A home for L.A.’s mystics: The Philosophical Research Society

There are two parking tons on the Philosophical Analysis Society in Los Feliz and on a latest Thursday night time, each of them had been full.

The month-to-month assembly of the Demise Cafe — an off-the-cuff gathering to debate all issues associated to demise and dying — had lately wrapped up within the society’s newly refurbished lecture room, and the 200-seat auditorium was almost full for a screening of the witchcraft/horror movie “Hagazussa: A Heathen’s Curse.” Throughout the courtyard, an viewers of fifty sat rapt within the society’s atmospheric library as six poets learn from latest work.

“I’ve dreamt of doing an occasion right here since I used to be 17 years previous,” stated poet Jessica Ceballos as she made her method to the lectern after being launched by the night time’s MC, Ross Farrar of the punk band Ceremony. Then she launched right into a poem about an octopus backyard off the coast of San Simeon.

Situated on the intersection of Los Feliz and Griffith Park boulevards, the Philosophical Analysis Society has lengthy been a spot of thriller, intrigue and for some, apprehension. The Mayan Revival campus painted in Southwestern shades of clay, cream and sage was in-built 1935 by the celebrated writer and esoteric lecturer Manly P. Corridor. After his demise in 1990, it morphed from a public area devoted to philosophical and religious inquiry to an accredited on-line college providing levels in transformation psychology and consciousness research. Now it’s reimagining itself as soon as once more, this time as a nonprofit cultural occasions and artwork area with an esoteric edge.

“There are such a lot of individuals who are available right here and say I’ve handed by it a thousand instances, however I by no means went in as a result of I assumed it was a personal college or some sort of loopy satanic cult,” stated Government Director Dennis Bartok, former head of programming for the American Cinematheque’s Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. “No! We’re a 501-C3 nonprofit, with a bookstore and a library and a fantastic occasions area.”

On a Saturday morning two days after the Demise Cafe, witch screening and poetry studying, a small group launched themselves round a heavy picket desk within the library earlier than a workshop on initiating a plant spirit oracle deck with the artist and healer Star Feliz. Within the courtyard, industrial actual property appraiser and board member Ann Burckle led eight curious souls on an architectural tour of the campus.

Earlier than the tour started, Burckle requested if there have been any questions. A younger lady in a purple jumpsuit raised her hand. “Are there any ghosts?” she stated eagerly.

Burckle didn’t flinch. “Not that I do know of,” she stated. “However I do really feel an vitality right here. And we do have the cranium of a mass assassin from Germany.”

The origins of the Philosophical Analysis Society date again to the primary half of the twentieth century, when L.A. was teeming with esoteric and various religious establishments. Some, just like the Self Realization Fellowship and the Krotona Institute of Theosophy are nonetheless round at this time. Most are lengthy gone. That the Philosophical Analysis Society was in a position to survive is a testomony to the charisma of its founder, the deep pockets of its supporters and the dedication of the many individuals — previous and current — who imagine in its mission.

Six-foot-four with piercing grey eyes, Corridor was staggeringly prolific, writing greater than 150 books and giving 1000’s of lectures over his lifetime. His magnum opus, “The Secret Teachings of All Ages,” is an encyclopedia of mystical philosophy that touches on Kabbalah, tarot, alchemy, mystic Christianity and Masonry amongst many different topics. Accomplished when Corridor was simply 27, it has bought over 1 million copies and was lately reprinted by the posh artwork ebook writer Taschen.

Corridor based the Philosophical Analysis Society in 1934 to advertise the examine of philosophy, comparative faith, mysticism and metaphysics in Los Angeles and past. The group bought the Los Feliz property in 1935 for simply $10 and shortly started development on the arched Mayan-inspired constructing in what was then a wild mustard area. The unique constructing included a entrance workplace, print store, bindery and library that housed 1000’s of books and manuscripts — some donated, some collected by Corridor on his travels throughout the globe. A second constructing with area for a classroom, workplaces and a library vault was added in 1950. The auditorium was added in 1959. An inscription on its cornerstone reads, “Devoted to the reality seekers of all time.”

Corridor was a universalist and inspired guests to make use of the campus’ sources to help them on the trail of their very own religious growth — no matter that seemed like.

“We really feel that there’s a urgent want for a nonaligned establishment, with out creed or dogma, the place individuals of all beliefs can search a greater understanding of life’s plan,” he wrote within the 1982 pamphlet “The Little World of PRS: A Discipline Tour of the Philosophical Analysis Society.” “We’re all right here to develop — to develop into higher and extra helpful.”

