Christopher McIntosh - Occult Russia: Pagan, Esoteric, and Mystical Traditions

To all my Russian friends

OCCULT RUSSIA

In Occult Russia, Christopher McIntosh, master historian of the esoteric, presents a panoramic view of a Russia few people in the West know about or even suspect exists. From its very beginnings, Russia has been a nation of magic, mysticism, and profound spirituality, and its people the bearers of a deep inner life. For most Westerners, Russia means either the dark days of the Soviet Union or the more recent tumultuous times following the USSRs collapse. But long before Lenin reached the Finland Station, a heady brew of pagan, Christian, and occult beliefsand not Marxinformed Russias turbulent, apocalyptic heritage. Occult, we know, means hidden, and in this painstakingly researched and finely written work, Christopher McIntosh brings this hidden side of Russian history, too long kept in the shadows, into the light.

GARY LACHMAN, AUTHOR OF THERETURN OF HOLY RUSSIA

Insightful, meticulously researched, and timely in so many ways, Occult Russia is a passionate journey to the heart and soul of Russia. Christopher McIntosh, author of many groundbreaking books, masterly uncovers the hidden history of the vast northern land, introducing an amazing cast of dramatic and colorful characters, from shamans to commissars, artists to conspirators, mystics to messiahs This book may hold the key to understanding Winston Churchills observation, Russia is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. Youll not find a more fascinating or wonderfully written study of occult Russia and the powerful spiritual energies emanating from that enigmatic nation. I heartily recommend this book.

DAVID P. JONES,NEW DAWN MAGAZINE

This book of marvels might easily have been called The Spirit of Russia, or The Spirit in Russia, for that is its true trajectory. Christopher McIntosh wants to show us an unknown country with an immensely varied culture based on spiritual awareness of God or divine powers in humankind and in the natural world that brings us life. We cross the threshold from nature to super-nature with remarkable ease with the assistance of the uniquely Russian sensibility. It is enormously helpful to see this range of knowledge brought to bear with such vivid focus on a single country. That country is today one of the most controversial in the world. We hear much about Russiaor think we do. What we do not hear, and what I fear the prevailing mentality of our dominant news media does not want us to hearyou will find beautifully and simply expressed in this vital book. If occult is taken in its true meaning of something hidden, this book is indeed about an occulted Russia, hidden from the eyes of the West, which has so much to learn from it. This is a vital, engaging, always surprising text for anyone who wants to understand this massive neighbor of East and West, and who has the courage to build on the courage of those who have, against the odds, worked and suffered and died to maintain and promote spiritual consciousness in Russia. Christophers book also shows where spirituality can be harnessed to some rather unspiritual objectives. We see the beauty, and the warts, but all in all: a must-read. Occult Russia is sober, informed, provocative, clear, and important.

TOBIAS CHURTON, BRITAINS LEADING SCHOLAR OF WESTERN ESOTERICISM AND AUTHOR DECONSTRUCTING GURDJIEFF: BIOGRAPHY OF A SPIRITUAL MAGICIAN

Occult Russia is a study of the mystical, artistic, and neo-pagan ideals that are transforming Russia. This book is lively and urbane because Christopher McIntosh is deeply informed about the inspiring contemporary scene in the post-Soviet era. Many believe a huge spiritual revival is happening. Deliciously detailed, he describes a building wave of enchantment, exciting magic, and mystery that is awakening deep in the Russian soul. People inspired by Tolstoys idealspacifism, vegetarianism, and the use of potent folk medicine for vibrant healthare moving back to the land to live in communities. American New Age readers will be amazed to see that current Russian idealism is very much like their own! This book is a gem for anyone who has found deep richness in Russian culture and wonders what is going on now since the fall of communism. Thoroughly entertaining, informative, and deeply meaningfula page-turner!

BARBARA HAND CLOW, AUTHOR OF AWAKENING THE PLANETARY MIND AND THEPLEIADIAN AGENDA: A NEW COSMOLOGY FOR THE AGE OF LIGHT

Occult Russia is a superb introduction to hidden aspects of Russian spiritual life, full of striking reflections and themes. To explore the richness of Russian spirituality, you cant do better than this book.

ARTHUR VERSLUIS, AUTHOR OF THESECRET HISTORY OF WESTERN SEXUAL MYSTICISM AND SACRED EARTH

Acknowledgments

Among the many people within and outside of Russia who have assisted me during the writing of this book, I owe a special debt of gratitude to Dana Makaridina, artist and art curator of St. Petersburg, with whom I was kindly put in touch by my friend Zhenya Gershman of Los Angeles, artist and creator of the project Aesthetics of Western Esotericism (AWE). Dana went through the text with a fine-tooth comb and made numerous corrections and constructive suggestions based on her wide knowledge of the esoteric and spiritual scene in Russia. Ekaterina Petoukhova also made important comments on the text. My friend Gary Lachman, author of the excellent study The Return of Holy Russia, helped me with book recommendations and valuable contacts. One of those contacts was David Jones, editor of the Australian magazine New Dawn, who has published much material on Russia and has a strong connection with the country. He generously supplied me with material and referred me to Yuri Smirnov, an activist in the Ringing Cedars movement and organizer of tours to sacred sites in Russia. Yuri in turn was unstintingly generous with his time and assistance, allowing me the use of images from his rich photographic collection and sharing with me his thoughts on the Ringing Cedars movement and Russias spiritual path. Further, I am grateful to the artist Alexander Uglanov for allowing me to publish his beautiful painting of a Slavic pagan ritual, to Kumar Alzhanov for permission to reproduce his painting of Anastasia, and to all the owners and copyright holders of the various images reproduced in the book as well as to the authors and publishers of quoted passages. My wife, Dr. Donate McIntosh, gave me loving support, encouragement, and useful feedback during the writing process and helped to keep my spirits and motivation high. Last but not least I must thank Jon Graham, Acquisitions Editor of Inner Traditions International, for taking on the book, as well as Patricia Rydle, Assistant to the Editor in Chief, the books editor Rene Heitman, the copy editor Beth Wojiski, the Publicity Manager Ashley Kolesnik, Publicist Manzanita Carpenter Sanz, and all of their colleagues who were involved in the book in various ways.

A Note on Transliteration

Most Cyrillic letters can be fairly simply transliterated one-to-one into the Roman alphabet, but some require two or more Roman letters. For example the Cyrillic letters e and are commonly transliterated as ye and yo respectively. Some Cyrillic letters have a soft and a hard form, and there are words that have two different meanings depending on whether a letter is soft or hard. In certain cases I use a diacritical apostrophe to indicate the soft signthus