better known as the Élus Coëns, or -as it is called in the book- the order of the Réaux-Croix. That is actually a hard term to translate. It means something like “true cross”, but De Pasqually also uses the word “Réaux” to refer to Adam for example.

The book is presented as a source book for Martinism and -more generally- Western esotericism, including Masonic symbolism, but in fact it is a massive explanation of Biblical stories. To me, the book is rather a theological book, than an esoteric one. Only here and there is an interesting passage, but overall the book is so try and distant, that I again did not manage to get through it.

2023 Rose Circle Publications, isbn 9798394604799

Traditie Jaarboek 2024

15 Years after the last Traditie magazine a few people picked up the idea to once again create a physical publication. Not a magazine, but a proper journal, one to publish annually. Here is the first issue of the new incarnation now called Traditie; jaarboek voor traditionele erfgoedbeleving in de Lage Landen, or ‘Tradition; yearbook for traditional living heritage in the Low Countries’. Like before, it is written in Dutch.

Like the publication of days past, the new journal has A4 size, but this time 120 pages. Within the covers you will find full colour glossy pages filled with 23 texts differing in size from half a page to 17 pages. For those who know (or remember) the previous incarnation, there will be some familiar names. Herman Vanhove (still chairman), Benny Vangelder and Koenraad Logghe, to name a few. Good to learn that there are also new names to be found.

The subjects go from the symbolism of the knot (Logghe), heralds and guardian spirits (of the late Aat van Gilst), building symbolism (Wolf Pyck), Midsummer and Midwinter (Axnot Wedasunu), fate and magic (Lianne Kooistra), sacred kingship (Vangelder) to interviews, poets and songs. I myself contributed a text prompted by the publication of the English translation of Arvid Ystad’s book The Freemasons in the Viking Age, but I enlarged the subject based on my Masonic Heathens website placing Ystad in the context of other authors who have dealt with similar themes.

As you can see, a varied publication, available for € 20,- plus shipping costs. Click on the cover to get your copy.

2024 Traditie vzw

Gods In The Abyss – Askr Svarte (2020)

The incredably productive Svarte (1991-) wrote enough essays for yet another 380 page book. Again, the original texts were written in Russian (Приближение и окружение. Очерки о германском Логосе, традиции и Ничто (‘Approximation and Surrounding. Essays on the Germanic Logos, Tradition and Nothingness.’)) and published in English in the same year. He is not only very productive himself, but his publishers manage to keep up.

The subtitle goes: “Essays on Heidegger, the German Logos & the Germanic Myth” which covers the content of the book very well. The basis of most texts is the philosophy of Martin Heidegger (1889-1976), but Svarte goes from Heidegger to Northern mythology, old and more recent history, Rhineland mystics and etymology of a variety of languages as if it is nothing. I am not very keen on (modern) philosophy, but with his cross references and explanations based on Norse myth and culture, Svarte managed to keep my attention. In one fascination essay Svarte looks for translations of Heideggers term “Dasein” in several old and contemporary Northern European languages.

The texts of Svarte sometimes go over my head, but he comes with enough interesting insights and ways of looking at and explaining things, that his difficult book makes a great read.

Northern mythology and Traditionalism already is an uncommon combination, but here we also have an author who makes the combination wonderfully and brings in a lot of other angles to make his points.

2020 Arktos Media, isbn 1912975866

The Return Of Holy Russia – Gary Lachman (2020)

  • history

Lachman’s books are mostly ‘esoteric histories’, but the present title is more a political or social history. Of Russia, needless to say. Even though the book is somewhat interesting, my preference for ‘esoteric history’ over social history was confirmed.

Vladimir Putin (1952-) presented a list of recommended literature. Lachman had an interest in Russian literature and recognised some of the authors. Some he did not. Piecing things together became a book about Russian history.

Russian history is interesting and complex. In spite of the size of the country, Russian identity changed several times from Viking to Mongol to Christian to staunchly atheistic. And not to forget politics drastically changed multiple times. One regime was open to religion and esotericism, the next was not.

The book explains certain events in recent history. The back cover is more promising concering Russian esoteric movents than what is actually in between the covers, but you also get an idea of “Silver Age” thinkers, philosophers fleeing Russia, the variety of influences, etc.

All in all the book is interesting, but I would have preferred less focus on the social and more on the esoteric history of the country.

