BRITAIN'S USE OF MAGIC AGAINST HITLER

Among some of the most fascinating things I've read recently in several historical books and became subject matter for several of my subsequent blogs on Hitler and the Third Reich's occult practices used during WW II was that Winston Churchill was actually a Druid and Great Britain employed the practices of magic and the occult to counter-attack what Hitler and the Nazis were doing in those same fields.

    Winston Churchill

It is a relatively little know fact that one of Britain’s most celebrated, though far from uncontroversial, statesmen, Winston Churchill, was a Druid. Yes, you read that right! 
In the first decade of the twentieth century the still relatively obscure Churchill dabbled with a number of esoteric organizations most notably the Freemasons and his initiation into Druidic rites appears to have been an outgrowth of this. Although there are different accounts of exactly when and where Churchill became a Mason it seems that he was initiated into the Entered Apprentice degree in 1901 in Studholme Lodge (no. 1591) in London. Churchill subsequently advanced through the Fellow Craft degree and was raised to a Master Mason in March 1902 in Rosemary Lodge (no. 2851).Churchill remained a Mason until 1912.

Magical Battle of Britain

Alongside the aerial battle being fought overhead during the summer and autumn of 1940, there was another battle being fought simultaneously – a magical Battle of Britain.
(We’re talking here about ‘magic’ in the occult sense, rather than ‘magic’ as conjuring or illusion). 
War and Magic have long been regular companions. The legendary King Arthur won his victories with his faithful sorcerer Merlin at his side and his magical sword Excalibur in his hand. 

King Arthur and Excalibur

Merlin

In a historical perspective it seems now that World War II was destined to be fought on many levels. Above and beyond the tried and tested methods of firing some kind of projectile at the enemy, it saw the use of disinformation and the manipulation of psychology reach new heights as a means of waging war. The astrologer Louis de Wohl (1903–1961) was employed by the British Intelligence services, whose staff also included Ian Fleming,(the author and creator of James Bond) to feed disinformation about astrological predictions regarding Hitler directly to the German high command; it has been argued that this is what led to Rudolph Hess’s bizarre flight to Britain in May 1941. Hitler's miscalculations of the "mild" winter in Russia which led to German troops unprepared for one of the most brutal winters in Russian history was directly related to Hitler listening to his "weather and occult scientist" Hanns Horbiger's prediction.


                

The ‘black arts’ of spin, propaganda and disinformation might be one kind of magic, but British occultists were also involved in helping the war effort through even less traditional means. And with Winston Churchill 's blessings.

Psychic Self-Defense

One figure more than any other has come to be associated with the Magical Battle of Britain: magician and writer Dion Fortune. Born Violet Mary Firth in 1890 to a family of Christian Scientists in North Wales, she was subject to visionary experiences from childhood onward, believing herself to be a reincarnated Atlantean priestess and to have psychically channeled both Socrates and Merlin. 

Dion Fortune 1927

Psychic Self-Defense by Dion Fortune is considered the classic instruction manual for protecting yourself from paranormal attack by other humans. 

Dion Fortune was the name she adopted  when she joined the Golden Dawn (a group of magical thinkers) and made 3 Queensborough Terrace, Bayswater, the group’s London ‘HQ’ (the order also owned a property in Glastonbury) and directed her magical war effort from here. Over a period of three years (October 1939–October 1942), she sent a series of weekly (and later, after the tide of the war had turned, monthly) letters to her followers, describing in great detail an escalating series of magical meditations to be performed every Sunday, based on Golden Dawn protection and visualization techniques and centered around the building up of a vortex of powerful psychic imagery from the ‘national spirit’-which Fortune believed resided in Glastonbury, personified by an Excalibur-wielding King Arthur, although encompassing far more. Focusing on the supposed hollow space beneath Glastonbury Tor, the group also visualized Jesus, the Rosicrucian cross, Merlin, the Holy Grail and the Archangel Michael, all united with Arthur in their stand to protect the nation.

                                               Glastonbury Tor

Soon, Fortune was leading magical ritual attacks and ‘astral plane’ battles, with the group visualizing themselves armed with swords and flaming torches pointing towards Germany, entering the headquarters and bedrooms of leading Nazis and performing magical attacks on them in attempts either to ‘curse’ Britain’s enemies or to change their behavior towards good rather than evil. Fortune believed that there were similarly magical forces – much darker ones – at work just across the Channel in occupied Europe. She wasn't sure to what extent Hitler had “an accurate knowledge of technical occultism and how far in military matters, he avails himself of the services of the experts”, but she was in no doubt that the Führer was, in any case, “himself a natural occultist and highly developed medium” (written in one of her a letters dated October 1941).

