Explore every episode of the podcast In Search of Tarot
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radical Tarot Book Club: Minor Arcana + Court Cards | 19 Dec 2023 | 02:01:00 | |
It's the final installment in our Book Club series discussing Charlie Claire Burgess' phenomenal new work, RADICAL TAROT. This episode is an extra long deep-dive into the Minors and Courts, and it's also Angie's farewell to the podcast. We will miss you, Angie! JOIN US THIS THURSDAY 12/21 for our Book Club Hang with special guest Charlie Claire Burgess on Patreon: patreon.com/insearchoftarot Follow Angie on Instagram and visit their website. Follow Nick on Instagram and visit their website. --- Logo by Andrew Tamlyn Music by AJ Ackleson | |||
| Radical Tarot Book Club: Wheel of Fortune - The World | 26 Nov 2023 | 01:35:42 | |
The In Search of Tarot Book Club continues with our second of three monthly installments discussing Radical Tarot: Queer the Cards, Liberate Your Practice, and Create the Future by Charlie Claire Burgess. Throughout the month of November, we've been reading the chapters on Wheel of Fortune through to the The World, and today's episode features a deep-dive discussion on those chapters. However, you don't need to have read any of the boook in order to enjoy the themes and topics covered in this episode. JOIN US THIS WEDNESDAY (11/29) FROM 6-7:30PM ET ON PATREON FOR OUR BOOK CLUB HANG! All levels are welcome to attend and share your thoughts on the book. ALL THE LINKS: --- Logo design by Andrew Tamlyn Music by AJ Ackleson | |||
| LIVE from Meet Me at The Margin | 08 Jun 2023 | 00:14:26 | |
Today's minisode is a live recording of Nick's Opening Remarks from the opening night of the Meet Me at The Margin virtual queer conference, which took place on Sunday, June 4, 2023. If you're feeling the FOMO, registration will remain open through June 12. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW! Nick is also currently hosting the #PrideInTheTarot2023 card-a-day challenge on Instagram, and there's still time to join in the fun! Click here to view the prompts. We also invite you to support this podcast by making a monthly contribution on Patreon. You can also leave a rating and review wherever you're listening right now. Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks, AJ! | |||
| The Paradox of Queerness with Britten LaRue | 01 Jun 2023 | 00:51:28 | |
Today's episode is first for us. It's a crossover/part two that builds on a conversation Nick took part in over on Britten LaRue's Moon to Moon podcast. In that episode, Nick shared his thoughts on The Margin, and mused on queerness as an unknowable, unspeakable power. Then Britten asked a question that sent both of their heads spinning in opposite directions. Today, Nick and Britten are coming back together to hash it all out and share where their different experiences have led them since that first conversation. If you'd like to listen to part one of the conversation on Moon to Moon you can do so HERE. Britten LaRue is a mystic, teacher, and author who channels the spirit and cosmic realms to conjure words that create cracks: cracks in who we think we are and what we think this reality is. A recovering academic and a single mom, Britten is more interested in questions than in answers. She creates potent offerings anchored from her deep trust that we are fractal beings who are dreaming new worlds into being together. Britten's book Living Astrology will be published in early 2024. In the meantime, you can learn and unlearn with her through her podcast Moon to Moon, on Instagram @brittenlarue, via one of her sumptuous workbooks, through one-on-one mentorship, or from inside one of her many learning containers. --- Click here to register for the MEET ME AT THE MARGIN virtual queer conference. Members of the In Search of Tarot Patreon community receive 15% off. Click here to support this podcast on Patreon. --- --- --- Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks, AJ! | |||
| Tarot Obscuro with Stephanie Adams-Santos, Guest Hosted by Charlie Claire Burgess | 25 May 2023 | 01:16:40 | |
The work of Stephanie Adams-Santos spans poetry, prose, screenwriting, and visual art. She/They are the author of the full-length poetry collections Dream of Xibalba and Swarm Queen's Crown (a Lambda Literary Award finalist). Their chapbooks include Total Memory and The Sundering (New York Chapbook Fellowship, Poetry Society of America). Stephanie’s short story "Night Flowers" appeared in the Latinx anthology Speculative Fiction for Dreamers. Stephanie was a Staff Writer and Story Editor on the television anthology horror series Two Sentence Horror Stories (CW/Netflix); their episode "Elliot" won a 2022 Gold Telly Award in Writing. As an inaugural fellow of The 2022 Ojalá Ignition Fellowship, they developed an original fantasy pilot based on the world and characters of the Tarot. In addition to her literary work, Adams-Santos is a professional Tarot reader and is making headway on an original Major Arcana tarot deck inspired by occult animism. In all her work, she is drawn to queerness, the uncanny, and whatever draws us closer to the primal source. Charlie Claire Burgess is a queer and trans-nonbinary tarot reader, deck creator, writer, and artist. They are the creator of Fifth Spirit Tarot, a queer and inclusive deck for a world beyond binaries, and the author of Radical Tarot, a guide to reading tarot radically for personal and collective liberation. Charlie is currently at work on a second tarot deck, The Gay Marseille Tarot, and a book on queer devotion. They teach classes on tarot and queer magical topics online and in Portland, Oregon, and sometimes they record episodes for their podcast, The Word Witch. REGISTER FOR MEET ME AT THE MARGIN SUPPORT THIS PODCAST ON PATREON --- --- --- Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks, AJ! | |||
| Meeting The Margin | 18 May 2023 | 00:35:46 | |
Nick's going solo today to explore the themes and concepts that will inspire Meet Me at The Margin - a month-long virtual conference for queer people who want to reclaim and re-story their innate capacity for ambiguity, paradox, and liminality, which will take place June 4-28, 2023. Through a series of eight workshops facilitated by some of today’s most Marginal thinkers, participants explore queerness through the lenses of tarot, astrology, narrative therapy, eco-mythology, archetype, art, and more. Facilitators include Charlie Claire Burgess, Amy DiGennaro, Edgar Fabian Frías, Nick Kepley, Jonathan Koe, Elias Lawliet, Sophie Strand, Jaison Perez, Chanti Tacoronte-Perez. Workshops will be held every Sunday (from 6-8pm ET) and Wednesday (from 7-9pm ET) in June, for a total of 16 hours of instruction. Captions will be enabled for all sessions, and recordings will be available through 7/31. REGISTER FOR MEET ME AT THE MARGIN Save on registration by joining the In Search of Tarot Patreon Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| Shedding Genders with The Gender Doula | 11 May 2023 | 00:52:40 | |
