Sfinga joins us from The Frightful Howls You May Hear podcast, and With Cunning and Command. Sfinga is a traditional witch and diviner from the Balkans, as well as an initiate of Brazilian Quimbanda. We talk about Sfinga's incredible podcast, and the unique philosophies that inform its expert approach to a diverse array of spiritual and occult topics, all while maintaining a disarming, casual ,and communal tone. Sfinga also dives deep into the witchlore of the Balkans including the region's unique expression of dragons and The Vila. We also talk about the complex and powerful experience of incorporating spiritual currents from vastly different cultures into a single life. Sfinga is a fascinating thinker and a gracious communicator, and such a pleasure to chat with.

SHOW NOTES:

With Cunning and Command Website: https://withcunningandcommand.com/

The Frightful Howls You May Hear podcast: https://thefrightfulhowlsyoumayhear.libsyn.com/site

POEM:

Obilić Dragon's Son: https://sr.wikisource.org/sr-el/Милош_Обилић_змајски_син

MUSIC:

"Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" off the album Fable & Fire by Andrew Marlin - https://www.andrewmarlin.com

ART:

"A Pavilion Neither in the Sky nor on the Earth" - Painting by William Sewell 

Today I have the true honor of welcoming to the show: Lee Morgan. Lee is a writer, teacher, traditional witch, and a story sorcerer. Lee has written what to my estimation are some of the essential texts on Traditional Witchcraft and the Faery Faith, and his newest book is a fascinating addition to that bibliography. People of the Outside is a fearless examination of all the cultural taboos that haunt the archetype of "the witch," and how many of these traits may be transmissions or memories from our Elder Folk ancestors, before they were subsumed by Sapiens. In the spirit of People of the Outside we don't shy away from any thorny topics here, and dive headfirst into the role cannibalism plays in witchcraft, the similarities between Faery culture and Elder Folk culture, the "witch blood" controversy, and yes . . . even Bigfoot. It was a blast getting to interview a personal hero of mine on the show, and I hope it inspires everyone in the audience to pick up Lee's new book.

SHOW NOTES:

Lee's Website: https://www.leemorganbooks.com/

Lee's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=19417687

MUSIC:

"Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" off the album Fable & Fire by Andrew Marlin - https://www.andrewmarlin.com

ART:

"Cueva de las Manos" 

Joshua Cutchin joins us to talk about his groundbreaking non-fiction book The Ecology of Souls, and in particular his unusually personal epilogue to the book. We spend a lot of time exploring how Josh is able to integrate some of the radical conclusions he comes to in Ecology of Souls into his religious practice as a Christian. We also talk about Faery as an interface, and the cyclical nature of how we understand and encounter the phenomena over time. Finally, we explore what role emerging AI technology might play in how we think about The Otherworld. 

SHOW NOTES:

Josh's Website: https://www.joshuacutchin.com

Sign Up for Josh's Upcoming NDE Class: https://www.kosmosinstitute.org/near-death-experience

MUSIC:

"Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" off the album Fable & Fire by Andrew Marlin - https://www.andrewmarlin.com

ART:

Art by Johnny Decker Miller - http://johnnydeckermiller.com/johnnydeckermiller.com/JM_2.0_Home.html

Rose Auroras joins us to talk about the Trolldom folk magic tradition of Scandinavia, and we do a deep dive on the history, folklore and experience of Elves. We also talk about the transmission and influence of Nordic spirituality on the Gaelic and Celtic cultures. Rose is sorceress and a seer, who speaks from a place of deep scholarship on these matters, but injects the unmistakable wisdom of experience into how she thinks and communicates about the Otherworld. 

SOUND QUALITY NOTE: Unfortunately there was some occasional echoing in the recording, but fortunately the quality of the conversation is intact. A bonus of making a podcast about the Otherworld and it's denizens is that you always have a scapegoat when the recording equipment gets fussy.  

SHOW NOTES:

Readings, Coaching and Consultation with Rose: https://www.roseauroras.com

Salem Witch Fest: https://www.salemwitchfest.com

MUSIC:

"Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" off the album Fable & Fire by Andrew Marlin - https://www.andrewmarlin.com

ART:

‘The Ring of Galadriel’ (1975) - Spiderwebart and Greg Hildebrandt

Briar of The Greene Chapel blog joins us to talk about her Imbolc practice, and the complex relationship between the stars, the sea and the Otherworld. Briar is a Faery Seer, Diviner and Gallo-Irish Polytheist, and we delve into her work with the land, the Fae, the gods and ungods. 

SHOW NOTES:

The Greene Chapel - https://www.greenechapel.com

MUSIC:

"Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" off the album Fable & Fire by Andrew Marlin - https://www.andrewmarlin.com

Today on the show we're joined by witch, writer, teacher: Aidan Wachter. Aidan is an excellent communicator on the subject of magic, and has the rare ability not to get bogged down with dogma while exploring what can often be incredibly complex topics with thoughtful and simple clarity. Today we discuss the fundamental and inherent nature of magic, its role in our lives, and how it interacts with the world around us. We consider the critique some occultists have been expressing lately that the current magical revival we're living through has possibly led to "too much magic," and resulted in a Capitalist influenced pursuit of "stuff" through magic. We talk about the controversial text "Aradia: The Gospel of Witches," and whether or not its historical authenticity has the final word on the role it has played in the craft. Of course we also go into where the current of witchcraft and the Fae realm meet, and why folklore is prone to making both into villains. It was a real pleasure getting to chat with Aidan, and I hope this is the first of many great discussions.

