In this extra special episode, I will be interviewing two Tarot decks. I know what you are thinking: Tarot decks don't talk. But what if they could? Well, let's find out. My first guest this episode is an old and slightly crazy friend, my first edition copy of Robert M. Place's Alchemical Tarot. And after that, I'll be working with my second guest: the brand new Moonlit Hermit Tarot from J Swofford. I will be using a Tarot spread made specifically for interviewing Tarot decks. When some Tarot people get a new deck, one of the first things they do is an interview spread. This spread can supposedly help a reader forge a deeper connection with their divination tools. However, this might not be a very old tradition. The earliest example of one of these spreads that I was able to find on the Internet is from the Æclectic Tarot forum, in a 2010 post from a user called FireRaven. I have found a number of other spreads in various Tarot blogs and on other websites, but all of them seem to be derivative of the spread originally created by FireRaven. Here are the six basic questions from this spread: Tell me about yourself. What is your most important characteristic? What are your strengths as a deck? What are your limits as a deck? What do you bring to the table? What are you here to teach me? How can I best learn from and collaborate with you? What is the potential outcome of our working relationship? The Alchemical Tarot I have a long history with this deck. I won it in a raffle back in 2003 or 2004. I knew I would win it before my name was drawn, which felt weird at the time. For many years it was my primary deck. I used it as a focus for Tarot meditation. When I started reading for others, I used this deck frequently. But very often, the readings were weird, uncanny, or strange. Sometimes strange things would happen while I was reading with this deck, so eventually, I stopped reading with it for others. If you want to hear one spooky story surrounding this deck, listen to the episode! And, spoiler alert, below is a photo of my reading. The Moonlit Hermit Tarot This brand new deck was just published earlier this year by J Swofford. It is based on the Tarot de Marseilles, which is a different system than I am used to. It has 78 cards like a standard Tarot deck, plus 4 cards that were originally meant to represent the Goetic kings: Oriens, Paymon, Amaymon, and Egyn. This deck is available in the Arnemancy Shop! I have only used it for a few test readings, so it is still very new to me. Will I need to turn to the Little White Book to interpret my interview reading? Listen to the episode and find out! Again, here is a photo of my reading. Links FireRaven's original forum post Join the Hermetic Agora Discord! Get the Moonlit Hermit Tarot by J Swofford Get the Alchemical Tarot, 5th Edition! Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

In this very special episode, C.R. "Chuck" Dunning, Jr., joins me to discuss meditation and mysticism in group practices. Chuck recently published a new book, The Contemplative Lodge: A Manual for Masons Doing Inner Work Together, which is a companion to his earlier book, Contemplative Masonry: Basic Applications of Mindfulness, Meditation, and Imagery for the Craft. While these books speak about Freemasonry, the techniques and insights come from Chuck's decades of experience as a counselor, meditator, mystic, and magician. Our discussion covers a lot of ground, but we focus on how group work can help enhance mystical and magical progress. We look at techniques ranging from Rosicrucianism to mystical Christianity to Freemasonry, including a few stopovers with old favorites like the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and Kabbalah. Chuck has a lot of wisdom to share, and I believe that his words and wisdom can offer a great deal of guidance to everybody, not just Freemasons. As a disclaimer, I am the editor of The Contemplative Lodge. I have also known Chuck for over 20 years, and consider him an important teacher in my esoteric and occult work. My ongoing friendship with Chuck has only heightened my respect for his work. It is my belief that you, dear listener, can also learn a great deal from what he has to say. Links Chuck's website The Contemplative Lodge: A Manual for Masons Doing Inner Work Together Contemplative Masonry: Basic Applications of Mindfulness, Meditation, and Imagery for the Craft Chuck Dunning on My Alchemical Bromance: Interview part 1 Interview part 2 The Return of Chuck Dunning Chuck's lecture at Research Lodge of Oregon Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

In this episode, I am joined by Heather D. Freeman to discuss digital occultism in all of its glorious forms. We cover virtual ritual, WitchTok, bots, social media, familiars, spirit helpers, next generation Gardnerian Wicca, and many more fascinating topics. Heather is Professor of Art in Digital Media at the University of North Carolina Charlotte and creator of the Familiar Shapes podcast and short film. She is also an occultist, initiate of Gardnerian Wicca, and author of the forthcoming zine by Theurgical Studies Press, "The Piedmont Path: A Witchcraft Oracle of Contemporary North Carolina". Perhaps the element of this episode that delighted me the most is that it has been a continuation of conversations I have been having with other tech-savvy occultists like Tres Henry, Nick Chapel, Lailokens Awen, and others. There is so much to be exploring in this particular field, and we all benefit from having people like Heather blazing a trail. Links Familiar Shapes Trailer to the short film Theurgical Studies Heather D. Freeman's website Hawkfire Coven Heather Freeman on Twitter Heather Freeman on Facebook Halloween Livestream with Cryptic Cocktails Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

In this episode, I am joined by astrologer, author, and artist Cat Rose Neligan. Cat incorporates astrology into her work coaching small business owners, helping artists, writers, musicians and all kinds of creatives to better understand themselves, identify their calling, and share their work with the world. Cat and I discuss the personal daimon, a tutelary spirit with a long and varied history. Some associate it with the holy guardian angel, some with a protector spirit, but Cat has found that the personal daimon is perhaps more strongly connected with guiding us toward our destiny than anything else. She discusses methods of both contacting and working with your daimon, the daimon's astrological associations, and other related topics. Many listeners will be familiar with various aspects of this topic already. Socrates, for instance, is famous for having a daimon that spoke to him. Many of us have experimented with the techniques of the Book of Abramelin or the teachings of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Even the various helper spirit rituals of the Greek Magical Papyri might be related to this topic. Cat's work with the personal daimon has led to a book! If you are interested in this book, check out the Kickstarter campaign and lend your support! The campaign runs through October 31, 2021. Links Cat Rose Astrology Cat Rose on YouTube Cat Rose Astrology on Instagram Daimon Name Generator Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

