Every few years or so, I get the yen to read the Voudon Gnostic Workbook cover to cover. I have done it three times already and last week I put it in the bathroom and started my fourth read.
Why do I do this?
Well, I mean obviously there are legitimate and useful mysteries there to be gleamed. It you take it slow and make a few notes, it is not as difficult a tome as some people make it out to be. It does have internal consistency. There is another reason though.
There are parts that make me laugh uncontrollably.
On page 46 for instance there is the multi-part questionaire and essay assignments for those that want to join La Societe Secrete Des Zobops. It is rather extensive and reads like a really fucked up college admissions application.
You get to answer questions like
“Is this call to become a were-tarantula unmistakable?”
“What do I imagine to be the philosophy of sexual energy taught by were tarantulas?”
“Perhaps you would like to add certain insights from the paper on angelic and kliphotic languages ?”
Keep in mind this is just page 45 and 46. The book is 619 pages of fun fun fun reading. The thing is though, there is a lot of mojo there if you understand it (reading the M7R lessons helps) and like much of Kenneth Grants work, it hits you in parts of the mind that don’t normally get fed. Still, though, that does not stop me from giggling through the whole thing.
No shit? Were-tarantulas? This book has been on my shelf for a year now but I’d yet to open it. I’m cracking this open today, it sounds hilarious!
Oh dude. You are in for a treat.
If I can make a suggestion it would be to start reading on page 38, which is the first segment after the Big Lucky Hoodoo segment. This will give you a more immediate feel for what the book is like. You can go back and read the first section after the Zobop and Ghuede Grimoire sections, but before you start delving into Shintotronic necronomicon physics.
Don’t even get me started Jason! Seriously!
Oh come on, it is SO much more fun if you do…
I couldn’t stand it. The only part I found useful was the big lucky hoodoo part and that wasn’t too amazing. I liked David Beth’s Vodun Gnosis interpretation a little better. But seriously. I agree with Balthazar on this one.
Were-tarantulas never hurt nobody…
I once had a former roommate use the book for practice. I’ll never forget him turning to me and saying, “Bertriaux has you build an astral temple and assume the shape of a were-tarantula!”
It just got more amusing after that.