SHOW NOTES:

Aidan's Website: https://www.aidanwachter.com/

Aidan's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/aidanwachter

MUSIC:

"Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" off the album Fable & Fire by Andrew Marlin - https://www.andrewmarlin.com

ART:

"Untitled" by Roger Hane

C.R. Sanders joins us to talk about his new Discovery Channel series — hosted by the legendary Mitch Horowitz — Alien Encounters: Fact or Fiction. When I heard that the newest Discovery channel UFO show was being produced by someone with such an accomplished occult background, I knew it was going to be something unique, and it does not disappoint. We explore the complex nature of the wider UFO / UAP subject, and its relationship with the Faerie realms and Otherworlds of mythology and folklore. We dip our toes into the wild "disclosure" news of the past few years, and wonder if there's any significance to the replacement of the word "object" with "phenomenon," in the recent reclassification of UFO with UAP by the powers that be. C.R. also shares some of his surreal and synchronistic adventures on site and in pursuit of experiencing the phenomenon. 

SHOW NOTES:

C.R.'s Website: https://lalanomicon.com/

Alien Encounters: Fact or Fiction: https://go.discovery.com/show/alien-encounters-fact-or-fiction-discovery-atve-us

MUSIC:

"Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" off the album Fable & Fire by Andrew Marlin - https://www.andrewmarlin.com

Today on the show we have a really free flowing conversation with Reverend Janglebones of the Soap Box podcast. The Reverend is an animistic practitioner working within an eclectic range of  currents including the Thai Occult as well as Saint an Angel magic. We talk about his recent brush with The Good Neighbors, and the effect that it's had on his practice. We also talk about the double edged sword of feeling in the dark as a solitary practitioner trying to cultivate a spirit-led practice. We explore righteous trickery, and of course we can't help pondering the true nature of the spirits as well. The good Reverend was gracious enough to have me on his show a few weeks back, so be sure to check out our conversation on the documentary Room 237 over there. Enjoy . . . 

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SHOW NOTES:

-The Good Reverend's Writing, services and materia: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Numinauts?ref=shop-header-name&listing_id=1364320320&from_page=listing

-Soapbox Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/soapbox/id1628906671

-MUSIC: "Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" by Andrew Marlin off the ablum Fable & Fire. https://www.andrewmarlin.com/

Today on the show I'm so excited to bring you my conversation with Amaya Rourke. Amaya is a practicing Animist and Folk Witch offering consultations around coming into relation with the fixed stars, as well as shepherding magical folks down the crooked path of cultivating their own personal practices. In the show we explore Amaya's own crooked journey to her primary Spirit Patron: the Irish God and Faery King Manannon Mac Lir, as well as what she's learned over the years helping individuals cultivate sovereignty in their personal practices and develop discernment in their spiritual relationships. I also can't resist getting Amaya's take on the nature of deity, and we hear about Amaya's upcoming retirement (or sabbatical) from the public facing side of her spiritual and consulting practice. I've been a big fan of Amaya's work for years now, and was truly honored to get the chance to have this conversation. There was some fun transcontinental audio shenanigans afoot, but I don't thnk it distracts too much from all the great wisdom Amaya imparts here. 

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SHOW NOTES:

-Consult with Amaya: https://www.amayarourke.com/writings/coming-into-relation-with-the-fixed-stars-where-to-learn

-MUSIC: "Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" by Andrew Marlin off the ablum Fable & Fire. https://www.andrewmarlin.com/

On today's show we have Robert Peter of Sacred Heart Occult. Robert is a practitioner with a foundation in Chaos Magic, that has evolved into an eclectic and animistic adoption of deity work and Saint magic. In the show, we explore how different magical currents can exist side-by-side and be engaged in all at once, the nature of diety and the role sychretization might play in their evolution, and for good measure we concur up friend of the show: Dionysus. Robert was really gracious in humoring some of my more wonky lines of questioning on somewhat unknowable subjects, and brought a generous amount of knowledge and personal experience to the converation. 

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SHOW NOTES:

-Book a reading with Robert: https://calendly.com/rhreadings

-MUSIC: "Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" by Andrew Marlin off the ablum Fable & Fire. https://www.andrewmarlin.com/

Today we welcome on the show writer, astrologer, and herbalist Maeg Keane of Third Sister. Maeg has a really beautiful and almost alchemical perspective on the role that plants and the stars play in our lives, and how we can engage them for personal growth, exploration, and evolution. Maeg originally caught my attention through her writing and astrological services around Dionysus and the 5th house of the birth chart. The mythopoetics of Dionysus has played a pivotal role in my life and practice and it was a blast talking with someone with such an eloquent take on a shared passion. Maeg and I also can't contain ourselves in dedicating most of the show to another shared interest, and a being Maeg is planning on exploring more deeply in the coming months: Ariadne. We discuss the notion of Dionysus and Ariadne through the lens of Faery King and Queen. The way deity can speak through mythologies that might even be written to subvert their role and power in society, and how these beings speak to us through the stars. I hope this is the first of many chat's with Maeg on these subjects.

SHOW NOTES:

Maeg's Website: https://www.third-sister.com

MUSIC:"Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" off the album Fable & Fire by Andrew Marlin - https://www.andrewmarlin.com

Daniel Yates is a theologian, artist, and folklorist with an uncanny eye behind the camera. Today we pull no punches focusing on the stated goal of this show and explore Daniel's radical ideas about "Elphame." We talk about Daniel's upcoming book, Mysteria, which is a grimoiric treatise on what he calls "Elphamic Witchcraft," and as he says: "a work that will challenge many people's assumptions regarding what Elphame is and how we interact with it." Furthermore we delve into the double edged sword of understanding the past through its folklore, the theological underpinnings of Sabbatic Witchcraft, and hot takes about the hidden nature of Elphame and those who dwell there. This was a really interesting and exploratory conversation, the kind of which I hope to have many more of here. I hope you enjoy it.

