The Occult Imagination In Theory and Practice

By Dorian Nuaj

This is not an academic or research book on the topic of occultism. It is not my intention to delve into the historical aspects of the phenomenon encompassed by this term. Instead, I invite readers on a rather subjective journey through some essential aspects of this broad field with a focus on Western hermeticism and beyond. The uniqueness of this book lies in the fact that, apart from theoretical introductions and explanations, it is rich in my insights and experiences, as well as instructions for practical individual work with developmental goals. In this sense, this book will be exceptionally beneficial to those who wish to independently engage in practical self-work while having specific theoretical foundations for understanding.

This book is organized into twenty-three chapters in which I present theoretical considerations, occasionally personal experiences, and practical instructions related to the discussed topics. The themes vary but are interconnected by a magical perspective on the world: the spirit of the times; the significance of analogy and imagination in magical thinking; the creation of human beings, the cosmos, and the permanent generation of reality; on sigilization; on gods and spirits; on magical identity; on sleep paralysis; on the doppelganger; on entities; on the pentagram and hexagram; on energy manipulation; on the elements; on magic and desires; on the process of dying and afterlife perspectives; on the nature of the soul; on the Sun, Moon, and planets in a magical sense; on magical lucidity; on communication with the other side, etc. Experienced readers of occult literature will find some of these considerations familiar, but they will soon realize that they are dealing with an author whose views are slightly different, offering alternative perspectives on familiar topics. This applies both to theoretical explanations and in the domain of practical magical work.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Baphomitras
• Release date: Jan 6, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224497911

Dorian Nuaj

Dorian Nuaj, (Belgrade, Serbia), 1971, a sociology professor and occultist, is the author of intriguing books with esoteric themes. Since childhood, he has encountered paranormal phenomena and the occult. In his youth, he was initiated into the occult by a spiritual entity with whom he communicated intensively for more than three years. These experiences helped shape his distinctive esoteric worldview. Dorian has conveyed his unique perspective on the world interestingly and controversially through the books he has written. He primarily writes in the Serbian language and, more recently, in English. Dorian's style blends academic, imaginative, and experiential elements. He excels at drawing insightful conclusions and creating unconventional insights. His topics include occultism, Kabbalah, tarot, mythology, hermeticism, perception, magical practice, esoteric interpretations of history, and the spirit of the times. In his works, he references many significant authors and writers such as Aleister Crowley, Kenneth Grant, Fulcanelli, Eliphas Levi, Julius Evola, Mircea Eliade, Erich Neumann, Carlos Castaneda, H.P. Lovecraft, Francis Yeats, Rene Guenon, Jake Stratton-Kent, Gershom Scholem, Manly P. Hall, Gerald Massey, Ioan Culianu, Bela Hamvas, and more.

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Dorian Nuaj

A picture containing shoji, building Description automatically generated

The Occult Imagination

in Theory and Practice

By

Dorijan Nuaj

Cover page Drazen Pekusic

Copyright © 2024 Dorian Nuaj

All rights reserved.

A picture containing shoji, building Description automatically generated

Table of Content

About the Book

Preface

Chapter I: Arrow, Eye, and Lyre

Chapter II: Analogy and Magic

Chapter III: Anthropogenesis, Cosmogenesis, and Astral Light

Chapter IV: Afterlife Perspectives

Chapter V: Views Beyond the Grave

Chapter VI: Mechanism of Death

Chapter VII: Magical Identity, Gods, and Spirits

Chapter VIII: Sleep Paralysis, Doppelganger, Entities, and Exorcism

Chapter IX: Kingdom of the Occult Mind

Chapter X: Temptation of Lust

Chapter XI: The Tree of Life and The Tree of Death

Chapter XII: Pyramid – Pentagram

Chapter XIII: Theory of Elements and Sigilization

Chapter XIV: Theoretical Assumptions of the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram

Chapter XV: The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram – An Example of Performance

Chapter XVI: ΙΑΩ – The Formula of the Middle Pillar

Chapter XVII: Shin Tet – The Circulation of Energy

Chapter XVIII: Solar Ritual of the Hexagram

Chapter XIX: The Magical Significance of the Moon

Chapter XX: Kabbalistic Mechanism of Will

Chapter XXI: Hunting the Past

Chapter XXII: Cloak of Invisibility

Chapter XXIII: The Technique of Magical Connection with the Cosmic Feminine

Author's Note

About the Book

This is not an academic or research book on the topic of occultism. It is not my intention to delve into the historical aspects of the phenomenon encompassed by this term. Instead, I invite readers on a rather subjective journey through some essential aspects of this broad field with a focus on Western hermeticism and beyond. The uniqueness of this book lies in the fact that, apart from theoretical introductions and explanations, it is rich in my insights and experiences, as well as instructions for practical individual work with developmental goals. In this sense, this book will be exceptionally beneficial to those who wish to independently engage in practical self-work while having specific theoretical foundations for understanding.

This book is organized into twenty-three chapters in which I present theoretical considerations, occasionally personal experiences, and practical instructions related to the discussed topics. The themes vary but are interconnected by a magical perspective on the world: the spirit of the times; the significance of analogy and imagination in magical thinking; the creation of human beings, the cosmos, and the permanent generation of reality; on sigilization; on gods and spirits; on magical identity; on sleep paralysis; on the doppelganger; on entities; on the pentagram and hexagram; on energy manipulation; on the elements; on magic and desires; on the process of dying and afterlife perspectives; on the nature of the soul; on the Sun, Moon, and planets in a magical sense; on magical lucidity; on communication with the other side, etc. Experienced readers of occult literature will find some of these considerations familiar, but they will soon realize that they are dealing with an author whose views are slightly different, offering alternative perspectives on familiar topics. This applies both to theoretical explanations and in the domain of practical magical work.

Preface

I was in my teenage years when something truly unusual happened to me. It was a late summer afternoon, and the heat was unbearable. I was walking on the main city square in the company of three of my school friends. We were engaged in a lively and loud discussion. At one point, all four of us stopped, facing slightly westward. Suddenly, I interrupted the discussion and pointed my finger at the Sun, which, preparing for the sunset, had already taken on a reddish hue and was diminishing in intensity. I remember noticing something very unusual and astonishing happening on the Sun's disk. For a moment, all four of us stared at the peculiar phenomenon. Although it all lasted for a few moments, my friends later shared incredible stories about this unique solar event, which objectively probably did not occur but unfolded in our consciousness. I was no longer sure if their imagination added all those details, but it was strange that all three described entirely different phenomena. However, what was even more interesting was that I didn't remember anything. More than thirty years have passed since then, but I still have no recollection of what I truly saw, even though I was the one who first noticed something unusual. Of course, over the years, much related to solar nature has surfaced in my consciousness and dreams, but the fact remains that this part of my experience still eludes my everyday awareness.

The described event represents one of the pivotal moments in my life, yet it was not caused by any personal inner work, beliefs, practices, identifications, or commitments. It simply happened on its own without any visible reason. There is no exercise, meditation, ritual, or magical technique through which someone could bring themselves into such a situation, and why would they even do that in the first place? In the shared experience, there is nothing glamorous or enlightening, no angels and demons, spirits, gods, mystical symbols and visions, mysterious encrypted messages, dictation of mystical texts, etc. Simply put, in those few moments, I was completely overwhelmed by a force that, well, I can connect with the solar nature. Of course, after that, in the years that followed, many things related to the Sun happened in my consciousness, but I can somehow describe all of that; I can remember it clearly down to the finest details. However, the initial moment still stands obscured by light. What conclusions can we draw from this brief testimony then?

