Carl Abrahamsson, a prominent figure in the realm of occulture, reflects on his journey through the occult underground in a presentation originally written for the Occulture conference in Berlin, 2025. He shares insights from his life, which has been heavily influenced by various artistic and magical movements, as well as notable figures like Aleister Crowley, Anton LaVey, and Genesis P-Orridge. Abrahamsson discusses his experiences with different magical orders, including the Church of Satan and the OTO, and emphasizes the importance of individual intuition and creativity in the practice of magic and culture.
He introduces his recent works, including “Meetings with Remarkable Magicians” and “Introduction to Occulture,” highlighting the need for practitioners to articulate their experiences and ideas in ways that academics can understand, thus bridging the gap between esoteric knowledge and mainstream culture. He elaborates on the concept of “occulturation,” the process by which hidden knowledge becomes manifest in culture, and advocates for a focus on individual empowerment and the transformative power of creativity.
Abrahamsson also critiques the academic approach to magic, arguing that while it can help validate the field, it often fails to capture the essence of magical practice, which is inherently creative and deeply human. He concludes by asserting the necessity of personal authenticity and the importance of sharing knowledge and inspiration, positing that true magic lies in the continuous unfolding of one’s self and the embrace of individual freedom.
https://thefenriswolf.substack.com
https://anartapart.substack.com
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https://www.carlabrahamsson.com
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Carl Abrahamsson, a prominent figure in the realm of occulture, reflects on his journey through the occult underground in a presentation originally written for the Occulture conference in Berlin, 2025. He shares insights from his life, which has been heavily influenced by various artistic and magical movements, as well as notable figures like Aleister Crowley, Anton LaVey, and Genesis P-Orridge. Abrahamsson discusses his experiences with different magical orders, including the Church of Satan and the OTO, and emphasizes the importance of individual intuition and creativity in the practice of magic and culture.
He introduces his recent works, including “Meetings with Remarkable Magicians” and “Introduction to Occulture,” highlighting the need for practitioners to articulate their experiences and ideas in ways that academics can understand, thus bridging the gap between esoteric knowledge and mainstream culture. He elaborates on the concept of “occulturation,” the process by which hidden knowledge becomes manifest in culture, and advocates for a focus on individual empowerment and the transformative power of creativity.
Abrahamsson also critiques the academic approach to magic, arguing that while it can help validate the field, it often fails to capture the essence of magical practice, which is inherently creative and deeply human. He concludes by asserting the necessity of personal authenticity and the importance of sharing knowledge and inspiration, positing that true magic lies in the continuous unfolding of one’s self and the embrace of individual freedom.
https://thefenriswolf.substack.com
https://anartapart.substack.com
https://www.patreon.com/vanessa23carl
https://www.carlabrahamsson.com
RU358: CARL ABRAHAMSSON ON LEGACY OF HORROR, THE FENRIS WOLF, AN ART APART, ANTON LAVEY & OCCULTURE
Welcome to Rendering Unconscious – the Gradiva award-winning podcast about psychoanalysis & culture, with me, Dr Vanessa Sinclair. https://renderingunconscious.substack.com
RU358: CARL ABRAHAMSSON ON LEGACY OF HORROR, THE FENRIS WOLF, AN ART APART, ANTON LAVEY & OCCULTURE: https://renderingunconscious.substack.com/p/ru358-carl-abrahamsson-on-legacy
Rendering Unconscious episode 358.
This episode is a special collaboration between Rendering Unconscious and The Fenris Wolf podcast! https://thefenriswolf.substack.com
This conversation between Carl Abrahamsson and Vanessa Sinclair reveals a rich dialogue between two collaborators deeply engaged in exploring the intersections of occult culture, psychoanalysis, and contemporary society. Carl discusses his long-running project, The Fenris Wolf, which he has been publishing since 1989 as a journal dedicated to what he terms "occulture" - the fascinating intersection where occult practices meet and influence mainstream culture. Now in its 12th issue with a 13th forthcoming, the project has evolved to include a Substack newsletter that provides more frequent content including book reviews, current affairs, and recorded teachings. Carl emphasizes how underground cultural movements gradually permeate and transform mainstream society, a process he has witnessed and participated in for over three decades. Check out The Fenris Wolf series of books: https://amzn.to/4fCVi6N
Looking ahead, Carl has two significant classes planned through Morbid Anatomy.