SHOW NOTES:

Daniel's Website: https://www.photophrenic.com

Mysteria & Elphamic Witchcraft: https://www.photophrenic.com/elphamicwitchcraft

The Occult Library: https://www.occultlibrary.org

MUSIC:"Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" off the album Fable & Fire by Andrew Marlin - https://www.andrewmarlin.com

ART: "Chesed" Photo by Daniel Yates

 

I'm thrilled to welcome on the show Darragh Mason of The Spirit Box Podcast and the upcoming book The Song of the Dark Man. In the show, Darragh talks about recording his spiritual evolution (albeit accidentally) through the medium of a podcast, and delves into his truly inspired journey exploring the "The Dark Man of the Witches Sabbat" in his new book. We talk about the peculiar occurance of being led to a Witchcraft practice as an established adult, and how to integrate something so powerful into normal life. We also explore the origin of Darragh's lecture series "Djinn and Tonic" and what inspires an Irishman from a land haunted by Faeries, to become so fascinated with the Djinn.

SHOW NOTES:

Darragh's Website: https://www.darraghmason.com/index

The Song of the Dark Man: https://www.innertraditions.com/author/darragh-mason

Spirit Box Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spirit-box/id1504757824

The Sigil Engine: https://www.sigilengine.com

MUSIC:

"Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" off the album Fable & Fire by Andrew Marlin - https://www.andrewmarlin.com

ART:

"Aghori Skulls" Photo by Darragh Mason - https://www.darraghmason.com/index

Today on the show we have the delightful Rose Auroras and B. Key. Both are accomplished seers and scryers with a strong foundation in folkloric and spirit-led techniques, but also a fascination with the modern incarnation of some of these skills — most often under the umbrella term "psi." We dive into the groovy world of the US Government's Psychic Spy Programs in the 70's and 80's, Remote Viewing, the Gateway Tapes, CE5, and where these topics intersect with more folkloric seership practices. We also talk UFOs, some personal experiences, and inspired by Rose and Key's shenanigan's of scrying "Unsolved Mysteries" topics in their spare time, we all have a go at scrying the mysterious Mount Shasta.

SHOW NOTES:

Readings with Rose: https://www.roseauroras.com/

With Cunning and Command Website: https://withcunningandcommand.com/

The Frightful Howls You May Hear podcast: https://thefrightfulhowlsyoumayhear.libsyn.com/site

MUSIC:

"Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" off the album Fable & Fire by Andrew Marlin - https://www.andrewmarlin.com

ART:

Painting by Ingo Swann

Today on the show we have the wonderful Jo Hickey-Hall of The Modern Fairy Sightings podcast. Jo is a Folklorist, Researcher, Social Historian, and an engaged practitioner. We talk about the novel age we're living in, where Fairy sightings appear to be the rise, and what might be behind that trajectory. Jo describes exploring the phenomenon through both academic and folkloric studies, as well as via magical pursuits. Jo also graciously shares an incredible story of an experience she had while performing an energy healing on a love one during an intense and dire moment. It was a real treat to turn the microphone around on Jo for a while, and hear more about the creator of such a personally beloved show. 

 

SHOW NOTES: 

The Modern Fairy Sightings Podcast: https://www.scarlettofthefae.com/the-modern-fairy-sightings-podcast/

Jo's Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOWBU36ADJMVxngGPFF9aSA

MUSIC:

"Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" off the album Fable & Fire by Andrew Marlin - https://www.andrewmarlin.com

ART:

Painting by Katharine Cameron

Today on the show we have a special Halloween hangover episode, with the hosts of the Southern Bramble podcast: Austin Fuller and Marshall the Witch of Southern Light. I've been a big fan of their show for a while now, and really appreciate the ideas and perspectives they've been promoting in the wider witchcraft community. We talk about Traditional Witchcraft — where it's going, how it got here — and how Marshall and Austin's practices have evolved during that journey. We explore the complicated modifier of "folk" in the context of a magical practice, the rise (or resurgence) of dual faith spirituality, reclaiming eclecticism, and the fundamental role of creativity in witchcraft.  

SHOW NOTES: 

Southern Bramble Podcast: Spotify Link

The Red Mother by Marshall WST: Marshall's new book!

Marshall's Links: https://linktr.ee/WitchofSouthernLight 

Austin's Site: https://www.banexbramble.com/

Austin's Links: https://linktr.ee/Banexbramble

MUSIC:

"Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" off the album Fable & Fire by Andrew Marlin - https://www.andrewmarlin.com

Today on the show we have the delightful Nay Noordmans of House of Gnomi to talk about the Saint beloved as much by Faeries and chthonic deities as by the good Catholics of Tours: Saint Martin. In honor of his feast day — and Old Halloween — Nay takes us on a deep dive of the life of Saint Martin, and we explore some of the more novel and whimsical moments in his hagiography. Nay also delves into how Saint Martin plays a role in the classic Fortean story of the Green Children of Woolpit, and might himself blur the lines between Saint and psychopomp at times. In what is sure to be the first of many conversations with Nay, we also explore the idea of the "Faerie Saint" as an intercessor for the magical practitioner, and where Fortean studies could be contextualized with magical philosophy.   

