A Dark Muse

1. Occultism as a Response to Scientific Reductionism

Erroneous and misguided at best, at their worst - in, for example, the gruesome activities of some overzealous Satanists' - some forms of occultism can indeed be dangerous.

Rejection of Scientism. The rise of science, while bringing immense gains, also led to a sense of loss, particularly the dissolution of meaning that accompanied religious belief. Scientism, the belief that scientific criteria were sufficient to account for all phenomena, left a sensitive minority troubled. This created a space for the occult, offering a counter-history and alternative narrative to human existence.

Counter-Narrative. The occult provided a body of rejected knowledge that ran parallel to the increasingly successful scientific view. It dealt primarily with inner, spiritual things, readily lending itself to artists, poets, and writers. These individuals found assistance in the array of rejected knowledge that makes up the occult in their battle against the complete scientification of human experience.

Inner vs. Outer. The occult became a refuge for those who felt that the scientific worldview neglected the inner, human world of feelings, emotions, aesthetics, and moral values. It offered a way to explore the spiritual and subjective aspects of existence that were increasingly marginalized by scientific materialism.

2. The Allure of the Occult Enlightenment

Perhaps the greatest occult figure of the 18th century was Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772), whose sober and methodical approach to the hidden mysteries set a standard too often ignored by later devotees.

Reason and Magic. The Enlightenment, despite its emphasis on reason, did not entirely eradicate interest in magic and the occult. In fact, figures like Swedenborg, Mesmer, Cagliostro, and Saint-Germain thrived during this period, attracting followers from various segments of society.

Swedenborg's Influence. Emanuel Swedenborg, a brilliant scientist turned mystic, set a standard for occult inquiry with his methodical approach to hidden mysteries. His ideas about correspondences between the physical and spiritual worlds influenced writers like Blake, Baudelaire, and Yeats.

Enlightenment Figures. Other notable figures of the Occult Enlightenment, such as Mesmer, Cagliostro, and Saint-Germain, combined elements of science, mysticism, and showmanship to captivate audiences. Their lives and times offer insight into the complex interplay between reason and magic in the 18th century.

3. Romanticism's Journey into the Interior

We dream of journeys through the universe - is not the universe in us?

Defense of Imagination. Romanticism emerged as a defense of the imagination against the encroaching reductionism of science. It shared themes with the Enlightenment, such as the rights of the individual, but emphasized individuality itself.

Rejection of Politics. After the French Revolution's descent into terror, Romantics shifted their focus from societal revolution to the exploration of the mind. This "journey into the interior" involved delving into the unconscious, dreams, and other manifestations of the dark side of the mind.

Artist as Magician. The Romantic era saw the union of artist and magician, with figures like Coleridge and De Quincey exploring dreams and somnambulism. This fusion of art and magic would later influence the Symbolist movement and the religion of Art.

4. The Poet as Magician: Goethe, Novalis, and Hoffmann

Music reveals to man an unknown realm, a world quite separate from the outer sensual world surrounding him, a world in which he leaves behind all precise feelings in order to embrace an inexpressible longing.

Faustian Hunger. Goethe's Faust embodies the insatiable, hubristic hunger for knowledge at any cost, a desire to penetrate the innermost regions of life. This "Faustian" sensibility became a symbol of the perils of a one-sided development.

Sehnsucht. Novalis, with his illusive "blue flower," epitomized the German Romantic concept of Sehnsucht, an unfulfillable longing for beauty and the infinite. His mystical experiences and erotic spirituality influenced his poetry and worldview.

Dual Worlds. E.T.A. Hoffmann explored the conflict between the everyday world and the world of magic. His stories, like "The Golden Flower Pot," blended the mundane with the fantastic, creating a unique and influential style.

5. Poe and the Exploration of Inner Worlds

I have solved the secret of the universe!

• Transcendence. Edgar Allan Poe, often remembered for his gruesome horror stories, was deeply concerned with the soul and the world beyond. His tales can be seen as inward voyages to a visionary consciousness.

• Hypnagogia. Poe was fascinated by hypnagogia, the half-dream state between waking and sleeping. He saw these visions as glimpses of the spirit's outer world, a realm of "pleasurable ecstasy."

• Unparticled Matter. In his prose poem Eureka, Poe presented a vision of an unparticled, omnipresent divine substance. This concept, though abstract, reflects Poe's belief in a reality beyond the veil of the senses.

6. Balzac's Vision of Will and the Spiritual World

Man, he tells us, is really a god, or at least has the potential to be one, a belief he shared with his contemporary William Blake.

Human Potential. Louis Claude de Saint-Martin, a true hermetic philosopher, believed that mankind's mission is to "repair" the world. He saw man as having the potential to be a god, a belief he shared with William Blake.

Magnetic Will. Honoré de Balzac, known for his realistic novels, was deeply interested in mesmerism and the power of the human will. He believed that willpower was a tangible force emanating from the personality.

