What are the Larvae? A History of the Occult Larva

In this episode, we dive deep into the fascinating origins and esoteric significance of the term larva. We begin by exploring its classical Latin meaning as a ghostly apparition or malevolent spirit, drawing from ancient Roman religious traditions. Discover how larvae were seen as dangerous spirits that disturbed the living, and how these concepts evolved over time. As we trace the term through history, you'll see how larva came to represent not just ghosts, but also astral parasites in modern occultism, feeding off negative emotions and unresolved psychic energy. Learn how figures like Blavatsky, Crowley, and Bardon interpreted larvae as psychic parasites, and how the term has even found its way into modern biological terminology. We'll also discuss the festival of Lemuria in Roman culture, where rituals were performed to exorcise these malevolent spirits, and the symbolic significance of masks in esoteric traditions. CONNECT & SUPPORT💖 MY COURSES 👩🏻‍🎓 https://drangelapuca.com/courses WEBSITE & NEWSLETTER 💌 https://www.drangelapuca.com/#newsletter BOOK A TUTORING OR A LECTURE 📖https://drangelapuca.com/services BECOME MY PATRON! 🎩 https://www.patreon.com/angelapuca SUPPORT ME ON KO-FI ☕️https://ko-fi.com/drangelapuca ONE-OFF DONATIONS 💰 https://paypal.me/angelasymposium JOIN MEMBERSHIPS 👥 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPSbip_LX2AxbGeAQfLp-Ig/join MY PODCAST 🎙 https://open.spotify.com/show/2TKoWTGe6OKRokHN2zUIxM?si=dd9f50a734b14f86 MY MERCH 👕 https://drangelapuca.creator-spring.com/ FOLLOW ME👣 - YouTube (@drangelapuca)🌟 - Instagram (@drangelapuca) 📸 - TikTok (@drangelapuca) 🎵 - Twitter (@angelapuca11) 🐦 - Facebook (Dr Angela Puca) 👥 REFERENCES 📚 (more on screen) MacCulloch, J.A. (1930) 'Larvae', in Hastings, J. (ed.) Encyclopaedia of religion and ethics. Vol. 8. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, pp. 765-766. Greenfield, R.P.H. (1988) Traditions of belief in late Byzantine demonology. Amsterdam: Adolf M. Hakkert. Russell, J.B. (1977) The devil: Perceptions of evil from antiquity to primitive Christianity. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. Flint, V. (1991) The rise of magic in early medieval Europe. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Tertullian (ca. 210 CE) De anima. Translated by P. Holmes, 1870, in Ante-Nicene Christian library: Translations of the writings of the Fathers down to A.D. 325. Vol. 15. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark. Dodds, E.R. (1947) 'Theurgy and its relationship to Neoplatonism', The Journal of Roman Studies, 37, pp. 55-69. Garland, R. (2001) The Greek way of death. 2nd edn. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. Scullard, H.H. (1981) Festivals and ceremonies of the Roman Republic. London: Thames and Hudson. MY SET-UP 🛠️ - Canon 90D camera 📸 https://amzn.to/3yQclh0 - Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 📷 https://amzn.to/3JjU1BS - Teleprompter 🗒️ https://amzn.to/3linWCB - Shure SM7B Microphone 🎙️ https://amzn.to/3Jm5IYK - Microphone stand 🎤 https://amzn.to/3FueJOn - Lights 💡 https://amzn.to/3Zdk8k1 - DJI Wireless microphones 📡 https://amzn.to/3NWAVVQ 00:00 Introduction: Astral Larvae 01:01 The Topic of Lavae came from a Patron 01:47 Support Angela’s Symposium 02:47 Etymology of Larva – Larvae 04:10 The Significance of Larva Meaning Mask 05:35 The Modern Use of Larva in Biology 07:10 The Concept of Larvae Over Time 08:18 Classical Conceptions of Larvae 09:34 The Roman Festival of Lemuria 10:10 Apuleius: The Metamorphoses, or The Golden Ass 11:21 Larvae in Christian Theology 12:51 Larvae in Early Esoteric Thought 13:11 Larvae in Gnosticism 13:56 Early Christian Demonology and the idea of the Larva 14:45 The Larvae in Neoplatonism 16:21 Renaissance and Early Modern Esoteric Interpretations of Larvae 16:51 Marsilio Ficino’s View of Astral Influences 17:29 Paracelsus and Ideas of Spiritual Entities 16:21 Esoteric Revival and Thought-Forms 22:01 Theosophy and Helena Blavatsky’s Concept of Larvae 22:56 The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn 23:38 Aleister Crowley and Thelema and Psychological Aspects of Larvae 24:26 Spiritualism and Spirit Possession 26:08 Franz Bardon and Working with Larvae 28:16 Israel Regardie and Psychic Hygiene 29:49 Dion Fortune and Psychic Self-Defense 32:19 Modern Esoteric Practices and Chaos Magic and Psychic Parasites 35:52 Larvae in the Digital Age 37:47 Support Angela’s Symposium ⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️ Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!