SHOW NOTES: 

House of Gnomi: https://www.instagram.com/houseofgnomi/

Nay's Links: https://linktr.ee/houseofgnomi

MUSIC:

"Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" off the album Fable & Fire by Andrew Marlin - https://www.andrewmarlin.com

Today on the one year anniversary of Radical Elphame, we invite back the guest who helped us kick off this peculiar experiment: the delightful Briar of The Greene Chapel. We explore a recent essay she published on her Greene Chapel site: "The Lady with a Mead Cup," which dives into the primordial image of a virginal Cup Bearer, and how this mythopoetics relates to divinely inspired poetic inspiration and prophecy as a sacred ritual. We untangle the labyrinthian mystery of the Celtic "imbas forosnai," and its relationship to the lady of the day: Brighid. We do some UPG mind melding as well, exploring the relationship between Brighid and her theorized Mothers: The Morrigan AND Boann. It was such a blast reconnecting with Briar, and getting to celebrate Imbolc with someone who can capture and crystalize the essence of Brighid better than anyone.

SHOW NOTES:

The Greene Chapel - https://www.greenechapel.com

Briar's Patreon: Briar of the Greene Chapel

Briar's Chapbook: The Beheading Game

Briar's Course: Working With Joan of Arc as Saint of the French Fairy Faith

Briar's IG: greene_chapel

MUSIC:

"Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" off the album Fable & Fire by Andrew Marlin - https://www.andrewmarlin.com

We welcome back to the show the seership super group that is Rose Auroras, B. Key and Sfinga for a scryers round table: Unsolved Mysteries edition. We chat about the philosophy behind the practice of scrying, and what it's like to teach the technique to others. We also go through a greatest hits of the weirdest shit they've ever scryed — from Unsolved Mysteries, to paranormal hotspots and infamous people — and what insights they were able to glean. We also chat horror movies, cursed films, and summon good ol' Bobby Eggnog.   

SHOW NOTES:

Sfinga and Key's website: With Cunning and Command Website

Sfinga and Key's Podcast: The Frightful Howls You May Hear

Rose's Website: Readings with Rose

Salem Witchfest: All of our guests today will be presenting in 2025

Sfinga's IG: Dragoncunning

B. Key's IG: Barnowl.key

Rose's IG: RoseAuroras

Horror Film Recommendation: In the Tall Grass (2019)

MUSIC:

"Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" off the album Fable & Fire by Andrew Marlin - https://www.andrewmarlin.com

Today we welcome back my friend C.R. Sanders to the show for the first in person recording! We have a freewheelin' chat about CR's recent travels to Glastonbury, the mysterious nature of our human interactions with the numinous, and the magical sense of place we can uncover when we engage deeply with the land and culture of a given local. It was great getting to catch up and shoot the shit under the shadow of Mount Shasta.   

SHOW NOTES:

C.R.'s Website: https://lalanomicon.com/

Alien Encounters: Fact or Fiction: HBO MAX

MUSIC:

"Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" off the album Fable & Fire by Andrew Marlin - https://www.andrewmarlin.com

For the last show of the year, we're joined by the legendary Morgan Daimler. Morgan is a writer, a teacher of esoteric subjects, and a practitioner very well acquainted with the Othercrowd. We explore two of her most recent non-fiction books: Fairy: The Otherworld by Many Names, and Celtic Fairies in North America — both fascinating reads that feel very much of a piece to me.  We dive into some of the more "thought experiment" approaches Morgan employs in these books that tug at the evergreen mystery: what is the nature of fairy? We also chat about a tagline of Morgan's own Feed the Fairies podcast: "Fae Propaganda," and what the implications of promoting engagement with the folklorically feared Othercrowd means. I'm so grateful to close out the year with such a great chat.   

SHOW NOTES: 

Morgan's Books: Author Page

Feed the Fairies Podcast: Spotify Link

Morgan's Patheos Blog: Patheos Pagan

Morgan's Classes: Irish Pagan School

Morgan's Instagram: @morgandaimler

MUSIC:

"Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" off the album Fable & Fire by Andrew Marlin - https://www.andrewmarlin.com

Today on the show we chat with Chaise Levy of Northern Spirit House podcast. Chaise is a father, husband and storytelling sorcerer based in Northern California. We talk about the ideas and approaches behind his workshop with the School of Mythopoetics on Skaldskapr (Poetic Story Magic) — from historiola to engaging the mythic. We also explore the complex reality of engaging with a magical practice while parenting a young family — the difficulties, the inspiration, and the unexpected insights. To wrap up, Chaise shares a bit about a new workshop he's working on around our animistic relationship with Amanita Muscaria, the Fly Agaric mushroom of lore. 

SHOW NOTES: 

Chaise's Website: chaiselevy.com

Northern Spirit House Podcast: Spotify Link

Northern Spirit House Substack: Substack

Skaldskapr Course: School of Mythopoetics

Chaise's Instagram: @telluric_tounges

MUSIC:

"Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" off the album Fable & Fire by Andrew Marlin - https://www.andrewmarlin.com

Today on the show I'm thrilled to share a chat I recently had with Fio Gede Parma. Fio is a  writer, teacher, and witch whose voice and perspective I really vibe with. Fio has an exceptional knack for diving headfirst into the kind of dense and complicated philosophical territory we love on this show, and effortlessly encapsulating their ideas in an intuitive and accessible way. On the show we explore Fio's experiences as an initiate of the Feri Tradition, as well as diving deep into his recently re-released book: Ecstatic Witchcraft. Fio gracefully and confidently describes the complicated word "shaman," its relationship to Witchcraft, and by extension to ecstacy. We chat about some of the more novel approaches in Fio's book to some tried and true ritual techniques, and how Fio defines deep concepts like "deity" and "faerie" for themself. This is hopefully the first of many conversations we can bring you with Fio . . . enjoy!

