Baal here,

I've been eager to talk about something that really "grinds my gears," and that is the fact we have edge lords and gatekeepers in our community.

Have you ever encountered those 'edge lords' or 'gatekeepers' in our circles? They often seem more focused on getting people to look up to them instead of helping them grow. I think, personally, is that you can take what clicks with you from their teachings and then just let them be. They aren't always a good representation of their work.

I first encountered gatekeeping and inauthentic authors in 2001, not in the occult specifically, but in a sister genre. I was working in a bookstore during an "interesting" time in my life. The bookstore was and still is a popular spot for famous authors. The day before the 9/11 attacks, one author I looked up to gave a talk there. The next day, as the Twin Towers were collapsing, he oddly claimed his book could help people cope with this tragedy. It was such an off-putting moment,...