Into The Duat Blogs

One Man and his Dog...

Following on from yesterdays article, I felt compelled to visit the grave of the Great Laffayette and Beauty on the anniversary of his death today, to lay a single yellow rose on his grave in an act of remembrance. I previously imagined that the Edinburgh Magic Circle may possibly have commemorated the occasion. I got in touch with Trevor, one of their members, who informed me that the Edinburgh Magic Circle generally tend to focus more on modern magicians and their work. 

He added that most of those in the Circle are keen to learn tricks that they can put into practice. The sheer scale and complexity of the Great Laffayette's work was such that there is no way that anyone he knew could replicate anything near the magnificence of the Lion's Bride.
Ian Robertson

Ladies & Gentlemen - The Great Lafayette

In an article soon to be published here, I outline the bizarre final resting place of the 10th Duke of Hamilton. These next few words give a brief account of the strange death and final resting place of one of the most famous entertainers of the 20th Century, The Great Lafayette, aka Sigmund Neuberger.

Saturday 9 May marks the 98th anniversary of his death. This sensational stage magician was a friend of Harry Houdini and started his stage career imitating Ching Ling Fu. He very soon outshone both to become the highest-paid performer in vaudeville.

An eccentric man his constant companion was his dog, Beauty, which Houdini had gifted to him. Pampered with diamond studded collars and other expensive gifts, Beauty was also part of his stage act and he referred to her as a magician in her own right.

In 1911 they travelled to Edinburgh to perform sell out shows at the Empire Theatre. Tragically Beauty died leaving the Great Lafayette distraught. After much wrangling he received permission from the City of Edinburgh Council to have beauty buried within Piershill cemetery in the city. Complaints from the public included one sharp witted protester who pointed out that at the cemetery gates a sign read “no dogs allowed”. Permission was only granted with the proviso that this was Lafayettes plot and that when the time came he would be interred in the plot. Unbeknown to himself, he was to meet that end whilst still in Edinburgh just over a week later.

His performances were legendary. The ‘jewel in the crown’ of his illusions was an elaborate act titled ‘The Lions Bride’. This required a real Lion, a Horse and a cast of faithful performers. The secrecy surrounding his illusions was such that he would have the doors at the back of the stage locked to stop his competition from discovering how the tricks were performed. This was to be his downfall.

At the second performance on the evening of 9 May a Chinese lantern accidentally set light to the stage curtains. Thinking that it was part of the act the audience remained in their seats. The quick thinking orchestra conductor interrupted the performance by getting the orchestra to play ‘God Save the King’, which immediately had everyone on their feet. Seeing the fire continue to spread and realising that all was not well, the now panicking crowd managed amazingly to escape without harm. Another fate however befell the cast.

The Great Lafayette’s last recorded words were, “I must go back for my horse.” When he was next seen, it was his lifeless, blackened and charred remains. His features destroyed he was identified by the unique jewelled ring on his finger.  His identity established his body was sent to Glasgow for cremation. In the days that followed local newspapers included strange headlines such as ‘the bodies of the midgets were retrieved from the Empire Theatre today”.

Two days after the tragedy dumbfounded fire officers discovered the ‘real’ body of the Great Lafayette. It transpired that the first body had, in actual fact, been that of his body double that he used in his illusions (who as a quick aside, lived in a flat that was rented by our very own Mark Oxbrow, many, many years later).

The funeral procession set off from the undertakers W.T. Dunbar and Sons in Morrison Street on 14 May 1911 witnessed by a gathering of thousands

along the route to Piershill Cemetery. His popularity and eccentricity was such that this ‘show’ pulled a bigger crowd than the Royal visit to Edinburgh a few years earlier. His final performance was reportedly a spectacular sight to behold. His silver-grey Mercedes automobile carried his principle mourner, his

Dalmatian hound, Mabel! Standing on the running boards were his two black servants. The black horse-drawn carriage carrying his ashes contained in an urn, were taken from the carriage on arrival and

carefully placed within the grave where they now remain, Anubis like, between the paws of the preserved body of his great love Beauty!

Ian Robertson

Uri Geller buys a mystical Scottish Island

The hermetic maxim ‘As above, so below’ has been taken literally in recent years by a number of alternative historians, most notably, Robert Buval. In his 1994 book the Orion Mystery, Buval postulated that the three pyramids on the Giza Plateau mirror the three stars in the Orion constellation with the Milky Way reflected by the river Nile.

