Jack Preston King
@jackprestonking.bsky.social
Author of In Defense of Magical Thinking: Essays in Defiance of Conformity to Reason and other books for rebels against the spiritual, creative, and cultural status quo. Writes unruly poems, short stories, and novels, too. jackprestonking.com
Pinned
Jack Preston King
Jack Preston King - author, poet, philosopher
jackprestonking.com
For anyone interested, my author website currently has over 200 essays, short stories, flash fiction, poems, a novel, bunches of book reviews and more, all free to read. No subscription needed! Just a good old fashioned author website full of cool things. Come see what I'm about! jackprestonking.com
Reposted by Jack Preston King
"There is no coming to consciousness without pain. People will do anything, no matter how absurd, in order to avoid facing their own soul. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious." ~ C.G. Jung
November 27, 2025 at 2:08 PM
"There is no coming to consciousness without pain. People will do anything, no matter how absurd, in order to avoid facing their own soul. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious." ~ C.G. Jung
Reposted by Jack Preston King
"…But in order to enable essence to grow up, it is first of all necessary to weaken the constant pressure of personality upon it, because the obstacles to the growth of essence are contained in personality."
(Fragments)
(Fragments)
November 27, 2025 at 1:54 PM
"…But in order to enable essence to grow up, it is first of all necessary to weaken the constant pressure of personality upon it, because the obstacles to the growth of essence are contained in personality."
(Fragments)
(Fragments)
Reposted by Jack Preston King
"A very important moment in the work on oneself is when a man begins to distinguish between his personality and his essence. A man's real I, his individuality, can grow only from his essence. It can be said that a man's individuality is his essence, grown up, mature…"
November 27, 2025 at 1:54 PM
"A very important moment in the work on oneself is when a man begins to distinguish between his personality and his essence. A man's real I, his individuality, can grow only from his essence. It can be said that a man's individuality is his essence, grown up, mature…"
Reposted by Jack Preston King
“Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.” ― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh
November 27, 2025 at 1:35 PM
“Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.” ― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh
Reposted by Jack Preston King
🎉 Upcoming BARS Digital Event: Romantic Creativity Roundtable
8th Dec, 1-2:30pm GMT
6 speakers reflect on the relationship between Romanticism & creativity as it permeates writing, teaching and research. Chaired by @adamneikirk.bsky.social
More details & free tickets: www.bars.ac.uk/blog/?p=6228
8th Dec, 1-2:30pm GMT
6 speakers reflect on the relationship between Romanticism & creativity as it permeates writing, teaching and research. Chaired by @adamneikirk.bsky.social
More details & free tickets: www.bars.ac.uk/blog/?p=6228
BARS Digital Event: “Romantic Creativity” Roundtable – BARS Blog
www.bars.ac.uk
November 19, 2025 at 3:26 PM
🎉 Upcoming BARS Digital Event: Romantic Creativity Roundtable
8th Dec, 1-2:30pm GMT
6 speakers reflect on the relationship between Romanticism & creativity as it permeates writing, teaching and research. Chaired by @adamneikirk.bsky.social
More details & free tickets: www.bars.ac.uk/blog/?p=6228
8th Dec, 1-2:30pm GMT
6 speakers reflect on the relationship between Romanticism & creativity as it permeates writing, teaching and research. Chaired by @adamneikirk.bsky.social
More details & free tickets: www.bars.ac.uk/blog/?p=6228
Reposted by Jack Preston King
This is going to be a pre-Christmas treat! I’m looking forward to thinking about Romantic creativity with some serious scholars - and bringing a bit of silliness to thinking about Coleridge, Keats, and the Brontë sisters!
