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Pagan Pioneers:  Founders, Elders, Leaders and Others

Donald Michael Kraig 

 

Written and compiled by George Knowles 

Donald Michael Kraig was a prominent American author, ceremonial magician, Tantric practitioner, hypnotherapist, musician and a sought after speaker at many major events all over the USA and Europe.  He was the author of numerous books on magick and esoteric subjects including his best selling book:  Modern Magick:  Twelve Lessons in the High Magickal Arts (1988).  In his later life he was an acquisitions editor for his main publisher Llewellyn Publications Worldwide, the editor-in-chief of Llewellyn's New Times magazine and editor of their popular esoteric magazine “Fate”.

Kraig was born in Chicago, Illinois on the 28th March 1951, but little is known about his early life or family connections.  At sometime during his youth the family relocated to Los Angeles where for his early education he attended the Venice Public High School.   After graduating from high school he studied at the University of California in Los Angeles from 1969-1974 earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy.  He later received a fellowship grant to study 3D graphics, computer animation and web design at the University of Southern California (Santa Monica College) in San Diego, and from them earned a teaching certificate in multimedia studies teaching computer skills.  He also studied public speaking and music (traditional and experimental) at a university level. 

While working his way through university/college, Kraig had to support himself with various mundane jobs; he worked in telephone marketing, managed a courier service for a major bank, managed costume shops, and worked ‘sleight-of-hand magic’ in stores and occult shops.  He once worked at a used bookstore for a month, but ended up owing them more money than he earned.  During the mid 1970’s after moving to San Diego, Kraig spent the following six years sharing a 2-bedroom apartment with fellow student Scott Cunningham.  Cunningham had enrolled at San Diego University in 1974 to study Creative Writing, and while both where studying different educational subjects, each shared and pursued a mutual interests in esoteric subjects.

Cunningham’s main interest was in the newly emerging Wicca/Witchcraft movement and it’s associated subjects such as the magical Herbalism, Rocks, Stones, Crystals and Gems, etc, while Kraig’s main interested was more in high-end occult magick, and pursued such topics as the Kabbalah, Tarot, Magic, Tantra, and Psychic Development.  During one interview Kraig related:  Although I had read about Paganism, I really hadn’t practiced much of it.  By this time I was sharing a two-bedroom apartment with Scott Cunningham.  Although I trained a little with him (and he later initiated me into a branch of American Traditionalist Witchcraft), I learned far more by talking and discussing things with him.  My first formal teacher in Paganism was Raven Grimassi and I took initiation into his Aridian Witchcraft.  I learned a great deal from him and we remained friend’s decades later.”

      

Scott Cunningham  -  Raven Grimassi 

After a decade of personal occult study and practice, Kraig began teaching courses in the Southern California area on various topics such as Kabbalah, Tarot and Magic.   He has been a member of many spiritual and magical groups and as an initiated Tantric ran a lodge of AMOOKOS, an east-west tantric occult group.  He was also a member of Hollywood's magician club The Magic Castle.  Publicly, he made appearances as a popular guest speaker on Coast-to-Coast AM with George Noory, Personal Life Media, The Deviant Minds Salon, Pagans Tonight! on BlogTalk Radio, Right Where You Are Sitting Now, and Occultists Radio. 

As a musician he has performed in concert choirs, groups and in bands that have opened for groups ranging from Elton John to Great White.  At the same time he received training and is a certified clinical Hypnotherapist by the American Board of Hypnotherapy (ABH), the National Guild of Hypnotists (NGH), and the Association for Integrative Psychology (AIP).  He was also certified as a master practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming by the AIP.  

 

Donald Michael Kraig with wife Holly Allender Kraig 

Kraig was married to Holly Allender Kraig from Chicago, Illinois., and lived together in Los Angeles, California.  In her own right Holly is a yoga instructor, certified massage therapist, certified NLP Practitioner, psychic and Reiki Practitioner.  She has taught Hatha Yoga across the country for 10 years to students of all levels, abilities and walks of life.  Her unique approach to yoga, called Reflexive Yoga, shows people how to remove obstacles in their life so they can connect to their true selves and achieve their dreams.  As a psychic, Holly is an empath, a medium and clairvoyant.  She can feel what you’re going through, see the blockages that stop you from moving forward and tell you what’s ahead.  She works with spirits and guides as well as Tarot and a crystal ball (with its own spirit!). 

