Monte Plaisance

Monte Plaisance (Born 30 November 1971), is an American writer on the topics of Witchcraft, Magick and the Occult. He is also a significant, though little known, figure in the history of the modern pagan movement. He is an initiate in several traditions of Wicca, including Alexandrian, Celtic and Strega. He also holds the title of Adeptus Minor in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. He is currently a practicing Hellenist and is one of the world's foremost authorities on the occult - particularly in regards to the practices of ancient Graeco-Egyptian Magic and Mysticism.

Early life
Plaisance grew up in the small town of Raceland, Louisiana. He led an adventurous childhood, spending much of his time exploring woods and swamps with his friends. According to Mr. Plaisance, his first encounter with the supernatural occurred when he was around the age of 5 or 6 years old, when he was visited repeatedly by the spirit of a drowned child. These lost souls are known in Cajun folklore as the Lutin [loo-tan] and can be mischievous and sometimes deadly.

Near-death Experience
The road to his studies in the occult began when Mr. Plaisance was thirteen years old. A childhood accident resulted in a near-death experience in which he experienced the phenomenon of astral projection. Mr. Plaisance, in his own words, described that he felt himself outside of his body, watching the accident happen as though he were a witness. He then found himself in a field of yellow daffodils before being brought back to his body. The accident, which was a severe head injury, resulted in him suffering from temporal lobe seizures from that day on.

Wicca and the Golden Dawn
Not long after graduating from High School, Mr. Plaisance sold the entirety of his possessions and moved to Sedona, Arizona to study both Wicca and the Golden Dawn. He was initiated into an Alexandrian Coven as well as entering in to a small functioning Golden Dawn lodge near Camp Verde, Arizona. This is where much of his practical knowledge of magic and witchcraft was learned and put into use.

Church of Thessaly
After receiving his third degree initiation from the Alexandrian tradition, he focused much of his studies into the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, experimenting heavily with the practice of the Enochian system of magick as taught by the order. When learning that he would not be allowed past the level of adeptus minor until he had reached the age of 25, Plaisance decided to return to his home state of Louisiana. It was not long after his return that he founded a small occult study-group and began initiating individuals into the religion of Wicca. With more and more students coming to his door, Mr. Plaisance decided that the group needed to become more official. During a meditation one day he heard the name Aristaeus come into his head. Upon researching the name, he found that it was the name of a pan-like Greek deity who was the patron god of beekeepers that was worshiped primarily in the region of Greece known as Thessaly, which is also where Mount Olympus stood. Thessaly was also renowned throughout history as the birthplace of magic and witchcraft in the ancient world. That is where Church of Thessaly was born. In April 1994, the Church of Thessaly received its state charter to function as a legally recognized religious order in the state of Louisiana. The group functioned well and became one of the largest functioning covens in the South Louisiana area. When Mr. Plaisance divorced in 2001, the group disbanded and after some considerable conflict, the state charter remained active and in the hands of Mr. Plaisance.

Fighting for Pagans
Monte Plaisance was honored in 1998 by the American Civil Liberties Union for his efforts in defending the civil liberties of pagans to perform divination. When a police officer entered Mr. Plaisance's occult store and threatened him with jail and fines if he did not desist his tarot readings, Mr. Plaisance contacted the local ACLU affiliate, Joe Cook, and together they filed a lawsuit against the parish of Terrebonne. The lawsuit requested that an old ordinance, which made all acts of fortune telling illegal under the pretense of fraud, be stricken from the books. The lawsuit grabbed national attention and Mr. Plaisance appeared on news channels and papers around the country. The lawsuit ended in a victory and the ordinance was removed.

The Buckland Museum
In the year 1999, Mr. Plaisance sponsored a lecture for Raymond Buckland at his occult store in Houma, Louisiana. During the course of the lecture, Mr. Buckland spoke of his Witchcraft Museum and a desire to sell it and have it open in New Orleans, Louisiana. By the end of that year, Mr. Plaisance had secured partial funding and with the help of a good friend (now his fiancee) Gypsy also secured a building at 523 Dumaine Street in New Orleans, Louisiana. Much time and effort was put into the exhibits, but with the events of 9/11, tourism in the city fell to such a low standard that the business was no longer financially viable. The museum went back into storage until it was given back to Raymond Buckland several years later.

Hellenism and Ancient Magic
During a particularly hard time in his life, Mr. Plaisance turned to the study of ancient mysticism. Making an extensive study of the Greek Magical Papyri and similar ancient magical texts, combining and analyzing them according to his already extensive knowledge of the occult, he was able to re-construct a working system of ancient magic and mystical practices based on the religion of ancient Greece. To put his discovery to the test, Mr. Plaisance subjected himself to a rigorous initiation process which lasted for two years. During that time he lived a monastic life - devoid of the luxury of electricity, television or even the company of others. His days were spent in fasting, prayer, meditation, chanting and memorization of ancient magical formulas designed to purify and lift his soul to the highest possible state. According to Mr. Plaisance, the experiment was a success and he received divine insight and the ability to perform theurgic feats such as the animation of statues, soul purification, oracular divination and other mystical feats.

Current Life
Mr. Plaisance currently remains in Louisiana, where he and his fiancee, Gypsy, have continued their work in the practice of ancient Greek religion and mysticism. Together they teach students and run their own occult shop, selling unique and rare items to occultists from around the world. They are particularly famous for their magic oils, which are believed by some to be the best on the market today.