Welcome, Dear Friends!
Today, we have a truly unique and mysterious guest with us, none other than Saddie LaMort. Singer, songwriter, occultist, wiccan, founder of the Berkano Wicca tradition. I have the privilege of delving into the enigmatic world of his and uncovering the secrets that shroud this intriguing individual. Without further ado, let's get on this interview:
Atomm: -You are a co-founder of the Berkano Wicca tradition. Can you provide us with an overview of this tradition, its core principles, and how it distinguishes itself within the broader pagan and Wiccan community?
Saddie: - The Berkano Wicca Tradition, like many other things in my life, was born out of necessity. We started out as a neowicca group, but we were always dedicated to using the best and most reliable sources for all our work. In this case, that was Traditional Wicca, obviously, so I started studying that, and I was initiated into the Gardnerian Craft in 2007. People in Hungary kept coming to me asking for training, but I had no right to initiate, therefore I had to recreate the tradition in a way that I do not give out initiatory secrets, but do pass the mentality, the concepts and the mysteries on in a slightly different way that’s still in keeping with what I learned. Being part of other initiatory orders and mystery schools like Ordo Templi Orientis, diverse branches and offshoots of A.’.A.’., or Dashwood’s Hellfire Club amongst others, as well as studying Freemasonry and Solomonic Grimoire Tradition helped me rephrase the teachings and mysteries - after all, that’s where Gardner got them from in the first place.
Atomm: -As an influential spiritual guide in Hungary, you have a significant following. What topics or aspects of spirituality do you find resonate most with your Hungarian audience, and how do you approach sharing your wisdom and insights with them?
Saddie: - Alas, Hungary is way behind the Western world in many things. Magic seems to be exclusively associated with folk magic practices like love binding spells and cartomancy. Tarot is exclusively used as a fortune telling tool. What we are trying to achieve is to show that it’s supposed to be much more than that. It is a tradition and a way of life based on the perfection of the human soul, with the aim to achieve a happy life, and the history of it is worthy of academic recognition. The current method to convey these is by example, as well as giving talks, lectures, publishing books, we also have a YouTube channel. My great friend, the psychologist Balazs Polyanki, who owns demonologia.hu also invited me to do a podcast with him on these subjects, and are also trying to get a TikTok account together. So much to do, so little time!
Atomm:-You are currently in the process of publishing a deluxe version of Liber AL vel Legis, the most holy book of Thelema, that was channeled by Aleister Crowley in 1904. Why did you choose that project and what should we know about it?
Saddie:- The Book of the Law is not only a holy book, but a manifesto of freedom, a rulebook for social equality, a guide to spiritual growth, a blueprint for creating one’s own religion, and a Book of Wisdom in the Masonic sense all in one, it is probably one of the most important spiritual documents of the 20th century. Yet in Hungary the only publicly available published version was translated by someone who obviously did not understand the subject matter, and did not handle the text with the care needed for such a task. The 120th anniversary of the writing of this book is upon us, so I thought there should be a version that is worthy of it. The translation was done with the utmost care to include as many possible interpretations of the original as the language allowed, and it was proof-read, re-written and perfected since 2005 - 18 years. Dark red faux leather hardcover with gold design inspired by the cover of its first published version in Equinox vol I, no. 10, red bookmark ribbon, golden edges, the text both in Hungarian and English as well as reproduction of the original manuscript, it might even be of interest to collectors abroad. There will be a book launch party along with a lecture on Crowley and the Book of the Law at the ELTE Library on the 28th of October.
Atomm:-Music is another facet of your creativity and spirituality. How does your music connect with your pagan beliefs, and what role does it play in your spiritual practice and expression?
Saddie:- I started playing the guitar when I was 15, wrote my first serious song when I was 18, and wrote my first album, Songs of the Initiate when I was 20. It was already touching on spiritual, occult and religious subjects. 28 years later I’m still writing similar stuff, trying to explain occult truths and life lessons set in everyday situations. You can find my music on pretty much any streaming platform.