 

Sadly Donald Michael Kraig was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in late 2013 from which he finally passed away taking his last breaths on the night of the 17th March 2014 at the age of 63.

End.

Bibliography:

Modern Magick: Eleven Lessons in the High Magickal Arts (1988 - Llewellyn Publications, 2nd edition published in 2002, republished in 2010 and re-subtitled: 12 Lessons in the High Magickal Arts)

Magical Diary (1990 - Llewellyn Publications)

The Truth about Evocation of Spirits (1994 - Llewellyn Publications)

Modern Sex Magick: Secrets of Erotic Spirituality (1998 - Llewellyn Publications)

The Truth about Psychic Powers (1999 - Llewellyn Publications)

Tarot and Magic (2002 - Llewellyn Publications)

Graeco-Egyptian Magick by Tony Mierzwicki (2006 - preface by Donald Michael Kraig - Megalithica Books)

The Encyclopedia of Magic and Alchemy by Rosemary Ellen Guiley (2006 - forward by Donald Michael Kraig - Checkmark Books)

The Resurrection Murders (2009 - Galde Press)

Modern Tantra (2015 - Llewellyn Publications) 

Sources: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Michael_Kraig

http://www.llewellyn.com/encyclopedia/index.php

Plus so many more

Let those remembered never be forgotten for we shall not see their like again. 

First published on the 17th March 2020 © George Knowles 

 

Best wishes and Blessed Be 

 

Site Contents - Links to all Pages

 

Home Page

 

A Universal Message:

 

Let there be peace in the world  -   Where have all the flowers gone?

 

About me:

My Personal PageMy Place in England / My Family Tree (Ancestry)

 

Wicca & Witchcraft

 

Wicca/Witchcraft /  What is Wicca What is Magick

 

Traditional Writings:

 

The Wiccan Rede Charge of the Goddess Charge of the God  /  The Three-Fold Law (includes The Law of Power and The Four Powers of the Magus) /  The Witches Chant The Witches Creed Descent of the Goddess Drawing Down the Moon The Great Rite Invocation Invocation of the Horned GodThe 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief /  The Witches Rede of Chivalry A Pledge to Pagan Spirituality

 

Correspondence Tables:

 

IncenseCandlesColours Magickal Days Stones and Gems Elements and Elementals

 

Traditions:

 

Traditions Part 1  -  Alexandrian Wicca /  Aquarian Tabernacle Church (ATC) /  Ár Ndraíocht Féin (ADF) /  Blue Star Wicca /  British Traditional (Druidic Witchcraft) /  Celtic Wicca /  Ceremonial Magic /  Chaos Magic /  Church and School of Wicca /  Circle Sanctuary /  Covenant of the Goddess (COG) /  Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS) /  Cyber Wicca /  Dianic Wicca /  Eclectic Wicca /  Feri Wicca /

 

Traditions Part 2 Gardnerian Wicca /  Georgian Tradition /  Henge of Keltria /  Hereditary Witchcraft /  Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (H.O.G.D.) /  Kitchen Witch (Hedge Witch) /  Minoan Brotherhood and Minoan Sisterhood Tradition /  Nordic Paganism /  Pagan Federation /  Pectic-Wita /  Seax-Wica /  Shamanism /  Solitary /  Strega /  Sylvan Tradition /  Vodoun or Voodoo /  Witches League of Public Awareness (WLPA) /

 

Other things of interest:

 

Gods and Goddesses (Greek Mythology) /  Esbats & Full Moons Links to Personal Friends & Resources Wicca/Witchcraft Resources What's a spell? Circle Casting and Sacred Space  Pentagram - Pentacle Marks of a Witch The Witches Power The Witches Hat An esoteric guide to visiting London SatanismPow-wowThe Unitarian Universalist Association /  Numerology:  Part 1  Part 2  /  Part 3A history of the Malleus Maleficarum:  includes:  Pope Innocent VIII  /  The papal Bull  /   The Malleus Maleficarum  /  An extract from the Malleus Maleficarum  /  The letter of approbation  /  Johann Nider’s Formicarius  /  Jacob Sprenger  /  Heinrich Kramer  /  Stefano Infessura  /  Montague Summers  /  The Waldenses  /  The Albigenses  /  The Hussites /  The Native American Sun DanceShielding (Occult and Psychic Protection)  The History of ThanksgivingAuras  - Part 1 and Part 2 Doreen Valiente Witch” (A Book Review) /   

