Listen Now

We continue exploring the entities mentioned in "The Descent into the Abyss," taking some time with a creation myth of Ubbo-Sathla as told in "The Unbegotten Source" in the Book of Eibon. We wonder at our predilection toward supernatural explanation and consider what we can gain from a materialist perspective.

A guided meditation about letting go.

After hearing about so many entities in last week's "The Descent into the Abyss," we take a step away from the Book of Eibon for a moment to explore some of those creatures and deities just a bit, beginning with Lin Carter's "The Fishers from Outside," based on Lovecraft's poem, "The Outpost." We also consider what we're fishing for and how that connects with creating meaning and value in our lives. Lin Carter's works occupy a special place in our scripture, because Carter often wrote to fill in "gaps in the Mythos" left by other authors. His Mythos-related writings are collected in The Xothic Legend Cycle

Continuing in the Book of Eibon, we explore Lin Carter's "The Descent into the Abyss," a tale that is a retelling of an earlier work by Clark Ashton Smith, "The Seven Geases." Then we consider that we ourselves can live as if we are the victims of other people's demands or as if we have no choice but to press blindly forward. Knowing that and recognizing when we fall into such a pattern is vital to shifting into a new way of being.We also mention Madame Blavatsky as an originator of the myth of Hyperborea. To lean more about this influential woman, we recommend Marion Meade's "Madame Blavatsky: The Woman Behind the Myth," or for a more entertainingly skeptical approach, Peter Washington's "Madame Blavatsky's Baboon."

We continue exploring the Book of Eibon with "The Scroll of Morloc: The History of the Shaman Yhemog," translated (?) from the original by Lin Carter. This tale gives us rich fodder for contemplating how we discredit people whose beliefs change, the vulnerability we experience when our beliefs change, and how we might purposefully choose what we want to stand for.

We continue exploring the Book of Eibon with "The Devouring of S'lithik Hhai," translated (?) from the original by John Fultz. Through this tale we consider another aspect of our personal responsibility for the world we create.

An imaginative and introspective journey to draw wisdom from the past.

We begin a foray into one of the legendary forbidden tomes of the Cthulhu Mythos, The Book of Eibon. Exploring its first tale (as transmitted through Lin Carter), we take a look at balancing seclusion with meaningful supportive relationships and the ideal of authenticity. And, as always, curses and blessings.

We explore H. P. Lovecraft's tale "The Other Gods" as a way of stepping back and clarifying why it can be useful to refer to gods even when you believe in an indifferent cosmos, and one reason we might fear discovery.

A guided meditation on gratitude

We springboard from H. P. Lovecraft's story "The Thing on the Doorstep" to consider how we respond when people around us change and grow, and how we might be more purposeful and intentional about our own growth and change. We mentioned SMART Recovery again in this episode. More information is available at http://www.smartrecovery.org/We also adapted a couple of works from The Book of Eibon for this week's curses and blessings: "The Minions of Zstylzhemgni" by Richard L. Tierney, and "The Warding of Rivashii" by Stephen Sennitt.

In this episode, we take a look at Lovecraft's "The Quest of Iranon" and consider the benefits of habitual gratitude.All of Brene Brown's books are wonderful, but our current favorite is "Braving the Wilderness."You can watch Brene's TED Talk on vulnerability here: https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability

An imaginative guided meditation to draw on wisdom from our connection with our ancestors.

In exploring the conclusion of H. P. Lovecraft's "The Shadow over Innsmouth" we consider what shapes us and sets us on the path of a "default future," and we consider how we can begin to shift away from where our autopilot might take us toward a path that better aligns with our deepest values.

We consider the example of Obed Marsh in Lovecraft's "The Shadow over Innsmouth," and explore whether we might need to alter our course in order to live into a best possible version of ourselves. We also consider the reasons we often remain on paths that don't lead where we most want to go. And as always, curses and blessings!

A guided meditation for you.

Using Lovecraft's proto-Mythos short story "Dagon," we consider our tendency to choose comfort over truth, and a couple of ways we might begin to seek truth within ourselves, at least to begin with. We also pronounce this week's curses and blessings!Here are a couple of resources, as promised in this week's episode: Secular Meditation: 32 Practices for Cultivating Inner Peace, Compassion, and Joy, by Rick HellerThe Mindful Geek, by Michael W. Taft

We conclude H. P. Lovecraft's "The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath" with an exploration of our own need to navigate the chaotic void of the unknowable, as well as the possibility that the fulfillment of our personal vision may be closer to us than we sometimes imagine.

Daniel Braum visits with us about his short story "Music of the Spheres," which opens the way for us to explore the connection between destruction and creation in our lives. We also consider how to support others whose journey toward wholeness leads them into places we aren't willing to go. And without even trying, Daniel convinces me that Sun Ra was an incarnation of Nyarlathotep.You can find "Music of the Spheres" in Daniel's collection The Night Marchers: https://www.amazon.com/Night-Marchers-Other-Strange-Tales/dp/1940658713. You might also want to check out his novel The Serpent's Shadow http://bit.ly/BraumTSS and a recent collection of mummy stories Daniel edited, entitled Spirits Unwrapped: http://bit.ly/BraumSU.

As we near the end of H. P. Lovecraft's "The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath," Randolph Carter and the ghouls engage in an epic battle with the moon-beasts, and we consider whether we approach our relationships with a mindset of transaction or of connection. What do we have to gain from engaging sense of vulnerability instead of negotiation in our relationships?