🎉 Upcoming BARS Digital Event: Romantic Creativity Roundtable
8th Dec, 1-2:30pm GMT
6 speakers reflect on the relationship between Romanticism & creativity as it permeates writing, teaching and research. Chaired by @adamneikirk.bsky.social
More details & free tickets: www.bars.ac.uk/blog/?p=6228
8th Dec, 1-2:30pm GMT
6 speakers reflect on the relationship between Romanticism & creativity as it permeates writing, teaching and research. Chaired by @adamneikirk.bsky.social
More details & free tickets: www.bars.ac.uk/blog/?p=6228
BARS Digital Event: “Romantic Creativity” Roundtable – BARS Blog
www.bars.ac.uk
November 27, 2025 at 1:40 PM
This is going to be a pre-Christmas treat! I’m looking forward to thinking about Romantic creativity with some serious scholars - and bringing a bit of silliness to thinking about Coleridge, Keats, and the Brontë sisters!
My #BookReview of A Dark Muse: A History of the Occult, by Gary Lachman
#occult #magic #magick #paranormal #Booksky
#occult #magic #magick #paranormal #Booksky
A Dark Muse: A History of the Occult
Gary Lachman’s A Dark Muse: A History of the Occult is an encyclopedic, yet entertaining, “Who’s Who of occultism,” a collection of brief biographies placing well-known (and many lesser-known)…
buff.ly
November 27, 2025 at 1:01 PM
My #BookReview of A Dark Muse: A History of the Occult, by Gary Lachman
#occult #magic #magick #paranormal #Booksky
#occult #magic #magick #paranormal #Booksky
Reposted by Jack Preston King
Potentials looms. But we shouldn’t ignore the hot breath l (or the hope we have for society.) it’s an all wrong circuitous path to crush or refuse, to be too scared or too modest or too reasonable. Arnold Mindell said “if you deny a talent’s existence, it will steal the energy it requires.”
November 27, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Potentials looms. But we shouldn’t ignore the hot breath l (or the hope we have for society.) it’s an all wrong circuitous path to crush or refuse, to be too scared or too modest or too reasonable. Arnold Mindell said “if you deny a talent’s existence, it will steal the energy it requires.”
Reposted by Jack Preston King
Ask to write on the sacred, I’ve come to potential, personal & global. We protect past selves (inner child, lost poet, sexy bitch) but what about our future? What are you / we meant to be? These potentials are urgent demons - enclosing, hot breath huffing, an unyielding insistence on “becoming.”
November 27, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Ask to write on the sacred, I’ve come to potential, personal & global. We protect past selves (inner child, lost poet, sexy bitch) but what about our future? What are you / we meant to be? These potentials are urgent demons - enclosing, hot breath huffing, an unyielding insistence on “becoming.”
Reposted by Jack Preston King
Reposted by Jack Preston King
Here's Puss in Boots from my new collection This Joyful Interlude, out now ✨
Book links (or pm me for a signed copy):
UK amazon.co.uk/dp/1068432330
US amazon.com/dp/1068432330
CA amazon.ca/dp/1068432330
DE amazon.de/dp/1068432330
AU amazon.com.au/dp/1068432330
#poem #poems #poetry #books
1/2
Book links (or pm me for a signed copy):
UK amazon.co.uk/dp/1068432330
US amazon.com/dp/1068432330
CA amazon.ca/dp/1068432330
DE amazon.de/dp/1068432330
AU amazon.com.au/dp/1068432330
#poem #poems #poetry #books
1/2
November 27, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Here's Puss in Boots from my new collection This Joyful Interlude, out now ✨
Book links (or pm me for a signed copy):
UK amazon.co.uk/dp/1068432330
US amazon.com/dp/1068432330
CA amazon.ca/dp/1068432330
DE amazon.de/dp/1068432330
AU amazon.com.au/dp/1068432330
#poem #poems #poetry #books
1/2
Book links (or pm me for a signed copy):
UK amazon.co.uk/dp/1068432330
US amazon.com/dp/1068432330
CA amazon.ca/dp/1068432330
DE amazon.de/dp/1068432330
AU amazon.com.au/dp/1068432330
#poem #poems #poetry #books
1/2
Reposted by Jack Preston King
"The Pope who Saw Demons in the Vatican"
The last Pope Leo - 13, not 14 - saw a demonic vision one day, in the late nineteenth century.
There is a fascinating story behind how this vision passed into Catholic folklore and what uses it was put to.