When I recounted this to an older occultist long ago, he immediately assumed that a solar spirit had possessed me, that it was an initiation, and so on. Such an interpretation, of course, appealed to my youthful spirit, flattered my unrestrained ego, solidifying my belief that I was some kind of adept chosen by secret masters or invisible spiritual solar hierarchies hidden within the very light of the Sun, etc. From this perspective, I realize that all of that was incorrect because time has challenged such delusions. In the meantime, other possessions and absorptions have occurred, by the Moon, certain stars, clouds, the sea, and even the Earth itself, both in waking life and dreams. Solar possession was an introduction to later events and experiences. However, I repeat, none of them has so completely erased or compressed my consciousness as the intensity of the touch of the solar nature. It was as if I had fallen into some temporary, sun-spirit-induced catatonia.

Later, I realized that many people in their lives have had similar, more or less radical experiences. Carlos Castaneda wrote about it, claiming through the words of Don Juan that the nagual calls each of us, but few respond to that call. Regardless of how we name it, at that moment, I decided to answer that call. The essence of that decision is crucial for anyone reading this. Remember, has the spirit called you, in one way or another? If it has, have you responded? If you have responded, how did you do it? Have you waited for subsequent touches and calls, or have you hastily entangled yourself in teachings, pseudo-occult, and quasi-mystical associations and groups, believing that something shook you from the slumber of everyday consciousness just so you could become a member of a movement, a sect, or perhaps establish your own? This is very important because if you have felt the touch of the supernatural, the touch of the force behind the manifest world, all you need to do is make a firm decision, with your whole being, that you will be awake in anticipation of the next touch, even if that touch never comes again. If you had done that, you wouldn't have lost countless years and squandered your life more or less into nothing, wandering from one teaching to another, from authority to authority, from book to book. I'm not saying not to read books. Of course, you should. Cultivate your mind, from different perspectives, and specialize in a certain direction if you wish, but making far-reaching decisions to join a specific magical current, astral chain, movement, cult, or religion based on personal sensitivity is wrong and often catastrophic. It's not like choosing a type of beer or candy based on what pleases your taste buds.

So, all you need to do is listen and await new touches of the spirit, so to speak, when it has already touched you in such a way that it shook your being. If something like that hasn't happened to you, it doesn't mean it won't, and if it already has, no self-work will be of any use in that sense. Of course, you can practice yoga, tai chi, kung fu, astral projection, meditation, adhere to faith and prayers, study the I Ching, astrology, Kabbalah, or tarot, but not as your path, something to which you surrender, but as something useful, like a staff while walking. On the contrary, your path is hidden behind a delicate veil and simply yearns to connect with your footsteps, and it is your responsibility to be ready when those fateful moments come to lift that veil.

I will now refer to what Julius Evola said. What he said aligns well with the intention expressed in this book, so it makes sense to mention him. Evola rejected the idea that anyone who wishes can become an initiate through their efforts, through various exercises and practices. He stated that by one's strength, a person would not be able to transcend oneself. According to him, any positive outcome in this field is conditioned by the presence and action of a real force of another order, not individual strength. Evola defined three cases when someone can become an initiate:

1. The first case is when someone is naturally, by birth, endowed and marked with a different force, which is very exceptional and represents a rare occurrence.

2. The second case is when this different force appears in situations of trauma and deep crises, breaking through the everyday barrier of consciousness.

3. The third case is when someone is chosen through the action of representatives of an established, lasting, and powerful initiatory organization or lineage, or when someone initiated as a master influences a person.

The first case is truly rare and exceptional. The second case is also rare because people more or less resist the call of that force and strive to suppress and repair any such eruption. In other words, as is often the case with such situations, these people go in the wrong direction, following their sensitivity, wasting time in the wrong company, and doing unnecessary things in the wrong way. The third case is perhaps rarer than the second because, no matter how many people belong to various mystical and occult groups, orders, and brotherhoods, questioning their credibility is not unfounded. I have met many people in the field of esotericism and the occult, but I have hardly encountered anyone who, through independent work or practicing according to the program of some teaching, has achieved something significant. Who knows, someone might have, but I cannot testify to that, except for a few incidental cases of natural giftedness. Yes, much can be achieved through work and practice, becoming more vital, developing some psychic powers, and learning a skill, as we can in the profane world, but in the domain of metaphysical goals of the deep being of man, most of it is unusable.