2020 Inner Traditions, isbn 1620558106

Masonic Myths and Legends – Pierre Mollier (2022)

I find the title of this book not too well chosen. The book is not about myths or legends, but a collection of essays investigating Masonic history. Pierre Mollier (1961-) is member of the Grand Orient de France, director of their museum in Paris and one of the most productive and interesting Masonic investigators of our time. Most of his work is written in French, so it is good that a compilation of his texts are made available in English. Only a few, the book is only 150 pages.

Some of the subjects in this book are much ‘in flux’ nowadays (early history of the ‘high degrees’), so it would have been nice to know when the different texts were written. Since the beginning of this millennium the investigation of the history of ‘high degrees’ has taken a high flight. This is mostly because the archives that the Nazis robbed and landed in Russia after WWII were returned. French archives proved to contain invaluable texts that had been gone for over half a century. Many old ritual texts, early versions of rituals that we still know, but also rituals that did not make it.

This is but one of the subjects in Mollier’s book though. He also writes about a Masonic book plate from 1657, connections between Freemasonry and Knightly orders, general early Masonic history, “the Jewish and Christian sources of the legend of the vault” and also French Masonic developments in the context of development of French society, etc.

All in all a nice little book. Hopefully also some of Mollier’s in depth investigations will become available in English as well.

2022 Westphalia Press, isbn 1637238282

Exploring The Vault – John Belton & Roger Dachez (2024)

Even though the publisher Westphalia Press is located in the conservative South of the USA, they publish many books about the French/continental approach to Freemasonry. Also they publish serious Masonic investigations. What is even better, they are neither an academic, nor an internal publishing house, so many of their books can be purchased for normal prices and by anyone, not just members of certain lodges for research for example.

This is one such deep diving scholarly Masonic publications that can be bought in paperback or hardcover. The book is subtitled: “Masonic Higher Degrees 1730-1800”. The authors (an Englishman and a Frenchman) complain about the facts that many scholars keep repeating that nothing much happened in Freemasonry between 1730 (the publication of “Masonry Dissected”) and 1760 (“Three Distinct Knocks”). Also that their predecessors keep repeating the same quotes without context; that they focus only on the “craft” degrees or a specific degree and a particular country. This the authors decided to turn over and show that actually a lot happened and that links can be found when you do not focus on one country and a specific (set of) degree(s).

In the book the authors go from the earliest mentions of ‘high degrees’ in England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Germany and a few other countries. They went to check on the proof that previous authors have used and sometimes have to conclude that the unsubstantiated claims are made even by academic investigators. Belton and Dachez reviewed evidence, looked for new information and paint a picture in which things are not so neatly divided as some want. There are much stronger links between Freemasonry in the mentioned countries than some think. Influences back and forth, new degrees that rapidly pop up in another part of Europe or even South or North America.

400+ Pages with detailed information about a broad spectrum of ‘high degrees’ and because the authors also investigate where they came from, you will also learn about the appearance of the third degree. Enormous amounts of information have been checked, authors they cite are consulted and new information was found. Highly interesting!

A minor point of criticism is that the book can use an extra redaction. There are quite a few typos (also in years), strange use of words as if Dachez wrote his texts in France and they were translated automatically, while notes are left untranslated), sentences and quotes that are printed twice. These sorts of things.

There is also a French version of the book: “Les Premiers Hauts Grades écossais – L’énigme des origines (1730-1800)”.

2024 Westphalia Press, isbn 978163319501

The Archetypal Temple – Jaime Paul Lamb (2011)

It is a bit ironic. I am always looking for a contemporary esoteric approach to Freemasonry, but the few books that appear, are not too interesting to me. All Tria Prima books so far are alright, but not great. Unfortunately also the second book by Lamb is no exception.

The Archetypal Temple: and Other Writings On Masonic Esotericism contains mostly short essays that have mostly been published before. The book covers a variety of esoteric and occult topics combined with Freemasonry. Lamb obviously has a preference for astrology and Tarot. You will also get a bit of Hermeticism, ceremonial magic and more typical Masonic subjects such as the lost word and virtues.

Lamb speaks not only of “craft” degrees (Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason) by the way and even an organisation such as Societas Rosicruciana is written about.

The texts are alright to read, there are some interesting thoughts here and there, but I was not exactly ‘blown away’.

Best order your book from Lulu.com. Amazon said they do not ship to my country, Lulu had no problems with that.

2021 Lulu.com, isbn 1716319307