Thirty-three years after his demise beneath suspicious circumstances in 1990, Corridor’s affect can nonetheless be felt. His portrait, painted in oils by the celebrated artist E. Hodgson Good, dominates the doorway to the auditorium, his bust glares from a nook of the library and his many books and pamphlets can be found on the bookstore. The Philosophical Analysis Society has additionally reissued a deck of tarot playing cards created by Corridor and his frequent collaborator, artist and set painter John Augustus Knapp. A souvenir version of Corridor’s first ebook, “The Initiates of the Flame” can be out there by the top of the yr.

Even because the Philosophical Analysis Society broadens its programming to incorporate artwork home movie screenings and lectures on the neon indicators of Hollywood, its core mission to assist private religious growth stays, stated John Pillsbury, who has financially supported the nonprofit via his household’s basis for many years and is now president of the board.

“Manly as soon as stated there are as many religions as believers,” stated Pillsbury, who first met Corridor when he was 15 years previous. “We don’t care in case you’re Jewish, Buddhist, Taoist or no matter. We wish you to be the most effective no matter you might be, and no matter you might be evolving into. It’s your path, and if we can assist, that’s nice.”

On the similar time, he believes opening the campus to a wider vary of individuals — together with those that might not be looking for religious growth — is important to its long-term survival.

“We now have previous plumbing that wants work, previous wiring that wants work — none of which sounds notably esoteric or thrilling,” he stated. “Broadening our base has been helpful.”

Bartok, who grew to become government director final Might, stated the expanded programming has drawn extra folks in.

“Each present now we ask how many individuals within the viewers have by no means been right here and invariably between a 3rd and a half increase their hand,” he stated.

On a heat Friday night in August, the courtyard was full forward of a sold-out magic present starring Rob Zabrecky with interludes by subversive performer Billy the Mime. There have been a number of Magic Fort members sipping wine earlier than the present started. There have been a good variety of clowns (with out their make-up) as effectively.

Deidre Scott, who had heard in regards to the efficiency via associates within the clowning group, took a seat within the previous auditorium that appears like a highschool theater circa 1968 aside from the big work impressed by tarot playing cards lining the partitions. It was her first time on the Philosophical Analysis Society and he or she was curious to study extra.

“I used to be on their web site at this time all their courses and I used to be like, ‘What is that this? Do I need to work there? Do I need to stay there? What’s it?’” she stated.

Lots of the individuals who work on the Philosophical Analysis Society, and who’re accountable for its present renaissance, stumbled upon it years in the past, fell in love, and by no means left.

Kelly Carmena, deputy government director and head librarian, first got here in 2014 to analysis the symbolism of the spiral for an artist buddy. She began volunteering within the library nearly instantly and shortly labored there half time. As her tasks on the Philosophical Analysis Society grew over time, she grew to become instrumental in bringing extra folks — particularly artists — into its orbit.

“I feel there has at all times been a relationship between arts and esotericism,” she stated. “What I hear now from lots of people is that they’ll’t specific this aspect of themselves at different establishments and organizations.”

Welcoming a wider pool of individuals to the campus can also be essential to advertising and marketing supervisor Elizabeth T. Vazquez. The 32-year-old began attending lectures on the nonprofit in 2016 and have become an artist-in-residence in 2021 — making a solo artwork present and a month-to-month studying and dialogue group that included books on post-colonial astrology and an anthology of Indigenous science fiction. They began working for the nonprofit final September.

“It was crucial to me to convey extra variety and extra queer folks right here,” Vazquez stated. “And I feel that has been a part of what we’ve been seeing too — a lot, way more diversifying than the primary few years I used to be coming right here.”

Past the establishment’s paid staff, there’s additionally a group of followers and supporters who’re serving to broaden its attain. Author-in-residence Mandy Kahn hosts a month-to-month poetry night time within the library and teaches a free weekly class on constructing inside and world peace. Floating, an L.A.-based collective that presents “sonic gatherings” is a frequent collaborator and held month-to-month concert events within the courtyard all through the summer season. Jessica Hundley, a daily on the library since 1998 and writer and editor of Taschen’s Library of Esoterica collection, has been internet hosting occasions with artists, musicians and writers on the campus for the previous three years.

“We stay in a tremendous metropolis, however there’s not plenty of enduring historic locations which have been right here for that lengthy,” Hundley stated. “That is considered one of them.”

Everybody who loves the Philosophical Analysis Society agrees that it’s nonetheless determining how one can develop into a contemporary cultural area whereas remaining related to its unusual and mystical historical past. However Pillsbury believes its present iteration is nearer to Corridor’s authentic imaginative and prescient then it has been in a very long time.

“We’re transferring in a brand new course that hearkens again to our roots and can make us viable for a very long time,” he stated. “I’d prefer to suppose when it comes to centuries, as a result of the concepts are everlasting.”