Hi there,
I would like to draw attention to a lesser known Typhonian work by D A Chitty named The Butterflies of Thantos. The author studied under Gerald Yorke and his work was highly rated by Kenneth Grant, William Boroughs, Jimmy Page and others. The author, now in his 80s, is about to release a new colour edition, and I have just helped him out by building a website to showcase his books, artworks and screnplays. The URL is dachitty.com and the book itself is under the Publications tab at the top. The website is not yet complete but it is live now.
Please do have a look and see what you think.
Many thanks,
David
Some very nice artwork. Artist bio to delight many here:
Stupid old cunt that lives in a broken down zen shack. The stupidest, maddest old cunt ever. Mega genius. Will not speak to humans unless inordinately provoked.
Love his house; very comforting, and inspiring, to know i have not yet achieved true clutter (i do have my deer head sorted though).
"Dadaist" is misspelled in the other bio, BTW.
Tell him to join us here for fuck sake. Many of us here can give him a good run for his money on this "stupidest, maddest old cunt ever" claim.
Hi All
I am a bit suprised that the following books havent been mentioned yet.
1) Gareth Hewitson-May "Dark Doorway of the Beast" New World Publishing, 1991
The book Kenneth Grant famously compares to drinking a glass of cold lager on a hot summers day. DDotB looks at how the mind builds interconnections and associates these with psychology, the Typhonian tradition, Great Cthultu etc. not to mention classical writings, Aleister Crowley etc. I do like this book and think that its worth buying for one of the introductory passages alone
"The utter devastation that has swept through the espoteric fraternities for the past two thosuand years, has unfortunatly completely disolved the coherence of attitude that is necessary to the understanding of the system. It is therefore of monumental importance that all attempts to recover such complete doctrines should be abandoned sa futire. The very fact that language, understanding, communication, terminology, relevantce of material are now so very different, that it is plainly obvious that the "return" of any such recovered doctrines" in todays culture would only serve to confuse, rather than illuminate"
2) The Butterflies of Thantos by David Chitty
This book of qabalah, poetry and art is very interesting and ampong other things looks at the possible dissoloution of society in a very Lovecraftian manner again taking IMO the Typhonian view that we need to take a cosmic perspective to things. In many ways I feel that the artwork is reminiscent of the artwork in Azoetia by Andrew chumbley, but for me at least it is deeper and more profound.
My copy is intrigingly inscribed
"For Tony. In memory of ''The night of the avocado and the lost lobsters of the midnight sun' With love The Chitt."
Sounds like it was a great party. I would love to know more about this book and the author but it really is a great read
3) Monstous Cults: A study of the primordial Gnosis by Steven Sennit
This book covers various primordial cults discussing the myriad manner in which our minds have evolved and contacted the ancient aspect if divinity leading to "Elder Goddess" worship, evolution, Kali and of course the Necronomicon Gnosis.
Cheers
Paolo
Hi Paolo,
Re: The Butterflies of Thantos
I just spotted this after posting myself on the same subject, and having consulted with the author, I can tell you the story behind your inscription.
Years ago the author David knew a Scot called Ian who was brought up in South Africa. He used to live about a betting shop on Montpelier in Cheltenham, and hosted wild parties with beautiful girls, exquisite food and the like. At one of these parties, David walked into a bedroom to find a couple having sex. The girl was on top of the guy (named Tony) who seemed to be flagging and said he didn't know how long he could go on for, so David Chitty (aka The Chitt) went to the kitchen and returned with lobster and avocado which he proceeded to spoon feed Tony as the girl kept riding him, to bolster his stamina. They met at subsequent parties and it later became a joke between them, hence the inscription in the book.
If you're interested, David is still going strong, and preparing to release a second edition of The Butterflies of Thantos in colour, as well as other projects which include a magical children's poem and a weighty art book or collages, paintings, poetry and prose.
I have just helped him out by building him a website which you can find at dachitty.com
Many thanks,
David Alexander (no I'm not the author I just share the same first initials - he shuns computers, phones and the like!)
which he proceeded to spoon feed
The "vice of kings" personified? What a lovely anecdote.
he shuns computers, phones and the like!
Well, you are just going to have to be his intermediary then. This man has shunned us long enough.
Tell him to join us here for fuck sake.
Will not speak to humans unless inordinately provoked.
How can he be provoked (inordinately)?
he shuns computers, phones and the like!
Good for him. I advocate this distancing (to the best of one's ability). I fail to see the connection between an unusual sex activity and anything else meaningful. Your reply to "Anonymous" was to his post of 2007. If anyone is listed as "Anonymous," they are usually (always?) inactive and lost to the past.
Since David speaks to you, does this mean you are non-human? Or simply that you know how to provoke him?
