The Mysteries of Merlin reprint

[ecosophia]

In the usual way of things, the first publisher of one of my books is letting it go out of print, and I'm gearing up to do a revised and expanded edition for a new publisher with a stronger backlist strategy. This time it's The Mysteries of Merlin -- well, that's what Llewellyn called it, at least. The real title, to which it will be reverting, is Merlin's Wheel.  It's an instructional book in the same tradition of magical work as The Celtic Golden Dawn, presenting a set of eight seasonally linked self-initiation rituals that work with the medieval legends of Merlin.

I have my own ideas about how the book can be expanded and improved, and I've also contacted the people who replaced me (with my enthusiastic consent) as the leadership of the Druidical Order of the Golden Dawn, the magical order that works with the Celtic Golden Dawn system. Still, I know there are a lot of people out there who don't belong to the DOGD and worked with the Merlin rituals anyway. If you have any ideas for the revised edition, I'd be delighted to hear them.

Oh, and if you want a copy of the original edition, Llewellyn still has a few dozen left.  It'll be a couple of years before the new version comes out, so I figured a heads up might be welcome.

Thank you all for any help you can provide!

Comments

Llewellyn is fussy

[(Anonymous)]

Fyi, I wanted to purchase your book but the publishers website was very fussy and kept refusing my "are you human" verification and/or my email. After the sixth attempt I gave up. I have almost two shelves in my bookcase devoted to books you have authored with a few key books in duplicate to give as gifts where I think they may be well received. How else might I come into lawful possession of "THE MYSTERIES OF MERLIN"?

Kind regards,
Courtney (aka courtinthenorth)

Re: Llewellyn is fussy

[ecosophia]

Normally I'd suggest my Bookshop store --

https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-mysteries-of-merlin-ceremonial-magic-for-the-druid-path-john-michael-greer/13139957?aid=16751&ean=9780738759494&listref=jmg-druidry-books

-- but it's listed as temporarily out of stock and backordered, and since it's about to go out of print they may not get it again. Alibris still has ten copies in stock:

https://www.alibris.com/The-Mysteries-of-Merlin-Ceremonial-Magic-for-the-Druid-Path-John-Michael-Greer/book/46800014?matches=10

So that might be a good choice.

Re: Llewellyn is fussy

[open_space]

If it helps, moving around a little bit your mouse and waiting a couple seconds (computers usually just click all of the options in a pinch) usually works for me.

[(Anonymous)]

Not sure if you are familiar with Randal Carlson. He blew up with popularity after JRE podcast (He is in the top ten most viewed episodes). Although he has his own podcast and is now releasing series, previously recorded about this subject. His YouTube channel under his name is pretty popular and he hints to the subject of the grail often.
If you could get in contact I think the two of you may be a good fit.
A friend

[ecosophia]

Not familiar with him at all. Does he do anything other than video?

[(Anonymous)]

Yes, although video is his main thing right now. But he also does tours and speaks at conferences. I thought he did a foreword for graham hancock but that’s wrong.

[(Anonymous)]

I think he has 2 non video podcasts. He's also a Mason and is into Sacred Geometry. It would be a n awesome melding of worlds to hear you two interact fwiw

Thanks!

[(Anonymous)]

JMG- thank you for the suggestions. A copy of your book has begun its journey to my book collection.
Cheers,
Courtinthenorth

Re: Thanks!

[ecosophia]

Delighted to hear it. If you want to buy one of my books, why, I'm going to do my best to help!

[grandswamperman]

That was...oddly quick to go out of print, wasn't it? Just over four years if the release date I'm finding online is accurate.

Anyway, yes, I would happily buy an updated edition of this; it's a great book and worth making available again.

[ecosophia]

Well, yes. Let's just say that the publisher in question hasn't been especially supportive of me or my titles since 2016; I had some contractual obligations to fill, but those are done with and I don't expect to publish with them again. In the meantime, I found a new publisher for this one within 24 hours of hearing that it was going out of print, and I can revise and expand as needed, so I'm not complaining!

Suggestion for the new edition

[(Anonymous)]

While I own and like the current edition, since you're taking suggestions, I've long thought the section at the end about reworking the Mysteries of Merlin for other Druid Revival traditions was a little sparse and could do with expansion. Particularly when it comes to using this book as part of your own AODA/SoP-based system as set out in the DMH and its sister books. The broad strokes are clear, but it'd be great to see some of the details briefly addressed, or maybe even a quick template as a guide for adapting the rituals.

For instance, I assume the deities the celebrant calls on in that case should be the ones assigned to the corresponding Station of the Wheel in the DH/DMH rather than the deities of the Druidical Cabala spheres. And that the Octograms would be replaced with an oak pentagram and invocation of the current Station. I recall someone asked about using the Invocation of Celi and other elements from this book in a DMH context during a past Magic Monday, and it'd be useful to have a note about whether this is acceptable borrowing or mixing the systems.

(And to be clear, I'm not asking or expecting you to answer all these questions right here on the spot, just using them as examples of what I'd like to see addressed in the book.)

In my opinion, a short section of maybe half a page to a page would go a long way here. Kind of like how the present edition talks about integrating the Mysteries of Merlin with the full CGD course. I think this would make the book more attractive for those who'd like to celebrate the Mysteries of Merlin while practicing another branch of Druidry.

