Kenneth Grant
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Grant was a British occultist, novelist, and poet, who with his partner, the artist Steffi Grant, headed the magical order
previously known as the Typhonian Ordo Templi Orientis but which is now referred to as the Typhonian Order.
, when he claims to have received the first transmission of the "outerhuman being" S'lba. This was followed in 1943 with the reception of The Chronicles of Kralnia. He met and began personal tutelage in magick
under Aleister Crowley
in 1944, at the age of twenty when Crowley was sixty-nine. Grant was also strongly influenced in his occult work by Austin Osman Spare
.
in 1944 and was initiated into the A∴A∴ in 1946. According to occult historian P.R. Koenig, Crowley called Grant "a definite gift from the Gods", but a careful reading of this citation shows Crowley was praising Grant's work as a secretary. In March 1946, Crowley wrote in his diary: "Value of Grant: if I die or go to U.S.A., there must be a trained man to take care of the English O.T.O."
After Crowley's death, Grant's was issued a IX° charter in O.T.O by Crowley's successor, Karl Germer
, in 1948; and received authorisation to form an O.T.O. Camp in England in 1951. In 1952, he wrote a new manifesto for his group and had 5000 copies printed.
In 1954, Grant began the work of founding the New Isis Lodge. The lodge became operational in April 1955 when Grant issued a manifesto announcing his discovery of a "Sirius/Set current" upon which the lodge was to be based. Karl Germer was so displeased with this manifesto that on July 20, 1955, he issued a "Note of Expulsion" expelling Grant from O.T.O., and naming Noel Fitzgerald as the leader of the British section of the Order.
Grant later claimed for himself the title O.H.O. (Outer Head of the Order) of Ordo Templi Orientis, although the sole alleged documentary evidence of his appointment has since been admitted to be fake. His competing organisation was commonly called the "Typhonian" Ordo Templi Orientis, but is now officially renamed the Typhonian Order. The New Isis Lodge was absorbed into Grant's Order in 1962.
Grant died on 15 Jan 2011 after a period of illness.
. Together they founded the Zos Kia Cultus
in 1952. Over the years, Grant did much to bring his friend Spare's name into western occult society, including the publication of Images and Oracles of Austin Osman Spare and Zos Speaks!, as well as numerous references and mentions in the Typhonian Trilogies.
Magical organization
A magical organization is an organization created for the practice of magic or to further the knowledge of magic among its members. "Magic" in this case refers to occult, metaphysical and paranormal activities, not to the performance of stage magic...
previously known as the Typhonian Ordo Templi Orientis but which is now referred to as the Typhonian Order.
Occult background
Grant's occult experiences began in 1939 during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, when he claims to have received the first transmission of the "outerhuman being" S'lba. This was followed in 1943 with the reception of The Chronicles of Kralnia. He met and began personal tutelage in magick
Magick
Magick is an Early Modern English spelling for magic, used in works such as the 1651 translation of De Occulta Philosophia, Three Books of Occult Philosophy, or Of Magick...
under Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley , born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, astrologer, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other...
in 1944, at the age of twenty when Crowley was sixty-nine. Grant was also strongly influenced in his occult work by Austin Osman Spare
Austin Osman Spare
Austin 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...
.
A∴A∴ and Ordo Templi Orientis
Grant met Aleister CrowleyAleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley , born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, astrologer, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other...
in 1944 and was initiated into the A∴A∴ in 1946. According to occult historian P.R. Koenig, Crowley called Grant "a definite gift from the Gods", but a careful reading of this citation shows Crowley was praising Grant's work as a secretary. In March 1946, Crowley wrote in his diary: "Value of Grant: if I die or go to U.S.A., there must be a trained man to take care of the English O.T.O."
After Crowley's death, Grant's was issued a IX° charter in O.T.O by Crowley's successor, Karl Germer
Karl Germer
Karl Germer was the Outer Head of the Order of Ordo Templi Orientis from 1947 until his death in 1962...
, in 1948; and received authorisation to form an O.T.O. Camp in England in 1951. In 1952, he wrote a new manifesto for his group and had 5000 copies printed.
In 1954, Grant began the work of founding the New Isis Lodge. The lodge became operational in April 1955 when Grant issued a manifesto announcing his discovery of a "Sirius/Set current" upon which the lodge was to be based. Karl Germer was so displeased with this manifesto that on July 20, 1955, he issued a "Note of Expulsion" expelling Grant from O.T.O., and naming Noel Fitzgerald as the leader of the British section of the Order.
