On our second voyage into the azure waters, we dive into conversations and currents of Chaos. Firstly we talk about the Philosopher King of Magic, one Ramsey Dukes. From here we sail about on the winds of a few Chaos Magic orders and groups, ever pondering if there ever really was a Chaos Magic movement. My guest for this episode Saul sheds some light on an online Magical current that for a time burned bright but now only seems to flicker. Of course, WMiT? cannot merely have only a two-parter on Chaos magic, but for a time we will drop anchor.   Support my Flourishing on Patreon or if you Enjoyed the Episode, Toss Me a Coin or Two.

Late 1970's England. An iconoclastic group of misfit Magicians got tired of the same old story that in order for Magic to work, one had to be a part of a Tradition and go through necessary steps. To this they said 'Nonsense! All one needs is belief and how one utilizes that belief for it to work!' They thus birthed the first form of Postmodern Magic that was based entirely off of Results- Chaos Magic. Baked into this movement and the Chaos toolkit was a pragmatism that if the Ritual or Spell worked, it was kept and modified, if it didn't work it was discarded and something else was attempted. In this first Episode of perhaps a series of episodes, Doug and his Sorcerous guest Gaius provide a short yet succinct introduction to the world of Chaos Magic.   Support my Flourishing on Patreon or if you Enjoyed the Episode, Toss Me a Coin or Two.

For a time, Emanuel Swedenborg was a name that many in Europe and America were familiar with. These days, very few have even heard the name and those who have, the words 'Madness' or 'Liar' are not behind. Called by Ralph Waldo Emerson 'A Mastodon of Literature' the work and life of Swedenborg are indeed extraordinary. From his odd inventions, Life philosophy and his mystical experiences, there is much to learn from 'The Scandinavian Da Vinci.' So we head back to the Fools Gallery, to explore and introduce a figure that Doug feels should get a bit more recognition within the Occult than what he currently has.   Support my Flourishing on Patreon or if you Enjoyed the Episode, Toss Me a Coin or Two.

We live in an observable, measurable world; one built of the smallest bits of matter. And so we live our lives thinking for the most part, that this is the reality of everything- that the only thing that matters, is matter. Yet for a dominant social paradigm, Materialism & Physicalism has a hard time with a few things, especially those things which is says doesn't exist because it cannot explain it. In this episode of What Magic is This? we take a page out of the Materialism rulebook and start to take it apart, bit by bit.   Support my Flourishing on Patreon or if you Enjoyed the Episode, Toss Me a Coin or Two.

Depression, high anxiety, addiction and other mental health issues effect a huge number of us. Many are looking for answers or ways that we can get better or deal with these afflictions ourselves. How does Magic and the Occult intersect with such things? Are there similarities, and if so- what can we learn from them? The amount of internal pain that many of us carry with us each day is difficult to deal with, but there are ways in which we can get help as well as create help. On this extremely personal episode of WMiT?, Douglas has his first ever guest Andre, back on the show to discuss. Fair warning- This episode may have somewhat triggering segments in it.   Support my Flourishing on Patreon or if you Enjoyed the Episode, Toss Me a Coin or Two.

The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was finished. However, much of their mystique was only just beginning. With the publication of their Rites and Rituals by Israel Regardie, the secrets of this Magical Order were finally revealed to the world. As for the world of the Golden Dawn, it was one of Kabbalah, of Divine Will and one that believed that all things that were manifest on earth was somehow connected to one another through correspondences. Yet what effect did the Golden Dawn have on Magic after their dissolution? In the conclusion to this two-parter, Douglas goes through all of the consequences and positive virtues of this short-lived but infamous Magical Order.   Support my Flourishing on Patreon or if you Enjoyed the Episode, Toss Me a Coin or Two.

There is no other Magical Order that has done as much to shape people's perceptions of Magic than The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. From the practical use of Tarot, to the emphasis of Kabbalah, to the idea of initiation into Magic- all of this was a consequence of this short-lived magical group. In the first of a two-part episode, Douglas puts forward some notion of what magical ideas were around before the Golden Dawn and what was the story of their history, with a spotlight on a few key figures. Gather 'round Fraters and Sorors. It's Storytime.   Support my Flourishing on Patreon or if you Enjoyed the Episode, Toss Me a Coin or Two.

Ask anyone what they think the 4th Dimension is and most likely they will say that it is Time. Which is true, in some sense. But the 4th Dimension is more; so much more. It could be the lattice around which everything that has, is, and will happen- happens. The obsession with looking at higher dimensions and other worlds began in earnest in fin-de-siecle Victorian England. With figures such as Edwin Abbott and Charles Howard Hinton, people started to look closer at a dimension that we couldn't see, but perhaps we could very well experience. On this Episode on WMiT? Doug and guest Amber tackle a topic that might have ramifications as to how you see your life, and perhaps how you orchestrate it as well. Very Special thanks to Dr. Eric Wargo for his help and materials assisting in the creation of this Loopy Episode.   Support my Flourishing on Patreon or if you Enjoyed the Episode, Toss Me a Coin or Two.

What if I told you that you could have certain desires manifest in your life with a few seemingly simple steps? What if things in your life could change to meet with your aspirations both physical and mental? A somewhat recent weapon in the Magicians arsenal, Sigils are pictographic representation of an outcome that you desire. Their possibilities are seemingly endless, from creation to activation to disposing of them. Sigils go to the core of magic in many ways and are great evidence that symbolic thinking is indeed Magical. In this Episode of What Magic is This? Douglas is joined by fellow Magician and host of Pragmagick Podcast Keats Ross to talk about those weirdly wonderful squiggly lines.   Support my Flourishing on Patreon or if you Enjoyed the Episode, Toss Me a Coin or Two.

Residing in the heart of England lives one of the most notorious Wizards of the last 100 years. A Wizard who has not only seen the future, but some say has had a hand in crafting it. Conjuring characters that are as timeless as his ideas, there does not seem much that is beyond this Sorcerer's Magic. We are talking about Northampton's own Mr. Alan Moore. Widely considered the greatest writer of comic books in the history of the medium, Alan is beloved and feared in equal measures. Besides acknowledging that he is a Magician, not too many are aware of what Alan's Magical world looks like. In this Episode of WMiT? Douglas and Eric delve into the Marvellous Magical World of Alan Moore.   Support my Flourishing on Patreon or if you Enjoyed the Episode, Toss Me a Coin or Two.