‘Esoteric Quest goes virtual’

Esoteric Quest, in its 25th year, is on for October—and it’ll be hosted as a “digital summit.” Tickets will be available soon, and I’ll let you know.

Oh, and Christopher McIntosh will be one of the presenters.

From the publicity:

We are proud to announce

The Esoteric Quest 2020

Virtual Summit

October 9-13, 2020!

For the first time in its 25-year history, The Esoteric Quest—one of the leading global conferences on Western Esotericism—will be held as a digital summit. This wisdom-packed five-day event will bring together the world’s foremost leading experts, writers, artists, and academics for an interactive online travel experience exploring the lost or half-forgotten spiritual history of the West through lectures, musical performances from Iceland to Occitania, breakout sessions, and much more.

Join us for an immersive, virtual journey across the world as we dig deep into the history, mysticism, and wisdom traditions of the West, including:

• Honoring the first Esoteric Quest in 1995 in Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic, the Southern Bohemian Mecca of Alchemists (described as the “esoteric woodstock” by Gnosis magazine)
• Presentations on the Italian Renaissance and the influence of Esoteric Traditions in Florence, Italy and how they spread to Elizabethan England
• Glimpses of the Golden Age of Andalusia in its Portuguese dimension
• Music of the Cathars and Troubadours in 12th century Languedoc
• Explorations in the esoteric Art of Memory, and the work of the great historian Frances Yates

Whether you are fascinated by history or spiritual studies, or someone looking to deepen your knowledge of some of the most profound mysteries and wisdom traditions of the Western part of the world, and the myriad cultures that have fed into this stream, The Esoteric Quest is for all who are curious. Tap into your ancestors’ roots, debunk pop culture depictions, and get to the heart of the real deal, or just simply learn something new.

The event will take place entirely online. Our program will feature a mix of morning, mid-day, and late afternoon/evening sessions in different formats to keep you engaged, active, and having fun. All sessions will be recorded, so if the time zone or other commitments prevent you from experiencing sessions live, they can be easily accessed later.

Tickets will go on sale soon, and with early bird pricing. The program and featured participants will be announced soon. Don’t miss out!
      

‘Esoteric Quest to Scotland’

     

Courtesy NY Open Center

If I weren’t prohibited by law from leaving the country—I know too much—I’d join this year’s Esoteric Quest (New York Open Center’s travel bureau) to Scotland. No reason why you couldn’t go though. From the publicity:

An Esoteric Quest

in the Western Isles of Scotland

Megalithic, Norse and Hermetic Culture

in the Celtic World

Stornoway, the Outer Hebrides

August 22-27, 2017

Scotland is one of the most esoterically rich countries on earth. The rock of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides is some of the oldest anywhere, and the island is dotted with enigmatic megalithic sites, most famously Callanish, that echo an ancient culture. Lewis is also a place inhabited by Picts, Scots, and Vikings, where Gaelic is still spoken.

Courtesy NY Open Center

This year’s Esoteric Quest—the 13th in a series on Western spiritual traditions, stretching back to 1995—will continue our theme from our 2016 Quest in Iceland of exploring the mysteries of the North. This time we will encounter the meeting of Celtic and Norse cultures, experience the mystical beauty of these islands in the North Atlantic, and go deeply into Scotland’s more recent esoteric traditions, from alchemy to Freemasonry. Our home base will be Lews Castle, a 19th century estate recently restored to perfect condition.

We invite you to join us on this Quest and participate in one of the most highly regarded series to be found anywhere on the planet on the half-forgotten spiritual history of the West.

Pre- and Post-Conference Journeys:
Callanish, Scotland
Findhorn, Scotland
Westfjords, Iceland

There will be a pre-conference day visiting the megalithic sites on Lewis and Harris, and two Post-Conference Journeys: one to the celebrated eco-village and spiritual community of Findhorn, followed by three days on the most sacred of all Scottish islands, Iona. The other will return to the expansive grandeur of the Westfjords of Iceland, a realm of cosmic ocean vistas, ever present rushing waterfalls, and immense, profound silence.

