This podcast will focus on the book Lightbringers of the North: Secrets of the Occult Tradition of Finland which will be released by Inner Traditions on July 12th. Finland has long been viewed as the land of sorcerers and shamans.  Exploring the rich history of Finnish occultism, Perttu Hakkinen and Vesa Iitti examine the significant figures and groups of Finland's occult world from the late 19th Century to the present day.  They begin with Pekka Ervast, known as the Rudolf Steiner of the North, who was a major figure in Theosophy before starting a Rosicrucian group called Ruusu-Risti, and they look at the Finnish disciples of G.I. Gurdjieff and the grim case of the cult of Tattarisuo.  Unveiling both the light and dark sides of modern esotericism in Finland, the authors show how, because of its unique position as partially European and partially Russian,  Finland's occult influence extends into the very heart of left-hand and right-hand occult groups and secret societies around the world.   Perttu Hakkinen (1979-2018) was a journalist, writer, and musician from Helsinki, Finland.  He was the founder of the band Imatra Voima. Vesa Iitti is a Finnish writer and translator with a master's degree in comparative religion.  He lives in Turku, Finland. This podcast is available on your favorite podcast platform, or here:  https://endoftheroad.libsyn.com/episode-228-vesa-iitti-lightbringers-of-the-northfinnish-esoteric-traditiongurdjieff Have an awesome weekend!