This theory has now also been transposed onto other sites. Newgrange in Northern Ireland and three islands off the East Coast of Scotland have also been cited as mirroring the Orion constellation. The Scottish Islands are called Lamb, Craigleith and Fidra and came to media attention last week because of a certain celebrity. The ardent believer of the theory is the famous spoon-bending celebrity, Uri Geller, who last week bought the island of Lamb in the Firth of Forth. He believes that Lamb Island not only has links to the pyramids at Giza but also King Arthur and the medieval Knights Templar.

Originally on the market at £75,00 Geller paid the bargain 'knockdown' price of just £30,000 for uninhabited island.The Glasgow Herald newspaper reported that Geller said: "It is one of the keystones to British mythology, and I am thrilled to be its owner. I am fascinated by the connection between the pyramids and these islands.......So when I heard Lamb Island was for sale I felt a strong instinctive urge to buy it - and the more I delved into the history and the archaeological lore which surrounds it, the more certain I became that this is one of the most significant sites in Britain."

From his web site Geller claims that the island has links to the pyramids, King Arthur, King Robert the Bruce, the ancient Kings of Ireland and the Knights Templar! All claims unfortunately come to us without any supporting material to back them up and may possibly come from the non-material shelves of the Akashic records. By their very nature these records are beyond the 'ken' of most mortals and are cited by some authors but academics dismiss them completely. Mr Geller is looking forward to visiting his purchase in the not too distant future.

The Mystery of Gilmerton Cove

On Sunday 15 February my wife Vivien and I took a drive out to Gilmerton Cove. This is a strange enigmatic cave-like underground structure located on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Our delightful, knowledgeable and very entertaining guide, Margaretanne Dugan, is best known for running the highly successful Rosslyn Tours. As a local tour guide and businesswoman, Margaretanne agreed just over a year ago to take over the running of the Gilmerton Cove which is truly one of Scotland’s best-kept secrets.

This place is a real mystery. Many sites claim to be mysterious without any real substance but the fact of the matter with this strange, hand hewn, subterranean marvel is that no one really knows who created it, for what purpose or exactly when it came into being.

The traditional historical tale states that the structure was the result of five years hard labour by a local Blacksmith, George Paterson, who completed it in 1724. It is on record that he did indeed live in the structure until 1737 with his family. A strange inscription which once sat above the door from his time read: "Upon the earth thrives villainy and woe, but happiness and I do dwell below, My hands hewed out this rock into a cell, Wherein from din of life I safely dwell. On Jacob's pillow nightly lies my head, My house when living and my grave when dead, Inscribe upon it when I'm dead and gone I lived and died within my mother's womb."
The final resting place of George Paterson has never been established and many claim that he’s still in the Cove buried in one of the sealed off chambers!

Excepting the hidden sections of the structure, which is a mystery in itself, the areas that can currently be explored are referred to as the ‘chapel’, the ‘bedroom’ the ‘forge’ and the ‘wine cellar’ amongst others but one thing for me is sure. Descriptions aside, the cove certainly doesn’t have a ‘homely’ feeling about it.

Additional theories about the place are numerous. Some say that witches used it as a meeting place for their local coven and it’s also been claimed that it was home to a Scottish Hellfire Club. Others say that it is possibly 1000 years old and possibly a contemporary of the strange caves at Hawthornden adjacent to Rosslyn Chapel. Others suggest that it may be even older and the site of a Roman mystery school, or perhaps hosted templar or Masonic rites of later ages, or indeed all of the above.

Psychics have visited the site in recent years and have reported a plethora of strange phenomena. My wife Vivienne who’s normally quite sceptical of such things was shocked and puzzled today by an apparent disembodied voice she heard clearly saying, “Excuse me!” This may have come from outside and somehow been strangely amplified by the shape of the cove. We’re guessing however and can’t be sure.  It did for us add to the intrigue of the place – and Yes we will certainly be back again!

Whatever your own personal interests, the hidden gem that Gilmerton Cove is, is well worth the visit. For more info’ visit www.gilmertoncove.org.uk

People of the World, why can’t we just get on?

Too many people the world over look for differences rather than focusing on what they have in common with their fellow creatures. They look for what’s wrong about others rather than celebrating the wonderful diversity contained amongst the plethora of different cultures and faiths in this amazing world.
 
So why can’t we just get on? As the late Marvin Gaye pleaded in his lyrical masterpiece – “What’s going on”?
 