According to Fortune she and her followers were sending out telepathic messages to heal a nation under fire and interfere with Nazi propaganda, the Germans were also broadcasting their evil ideology through magical means: “We are… dealing with definite occult forces being used telepathically on the group souls of nations, and finding channels of expression through the subconsciousness of susceptible people who lack spiritual principles.”

The Good Fight
The Battle of Britain was won, of course, by the immense courage, determination and skill of the British, Commonwealth and Allied pilots fighting in the summer skies of 1940; it was a victory hugely significant for the unfolding history of World War II and the 20th century.

                               Bombed out section of London

 After the beating sustained on the Russian front, it was inconceivable that the German army could be refreshed and rebuilt enough to mount a seaborne invasion, and the entry of the USA into the war in December 1941 had tipped the balance in the Allies’ favor, permanently.

                 

Allies capture Nazi troops

We know that Fortune’s campaign of meditations really did happen between 1939 and 1942, even if the Once and Future King did not arise from his slumbers under Glastonbury Tor and defeated the Nazi foe with Excalibur. Fortune died soon after the end of hostilities, with some followers believing the physical demands of the psychic efforts she expended in magical attacks on the Nazis drove her to an early grave. Having taught her methods to members of her group for around two decades, she succumbed to late-diagnosed leukemia not long after the war’s end – in 1946, just before her 56th birthday. She is buried in Glastonbury. Her magical order flourishes to this day as the Society of the Inner Light. 

HITLER, TIBET AND THE CRYSTAL SKULL

Already, in the latter half of the previous century, intriguing hints about Tibetan secret teachings had been carried to the west by Helena Blavatsky, who claimed initiation at the hands of the Holy Lamas themselves. Blavatsky taught that her "Hidden Masters" and "Secret Chiefs" had their earthly residence in the Himalayan region.The Nazi leaders were attracted to Tibet by these rumors of its secret doctrines. The Thule group, the Luminous Lodge, and the various other occult organizations which helped shape the Third Reich, believed in an esoteric history of mankind. And they believed that it was in the archives of Tibetan monasteries that this history was preserved in its purest form As soon as the Nazi movement had sufficient funds, it began to organize a number of expeditions to Tibet and these succeeded one another practically without interruption until 1943. 

German Expedition to Tibet 

In 1938-1939  a German scientific expedition was led by German zoologist and SS officer Ernst Schäfer. Schäfer  stated that the primary objective for the expedition was the creation of a complete scientific record of Tibet, through a synthesis of geology, botany, zoology, and ethnology, referred to in the German science of the day as "holism".( to believe that the human being, composed of a mind, body and soul integrated into an inseparable whole that is greater than the sum of the parts, is in constant interaction with the universe and all that it contains. Health and well-being depend on attaining harmony in these relationships).                   
                      
                               Members of the 1938 Schäfer Expedition


Conclusions that the Schäfer Expedition was "purely scientific" now appear in historical context as being conducted with a more sinister motive. British writer Peter Hale observes that "while the idea of ‘Nazi botany’ or ‘Nazi ornithology’ is probably absurd, other sciences are not so innocent – and Schäfer’s small expedition represented a cross-section of German science in the 1930's." To Hale, this has considerable significance as "under the Third Reich anthropology and medicine were cold-bloodily exploited to support and enact a murderous creed.

Chinese journalist Ren Yanshi, quoting the Austrian weekly Wochenpresse, writes that the first major task of the expedition was: "to investigate the possibility of establishing the region as a base for attacking the British troops stationed in India."  (This statement is backed up by American journalist Karl E. Meyer, that one of the expedition's aims was to prepare maps and survey passes "for possible use of Tibet as a staging ground for guerrilla assaults on British India.") And second "to verify Heinrich Himmler's Nazi racial theory that a group of pure-blooded Aryans had settled in Tibet." (The Nazis had an obsession of finding the lost continent of Atlantis and sent scientists around the globe to explore possible sites.)