See more here:
robindouglas.org/2025/11/27/t...
The last Pope Leo - 13, not 14 - saw a demonic vision one day, in the late nineteenth century.
There is a fascinating story behind how this vision passed into Catholic folklore and what uses it was put to.
See more here:
robindouglas.org/2025/11/27/t...
The pope who saw demons in the Vatican
A piece of Catholic folklore This article examines the history of a piece of Catholic folklore – the story that Pope Leo XIII (1878-1903) saw a vision of demons one morning in the Vatican. It…
robindouglas.org
November 27, 2025 at 12:05 PM
"The Pope who Saw Demons in the Vatican"
The last Pope Leo - 13, not 14 - saw a demonic vision one day, in the late nineteenth century.
There is a fascinating story behind how this vision passed into Catholic folklore and what uses it was put to.
See more here:
robindouglas.org/2025/11/27/t...
The last Pope Leo - 13, not 14 - saw a demonic vision one day, in the late nineteenth century.
There is a fascinating story behind how this vision passed into Catholic folklore and what uses it was put to.
See more here:
robindouglas.org/2025/11/27/t...
#HappyThanksgiving to my American friends!
Dreading a day of relatives filling your house? The ones you only see at the holidays? In these contentious times?
What will everyone talk about?
Here's a suggestion!
#Thanksgiving #family #conversationstarter
jackprestonking.com/f/how-to-tra...
Dreading a day of relatives filling your house? The ones you only see at the holidays? In these contentious times?
What will everyone talk about?
Here's a suggestion!
#Thanksgiving #family #conversationstarter
jackprestonking.com/f/how-to-tra...
How to Transform the World with a Single Choice
A Holiday Conversation Starter, Courtesy of the Dalai Lama
jackprestonking.com
November 27, 2025 at 12:14 PM
#HappyThanksgiving to my American friends!
Dreading a day of relatives filling your house? The ones you only see at the holidays? In these contentious times?
What will everyone talk about?
Here's a suggestion!
#Thanksgiving #family #conversationstarter
jackprestonking.com/f/how-to-tra...
Dreading a day of relatives filling your house? The ones you only see at the holidays? In these contentious times?
What will everyone talk about?
Here's a suggestion!
#Thanksgiving #family #conversationstarter
jackprestonking.com/f/how-to-tra...
"𝐻𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑒𝑣𝑜𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒, 𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑢𝑚𝑝ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑡… 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑒𝑥𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐾𝑖𝑛𝑔'𝑠 𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑦 𝑑𝑒𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑙 𝑡𝑜 𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑖𝑔 𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒.” – Amazon review of A World In Edgewise: 13 Sidereal Journeys
#shortstory
#shortstory
Heritage
Without lights or siren, the ambulance crawled down the rough farm road like a wounded animal - wary, halting, inching its slow way forward over deep, sunbaked ruts, bruising a tree as it rounded the…
buff.ly
November 27, 2025 at 7:00 AM
"𝐻𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑒𝑣𝑜𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒, 𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑢𝑚𝑝ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑡… 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑒𝑥𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐾𝑖𝑛𝑔'𝑠 𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑦 𝑑𝑒𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑙 𝑡𝑜 𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑖𝑔 𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒.” – Amazon review of A World In Edgewise: 13 Sidereal Journeys
#shortstory
#shortstory
Reposted by Jack Preston King
What a sweet little moment
How about some Natalie Merchant.
(Sent to me by a follower)
(Sent to me by a follower)
November 27, 2025 at 2:16 AM
What a sweet little moment
Reposted by Jack Preston King
All this hashed out presence everywhere
November 27, 2025 at 12:00 AM
All this hashed out presence everywhere
𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑚𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑠 𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑘 𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛? 𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑛𝑜 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑢𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑓𝑢𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠?
𝑊𝑒 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑚𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑠–𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑎𝑠𝑡, 𝑖𝑓 𝑤𝑒 ℎ𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑖𝑣𝑒.
#𝐺𝑜𝑑 #𝑎𝑛𝑥𝑖𝑒𝑡𝑦 #𝑔𝑛𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑠𝑚 #𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 #𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡𝐼𝑠𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑙?
