Blindfold on a Tightrope

About the Book

What makes a Man?

Perhaps the question ought to be: How is a Man made?

--Let’s try again.  By what process is the boy, the young male human, transformed into that kind of adult human male whom  societies recognize as a Man?  If it were merely a process of physical maturation, then the Twentieth Century would not have spent nearly a quarter its literary substance on exploring the question.  There would be no massive accumulation of psychological difficulties associated with insecurity about the matter.

Ramfis S. Firethorn asserts, in Blindfold on a Tightrope, that Manhood is a real psychological state, attained through ritual Mysteries which a healthy society provides to its young males; and that the absence of these Mysteries in post-industrial times has been psychologically debilitating to the individual  (both male and female) and culturally devastating to society.

No one can teach you the Mysteries; but in this book (which is part anthropological exploration, part poetic evocation) Firethorn points out some guideposts along the way.  From the hunt to the dance, from ancient myths to modern misconceptions, exploring Manhood and Godhead, the author offers exercises that may help you identify the Gateway.  Not for the faint-hearted nor prudish: this is a journey for those who want a spiritual challenge!

When first published in 1993 the book was well-received by men and women alike: but there were those who did not like it, and perhaps the best review, the most important, came from a Southern California High Priestess who stormed into the publisher’s office, slammed her first down on the desk, and proclaimed: “Men must not be allowed to think these thoughts!”

It can be transformative: it can also be dangerous.

About the Author

Ramfis S. Firethorn began work on Men’s Mysteries at the Center for Non-Traditonal Religion in 1972, where he was already involved in the study of Primitive Christianity and the Neo-Pagan Revival as well as Ceremonial Magic and Jungian Ritual Theory. He makes his primary living as a writer, and under divers names is the author of four novels and more than sixty short stories.