Andrew
Chumbley
Magician, writer, poet, artist
Andrew D. Chumbley (September 15, 1967-September 15, 2004) was an
English practitioner and theorist of magic, and a writer, poet and
artist. He was Magister of the legendary UK-based order of sabbatic
witches, the Cultus Sabbati.[2]
Chumbley published several limited edition books through his
private press Xoanon Publishing, and had many articles printed in
occult magazines. Their subject was the doctrine and practice of a
tradition of sorcery which he called 'Sabbatic Craft', a term
which, according to Chumbley, "describes the way in which elements
of witch-lore, Sabbath mythology and imagery were being employed in
the cunning-craft tradition into which I was originally
inducted".[3] He claimed that this tradition was founded in two
lineages of traditional witchcraft, both pre-dating "those modern
revivalist forms of witchcraft, which have become generically
nominalised as 'wicca'".[4] He was for a time a member of Peter
Carroll's Illuminates of Thanateros[5] and his earlier articles
were published in the chaos magic journal Chaos International;
later articles appeared in Starfire, journal of the Typhonian OTO,
and in the long-established British witchcraft journal The
Cauldron. Daniel A. Schulke succeeded him as Magister of Cultus
Sabbati.
He died on his thirty-seventh birthday following a severe asthma
attack. After his death, "his book values at second hand resale,
which were already quite high, increased in an exponential and
quite insane fashion within hours of his death becoming
known."[6]
At the time of his death Chumbley was working on his doctorate in
the history of religion. In an obituary his close friend Michael
Howard, a well-known occult writer and publisher of The Cauldron,
described Chumbley as "a man of the land, rural in both birth and
character. He fitted totally within the traditional archetypal
parameters of the English (and specifically Essex) cunning man."
Howard recalled Chumbley’s kindness, generosity and sense of
humour: "To outsiders Andrew could sometimes appear to be aloof,
intense and serious to the point of obsession… However, if he met
kindred spirits of sincerity and honour, who shared his interests
and serious intent, he would willingly go out of his way to offer
them help and guidance on the Path… In fact he was a natural
teacher and, like all good occult teachers, acted as a catalyst in
the lives of his students."[7]
Influences
Although Chumbley was mainly known for his involvement with English
traditional Witchcraft,[8] primarily that of East Anglia,[9] his
occult interests and influences were extremely diverse. According
to Schulke, "Chumbley's magical work spanned many fields of
sorcerous influence, including Sufism, left-hand Tantra and Petro
Voodoo".[10] Other influences included the artist-occultist Austin
Osman Spare[11] and author-occultist Kenneth Grant. Chumbley was
familiar with and respected Grant's work and was a member of
Grant's Ordo Templi Orientis from 1993-1999,[12] operating an
affiliated magical lodge.[13] Spare's philosophy of the Kia almost
certainly influenced the "non-dual gnosis" which is a key element
in Chumbley's system, although the similar "doctrine of the void"
(Shunyavata), a foundation concept of Tantrism, is also likely to
have affected Chumbley's work through the Uttara Kaula Sampradaya,
of which he claimed to be an initiate.[14] In The Azoëtia Chumbley
presents "Will, Desire, Belief" as a threefold unity operating in
sorcery; this is ultimately derived from Spare's work, although the
primary textual source is Grant.[15] The use of sigils and magical
glyphs in Chumbley's work also suggests a derivation from Spare,
though classical magical grimoires such as the Key of Solomon and
the Goëtia provide an earlier precedent.
The Azoëtia and Chumbley's subsequent writings demonstrate his
familiarity with a broad range of Western esoteric doctrines
including Qabalah, Enochian Magic, the magic of the Hermetic Order
of the Golden Dawn and the Thelemic school of Aleister Crowley.
Another influence was the neo-Sufi author Idries Shah, particularly
his theories concerning possible connections between witchcraft and
various near-eastern cults such as the Yezidi, Mandaeans, Sufis and
Zoroastrians.[16][4] Chumbley addressed these themes, citing Shah's
work, in his book Qutub: The Point (1995).
Regarding his sources, drawn from both literature and direct
contact with practitioners of other occult and religious
traditions, Chumbley stated: "In all contexts one may find pieces
of magical lore and belief from many disparate times and places,
but all are brought to function within the trans-historical arena
of the sacred dimension, whether it be the magical circle of
Witcherie or the Ninefold Plot of Sigaldry."[9] Schulke observed
that "Chumbley's grimoire Azoëtia, though wholly a reification of
traditional British witchcraft, makes use of Sumerian, Egyptian,
Yezidi, Arabic, and Aztec iconography, among others."[10]
Doctrine
and method
Chumbley's work promotes a doctrine of 'Transcendental Sorcery',
founded on his belief that all forms of magic arise from a single
source, which he termed the 'Magical Quintessence': "Magick is the
transmutability of the Quintessence of all nature ... Sorcery is
the knowledge of the universal points of transmutation. Its Art is
to cultivate the ability to manipulate these foci of power in
accordance with Will, Desire and Belief."[3]
Chumbley considered the practice of willed dreaming essential as a
means of interacting directly and consciously with the spiritual
dimensions he called 'the High Sabbat'; according to him "Every
word, deed and thought can empower, magnetise, and establish points
of receptivity for a magical dream, likewise any of these means can
do the opposite - fixating perception in a manner that is not
receptive - that seals the soul in the body instead of enabling it
to go forth at will."[3] In conjunction with dreaming and trance
experience Chumbley used automatic writing and drawing to manifest
the knowledge drawn from ritual magic; these procedures, in which
the magician offers her or himself as a vehicle for the forces
summoned instead of utilising another as medium, is uncommon in the
Western occult tradition - one modern exemplar being Austin Osman
Spare. The results of Chumbley's practices can be seen in his
drawings and sigillisations. Chumbley believed that the natural
manifestation of magical gnosis and power occurs through creative
activity: "Dreaming and the mutual translation of dreamt ritual and
ritual-as-dreamt form the basic rationale and context for our work.
The active discourse between initiates and our spirit-patrons
inspires and motivates this dreaming. This is demonstrably manifest
in the magical artistry of individual initiates, whether through
text, ritual performance, song, tapestry, craftsmanship, or
image."[17]
Written
and illustrated works
The Azoëtia
Chumbley's first book The Azoëtia was published privately by the
author in 1992 as a softcover volume under the Xoanon imprint. The
work received positive reviews from other contemporary
practitioners including Jan Fries[18] and Phil Hine.[19]
Described as "...a complete recension of Sabbatic theory and
praxis, relating the Three Great Rites of Ingress, Congress, and
Egress, together with a detailed exposition of the 22 Letters of
the Sorcerer's Alphabet",[17] the book forms a résumé of Chumbley's
system and is the core text for practitioners wishing to study and
practice the Sabbatic path of magic. A tenth anniversary edition,
revised to include further textual and illustrative material was
issued by Xoanon Publishing on October 31st, 2002 as Azoëtia
(Sethos Edition). Part of the book's significance in modern occult
literature lies in its conscious reinvention of the format of the
'grimoire', or sorcerer's instruction book.
Gavin Semple hailed The Azoëtia as "a very different type of book;
a genuine Grimoire, likely the only one to be published in modern
times; [...] The Azoëtia is a work of breathtaking power and
passion, in whose pages magic is restored to its position as the
Sacred Art, the Sabbatic Craft is revealed as a living and very
vital tradition."[20]
Qutub:
The Point
Qutub: The Point followed in 1995, published for Xoanon by
Fulgur,[21] in which Chumbley combined illustrations and poetry
with the intent of creating a telesmatic volume. The illustrations
demonstrated that Chumbley's skills as a draughtsman were advancing
quickly. The book was described as follows: "This work treats of
the Arcanum of the Opposer, a magical formula of the Crooked Path
concerning the Powers of Self-overcoming. The book consists of an
arcane poetic text in 72 verses, a detailed commentary in critical
prose, and a substantial glossary of esoteric terms and names. The
whole is illustrated throughout with calligraphic and sigillic
depictions of the Opposer's composite mysteries."[22] Issued in
several different hard bindings as standard, deluxe and private
editions, copies of Qutub included unique additions such as
hand-drawn talismans or sigillised inscriptions.