 

Sabbats and Festivals:

 

The Sabbats in History and Mythology /  Samhain (October 31st)  /  Yule (December 21st)  /  Imbolc (February 2nd)  /  Ostara (March 21st)  /  Beltane (April 30th)  /  Litha (June 21st)  /  Lammas/Lughnasadh (August 1st)  /  Mabon (September 21st)

 

Rituals contributed by Crone:

 

Samhain / Yule Imbolc Ostara /  Beltane Litha Lammas Mabon

 

Tools:

 

Tools of a Witch  /  The Besom (Broom) /  Poppets and DollsPendulums / Cauldron Magick Mirror Gazing

 

Animals:

 

Animals in Witchcraft (The Witches Familiar and Totem Animals) /  AntelopeBatsCrow Fox Frog and Toads Goat / HoneybeeKangarooLion OwlPhoenix Rabbits and HaresRaven Robin RedbreastSheep Spider SquirrelSwansUnicornWild Boar Wolf /  Serpent /  Pig /  Stag /  Horse /  Mouse /  Cat /  Rats /  Unicorn

 

Trees:

 

In Worship of Trees - Myths, Lore and the Celtic Tree Calendar.  For descriptions and correspondences of the thirteen sacred trees of Wicca/Witchcraft see the following:  Birch /  Rowan / Ash /  Alder /  Willow Hawthorn /  Oak /  Holly /  Hazel /  Vine /  Ivy /  Reed /  Elder

 

Sacred Sites:

 

Mystical Sacred Sites  -  Stonehenge /  Glastonbury Tor /  Malta - The Hypogeum of Hal Saflieni /  Avebury /  Cerne Abbas - The Chalk Giant /  Ireland - Newgrange /

 

Rocks and Stones:

 

Stones - History, Myths and Lore

 

Articles contributed by Patricia Jean Martin:

 

Apophyllite  / Amber Amethyst Aquamarine Aragonite Aventurine Black Tourmaline Bloodstone Calcite Carnelian Celestite Citrine Chrysanthemum StoneDiamond  /  Emerald / Fluorite Garnet /  Hematite Herkimer Diamond Labradorite Lapis Lazuli Malachite Moonstone Obsidian Opal Pyrite Quartz (Rock Crystal) Rose Quartz Ruby Selenite Seraphinite  /  Silver and GoldSmoky QuartzSodalite Sunstone ThundereggTree AgateZebra Marble

 

Wisdom and Inspiration:

 

Knowledge vs Wisdom by Ardriana Cahill I Talk to the TreesAwakening The Witch in YouA Tale of the Woods I have a Dream by Martin Luther King /

 

Articles and Stories about Witchcraft:

 

Murdered by Witchcraft The Fairy Witch of Clonmel A Battleship, U-boat, and a Witch The Troll-Tear (A story for Children) /  Goody Hawkins - The Wise Goodwife /  The Story of Jack-O-Lantern The Murder of the Hammersmith Ghost Josephine Gray (The Infamous Black Widow) /  The Two Brothers - Light and Dark

 

Old Masters of Academia:

 

Pliny the ElderHesiodPythagoras

 

 

Biographies

 

A "Who's Who" of Witches, Pagans and other associated People

(Ancient, Past and Present)

 

Remembered at Samhain

(Departed Pagan Pioneers, Founders, Elders and Others)

 

Pagan Pioneers:  Founders, Elders, Leaders and Others

 