A brochure and more info here.


It seems registration is not yet open, but I will update this when that happens.
     

‘Two tours of France’

     
I don’t feel France is the place for me, but here are two opportunities for you to visit the Hexagon in June. Both Esoteric Quest and old friend Tim Wallace-Murphy will lead groups through the Languedoc region. From the publicity:

An Esoteric Quest for the South of France:

Troubadours, Cathars, Templars,

and the Grail in Medieval Languedoc

June 4-9, 2015

Join us for the eleventh in the Open Center’s series of international conferences on the Western Tradition as we journey to Carcassonne, Languedoc, in an exquisitely beautiful region of the South of France.

Long known as a focal point for numerous spiritual streams, this area was at the heart of the high medieval culture of both the Troubadours and the Gnostic Christian Cathars. “The Bons Hommes,” as the Cathars called themselves, created one of the most remarkable and enigmatic spiritual movements of the Middle Ages, the destruction of which was one of the great tragedies of European religious life. The Troubadours were the first to bring romantic love to the Western world in poetry and song of great elegance and charm that expressed a new merging of the erotic and the mystical.

Languedoc, with the neighboring domains of Catalonia and Provence, is filled with culture and spiritual history. It is a region that carries significance for the medieval Grail stories and is imbued with the mythology of Mary Magdalene. This Quest will explore the aura of mystery that still clings to the castles and villages of the region, and will drink deeply of its wisdom and legacy.

We invite you to join us and meet others who share an attunement to this brief, beautiful but unforgettable time when love, esoteric spirituality, and appreciation of the divine feminine and its immense gifts reigned supreme.

The Esoteric Quest starts with an optional pre-conference day visiting Montségur, the last stronghold of the Cathars, and Puivert, an important center of Troubadour culture in the 12th century.

We also will offer two post-conference journeys: one heading south into the wild beauty and hilltop villages of Catalonia, Spain; the other traveling east into the azure skies and brilliant sunlight of Provence.

Co-sponsors: The Lumen Foundation and the Divination Foundation.

Lure of the Languedoc:

Group tour with authors

Tim Wallace-Murphy and Jeanne D’Août

Land of Mystery, Myth, and Magic

June 7-14, 2015

The mystery, magic and intrigue of the Languedoc range far beyond the mystery of Rennes-le-Chateau, which is a minor affair, or the more important story of Mary Magdalene. This land has been at the cultural, commercial and spiritual crossroads of the known world for more than 20,000 years and is redolent with spiritual energy.

The Phoenicians, the ancient Greeks, the Romans, the Visigoths, the Jews, the Moors, the Knights Templar, the Knights Hospitaller, the Troubadours, and the Cathars all have played their part in molding the spiritual heritage that is so apparent here. On this tour we will explore Neolithic sites that resonate with tangible, telluric energy; see cave paintings which are among the earliest archaeological spiritual artifacts known to man; visit castles, churches, and towns associated with the Knights Templar; explore the rich local heritage (which, according to many historians, was so creative that it would have sparked the Renaissance in the 1300s had it not been for the Crusade against the Cathars); visit castles that are imbued with the history of the Troubadours; and, most important of all, just be in this wondrous landscape and absorb its peace and its sacred, transformative atmosphere.

The tour will be led by two authors who live here and know this landscape well. Tim Wallace-Murphy and Jeanne D’Août will share their insights to enhance your understanding and appreciation of this beautiful country where historic sites and sacred geometry are an integral part of a much larger holistic spiritual entity—the land itself.

Click here to see the detailed itinerary.
     

Quest is XXX in MMX

QUEST, the Grand Lodge of New York’s Queens District’s annual Masonic education seminar, will mark its 30th anniversary in 2010 with its regularly scheduled day of forums and discussions on March 13.

QUEST meets at the Advance Masonic Temple, located at 21-14 30th Ave. in Long Island City. The day will begin at 9 a.m. and should conclude at 1:15. Breakfast will be served at 8, and lunch at 12:15.