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SHOW NOTES:

Fio's Site: Fiogedeparma.com

Ecstatic Witchcraft Book: Crossedcrowbooks.com

Fio's excellent Youtube Channel: @Fiogedeparma

IG: @Fiogedeparma

-MUSIC: "Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" by Andrew Marlin off the ablum Fable & Fire. https://www.andrewmarlin.com/

For those of us drawn to the mysterious realm of Faerie, we're often led to folklore to dive deeper into the subject. While you know how Emma Wilby-pilled I am, there's something novel and exciting about stumbling upon an unpresented series of channeled texts ostensibly written by a faery woman named Fiona Macleod, through the faculties of a middle aged man (William Sharp). Steve Blamires has written extensively on this peculiar case, and in his most recent book: The Confessions of Fiona, he combs through the texts of Fiona Macleod for clues of an esoteric Faery Tradition of magic, as well as Gods and Goddesses particular to the Faerie realm. We also go into the mysterious figure of Dalua who inspired the opera The Immortal Hour, and his relationship to the Folkloric Devil, and explore Steve's writing on the Ogham script.   

SHOW NOTES: 

The Confessions of Fiona: Book

Celtic Tree Mysteries: Book

Steve's Site: Inchanted Journeys

MUSIC:

"Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" off the album Fable & Fire by Andrew Marlin - https://www.andrewmarlin.com

I'm so excited to have Reverend Janglebones back on the show. He's one of the rare guests that makes me feel like hitting the record button without a list of questions or an outline for our conversation mapped out in advance. The result is a very fun and casual conversation about the Christ-like aspects of the Devil, and the Luciferian aspects of Jesus — amongst other things. We also talk about the importance of humor in spirituality, the bizarre experience of having a relationship with a spirit who also encapsulates some aspect of the fundamental fabric of our reality, and the reverse dualism that is somewhat prevalent in the Traditional/Folkloric Witchcraft community these days. I can't recommend checking out Reverend Janglebones' recent substack series (Hillock & Holler) on Jesus & Lucifer enough. 

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SHOW NOTES:

Hillock & Holler: The Rev's Substack

-The Good Reverend's Writing, services and materia: Hillock & Holler

-Soapbox Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/soapbox/id1628906671

IG: @reverendjanglebones

-MUSIC: "Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" by Andrew Marlin off the ablum Fable & Fire. https://www.andrewmarlin.com/

To celebrate Beltane we're welcoming back to the show Morgan Daimler, who just released a new book about love and sex in Fairy belief called Paid with a Kiss. We explore notions of gender expression and subversion in the fairy realm, and whether or not the 80's hair metal scene was secretly fairy-pilled. We also chat about the complicated nature of spirit marriage, and trends in popular witchcraft that seem skeptical of spirits altogether. I'm always grateful for a chance to chat with Morgan, and I think y'all are in for a treat.   

SHOW NOTES: 

Morgan's Books: Author Page

Paid with a Kiss: Moon Books

Feed the Fairies Podcast: Spotify Link

Morgan's Patheos Blog: Patheos Pagan

Morgan's Classes: Irish Pagan School

Morgan's Instagram: @morgandaimler

MUSIC:

"Stormy Point / Back of Beyond / The Seamstress" off the album Fable & Fire by Andrew Marlin - https://www.andrewmarlin.com

Magic is weird. The more it becomes a part of your life, the constructs you once held dearly as fundamental pillars of reality begin to break down, and in their place, new constructs start to emerge. As someone with a practice founded in Witchcraft and Druidry, I’ve replaced many of my preconceived notions of reality with a somewhat animist, and ancestral, and even gnostic (at times) interface with the world. This is completely idiosyncratic, but it’s true for me, and it allows me to tap into a live wire of personal gnosis that reverberates through my spells and ceremonies in a way that would feel hollow in any other way.

I don’t personally identify with the Christian current – Catholic, protestant, or Orthodox, respectively. I was raised in what I like to call “suburban Christianity,” which was a shallow form of spirituality that was either a victim or beneficiary (depending on your take) of Reaganomics and the prosperity gospel. That said, for many guests I’ve had on this show over the past year, there is a very live wire of power to be tapped into within the Christian current, which cuts through the artifice and limitations of my own experience with this religion. 

Robert Peter is a perfect example of this. His “current shifting” and Chaos Magic approach to Christianity both subverts the preconceived notions of how the practice operates and opens paths to unlocking syncretism with a diverse arsenal of magic. 

I’m excited to welcome Robert back to the show, as we explore his unique perspective on incorporating a wide range of influences into his “plug and play” approach to Christian magic.

SHOW NOTES:

No Hand Path: Robert's Substack

IG: @robertpeterservices

Art: Christ in the Desert by Nicholas Roerich, 1933. 

A truly turned-on spiritual or magical path should do more than get you stuff. It should do more than open up communication with spirits or the dead. If you inherited a “Western” cosmovision like me, a truly turned-on spiritual or magical path should make you rethink everything you thought you knew about reality. 

Joshua Cutchin writes my favorite kind of books. They are deep and playful, philosophical and fearless. They are head-first explorations of all the implications of living in a magical universe. The last time we had Josh on to talk about what felt like his magnum opus – Ecology of Souls – I imagined it would be a long time before he would take another stab at such vast hypothesizing about the nature of the phenomena. But here we are, and a year later, he brings us the delightful Fourth Wall Phantoms. 

In some ways, Josh is the perfect guest for this show, writing joyfully at the intersection of folklore, pop culture, theology, and the thought experiment. His most recent journey into the nature of the “fourth wall break” – in media, history, the imagination, and the paranormal – is the ultimate runway for the seeker ready to rethink everything they thought they knew about reality. 