Abramelin the Mage /  Agrippa Aidan A KellyAlbertus Magnus - “Albert the Great” Aleister Crowley - “The Great Beast” /  Alex Sanders - “King of the Witches” /  Alison Harlow /   Allan Bennett - the Ven. Ananda MetteyyaAllan Kardec (Spiritism) /  Alphonsus de SpinaAmber KAnn Moura /  Anna FranklinAnodea JudithAnton Szandor LaVey /  Arnold CrowtherArthur Edward Waite /  Austin Osman SpareBalthasar Bekker /  Biddy EarlyBarbara Vickers /  Bridget Cleary - The Fairy Witch of Clonmel /  Carl " Llewellyn" Weschcke Cecil Hugh WilliamsonCharles Godfrey Leland /   Charles WaltonChristopher PenczakChristina Oakley Harrington Cornelius Loos /  Damh the Bard - "Dave Smith" /  Dion Fortune /  Dolores Aschroft-NowickiDonald Michael Kraig Doreen ValienteDorothy MorrisonDr. John Dee & Edward Kelly /  Dr. Leo Louis Martello /  Edain McCoy /  Edward FitchEleanor Ray Bone - “Matriarch of British Witchcraft” Eliphas Levi /  Ernest Thompson Seton /  Ernest Westlake /  Fiona Horne /   Frederick McLaren Adams - Feraferia Friedrich von Spee /  Francis Barrett /  Gavin and Yvonne Frost and the School and Church of Wicca /  Gerald B. Gardner - The father of contemporary Witchcraft /  Gwydion Pendderwen Hans HolzerHelen Duncan /   Herman Slater - Horrible Herman /  Heinrich KramerIsaac Bonewits Israel RegardieIvo Domínguez Jr. /  Jack Whiteside Parsons - Rocket Science and Magick /  James "Cunning" Murrell - The Master of Witches /  Janet Farrar and Gavin BoneJean Bodin Jessie Wicker Bell - “Lady Sheba” / Johann Weyer  / Johannes Junius - "The Burgomaster of Bamberg" /   Johann Georg Fuchs von Dornheim  -  the “Hexenbrenner” (witch burner) /  John Belham-Payne John George Hohman - "Pow-wow" /  John Gerard /  John Gordon Hargrave and the Kibbo Kith Kindred /  John Michael Greer /  John Score /  Joseph “Bearwalker” Wilson /  Joseph John Campbell /  Karl von Eckartshausen Lady Gwen Thompson - and "The Rede of the Wiccae" /   Laurie Cabot  - "the Official Witch of Salem" /  Lewis SpenceLodovico Maria Sinistrari Ludwig LavaterMadeline Montalban and the Order of the Morning Star /  Margaret Alice MurrayMargot AdlerMichael Howard and the UK "Cauldron Magazine" /  Margaret St. Clair - the “Sign of the Labrys” /  Marie Laveau - " the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans" /  Marion WeinsteinMartin Antoine Del Rio Matthew Hopkins - “The Witch-Finder General” /   Max Ehrmann and the "Desiderata" /  Michael A. Aquino - and The Temple of Set /  Monique WilsonMontague Summers /  Nicholas CulpeperNicholas RemyM. R. SellarsMrs. Maud Grieve - "A Modern Herbal" /  Oberon Zell-Ravenheart and Morning GloryOld Dorothy Clutterbuck /  Old George PickingillOlivia Durdin-Robertson - co-founder of the Fellowship of Isis /  Paddy SladePamela Colman-SmithParacelsus /  Patricia CrowtherPatricia Monaghan /  Patricia “Trish” TelescoPaul Foster Case and the “Builders of the Adytum” mystery school /  Peter Binsfeld /  Philip HeseltonRaven GrimassiRaymond Buckland /  Reginald Scot /  Richard BaxterRobert CochraneRobert ‘von Ranke’ Graves and the "The White Goddess" /  Rosaleen Norton - “The Witch of Kings Cross” /  Rossell Hope Robbins /   Ross Nichols and the " Order of Bards, Ovates & Druids" (OBOD) /  Rudolf SteinerSabrina Underwood - "The Ink Witch" /  Scott CunninghamSelena Fox - founder of "Circle Sanctuary" /  Silver RavenwolfSir Francis Dashwood /  Sir James George Frazer and the " The Golden Bough"S.L. MacGregor Mathers and the “Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn” /  Starhawk /  Stewart Farrar /  Sybil LeekTed Andrews The Mather Family - (includes:  Richard Mather, Increase Mather and Cotton Mather ) /   Thomas AdyT. Thorn CoyleVera ChapmanVictor & Cora Anderson and the " Feri Tradition" /  Vivianne CrowleyWalter Brown GibsonWalter Ernest ButlerWilliam Butler YeatsZsuzsanna Budapest /  

 

 

Many of the above biographies are briefs and far from complete.  If you know about any of these individuals and can help with additional information, please contact me privately at my email address below.  Many thanks for reading  :-)

 

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