Among the speakers scheduled to appear is MW Edward Gilbert, Grand Master of New York, who has been missed for a number of months as he recovered from some health troubles. The keynote speaker will be MW Richard Fletcher, Executive Secretary of the Masonic Service Association of North America. The speaker during lunch will be MW Gary Henningsen, Past Grand Master and Past Grand Secretary.

The cost to attend is $20, and tickets can be purchased from your lodge’s Master.

As always, there will be many printed educational materials distributed, and other items for sale.

8:00 - 8:50 Check In/Breakfast - Collation Hall All

8:50 - 9:00 Go upstairs to Lodge Room All

9:00 - 9:05 Invocation/Present Colors/Pledge Allegiance RW Ken Wagner/Queens Veterans/All

9:05 - 9:15 Introductions/Program/Handouts/Web Site RW Jay Marksheid

9:15 - 9:20 In Memoriam RW Ken Wagner, Grand Chaplain

9:20 - 9:40 Keynote Address MW Richard E. Fletcher

9:40 - 10:00 LSOME/Protocol/MDC/RTTE RW Robert Russell & RW Robert Olmo

10:00 - 10:20 LDC-8 & Moodle Access/iDC VW Rubin, W Edwards & W John Robinson

10:20 - 10:35 Break All

10:35 - 10:45 Mentoring RW Maurice “Chick” Berger

10:45 - 11:05 Ritual and Masonic Education RW Richard C. Friedman

11:05 - 11:40 Q&A Session MW Fletcher, RW Davis, RW Friedman

11:40 - 11:55 Grand Master’s Address MW Edward G. Gilbert, Grand Master

11:55 - 12:05 Wrap Up: Attendance Recognition RW Jay Marksheid, GDC

12:05 - 12:10 Benediction and Retire to Collation Hall RW Ken Wagner, Grand Chaplain

12:15 - 1:15 Lunch - Speaker MW Gary A. Henningsen, PGM

‘Esoteric Quest’ is New York bound

After many years abroad, the annual Esoteric Quest will take place in America this summer. Read all about it here.

August 24 to 28
Upstate New York near Woodstock

Join us for the Open Center’s eighth Esoteric Quest, this time on the home soil of America. After seven previous conferences in Europe on the Western Esoteric Tradition, the time has come at this moment of rebirth of the American spirit to search for the Inner America—one known to the indigenous peoples, and a source of deep fascination to many esoteric thinkers from alchemists and Rosicrucians in the 17th century, to Masonic circles around the Founding Fathers, to the Transcendentalists and many writers and artists in the 20th century who have profoundly influenced modern times.

Upstate New York in the 19th century was a hotbed of spiritual innovation. It was the birthplace of many forms of unorthodox inner inquiry including the early spiritualists and feminists, the Oneida community, and the Hudson River school of painters. The Transcendentalism of Emerson, Whitman, and Thoreau uplifted the difficult and dangerous epoch of the Civil War. Remarkable figures emerged such as the African-American student of magic Paschal Beverly Randolph, and later Madame Blavatsky herself founded the Theosophical Society in New York City in1875. Throughout this time the Native Americans maintained profound insight into the soul of this land and the Iroquois Confederation went so far as to impact the shaping of the United States constitution.

In the 20th century many American artists were influenced by esoteric philosophy, from Elvis to Philip K. Dick to Saul Bellow. Martin Luther King Jr.’s profound spirituality was influenced by Gandhi, who was, in turn, indebted to Thoreau, and the African American Church served as a powerful generator of soul, courage and compassion. The latter part of the century was filled with an esoteric explosion as Sufi, Buddhist, Shamanic, Vedic and many other paths found common ground in a new, holistic culture.

This conference will examine and celebrate the life-enhancing spiritual impulses that emerge powerfully in America: the creative meeting of all cultures and spiritual paths; the natural American generosity of spirit; the “Yes We Can” attitude of optimism and self-belief; and the bedrock commitment to the virtue of equality. At a time when hope is high for a new American Renaissance, please join us for this exploration and celebration of the deepest and best in the soul of this country.