SHOW NOTES:

Josh's Website: joshuacutchin.com

Get Josh's new book: Fourth Wall Phantoms

Josh's IG: w3eirdwayz

Sign Up for Esalen's Upcoming 'The Soul is a UFO: Understanding and Embracing Transcendence' this December: The Soul is a UFO

 

We are living in an era where the term “folk” has become the modifier of choice for many looking for a unique way to describe their own spirituality or magical practice. Folk Witchcraft, Folk Catholicism, Folk Magic. “Folk” seems to denote a certain level of idiosyncrasy, authenticity, or earthiness. It also eschews connotations with more popular or commercialized forms of these practices. Sometimes this use of the word “folk” can feel like the way we used “alternative” in the nineties, particularly to describe genres of music. By the mid-nineties “alternative” rock was far and away the most popular music genre, leading one to ask: what exactly was it an alternative to? Similarly in the world of spirituality, sometimes the modifier “folk” can seem vague. I believe it was Jesse Hathaway Diaz who I first heard pose the question in regards to folk spirituality: “Who are the folk?” 

In Scott Richardson-Read’s new book Milldust and Dreaming Bread – Exploring Scottish Folk Belief and Folk Magic, the “folk” in question are vivid and unmistakable. While the pastoral stories and customs of the past weave throughout the book, Scott also taps into the deep impressions a land and a people have made upon each other, setting the stage for the folk of today. The impression one gets reading Milldust and Dreaming Bread, is that the “folk” Scott is referring to has less to do with homespun or antiquated practices, and more to do with the Scottish culture’s deep and living sense of reciprocity and right relation in the face of the oppressive influence of Empire. This Scottish folkway imbues the myths of the Country, and is at the root of its magical expression. 

As someone first lit up magically by a form of Witchcraft often called folkloric, a large part of my practice has been forged by pulling on the threads of what can sometimes seem like a vague cosmology, back to where I can find its sense of place, rooted in a culture and landscape. Scott’s work throughout the years on his blog the Cailleachs Herbarium (and now in this book) has been my own personal roadmap to find out for myself who the “folk” in question are.

 

SHOW NOTES:

Buy Scott's Book: Mill Dust and Dreaming Bread

Scott's Blog: The Cailleachs Herbarium

IG: @cailleachsherbarium

Scottish Histories of Resistance: https://www.scottishhistoriesofresistance.co.uk/

One of my key takeaways from the conversation I had with Joanna Tarnawska, was the way she articulated her own definition of what makes a practice fundamentally “witchcraft” as opposed to other strains of magic, mysticism, and pagan spirituality. The key to witchcraft, she suggests, is heresy. 

I’ve heard similar distinctions elsewhere regarding witchcraft, but Joanna’s definition of heresy went further than I’ve encountered before, and articulated something for me that I think is essential. As Joanna describes it, the core heresy of witchcraft is not solely in relation to a specific form of religion, but rather an ideological and magical subversion of the taboos, doctrines, and preconceived ideas of any given society the witch finds herself in…or maybe just outside of. 

As a person living in the US in 2025, myself, the most potent taboos I sense are less about religious affiliation and more often tied to questioning capitalism. As the late Mark Fisher summarized eloquently, crystallizing the bizarre malaise of our hopeless compliance to the capitalism hoisted upon us, “it is easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism.” Opposing Capitalism is not heretical in and of itself. However, believing that the myth of Capitalism’s moral mandate as “the worst economic system, except for all the others” is fundamentally a propaganda tool used to exploit the working class is a heretical stance. This idea is heretical where I live, because it subverts the current widely agreed-upon economic system and its moral justifications, suggesting that, on an ethical level, what we think is right, may actually be wrong. 

Another taboo I sense far less in the magical community, but I do feel in my personal and professional life, is speaking out about the genocide happening right now in Gaza. For many who even feel strongly about the plight of Gaza internally, to do so openly, publicly, loudly can seem like a modern-day heresy. To support the innocent Palestinians being killed in Gaza is to support Hamas, so says the ideological opposition. To challenge the Zionist order that the Israeli military has assured us “the ends justify the means” in defending, is apparently to be outing yourself as an anti-semite – they would say. Interestingly, the term anti-semite has come to mean anti-Jewish, and there’s no word for being anti-Palestinian, even though they are also a Semitic people. To challenge the political movement of Zionism, which seeks to empower an oppressed people, by pointing out that it is, in turn, oppressing another people, is heretical to the widely held political beliefs of the US today.

When I asked Joanna Tarnawska at the end of this episode if there was anything she would like to plug, she said that in this moment, she only wants to say “Free Palestine.” To honor that sentiment, which is as vital right now as ever, I thought I would dedicate this intro to speaking up about the genocide taking place in Gaza at the hands of Benjamin Netanyahu and the IDF, who are committing war crimes and unthinkable atrocities, and brazenly broadcasting them for all to see. The ideology behind Zionism seeks to right very real wrongs inflicted on Jewish people in the past. Still, the senseless murders of tens of thousands of innocent men, women, and children have completely eroded any noble causes that Zionism may have once stood for. To say this is not to diminish the rights or safety of Jewish people, or to downplay the horrifying events of October 7th 2023, carried out by Hamas. 

To quote Ezra Klein on the deep political rut this genocide is driving between Jewish people of the diaspora here in the US, where I live, “For decades, American Judaism, built on the liberalism of the diaspora, has been interwoven with Zionism. What happens when the ideals of the one become incompatible with the reality of the other?”

