Alexander Duncan (b. 1954) is a Canadian writer, Dharma teacher, and independent scholar whose work explores Buddhism, esotericism, and comparative spiritual philosophy. Writing under his own name and pseudonyms including Seten Tomh and Max Demian, he has published over twenty books spanning early Buddhist doctrine, Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna traditions, and Western occult systems—particularly the legacy of Aleister Crowley, ritual symbolism, and integrative spiritual models.
Duncan’s approach to Buddhism is grounded in the Bodhisattva ideal and informed by sustained study of the Pāḷi Canon alongside Tibetan Vajrayāna and Zen traditions. His philosophical orientation is shaped by a commitment to Ekayāna (“One Vehicle”): a universal interpretation of the Dharma that transcends sectarian boundaries while remaining rooted in classical sources. His teaching and writing emphasize clarity, accessibility, inclusivity, and the capacity of the Dharma to support both individual liberation and collective transformation.
In the late 1980s, a brief visionary experience associated with Red Tara helped orient his practice toward Tibetan Buddhism. He maintains a daily practice informed by Tibetan Buddhist foundations (ngöndro), while teaching publicly in a non-sectarian, accessible style as a lay Dharma practitioner.
Duncan lives and teaches in Toronto and continues to contribute to conversations about the future of Buddhism in the global West.
He maintains two ongoing blogs:
- Dharmata – Focused on Buddhist teaching, textual commentary, and the development of a Western Dharma vocabulary rooted in classical sources.
- Bethelkhem: The Secret Door – Dedicated to esotericism, with an emphasis on Aleister Crowley, Hermetic systems, Qabalah, and metaphysical symbolism.
Published Works
- Index to Canadian Legal Literature (1981)
- Wealth Management Techniques Exam Prep (2006)
- Derivatives Fundamentals Study Notes (2008)
- Canadian Investment Funds Course Study Notes (2009/10?)
- Applied Financial Planning Study Notes (2011)
- The Secret Wisdom of 666, writing as Max Demian (2011; revised edition, 2018)
- Buddhist Self-Ordination: A Dharma Strategy for the West (2011)
- Khatas (2012)
- Excrescence of Bacchus (2012)
- Dharma Notes (2012)
- Fundamental View: Ten Talks on the Pali Canon (2013)
- Conversations with the Buddha: A Reader’s Guide to the Digha Nikaya (2015; revised second edition, 2018)
- Dharma Talks (2017; revised edition, 2019)
- The Good Path of Laozi, writing as Seten Tomh (2019; revised 2020, 2025)
- The Treasure House of Secrets, writing as Seten Tomh (2020)
- UR Poems (2021)
- Fire in the Mountain (2021)
- ardhe42 (2022)
- The Chiselled Garden (2024)
- Selected Poems of Seten Tomh (2024)
- The Keys of El (2024)
Connect with Alex:
Dharmata 