Re: Suggestion for the new edition

[slclaire]

Seconding this suggestion! Something like you've done in The Way of the Elements would be very helpful.

Re: Suggestion for the new edition

[ecosophia]

I'll certainly consider that.

Re: Suggestion for the new edition

[booklover1973]

I had the same thought about replacing the octagram rituals with an invocation of the relevant station of the year. I found that the Invocation of Celi can be kept to good effect. But some details of a possible reworking of Merlins Wheel are still unclear to me, for example, regarding the elemental versions of the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagrams, which are added in one of the grades. Furthermore, a reworking of Merlins Wheel into the Druid Magic Handbook system would seem to change the flavor of the rituals to some degree, since the DMH system doen't use the Celtic Cabala.

Re: Suggestion for the new edition

[(Anonymous)]

Hello all,

I would also like to add my voice to this suggestion of having material that links with the DMH approach regarding the 8 Stations of the Wheel of Life. I am slowly working my way through the DMH practices and looking ahead, I am feeling like there is not as much material about invoking the stations as I would like learn about. There is an example in charging the Cauldron, there is Table 5A in the DH that is insightful, and there is one hint in DMH I found so far which I mentioned in a Magic Monday post: "If you want to work magic for protection you can use the element of earth or the Station of Alban Heruin since both have general protective powers".

If any material of that sort were to find its way into the next edition, that would be pretty cool!

Best,
JML

Re: Suggestion for the new edition

[(Anonymous)]

Hi again,

I though a little bit more, and remembered these articles which might be interesting to expand upon in the context of the new edition (I did not read the current edition yet though, so I might be missing things):

https://aoda.org/publications/articles-on-druidry/treeoflife/

This one I cannot access but I am guessing it is the original article referenced in the AODA site article:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264856108_Tarot_The_Tree_of_Life_and_the_Wheel_of_the_Year

DMH mentions the usefulness of relating the Wheel of the Year with the Tree of life (p57 Figure 2-8).

It seems like this is the crossover point between DMH and CGD work and something I would be greatly interested in seeing explored. Attributions differ, but that seems to happen all the time.

Best,
JML

[brenainn]

Would this "Merlin path" be okay to do in addition to my work in the Mayan Order lessons and the Rosicrucian Fellowship?

[ecosophia]

Hmm. Potentially, though I don't know the RF material well enough to be certain.

[adara9]

Hello, not sure how many errata you're already aware of, but here's what I've found so far:

pp 109, 130, & 157: "Imagine your fingers drawing the octagram in a line of indigo light"; should say "violet"
pp 115, 137, & 163: "Elen of the roads and the twilight, maiden goddess of the Tenth Sphere"; should say (not maiden) "goddess of the Seventh Sphere"
p 120: "mighty god of the Tenth Sphere"; should say "Fifth"

As for expansion, I'd be interested in learning more about the various deities invoked. Pointers to stories or myths about them (& about the White Stag, the only one of the 4 animals that's been difficult for me to find Celtic-based sources for) would be of interest.

As always, many thanks for making the CGD system available. The work continues to bless me and my family in many ways.

~ Heather

[(Anonymous)]

"As for expansion, I'd be interested in learning more about the various deities invoked."

Come to think of it, a full JMG book on the Welsh Druid deities and the four sacred animals would be very interesting in itself. IIRC there's not that much to draw on outside the Mabinogion and Ross Nichols, but I for one would be very happy to pay for a synthesis of what we do know, plus anything he'd be willing to share from personal experience and practice. Shame it's probably too niche to make the project pay for itself, though, but one can dream...

[ecosophia]

Hmm. There really isn't very much, but I'll consider it. I'd need to find a good artist, though -- the visual dimension of such a project would be crucial.

[ecosophia]

Thank you. Errata are also useful!

[kylec]

I like this book a great deal (will practice one of the ceremonies tonight if all goes well) and I'm glad it found a new home. I'm not sure how to expand it, but welcome any further practices. While I don't currently have anyone who wants to share the holidays with me, I can conceive that some people may have children or spouses who don't do magic and want to take part in a celebration of these days. Maybe some suggestions for an exoteric observation that allows non-mages to participate?

One erratum and two suggestions for addition

[(Anonymous)]

I’m glad to see good comments above, esp. the errata, which I’ll add one more to:

p 143: the text calls for a banishing pentagram ritual of air; should be a banishing pentagram ritual of fire

On expansion, one small thing and one larger idea:

First, Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Life of Merlin is now available in an English verse translation and may be worth adding as a recommendation alongside his History of the Kings of Britain.

Second, of the follow-up I’ve found valuable to do on the Merlin legends since beginning the mysteries of Merlin, the only that the book did not particularly cover was the science of the seasons of Wales and its coasts. When reading I’d have welcomed comments and recommendations on the geology, weather patterns, etc., and perhaps particularly any climate change from the time of the henges to today. Something in keeping with CGD recommendations to read in geology, hydrology, and atmospheric science. As one example of how that worked for me: Pielou’s After the Ice Age together with articles on the Dogger Bank and the Doggerland era fed into my ovate circle meditations and on to legends like Cantre'r Gwaelod and to Bardsey Island as one of the mythical resting places for Merlin. An expansion of the book to include physical descriptions of the seasons on Wales’s coasts, how they have varied, and a few weather and climate connections to legend might add a lot for some readers.