Spiritual Destiny. Balzac's novels explored the expenditure of vital fluids and the search for spiritual meaning. His work, like Seraphita, reflected a belief in the potential for mankind's spiritual destiny.

7. Nerval's Descent into Madness and the Allure of the Orient

It does not bark and it knows the secrets of the deep.

Bohemian Eccentricities. Gérard de Nerval, a French Romantic poet, was known for his bohemian eccentricities and his encyclopedic knowledge of the occult. His life and work were marked by a descent into madness and a fascination with the Orient.

The Other World. Nerval's masterpiece, Aurélia, recounts his descent into the unconscious and his struggle to reconcile the dream world with reality. His travels to the East were as much a descent into his own occult heritage as a geographical journey.

Exotic Influences. Nerval's work was saturated with mystical and occult themes, drawing on influences from the Arabian Nights, Freemasonry, and various esoteric traditions. His life and writings reflect the Romantic fascination with the exotic and the exploration of the inner self.

8. Bulwer-Lytton: The Pivotal Figure of 19th-Century Occultism

He must have had some notion of the antient Illuminees, for he adopted their name, and the disorganizing principles of their horrid system.

Occult Themes. Edward Bulwer-Lytton, a popular novelist and politician, played a pivotal role in 19th-century occultism. His works, like Zanoni and The Coming Race, explored Rosicrucianism, esoteric knowledge, and the idea of a superior human type.

Secret Societies. Bulwer-Lytton was at the center of several occult circles and his writings influenced figures like Madame Blavatsky and Eliphas Levi. His blend of mysticism and social commentary made him a key figure in the esoteric landscape of the time.

The Vril-ya. Bulwer-Lytton's The Coming Race introduced the concept of vril, a mystical force that would later become a staple of occult and science fiction. His vision of a coming race of supermen reflected the era's fascination with human evolution and hidden potential.

9. Eliphas Levi and the French Occult Revival

The name of Illuminee which this Sect ... has chosen, is of ancient standing in the annals of disorganizing Sophistry.

Transcendental Magic. Eliphas Levi, a former priest turned magician, was a central figure in the French occult revival. His book, Transcendental Magic, offered a vision of magic as a doctrine carefully concealed throughout history.

Kabbalistic Influence. Levi's writings, though not always accurate, popularized Kabbalistic ideas and influenced figures like Baudelaire and Rimbaud. His blend of Christian dogma and magical truth resonated with a generation seeking alternative spiritual paths.

The Baphomet. Levi's image of the Baphomet devil became a widely recognized symbol of Satanism. His life and work reflect the complex interplay between religion, magic, and social upheaval in 19th-century France.

10. Baudelaire's Decadence and the Search for Beauty in Evil

At an early period of the French Revolution there appeared a sect calling itself Jacobin, and teaching that all men were equal and free!

Aesthetic of Evil. Charles Baudelaire, a key figure in the French Romantic movement, explored the darker aspects of human experience. His collection of poems, Les Fleurs du Mal, sought to find beauty in the morbid, the perverse, and the forbidden.

Correspondences. Baudelaire took the idea of correspondences from Swedenborg and infused it with elements of synesthesia and the unity of the arts. His poems explored the links between the physical and spiritual worlds, often with a focus on the macabre.

The Poet as Decoder. Baudelaire saw the poet as a decoder of secret messages, an interpreter of the hidden meanings encoded in the natural world. His work paved the way for the Symbolist movement and its emphasis on suggestion and nuance.

11. The Silver Age of Russia: Mysticism and Revolution

Princes and nations shall disappear without violence from the face of the Earth, the human race will become one family and the world the abode of reasonable men.

Esoteric Enclaves. The Silver Age of Russia (1890-1914) saw a surge of interest in mysticism and the occult. Cities like St. Petersburg and Moscow became centers for esoteric societies and spiritual experimentation.

Illuminati. The Illuminati would work toward a future in which secret societies would bring about a revolution where the human race will become one family and the world the abode of reasonable men.

Satanic Themes. Satanic themes and diabolical figures permeated the art and literature of the Russian fin de siecle. Poets, artists, and philosophers explored the dark side of human nature and the potential for spiritual transformation through transgression.

12. The Modernist Synthesis: Art, Science, and the Occult

The name of Illuminee which this Sect ... has chosen, is of ancient standing in the annals of disorganizing Sophistry.

Blending of Worlds. Modernist artists sought to reconcile science and mysticism, often drawing on occult ideas to challenge the limitations of rationalism. Figures like William James, Henri Bergson, and Rudolf Steiner explored the non-rational areas of consciousness.

Theosophical Influence. Theosophy, with its blend of Eastern spirituality and Western esotericism, had a profound impact on modernist thought. Madame Blavatsky's ideas about cosmic evolution and hidden masters influenced artists and writers across Europe.

The Journey Inward. The modernist occultist, like the Romantic before him, embarked on a journey into the interior, seeking to unlock the secrets of the self and the universe. This quest for hidden knowledge shaped the art and literature of the 20th century.

Last updated: April 14, 2025