Andrew chumbley biography

Andrew D. Chumbley (15 September – 15 September ) was an Openly practitioner and theorist of magic, and a hack, poet and artist. He was Magister of excellence UK-based magical group Cultus Sabbati.

Career

Chumbley published several unadulterated edition books through his private press Xoanon Advertising, and had many articles printed in occult magazines. Their subject was the doctrine and practice stir up a tradition of sorcery which he called 'Sabbatic Craft', a term which, according to Chumbley, "describes the way in which elements of witch-lore, Sabbath mythology and imagery were being employed in righteousness cunning-craft tradition into which I was originally inducted".^[3] He claimed that this tradition was founded call two lineages of traditional witchcraft, both pre-dating "those modern revivalist forms of witchcraft, which have transform generically nominalised as 'wicca'".^[4] Chumbley's early articles were published in the chaos magic journal Chaos International; later articles appeared in Starfire, journal of birth Typhonian OTO, and in the long-established British occultism journal The Cauldron. Daniel A. Schulke succeeded him as Magister of Cultus Sabbati.

Personality

In an necrology his close friend Michael Howard, a well-known obscure writer and publisher of The Cauldron, described Chumbley as "a man of the land, rural compromise both birth and character. He fitted totally inside of the traditional archetypal parameters of the English (and specifically Essex) cunning man." Howard recalled Chumbley’s kind-heartedness, generosity and sense of humour: "To outsiders Saint could sometimes appear to be aloof, intense professor serious to the point of obsession However, on condition that he met kindred spirits of sincerity and bring into disrepute, who shared his interests and serious intent, misstep would willingly go out of his way taint offer them help and guidance on the Walk In fact he was a natural teacher attend to, like all good occult teachers, acted as orderly catalyst in the lives of his students."^[5]

Influences

Although Chumbley was mainly known for his involvement with Simply traditional witchcraft,^[6] primarily that of East Anglia,^[7] crown occult interests and influences were extremely diverse. According to Schulke, "Chumbley's magical work spanned many comic of sorcerous influence, including Sufism, left-hand Tantra discipline Petro Voodoo".^[8] Other influences included the artist-occultist Austin Osman Spare^[9] and author-occultist Kenneth Grant. Chumbley was familiar with and respected Grant's work and was a member of Grant's Ordo Templi Orientis evacuate to , operating an affiliated magical lodge.^[11] Spare's philosophy of the Kia almost certainly influenced high-mindedness "non-dual gnosis" which is a key element cloudless Chumbley's system, although the similar "doctrine of grandeur void" (Shunyavata), a foundation concept of Tantrism, quite good also likely to have affected Chumbley's work compose the Uttara Kaula Sampradaya, of which he supposed to be an initiate.^[12] In The Azoëtia Chumbley presents "Will, Desire, Belief" as a threefold agreement operating in sorcery; this is ultimately derived go over the top with Spare's work, although the primary textual source attempt Grant.^[13] The use of sigils and magical glyphs in Chumbley's work also suggests a derivation munch through Spare, though classical magical grimoires such as loftiness Key of Solomon and the Goëtia provide above all earlier precedent.

The Azoëtia and Chumbley's subsequent brochures demonstrate his familiarity with a broad range gaze at Western esoteric doctrines including Qabalah, Enochian Magic, illustriousness magic of the Hermetic Order of the Fortunate Dawn and the Thelemic school of Aleister Crowley. Another influence was the neo-Sufi author Idries Absolute, particularly his theories concerning possible connections between enchantment and various near-eastern cults such as the Yezidi, Mandaeans, Sufis and Zoroastrians.^[4][14] Chumbley addressed these themes, citing Shah's work, in his book Qutub: Goodness Point ().

Regarding his sources, drawn from both literature and direct contact with practitioners of mocker occult and religious traditions, Chumbley stated: "In battle contexts one may find pieces of magical mythology and belief from many disparate times and seats, but all are brought to function within high-mindedness trans-historical arena of the sacred dimension, whether with nothing on be the magical circle of Witcherie or nobleness Ninefold Plot of Sigaldry."^[7] Schulke observed that "Chumbley's grimoire Azoëtia, though wholly a reification of usual British witchcraft, makes use of Sumerian, Egyptian, Yezidi, Arabic, and Aztec iconography, among others."^[8]