Michael Staley, a senior member of the OTO and editor of Starfire
Magazine, described the Qabalistic concept of the book as follows:
"Qutub is the Point. Its root, QTB, enumerates as 111. We have
immediately the essence of the matter, since 'The Point" suggests
Kether and 111 suggests Aleph, the Fool, Atu 0, etc. 'The Point' is
the deliciously-sharp point of insight into the reality beyond and
underlying its expression in terms of duality. The idea called
forth by the correspondence with Atu 0 is that of the illumined
adept who has experienced this Point, realised its imminence in
everything and at all times, and who is thereby liberated whilst
yet living. It is this delicious insight which is conveyed by the
very best of 'mystical poetry'." Staley credited Chumbley's poetry
as "accomplished", but found it sometimes too
long-winded.[23]
ONE:
The Grimoire of the Golden Toad
Numerous articles by Chumbley followed, published in British and
American occult journals, but no further books appeared until ONE:
The Grimoire of the Golden Toad in 2000, described by Xoanon as:
"...the first full grimoire-text to treat specifically and from
personal account of the Traditional East Anglian ritual called 'The
Waters of the Moon': the solitary initiation of the so-called
'Toad-witch'." The purpose of this traditional folk-magical rite is
to obtain a specific bone from the flensed corpse of a toad; the
bone is believed to bestow certain powers upon its owner, primarily
control of animals. Chumbley's ONE, however, presents a thoroughly
antinomian re-visioning of the ritual procedure and its results,
combining ritual practice with a series of dramatic visions
recounted in prose-poetry. In Chumbley's recension it becomes clear
that the 'animal' over which power is sought is the practitioner's
own human self. Seventy-seven hand-bound copies of the book were
offered for sale, each copy accompanied by a hand-written page of a
sigillic 'inner grimoire', signed by the author, and an envelope
containing a hand-painted talisman made from antique toadskin
leather and a single blackthorn. A further three copies were
retained "for internal distribution"; these were bound in leather
with an actual toad's head set into the front cover, with toadskin
leather panelling on the rear.[22]
Private
and unpublished works
Other works by Chumbley are known to exist, but have not been
issued; they were either unpublished at his death, or had been
produced solely for private distribution. The Draconian Grimoire:
The Dragon-Book of Essex was intended as the second volume of a
trilogy of Sabbatic grimoires, following Azoetia; it appears to be
a very substantial work, described as "...a Compleat Grimoire of
Crooked Path Sorcery, distilled from the many years of practice...
Being the fruit of a decade of concentrated praxis in the Cultus'
inner circle, this work is intended as an entire resumé of the
ancestral and ophidian components of Traditional Sorcery and
Sabbatic Gnosis." Ten copies were published circa 1998 as a private
'initiatic' edition in three volumes totalling 1200
pages.[17]
The Auraeon was referred to by Chumbley as a forthcoming volume
concerning solitary initiation, of which he said: "In the Sabbatic
Craft, solitary initiation or ‘The Lonely Road’ is recognised as a
vital aspect of every practitioner’s path and the understanding of
‘solitude’ is subject to many levels of interpretation. Autonomy is
the key virtue, irrespective of whether one practices in human
convocation or ‘alone’ – in the ever-present company of
spirits."[3]
Another volume titled The Greene Gospel is referred to in a
footnote to Michael Howard's The Book of Fallen Angels (Capell
Bann, 2004) where it is identified as being privately
distributed.
Chumbley also created a series of singular artworks known as the
'Unique Transmission Series'. These were books which were
individually hand-written and illustrated; according to the Xoanon
website: "Each book is executed on hand-made paper, presented in a
carved wooden box with accompanying telesmata and sealed letter to
owner. Each text embodies a unique recension of a specific arcanum
of the Crooked Path."[22] The full number of works in the series
was not disclosed, however one example, The Red Grimoire, is known
to have been purchased by Jack Macbeth (Orlando Britts), and was
referenced by him in his privately-published book The Totemic
Invocation of the Shadow Selves, one of several recent books styled
as 'grimoires' that have followed in the wake of The Azoëtia.