Tarot reader and author Liz Worth joins me for the first episode of season three! Liz is the author of seven books including The Power of Tarot and Going Beyond the Little White Book: A Contemporary Guide to Tarot. Her writing has appeared in FLARE Magazine, Refinery29, Chatelaine, the Globe and Mail, and more. She runs an online tarot school that welcomes students from around the world. Liz and I discuss a number of Tarot-related topics, including questions about intuition in Tarot, the importance of memorization in Tarot, and the ethics of Tarot reading. It was a delight having her as a guest and I think this episode will give you, the listener, plenty to think about and consider in the world of cartomancy. Links Liz Worth's website Liz Worth on Instagram Tarot books by Liz Worth Liz Worth on Wikipedia The Ramones "Pet Sematary" music video Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

The Arnemancy Podcast is back for a third season full of interesting guests, fascinating interviews, and strange history! Join your host, Reverend Erik—that's me!—on an exploration of your favorite topics, including Tarot, magic, the occult, and the history of Western Esotericism. This season, we welcome a bunch of new guests alongside some of your favorite returning visitors. We will be exploring modern applications of technology in magic. We will also take a close look at the works of Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa. You can find the Arnemancy Podcast at arnemancy.com, as well as wherever you find the rest of your podcasts: iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts—and now also on YouTube! Subscribe today at arnemancy.com/subscribe so you'll be ready when season three's episodes are released! Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

Thomas Negovan is the director of the Century Guild Museum of Art and author of Le Pater: Alphonse Mucha's Symbolist Masterpiece and the Lineage of Mysticism. He joins me in this special bonus podcast episode to discuss the work of Alphonse Mucha (1860-1939), especially his incredibly symbolic and deeply esoteric masterpiece, Le Pater. Mucha was a Czech painter, illustrator and artist who lived in Paris during the Art Nouveau period. His distinctive style is recognized today as being among the defining works of that period, and is probably best known for his posters promoting stage actress Sara Bernhardt. However, Mucha was also a Moravian Christian and Freemason, and his esoteric interests and mystical pursuits enfused the artwork of his incredible masterpiece, Le Pater. This is such an important piece of esoteric artwork that I agreed to produce this bonus episode to help Thomas get the word out about his Kickstarter to produce a paperback version of his book on Le Pater. Links Win a FREE copy of Le Pater! The Le Pater website Century Guild Information on Alphone Mucha's involvement in Freemasonry What is Art Nouveau?

You've got permission to come aboard this podcast episode! My guest in this episode is Captain Tres Henry, who also joined me back in April. We discuss divination, destiny, magic, and reality. Divination is not just a read-only operation, and we discuss what this means for the diviner who is also a magician. This is a nerdy episode. We build up a metaphor between computer programming, divination, and magic. We dive into the notion of randomness and how it is connected to free will and determinism, a topic also at the heart of my chat with Allen Drake. We discuss a number of other esoteric topics, but take some time to also discuss boats. Get ready to learn about rigging and masts and other sailor terms like that. We also talk about the Captain's two pieces of software, Urania and Georatio. The former is astrological software geared toward magicians, and the second is a geomancy tool. I am also joined in this episode by guest co-host Matt Anthony, who you will doubtlessly recall as one of my co-hosts from My Alchemical Bromance. If you want to see what else Matt has been up to, check out his YouTube channel, Mattatarian! This episode marks several important milestones: It is my first episode recorded on a boat! It is my first in-person recording in a long time. My last was with Alexx Bollen in October 2020. It is the last episode of season two! The podcast will return with season three in September. Links Captain Tres Henry's blog Urania Georatio The featured image for this episode is Zeegezicht met oorlogsvloot (1821) by Cornelis Ploos van Amstel. Original from The Rijksmuseum.

Okay, stay with me here. You are going to have to hear this one to believe it, because my guest on this episode is Alexander Eth. That name is probably familiar, because Alexander is the host of the esoteric Glitch Bottle podcast, which covers topics we are all curious about: magic, mysticism, grimoires, necromancy, and other mysteries of our weird universe. Alexander is a classical ceremonial magician and researcher into grimoires. Did wizards just make all of this up? Alexander and I talk about the modern renaissance of grimoire magic and what he's learned from all of the amazing magicians, researchers, scholars, and translators he has talked to. Is there technology to trace? How much of it is innovation? I have been waiting for so long to have this conversation, and Alexander's insights are fascinating. In exploring this subject, we will discuss many of your favorite grimoires, well-known magicians both modern and historical, and a number of popular techniques. We discuss ritual implements, the history of such implements, and along the way we reveal that Alexander's mind is a vast and impressive encyclopedia of magical goodies. We also talk a lot about the nature of spirits. What are they? Why can we talk to them? How can we do it better? Why does it work in so many different ways? We ask these questions and then we absolutely try to answer them! As a bonus at the end of the episode, Alexander and I share our pro tips on organizing podcast playlists. How can you spare your brain? Well, listen to the end and find out. Anyhow, you can tell from the description, I suppose, that the episode had to be a long one. It also had to be a long one because this is an interview with Alexander Eth!! Enjoy! Links Glitch Bottle Glitch Bottle Patreon Interview with Alexander Eth on The Creative Independent Poke Runyon's The Magick of Solomon Joseph Peterson's The Secrets of Solomon Joseph Peterson's Esoteric Archives The Elucidarium Necromancia on Mr. Peterson's Heptameron page Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

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

"What the dickens are decans?" asks T. Susan Chang in this episode of the podcast. Susie joins me this time to discuss her new book, 36 Secrets: A Decanic Journey Through the Minor Arcana of the Tarot. We explore the concept of a decan walk, talk about Susie's process, and then we dig into some specific examples of various decans, Tarot cards, and decanic images from the Picatrix and Agrippa. Please join us for this deep dive into Tarot, astrology, and the occult. T. Susan Chang bought her first tarot deck at a Barnes & Noble in New York, where she moonlighted as a reader while working in academic publishing. After leaving the city, she took her practice underground for many years, re-surfacing in 2015 and taking up the systematic study of esoteric correspondences in tarot. Along with deck creator Mel Meleen, Susie hosts the Fortune's Wheelhouse esoteric tarot podcast, which explores imagery and symbolism in the Rider-Waite-Smith and Thoth decks. She is the creator of the Arcana Case® for tarot decks, which can be found on her Etsy page, along with her line of esoteric perfumes. She reads tarot in person at the Inspirit Crystal shop in Northampton, Massachusetts Her online Tarot course, "The Living Tarot," course can be found on her website. When not engaged in tarot-adjacent activity, she teaches writing at Smith College, and writes occasionally about food and cookbooks. She lives in western New England with her husband, two children, and a variable number of chickens. Also make sure to check out all the other times Susie has appeared on the podcast! Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

Mr. R.A. Priddle joins me to explore the world of fraudulent ballooning magicians. No, not the Wizard of Oz, but rather Francis Barrett, author of that famous early 19th century tome of ritual magic, The Magus, or Celestial Intelligencer. Mr. Priddle, or Robert, as I usually call him, wrote his dissertation on Barrett and as I learned very quickly, it is actually not fair to label Barrett as fraudulent. He was instead a working, professional magician and teacher of magic, and his influential book was crucial for keeping alive many earlier occult secrets for later generations. Barrett led a life filled with interesting characters and dangerous adventures. He was an alchemist who experimented with hydrogen ballooning. He studied under Ebenezer Sibly, the 18th century astrologer famous for casting the natal chart for the United States of America. Barrett also attempted a translation of George von Welling's massive tome, Opus Mago-cabbalisticum et Theosophicum. Barrett's legacy is also impressive. He influenced Eliphas Levi and Edward Bulwer-Lytton, thus becoming a major contributor to the 19th century occult revival. In addition, a talisman drawn directly from The Magus was carried by none other than Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter-Day Saints (you know, the Mormons). I have a feeling that you will love this episode of the podcast. Mr. Priddle's enthusiasm in exploring Francis Barrett's life, work, and influence is infectuous. Barrett is an historical character worth examining, and I think you will agree that his work is worth a closer look. Links "More Cunning than Folk: An analysis of Francis Barrett's The Magus as indicative of a transitional period of English magic," by R.A. Priddle R.A. Priddle on Udemy – make sure to check out his course, "Foundations in the Study of Magic"! The Magus, or Celestial Intelligencer by Francis Barrett "The Art of Drawing Spirits into Crystals" by Pseudo-Trithemius (also be sure to check out Sam Block's excellent ebook on this text.) Ebenezer Sibly and the Natal Chart of the United States Georg von Welling Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa Pietro d'Abano Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

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

Dr. James Russell joins me for the third episode in my series on the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili. Dr. Russell is a book historian in Phoenix, Arizona. He completed his doctorate at the Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies at Durham University in the UK. James is interested in how material texts shape spiritual experiences. Focusing on early modern esoteric and contemplative literature, he studies the traces readers have left behind in books and manuscripts in order to reconstruct the reading experiences of the past. In his dissertation, Dr. Russell wrote, "Instead of merely being viewed as an art object, the HP was a text in which readers engaged extensively with both word and image."1 We discuss the HP as a used text as evidenced by its marginalia, like a "humanist activity book" filled with pen-and-paper intellectual games, whether or not the author intended it to be. James also leads us through an exploration of several of the commentators of early editions of the HP, including two alchemists, a botanist, and Pope Alexander VII. This conversation opens up so many new avenues that make this remarkable book worth exploring and enjoying. When James first approached me, he mentioned The Book that Nobody Read by Owen Gingerich. Gingerich attempts to trace the influence of Copernicus's De Revolutionibus using marginalia. I was also a fan of Gingerich's book, so I knew right away we would have plenty to talk about. Please enjoy this episode and don't be afraid to write in your books! Links Dr. Russell's dissertation, `Many Other Things Worthy of Knowledge and Memory': The Hypnerotomachia Poliphili and its Annotators, 1499-1700 Dr. Russell is on Twitter! Thrift Store Book History on YouTube (it's just a placeholder for now!) The rest of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili episodes Citations and Resources Here is a list of sources that Dr. Russell used in preparing his notes for the interview. Primary Sources Le Tableau des riches Inventions…dans le songe de Poliphile (Paris: Guillemot, 1600). This is the openly alchemical 1600 edition of the HP D’Espagnet, Jean, Enchiridion Physicae Restitutae (Paris: Widow N. de Sercy, 1642, 3rd edn). Nazari, Giovan Battista, Della tramutatione metallica sogni tre (Brescia: Pietro Maria Marchetti, 1599). English translation: Three Dreams on the Transmutation of Metals, trans. Doug Skinner (Glasgow: Magnum Opus Hermeticum Sourceworks, 2002). A very HP-like alchemical allegory Quintilian, Institutio oratoria, ed. and trans. H.E.Butler (London: Heinemann, 1963).   On Marginalia: Barney, Stephen A., Annotation and Its Texts (Oxford-New York: Oxford University Press, 1991).  Jackson, Heather J., Marginalia: Readers Writing in Books (Yale University Press: New Haven and London, 2005) Jardine, Lisa and Anthony Grafton, ‘“Studied for Action”: How Gabriel Harvey Read His Livy’, Past & Present 129 (1990), pp. 30-78.   Sherman, William H., Used Books: Marking Readers in Renaissance England (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2007).   Other Secondary Sources Doody, Aude, Pliny’s Encyclopedia: The Reception of the Naturalis historia (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010).    Eco, Umberto, The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana, trans. Geoffrey Brock (London: Vintage Books, 2005).   Fierz-David, Linda, The Dream of Poliphilo: The Soul in Love (Dallas, TX: Spring Publications, 1987). A Jungian reading of Poliphilus and Polia as Animus/Anima Freud, Sigmund, The Interpretation of Dreams (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999)   Heckscher, William S., ‘Bernini’s Elephant and Obelisk’, Art Bulletin 29 (1947), pp. 155-82 Jung, Carl, Psychology and Alchemy (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1953)  Kenny, N., The Palace of Secrets: Béroalde de Verville and Renaissance Conceptions of Knowledge (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1991). On the author of the 1600 alchemical edition of the HP Painter, George D. The Hypnerotomachia Poliphilo of 1499: An introduction on the Dream, the Dreamer, the Artist, and the Printer (London: Eugrammia Press, 1963). An introduction to the HP which highlights the pagan nature of the text Poe, Edgar Allan, ‘Marginalia’ in James A. Harrison, ed., The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe Vol. XVI, (New York: AMS, 1965) pp. 1-178. Priki, Efthymia, ‘Elucidating and Enigmatizing: the Reception of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili in the Early Modern Period and in the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries’, eSharp 14 (2009), pp. 62-90 http://www.gla.ac.uk/esharp Accessed 21/08/2011. Rhizopoulou, On the botanical content of Hypnerotomachia Poliphili https://doi.org/10.1080/23818107.2016.1166070 On Aldus Manutius and the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili Barolini, Helen, Aldus and his Dream Book (New York: Italica Press, 1992). Casella, Maria Teresa, and Giovanni Pozzi, Francesco Colonna. Biografia e opere. Vol. I Biografia (M.T. Casella), Vol. II Opere (G. Pozzi) (Padua: Antenore, 1959). Cruz, Esteban Alejandro, Re-Discovering Antiquity through the Dreams of Poliphilus (Oxford: Trafford, 2006).  Fogliati, Silvia and David Dutto, Il Giardino di Polifilo: ricostruzione virtuale dalla Hypnerotomachia Poliphili di Francesco Colonna stampata a Venezia nel 1499 da Aldo Manuzio (Milan: Franco Maria Ricci, 2002). This is the 3D reconstruction of the HP Russell, James Charles (2014) `Many Other Things Worthy of Knowledge and Memory': The Hypnerotomachia Poliphili and its Annotators, 1499-1700, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/10757/ ↩

This is the second part of the 2021 Forecast episodes! Once again, I am joined by my two very amazing friends, cartomancer T. Susan Chang and astrologer Andrew B. Watt! In this episode, we cover July through December of 2021. You can find part one here. 2020 was a rotting radioactive carcass, belching toxic fumes out of a larger burning radioactive carcass, and when Andrew and I did our forecast last year, we were far too optimistic, even when the cards and charts showed us some scary stuff. This time, hopefully we are all more realistic. Note that there are two special treats for you accompanying this episode: All of us are offering a 20% discount on readings through January 5th with the code BIGFLUSH-20 and you can find links to all of our divination offerings below. There is a PDF document with charts and cards that goes along with this episode and part 2. You can get access to it by becoming a Patreon supporter of the Arnemancy Podcast, the Fortune's Wheelhouse Podcast, or Andrew B. Watt. T. Susan Chang T. Susan Chang bought her first tarot deck at a Barnes & Noble in New York, where she moonlighted as a reader while working in academic publishing. After leaving the city, she took her practice underground for many years, re-surfacing in 2015 and taking up the systematic study of esoteric correspondences in tarot. Along with deck creator Mel Meleen, Susie hosts the Fortune's Wheelhouse esoteric tarot podcast, which explores imagery and symbolism in the Rider-Waite-Smith and Thoth decks. She is the creator of the Arcana Case® for tarot decks, which can be found on her Etsy page, along with her line of esoteric perfumes. She reads tarot in person at the Inspirit Crystal shop in Northampton, Massachusetts Her online Tarot course, "The Living Tarot," course can be found on her website. Her interest in tarot is wide-ranging and passionate, and has included: Setting up 78 Spotify playlists for those interested in card-appropriate music memorizing astrological correspondences for the minor arcana while swimming laps writing tarot haiku and spells maintaining a sprawling Card-of-the-Day-tracking database (complete with elemental, astrological, and kabbalistical frequency and percentage pie charts). She attempts to learn Hebrew approximately once every 15 months and has been known to spontaneously arrange her pancakes into a Tree of Life formation. When not engaged in tarot-adjacent activity, she teaches writing at Smith College, and writes occasionally about food and cookbooks. She lives in western New England with her husband, two children, and a variable number of chickens. Andrew B. Watt Andrew Watt is an astrologer, poet and artist living in western Massachusetts. He works in textiles, wood and words to produce objects for practical magic and mysterious practicality, and seeks the honest wisdom found in the life of an artisan. Main website An Astrological Almanac for 2021 Patreon account Amazon author page Etsy website Twitter handle Tumblr handle Other Links 2020 Forecast Part 1 2020 Forecast Part 2 A Small Collection of Specialized Spreads, Volume Two Get a Tarot reading by email from Reverend Erik Get a video Tarot reading from Reverend Erik Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

The new year is upon us! Once again, I have invited friends to help me try to forecast the future. Here is the exciting part: I am joined by my two very amazing friends, T. Susan Chang and Andrew B. Watt! Together, we create a forecast for 2021 using astrology from Andrew and Tarot cards from Susie. 2020 was a rolling pile of crap, set aflame in a giant dumpster painted like a TARDIS, and when Andrew and I did our forecast last year, we were far too optimistic, even when the cards and charts showed us some scary stuff. This time, hopefully we are all more realistic. Part 1 of the Forecast covers the first half of 2021, from January to June. Note that there are two special take-aways from this episode: All of us are offering a 20% discount on readings through January 5th with the code BIGFLUSH-20 and you can find links to all of our divination offerings below. There is a PDF document with charts and cards that goes along with this episode and part 2. You can get access to it by becoming a Patreon supporter of the Arnemancy Podcast, the Fortune's Wheelhouse Podcast, or Andrew B. Watt. Andrew B. Watt Andrew Watt is an astrologer, poet and artist living in western Massachusetts. He works in textiles, wood and words to produce objects for practical magic and mysterious practicality, and seeks the honest wisdom found in the life of an artisan. Main website An Astrological Almanac for 2021 Patreon account Amazon author page Etsy website Twitter handle Tumblr handle T. Susan Chang T. Susan Chang bought her first tarot deck at a Barnes & Noble in New York, where she moonlighted as a reader while working in academic publishing. After leaving the city, she took her practice underground for many years, re-surfacing in 2015 and taking up the systematic study of esoteric correspondences in tarot. Along with deck creator Mel Meleen, Susie hosts the Fortune's Wheelhouse esoteric tarot podcast, which explores imagery and symbolism in the Rider-Waite-Smith and Thoth decks. She is the creator of the Arcana Case® for tarot decks, which can be found on her Etsy page, along with her line of esoteric perfumes. She reads tarot in person at the Inspirit Crystal shop in Northampton, Massachusetts Her online Tarot course, "The Living Tarot," can be found on her website. Her interest in tarot is wide-ranging and passionate, and has included: Setting up 78 Spotify playlists for those interested in card-appropriate music memorizing astrological correspondences for the minor arcana while swimming laps writing tarot haiku and spells maintaining a sprawling Card-of-the-Day-tracking database (complete with elemental, astrological, and kabbalistical frequency and percentage pie charts). She attempts to learn Hebrew approximately once every 15 months and has been known to spontaneously arrange her pancakes into a Tree of Life formation. When not engaged in tarot-adjacent activity, she teaches writing at Smith College, and writes occasionally about food and cookbooks. She lives in western New England with her husband, two children, and a variable number of chickens. Other Links 2020 Forecast Part 1 2020 Forecast Part 2 A Small Collection of Specialized Spreads, Volume Two Get a Tarot reading by email from Reverend Erik Get a video Tarot reading from Reverend Erik Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

This episode of the podcast visits the Abaton of Asklepios to incubate a dream from the god for the purposes of healing. This is not a typical episode, and is intended to be used as an episode to help you get to sleep while also performing dream magic and oneiromancy. The first segment of this episode will give you instructions on preparing your ritual space and explaining the ritual. Relevant parts of those instructions are included below just in case you want to get a jump start on things before listening to the episode. The second segment is the ritual itself. I look forward to hearing feedback about this episode. Please send me reports of your results with this new and unusual experiment! Preparing Your Abaton To prepare for your dream incubation, you will want the following items available. Pen and paper next to your bed and within easy reach of your sleeping area. A bed with fresh bedding. Frankincense incense or essential oil in a diffuser Flickering LED candles (because you can't leave real candles burning!) An image of Asklepios or the rod of Asklepios. Food and drink as an offering to the god. Incubation Ritual Steps These steps are explained in the podcast and are typed out here to make things easier for you. Change your bedding and clean your sleeping area. Hang the image of Asklepios or his rod over the head of your bed. Write your healing wish on a piece of paper, and put that paper under your pillow. Light the frankincense and LED candles. Take a ritual shower or bath with the intent of cleansing yourself to enter the dream abaton. Enter your sleeping area reverently. Perform your usual ritual opening; if you do not have one, at least offer a prayer to the Most High. Get into bed and listen to the rest of the podcast. My Gratitude This is a very different sort of episode and it stretched my skills and got me to work in new ways. I couldn't have done it without the help of these fine folks: T. Susan Chang Matt Anthony (also follow him on Instagram!) Hermanubis Lodge of the Hermetic Federation My wonderful Patreon supporters Sources Orphic hymn №66 to Asklepios Orphic hymn №85 to the Divinity of Dreams (Oneiroi) Greek Magical Papyri (PGM) VII. 628-42 and VII. 664-85 Description of Greece by Pausanias Links Who is Asclepius? Asklepios on the Theoi Project Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

There is a good chance that you are already familiar with my guest on this episode. Sam Block, AKA @polyphanes, is the prolific genius behind the Digital Ambler, his blog covering a wide swath of esoteric and occult topics. Earlier this year, he took on the ambitious project of completing his own translation of the third book of the Corpus Hermeticum, the collection of classical philosophical texts that forms the core of Hermeticism. We begin this episode with a discussion about the nature of the Corpus Hermeticum and the Hermetica in general, and then we get into Sam's project. We talk about his inspiration, the challenges of the translation, and what he learned through the experience. We discuss stories of creation in the Hermetica, how we use Hermetic concepts in our practices, and how to learn this stuff. This conversation ranges from the relaxed to the serious, from the frivolous to the deeply thoughtful. I am releasing it the week of Thanksgiving in the United States in the hopes that our conversation will add something special to everybody's lazy holiday. Links Sam's translation and commentary on Corpus Hermeticum III The Digital Ambler @polyphanes on Twitter Sam's Etsy shop Sam's writing on the Heart Sutra Copenhaver's Hermetica Salaman's Way of Hermes My blog post about Corpus Hermeticum XIII Sam Block on Geomancy and the PGM (back on My Alchemical Bromance) Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

Rafa Martinelli is a musician, podcaster, sound healer, and meditation guide. His intuition and curiosity led him to transcendental experiences which awakened in him the quest to remember who we are and how to become more of who we are. In this episode, he joins me from Uruguay to discuss his spiritual journey and how we can address the great secret of our true nature. Rafa's story is fascinating, and involves adventures and travels with a Taoist doctor of Chinese medicine. We discuss psychedelics, spiritual dimensions, meditation, surrender, and how our ego tends to get in the way. Links Rafa's podcast on YouTube Rafa's music on Bandcamp @atmanrafa on Instagram Reverend Erik's guest appearance on Mystic Times Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

This is the audio-only version of the 2020 HALLOWEEN SHOWDOWN live episode that I recorded with Alexx Bollen of the Alexxcast. We had a number of special guests, including Stephanie Quick, Wesley Martusewicz, and Charlie Claire Burgess of the Word Witch. The original was broadcast live on Halloween 2020 on YouTube. You can watch the original video at this link. Links Arnemancy Patreon Alexx's Patreon

Scott Gosnell recently finished translating his seventh Giordano Bruno book, Song of Circe & On the Composition of Images. Through this long process, he has become more familiar with Bruno's work than probably 99.9% of the people on the planet. We have talked many times on this podcast and the Arnemancy blog about how brilliant Bruno is, and Scott's insight into this Renaissance genius has influenced his understanding of the modern world. In this episode, we discuss not only Scott's work on Bruno, but the state of the world today, how we can make sure our information about the modern world is good, and how we can start preparing for an uncertain future. He discusses the importance of looking for diverse perspectives in order to understand the information bubbles we all live in, and how other ways of looking at things can help us find new ways to think. Here in the United States, the national election is right on top of us, and there are plenty of whispers about the uncertainty of this country's future. Scott's advice for evaluating politics through a broader lens and intelligently planning for the future meshes well with my season one conversation with Andrew Watt in Wizards of the Future and can help you take a closer look at your own preparations. Scott Gosnell is an entrepeneur, scholar, and startup consultant who helps with risk management and personal coaching. Links Song of Circe & On the Composition of Images by Giordano Bruno and translated by Scott Gosnell The Collected Works of Giordano Bruno translated by Scott Gosnell bottlerocketscience, Scott's blog Scott Gosnell's writing on Quora @infinite_me on Twitter "Ur-Fascism" by Umberto Eco Resilience Maps - Simple Critical Infrastructure Maps Halloween Livestream with Alexx Bollen J Swofford's Picatrix Talisman cards Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

Returning regular guest Alexx Bollen joined me in Creston Park in Southeast Portland for a socially distant interview. Our primary topic was dealing with depression during the COVID-19 lockdown, but we got into a number of different topics, including synchronicities, chaos magic, microdosing, and Randonautica. Note that there is some wind noise and plenty of background park noise in this episode. We recorded outdoors and it had been a while, so unfortunately we just have to live with it! We discuss the general state of Portland during the lockdown. What's it like on the ground? Where are the people? How are the parks? What happened when the federal government invaded our city? When we get into the politics, we really just wanted to make a few things clear: We don't want to live in a police state. We don't want to be murdered by our government. We don't want anybody to be murdered because of bigotry. Black lives matter! The narrative should not be that Portland is burning down. This should not be a partisan issue! Alexx and I both acknowledge that none of you are here to hear us talk about politics, and for that we apologize. But politics gets into our occult communities, and if we are not paying attention, then suddenly we get Neo-Nazis and alt-right assholes running corners of our occult world. Though Alexx and I both had mixed results with Randonautica, we brainstorm some interesting techniques for expanding upon the theme. One that I think is a worthwhile effort is to combine the random destination of Randonautica with the defixio technique from Patrick Dunn's Magic Power Language Symbol. If you are in Portland, Oregon, join me in trying this out at ///senses.deflection.lived. Links The Alexxcast Periphery by Alexx Bollen Microdosing and Depression Adventures in Randonauting on the Alexxcast Randonauts find a dead body Reed College campus closed what3words ///senses.deflection.lived Magic Power Language Symbol by Patrick Dunn Introduction to Sigils The featured image for this post is from Rawpixel. Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

Nicole Burron is a psychic medium, energy worker, shadow guide, death doula and grief counselor. She's been communicating with spirits and feeling spirit energy since childhood, and her current work includes a number of topics which are familiar to any serious occult practitioner. In our conversation, we cover the nature of psychic mediumship and shadow work, and discuss the particulars of working and communicating with spirits. Nicole also discusses working with ancestors and guides. One of the fascinating things about this conversation is that the language of the psychic medium — which is not the same as the language of a ceremonial magician — frequently seems to describe similar phenomenon, entities, and methods for both work and communication with those entities. Links Oh-So Magical Life (Nicole's website) @nicoleburron on Instagram Shadow Work Journal Prompts My appearance on Nicole's podcast Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

Season two is finally here, and this solo episode opens with a discussion of the current state of the world in 2020. Oregon is on fire, my city is shrouded in smoke, and the rest of the world is in difficult shape, too. It's time to revisit the 2020 forecast episodes that Andrew Watt helped me with from January of this year. Join me in looking at what we can learn from our predictions from July through December. What's already happened, and what should we be getting ready for? We need to be getting ready to be the wizards of the future! Finally, this episode also discusses the format of season two. What is changing? What is remaining the same? What can you look forward to? Tune in and find out! Links Forecasting 2020 with Andrew B. Watt (part 2) Wizards of the Future with Andrew Watt What is Planetary Magic? Planetary Magic in the Arnemancy Shop Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

The Arnemancy Podcast is back for a second season! Join the host, Reverend Erik, as he explores the practice, philosophy, and history of the occult, esotericism, and the paranormal. The Arnemancy Podcast features interviews with historians, practitioners, and scholars to bring light to difficult topics, such as magic, the art of memory, Kabbalah, Tarot, spiritualism, Hermetic philosophy, and more. Season Two of the Arnemancy Podcast, featuring Reverend Erik, is coming to your favorite podcast service in September of 2020. You can also find the Arnemancy project on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook – just search for Arnemancy! Season two of the Arnemancy Podcast promises all the explosions and twice the garden gnomes! Subscribe now! Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

Author, pagan, and sorcerer Misha Magdelene joins me to talk about the intersection of gender and sexuality with magic and polytheism. Misha is the author of Outside the Charmed Circle: Exploring Gender & Sexuality in Magical Practice and is also the author behind the Patheos blog, Outside the Charmed Circle. We talk about cracking open the ways we are "programmed" to look at the world and how various esoteric practices seem like a perfect place to explore new ways of looking at the world and deconstructing concepts and cultural cues that most of us are never forced to look at very carefully. Our conversation explores gender and sexuality across a variety of esoteric traditions, including Wicca, modern polytheism, ancient religions, Kabbalah, and more. We discuss the art of writing a book, and Misha's approach to authoring their book. We also discussed how to get started learning about LGBTQ topics and issues, and how to face the fear that keeps us from confronting components of our own identity that might be deeply significant but not of our own making. This episode wraps up Season One of the Arnemancy Podcast. Season Two will kick off in September, and in the meantime I will be releasing some bonus material for my Patreon supporters, so head over to the Arnemancy Patreon page and check it out. Links Misha's book: Outside the Charmed Circle: Exploring Gender & Sexuality in Magical Practice Find it at Amazon here. Misha's website Their blog, Outside the Charmed Circle @mishamagdalene on Twitter @mishamagdalene on Instagram Their Facebook page Gardnerian Wicca Anderson Feri tradition Annie Lynsen's Major Arqueerna Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Justin Sledge, a professor of philosophy focusing on the intersection of philosophy and esotericism. He studied at the University of Amsterdam's Center for the Study of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents and on top of that, he has a Ph.D. in philosophy. Our discussion focuses on the Zohar and how to study it. The Zohar is a massive text – the Pritzker edition is twelve volumes – and it is a complicated and difficult thing to study. Dr. Sledge takes us on a journey through the history of Kabbalah and the Zohar's place in it. Our conversation includes discussion of Abraham Abulafia, Sabbatai Zevi, the Mandaeans, Moses Cordovero, Daniel Matt, and even some John Dee and Johannes Trithemius. It's a long episode and it is full of stuff! Links Dr. Justin Sledge's website ESOTERICA channel on YouTube NEW! Dr. Sledge created a Zohar Study Tips video after we recorded this episode! Get the Pritzker edition of the Zohar! Or start with the Midrash ha-Ne'lam in volume X! Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

This particular meeting of minds has been a really long time in coming. Greg Stewart joins me for a discussion about postmodernism, Freemasonry, Hermeticism, and the role of sacredness in everyday life. Greg and I have both been Freemasons for a really long time, and we've both been active on the Internet talking about Freemasonry, esotericism, and the Western mystery tradition for ages. Amazingly, though our paths may have come close to intersecting, somehow we have never talked before. In this episode, we change that. Our conversation explores the early connection between Renaissance Hermeticism, Rosicrucianism, and the roots of modern Freemasonry. We discuss religious threads in Freemasonry and how the Masonic approach can help us be accepting of other faiths, beliefs, and approaches to life. We follow every tangent we can get our hands on, too. Expect a wide array of related topics in this lively conversation! Links @GregoryBStewart on Twitter Follow Greg on Facebook @masonic_traveler on Instagram Greg's blog, The Primitive Rite Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

I'm on the Alexxcast again! Alexx and I talk about productivity, emergency champagne, staying creative during the pandemic, and then we listen to some surprising voicemail. Here's his description of the episode: > Welcome friends to episode 338. Tonight Erik Arneson (@arnemancy) rejoins the show to listen to voicemails, answer questions, and finally unravel the mystery of breakfast cereal. Go listen over on The Alexxcast page, or listen here!

Back in the good old days of My Alchemical Bromance, we had our good friend Aaron Epperson on for a reverse interview. It was a delightful experience pretty early in my days as a podcaster. Now that I am a seasoned, salty veteran of the podcasting world, Aaron has returned to lift our spirits with another extra special appearance. Please join me, Reverend Erik, as I give Aaron his first ever Tarot reading, live on this episode! For this reading, I used the Miniature Rider-Waite Tarot Deck from U.S. Games. I linked to the exact deck I use – it looks like there are some low-quality knock-offs of the miniature deck available, but mine is pretty nice. Since I had all of my podcasting equipment on the table, I had to use the tiny cards or there wouldn't have been any room! Please excuse the color correction on this photo. The Hermit was in a shadow and being the masterful photo toucher-upper that I am, I did what I could to make that card more visible. Links Enroll in my new class: Planetary Petitions, Amulets and Sigils! Get my other classes as digital downloads! Reverse Interview with Aaron Epperson on My Alchemical Bromance Book a Tarot reading with me! Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