Now that we have clarified how things stand, the question arises: why would anyone bother to do the exercises and practices described in this book? I don't have an answer to that question. Instead, I would pose a question myself: why do we live at all then? In this regard, I would paraphrase Carlos Castaneda: our task is to be impeccable in our work, search, and action, to do everything as best as we can; even if nothing more, we will increase the scope of our awareness, and thereby create some chances for our complete transformation. 

Chapter I: Arrow, Eye, and Lyre

We live in a culture that is fundamentally grounded in reason, although these same rational assumptions are to a considerable extent infused with elements of the irrational, religious, ideological, and fanatical. This culture did not fall from the sky or come from nowhere. It stems from what already existed. It was produced through a series of reductions and deductions, penetrations and expansions, focus, and dispersion. It intends to establish an infinite memory both in the direction of the past and the future. Its pioneers were brilliant dreamers, with all their passions, strengths, and weaknesses. They didn't have many choices. They had to act quickly, and someone was always after them, even if they did it to themselves and each other. This has produced all the absurdities and insurmountable contradictions that have plagued the culture from its very beginnings.

What does it mean to be modern? What is modern? I'm not talking about general definitions; I am trying to observe modernity from the esoteric perspective. In that sense, modernity is oriented towards the solar principle. It wants to master Apollonian powers, possess the Arrow and the Eye, and master the Lyre. It wants to control time, and project time, and understand it in all directions. Therefore, it shoots the Arrow towards endless eons and dives into the infinitesimal depths of nanoseconds. It strives to master every perspective, and thus the Eye becomes the central symbol of the spirit of modernity. Finally, it endeavors to fathom vibration. Hence, in the earlier stages of modernity, we have brilliant composers. Music. Rhythm. Vibration. Frequency. In short, the spirit of modernity seeks to encompass and map almost the entire universe, reaching its paradoxically projected boundaries in infinity. 

Nearly three decades ago, I had a significant dream. Thick clouds covered the sky, and for days, the Sun, the Moon, and even the stars were invisible. The Earth was shrouded in an apocalyptic twilight. Authorities convinced the public that it was a natural occurrence and that we needed to somehow adapt to the new reality, and change our habits, way of life, and even our thinking. Turn to the Earth! they yelled. Protect our Mother! We are her children! In the dream, I sensed that something profound was not right, not with society or authorities, but with the universe itself, and the elite knew it but concealed it because there was no solution. Meanwhile, I went to the highest mountain and, with difficulty, crawled to its peak, practically touching only the sky embodied in heavy metal clouds. Hence the muffled creaking, I thought. All the time, in the background, there was some creaking, which, as I realized then, came from the friction of metal clouds. I was very surprised and puzzled: how is this possible? How can metal clouds float and at the same time close the sky? Yet, they didn't completely close the sky because there were cracks.

I managed to somehow climb onto a massive leaden cloud to enjoy the stars that were hidden from me on the ground. And only then was I amazed. Above the leaden clouds, there was nothing, no moonlight, no stars, only empty black sky, an infinite void. Then the thought struck me that half of the universe had swallowed nothingness. I stared at that nothingness, which wriggled and stirred with delight. I discovered the secret that earthly authorities hid from people. The common folk were not allowed to know that all the stars and the Moon were swallowed, and only a diminished and very pale Sun barely stood, slowly leaning to fall below the horizon as if our world were bound in eternal darkness.

What was the plan of the Masters? They intended, as much as possible, to hide from the public that nothingness was approaching. To