Arnemancy

Nicholas Chapel is a Minneapolis-based ceremonial magician and professional hacker. He has been practicing magic for more than 20 years. While he graduated with a major in religious studies and a minor in philosophy, academia did not keep him; he landed instead in the world of IT, ultimately becoming a professional hacker on a cybersecurity red team. If his name seems familiar, it may be because he is the author of the well-known 2013 paper, "The Kybalion’s New Clothes: An Early 20th Century Text’s Dubious Association with Hermeticism," which served as important source material for both Sam Block and me when writing our articles about the Kybalion. However, like the rest of us, Nicholas Chapel is not here to discuss the Kybalion; we are here to talk about real occultism. In this episode, we discuss the parallels between hacking and magic in several contexts. First, we look at the nature of hacking, malware, and information security from a magical context. Then, we dive into information in the occult, and how Trithemius, Agrippa, and other early modern magicians used cryptography and steganography in their work. Links Hermeticulture Blog Twin Cities Ceremonial Magic Discussion Group on Facebook The story of the Morris Worm What is malware? What is a computer virus? Drawing Spirits into Crystals Familiar Shapes with Heather D. Freeman A special note: please check out the Moonlit Hermit Tarot Kickstarter! Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

This is a special episode in which I am interviewed about Tarot by Coleman Stevenson of the Dark Exact. This episode is part of the Third Eye Sundays Lunch Session series. Each month, Third Eye Sundays welcomes a rotating panel of intuitive professionals (tarot and oracle readers, psychics, energy workers, etc.) as well as other creatives, counselors, and wisefolk to answer YOUR urgent questions live on Zoom! Coleman is the author of three collections of poems: Light Sleeper, Breakfast, and The Accidental Rarefication of Pattern #5609, several books about the Tarot including The Dark Exact Tarot Guide, and a book of essays on creativity accompanying the card game Metaphysik. Her writing has appeared in a variety of publications such as Seattle Review, Mid-American Review, Louisiana Literature, tarot.com, and the anthology Motionless from the Iron Bridge. Links The original Instagram TV video of this interview Tickets for Third Eye Sundays part 3! The video for Third Eye Sundays part 2, with me Tarot and the Art of Memory: Major Arcana Coleman Stevenson Coleman on the first and only Arnemancy live show Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

Algol, Procyon, Antares! Exaula, Algafra, Caaddebolach! In this episode, I am overjoyed to welcome back astrologer Ryhan Butler, who discusses the use of the fixed stars and lunar mansions in astrological magic. Ryhan is great to talk to about this topic, because he can start off with very practical advice about elections and results based on his own experience, then launch into the history behind astrological concepts. We certainly learned this in his previous podcast appearance when we discussed astrological aspects. When we were planning this episode, Ryhan characterized planetary astrological talismans as "special event" magical operations. Finding a good election for the planets is difficult, time consuming, and relatively rare. The fixed stars and lunar mansions, however, are very quick and easy to elect for, and lend themselves better to more immediate thaumaturgical needs. After listening to this episode, make sure to explore the wealth of instructional material that Ryhan provides on his website, Medieval Astrology Guide, and check out his YouTube channel for regular updates on upcoming elections. Links Medieval Astrology Guide Ryhan's YouTube channel @RyhanButler on Twitter Ryhan's Patreon page Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

"What the heck is a Lenormand?" I ask my guest in this podcast episode. Emily Rose joins me to answer that question and many more! Emily teaches Tarot readers and the mystically minded to read Lenormand like they're talking to a friend. She has been reading Lenormand since she was 12 years old and currently reads for clients and teaches divination throughout the Pacific Northwest and online. Emily tells us all about the history of Lenormand, and together we explore key differences and similarities between it and Tarot. This is an excellent opportunity to dive into the rich diversity of the field of cartomancy. Each system has its strengths and uses, giving both the diviner and querent new insights into questions and situations. If you are a Tarot reader, you will be happy to know that Emily specializes in cracking our minds open and pouring in new Lenormand knowledge. In fact, I learned about Emily during her lecture at the Northwest Tarot Symposium 2020, which is what inspired me to invite her on the podcast. Links Emily Rose Divination Emily's Free Lenormand Mini Course Instagram: @emilyrosedivination Facebook Page: Emily Rose Divination Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

Today, occultists and practitioners are fortunate to have the aid of modern tools like computers to aid in their studies. In this episode of the podcast, I am joined by one of the creators of such tools, Tres Henry. We discuss not only the role of software in magic, but the balance between rational science and mysticism. We also discuss geomancy, maintaining magical balance, and the responsibilities of a magician. Tres Henry is a magician, software engineer, and tinkerer who has worked in the tech industry for over twenty years. He is now bringing all of that nerd power to bear by creating digital tools for magicians. Two that you may have heard of are the astrology software Urania and online geomantic tool Georatio. Links Hall of Doors (Tres's website) Urania Georatio Taking Magical Notes Tarot and the Art of Memory: The Minor Arcana Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

