William Kiesel

William Kiesel has walked the path of esotericism for over 30 years. His practical experience and historical knowledge of occult literature and culture draws from such diverse disciplines as Hermeticism, Neoplatonism, Qabalah, Thelema, Alchemy, Rosicrucianism, Theosophy, and Ceremonial Magic. He continues to study esoteric symbol systems in religion, mythology and folklore in historical and contemporary contexts. William is a natural teacher and good orator with the distinct talent of making the enigmas of esoteric symbolism clear to the curious. He is also the director at Ouroboros Press, the publisher of classic texts of Western Esotericism. www.bookarts.org 

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Upcoming and recent

Branches of the Tree of Life
Lectures on Demand

Branches 7 The Magical Current of 22
Branches 6 Magicianship
Branches 5 Paths and Gates
Branches 4 Tarot
Branches 3 Astrology
Branches 2 Alchemy
Branches 1 Theurgy

Magic Tools

Alchemy Level I and II

Alchemy of Thoth Tarot

On Demand Courses, Lectures and Ritual Training

Lantern Lectures On Demand:

Lantern 26 The Seven Rays A doctrine that has been included in the ancient world and traditional religions as well as esoteric movements of a variety of expressions. These septenary rays span astrological, cosmological, and initiatory contexts and are still employed in contemporary Gnostic, Theosophical, and Theurgic societies.

Lantern 25 The Naming Ceremony Identity, orientation and authority are provided by the names we use in societal, cultural and spiritual contexts. But the magician seeks to go beyond this exoteric system of labeling in the secular world and into the realm of Divine Presence.

Lantern 24 Paracelcus the father of Alchemy and Medicine Gnosticism, Evocation, and Healing were among his influential theories and practices that garnered his infamy and helped to transmute the mystical, magical and alchemical traditions carried on by initiates down to this day.

Lantern 23 Jacob Boehme the Teutonic Theosopher Known for profound mystical treatises, Boehme conveyed gnostic, esoteric theosophy sometimes couched in alchemical symbolic language.

Lantern 22 Johannes Kelpius, America’s First Rosicrucian A Transylvanian who traveled from Germany in the 17th century and led a mysterious group of Christian mystics in Philadelphia who were known to observe the ‘Woman of the Wilderness’ and later became a hermit living in a cave until his death.

Lantern 21 Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa A renaissance scholar and occult philosopher whose seminal work the Three Books of Occult Philosophy has exerted considerable influence in the West. Compiling Qabalah, Hermeticism and neo-Platonism under the covers of this text Agrippa enabled magicians from the 1500s to modern times to approach the mysteries in a more systematized way.

Lantern 20 Rabbi Lowe and The Golem of Prague Rabbi Lowe who famously created the golem of Czech legend as well as discusses the important Qabalistic texts of Abraham Abulafia who describes mystical techniques of how creating such a golem could be possible.

Lantern 19 Alchemical Quicksilver The metal of Mercurius has been called the Water which does not Wet the hands, a paradox which is instructive in alchemical studies.

Lantern 18 The Word of the Equinox Solstitial markers are celebrations of the extreme points of the changing seasons but the Equinox holds the sacred balance between these forces of brightness and shadow.

Lantern 17 Dream Initiations of al-Khidr Known as the ‘Green One’ this mysterious figure may appear as a guide to those encountering the esoteric world beyond the veil.

Lantern 16 Legends of King Solomon Renown as a master of magic, King Solomon holds a special place in the history of esotericism and tales in folklore. Tonight William will discuss the legends, lore and symbolism associated with this famous Mystic King whose influence appears in Talmudic, Biblical and Koranic sources as well as the grimoires of magic.

Lantern 15 Doors of Perception As a magician, how we view the world is as important to consider as what it is we are looking for or at.

Lantern 14 Esoteric Architecture

Lantern 13 Magical Protection

Lantern 12 Solve Et Coagula

Lantern 11 Grimoires

Lantern 10 Comte St. Germain

Lantern 9 As Above So Below

Lantern 8 Subrosa

Lantern 7 The Philosophers Stone

Lantern 6 The Holy Guardian Angel

Lantern 5 Crossing the Abyss

Lantern 4 The Golden Dawn

Lantern 3 The Great Work

Lantern 2 Dark Night of the Soul

Lantern 1 Initiation