I am confused and will remain so for the next minute or two.
he shuns computers, phones and the like!
Good for him. I advocate this distancing (to the best of one's ability). I fail to see the connection between an unusual sex activity and anything else meaningful. Your reply to "Anonymous" was to his post of 2007. If anyone is listed as "Anonymous," they are usually (always?) inactive and lost to the past.
Since David speaks to you, does this mean you are non-human? Or simply that you know how to provoke him?
I am confused and will remain so for the next minute or two.
I am currently human. David can be contacted by telephone, although he only decides to pick up the phone on around 1/5 of the time, so it requires luck/synchronicity. Or you can just show up at his house, although you run the risk of catching him mowing the lawn stark naked.
I suspected Paolo may never see this post and remain forever dark as to the inscription on his book but I thought it worth replying to anyway, as it might just make his day, and amuse others. The relevance (which I am making up after the fact to justify the inclusion of said silly anecdote) was to use humour to draw in a new audience to a lesser known of the Typhonian works, of course.
I hope your confusion is thus relieved!
That looks like a bar around here. I was kind of cluttered in my single days but after getting married I am not allowed to be. Which is fine. Now I can find things.
"For Tony. In memory of ''The night of the avocado and the lost lobsters of the midnight sun' With love The Chitt."
Making me hungry.
1) Gareth Hewitson-May "Dark Doorway of the Beast" New World Publishing, 1991
I got this one
3) Monstous Cults: A study of the primordial Gnosis by Steven Sennit
And I got this one.
Gareth's book was mostly about schizophrenia, but it was very unique and interesting.
Steven's is good too. Was an interesting time in the early 90s.
The girl was on top of the guy (named Tony) who seemed to be flagging and said he didn't know how long he could go on for, so David Chitty (aka The Chitt) went to the kitchen and returned with lobster and avocado which he proceeded to spoon feed Tony as the girl kept riding him, to bolster his stamina. They met at subsequent parties and it later became a joke between them, hence the inscription in the book.
I have to try that.
But I don't have the book about which David has graced us with his presence. I am interested in getting a copy at some point,
thanks for showing up David Alexander and welcome abroad. aboard.
I have to try that
What, being the flagging specimen on the receiving end of the avocado & lobster or the one dishing it out?
When as a teenager at a party I once similarly blundered into
walked into a bedroom to find a couple having sex
instead of making a lifelong buddy swapping fond nostalgic reveries with one another, I was literally told to fuck off by both "celebrants" from the direction of the bed in no uncertain terms with some vehemence. Quelle la difference...
Welcome david & all that jive nada nada etc etc...
I fail to see the connection between an unusual sex activity and anything else meaningful.
Yeah, me too (neither?) - a lack of meaning doth veritably seem to pervade the universe. C'est la vie, mon vieux...
Your reply to "Anonymous" was to his post of 2007. If anyone is listed as "Anonymous," they are usually (always?) inactive and lost to the past.
Or even - to the post!
My copy is intrigingly inscribed
"For Tony. In memory of ''The night of the avocado and the lost lobsters of the midnight sun' With love The Chitt."
I get the avocado, and presumably the event took place around the witching hour, but why is the lobster/s anymore "lost" than anything else? (Also, if the food was "exquisite" (and plentiful), oysters might have been a better choice re. "staying power" - if available... Or perhaps (a finely diced) steak tartare...)
Epicure-advisedly yours,
Norma N Joy Conquest
instead of making a lifelong buddy swapping fond nostalgic reveries with one another, I was literally told to fuck off
You probably entered the room without avocado or lobster. At the very least, you could have brought some trisquits and cheese.
Welcome david & all that jive nada nada etc etc...
Indeed. Welcome aboard the Good Ship Lashtal.
Or even - to the post!
I DID forward the comments onto the owner of the inscribed book as it would be a shame for him to miss the backstory.
You probably entered the room without avocado or lobster. At the very least, you could have brought some trisquits and cheese.
You're probably quite right there! Tut, where were my manners?
N Joy
Hi All
I am a bit suprised that the following books havent been mentioned yet.
1) Gareth Hewitson-May "Dark Doorway of the Beast" New World Publishing, 1991
The book Kenneth Grant famously compares to drinking a glass of cold lager on a hot summers day. DDotB looks at how the mind builds interconnections and associates these with psychology, the Typhonian tradition, Great Cthultu etc. not to mention classical writings, Aleister Crowley etc. I do like this book and think that its worth buying for one of the introductory passages alone
"The utter devastation that has swept through the espoteric fraternities for the past two thosuand years, has unfortunatly completely disolved the coherence of attitude that is necessary to the understanding of the system. It is therefore of monumental importance that all attempts to recover such complete doctrines should be abandoned sa futire. The very fact that language, understanding, communication, terminology, relevantce of material are now so very different, that it is plainly obvious that the "return" of any such recovered doctrines" in todays culture would only serve to confuse, rather than illuminate"
I second "Dark Doorway of the Beast", definitely essential reading, some fantastic insights in that book. Truly an underappreciated or simply unknown book (by most).