The death and destruction Palestinian’s are experiencing in Gaza is unimaginable for me. It can feel insignificant, but I sincerely think speaking out is essential right now. Merely acknowledging that there is a genocide taking place before our eyes should not be controversial at this point, but it still is for many. If you are in the US,  your tax dollars are funding war crimes. Please contact your member of Congress and call for an arms embargo on Israel and humanitarian access for Gaza. No matter where you are, speak out. Hold corporations accountable for their role in violating the rights of Palestinians in Gaza. In the show notes, I’ve also included links to do so, as well as to donate and send aid to Palestinians who are literally being starved in Gaza right now. Included in the show notes is a link to the Palestine World Food Program seeking donations, as well as more information on how to divest from corporations that are complicit in facilitating this genocide.

Free Palestine.

SHOW NOTES:

Send Aid to Gaza: https://www.wfp.org/emergencies/palestine-emergency

Hold Corporations Accountable for IDF support: AFCS

Joanna's Youtube Channel: Polish Folk Witch

Joanna's IG: @polishfolkwitch

Pre-Order Joanna's Book: Polish Folk Magic

 

Why start a podcast about magic? Prior to the internet, in real life, these topics were typically at best niche and eccentric, and at worst, dangerous. As a millennial, for most of my adult life, magic was the subject of fiction, and anyone who couldn’t understand that seemed mostly harmless, but not exactly the company you keep. When the imaginary boundaries between philosophy, spirituality, and magic were finally revealed to me for what they really were – imaginary – my compulsion to explore magic became insatiable. What, then, is one to do when the topic of real magic is verboten in the “enlightened” polite society of their day? Where to congregate? Where to converse? How to find others who share this passion, who don’t need a conceptual disclaimer recitation at the top of any conversation? If there is one good thing I can say about the internet, it’s that it has become this place. A shortcut to magical community in the modern era.

I started a podcast about magic to have the kind of conversations that I can’t, for the most part, in my normal life. And to meet people who wanted to join in, inform, and stress-test my own ideas. Today, I’m thrilled to bring you a conversation with two friends I’ve made along the way. Darragh Mason is the writer of the excellent book Song of the Dark Man, and the host of the Spirit Box Podcast, whose influence and approach to exploring and normalizing a wide breadth of magical and mystical topics was fundamental to the creation of this show. C.R. Sanders is the producer of the Discovery show Alien Encounters: Fact or Fiction, and a passionate traveler and magical seeker. He was also one of the first online magical connections that I had the opportunity to hang out with in real life.

I love that this show can serve as a platform for me to interview writers and practitioners about their work and practices. I think that way we can all learn more together, and deepen the web of communication in the way we hunger to. I also love that I get to have the opportunity to have folks on to catch up with, shoot the shit, and share the rabbit holes we might otherwise be going down alone. 

SHOW NOTES:

Darragh's Website: https://www.darraghmason.com/index

The Song of the Dark Man: https://www.innertraditions.com/author/darragh-mason

Spirit Box Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spirit-box/id1504757824

The Sigil Engine: https://www.sigilengine.com

C.R.'s Website: https://lalanomicon.com/

Alien Encounters: Fact or Fiction: HBO MAX

I had to reschedule an interview for the first half of this month, but I didn't want to leave you hanging this week, so I recorded an essay I put out on our Foliate Head Substack recently for your listening pleasure.

Nora Fornario has always been a deep fascination of mine, whom I find to be misunderstood and often explored in ways that ignore her most interesting aspects in favor of a more lurid true-crime bent. This essay is less focused on the infamous death of Nora Fornario, but rather a deep dive into what we can speculate about her own ideas and magical practice. The TL;DR is Witchcraft. 

Back to the regularly scheduled program next week.

SHOW NOTES:

Check out our Substack Here: The Foliate Head

When we think about the Otherworld, we tend to do so from the perspective of this world. What is this hidden world that seems to operate so differently from our own? Who are the beings who dwell there, and what do they want with us? In J. M. Hamade’s fascinating book, Procession of the Night Theater,  they explore the “night side” of astrology, offering a poetic vision of the Lunar Stations, not to be defined or calculated so much as dreamed with. It’s this study of the nocturnal side of things, the hidden side of things, that not only eloquently elucidates the ancient art of working with the Lunar Mansions but also weaves expertly into the tapestry of J’s many other occult and appropriately “otherworldly” interests. 

The lunar stations – and working with them to divine or make talismans (or even just pair with horror movies) – opens the practitioner up to considering how understanding both “daytime” and “nighttime” approaches to magic and astrology can teach us about the visible and hidden (the exoteric and esoteric) aspects of ourselves, the world, and what is beyond. 

As J points out in our conversation, the Muslim name for those who dwell in the Otherworld is Jinn, which translates to being hidden, and also in something of a state of change or flux. Furthermore, J mentions a fascinating hot take from the 13th century Sufi Mystic Ibn Arabi, who interpreted humans and Djinn as exoteric and esoteric counterparts to one another. When we take a cross cultural view of being like the Jinn – the Aos-Sidhe of the Gaels, the Elves of the Norse, the Víla of the Balkans, the Lamiak of the Basque (just to name a few) – it’s fascinating to notice how as these cultures transition to more structured monotheistic cosmologies, their perspective on these “esoteric” beings becomes increasingly antagonistic. 

I would be remiss to try to whitewash or philosophically domesticate these beings of the Otherworld. I could hardly imagine a less morally delineated dimesion, similar to how nothing about ourselves is ever really “black or white.” But if doing this show has taught me anything, it’s that understanding this realm, if not working with it directly, is still a meaningful pursuit. 

