Hermitix Austin Osman Spare: Zos, Kia, Sigils, & Satyr
May 8, 2026
A lively dive into Austin Osman Spare’s life, art, and occult ideas. They explore Spare’s concepts of Zos and Kia and his somatic practices like the death posture. The discussion covers his signature sigil technique and why forgetting desire matters. They also trace Spare’s influence on modern magic, his struggles in London, and the role of Kenneth Grant in preserving his legacy.
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Mrs Patterson Figures In Spare's Origin Stories
- A recurring figure in Spare's stories is an old woman called Mrs. Patterson who might have initiated him into folk magic.
- Hermitix notes Baker is skeptical while Kenneth Grant accepted and expanded the tale into Spare's folk-sabbatic origin.
Spare Rejected Ceremonial Pomp For Somatic Magic
- Spare rejected Crowley's ceremonialism as middle-class pomp and preferred somatic, body-centered magic.
- Hermitix contrasts Crowley's temple ritual approach with Spare's emphasis on the body (Zos) as the true locus of magic.
Zos And Kia Are The Core Of Spare's Metaphysics
- Zos is Spare's term for the body-as-whole and Kia names the prior, undivided awareness; their relation is central to his metaphysics.
- Hermitix explains Kia is the originary I and the neither-neither dissolves dualities so Kia can express through Zos.