Under the symbols of the SS and the Third Reich, expedition members are entertaining some Tibetan dignitaries and the Chinese representative in Lhasa,Tibet                                         

Conclusions that the Schäfer Expedition was "purely scientific" now appear in historical context as being conducted with a more sinister motive. Under the Third Reich anthropology and medicine were cold-bloodily exploited to support and enact a murderous creed. It appears now that "occult science" was also a strong motive for the expeditions. 

On the March 6, 2011 the discovery of a mysterious crystal skull made headline across Germany. The headline read: "Crystal Skull (of) SS Fuhrer Heinrich Himmler discovered"!

The artifact, found in the home of an old lady once married to a high-ranking SS officer was resting in a old wooden box beneath the roof of a house in a Bavarian village. It is believed it may be part of a larger trove of bounty once owned by the most sinister man in Nazi Germany-Heinrich Himmler. The second most powerful man after Hitler, Himmler oversaw the extermination of Jews, was spellbound by myths and legends until his suicide (using a poison capsule hidden in his mouth) after being captured by the British. He financed expeditions all over the world by Indiana Jones-type SS men seeking proof of the “supremacy” of Aryan man.

                          The Himmler Crystal Skull

The skull, which weighs nearly 20 lbs is 1,000 years old and could be one of the legendary Mayan skulls that belonged to the lost, ancient race of Mexico. It is of the same design as the death’s head on the uniforms of Himmler’s henchmen, the notorious SS. According to legend, the Mayan skull, which was stolen from Tibet by the Nazis was imbued for believers with magical powers to enable mankind to survive an apocalypse.(It is currently in the hands of a journalist who continues to conduct tests of its authenticity). 

It is known that Tibetan Buddhist Monks have used one particular crystal skull for healing and divination and they call it Amar. Said to have ancient origins, Amar is one the largest known old crystal skulls, at 22 lbs, and is made of Clear Quartz. Tibetan Quartz is believed to facilitate access to the Akashic Record. Amar embodies the energies of love and compassion, just as the Dalai Lama does. With it healers and oracles were centered in the monasteries, and were responsible for identifying the afflictions of their surrounding community. 

                                            AMAR

In 1959, The Dali Lama Fled from the invading Chinese to and took with him the Amar skull over the long 14 day journey to Nepal. Amar is presently cared for in a peaceful spiritual sanctuary in North America.

Twelve such crystal skulls are known, and with the discovery of Himmler's crystal skull this would be the secret 13th now. According to legend, all 13 are needed to create a new age of light together to prevent the Apocalypse. Perhaps what the Nazis sought to use for their own dark and evil purposes will instead be seen as the beginning of the dawn of a more peaceful and enlightened mankind.

                          The circle of the 13 crystal skulls

HITLER AND OCCULT PART 2- SPEAR OF DESTINY

Last week in my blog on Hitler and the Occult Part 1, I mention the origins, beliefs and members of the Thule or the Vril Society.  Hitler and others were convinced that at one time in the ancient past, perhaps 250,000 years ago an alien species came from somewhere else, met with mankind and assimilated. It was believed these were powerful beings with abilities that vastly eclipsed those of present day mankind. These beings would eventually become part of this planets civilization and in turn had their powers diluted by interbreeding until they vanished. The Nazi Elite wanted them restored for unifying the world under their emblem of the mystical symbol, the swastika.

The start of this restoration process had to do with practicing mental powers, using talismans, and searching for ancient archaeological treasures reported to have vast powers. The Third Reich would create a group called the Ahnenebe or the Nazi Occult Bureau to search the world for anything that could be spun into their quest for racial superiority.

I remember how amazed I was to learn about the Nazis quest for archaeological treasures of great power in the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark. Certainly, George Lucas found these stories of the Nazi quest fascinating enough to create the character of Indiana Jones and his first movie going after the Ark of the Covenant.

Over the past 20 years, with the advent of many more cable outlets and alternative publications, news has leaked out about the core of this manufactured belief system of the elite of the Nazi hierarchy. As is often said sometimes truth is even stranger than fiction. This is one story Hollywood and academia has yet to reveal fully to the public. One of the greatest ironies in history is that a movement which hated both Christianity and Judaism became obsessed with sacred relics from both religions.
Here is one of those that Hitler felt he needed for the ultimate power to conquer the world. 

The Spear of Destiny
Hitler's successes as Nazi dictator have given way to a number of occult theories. One of the most common of these is the story of the Spear of Destiny. Also called the Holy Lance, this spear is the name given to the lance that supposedly pierced Jesus's side as he hung on the cross in John's account of his death. Legend has it that whoever possesses the lance will rule the world.