Chumbley's work is cited in several journals and books on the
occult including The Journal for the Academic Study of Magic, a
juried academic journal,[24][25][26] Ronald Hutton's The Triumph of
the Moon,[8] Laurence Galian's The Sun at Midnight,[27] Phil Hine's
Oven Ready Chaos,[28] The Pomegranate journal[29] and The Cauldron
magazine.[30]
References:
1. ^ Evans (2007), p. 71
2. ^ Evans (2007), p. 212
3. ^ a b c d 'An Interview With Andrew D. Chumbley', The Cauldron
no. 103, February 2002.
4. ^ a b Chumbley, Andrew, 'Hekas', The Cauldron no. 74, November
1994.
5. ^ Evans (2007), p. 214
6. ^ Evans (2007), p. 71.
7. ^ Howard, M., 'Andrew D. Chumbley', The Cauldron no. 114,
November 2004.
8. ^ a b Hutton, Ronald, The Triumph of The Moon, Oxford University
Press 2001.
9. ^ a b Chumbley, Andrew, 'What is Traditional Craft?', The
Cauldron no. 81, August 1996. Online text at
sosyetedumarche.com.
10. ^ a b Schulke, Daniel A. 'Way and Waymark', The Cauldron no.
122, November 2006.
11. ^ Evans (2007), p. 213: "The 'sabbatic craft' mentioned is
Andrew's version of a synthesis of witchcraft and the methods of
Austin Osman Spare..."
12. ^ Evans (2007), p. 339
13. ^ Chumbley, Andrew, 'Opening the Way for the Daemons of the
Void', Starfire Vol. II, No. 2, 1998.
14. ^ Chumbley, Andrew, 'The Golden Chain and the Lonely Road: a
typological study of Initiatory Transmissions within the Sabbatic
Tradition', The Cauldron no. 94, November 1999.
15. ^ Grant, Kenneth, Images & Oracles of Austin Osman Spare,
Muller 1975, Fulgur Limited 2005.
16. ^ These connections are proposed in Daraul, Arkon (1961). A
History of Secret Societies. Citadel Press. ISBN 0-8065-0857-4.
Idries Shah quotes Daraul in The Sufis (1964), adding little,
however 'Arkon Daraul' is widely thought to be one of the many
pseudonyms of Shah.
17. ^ a b c Occult Art Gallery website, see link below.
18. ^ Review by Fries published in The Nuit-Isis Reader, Mandrake
of Oxford, 1993, and subsequently at Lashtal.com [1]
19. ^ Review by Phil Hine published in Pagan News, London, June
1992.
20. ^ Semple, Gavin (1994) 'The Azoëtia - reviewed by Gavin
Semple', Starfire Vol. I, No. 2, 1994, p. 194.
21. ^ The Fulgur press specialises in high-quality editions of
works by, and about, Austin Osman Spare.
22. ^ a b c Xoanon website, see link below.
23. ^ Staley, Michael (1996) 'Qutub - reviewed by Michael Staley',
Starfire Vol. II, No. 1, 1996, p. 143.
24. ^ Dave Evans, (ed.), Journal for the Academic Study of Magic,
2, Mandrake Books, Oxford, 2004.
25. ^ Dave Green, (ed.), Journal for the Academic Study of Magic,
3, Mandrake Books, Oxford, 2005.
26. ^ Dave Green, (ed.), Journal for the Academic Study of Magic,
4, Mandrake Books, Oxford, 2007.
27. ^ Galian, Laurence The Sun at Midnight: The Revealed Mysteries
of the Ahlul Bayt Sufis, Quiddity Publishing, 2003.
28. ^ Oven-Ready Chaos by Phil Hine
29. ^ Blain, Jenny & Wallis, Robert J. (2004). 'Sites, Texts,
Contexts and Inscriptions of Meaning: Investigating Pagan
‘Authenticities’ in a Text-Based Society', in The Pomegranate 6:2,
pp. 231-252.
30. ^ The Cauldron, nos. 100, 101, 102, 108, 110, 112, 113, 114,
122.
31.