Atomm:-In addition to Wicca, you offer sessions on various spiritual topics such as tarot and runes, etc. Can you share some key takeaways or advice for those who are new to these practices and seeking to explore their spiritual potential?
Saddie:- Source criticism is indispensable. You can read 50 modern books on the meaning of runes, but probably all of them will go back to one guy around the 80s, who just wrote down his personal experience and a whole lot of unsupported rubbish about history. However, reading the Anglos-Saxon, Icelandic, Norwegian and Swedish Rune Poems will give you a much deeper insight into what the runes actually meant, and if you base your practice on those, you will be much closer to a genuine experience. Information evaluation is also very important, when dealing with variations of the same path. Modern Hermetic Kabbalah is based on the works of Christian Kabbalists like Mirandola and Reuchlin, who in turn based their work on translated Lurian texts. These sources were picked up by Freemasons like the founders of the Golden Dawn back in a time when Hebrew was neither really accessible, nor a living standardized language, so even the language used is incorrect. However, people like Mathers and Crowley tweaked everything in a way that doesn’t make sense from a Traditional Kabbalah, but fits perfectly into the system of Hermeticism, or specifically Thelema.
Atomm:-Paganism is a diverse and evolving community. What trends or developments in the international pagan scene have caught your attention recently, and how do you think they might influence the future of pagan spirituality?
Saddie:- I have not been very active in the international community outside of a few specific groups for a long time, but the issues I see are the issues we see everywhere. Internet development like TikTok result in a decline of young people’s ability to focus for longer periods of time, however the amount of accessible quality information of all subjects grows exponentially. The challenge is balancing the two and presenting the same eternal truths in ways that are digestible today. It’s no different than what sages faced with the advent of the printing press, or the invention of writing. All occult renessainces were preceded by revolution of information dissemination.
Atomm:-As you know this interview is being written for the readers of the Order of the Golden Dragon's Blog (in English and Hungarian).
We'd be fascinated to learn if you have already heard of us and how do you see our role within the broader pagan community?
Saddie: - Of course I have. It’s good to see a group in Hungary that actually does something.
Atomm:-Can you describe a particularly impactful or transformative moment in your personal spiritual journey that has shaped your approach to teaching and guiding others within the pagan community?
Saddie:- It was way back in my youth, around 2000. At that time we had been training for a huge ritual for years, and that night was no different. About 20 of us were up on Seer Hill practicing magical drills, perfecting our self-awareness, creating protection. Exhausted, I sat down, and realized that the Sun was coming up. I watched in awe as light poured through the treetops into the clearing where we were, and at that moment every particle of my being filled up with the experience of how beautiful life is. Achieving this particular experience, and extending it to fill one’s life is the aim of true magic, and that is exactly what it taught me.
Atomm:-As someone with extensive experience in various aspects of paganism, what advice would you offer to individuals who are exploring their spiritual path and seeking to connect with like-minded communities or mentors?
Saddie:-Always be prepared to start from zero. It doesn’t matter how much experience you had with Druidism, you will have to start over as a Thelemite, and even if you’ve been doing both for decades, you’ll have to start again as a Witch. Each path has its own symbols, its own mysteries, its own language, and you will have to learn it from the start if you want to be any good at it. Starting again is not a punishment, it’s an opportunity to build a complete system in your head specifically for that path. Never be afraid of learning, even if that means you have to start again.
There you have it, dear readers—the enigmatic Saddie LaMort, a true artist of the mystical and the occultist. We've had the privilege of peering into the creative mind of this extraordinary individual and exploring the depths of their unique artistry. We encourage you to follow Saddie's journey and keep an eye out for their upcoming events and the publishing of his book in the near future as it's mentioned above. Until next time, may the mysteries of the universe continue to inspire us all. Thank you for joining us on this captivating interview.
Blessed Be!
Atomm
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