Author Trevor Ravenscroft's 1973 The Spear of Destiny (as well as a later book The Mark of the Beast) claims that Adolf Hitler started World War II in order to capture the spear, with which he was obsessed. Ravenscroft repeatedly attempted to define the mysterious powers that the legend says the spear serves. He found it to be a hostile and evil spirit, which he sometimes referred to as the Antichrist, though that is open to interpretation. He never actually referred to the spear as spiritually controlled, but rather as intertwined with all of mankind's ambitions

Biblical Reference
The lance is mentioned only in the Gospel of John (19:31-37) and not in any of the Synoptic Gospels. The gospel states that the Romans planned to break Jesus' legs, a practice known as crurifragium, which was a method of hastening death during a crucifixion. Just before they did so, they realized that Jesus was already dead and that there was no reason to break his legs. To make sure that he was dead, a Roman centurion named in extra-Biblical tradition as Longinus stabbed him in the side.

The name of the soldier who pierced Christ's side is not given in the Gospel of John, but in the oldest known references to the legend he is identified as a Centurion and called Logginus or Longinus (making the spear's "correct" Latin name Lancea Longini).
A number of weapons are claimed to be the "true spear". One spear and shaft is held by the Vatican, another part of the spear point disappeared and yet another is claimed to be in in Armenia.
 


  

One of the earliest mentions of a relic preserved as the Holy Lance is in the account of the pilgrim Antoninus of Piacenza, about 570, who described the holy places of Jerusalem, where he saw in the basilica of Mount Zion "the crown of thorns with which Our Lord was crowned and the lance with which he was struck in the side".
In 615 A.D. Jerusalem was captured for the Persian King Khosrau II and its treasures carried off to Iran. The spear's iron point was broken off and taken back to Constantinople and deposited it in the church of Hagia Sophia. In 670 A.D., after the Turks took over the city the main shaft and what was left of the spear were given to the Pope by the Sultan Beyezid II and has remained in the Vatican ever since.

                            Church of Hagia Sophia in modern day Constantinople,Turkey

The lance-point, embedded in an icon, was obtained in 1244 from the Latin emperor at Constantinople, Baldwin II, by Louis IX of France, who enshrined it with his relic of the Crown of Thorns in the Sainte Chapelle, Paris. It disappeared during the French Revolution and has never been seen again.
The main contender for authentic status is the Holy Lance held by the Hofburg Museum in Vienna. This the lance known as the "Spear of Destiny" and is associated with Hitler. As a young man in Vienna Hitler saw and became fascinated with this relic. This was first in the possession of the Holy Roman emperor Otto I in the 10th Century and at various times (in 1424 ) this and other religious artifacts were moved to Prague and then to Nuremberg. This collection was called the Reichskleinodien or Imperial Regalia. (An interesting note is that when this spear was tested some years ago the spear itself seemed to be forged around the 7th century AD. However, there was an embedded nail discovered in the shaft of the spear that dates to the 1st century A.D. The legend is that it is one of the nails that crucified Christ to the cross).


When the French Revolutionary army approached Nuremberg in the spring of 1796 the city councilors decided to remove theReichskleinodien (Imperial Regalia)to Vienna for safe keeping. The collection was entrusted to one "Baron von HŸgel", who promised to return the objects as soon as peace had been restored and the safety of the collection assured. However, the Holy Roman Empire was officially dissolved in 1806 and von HŸgel took advantage of the confusion over who was the rightful owner and sold the entire collection, including the lance, to the Habsburgs. When the city councilors discovered this they asked for the Reichskleinodien back but were refused. As part of the imperial regalia it was kept in the Schatzkammer (Imperial Treasury) in Vienna and was known as the lance of Saint Maurice.
During the Anschluss, when Austria was annexed to Germany, Adolf Hitler took the lance. That is how Hitler was able to attain this talisman so intent of harnessing its power.

At the end of the war the spear came into the hands of US General George Patton. It was returned to Austria after World War II and was temporarily stored in the Kunsthistorisches Museum. According to legend, losing the spear would result in death, and that was fulfilled when Hitler allegedl committed suicide. Currently the Spear is held in the Schatzkammer.

                           The Holy Lance in the Schatzkammer of Vienna

Next week: Hitler and the Occult Part 3- my blog on other magical talismans that Adolf pursued around the world.