Aloha,
On Fri, 10 Oct 2014 06:47:59 -0700, Nicholas Campion
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Has anyone done any work on interest amongst the beat writers (I am
> particularly interested in William Burroughs) and magic (Crowley, for
> example?)
As far as the San Francisco scene is concerned, the Beat movement in
general and some Beat poets in particular held an interest in magic. In
part because magic (esotericism, spiritualism, Eastern religions) was
an element of the regional avante garde subculture. And in part because
change was a theme within that avante garde subculture and magic
was a means to accomplish change.
But the Beat movement within the SF scene was not distinguished by
an espousal of a magical world view so much as an outlook including
experimentalism, defiance of some well-established norms and values,
and a wide-ranging embrace of the world and what's possible in it.
One influential person who encouraged a magical world view among
some Beats was the poet Elsa Gidlow. Druid Heights on Mt. Tamalpais
was a hang out for lots of folks from the mid-50s. (Gidlow later
influenced the Pagan Trad NROOGD, as well.)
SF avante garde subculture also showed a strong environmentalist current
that was probably a precursor of later Green magical endeavors. Via
John Muir, Kenneth Rexroth (who probably did not care much about magic
but emphatically cared about the environment and personal liberation),
and more or less uncomplicated access to wild and inspirational places.
As a youthful aspirant to that SF/West Coast avante garde subculture,
the Beat poets who most influenced me along in my own magical world
view were Diane Di Prima and Lenore Kandel (Love Alchemy--what
more, in many respects, can anybody say about magic?!?!?) Because
their works openly spoke of magic.
Burroughs, a Beat writer, did not reside in San Francisco, and probably
had few West Coast influences.
Crowley, although generally known in the avante garde occulture, may
have been not so strong an influence on the immediate post-WWII SF
scene as he became following the announcement of La Vey's Church of Satan
and his popularity among rock musicians. During this immediate post WWII
period, I suspect that Crowley was a small magical niche in the SF scene.
Lastly, the more established SF popular culture revealed some love-hate
for the Beat movement.
All in all, avante garde was important to the regional pop culture, which
was
proud of the avante garde's reputation and standing and influence on the
national and international arenas. But aspects of that avante garde were
different, and threatened change.
So exponents of the more established popular culture like Herb Caen coined
disparaging terms like "beatnik" to keep the avante garde Beats at a
distance
and to attract attention to "Baghdad by the Bay" where they hung out and
tourists could come. OK to visit the hungry i or City Lights. Not so OK to
throw Tarot or do some demon working.
Musing Right Across The Bay, The Beats Were More Or Less
A Part Of My Coming Of Age! Rose,
Pitch
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