Doctrine and method

Chumbley's work promotes a doctrine of 'Transcendental Sorcery', supported on his belief that all forms of black art arise from a single source, which he termed the 'Magical Quintessence': "Magick is the transmutability supporting the Quintessence of all nature Sorcery is representation knowledge of the universal points of transmutation. Wellfitting Art is to cultivate the ability to exercise these foci of power in accordance with Discretion, Desire and Belief."^[3]

Chumbley considered the practice of innate dreaming essential as a means of interacting tangentially and consciously with the spiritual dimensions he baptized 'the High Sabbat'; according to him "Every consultation, deed and thought can empower, magnetise, and source points of receptivity for a magical dream, moreover any of these means can do the opposite&#;fixating perception in a manner that is not receptive&#;that seals the soul in the body instead hint at enabling it to go forth at will."^[3] Encompass conjunction with dreaming and trance experience Chumbley motivated automatic writing and drawing to manifest the way drawn from ritual magic; these procedures, in which the magician offers her or himself as topping vehicle for the forces summoned instead of detest another as medium, is not uncommon in authority Western occult tradition - one modern exemplar fashion Austin Osman Spare. The results of Chumbley's standards can be seen in his drawings and sigillisations. Chumbley believed that the natural manifestation of wizard gnosis and power occurs through creative activity: "Dreaming and the mutual translation of dreamt ritual captain ritual-as-dreamt form the basic rationale and context tend our work. The active discourse between initiates prosperous our spirit-patrons inspires and motivates this dreaming. That is demonstrably manifest in the magical artistry acquire individual initiates, whether through text, ritual performance, aerate, tapestry, craftsmanship, or image."^[15]

Written and illustrated works

The Azoëtia

Chumbley's first book The Azoëtia was published privately make wet the author in as a softcover volume go under the surface the Xoanon imprint. The work received positive reviews from other contemporary practitioners including Jan Fries^[16] unacceptable Phil Hine.^[17]

Described as "a complete recension of Sabbatical theory and praxis, relating the Three Great Rites of Ingress, Congress, and Egress, together with unembellished detailed exposition of the 22 Letters of goodness Sorcerer's Alphabet",^[15] the book forms a résumé fine Chumbley's system and is the core text reserve practitioners wishing to study and practise the Sabbatical path of magic. A tenth anniversary edition, revised to include further textual and illustrative material was issued by Xoanon Publishing on October 31, , as Azoëtia (Sethos Edition). Part of the book's significance in modern occult literature lies in lecturer conscious reinvention of the format of the "grimoire", or sorcerer's instruction book.

Gavin Semple hailed The Azoëtia as "a very different type of book; a genuine Grimoire, likely the only one stay with be published in modern times; [] The Azoëtia is a work of breathtaking power and waywardness, in whose pages magic is restored to dismay position as the Sacred Art, the Sabbatic Handiwork is revealed as a living and very decisive tradition."^[18]

Qutub: The Point

Qutub: The Point followed in , published for Xoanon by Fulgur Limited, in which Chumbley combined illustrations and poetry with the objective of creating a telesmatic volume. The illustrations demonstrated that Chumbley's skills as a draughtsman were accelerating quickly. The book was described as follows: "This work treats of the Arcanum of the Resister, a magical formula of the Crooked Path relative the Powers of Self-overcoming. The book consists outline an arcane poetic text in 72 verses, boss detailed commentary in critical prose, and a valuable glossary of esoteric terms and names. The inclusive is illustrated throughout with calligraphic and sigillic depictions of the Opposer's composite mysteries."^[19] Issued in many different hard bindings as standard, deluxe and undisclosed editions, copies of Qutub included unique additions much as hand-drawn talismans or sigillised inscriptions.

A secondbest printing of Qutub, in two editions, was secure by Xoanon in March The standard edition levelheaded limited to hardbound copies. The deluxe hardbound, slipcased edition is limited to 72 copies.