The Legacy of Horror with Carl Abrahamsson, Begins August 24: https://www.morbidanatomy.org/classes/p/the-legacy-of-horror-with-carl-abrahamsson
Into the Devil’s Den and Back: An Introduction to the History and Magical System of Anton LaVey's Church of Satan with Carl Abrahamsson, Begins November 16: https://www.morbidanatomy.org/classes/p/into-the-devils-den-and-back-an-introduction-to-the-history-and-magical-system-of-anton-laveys-church-of-satan-with-carl-abrahamsson-begins-november-16
News and upcoming events:
Sunday, August 17th, join us for The Queerness of Psychoanalysis: Queering our Theories and Practices: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/6e376e9a-c1b0-4832-b07b-f38bb72c57c1@2e9f06b0-1669-4589-8789-10a06934dc61
Saturday, August 30th, Philosopher Simone Atenea Medina Polo will present her work on “Tiresias as the Patron Saint of Psychoanalysis: On the Integral Mutations of Psychoanalysis”: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/the-queerness-of-psychoanalysis-tiresias-as-patron-saint-of-psychoanalysis-tickets-1581698375419?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl
Beginning September 13th, join Dr. Vanessa Sinclair for An Introduction to Psychoanalysis, a 12 part class that meets once a month over the course of a year! To enroll, simply become a paid subscriber to https://rucenterforpsychoanalysis.substack.com
Rendering Unconscious is also a book series! Rendering Unconscious: Psychoanalytic Perspectives, Politics and Poetry volumes 1:1 and 1:2 (Trapart Books, 2024) available now! https://amzn.to/400QKR7
Thank you for listening to the Rendering Unconscious Podcast and for reading the Rendering Unconscious anthologies. And thank you so much for supporting this work by being a paid subscriber at Substack. It makes my work possible. If you are so far a free subscriber, thanks to you too. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to gain access to all the material on the site, including all future and archival podcast episodes.
If you would like information about entering into psychoanalytic treatment with me or have other questions, please feel free to contact me via: vs [at] drvanessasinclair.net
https://www.drvanessasinclair.net/contact/
Thank you.
Carl Abrahamsson, a prominent figure in the realm of occulture, reflects on his journey through the occult underground in a presentation originally written for the Occulture conference in Berlin, 2025. He shares insights from his life, which has been heavily influenced by various artistic and magical movements, as well as notable figures like Aleister Crowley, Anton LaVey, and Genesis P-Orridge. Abrahamsson discusses his experiences with different magical orders, including the Church of Satan and the OTO, and emphasizes the importance of individual intuition and creativity in the practice of magic and culture.
He introduces his recent works, including “Meetings with Remarkable Magicians” and “Introduction to Occulture,” highlighting the need for practitioners to articulate their experiences and ideas in ways that academics can understand, thus bridging the gap between esoteric knowledge and mainstream culture. He elaborates on the concept of “occulturation,” the process by which hidden knowledge becomes manifest in culture, and advocates for a focus on individual empowerment and the transformative power of creativity.
Abrahamsson also critiques the academic approach to magic, arguing that while it can help validate the field, it often fails to capture the essence of magical practice, which is inherently creative and deeply human. He concludes by asserting the necessity of personal authenticity and the importance of sharing knowledge and inspiration, positing that true magic lies in the continuous unfolding of one’s self and the embrace of individual freedom.
https://thefenriswolf.substack.com
https://anartapart.substack.com
https://www.patreon.com/vanessa23carl
https://www.carlabrahamsson.com
