What Magic Is This?

Kept safe in many Special Collections around the world are very odd and very special Books. They are filled with interesting content- Invocations, Evocations, Prayers, Spells as well as odd diagrams. These are Grimoires- A Magician's textbook and are used for many purposes such as divination, crafting talismans, herbs and stones, as well as how to summon Demons, Angels, Spirits and other entities. Joining this episode to discuss these fascinating and incredible documents is the Scholar, Author and Modern Cunning Man Dr. Alexander Cummins!

Without a doubt, the last 5 years has seen a resurgence of interest in the Celestial Art of Astrology. At base, Astrology is looking at the positions of celestial bodies like the planets and stars, in order to divine information relevant to the past, the present and the future. A discipline unto itself, to say that Astrology was important in ages past is a vast understatement. On this episode of WMiT? we are joined by Scholar, Author and Consulting Astrologer Dr. Becca Tarnas, whose views and eloquence on Astrology are both breathtaking and informative. For those who are weary or have yet to look into Astrology, there can be no better introduction than this episode.

Starting off the New Year with a Titan of Magic. Austin Osman Spare means many things to many people. For some, he was an extremely talented Artist whose antisocial behaviour and unwillingness to compromise left him forgotten by the art world. For others, he is the grandfather of sigil magic; a fiercely independent occultist who came up with his own system of magic which was considered revolutionary long after he passed away. Chances are we will never get the full story of the magic of Austin Osman Spare, but we are able to look back and see that his story is not what it seems.

If you dismiss the humanities, you dismiss the prophets among you... Perhaps no other contemporary figure's ideas are brought up more in WMiT? than Dr. Jeffrey Kripal. His work is the stuff which fuels much of my thinking about the paranormal, the supernatural and extraordinary experience. Always with a comparative eye, Dr. Kripal not only looks into the past and the present, but also has his gaze fixed on the future; on what could be awaiting us if we only allow ourselves to tell each other the stories of what we experience.

What if you could see aspects of your future merely by being asleep? What if the unconscious mind was in some way prophetic? What if precognition and psi effects are memories of your future experiences; something you premember? In this Episode of WMiT? I am joined by a guest whose ideas I have mentioned numerous times on the Podcast- Dr. Eric Wargo. His book Time Loops has been one of my greatest reading experiences of the last decade, and he's only getting started.

We all have them. Or, do they have us? The Tapestry of life is a complex web of family, lineage and blood. Their struggles and triumphs are yours as well. For many beginning in Magic, the idea of Ancestors and their elevation does not seem like the most interesting aspect to start practicing, but many these days are making a case that starting with ancestors is beyond beneficial. Joining WMiT? is a man who is well versed in the realm of the restless dead and how it applies to your health and well-being, Mr. Chiron Armand. Your ancestors aren't going anywhere, do not waste this opportunity.

Since 2011, my guest Sam Block, also known as Polyphanes, has written well over 1.5 Million words on his Blog, The Digital Ambler. Having found his work in late 2013, I loved his passion and process regarding such texts as the Corpus Hermeticum and the Greek Magical Papyri. In this episode of WMiT? I finally get to pick his brain about some of my favourite aspects of magic, his process and how he tackles such things as using Barbarous names, substituting ingredients, even prayer. The Magical Mindscape of Polyphanes is on full display.

Fish falling from the sky. People disappearing from one area only to be found in another. People igniting on fire for no reason. Such phenomena was finally given a voice in the early 20th Century all thanks to one man- Charles Fort. The word 'Fortean' is used by some to describe this phenomena but the thing is, cataloguing strange instances when reality seems to get weird should not be the only thing that Charles Fort is known for. The man who invented the Supernatural (a term Charles despised) has much insight into the odd currents of our reality and deserves a bit more respect, especially as things start to get much more strange.

Where does one even begin? Kabbalah has been marked down as one of if not the foundational Element of the Western Magical Tradition. It has also been marked down as a much maligned and misused Judaic Esoteric Tradition; a beautiful and vast tradition that was passed from master to student. Suffice to say, a lot of what passes for Modern Magic is inspired in some way by what is called Hermetic and/or Practical Kabbalah. In this episode of What Magic is This? Doug is joined by Tanin to share some insights as well as their individual takes on Kabbalah.

It probably didn't take us humans very long to discover that certain plants and fungi, when we interacted with them or ingested them- would cause strange effects. Sometimes terrifying, sometimes prophetic, often exhilarating- Drugs and our dalliances with them have intrigued and enthralled us for longer than we've been recording history. Many would say that these substances and spirituality are intrinsically linked in many ways. Of course, Magicians and Witches have utilized this to great effect as well. It goes without saying, WMiT? had to bring on someone who can elucidate our fascination with Drugs and Magic like no other- The Reverend Danny Nemu.