𝑊𝑒 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑚𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑠–𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑎𝑠𝑡, 𝑖𝑓 𝑤𝑒 ℎ𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑖𝑣𝑒.
#𝐺𝑜𝑑 #𝑎𝑛𝑥𝑖𝑒𝑡𝑦 #𝑔𝑛𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑠𝑚 #𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 #𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡𝐼𝑠𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑙?
What If Life Really Is a Game?
And God is as Anxious About it as You Are?
buff.ly
November 26, 2025 at 11:45 PM
𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑚𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑠 𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑘 𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛? 𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑛𝑜 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑢𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑓𝑢𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠?
𝑊𝑒 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑚𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑠–𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑎𝑠𝑡, 𝑖𝑓 𝑤𝑒 ℎ𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑖𝑣𝑒.
#𝐺𝑜𝑑 #𝑎𝑛𝑥𝑖𝑒𝑡𝑦 #𝑔𝑛𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑠𝑚 #𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 #𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡𝐼𝑠𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑙?
𝑊𝑒 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑚𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑠–𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑎𝑠𝑡, 𝑖𝑓 𝑤𝑒 ℎ𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑖𝑣𝑒.
#𝐺𝑜𝑑 #𝑎𝑛𝑥𝑖𝑒𝑡𝑦 #𝑔𝑛𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑠𝑚 #𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 #𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡𝐼𝑠𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑙?
Reposted by Jack Preston King
And if you've had the misfortune to get this far in life without having read the original Frankenstein you have missed out on greatness
The movies were a gay romp* and a lot of fun but oh so far from Shelley's book
*see "Gods and Monsters"
The movies were a gay romp* and a lot of fun but oh so far from Shelley's book
*see "Gods and Monsters"
November 26, 2025 at 3:40 PM
And if you've had the misfortune to get this far in life without having read the original Frankenstein you have missed out on greatness
The movies were a gay romp* and a lot of fun but oh so far from Shelley's book
*see "Gods and Monsters"
The movies were a gay romp* and a lot of fun but oh so far from Shelley's book
*see "Gods and Monsters"
Reposted by Jack Preston King
“Poetry is not a fancy way of giving you information; it’s an incantation. It is actually a magic spell. It changes things; it changes you.”
― Philip Pullman
writingforwellbeing.co.uk
#writing #WritingCommunity #WritersCommunity #poetry
― Philip Pullman
writingforwellbeing.co.uk
#writing #WritingCommunity #WritersCommunity #poetry
November 26, 2025 at 4:03 PM
“Poetry is not a fancy way of giving you information; it’s an incantation. It is actually a magic spell. It changes things; it changes you.”
― Philip Pullman
writingforwellbeing.co.uk
#writing #WritingCommunity #WritersCommunity #poetry
― Philip Pullman
writingforwellbeing.co.uk
#writing #WritingCommunity #WritersCommunity #poetry
Reposted by Jack Preston King
When the Trader Joe's cashier asked me if I had any plans for Thanksgiving, I panicked and started listing the common side effects of Xanax.
November 26, 2025 at 4:23 PM
When the Trader Joe's cashier asked me if I had any plans for Thanksgiving, I panicked and started listing the common side effects of Xanax.
Reposted by Jack Preston King
trying to emotionally detach but unfortunately the quantum un-entanglement paperwork is insane
November 26, 2025 at 4:55 PM
trying to emotionally detach but unfortunately the quantum un-entanglement paperwork is insane
Reposted by Jack Preston King
Reposted by Jack Preston King
Man has to awaken to wonder–and so perhaps do peoples. Science is a way of sending him to sleep again.
- #Wittgenstein
- #Wittgenstein
November 26, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Man has to awaken to wonder–and so perhaps do peoples. Science is a way of sending him to sleep again.
- #Wittgenstein
- #Wittgenstein
Reposted by Jack Preston King
November 26, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Reposted by Jack Preston King
“If you think you’re enlightened, go spend a week with your family.” ~ Ram Dass.
November 26, 2025 at 1:20 PM
“If you think you’re enlightened, go spend a week with your family.” ~ Ram Dass.