Book Review-Jim Morrison, Secret Teacher of the Occult: A Journey to the Otherside by Paul Wyld
Book Review
Jim Morrison, Secret Teacher of the Occult: A Journey to the Otherside
By Paul Wyld
Publisher: Inner Traditions
256 page E-Book
Release Date: September 10th, 2024

Jim Morrison, Secret Teacher of the Occult: A Journey to the Otherside by Paul Wyld is a fascinating look into Jim Morrison’s life, and his exploration of the Occult and Hermetic mysteries, coinciding with his musical career and well-known use of psychedelics and other drugs. The book covers Morrison’s life from early childhood, his adolescent and college years, where he began experimenting with LSD, and his career with The Doors and the numerous debacles thrown his way by the Establishment through law enforcement agencies and the like. Did you know the FBI tried arresting him and putting him in prison?
I picked this book up because I am a huge fan of The Doors, having listened to their music since I was 13 years old. I found myself learning a lot about Jim Morrison and his spiritual practices, and found myself connecting lyrics of songs by The Doors with metaphysical and spiritual concepts. Overall, this is an interesting read, but I feel it’s missing something, what, I’m not quite sure; perhaps it’s because Morrison’s life was cut short, and thus we weren’t able to see the Magnum Opus as Crowley put it, of the late Morrison’s work as a spiritual “secret teacher” as Wyld puts it in his book.
I give Jim Morrison, Secret Teacher of the Occult: A Journey to the Otherside a 4 out of 5; perhaps because I didn’t grow up in an era that fully embraced The Doors, their music, psychedelic wisdom, and Morrison, made it hard for me to relate to certain topics. Spiritually, this is a tour-de-force of Hermetic and Occult philosophy and you may find yourself connecting the dots, so to speak, making some of the more obscure wisdom teachings more accessible through not only this book, but through Morrison’s works in theater, music and art.
Paul Wyld is a singer-songwriter, poet, artist, mystic and sage. He is also an author with a liberal arts degree in history. He lives in Santa Monica, California.
***
Author Bio:
The Modern Merlin has been a Polytheist and Animist Pagan, Witch, Sorcerer, Wizard, Druid, Mystic, Ceremonial Magician, Occultist, Shaman, Seer and Soothsayer for 15 years, worshipping and casting magick with deities and spirits from many cultures, including Ancient Greece, Rome, Norse & Germanic, Celtic, Egyptian, Sumerian, as well as many Faeries, Nymphs, Dryads, Ancestors and other nature and land spirits and spirits of place. He has experience in the Left and Right Hand Paths, working with both hands as needed. He currently practices Necromancy and Deathwalking, as well as Traditional Witchcraft, Druidry, Hellenism and Ceremonial Magick, incorporating all of them into a cohesive practice, with some shamanic touches. He studies and practices Astrology as well as Tarot and other forms of divination such as Runes, Palmistry and Ogham. He has a personal blog where he shares Astrological, Pagan, and other magickal wisdom for free! He gives readings and other spiritual services on his Facebook Page, The Modern Merlin, as well other free informational posts for everyone to see!
