Rune Soup

This week, we welcome to the show physicist, light therapist, researcher and author of Light Therapies: A Complete Guide to the Healing Power of Light, Anadi Martel. Now, if you’ve read Pieces of Eight, or if you’ve seen some of the premium member bonus material, you’ll know I’ve long been fascinated by what we stupidly still call ‘alternative medicine’ rather than the more clunky if not much more accurate ‘modes of living and healing that do not emerge from a dysfunctional belief system’. And I’m especially interested in the ones that, whilst they are used for treatment, are better thought of as unavoidable universals. You don’t have to use acupuncture, right? But you can't avoid having a relationship with light, and sunlight in particular. It is nowhere more obvious that we have a complete failure in the descriptive powers of the official version of reality than when it comes to accounting for the effects of sunlight, mindfulness meditation, forest bathing, and so on.  Show Notes Light Therapies: A Complete Guide to the Healing Power of Light Website for the book, Light Therapies Sensora Light Noise Detector International Light Association  

This week we speak with artist, teacher and maker, Daniel Mack. Daniel is also the chairman of the Seligmann Center Committee in upstate New York and joins us to talk about the life and work of the surrealist painter, Kurt Seligmann -in particular his book, The Mirror of Magic, first published in the late forties. In this wide ranging discussion, we talk art, irrationality, the impact of the Unconscious on the flow of history, early experiments in creative homesteading and the remarkable Seligmann himself.  Show Notes The Mirror of Magic Daniel's site, The Casual Alchemist The Seligmann Center Seligmann Center Giftstore (for the zines) Weinstein Gallery exhibition catalogue Martica Sawin discussing the life and work of Kurt Seligmann Daniel introducing the life of Seligmann  

This week we welcome back to the show one of the most popular returning guests, Jenx. As you might expect, he’s back in your ears talking us through Thai Occultism, to coincide with his recently released tour de force, The Thai Occult. Along the way, we cover land spirits, uses for specific ghosts, the universality of candle magic and the many nuances of love charms. Show Notes The Thai Occult. The Thai Occult Books on Facebook.

This week, we welcome back to the show author and researcher, Joshua Cutchin. Josh's last three books -including his most recent, Thieves in the Night, explore under-examined categories of evidence for the range of phenomena uneasily labelled 'paranormal'. Who better, then, to pick over Skinwalkers, abductions and the thorny issue of what constitutes evidence in the first place? Show Notes Josh's website. Josh's recent post on evidence and skepticism. Thieves In The Night: A Brief History of Supernatural Child Abductions Josh on Twitter.

This week, we welcome hereditary witch, tarot creator and new Huon Valley neighbour, Avalon Cameron, onto the actual farm for a face to face chat. Our wide-ranging discussion explores growing up both weird and Brazilian in regional Australia, the goods and the bads of living off-grid and what to do with over 3,000 tarot decks when downsizing into a tiny house. Very good times! Show Notes So Below: Melbourne astrological magic event Avalon's website and blog Avalon on Patreon Avalon on Instagram Avalon's YouTube Channel Avalon on Facebook Avalon on Twitter  

This week, Dr Becca Tarnas returns to the show to discuss two of my very favourite things: Imaginal Journeying -including some really useful practical advice on Active Imagination- and The Lord of the Rings. Why it was written, how it was written, and what even am Middle Earth. Extremely good times. Enjoy! Show Notes Dr Tarnas's new course, Journey to the Imaginal Realm: Reading J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. Website of Dr Becca Tarnas. Becca Tarnas on Twitter.

This week, in an ever so slightly delayed show, we have an ever so slightly brilliant guest, Dr Amba J Sepie. I first encountered Dr Sepie’s work in Damned Facts, which is a Charles-Fort inspired collection of essays by academics who are exploring or confronting the broadly Fortean, edited by another previous guest, Dr Jack Hunter. We talk about navigating the academy's shortcomings, better ways of thinking with the broadly paranormal and participating in indigenous modes in a non-appropriative way. Show Notes Dr Sepie's article, More than Stories, More than Myths. (pdf download.) Amba on Facebook.

Two solo shows in a row? Why, yes. This is technically the September one if you don't look at a calendar. But it is also a wild ramble through the politics, poetics and metaphysics of walking in public and private spaces. Dedicated with big love to the premium members who are officially embarking on the Q3 Course: Magical Geography and Spirits of Place. Show Notes Skewing the Picture - China Miéville

The August solo show! In the lead-up to the Q3 premium member course on Magical Geography, this month we explore the notion of near and far places, cold places, and imaginal places. Colonial ghosts, Antarctica and Ursula Le Guin ahead. Enjoy.

This week we welcome to the show permaculture designer and theorist, Dan Palmer. Dan is the host of the podcast, Making Permaculture Stronger, where he facilitates fascinating discussions on what’s right and what’s wrong with permaculture and where it might be headed next. And the tl;dr is that what’s wrong with permaculture is, in the main, what’s wrong with everything else. So we have a great discussion on the theory of design in general, the shortcomings of western categorisations and their dualist implications and, somewhat improbably, merging with a chicken. It’s a truly fantastic chat. Enjoy. Show Notes Making Permaculture Stronger Living Design Process