The Star of Azazel - Azazelin Tähti

Pia Desideria

Sometimes I try to find some escapist entertainment. That's beacuse what I read is so intellectual (even though I'm not myself). I pick something, like Lev Grossmann's The Magicians and it turns out to be way too real, to be escapist. There were spooky parallels to real things. This tends to happen. My intuition, which guides me to good books, guides me away from good entertainment. Now I think I've found what I was looking for. It's called Cold Storage, by David Koepp, who wrote the screenplay for a lot of Spielberg films.

Back cover sounds like a Hollywood movie:

"They thought it was contained. They were wrong.

When Pentagon bio-terror operative Roberto Diaz was sent to investigate a suspected biochemical attack, he found something far worse: a highly mutative organism capable of extinction-level destruction. He contained it and buried it in cold storage deep beneath a little-used military repository.

Now, after decades of festering in a forgotten sub-basement, the specimen has found its way out and is on a lethal feeding frenzy. Only Diaz knows how to stop it.

He races across the country to help two unwitting security guards—one an ex-con, the other a single mother. Over one harrowing night, the unlikely trio must figure out how to quarantine this horror again. All they have is luck, fearlessness, and a mordant sense of humor. Will that be enough to save all of humanity?"

About a year ago I read a book about sufism. What I took care to remember, was that the best quotes were from Dzalaluddin Rumi. I was suprised that library has some, and more is coming soon. So this is a rare poetic occasion. Last time that was Sylvia Plath. Going from 1950's New York, to 13th century Bagdad.

Benemal wrote: ↑Sat Mar 12, 2022 11:59 am About a year ago I read a book about sufism. What I took care to remember, was that the best quotes were from Dzalaluddin Rumi. I was suprised that library has some, and more is coming soon. So this is a rare poetic occasion. Last time that was Sylvia Plath. Going from 1950's New York, to 13th century Bagdad.

With Rumi some of his main characteristics are lost in the translations because lot of his poetry has internal rhythm he keeps on and on throughout his poems. There are some exceptions though! Just caveat, translations are nice too!

So it's almost like rapping or playing drums in his focused mood and while doing that, it's speculated that scribe collected those lines while he was reciting them out.
That's what I have heard about him.

He is also known as "Molana" meaning, "Our Master".
He has very nice poetry but unfortunately Rumi has been quite often also object that is being stripped away from cultural context and his religious background as a scholar which is in my opinion quite relevant to understand as a starting point for what he is then saying with his poetry.

Many poets and I'd like to add Kierkegaard here too, has this tragic feeling of separation from beloved.
Molana had Shams-e Tabriz and Kierkegaard had Regina.
(Recently reading his Fear and Trembling.)

Kavi wrote: ↑Sat Mar 12, 2022 2:10 pm

Benemal wrote: ↑Sat Mar 12, 2022 11:59 am About a year ago I read a book about sufism. What I took care to remember, was that the best quotes were from Dzalaluddin Rumi. I was suprised that library has some, and more is coming soon. So this is a rare poetic occasion. Last time that was Sylvia Plath. Going from 1950's New York, to 13th century Bagdad.

With Rumi some of his main characteristics are lost in the translations.....

Maybe this sounds like I am annoying besserwisser ruining someone's founding.
Just want to clarify that I feel the opposite and wanted to add something what I have read and learned.

Kavi wrote: ↑Sat Mar 12, 2022 2:10 pm With Rumi some of his main characteristics are lost in the translations because lot of his poetry has internal rhythm he keeps on and on throughout his poems.

I have no choice but to read translations. I did pick direct from original, to finnish. There were also from english to finnish, which seems pointless.

Kavi wrote: ↑Sat Mar 12, 2022 2:10 pm He has very nice poetry but unfortunately Rumi has been quite often also object that is being stripped away from cultural context and his religious background as a scholar which is in my opinion quite relevant to understand as a starting point for what he is then saying with his poetry.

I got interested from the context of Sufism.

Benemal wrote: ↑Mon Mar 14, 2022 9:14 am

Kavi wrote: ↑Sat Mar 12, 2022 2:10 pm With Rumi some of his main characteristics are lost in the translations because lot of his poetry has internal rhythm he keeps on and on throughout his poems.

I have no choice but to read translations. I did pick direct from original, to finnish. There were also from english to finnish, which seems pointless.

Kavi wrote: ↑Sat Mar 12, 2022 2:10 pm He has very nice poetry but unfortunately Rumi has been quite often also object that is being stripped away from cultural context and his religious background as a scholar which is in my opinion quite relevant to understand as a starting point for what he is then saying with his poetry.

I got interested from the context of Sufism.

Yes don't worry, I didn't mean it that way. I have the same issue also!
Sometimes I happen to find music which has lyrics from Rumi so it helps but translations are good too.

My daily Zohar readings continue. I have now read 5249 pages, a bit over half way through.

Starting a very interesting commentary on Kâlacakra tantra, Ornament of Stainless Light by Khedrup Norsang Gyatso (15th century). This is like reading Marvel comics compared, only 700 pages of Tibetan metaphysics. I attach sample pages from the introduction, for one might catch similarities with our Azazelian system.

For our Finnish literary enthusiasts I would also very much like to recommend a great paperback (inexpensive) essay compilation of René Girard, Kellariloukon psykologia (2019). Others can find the same essays from their original publishings, like Dostoïevski, du double à l'unite (1963) and Superman in the Underground: Strategies of Madness – Nietzsche, Wagner, and Dostoevsky (1976). What I had read from Girard earlier didn't entirely convince me, but his thoughts on Dostoevsky are brilliant.

Just finished "The Infernal Gospel" by Reverend Cain, might be the greatest book i have ever read. Today starting "Goetia Devils" by Reverend Cain.

The Goetia Hymns by Reverend Cain of The Infernal Circle. This is the first liturgical prayer book dedicated for Goetia Demons i have ever seen. Intoxicating reading i might add.