In this episode, I am joined by my friend Joshua Proto (he/they) for a conversation about astrological magic. We discuss a variety of interesting topics, such as spirit-based astrology, how to get started with astrological magic, how to overcome "election paralysis", and more. Later in the podcast, we drill down into the philosophy of astrological magic, discussing topics such as the golden chain of existence and the concept of ensouling matter through magical ritual. Since 2014, Joshua Proto has created over 100 astrological talismans according to traditional sources like the Picatrix, Three Books of Occult Philosophy, and the oral teachings of select Tibetan and Newar Buddhist Tantras. Josh frequently helps clients find talismanic and ritual solutions to a variety of astrological and magical problems through his website and offers training and workshops around practicing astrological magic. Links Stellar Talismans website Follow Josh on Twitter! Follow Josh on Instagram! Send Josh an email! Josh also says, "Send me an email with the subject 'Planetary magic' and you'll get a special gift once what I'm planning at planetarymagic.com goes live!" Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

T. Susan Chang discusses her new book '36 Secrets: A Decanic Journey Through the Minor Arcana of the Tarot'. They explore decan walks, specific examples of decans and Tarot cards, and the merging of tarot and astrology with the art of memory. They also discuss the application of Kabbalah to tarot cards and explore image use and image magic in modern tarot.

R.A. Priddle, a magician and expert on Francis Barrett, discusses Barrett's life as a magician and teacher of magic. They explore Barrett's fraudulent balloon experiments, his studies with Ebenezer Sibly, and his influence on Eliphas Levi and Edward Bulwer-Lytton. They also reveal that a talisman from Barrett's book was carried by Joseph Smith, the founder of the Latter-Day Saints.

What do the grimoires say about ritual purity and the material world? In this episode, Misha Magdalene joins me to discuss the role of the body in grimoire magic. We begin by examining concepts of ritual purity in the Key of Solomon before exploring more concepts from gnosticism to Kabbalah. We discuss ritual purity as a way of connecting the spirit to the gross material world, as well as how to create a spiritual continuity from your ritual space to the divine. We also discuss how these concepts could be embraced by the modern neo-pagan and occult community. Misha Magdalene is a multiclassed, multi-geek, multiqueer witch and sorcerer with a degree in gender studies and a slightly odd sense of humor. Their first book, Outside the Charmed Circle: Exploring Gender and Sexuality in Magical Practice, was published by Llewellyn in January 2020. They're an initiate of multiple lines of traditional witchcraft, including Anderson Feri and Gardnerian Wicca, and have also been known to dabble recklessly in both modern ceremonial magic and grimoiric goetia. They live on occupied Duwamish territory in the Pacific Northwest with their polymath partner and two adorably destructive black kittens. Links Misha's website Misha's former Patheos blog Their former appearance on the podcast The Key of Solomon

I am joined by Dan Attrell, the massive mind behind the Modern Hermeticist YouTube channel, which includes the vast and ever-growing Encyclopedia Hermetica. He is currently working on his PhD in Renaissance history at the University of Waterloo. He has gone out of his way to share tons of his knowledge and learning with his impressive audience, and is also known for translating some amazing materials from Latin. In this episode, we discuss Marsilio Ficino, and in particular Dan's translation of Ficino's De Christiana Religione, On the Christian Religion. We discuss many topics and themes in Ficino's life, including the highest goal of mankind, the immortality of the soul, the nature of reason, the supercelestial world, and the question of whether or not there even was a Platonic academy in Florence. We also attempt to make some sense of the tangled historical events unfolding around Ficino's life. The Intermission and Beyond We ran into a really bad recording problem in this episode. About 25 minutes in or so, Dan's Canadian internet connection gave out on us! We had to pick up the conversation the next day. I filled in the gap with a reading from De Christiana Religione that Dan was kind enough to provide. The background music during Dan's reading is "But We Shall All Be Changed" by Matt Anthony. Thank you, Matt! In part two, Dan and I begin by talking about Aristotle and Plato and their reception in Medeival and Renaissance Europe, but then we get a few tangents, and then we spend time with our favorite mad monk, Savonarola! Notes and Things to Look Up Maimonedes Averroes (AKA Ibn Rushd) Marsilio Ficino Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (also see my conversation with Ted Hand about Pico) Girolamo Savonarola Pietro's Pizza Links The Modern Hermeticist Dan's YouTube channel Dan on My Alchemical Bromance Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt