Poke Runyon?

[autodydact]

I don't know a huge amount about ceremonial magick and have been watching some of the videos on YouTube of Poke Runyon and although they are interesting, I wonder how genuine he is? From what I know, some of his beliefs seem fairly idiosyncratic with the world of hermetics. What do you all think? Is he a reliable source to gain knowledge from? My interest is more academic than practical at present (maybe when I've got a better grip of witchcraft I will explore it in depth).

[Cybernetic_Jazz]

I'm somewhat new myself. I've taken a liking to his show for basic knowledge but some of his guests..... I'll leave it there. A couple weeks ago he had the head of the OTA chapter in Austin on - I liked that one a lot. The LA Free Press guy who he touts to be the foremost alchemist in the US? May be he is, maybe he isn't, I just get a feeling that guy is utterly full of it.

Hermetic Hour has lead me to several good books. For instance I wouldn't be familiar with Frater Ashen Chassen or William Mistele without his show, and he was another point of reference for my looking into the Franz Bardon system more closely.

I'd just say take his show as an idea source and the topics as a good list to peruse when looking for more angles to research or different perspectives you haven't encountered. Generally I think he's well within the ballpark but, like anyone, don't take it for gospel. He also does a great service with respect to blowing a lot of the dark and creepy off of the subjects that a lot of people would assume to be there just on account of how our culture likes to typecast and pigeonhole these things.

[Asurendra]

I think very highly of Poke Runyon. That doesn't mean I look upon him as some magical pope, but, I would take seriously what he says. That being said, there are things I disagree with him about, such as Atlantis.

[Eremita]

I actually quite like what I've seen of Poke Runyon. He's like the benign grandfatherly old wizard, he's very easy to listen to and he has such a positive outlook, seemingly unencumbered by a gargantuan ego like so many other occultists.

As for how good he is for practical knowledge - I really wouldn't know. Suffice it to say at least, he's been practising ceremonial magic for a very long time.

[elderos]

I agree with the above posts. Poke's take on occultism is exactly what the practice of magick is all about: will and imagination. He takes elements from renaissance magick, alchemy, Egyptian magick and mythology, and the qabalah to produce a novel method of practice that is coherent. And it makes sense!

Anyone claiming to know the ancient truth of magick is likely an egotistical charlatan. There simply is no such thing.. like language, the practice of mysticism is constantly evolving. This is actually why I dislike "grammar Nazis" in that they think language is made of rules that cannot under any condition be compromised. Well they have been compromised for ages due to culture and demographics. Magick operates the same way.

In my opinion, Poke Runyon gives a very comprehensive philosophy to go along with his method of practice, and I don't doubt his authenticity one bit.