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The Anathema Of Zos
The last occult writing of Austin Osman Spare, the founder of Sigil Magic.
24 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1927
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227 people want to read
About the author
Austin Osman Spare
76 books217 followersAustin Osman Spare was an English artist who developed idiosyncratic magical techniques including automatic writing, automatic drawing and sigilization based on his theories of the relationship between the conscious and unconscious self. His artistic work is characterized by skilled draughtsmanship exhibiting a complete mastery of the use of the line[1], and often employs monstrous or fantastic magical and sexual imagery.
Some of Spare's techniques, particularly the use of sigils and the creation of an "alphabet of desire" were adopted, adapted and popularized by Peter J. Carroll in the work Liber Null & Psychonaut . Carroll and other writers such as Ray Sherwin are seen as key figures in the emergence of some of Spare's ideas and techniques as a part of a magical movement loosely referred to as Chaos magic.
Some of Spare's techniques, particularly the use of sigils and the creation of an "alphabet of desire" were adopted, adapted and popularized by Peter J. Carroll in the work Liber Null & Psychonaut . Carroll and other writers such as Ray Sherwin are seen as key figures in the emergence of some of Spare's ideas and techniques as a part of a magical movement loosely referred to as Chaos magic.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 11, 2020
I find it a little sad that this genre of literature is pretty much dead these days.
And what genre is that? I don't know what exactly to call it. Prophetpunk? All books written in this style feature a prophet. The prophet comes to the unwashed masses in a storm of fury and knowledge. He brings people the divine Truth, and urges them to look beyond their day-to-day concerns. He seeks to destroy preconceived notions and shine a bright new light on human life.
Notable books in this genre include: Nietzsche's Thus Spake Zarathustra, Gibran's The Prophet (where the prophet replaces fury with love), many, many religious texts, and this book.
The Anathema of Zos was written by an artist named Austin Osman Spare. I personally love his detailed linework, but he is more famous as one of the founders of Chaos Magick. He also invented Sigil Magic, a method I have tried and found effective.
This book, unfortunately, isn't as memorable as his other works. It mainly reads like a long rant. I loathe one-sided lectures to all of humanity. Lectures that recite commonly held conceptions and misconceptions about humans being ignorant and selfish. Although I agree with Spare's ultimate message, but the delivery really soured the intent. And although he called it automatic writing, it didn't feel automatic at all.
Overall, I'd say magic enthusiasts should read this book, but not expect much from it.
And what genre is that? I don't know what exactly to call it. Prophetpunk? All books written in this style feature a prophet. The prophet comes to the unwashed masses in a storm of fury and knowledge. He brings people the divine Truth, and urges them to look beyond their day-to-day concerns. He seeks to destroy preconceived notions and shine a bright new light on human life.
Notable books in this genre include: Nietzsche's Thus Spake Zarathustra, Gibran's The Prophet (where the prophet replaces fury with love), many, many religious texts, and this book.
The Anathema of Zos was written by an artist named Austin Osman Spare. I personally love his detailed linework, but he is more famous as one of the founders of Chaos Magick. He also invented Sigil Magic, a method I have tried and found effective.
This book, unfortunately, isn't as memorable as his other works. It mainly reads like a long rant. I loathe one-sided lectures to all of humanity. Lectures that recite commonly held conceptions and misconceptions about humans being ignorant and selfish. Although I agree with Spare's ultimate message, but the delivery really soured the intent. And although he called it automatic writing, it didn't feel automatic at all.
Overall, I'd say magic enthusiasts should read this book, but not expect much from it.
June 30, 2022
This is just ok. Was expecting more I guess.
So…this guy….really hates humanity and humans and people in general huh?
I’ll sum up this entire rant:human are hypocrites. We are all selfish hypocrites with no hope of redemption and it’s a terrible cycle. We will not be cured and we don’t want a cure and we are happy in our misery. Also we lack self awareness and we are stupid.
Dang. Pretty bleak. I mean….sure. Yeah. I guess. To an extent. Generally there are people in power who exploit others to get that power and retain it. But this guy really ignores all the goodness in the world and good people and kind deeds that are done in it.
Are we all fools? Sure. But it doesn’t have to be a bad, cynical take. Maybe we’re fools doing our best and there’s a kind of beauty in that.
Also….automatic writing? LOL this is more of just a rant bc this guy is very angry. I mean…maybe he talks to and channels ghosts through automatic writing. That’s neither here nor there. But either he or the ghost he channels is REALLY bitter and salty about humanity and I really just don’t have the time or patience for that.
An image/phrase that I really liked in this, and gave it two stars for, is that salvation is a “hospital” in the midst of a “cemetery”. And that we are cannibals—I like the idea that we strive for perfection and salvation but won’t ever reach it—maybe once we reach it, we die. The cycle of humanity is we keep striving even though we have seen so many before us also strive and die and we know we will also all die. But again, to me that’s not bleak even though the author seems to think so.
And the idea that, if we act selfishly to gain power and whatnot, we eat our fellow man and ourselves. I like the idea that our selfishness not only hurts others but it hurts ourselves too, so it’s in our best interest to help each other. By helping each other we help ourselves. Someone’s victory is a victory for everyone. We don’t need to kill each other to survive, but to work together.
That’s what I got from this even though the author seems dead set on hating humanity.
So…this guy….really hates humanity and humans and people in general huh?
I’ll sum up this entire rant:human are hypocrites. We are all selfish hypocrites with no hope of redemption and it’s a terrible cycle. We will not be cured and we don’t want a cure and we are happy in our misery. Also we lack self awareness and we are stupid.
Dang. Pretty bleak. I mean….sure. Yeah. I guess. To an extent. Generally there are people in power who exploit others to get that power and retain it. But this guy really ignores all the goodness in the world and good people and kind deeds that are done in it.
Are we all fools? Sure. But it doesn’t have to be a bad, cynical take. Maybe we’re fools doing our best and there’s a kind of beauty in that.
Also….automatic writing? LOL this is more of just a rant bc this guy is very angry. I mean…maybe he talks to and channels ghosts through automatic writing. That’s neither here nor there. But either he or the ghost he channels is REALLY bitter and salty about humanity and I really just don’t have the time or patience for that.
An image/phrase that I really liked in this, and gave it two stars for, is that salvation is a “hospital” in the midst of a “cemetery”. And that we are cannibals—I like the idea that we strive for perfection and salvation but won’t ever reach it—maybe once we reach it, we die. The cycle of humanity is we keep striving even though we have seen so many before us also strive and die and we know we will also all die. But again, to me that’s not bleak even though the author seems to think so.
And the idea that, if we act selfishly to gain power and whatnot, we eat our fellow man and ourselves. I like the idea that our selfishness not only hurts others but it hurts ourselves too, so it’s in our best interest to help each other. By helping each other we help ourselves. Someone’s victory is a victory for everyone. We don’t need to kill each other to survive, but to work together.
That’s what I got from this even though the author seems dead set on hating humanity.
January 15, 2023
Several years ago I've translated Anathema of Zos into Polish. I know, later ZOAS Press published their own and I was accussed of "stealing". So to hell with them, if you know Polish, you can listen to a swinging Anathema here that I recorded some years later: "https://soundcloud.com/kaliyuga777/an..."
March 10, 2008
Thus Spake Zarathustra for a new century
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews