Rune Soup

In this solo show, we dive deep into the origin of our understanding of prophecy, how it is different from prediction and where this understanding is useful for sorcerers, astrologers and magicians. We explore the Old Testament prophets and how their roles changed over the centuries, how they positioned themselves toward power and what kind of 'Prophetic moment' we might find ourselves in. Enjoy!

Alkistis Dimech and Peter Grey of Scarlet Imprint return to the show for an exploration and celebration of Jake Stratton-Kent: In particular his thought, his research and his impact on the western magical world. We discuss: His generosity as a thought leader.  His attitude to academia and academics. His role in the return of spirit-centric approaches to the grimoires.  His revitalisation of blue grimoires.  His understanding and love of the Ancient and Archaic Greek world.  "I don't do angels." His championing of practice over theorising. His role as a key participant in the return of the Dead to contemporary western magical practice.  I'm very grateful to Peter and Alkistis for sharing their thoughts about their friend and colleague, Jake.

In the middle of the Philippines archipelago is the mysterious Siquijor -known variously as the Island of the Witches, the Island of Sorcerers or the Island of Healers. This remarkable place is home to several thriving magical and healing lineages. Here is my story of visiting and encountering these traditions during the time of year where the healers travel up sacred Mount Bandilaan in order to collect the healing herbs their work requires for the whole year. These visits only happen on the seven Fridays between Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. I was fortunate enough to come along on one of these harvests. It's a fascinating place that is illuminating in comparison with cunning traditions, curanderismo and other cosmovisions around the world: Saints, sacred timing, herb lore, energy work. And if you are looking to visit Siquijor, check out the show notes. If you'd prefer some visuals, head over to YouTube. - Note - Episode has been updated due to audio not playing properly. Show Notes I have added the following places to Google Maps on Siquijor, so go to the island and search for these: Annie Ponce (Nearest town is San Antonio). Batong Hakut (the name of Noel Torremocha's healing practice. Nearest town is Cantabon). Loreto Quimno (bolo-bolo healer in the town of San Juan). If you are visiting, I recommend the guide I used, Chelsey, whom you can contact via Facebook or Instagram. He came with me to each of the healers and accompanied me gathering herbs so he knows everyone and all the places. He's also a great guide just if you are visiting Siquijor: Chelsey on Facebook. Chelsey on Instagram.

In the middle of the Philippines archipelago is the mysterious Siquijor -known variously as the Island of the Witches, the Island of Sorcerers or the Island of Healers. This remarkable place is home to several thriving magical and healing lineages. Here is my story of visiting and encountering these traditions during the time of year where the healers travel up sacred Mount Bandilaan in order to collect the healing herbs their work requires for the whole year. These visits only happen on the seven Fridays between Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. I was fortunate enough to come along on one of these harvests. It's a fascinating place that is illuminating in comparison with cunning traditions, curanderismo and other cosmovisions around the world: Saints, sacred timing, herb lore, energy work. And if you are looking to visit Siquijor, check out the show notes. If you'd prefer some visuals, head over to YouTube. - Note - Episode has been updated due to audio not playing properly. Show Notes I have added the following places to Google Maps on Siquijor, so go to the island and search for these: Annie Ponce (Nearest town is San Antonio). Batong Hakut (the name of Noel Torremocha's healing practice. Nearest town is Cantabon). Loreto Quimno (bolo-bolo healer in the town of San Juan). If you are visiting, I recommend the guide I used, Chelsey, whom you can contact via Facebook or Instagram. He came with me to each of the healers and accompanied me gathering herbs so he knows everyone and all the places. He's also a great guide just if you are visiting Siquijor: Chelsey on Facebook. Chelsey on Instagram.

Legendary storyteller and mythologist, Dr Martin Shaw joins the show this week. On the occasion of the release of his remarkable and uncharacterisable (although I try) new book, Bardskull. We talk about the weakness of the word archetype, we talk about place and story and transformation, we talk about myth and landscape, we talk about Tolkien, Gandalf and Merlin, we talk about defending indefensible books, and… in the end and ultimately, we talk about spiritual transformation.  A fantastic chat. One of the best of the year, for sure. Enjoy! Show Notes Get Bardksull: https://unbound.com/books/bardskull/ School of Myth https://schoolofmyth.com/

This week we welcome to the show the legendary Rosita Arvigo. Rosita is the author of ten books, she is a naprapathic physician, a herbalist and a specialist in traditional Mayan healing. For decades she has lived in western Belize, operating a healing practice and maintaining an organic farm. During this time she studied under Don Elijio Panti -a powerful and famous shaman then in his nineties. (He lived to 103.) This story is described in her book, Sastún. Rosita joins us today to discuss Mayan healing and shamanism, what it entails, the state it is in today and what we can learn from it. This is a fascinating discussion that we managed to record from regional Belize all the way to Wellington New Zealand -during a cyclone. Enjoy! Show Notes Rosita's website and books. Rosita on Facebook. The Abdominal Therapy Collective. Rosita presenting at the New York Botanical Garden.  

Peter Mark Adams joins us today on the occasion of the imminent release of his new book, Hagia Sophia: Sanctuary of Kronos. Like The Game of Saturn before it, this is an exploration of curious survivals of pagan cosmologies hidden in seemingly plain sight -in this case Hagia Sophia in his home of Istanbul. Check out the show notes at runesoup.com for some companion images. Along the way, we also discuss what happened to the Mysteries when Eleusis was closed, the School of Athens and whether any such thing as Neoplatonism even existed. Enjoy!           Show Notes   Get Hagia Sophia: Sanctuary of Kronos. Peter Mark Adams's website.

This week, we discuss morality, where to intervene in the world, in your life and why. Enjoy!

Parapsychologist Dr Brian Laythe joins the show for a discussion on ghosts and haunted places. We explore definitions: what IS a ghost? That's a slippery question right there. We look at what makes a place 'haunted'. Are they haunted because they have ghosts or do they have ghosts because they are haunted? And we investigate how ghost encounters fit into the wider ecosystem of High Strangeness. Can anyone really be 'just' a witness or are we at least co-creating these contact events? A great chat. Enjoy! Show Notes Get Brian's book, Ghosted!: Exploring the Haunting Reality of Paranormal Encounters. Visit the Institute For The Study of Religious And Anomalous Experience.

After last year's Astro-Gnostic conference and some extended jungle experience, I want to revisit some comparisons between 'gnosticism' and 'animism' -whatever they happen to be. And in particular I want to make the case for how the assertion that the cosmos is a prison built by an evil God and the cosmos is a community of beings can share co-presence in the same overall framework. So this is a gathering of thoughts in that general direction. Show Notes There is a Higher Soup meetup in Wellington NZ on Saturday Feb 11th. It's open to all but please RSVP so we have an idea of numbers. And once again for no reason other than it's a good way for me to organise my talking points so I don't forget them, I used Tome again. If you want to try it out, here's the invite link.