Eli Lawliet, PhD, is The Gender Doula - offering full-spectrum support to folks who are transitioning, questioning, or exploring their gender. Due to the unique nature of every gender journey, Eli pulls from his many experiences--a working-class background in retail, ten years of academic research on trans healthcare in the U.S., five years of tarot reading for others, and much more--to support clients holistically. He also uses his broad training to create workshops, classes, and resources to help gender expansive folks thrive. He lives in Los Angeles with his partner, three cats, a dog, and four snakes. Register for Meet Me at The Margin Support this Podcast on Patreon -- --- Order a Recorded Reading from Nick --- Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| SHUFFLING THRU HISTORY: Runes & Ogham | 04 May 2023 | 00:23:50 | |
We're back for another shuffle of the history books — today exploring the traditions and legends of Runes and Ogham. At first glance, these two symbolic systems (which are actually alphabets) appear quite similar. But it turns out that their stories branch apart in many directions. Join us as we discover more about these popular methods of divination, and question just how old they actually are. For links to all of our sources for today's episode, visit the transcript page for this episode and scroll to the bottom. REGISTER for MEET ME AT THE MARGIN SUPPORT this podcast on Patreon Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| Reading Tarot "Sincerely" with Jordan Rayne, Guest Hosted by Sam Valentine | 27 Apr 2023 | 00:59:26 | |
Jordan Rayne of @sincerely_the_tarot is a queer trans-masc tarot lover. He believes that tarot is a juicy tool for self-empowerment and meaning-making. He has a deep relationship with magic, ritual, beetles and worms. Jordan creates tarot-inspired prose, collage, affirmations, and oracle cards. Subscribers of his monthly snail mail offering receive these treasures and a tarot card from a different, featured deck. Sam Valentine of @valentine.tarot doesn’t like to self-identify, but when she does, it’s as an aesthete, tarot reader, & curator of vibes. Reading tarot primarily for fun and enjoyment, their work leaves space for not-knowing, and they hold no set expectations about what the cards might “mean.” A tarot hobbyist, creative, and magical practitioner on the side, Sam spends most of her time on her work in her professional capacity as a community Archivist. Register for MEET ME AT THE MARGIN Support this podcast on Patreon Sign up for the FREE Mystic Missive monthly newsletter --- Follow Jordan @sincerely_the_tarot --- Order a Recorded Tarot Reading from Nick --- Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks Aj! | |||
| Searching for Questions with Michael J. Morris | 20 Apr 2023 | 01:04:45 | |
Michael J. Morris is a consulting astrologer and tarot reader, artist, writer, teacher, facilitator, and witch committed to personal and collective healing and liberation. They began their consulting practice, Co Witchcraft Offerings, in 2019 through which they share astrology, tarot, and movement ritual practices. Michael holds a PhD in Dance Studies and brings decades of experience in dance, yoga, reiki, and other somatic practices to their work. They are a queer feminist, and their practices are inspired and informed by years of study and teaching in feminism, queer studies, gender and sexuality studies, environmental studies, and other branches of critical theory. Michael has presented at the Queer Astrology Conference 2020, the 2020 Fresh Voices in Astrology Summit, the Astrology and Climate Change Conference, NORWAC 2022, and the 54th Annual Conference of the Astrological Association. They are a teaching assistant with Kelly Surtees of Kelly’s Astrology, a contributing writer to the CHANI App, and a guest teacher in the Foundations in Embodied Ancestral Inquiry course presented by wildbody somatics. They reside in Columbus, Ohio—the ancestral and contemporary territory of the Shawnee, Potawatomi, Delaware, Miami, Peoria, Seneca, Wyandotte, Ojibwe, and Cherokee peoples. SUPPORT THIS PODCAST ON PATREON --- --- Book a Recorded Reading with Nick --- Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| Finding the Fool with Meg Jones Wall | 13 Apr 2023 | 00:46:54 | |
Meg Jones Wall (she/they) is a queer, chronically-ill tarot reader, writer, photographer, and the creator of 3am.tarot. A columnist and editor for Autostraddle and a regular contributor to Astrology Answers, Meg's work has also appeared in WIRED, Catapult Magazine, Witchology, and more. Finding the Fool is her first book. SUPPORT THIS PODCAST ON PATREON Purchase Finding the Fool on Bookshop.org --- Book a Recorded Reading with Nick --- Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| Interruptions of Life with Cameron Steele | 06 Apr 2023 | 00:55:28 | |
Cameron Steele is a writer, editor, and tarot reader based in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She teaches online creative writing, composition, and literature courses at the University of Nebraska, where she graduated with her PhD in August 2021. Her recent essays are forthcoming or have been published in Gulf Coast, Barrelhouse, Split Lip Magazine, Brevity, and SFWP Quarterly. She also writes "interruptions," which was featured as a Top 100 in Literature newsletter on Substack in 2022. Interruptions explores themes of tarot, astrology, literature, and illness in twice-weekly essays. CW: This episodes contains references to alcoholism and eating disorders. SUPPORT THIS PODCAST ON PATREON --- Subscribe to "interruptions" on Substack --- Book a Tarot Reading with Nick Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| The Story Doula with Dajé Alōh | 29 Oct 2023 | 00:47:28 | |
Dajé Alōh is a storyteller, emergent strategy facilitator, and earth-based, spirit led visionary leadership coach helping creators pursue the deepest dreams of their heart. As a Memphis-born, Appalachian-cured storyteller, song-keeper, and essence liberation coach, Dajé is here to support seekers, lovers, crafters, and kin in finding and singing the deep song of their lives. There are new stories, new ways, and new templates for meeting life that long to be born into our collective awareness. To nurture new stories, we must get low and listen. We must turn on the ears of the psyche, and call them forth from the deep. This is her work as a story doula – calling forth true and deep liberation from the collective subconscious and bringing it into the light. SUPPORT THIS PODCAST ON PATREON --- --- --- Logo by Andrew Tamlyn Music by AJ Ackleson | |||
| The Body as a Site of Divination with Madison Nees, Guest Hosted by Jonathan Koe | 30 Mar 2023 | 01:10:08 | |
Today we are thrilled to welcome our first guest host, Jonathan Koe, who shares a highly charged and vulnerable conversation with their teacher and friend Madison Nees. Jonathan, who first appeared on In Search of Tarot back in April of 2022, is a queer mystic who currently lives in Brooklyn, NY, land of the Lenape people. Fluent in the language of music, astrology, tarot, energy work, statistics, and the Akashic perspective, Jonathan aims to empower the collective through compassionate discernment, to nurture communities of passionate seekers, and to expand our sense of interconnectedness beyond the myths of binary-thinking and not-enoughness. You can follow Jonathan's contemplations and conversations with friends (including Nick and Madison) on their podcast, Healing The Spirit. Originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Madison Nees currently lives and practices on Kumeyaay land (also known as San Diego). Madison is a queer artist, human, guide, and facilitator who believes in a non-expert model that empowers the individual and collective to tap into their own wisdom rather than as a facilitator having the answers. This is Radical Aliveness. When Madison began their own journey, they did not understand that the pull to Somatics was a call of their ancestors. They were being pulled to embody all the gifts their mother could not and ultimately lost her life suppressing. Madison was being pulled to feel the things their Grandmother had no language for. Madison’s body knew the language however, and it spoke in illness, pains, aches and rage. During this process, Madison discovered gifts hidden beneath these repressed emotions. These gifts were the sensations, intuition and creativity of their lineage. When Madison stopped trying to push these parts away, they wondered what would happen if they let them grow. They grew into Madison’s practice today. SUPPORT THIS PODCAST ON PATREON Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| The History (Mystery) of the Tarot with Sanyu Estelle | 23 Mar 2023 | 00:55:38 | |
Sanyu Estelle is the author of "The History (Mystery) of the Tarot," the opening chapter of Tarot for Pregnancy by Brittany Carmona-Holt. Sanyu is a Claircognizant ("clear knowing") Soothsayer ("truth teller") that is also known as "The Word Witch" because of her deep love for word origins (etymology) and word culture (philology). These natural inclinations are bolstered by an 11+ year practice of Taoism, as well as a 10+ year relationship with Ifa, the indigenous tradition of the Yoruba people of now-Nigeria. Sanyu is known for her straightforward card reading style and her way with words via writing, speaking and singing. A "1st generationish" US-American of Ugandan and Belizean descent, Sanyu was born, bred and buttered in Los Angeles on land traditionally stewarded by the Tongva. Many dream up the future, but it belongs to their descendants. Thus, Sanyu is the best thing that came out of her Colonizer’s lineage. She uses their/her own ancestry to denounce their indoctrination into the invention of Whiteness through colonization. They are lucky to have her and they ensured not only that she is, but what she is. SUPPORT THIS PODCAST ON PATREON Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| Worldbuilding with Ari Felix | 16 Mar 2023 | 00:57:53 | |
Ari Felix is a multidisciplinary philosopher and mystic dedicated to living in veneration of the Planetary Ancestors (including the Earth). Their work is about emotional transmutation, dreaming new worlds, and building those worlds through visionary power and spiritual freedom. They have worked with spiritual practitioners, movement leaders, healers, creators, and artists of all kinds for over a decade. Support this Podcast on Patreon Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| The Sacred Web Tarot | 09 Mar 2023 | 00:51:29 | |
Our guests today are Jannie Bui Brown and James W. Brown IV, a mother and son team who authored and illustrated the fantastic new Tarot deck: The Sacred Web Tarot. Jannie is an artist, yoga teacher, devoted mother of three and partner in life with her beloved. She considers herself to be a life-long student of all things spiritual and liberating and finds herself most at home on a trail by a stream, under a tree or on a couch reading a good book. She designs healing jewelry that she sells so that she can donate her profits to beautiful non-profit organizations. When not dwelling on the mystical nature of life, Jannie loves to ride her bike, hike, write, dance, practice yoga, listen to music and cook delicious food for her family and friends. James is an artist whose mediums range from film making to digital drawing. He is the founder of the small production company Spontaneous Productions and has spent the last few years drawing this deck, reading tarot, writing scripts, and creating original comic content. Support this Podcast on Patreon Follow The Sacred Web on Instagram Book a March 2023 Reading with Nick Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| Living Systems with Leah Garza | 02 Mar 2023 | 01:07:57 | |
Many worlds exist in this one world. In one world, Leah Garza is a veteran teacher and education organizer. She has spent nearly two decades in social justice movement spaces, working toward equitable change in public education. She earned her masters degrees in education and depth psychology and is currently working on a Phd in community, liberation, indigenous, and eco psychologies. In another world, Leah is a shapeshifter. The trials incurred personally and collectively, through the Trump administration and later the pandemic and uprisings, made her a seeker. Leah learned to engage her ability to shapeshift as she began to ask questions of her purpose in this lifetime. Leah is a practitioner of the Akashic records, and offers radical healing work through the lenses of decoloniality and relational ways of being to subvert the colonial agenda. Support this Podcast on Patreon! Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| Sound, Art and Magic with zaneta sykes | 23 Feb 2023 | 00:58:08 | |
Drawing upon a deep connection to the body, memory, spirit, and the land, zaneta's (they/them) art is a process of remembering our interconnectedness or the Filipinx term, kapwa. zaneta currently lives and creates on Lenni Lenape territory (Brooklyn), offering community listening rituals, as well as listening and sound workshops in spaces such as the Brooklyn Museum and online. In 2020, their project, Sacred Seasons, won the Brooklyn Arts Fund grant from the Brooklyn Arts Council and was co-presented with the New Women Space. Their field recording work has taken them throughout the contiguous United States and most weeks they can be found hiking and solo camping throughout the Catskills and Adirondack regions. as a community spiritual worker and host of the Art Witch podcast, zaneta is connected to a vibrant community of queer, multiracial creatixes and healers, and their podcast empowers listeners around the world to make their art and find liberatory expression. Original Air Date: March 29, 2021 Get tickets to Where Land Meets Sky Support this podcast on Patreon Book a Tarot Reading with Nick Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| BONUS: Breaking Patterns | 31 Jan 2023 | 00:06:03 | |
The places where our Tarot systems fail are the places where we get to enter the chat! This is a recorded reading of Nick's Mystic Missive newsletter offering. There is a free monthly version and a paid weekly version which is available on Patreon. In addition to these weekly Missives, Patrons receive early access to podcast episodes, discounts on classes and workshops, and invitations to attend monthly Tarot Hangs on Zoom. [Re]Structuring Tarot begins Sunday, February 5. BIPOC and members of the LGBTQIA+ community can use code TRANSCEND for 10% and all Patreon members receive 15% off. Register for [Re]Structuring Tarot Sign Up for my Free Weekly Mystic Missive Newsletter Support this Podcast on Patreon Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| BONUS: Cracking The Chariot in 2023 | 05 Jan 2023 | 00:15:04 | |
We're still on a break between seasons but we wanted to share some thoughts on The Chariot, 2023's card of the year, and announce some big plans for the future of the show! Are you a regular listener of In Search of Tarot? Help us reach our goal of $200/month on Patreon so that we can begin welcoming guest contributors to the show! Book a 2023 Year Ahead Reading with Nick Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| SHUFFLING THRU HISTORY with Edgar Fabián Frías | 22 Dec 2022 | 00:46:21 | |
Today we're concluding Season Five and our deep dive into Mexican Mysticism and Cartomancy with our very special guest, Edgar Fabián Frías! Edgar works in installation, photography, video art, sound, sculpture, printed textiles, GIFs, performance, social practice, and community organizing, among other forms. Their art addresses historical legacies and acts of resistance, resiliency, and radical imagination within the context of Indigenous Futurism, spirituality, play, pedagogy, animism, and queer aesthetics. Born in East Los Angeles in 1983, Frías received dual BA degrees in Psychology and Studio Art from UC, Riverside. In 2013, they received an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon, with an emphasis on Interpersonal Neurobiology and Somatic Psychotherapy. Frías received their MFA in Art Practice from UC Berkeley in 2022. Their work has been exhibited internationally, including the Vincent Price Art Museum, Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, Oregon Contemporary, MOCA Jacksonville, Project Space Festival Juárez, and ArtBo, among others. Their work has also appeared in Cosmopolitan, Taschen, Bustle, Los Angeles Times, Slate, CVLT Nation, Terremoto, Hyperallergic, and other publications. SUPPORT THIS PODCAST ON PATREON Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| SHUFFLING THRU HISTORY: Mexican Mysticism & Cartomancy II | 15 Dec 2022 | 00:26:34 | |
Today we're diving deep into the origins, history, and lore surrounding la Santa Muerte, a Mexican folk saint who has become a beacon for those on the margin. Although not officially recognized by the Catholic Church, this "Lady Death" as some call her has drummed up enough of a following to warrant the attention of both the FBI and the Vatican! Support this Podcast on Patreon Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| Radical Tarot Book Club: Introduction - The Hermit | 22 Oct 2023 | 01:09:31 | |
Our innaugural In Search of Tarot Book Club pick is Radical Tarot: Queer the Cards, Liberate Your Practice, and Create the Future by frequent ISOT contributor Charlie Claire Burgess. For the month of October, we've been reading the Introduction through The Hermit, and today's episode features a deep-dive discussion on those chapters. However, you don't need to have read any of the book in order to enjoy the themes and topics we dive into. JOIN US TOMORROW (10/23) FROM 7-8:30PM ET ON PATREON FOR OUR BOOK CLUB HANG! All Patron levels are welcome to attend and share your thoughts on the book! ALL THE LINKS: --- Logo design by Andrew Tamyln Music by AJ Ackleson | |||
| SHUFFLING THRU HISTORY: Mexican Mysticism & Cartomancy I | 08 Dec 2022 | 00:24:28 | |
We're bookending Season Five with the first in a three-part deep-dive into Mexican Mysticism and Cartomancy. Step back in time with us to trace the pre-Spanish contact origins of mystical beliefs in Mexico, before exploring the history and popularity of the card game Lotería. Support this Podcast on Patreon Sources: worlddivinationassociation.com, academia.edu, reddit.com, tarotforum.net, wikipedia.com, tarot-heritage.com, lenormandquest.blogspot.com, stmuscholars.org, papersowl.com, scholarworks.boisestate.edu, llewellyn.com, berkleycenter.georgetown.edu, researchgate.net, davidbowles.medium.com, theculturetrip.com, theyucatantimes.com | |||
| Queering Astrology with Jeff Hinshaw | 01 Dec 2022 | 00:51:56 | |
Jeff Hinshaw (he/they) is an intuitive practitioner fusing together over a decade of experience working with tarot, astrology, and somatic healing. Jeff is the host of the podcast Cosmic Cousins and the founder of the Brooklyn Fools: Tarot Journey – a 22-week ritual gathering through the Major Arcana of the tarot. Dubbed as a “radical tarot school” by National Geographic, the Brooklyn Fools Tarot Journey has been an active Tarot Community since 2014. Jeff’s teachings of the tarot go hand-in-hand with their astrological practice. Jeff is also passionate about upgrading archetypes to facilitate collective intention. They have achieved this through community projects like Zodiac Queens, as well as authoring the book Aries – published through Sterling Publishing House. In addition, Jeff identifies as gay, non-binary and queer, and has experience working with many LGBTQIA+ related issues. Jeff is located in the Pacific Northwest – the traditional village sites of the Multnomah, Wasco, and Cowlitz tribes. --- Join Winter Solstice Tarot Study Support In Search of Tarot on Patreon Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| Shaping Our Stories with Finn Schubert | 24 Nov 2022 | 00:47:11 | |
Finn Schubert (he/him) is the author of Even the Cemeteries Have Space Here, an essay collection exploring his move from NYC to a small town to grieve his infertility. (In a weird twist, he got pregnant as soon as the book came out.) He is a Moth StorySlam-winning storyteller, and his writing has appeared in TheBody, Lit Star Review, and the anthologies Transcending: Trans Buddhist Voices and Places Like Home. He writes a weekly essays newsletter, titled "The Menstruant," exploring the question: What does it mean to be a gay man who loves having a uterus? (Right now: Pregnancy edition.) Finn’s background is in public health and he most recently worked as the director of HIV services for a large community health center network in Brooklyn prior to transitioning to freelance consulting last year. He offers speaking and workshops regarding LGBTQ+ health, trans and nonbinary inclusion in workplaces and spiritual communities, and public health program design and evaluation. Finn currently lives in NYC and is at work on an essay collection. Sign Up for Finn's Substack, The Menstruant --- | |||
| Translating Archetypes with Chanti Tacoronte-Perez | 17 Nov 2022 | 01:05:55 | |
Chanti Tacoronte-Perez is a Cuban-American artist-author, ritualist, and non-clinical depth psychologist. She believes that images speak a profound language; she spends her time translating the unseen and advocating for the imaginal. She is currently working on her doctoral dissertation on navigating the liminal via a creative-divinatory journey as an “Other way” to recover the marginalized, forgotten, and silenced. Her work and teaching centers imagination, creativity, dreaming, and deep rest. She teaches workshops and collaborative trainings focused on creativity, dreaming, intuitive movement, deep rest, and yoga nidra. Her passion is to inspire all to rediscover their creative self by resting, weaving the blessings with the wounds while honoring the land and ancestors. --- Register for Winter Solstice Tarot Study Support this Podcast on Patreon Sign Up for Nick's Free Monthly Mystic Missive Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| Season Five Q&A Special | 10 Nov 2022 | 00:45:47 | |
It's become a bit of tradition to do a Q&A episode once a season. We've got some fantastic interviews still to come, but the scheduling worked out such that I had time to sit down and record a little solo chat with all of you answering the amazing questions you submitted via social media. I'm also announcing a very exciting new offering called Winter Solstice Tarot Study which is a five week container for clarifying and cultivating the specific lens through which you work with the cards. Sign Up for Winter Solstice Tarot Study Receive Nick's Free Monthly Mystic Missive Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| FAMILIAR Witchcraft with Rachael Gonzalez | 03 Nov 2022 | 00:58:54 | |
Rachael Gonzalez (she/her/they) is an artist, licensed massage therapist, energy worker, broom maker & wortcunner residing in so-called Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She works to share knowledge, skills and resources to empower her clients to better care for themselves and feel supported—through informed touch, plant experience, cræfting & simple spells under the moniker FAMILIAR. --- Support this podcast on Patreon Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| Tarot for Pregnancy with Brittany Carmona-Holt | 27 Oct 2022 | 00:49:10 | |
Brittany Carmona-Holt (she/her), “The Birth Witch,” is a full spectrum doula, birth photographer, and writer who has worked as a birth assistant to a local community midwife, and as a class facilitator for a community based doula training program - Day One Doula Collective. She is a queer, bisexual witch with ADHD who approaches her work within reproductive justice from a spiritual lens. Her book, Tarot for Pregnancy: A Companion for Radical Magical Birthing Folks was just published by new, revolutionary publisher Row House Publishing, just this past June. She is an amateur herbalist, a poet, a partner, and a parent to a beautiful gender-defiant unicorn child, Kahlo Sol, and is expecting her second babe this winter. --- Join the In Search of Tarot Patreon --- Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| Porous Palms with David Davis | 20 Oct 2022 | 00:50:28 | |
David Davis is a mystic, Diviner, and artist currently based in Ypsilanti, MI. As an eclectic occultist and student of the Hoodoo tradition, his work is founded on the principles of Animism and Ancestral veneration. At its core, Porous Palms is a celebratory exploration of identity and place, and the ways they inform our most essential experiences as human beings. This mixture of influences manifests as a diverse and ever-evolving expression of divinity, language, and ritual, resting at the borders of personal and communal realities. Through his spiritual and educational endeavors, he seeks to contribute to the mending of intergenerational wounds (specifically those present within Afro-Diasporic communities) by honoring the resilience of the human spirit and preserving the Earth-based traditions of our Ancestors. Along with offering services and classes, David also sells a curated selection of spiritual products at Porous Palms Apothecary. --- Support this Podcast on Patreon Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| Queer Conjure with Jasper Joy | 13 Oct 2022 | 00:49:11 | |
Jasper Joy is a white, genderqueer witch, tarot scholar, community chemist, venusian writer, and elder-babe residing among the rightful homelands of the Eastern Band of Cherokee people, both past and present (also known as Asheville, NC). Their work is defined by open-hearted ethics, neurodivergent experiences, and a blatant disrespect for the state. Jasper loves supporting queer and trans beings in areas of meditation, spiritual daily practice, spell-crafting, love, joy, and the sacred trans experience. Support Jasper and Tarot for Top Surgery on Patreon --- | |||
| Rewilding Masculinity with Sophie Strand | 06 Oct 2022 | 00:56:46 | |
Sophie Strand is a writer based in the Hudson Valley who focuses on the intersection of spirituality, storytelling, and ecology. Her first book of essays The Flowering Wand: Rewilding the Sacred Masculine will be published by Inner Traditions in November of this year and is currently available for pre-order. Her eco-feminist historical fiction reimagining of the gospels The Madonna Secret will also be published by Inner Traditions in Spring 2023. Subscribe to Sophie's newsletter --- Support In Search of Tarot on Patreon Music by A.J. Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| Capitalism and Cartomancy with Cyrée Jarelle Johnson | 13 Oct 2023 | 00:54:34 | |
Cyrée Jarelle Johnson is a diviner and poet from Piscataway, NJ. Find him on TikTok at @cyreejarelle and Instagram at @collectivecartomancy or at www.collectivecartomancy.com.
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Music by AJ Ackleson
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| Lessons from The Empress with Cassandra Snow | 29 Sep 2022 | 00:45:49 | |
Cassandra Snow is a now a three-time Weiser author, having previously penned Queering the Tarot and Queering Your Craft: Witchcraft From the Margins. Professionally, Cassandra is a tarot reader and teacher who has taught students how to read cards in their own unique, personalized way everywhere from college campuses to burlesque studios. In their other life, Cassandra makes theatre happen, dabbles in storytelling, obsesses over tabletop roleplaying games, goes hiking, and devours books and movies. Their new book, Lessons from the Empress: A Tarot Workbook for Self-Care and Creative Growth, co-written with Siri Vincent Plouff, will be published October 1 by Weiser Books. Purchase Lessons from the Empress --- Support In Search of Tarot on Patreon Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| The Witch's Book of Numbers with Rebecca Scolnick | 22 Sep 2022 | 00:56:25 | |
Rebecca Scolnick is an emotional witch, forever seeker, and queer human lady (she/her), who uses magic and storytelling to support unlearning work and inspire new meaning-making. She hopes to provide spiritual and practical support for those looking to reclaim freedom from all of the ways in which our modern culture has taught us to hate ourselves, not know ourselves, and keep ourselves small. Rebecca lives in Manhattan with her wife and their pup. She’s deeply obsessed with them both. The Witch’s Book of Numbers is her first book. Purchase The Witch's Book of Numbers ----- Support this podcast on Patreon Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| The Contemplative Tarot with Brittany Muller | 15 Sep 2022 | 00:43:50 | |
Brittany Muller (@blessed.vigil) is an Austin-based writer and an enthusiastic believer in the beautiful strangeness of Christianity. A devout Catholic with an equally devout sense of curiosity, her favorite pastime is finding new ways to think about God. She is the author of The Contemplative Tarot: A Christian Guide to the Cards, which was published this past Tuesday, September 13 by St. Martin’s Essentials. Share your thoughts on this conversation by leaving a review wherever you podcast, or by emailing us at isotpod@gmail.com Support this podcast on Patreon Follow Brittany on Instagram and Twitter Purchase The Contemplative Tarot on Bookshop.org Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| SHUFFLING THRU HISTORY V: Oracle, Lenormand & the Future of Tarot | 08 Sep 2022 | 00:36:47 | |
In our final installment of this special summer series, we're venturing into new territory with Oracle & Lenormand cards, examining the ways in which the work of Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell led Tarot readers to apply more psychological and therapeutic interpretations to the cards, and discussing how we imagine Tarot might continue to expand and evolve into the future. One thing's for sure, Tarot readers have continued to find new ways to keep the cards relevant and the time is ripe for a new evolution of our practices and philosophies. Share your predictions and tell us what you've thought of this series by leaving a rating and review wherever you listen, and/or emailing us at isotpod@gmail.com. SUPPORT THIS PODCAST on Patreon Follow NICK and ANGIE on Instagram Source for this episode: robertmplacetarot.com, marykgreer.com, historyofyesterday.com, reference.jrank.org, faust.com, labyrinthos.co, lozzyslenormand.com, academia.edu, cbdtarot.com, journalpsyche.org, jungchicago.org, jcf.org, thetarotforum.com, refinery29.com, tarot-heritage.com, "A Complete Guide to Tarot" and "Tarot Revealed: A Modern Guide to Reading Tarot Cards" by Eden Gray Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| SHUFFLING THRU HISTORY IV: Aleister Crowley & The Thoth Deck | 01 Sep 2022 | 00:19:14 | |
Today we're casting light on "the wickedest man in the world," Aleister Crowley. If we had to choose a word to describe this guy it would be "extreme." From hearing the disembodied voices of Egyptian gods, to getting deported from Italy by the Italian government, Crowley's story is full of mania, bigotry, and obsession. Join us as we open this dark chapter of Tarot history. Tell us what you think of this episode! Email us at isotpod@gmail.com. SUPPORT THIS PODCAST on Patreon Follow NICK and ANGIE on Instagram Sources: Stealing Fire from Heaven by Nevill Dawn; The Book of Law, The Book of Thoth, and The Confessions of Aleister Crowley by Aleister Crowley; Wikipedia; “Mercury is in a Very Ape-LIke Mood” by Deja Whitehouse; ARIES: Journal for the Study of Western Esotericism, Vol 21 (2021): Issue I (Dec 2020): Special Issue: Rethinking Aleister Crowley and Thelema; learnreligions.com; Rethinking Aleister Crowley and Thelema by Manon Hedenberg White; brittanica.com; Drawing of Crowley's "Double Loop": https://www.corneliuspublications.com/an-open-epistle-on-crowleys-zodiac-belt/ Article from The Guardian on Crowley's bisexuality: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/may/09/occultists-poems-to-grace-london-antiquarian-book-fair Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| SHUFFLING THRU HISTORY III: Western Occultism & the Smith-Waite Deck | 25 Aug 2022 | 00:26:07 | |
Welcome to one of the most highly documented periods in Tarot history: the codification of western occultism, the rise and prominence of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and the creation of the Smith-Waite Tarot deck. It's a time marked by problematic syncretism, in which initiatory fraternities invented stories and misappropriated spiritual knowledge in an attempt to make their version of the Tarot more "legitimate." Although many of these practices have been cloaked in secrecy for centuries, we're bringing them to light in today's chapter of Tarot history! Tell us what you think! Email us at isotpod@gmail.com and leave a rating and review wherever you podcast. SUPPORT THIS PODCAST on Patreon Follow NICK and ANGIE on Instagram Today's Sources: Etteilla, or A Way to Entertain Yourself with a Deck of Cards by Jean-Baptiste Alliette, "The Four Cardinal Virtues and How Freemasonry Came to Influence Tarot" by P.D. Newman, The Primeval World, Analyzed and Compared to the Modern World by Antoine Court de Gebelin, Promethean Ambitions by William R. Newman, The Shape of Sex: Nonbinary Gender from Genesis to the Renaissance by Leah DeVun, Talking to the Gods by Susan Johnson Graf, Witchcraft Today: An Encyclopedia of Wiccan and Neopagan Traditions by James R. Lewis, "Practical Occultism" by Helena Blavatsky, Theosophy and the Golden Dawn by David Reigle, Modern Ritual Magic: the Rise of Western Occultism by Francis King, Book of the Artists by Henry Tuckerman, The National Encyclopedia of American Biography, "The Deck of Cards That Made Tarot A Global Phenomenon" by Laura June Topolsky for Atlas Obscura, "The Jewish History of Tarot" by Zo Jacobi, Pictorial Key to the Tarot by A.E. Waite Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| SHUFFLING THRU HISTORY II: Romani History | 18 Aug 2022 | 00:33:47 | |
We're devoting the entirety of today's episode to the misunderstood and often completely erased story of the Romani people. Many of us in the Tarot community complain about the way cartomancy gets vilified and misrepresented by religion and pop culture. But the history of that stereotyping rests solely in the horrific persecution Roma have faced for centuries. Romani fortune-tellers have influenced and inspired countless Tarot practitioners over the years, and we owe it to them to lift up their voices and their stories. Tell us what you think! Write in to isotpod@gmail.com and share this episode with a friend you think would enjoy learning about the history of the Tarot. Romani Organizations to Support: patreon.com/eromnja, domarisociety.com, Romni.org Romani Readers to Follow: FOLLOW NICK AND ANGIE ON INSTAGRAM Sources for Chapter Two: rise up! good witch podcast, Romanistan podcast, Code Switch podcast, Jezmina Von Thiele, villagepreservation.org, ushmm.org, nationalww2museum.org, hmd.org, wikipedia.org, theguardian.com, gypsyloresociety.org, "Gypsy Sorcery and Fortune Telling" by Charles G. Leland, "Confessions of a Tarot Reader" by Jane Stern, "Gipsy Witches and Celtic Magicians: Charles Godfrey Leland and Lewis Spence" by Juliette Wood Music by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| SHUFFLING THRU HISTORY I: Origins & Tarot de Marseille | 11 Aug 2022 | 00:26:50 | |
We're walking you thru a multi-episode exploration of the complete history of the Tarot (or at least what we know of it)! Playing card origins, erased Romani culture, occult misunderstandings, modern day innovations - we're weaving it all together to create the most comprehensive story that two self-described Tarot-nerds-turned-amateur-historians could ever hope to tell. CHAPTER ONE: Origins & Tarot de Marseille - Where and how did the Tarot come to be? What exactly do people mean when they talk about "traditional Tarot decks?" Who invented the Tarot de Marseille and why? We'll cover these foundational topics and more, including a discussion on the first artist to illustrate the pip cards (spoiler: it wasn't Pamela Colman Smith). If you're enjoying this series, please leave us a rating and review! You can also email us at isotpod@gmail.com SUPPORT THE PODCAST ON PATREON FOLLOW NICK AND ANGIE ON INSTAGRAM Sources for Chapter One: marykgreer.com, ancient-origins.net, beyondenigma.com, tarot-heritage.com, en-academic.com, en-camoin.com, and labyrinthos.co. Our theme music was written and recorded by AJ Ackleson. Thanks AJ! | |||
| Walking an Alchemical Path with Sister Temperance Tarot | 25 May 2022 | 00:55:41 | |
Angeliska Polacheck (they/she) of Sister Temperance Tarot, is an Austin, Texas based writer, healer, and professional tarot reader. Devoted to helping seekers find their path, they utilize the tarot in a compassionate and trauma-informed combination of visionary mystic counseling and energy work. Angeliska has been working with the tarot for over 30 years now, and has been reading for clients professionally since 1999. Their dedication and genuine passion for creating joyful and intriguing connections has led to acclaim and recognition from the Chronicle's Best of Austin Awards as Austin's Best Tarot Reader/Psychic for the past eight years running. IN THIS CONVERSATION Angeliska shares a bit about their incredibly eclectic spiritual upbringing which combined Celtic, Slavic, Jewish, and Romani influences, among others. We also discuss the important distinction between the practice of divination and the act of prediction, the all too often overlooked history of the Romani people within the overall story of the tarot, and the complicated way Jewish mysticism has been mis-applied within western esotericism. Support this podcast on Patreon In Search of Tarot theme music written and recorded by AJ Ackleson. | |||
| Quarterly Questions: Divination as Resistance | 18 May 2022 | 00:27:14 | |
Who told you not to tell the future? How might the act of divination be a form of resistance to the capitalistic/colonialist construction of time? IN TODAY'S CONVERSATION Angie and I are falling deep down the time rabbit hole that was opened during our recent interview with Jonathan Koe. Is it really possible to offer a "collective reading?" How can we use Tarot to subvert the linear idea of time? What changes when gender changes from a noun to verb? Support this podcast on Patreon In Search of Tarot theme written and recorded by AJ Ackleson. | |||