We’ve never managed to 'get' the most important lessons from human history. Such a long and bloody human history - full of wars - innumerable bloody wars! The carnage and horror of the “Great War” at the beginning of the 20th century, prompted countless millions to demand that this be the War to end all Wars! Man’s inhumanity to man still goes on however! In our so-called ‘civilized!’ world we may rightly ask - what’s there not to get!
 
Sometimes however we do see glimmers of hope!
 
In Edinburgh on Thursday 22 January 2009, Scotland s First Minister, Alex Salmond, was the keynote speaker at an event celebrating 20 years of the Edinburgh Inter-faith Association, an organisation that embraces the diversity of the various faith communities in Scotland’s Capital.
 
Member groups of the EIFA interestingly include Pagan, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Pagan, Bahai, Brahma Kumaris and holds dialogues with Zoroastrian, Jain and Taoist communities. Mr Salmond’s very entertaining talk focused on faith and diversity across Scotland and he encouraged all to embrace the approach of the EIFA. Their aim is to promote religious harmony, diversity and equal opportunities in Edinburgh and its wider environs by bringing together the faith communities in deeper dialogue which leads towards mutual understanding, trust, respect, co-operation and peace!
 
Hallelujah!

Learn Kabbalah in 2009!

What is Reality and how can you fully experience it?

These are ageless questions that Priests, Mystics and
Philosophers over the aeons have devoted their lives to. One of the most
significant ways of exploring and perceiving Reality within Western Esotericism
is through adeptship of the system known as Kabbalah.

Kabbalah is the secret teachings of the Hebrews and
has come down to us via initiates. Some schools suggest that Kabbalah, which means,
“to receive”, is 4000 years old whilst others say that it is timeless and has
always existed!

Over the last few years, and for the first time, this
knowledge has been offered freely via the Internet to all who wish to seriously
study the subject via the Bnei Baruch – Kabbalah Education and Research
Institute.

Rav Michael Laitman PhD, set up the Institute in 1991
for the study, teaching and dissemination of authentic Kabbalah as he had
received it from his teacher Rabbi Baruch Ashlag. His father Rabbi Yehuda
Ashlag in turn taught him. If interested, please check out their link HERE

Christmas Carols, Knights Templar, Cistercian Monks and a Goblin's Hall

Are you confused, concerned or just keen to find out more about the strange title that you’ve just read? Please read further and all will be revealed. What may sound sensational at first is actually a description of a day in the life or yours truly. (I know - I’m blessed!)

I was invited along to a Christmas carol service at Nunraw Abbey in East Lothian on Sunday 14 December which intrigued me because it was no ordinary carol service. Nunraw is a Cistercian Abbey and the carol service was organised on behalf of a group of Freemasonic Knights Templar. The wonderful irony with all this is that many see Freemasonry, wrongly, as being sectarian, anti-catholic and full of Satan worshipers. Another misconception is that Roman Catholics have a hatred of Freemasons which isn't the case. If truth be told, the origins of Freemasonry are to be found in the Incorporated Trades which were formed before the Protestant reformation and therefore Roman Catholic in origin!

Continue Reading This Blog in Dark City

St Andrews Day

The 30th of November is the feast day of St Andrew, the Patron Saint of Scotland, Russia, Greece and Romania. Here in Scotland’s capital city, at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, an annual St Andrew’s day church service is held on the Sunday nearest to the feast day of the saint. Prior to the start of this service, a procession led by the Knights of the Most Ancient and Most Nobel Order of the Thistle marches into the Cathedral. On the jewel worn by members, St Andrew dressed in blue features, holding a white X shaped cross signifying the Saltire flag of the nation.

Membership of the Order of the Thistle is the highest national honour that a Scot can receive from the Monarch. St Giles Cathedral is the spiritual home of the Order containing as it does the beautiful Thistle Chapel built between 1909 and 1911 in a neo-gothic style by the famous Architect and Freemason Sir Robert Lorimer. The origins of the Order are now lost but it is generally accepted that a revival took place during the reign of James the VII of Scotland and II of England. What we certainly do know however is that St Andrew and the Saltire are to be found at the heart of many Scottish traditions and institutions.

Life the Universe and Nothing.

I've had the pleasure recently of delivering a number of intro to NLP workshop's over the last couple of months which have got me thinking again! Having studied NLP to Master Practitioner level and also Clinical Hypnosis I've always been fascinated by the fact that these interests converge with my esoteric interests in such splendid ways.

Skull of Doom