Grant later claimed for himself the title O.H.O. (Outer Head of the Order) of Ordo Templi Orientis, although the sole alleged documentary evidence of his appointment has since been admitted to be fake. His competing organisation was commonly called the "Typhonian" Ordo Templi Orientis, but is now officially renamed the Typhonian Order. The New Isis Lodge was absorbed into Grant's Order in 1962.
Grant died on 15 Jan 2011 after a period of illness.
Biographer of Austin Osman Spare
Grant was a great admirer and close friend of Austin Osman SpareAustin Osman Spare
Austin 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...
. Together they founded the Zos Kia Cultus
Zos Kia Cultus
Zos Kia Cultus may refer to*a system of magic developed by Austin Osman Spare, see Austin_Osman_Spare#Influence_on_Chaos_magic*an album by the blackened death metal band Behemoth, see Zos Kia Cultus...
in 1952. Over the years, Grant did much to bring his friend Spare's name into western occult society, including the publication of Images and Oracles of Austin Osman Spare and Zos Speaks!, as well as numerous references and mentions in the Typhonian Trilogies.
The Typhonian Trilogies
- The Magical RevivalThe Magical RevivalThe Magical Revival is a book written by British occultist Kenneth Grant, first published in 1972. It is the first of his Typhonian Trilogy, which comprises this work and two others—Aleister Crowley and the Hidden God and Cults of the Shadow . In this work, he first introduced his theory that...
ISBN 0-87728-217-X - Aleister Crowley and the Hidden God ISBN 0-87728-250-1
- Cults of the Shadow
- Nightside of Eden ISBN 1-871438-72-1
- Outside the Circles of Time
- Hecate's Fountain ISBN 1-871438-96-9
- Outer Gateways ISBN 1-871438-12-8
- Beyond the Mauve Zone ISBN 0-9527824-5-6
- The Ninth Arch ISBN 0-9543887-0-4
Other works on the occult
- Remembering Aleister Crowley Skoob Books, 1992. ISBN 1-871438-12-8
- Dearest Vera Holograph letters from Austin Osman Spare to Vera Wainwright, edited by Kenneth & Steffi Grant, Fulgur LimitedFulgur LimitedFulgur Limited is an independent English publishing house founded in 1992 that produces fine press esoteric titles.- History :Originally an informal business partnership, Fulgur was set up by Robert Ansell, Gavin W. Semple and Hayley Tong at 13 Park Crescent, Worthing on August 8, 1992...
, 2010. - Hidden Lore: The Carfax Monographs by Kenneth & Steffi Grant, Fulgur LimitedFulgur LimitedFulgur Limited is an independent English publishing house founded in 1992 that produces fine press esoteric titles.- History :Originally an informal business partnership, Fulgur was set up by Robert Ansell, Gavin W. Semple and Hayley Tong at 13 Park Crescent, Worthing on August 8, 1992...
, 2006. - Borough Satyr, The Life and Art of Austin Osman Spare, (includes a contribution from Steffi Grant), Fulgur LimitedFulgur LimitedFulgur Limited is an independent English publishing house founded in 1992 that produces fine press esoteric titles.- History :Originally an informal business partnership, Fulgur was set up by Robert Ansell, Gavin W. Semple and Hayley Tong at 13 Park Crescent, Worthing on August 8, 1992...
, 2005. - Images and Oracles of Austin Osman Spare, Fulgur LimitedFulgur LimitedFulgur Limited is an independent English publishing house founded in 1992 that produces fine press esoteric titles.- History :Originally an informal business partnership, Fulgur was set up by Robert Ansell, Gavin W. Semple and Hayley Tong at 13 Park Crescent, Worthing on August 8, 1992...
, 2003. - Zos Speaks! Encounters with Austin Osman Spare, Fulgur LimitedFulgur LimitedFulgur Limited is an independent English publishing house founded in 1992 that produces fine press esoteric titles.- History :Originally an informal business partnership, Fulgur was set up by Robert Ansell, Gavin W. Semple and Hayley Tong at 13 Park Crescent, Worthing on August 8, 1992...
, 1998. - At the feet of the Guru ISBN 0954388763
Novellas and short stories
- The Stellar Lode
- Against the Light ISBN 0952782413
- Snakewand and the Darker Strain ISBN 0952782472
- The Other Child and other tales
- Gamaliel Diary of a Vampire and Dance, Doll, Dance ISBN 0954388720
External links
- Fulgur Limited: Bibliography, Biography and Articles
- Obituary in The Independent by Declan O'Neill