| Sharing Our Full Selves with Thomas Witholt of Hermit's Mirror | 06 Oct 2023 | 00:59:37 | |
Thomas is a divination coach, deck creator (Life Line Tarot, Life Line Lenoracle, and Seaborn Kipper), and author (Tarot Tableau: The Fool's Journey, Awaken the Court Cards, and many workbooks). As Thomas of Hermit’s Mirror, he helps the spiritually curious use divination to reclaim their present, untangle threads of the past, and weave their future fates. You can learn more about his work at www.HermitsMirror.com and find him online as @HermitsMirror. Join the In Search of Tarot Book Club on Patreon --- Logo design by Andrew Tamlyn Music by AJ Ackleson | |||
| Practical Peculiarities with Clint Marsh of Fiddler's Green | 11 May 2022 | 00:41:18 | |
Clint Marsh uses elements of myth, magic, folklore, and humor to help readers navigate everyday life. Growing up in rural Iowa, the son of entrepreneurs who encouraged him in his creative pursuits, Clint went on to pursue a journalism degree from the University of Iowa and has built a career as a writer, publisher, and book designer. Active in the independent publishing community for over 25 years, Clint produces literary works of practical esoterica under the name Wonderella Printed. His essays have been collected into books including The Mentalist’s Handbook (Red Wheel Weiser) and, as Reginald Bakeley, Goblinproofing One’s Chicken Coop (Conari Press), which won the Bookseller/Diagram Prize for oddest title of the year. His current project with Wonderella is Fiddler’s Green Peculiar Parish Magazine, a printed journal of illustrated personal essays about art and magic with a website at fiddlersgreenzine.com. Follow Fiddler's Green on Instagram @fiddlersgreenzine Order a copy of Fiddler's Green at fiddlersgreenzine.com Support this podcast on patreon.com/insearchoftarot Follow Nick on Instagram @insearchoftarot Book a Reading with Nick at manofthecards.com In Search of Tarot theme music written and recorded by AJ Ackleson. | |||
| Quarterly Questions: Tarot in Pop Culture | 04 May 2022 | 00:26:43 | |
What do Carmen, Christian Dior, Mad Men and Dune have in common? They're all iconic pieces of pop culture that have featured the Tarot! Today, Angie and I are sharing some of our favorite examples of Tarot influencing and entering into the zeitgeist. We want to hear about YOUR favorite Tarot X Pop Culture moments! Write to us at isotpod@gmail.com and tell us the ones we should know. SUPPORT THIS PODCAST ON PATREON "In Search of Tarot Theme" written and recorded by AJ Ackleson | |||
| The Stories We Dream of with Tara Rin Burke | 27 Apr 2022 | 00:58:35 | |
Tara Rin Burke is a biracial non-binary Japanese Mystic who leans deeply into the wisdom of elemental magick and metaphor to connect.
They are claircognizant, clairsentient, and clairaudient, and enter into relationship with these gifts through a lense of neuro-divergence and recognizing that so much of the way they live their life travels across timelines. Tara roots their personal folklore and mythological senses through seasonal folklore rooted in both Gaelic and Shinto based cosmologies where they track ancestral veneration, lineage tracking, and understanding the complexity, nuance and particularities of being of Irish, Slovak and Japanese descent.
A forever student of practical magick making magick accessible regardless of entry point & introduction, Tara roots their studies within the framework of animist studies which in earlier years were guided largely in part by Laura Blakeman and Aquarian Witch Connie Bender. They have felt continued wisdom teachings and offerings on de-centering the white-centric spirituality complex and honoring earth-magick and wisdom dreams honored by BIPOC folks across the Diaspora, through listening and being in appreciation of the impact of the mystical throughout culture and across time.
They deeply credit the work of Octavia Butler, Audre Lorde, Jewelle Gomez, Mary Oliver, Grace Lee Boggs, and Ursula K. Le Guin, as offering them a way to see worlds beyond the ones we’re living in, and to see new futures through their knowing that something exists beyond our scope of current lived realities. Their deeper understandings of time-travel comes from their love of science fiction and the imaginal landscapes of Anime, ASMR, collective organizing spaces, and understanding the pathways of dreams. Tara believes deeply in the body’s wisdom to hold informational coordinates for who we are and who we are becoming.
TO WORK WITH TARA: find them through Instagram, their Patreon Hearth, and their website which, as a neuroemergent witch, is in the process of transmutation.
RESOURCES SHARED BY TARA IN THIS EPISODE: Jade T. Perry; Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes and the book "Women Who Run with the Wolves;" David Whyte and the poem "Turn Sideways Into Light;" "Tales of Japan: Traditional Stories of Monsters and Magic;" "The Book of Yokai: Mysterious Creatures of Japanese Folklore;" "Irish Witchcraft from an Irish Witch: True to the Heart"
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST ON PATREON
FOLLOW NICK ON INSTAGRAM
BOOK A READING WITH NICK (thru 5/31/22)
"In Search of Tarot" theme music written and recorded by AJ Ackleson.
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| Quarterly Questions: Fetishizing Healership | 20 Apr 2022 | 00:23:02 | |
Many people today call themselves healers, but what does this job title actually entail? IN THIS CONVERSATION Angie and I grapple with what it means to be a healer. We examine the cultural history of the widely used healership title of "shaman." And we imagine what sovereignty might look like from a communal perspective. Support this podcast on Patreon In Search of Tarot theme music written and recorded by AJ Ackleson. | |||