When you examine groups on the fringes of these monotheistic religions and cultures, that exist within this larger cosmology but navigate it differently, you often encounter spiritual relics from the dinstant past. Sects and like the Zār of North East Africa, the Šojmanka of Eastern Serbia, and religions such as Quimbanda in Brazil, all incorporate trance possession by beings that would be considered Jinn in the wider Middle East. What are we to make of this vastly different view both of these beings, and why and how one might engage with them?

J’s books and insights have had a deep impact on how I consider big questions like these, and helped to shape many of my own ideas about what we can really know about the Otherworld and its role in this world. 

SHOW NOTES:

J's Patreon: astarnightdwell

J's Podcast: A Starnight Dwell

J's Book on the Lunar Stations: Procession of the Night Theatre 

After years of thinking that the only path for building a community around the fringe pursuits of witchcraft, folk magic, or the occult were relegated to the grace of internet, two friends in vastly different parts of the country have boldly presented a proof of concept for big tent approaches to “in real life” magical communities that are fostering a inspirational alternative to more dogmatic and mainstream spiritual destinations. Austin Fuller started Occulture Tampa as a home for Witches, Occultists, and Seekers, hosted at a beloved taxidermy and oddities shop in the vibrant Ybor District in Tampa, Florida. Chaise Levy is a founding member of Animist West County, seeking to build a community around the multifaceted concept of animism in the North Bay Area of California. I wanted to bring Austin and Chaise together for a conversation about the importance of building “in real life” magical communities during these interesting times we’re living through. They share their inspirations, describe the challenges of starting and maintaining these groups, and talk about the biggest surprises and rewards along the way.

On a similar note, in the spirit of hoping to foster more magical community, after a year and a half of producing Radical Elphame, I’m starting a Patreon. Follow the link in the episode description bio for an extra hour of conversation with Austin and Chaise, and join The Coven of Wider Inclusion: my own "big tent" approach to a magical community, ripe for exploration, experimentation, and co-creation. If you appreciate the work we're doing on Radical Elphame and want to see it not only continue, but grow and develop, we would deeply appreciate your patronage. Along the way, we hope to not only foster a deeper connection with our audience, but rather to thin the veil between the project's creation and consumption. Come for the show you love, and stay for the bonus episodes, audio essays, experimental group rituals, horror movie nights, and more.

SHOW NOTES:

Join the Patreon! The Coven of Wider Inclusion

Chaise's Website: chaiselevy.com

Northern Spirit House Podcast: Spotify Link

Northern Spirit House Substack: Substack

Chaise's Instagram: @telluric_tounges

Southern Bramble Podcast: Spotify Link

Austin's Site: https://www.banexbramble.com/

Austin's Links: https://linktr.ee/Banexbramble

When it comes to exploring animism and the magic of and with place, I like to borrow a term from the world of wine: terroir. Terroir is generally understood in the wine world as the sense of place – soil, geography, seasonality, and even culture – that can be expressed in a glass of wine. When it comes to “magical terroir,” we are referring to how all of those same factors develop into unique and co-creative spiritual practices. 

There are many unique features to the land I’m living on that converge to form a magical sense of place. A crow’s fly away from Mount Shasta, I live in the middle of a rain shadow that divides the region into dense mountainous forests and desolate prairielands. Although abused and unforgivably wounded, the native tribes of the region are deeply present with strength and resilience.  The Shasta, Karuk, Wintu, and Modoc are very much alive, telling stories and carrying traditions that were co-created with this place over millennia. Although Mount Shasta is more often thought of as a UFO hotspot, it was also arguably the birthplace of Neo-Paganism in the United States on May Day in 1915, when the self-proclaimed Druid, Ella Young, brought the notion of the “wheel of the year” along with other Celtic Revival reconstructions with her from her native Ireland to her newly founded Fellowship of Shasta. An hour to the North and fifteen years later, in Ashland, OR, Victor Anderson (who co-founded the uniquely American Traditional Witchcraft Tradition called Feri) was initiated into a secretive group called the Harpy Coven, which would profoundly influence the foundation of his own order. 

Zooming in on my personal home, backyard, and the bioregion it is situated in, reveals the distinct influence of an alpine terroir. We live in a valley on the edge of a forest of cedar, fir, pine, and maple. Jutting 5,000 feet above us are the Marble Mountains, which are some of the last to give off snowmelt each year that flow into – sometimes rugged and sometimes bucolic – creeks and streams that eventually feed the Klammath River Basin. In the darkest months of winter, the snow lingers in our valley sometimes weeks longer than in the neighboring valley just twenty minutes away. The summer begins with morels and wild dogwoods in bloom, and gives way to a foraging season of Elder flowers and Elder berries, feverfew, mugwort, blackberries, and rum cherries. All this is to say that my magic is deeply influenced by this alpine land and the spirits that inhabit it.

One of my favorite magical rabbit holes is looking into the folk magic practices of other Alpine cultures to find ideas and inspiration that I can fold into the mystical soup of these California Alps. Christian Brunner has made it a personal project to translate and collate the magical terroir of the European Alps and share it with the rest of the world. In his new book, Alpine Witchery, Christian dives deep into the witch trial records of the Alps – which he translated himself – to mine for the lore, ritual, and spirituality that paints a fascinating picture of the folk magic of its day, and possibly exposes elements of the survival of an even older and deeper Alpine magical terroir to explore. 

SHOW NOTES:

Get the book: Alpine Witchery

Christian's Website: Services and Author Page

Christian's IG: @christianfbrunner_author