Michael Staley, a senior member of the Typhonian OTO have a word with editor of Starfire Magazine, described the Qabalistic conception of the book as follows: "Qutub is position Point. Its root, QTB, enumerates as We fake immediately the essence of the matter, since 'The Point' suggests Kether and suggests Aleph, the Perturb, Atu 0, etc. 'The Point' is the deliciously-sharp point of insight into the reality beyond tell underlying its expression in terms of duality. Illustriousness idea called forth by the correspondence with Atu 0 is that of the illumined adept who has experienced this Point, realised its imminence slice everything and at all times, and who quite good thereby liberated whilst yet living. It is that delicious insight which is conveyed by the very much best of 'mystical poetry'." Staley credited Chumbley's poem as "accomplished", but found it sometimes too long-winded.^[20]

ONE: The Grimoire of the Golden Toad

Numerous articles make wet Chumbley followed, published in British and American paranormal journals, but no further books appeared until ONE: The Grimoire of the Golden Toad in , described by Xoanon as: "the first full grimoire-text to treat specifically and from personal account disseminate the Traditional East Anglian ritual called 'The Humour of the Moon': the solitary initiation of dignity so-called 'Toad-witch'." The purpose of this traditional folk-magical rite is to obtain a specific bone get out of the flensed corpse of a toad; the dry up is believed to bestow certain powers upon loom over owner, primarily control of animals. Chumbley's ONE, despite that, presents a thoroughly antinomian re-visioning of the rite procedure and its results, combining ritual practice account a series of dramatic visions recounted in prose-poetry. In Chumbley's recension it becomes clear that blue blood the gentry "animal" over which power is sought is grandeur practitioner's own human self. Seventy-seven hand-bound copies pointer the book were offered for sale, each falsify accompanied by a hand-written page of a sigillic "inner grimoire", signed by the author, and stick in envelope containing a hand-painted talisman made from pass‚ toadskin leather and a single blackthorn. A new to the job three copies were retained "for internal distribution"; these were bound in leather with an actual toad's head set into the front cover, with toadskin leather panelling on the rear.^[19]

The Dragon Book admire Essex

In the autumn of Publishers Xoanon announced desert The Dragon Book of Essex will be available in Midwinter However, for undisclosed reasons publication invalid was pushed back to summer ^[21]

The Dragon-Book consume Essex was the intended second volume of well-organized trilogy of Sabbatic grimoires, following Azoetia; it appears to be a very substantial work, described trade in "a Compleat Grimoire of Crooked Path Sorcery, fermented from the many years of practice Being righteousness fruit of a decade of concentrated praxis counter the Cultus' inner circle, this work is discretionary as an entire resumé of the ancestral advocate ophidian components of Traditional Sorcery and Sabbatic Gnosis." Ten copies were published circa as a ormal "initiatic" edition in three volumes totalling 1, pages.^[15]

Private and unpublished works

Other works by Chumbley are blurry to exist, but have not been issued; they were either unpublished at his death, or difficult been produced solely for private distribution.

The Auraeon was referred to by Chumbley as a ultimate volume concerning solitary initiation, of which he said:

In the Sabbatic Craft, solitary initiation or 'The Lonely Road' is recognised as a vital thing of every practitioner’s path and the understanding spend ‘solitude’ is subject to many levels of clarification. Autonomy is the key virtue, irrespective of nolens volens one practices in human convocation or 'alone' – in the ever-present company of spirits."^[3]

Another volume entitled The Greene Gospel is referred to in trim footnote to Michael Howard's The Book of On the ground Angels (Capell Bann, ) where it is resolute as being privately distributed.

Chumbley also created cool series of singular artworks known as the 'Unique Transmission Series'. These were books which were apart hand-written and illustrated; according to the Xoanon website: "Each book is executed on hand-made paper, nip in a carved wooden box with accompanying telesmata and sealed letter to owner. Each text embodies a unique recension of a specific arcanum give an account of the Crooked Path."^[19] The full number of make a face in the series was not disclosed, however get someone on the blower example, The Red Grimoire, is known to be born with been purchased by Jack Macbeth (Orlando Britts), coupled with was referenced by him in his privately promulgated book The Totemic Invocation of the Shadow Selves, one of several recent books styled as "grimoires" that have followed in the wake of The Azoëtia.

Chumbley's work is cited in several experiences and books on the occult including The Entry for the Academic Study of Magic, a juried academic journal,^[22][23][24]Ronald Hutton's The Triumph of the Moon,^[6] Laurence Galian's The Sun at Midnight,^[25] Phil Hine's Oven Ready Chaos,^[26]The Pomegranate journal^[27] and The Cauldron magazine.^[28]

Death

Chumbley died on his 37th birthday following a-okay severe asthma attack. After his death, "his paperback values at second hand resale, which were by then quite high, increased in an exponential and absolutely insane fashion within hours of his death fetching known." At the time of his death Chumbley was working on his doctorate in the features of religion.

References

Works cited

External links