Introduction
Bohemian Grove is a real, exclusive 2,700-acre campground in Northern California, where every July some of the world’s most powerful men—business moguls, politicians, and artists—gather for two weeks of secrecy, ceremony, and revelry. The official line is that the Bohemian Club, founded in 1872, is simply a social club for male elites to unwind. But conspiracy theories paint it as the ritual ground for occult ceremonies, political deal-making, and the manipulation of global events.
Origins
The Bohemian Club started as a meeting of San Francisco artists and journalists but quickly became an exclusive club for the rich and powerful. By the 20th century, its annual summer encampment attracted U.S. presidents, secretaries of state, corporate CEOs, and cultural leaders. Its motto, “Weaving Spiders Come Not Here,” supposedly prohibits business—but what actually happens inside is a subject of feverish speculation.
The Rise of the Bohemian Grove Conspiracy
Conspiracists point to the club’s rituals, such as the “Cremation of Care” ceremony—involving robed figures, torch-lit processions, and the burning of a human effigy before a giant stone owl—as proof of occult influence. Journalists and undercover investigators (like Alex Jones) have published exposés, claiming that deals and policies are set in the Grove, far from public scrutiny. The symbolism (the owl, fire, secrecy) is often connected to Illuminati or ancient Canaanite cults.
Core Principles and Beliefs
- Occult Rituals: Elite members perform pagan or satanic ceremonies to “bind” themselves to hidden powers.
- Shadow Government: World-shaping decisions are made informally, outside democratic processes.
- Membership: Presidents (Nixon, Reagan, Bush), cabinet officials, and CEOs attend—sometimes in drag or costume.
Controversies and Criticism
No direct evidence supports the wildest claims of human sacrifice or literal black magic. Still, the Grove’s extreme secrecy, bizarre rituals, and the concentration of power fuel suspicion. To many, it is the symbol of an untouchable elite—immune to scrutiny, accountability, or public influence.
Key Examples
- Alex Jones’s 2000 infiltration and video exposé of the Cremation of Care ritual.
- Rumors that the Manhattan Project was first discussed here.
- Persistent allegations of occultism, secret societies, and policy plotting.
Critical Analysis
Bohemian Grove is the ultimate Rorschach test: to some, it is merely rich men cosplaying in the woods; to others, it is proof of a “Deep State” pulling the strings. Its combination of power, secrecy, and ritual is the perfect fuel for modern conspiracy culture.
Influential Literature: Pro & Contra
- Peter Martin Phillips – “A Relative Advantage: Sociology of the Bohemian Grove” – PhD thesis, 1994.
- Mark Dice – “Bohemian Grove: Facts & Fiction” – The Resistance, 2015.
- Arthur Goldwag – “Cult, Society, and Secret Societies” – Vintage, 2007.
- Jim Marrs – “Rule by Secrecy” – Harper, 2001.