Carl Abrahamsson

Occulture is now here to stay

March 13, 2018

One of the first premises of magico-anthropology is that “Magic is.” Exactly what it is, is another story; and one that has filled my life with joy and wonder. No matter where you look, you’ll find magic. Even supposed “anti-magic” people are immersed in it. I would even go so far as to say that everyone is involved in magic to some degree, or at least involved in magical thinking. The relationship between an individual’s acknowledgement of this magic in general and his/her conscious integration of it is, according to me, an indicator of mental health and intelligence. That’s why adamant deniers of the “dark side” (whatever that means) are often just monotheistically compensating for their own fears by scapegoating others/the “other.” This rabid form of monotheism can also include other blind faiths, such as empiricism. People who sport a more holistic and tolerant approach usually have an easier time acknowledging magic in the inner as well as the outer. And they’re usually a lot...

“Occulture: Challenging Inertia and Entropy” lecture on Vimeo

March 12, 2018

A lecture/webinar with Carl Abrahamsson, originally presented February 13th, 2018, for the Society of Sentience. You can watch it right HERE! “What happens when routine sets in? Lack of motivation and will? When a formerly effective ritual turns into a dutiful ceremony? When a formerly pleasing situation turns into mere run-of-the-mill diluted experience? When an organism merely exists, apparently without meaning? Here’s where and when we encounter the terms entropy and inertia. They always set in sooner or later, perhaps as a necessary movement of decay before an actual decomposition, or, if we’re lucky, as an eye opener and instigator for change. When we are alive and somewhat conscious, we can make decisions about the direction of the energies. That’s a beautiful trademark of what it means to be a human being. But still, far too many humans accept defeat, decay and decomposition far too easily although it’s not at all necessary.” For more...

A Collective Mysticism lecture coming up

March 12, 2018

Mysticism exists in all cultures, all religions, all esoteric societies. The experience and its insights may then be clothed in cultural or religious clothing, but it’s always a highly personal phenomenon. Most cultures early on indoctrinate against this kind of experience and call it unreal or evil or devoid of meaning. Now we’re talking about power structures, that is collective defence mechanisms of organisms and processes. If someone within a given collective randomly experiences or allows him/herself to experience different and overwhelming things on the inside, free and without assistance from established and sanctioned professional proxies, there might a chance that others would want that too. Which could complicate things enormously… April 1st, 2018, at 8pm “European Summer Time” (GMT +1). 7pm GMT / 2-4pm EST / 11am-1pm PST. Join me in this lecture about the problematic aspects of collective mysticism. There will be a Q & A afterwards...

Excerpt from Occulture at Reality Sandwich

March 8, 2018

One of my favourite websites ever, Reality Sandwich, has excerpted a chapter from my book Occulture – the unseen forces that drive culture forward. It’s a chapter about the similarities between psychoanalysis and ritual magic that was originally presented as a lecture at the now legendary conference Psychoanalysis, Art & the Occult in London 2016. Enjoy the excerpt HERE! Purchase the book HERE!