Pular para o conteúdo principal

A Review of José Leitão: The Bibliotheca Valenciana (Hadean Press: 2017)



This collection of the main Works of Jerónimo Cortez of Valencia who composed his treatises in the 17th Century serves as an extension of Leitãos study in the Iberian Cyprians. Leitão comments in the presentation of his amazing translation work that the book might end up serve as a reference work, and indeed, the sheer volume of more than 600 pages might cause this treasure trove to be a work that is consulted more than worked, which is a pity, because this is a very complete collection of pragmatic and practical folk magic consisting of very much the same content as we find in the Iberian and Nordic Cyprians, albeit less diabolic. This means that we find here recipes for curing toothache and other afflictions as much as finding lost animals, the use of precious stones and herbs for whatever use, magical and mundane, for exploring its virtues or for curing something or someone. We find extensive explorations on astrology, all for practical use and we also fine a most wonderful bestiary where the mouse, unicorn and tiger are all discussed in terms of history, property and whatnot. It is beautiful to see how the pre modern mind worked in terms of not making this material distinction we have today between an animal of fantasy, myth or reality, but instead treated animals, no matter hierarchy and placement in ‘reality’ or the ideal realm in the shared category of ‘animals’.

This work is a fantastic example of the pre modern mind-set, the pragmatic approach to all things sacred where it was all about the practical use for those possessing this knowledge.

When I moved to Brazil I found in the first or second year living here some simple roughly made tracts called lunário perpetuo, and the first volume here – along with the appendix presenting the calculations used in the lunar almanac – gave me a great joy and reminded me that 100 years ago in Brazil knowledge of the stars, plants, animals, some spells for this and that was very common and acceptable part of the folk Catholicism practiced in Brazil (yes imported from Portugal). I couldn’t help sensing a nostalgia entering as I questioned myself why the lunário perpetuo ceased to be popular, in particular amongst farmers and dwellers in the countryside where predictions of weather, curing ailments away from doctors and hospital still is an important matter in Brazil, but I digress… this work follows in the tradition of St. Albert the Great, who as beatified doctor of the Church, won a different renown than our Faustian St. Cyprian…

No matter if it turns into a reference work or a manual for practical use, it is a must for any occult library. You can get your copy here:

Postagens mais visitadas deste blog

The ‘firmeza’ of Quimbanda

Quimbanda is a cult centred on the direct and head on interaction with spirit, hence developing mediumistic skills and capability in spirit trafficking is integral and vital to working Quimbanda. Possession is a phenomenon that intrigues and also scares. After all we have all seen movies like The Exorcist and other horror thrillers giving visual spectacles to how hostile spirits can take over the human body, mind and soul in intrusive and fatal ways. But possessions do find a counterpart in the shamanic rapture as much as in the prophet whose soul is filled with angelic light that makes him or her prophetic. Possession is not only about the full given over of your material vessel to a spirit that in turn uses the faculties of the medium to engage various forms of work. Inspiration, dream and to be ‘under the influence’ are potentially valid and worthy avenues for connecting with spirit. Yet another avenue for good spirit trafficking is the communion, or what Jake Stratton-Kent ca

A Quimbanda FAQ

In this article I will try to answer some questions concerning Quimbanda that surfaces with frequency. Questions concerning how to work this cult solitary and somehow dislocated from the cultural climate of understanding here in Brazil are frequently asked as are questions concerning the magical tools, such as guias, patuás and statues, available to the general public. I want to be initiated in Quimbanda, how do I proceed with that? When we speak of initiation in the perspective of Quimbanda we are speaking of a true and intense merging with spirit that involves a pact/agreement, a spirit vessel (assentamento), ordeal and oath. There are elements used in this process that are common to every house/terreiro/cabula/lineage of Quimbanda that reveals a common origin. There are different varieties of Quimbanda in Brazil, and the expression of the common root, will always depend of the constellation of spirits we find in the tronco. In other words, a ‘Casa de Exu’ that is dominated

Luxuria: The Seven Sins - part II of VII

"But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." - James 1: 14 - 15 -      Luxuria , or better known as lust is by John Cassian understood to be the very womb of sin and death in accordance with James 1. Whereas pride/hubris is the seed of sin, lust is the womb of the sinful seed. Today the word ‘lust’ carry an overtly sexual and hedonist flavor and in truth one of the predecessors of ‘luxuria’ is found in the activity related to porneia or prostitution, but more than this, luxuria is a thymus , an appetite. Perhaps the most proper idea that still carries on the inherent idea of ‘luxuria’ is actually luxury – in other words, an excess. In Antiquity as in galenic medicine all disease was caused by excess of something, in the cause of ‘luxuria’, we are speaking of an excess of pleasing oneself. This self pleasing is of a nature tha