MICHAEL HOWARD publisher of The Cauldron magazine and author of over forty books on magic and witchcraft, was a member of several lodges, covens and magical guilds. He was an authority on many aspects of esoteric history and practice in the western mystery tradition and his magical expertise drew upon many diverse strands, including freemasonry, ceremonial magic, esoteric Christianity, post-modern and traditional witchcraft and the folklore of his native British Isles. In particular, his understanding of Luciferian gnosis and magic was an instrumental force in shaping present-day cunning-craft. In the last quarter of his life, he devoted the entirety of his magical work to traditional witchcraft, within the magical order of the Cultus Sabbati.

 

Born in London in 1948, as a young man Mike became a student of Madeleine Montalban within the ‘Order of the Morning Star’ and she became his first spiritual teacher. He spent the next two years studying under her tutelage, and later in the 1960s and 70s Mike’s contacts expanded to include many well-known individuals at the cutting edge of magical practice of the time. People such as Ronald White, George Winter, Norman Gills, Doreen Valiente, Alex Saunders, Christine Hartley and Ernest Butler.

 

Mike’s early writing career spanned the folklore, history, mythology and ancient religious beliefs of Britain and Europe but it was in 1976 when Mike moved to Wales, with his partner Rosina Bishop, that he started a magazine called The Cauldron. It gained enormous popularity and within a few years the magazine had subscribers from all over the world. The Cauldron magazine continued to be published quarterly for the next thirty-nine years.

It was one of the most well-respected periodicals within its specialised field of enquiry. The last edition was published in Spring 2015, shortly before Mike’s death.

 

During his later life Mike Howard researched and wrote some of his most acclaimed books, including the influential Pillars of Tubal Cain, The Book of Fallen Angels, Modern Wicca and Children of Cain. In The Cauldron magazine he began to publish and promote works by traditional witches such as Robert Cochrane, Evan John Jones, Ronald White, E.W. Liddell, Alistair Clay-Egerton and Andrew Chumbley. Thus giving a platform to this specific kind of magical practice which would enable others to explore its ethos.

 

Over many years Mike corresponded with and met many well known practitioners within post modern witchcraft and occultism, giving him a unique archive of material to which he could refer for his research. This archive is now the property of his estate. Mike was a seeker after spiritual truth and this was as apparent in his opinions as much as in his historical work in the area of post modern witchcraft. Sometimes however his research and writing did not always make him popular within some areas of the neo-pagan community, but his books received favourable reviews, many from well-respected academics at the top of their field. Michael Howard loved the seeking of knowledge and his aim as editor of The Cauldron, through his writing and magical work was to disseminate the nature and magic of this quest to other seekers on the path. For him, life was a quest for the Enlightenment which lies within the essence of all creation. He died in September 2015.