Sex, Death & the Occult

This book is a unique document. It is part textbook, part transcription of an online course, & part poetic grimoire. A grimoire is a fancy term for a collection of magical practices and ideas. Do you believe in magic? Does anyone really believe or disbelieve in magic? Maybe it is more about a kind of feeling. A special flavor of attention, energy and embodiment. A collection of interests in symbolism, manifestation, intention, ritual, ancient wisdom and the emancipatory vibe of all things wondrous. The provocative title of this book (Sex, Death & the Occult) is an homage to my childhood mentor Robert Anton Wilson and reflects the name of an online course hosted by my friends at the Parallax Academy. The basic content of this books is the transcription of that course but, of course, some things have been changed. In a moment I will explain those tweaks but first I would like to say a few words about my personal willingness to engage in the “occult” versions of wisdom development alongside my other work in more standard areas of existential self-cultivation and community building. Layman Pascal is an author, public speaker & retreat leader specializing in metamodern spirituality, nondualist theology, integral religion, and metashamanics. He is the host of the popular podcast THE INTEGRAL STAGE (and the more elite SOULMAKERS series). He helped initiate the Parallax Academy and also works with Endemic, ICON, the Metamodern Spirituality Lab, the Foundation for Integral Religion & Spirituality, Emerge/Perspectiva, RESPOND, Limicon, the Transdisciplinary Leadership Review, Beyond Interfaith, and other leading-edge projects.