"There is none that shall be cast down or lifted up: all is ever as it was." - Liber Legis 2:58
"To Me do ye reverence! to me come ye through tribulation of ordeal, which is bliss." - Liber Legis 3:62
I don't know why I don't have this book yet. I need to do something about that.
Typhonians are all shells.
Typhoons need no titles.
Cthylla dons no clothes. Vixens breathe no Ayins, gaiyins or geishas.
The book Kenneth Grant famously compares to drinking a glass of cold lager on a hot summers day.
"I approached the Dark Doorway of the Beast with some trepidation as the author had asked me to write a Foreword. But the book went down easily, like an iced lager on a hot day, leaving in its wake a sense of satisfaction."
Owner and Editor
LAShTAL
The book Kenneth Grant famously compares to drinking a glass of cold lager on a hot summers day.
"I approached the Dark Doorway of the Beast with some trepidation as the author had asked me to write a Foreword. But the book went down easily, like an iced lager on a hot day, leaving in its wake a sense of satisfaction."
On a not day, the Awful quenches where the slimy ain't sunny.
@katrice It's very hard to find.
One of our kinder German members, I believe Lutz sold me a copy, maybe he knows where more are ? If I summed it up stupidly - it's that true gnosis lies in being schizophrenic in the sense of losing the ego and being open to everything. but it's not quite that simplistic obviously.
true gnosis lies in being schizophrenic in the sense of losing the ego and being open to everything
Schizophrenia means "split mind." In this case (gnosis, the (linear) mind is not "split," it is in neutral. It has stopped.
@katrice It's very hard to find.
That means that it simply will take extra work to get a copy. 😊
If I summed it up stupidly - it's that true gnosis lies in being schizophrenic in the sense of losing the ego and being open to everything. but it's not quite that simplistic obviously.
I've seen that comparison made before, with the idea that magick = "willed schizophrenia".
magick = "willed schizophrenia".
I would go along with that. On a sort of basis.
Let's take a few examples. High-level stuff.
- Perdurabo receives AL from Aiwass and is promoted to prophet.
- Moshe received the Ten yamas/niyams from I AM and is promoted to Lawgiver.
- Perdurabo receives Visions & Voices from angels and dragons and is promoted to 7=4 (with 8=3 being the fuller version).
- Joseph Smith received the Golden Plates from Moroni and is promoted to head Mormon.
Since I am of the opinion that these gods and angels are merely other parts of our vast access, which might be realized directly by Chris's analogy - but isn't! No, instead one registers the angel or god as somebody other than me [SOTM]. Then we end of with places of worship for parts of other peoples "split mind."
Thank goodness, or Aiwass, that Crowley instructed us to cut our own way through the snake-infested jungle, by ourselves, crediting nothing but that which lies within our own experience.
I will also say that Chris wrote ...
in the sense of losing the ego
... and in the sense of alerts one to the idea that a comparison or allegory will be unfurled. Which it was. And it is correct. I think the terms gnosis (intuition) and everything (samadhi) might be confused, but it's all in the other half of the split mind, so who cares?
@ignant666, Shiva, Cristibrani, Jamie J Barter, kidneyhawk and the others from further up this thread...
In the two years since I last posted here, the second edition of D.A. Chitty's The Butterflies of Thantos has now been published, featuring colour images of the paintings amongst a fair bit of new material. The author himself sadly passed away a few months ago but got to see a proof copy shortly before he died and was very happy with it.
The book describes itself as "A mixture of prose, poetry and paintings on Typhonian themes", and is a very entertaining read for anyone familiar with qaballah and the works of the great beast. In the words of Kenneth Grant, "I love your book... a magico-surrealist fantasy with rare flashes of insight." Kenneth's full letter to the author as well as much more about the book can be found at rozar777.com (Rozar 777 being D.A. Chitty's magical name in OTO circles). Indeed he was tutored by Gerald Yorke himself and let a very full and colourful life.
You can find it via the website (rozar77.com) and on Amazon ( https://www.amazon.co.uk/Butterflies-Thantos-D-Chitty/dp/1399924397/) as well as in Watkins (London), Courtyard (Glastonbury) and other esoteric bookshops.
Yes it's a shameful plug on behalf of my now deceased friend but really it deserves to be better known as its a highly original and thought provoking addition to the Typhonian canon.
Owner and Editor
LAShTAL