Three kinds of people tell us the future: prophets, scientists, and writers. One could argue that writers occupy the liminal space between the other two. The writer’s impulse to draw connections, identify patterns, establish syllogisms—what cognitive psychologists call “the enormous complexity, and idiosyncrasy, of human minds, the detailed contents of which are largely unknown even to the individual concerned”—seems irrepressible, as if our neurons force us to make sense of all things, all the time. Like the bird-reading seers of ancient Greece, we cannot help ourselves. In Islam, the concept of predestination is one of the six articles of faith, like the Oneness of God and the Day of Resurrection. Maktoob, one says—it is written. Maktoob, مكتوب‎, has the same root as the word “book,” kitab, کتاب‎; perhaps this is because books allow us to foresee (they say great writers have the gift of foresight). What, then, is a prophecy? It is what is already known. Those who can interpret the writing—prophets, scholars, poets—simply make it visible to us. Joseph Brodsky (raised, too, on plentiful Greek myths) says literature “is a dictionary, a compendium of meanings for this or that human lot, for this or that experience. It is a dictionary of the language in which life speaks to man. Its function is to save the next man, a new arrival, from falling into an old trap, or to help him realize, should he fall into the trap anyway, that he had been hit by a tautology.”

Anna Badkhen, from her essay “How to Read the Air”, published in The Paris Review, November 3, 2020

Nicholas Kalmakoff - The Underworld Voyage, 1911

[Guillaume Gris]

* * * * *

In all kinds of healing practices, at least in West Africa, the idea is that knowledge is precious, and you learn it over a long period of time. In time, you become the custodian of that knowledge. Your greatest obligation, however, is to pass that knowledge onto the next generation. If the knowledge is correct, it will continue to be used. Everything that I’ve written about my teacher and my own experiences as his apprentice, has been an attempt to convey the wonder of the world he exposed me to. My hope is that my work will in some way ensure that this knowledge will not disappear. My hope is that Adamu Jenitongo’s wise practices will persevere and that they will be recognized, appreciated, and extended to the issues that we face today in the world.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, An anthropologist schooled in spiritual healing offers wisdom for troubled times. By Anna Badkhen 

(via shrinkrants)

Books read in December 2023

The Balkan Trilogy by Olivia Manning

Apparently Manning's WWII trilogy is quite popular in the UK but I literally never heard of it until 2 years ago. Set in Romania and Greece the first part of the trilogy has a book each which roughly corresponds to 1 year of WWI and how our protagonist, a newly married British expat, experiences it.

Witty, dry, and kind of devastating. I will be checking out the other trilogy that concludes the war in January.

The Grimmer by Nathan Ruthnum

Horror YA. Not usually my bag and the main evil is a bit thin on the ground but this was enjoyable, a solid read, and probably the kind of YA I would have loved when I was a kid.

The Employees by Olga Ravn

Lived up to the hype! A series of monologues between humans and humanoids. A lot of this book is reading between what happens. Very touching and philosophical. A great mood piece.

Bright Unbearable Reality by Anna Badkhen

These were a series of essays, mostly on migration, forced and natural. Badkhen is an accomplished writer but a lot of these left me cold. Reminded me a bit of Surrender, another non-fiction book I read earlier.

Entry Level by Wendy Wimmer

Loved this! Solid short story collection with some speculative bits thrown it. An ideal read.

A Libertarian Walks Into a Bear by Mathhew Hongoltz-Hetling

Kind of ridiculous non-fiction about the small town of Grafton, New Hampshire and how it's taken over by a bunch of tax hating libertarians. It read almost like a novel so it was a lot of fun.

Child Craft by Amy Cipolla Barnes

This was a flash short collection which is normally not my thing and this wasn't exactly either. I think the problem with flash is that it's too short. I never have time to really absorb stuff before it's on to the next.

Playful, dark and well-written though.

Excerpt from Anna Badkhen's "The World is a Carpet"

on hope

alice hoffman practical magic \\ anna badkhen to see beyond: a hoping in three pictures \\ lenelle moïse haiti glass: "the children of immigrants" \\ clementine von radics \\ denise levertov for the new year 1981 (via @petaltexturedskies) \\ franz wright earlier poems: "voice" (via @luthienne) \\ linda hogan ancient root

kofi

There is something exquisite about not being able to wrap my mind around things. . . I think we need to practice it more often, the unknowing. [...] How tiny we are, and how unfathomable the world.

Anna Badkhen, Bright Unbearable Reality

Anna Badkhen quoted in Desperado Philiosophy. Nhh Nhh Nhh

An excerpt from a remarkable essay in Orion

Poets help us make our prayers heard.

Anna Badkhen, from her essay “How to Read the Air”, published in The Paris Review, November 3, 2020

Bright Unbearable Reality "Enargia: The word used when gods come to Earth, not in disguise but as themselves."

-Anna Badkhen, Bright Unebearable Reality: essays

"Three kinds of people tell us the future: prophets, scientists, and writers." Anna Badkhen

Books Read/Reread, September/October 2022

Ann Radcliffe, The Mysteries of Udolpho* Ann Radcliffe, A Sicilian Romance Laure, The Collected Writings John A. Keel, The Mothman Prophecies* Bill and Jacqueline Kousoulas, Bridging the Tragedy: Silver Linings in the Mysterious Ohio River Valley Henry Petroski, To Forgive Design: Understanding Failure* Patricia Gray, The "Thing": Mothman, Devil, or Spirit Gray Barker, The Silver Bridge Sarah Lyons, How To Study Magic: A Guide to History, Lore, and Building Your Own Practice Montague Summers, The Werewolf Sabine Baring-Gould, The Book of Werewolves: Being an Account of a Terrible Superstition Andrea Long Chu, Females Katie Ives, Imaginary Peaks: The Riesenstein Hoax and Other Mountain Dreams Amina Cain, A Horse at Night: On Writing Annie Ernaux, Happening Anna Badkhen, Bright Unbearable Reality Malcolm Gaskill, The Ruin of All Witches: Life and Death in the New World Michel Surya, Georges Bataille: An Intellectual Biography* * = reread

Words on Air: Anna Badkhen

Our sorry state of being stems from the notion that we, as masters of the universe, can extract what we want from nature, which, in turn, leads to the “rich” mastering the “poor.” We need fundamental transformation. Adamu Jenitongo said that we need to listen to one another. We need to engage in deep listening. We need to be more modest about our capabilities, and we have to be much more respectful of the environment. If we don’t make these changes, our future will be exponentially worse. Listening is not just hearing what other people say. It’s tuning in to the other person. Such listening is a multi-sensorial experience. It does take a little bit of practice. In the end, these simple interpersonal practices can immeasurably enrich your life-in-the-world.  In my experience, the results are transformative.

Paul Stoller in interview by Anna Badkhen at Nautilus. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

An anthropologist schooled in spiritual healing offers wisdom for troubled times.