Ted Hand is public school teacher and independent scholar of Renaissance Magic. In this episode, he discusses the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili and Atalanta Fugiens as influential Renaissance texts and the culture of images. Ted discusses in particular the concept of using these image-heavy texts as vehicles for esoteric or mystical play. He discusses in particular the Atalanta Fugiens as a multimedia text and the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili as almost an architectural handbook. This conversation ends up being a deep exploration of the historical culture of the imagination. We discuss alchemy, the Rosicrucians, early Freemasonry, Robert Fludd, Giulio Camillo, image magic, forbidden knowledge, the Art of Memory, and building a relationship with meaningful texts. One key bit in this episode is Ted's explanation of why well-known Renaissance man and architect Leon Battisti Aberti was considered as a potential author of the Hypnerotomachia before scholars seemed to settle on Francisco Colonna. Along the way, Ted and I discuss different definitions and approaches to meditation in the history of Western esotericism, and we talk about the role of imagination and visions in meditative practice. This in particular might be one of the greatest lesson This episode is the second in a series on the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili and serves to help introduce the audience to the thinking, culture, and scholarship around this remarkable book and its lasting effect on our culture. Check below for show notes and for Ted's recommended reading list. Links @t3dy on Twitter Pico and Dick with Ted Hand (podcast) Joscelyn Godwin’s English translation of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili Robert Dallington’s aborted English translation of 1592 (at Project Gutenberg) Scans of the 1499 first edition of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili (at the Internet Archive) Atalanta Fugiens by Michael Maier (at the Internet Archive) Arnemancy's Hypnerotomachia Poliphili Series Reading List Bilak, Donna. "Playful Humanism in Atalanta fugiens (1618)". 2017. https://italianacademy.columbia.edu/paper/playful-humanism-atalanta-fugiens-1618 Cruz, Esteban Alejandro. Hypnerotomachia Poliphili: Re-Discovering Antiquity Through The Dreams Of Poliphilus. 2006. Griggs, Tamara. "Promoting the past: The Hypnerotomachia Poliphili as antiquarian enterprise". https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/griggs/files/wordimage.pdf Russell, James, Charles. 'Many Other Things Worthy of Knowledge and Memory': The Hypnerotomachia Poliphili and its Annotators, 1499-1700. (2014). etheses.dur.ac.uk/10757/ Rogers, Dionysius. A Renaissance Seduction of Memory: Colonna's Hypnerotomachia as Counter-Edification. Tufte, Edward. Beautiful Evidence. Warner, Marina. Fantastic Metamorphoses, Other Worlds: Ways of Telling the Self. https://en.chessbase.com/post/francesco-colonna-first-human-chess-reference (same website has the acrostic) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315117781_A_Dreamt_Feast_Culinary_Marvels_in_the_Hypnerotomachia_Poliphili (banquet in chapter nine, late medieval and early renaissance feasting practices) Hasler, Johann F.W. "Performative and Multimedia Aspects of Late-Renaissance Meditative Alchemy: The Case of Michael Maier’s Atalanta Fugiens (1617)", (Revista de Estudios Sociales. April, 2011). https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=3439874 Szonyi, György E. "Architectural Symbolism and Fantasy Landscapes in Alchemical and Occult Discourse: Revelatory Images", in Emblems & Alchemy, Alison Adams, and Stanton J. Linden, (eds.), (Glasgow Emblem Studies, 1998). Bolzoni, Lina. "The Memory Theatre of Giulio Camillo: Alchemy, Rhetoric, and Deification in the Renaissance", in Lux in Tenebris: The Visual and the Symbolic in Western Esotericism, (Brill, Aries Book Series, Volume: 23, 2018).

Magician, fortune teller, and notorious swamp wizard Allen Drake joins me in this episode. We open with a discussion of various forms of divination and fortune telling, focusing primarily on Tarot and astrology. It doesn't take long for us to dive into the Hellenistic astrology of Dorotheus of Sidon. Allen takes us on a wild exploration of really early approaches to astrological symbols, images, and meanings before we dive into the meanings of fate and fortune and why those words scare the heck out of people. Dorotheus of Sidon was a 1st century CE astrologer, who probably lived in Alexandria and may have been from what is today Lebanon. His works are our oldest, best source for Hellenistic astrology and provide a fascinating window into the ancient practices that evolved into today's astrology. By exploring the works of Dorotheus, Allen has developed a rich and rewarding approach to the stars that I think you will find fascinating and enlightening. A note on audio quality: The COVID-19 shelter-in-place situation has forced me to make a lot of changes in how I record lately, so Allen's conversation happened over the phone. I'm working hard to make sure audio quality is better in future episodes. Links Carmen Astrologicum by Dorotheus of Sidon, translated by Benjamin N. Dykes Lunar Cry invitation Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

This is a solo episode about the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, the most beautiful book in Venice. This mysterious volume was printed in Venice in 1499 by Aldus Manutius, with a typeface created by master punchcutter Francesco Griffo. Illustrated with 172 amazing woodcuts, it was written in a strange combination of Latin, Greek, and Italian. The illustrations also contain Hebrew, Arabic, and invented hieroglyphs. Nobody knows who the illustrator was, nor who wrote the book, but most scholars agree that it was Venetian Franciscian monk and priest Francesco Colonna. In this episode, I discuss the history of events leading up to the book, the nature of the book itself, and also possible influences the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili may have had on later European art, literature, and occult currents. Some of the topics I touch on are the 17th century Rosicrucian movement, the Renaissance Art of Memory, and 18th century Freemasonry. My research in this episode relies heavily on the previous work of two people. First, Joscelyn Godwin, musicologist, author, historian, and translator. He translated the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili into English for the first time in 1999, and was the translator and commentator of The Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz, which I reference in the show. Second is Efthymia Priki, Ph.D. in Byzantine Studies from University of Cyprus, who did extensive work researching the influences of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili on works that came after it. Links The Arnemancy Store Register for an upcoming class or get a recording of a previous class. Joscelyn Godwin's English translation of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili Robert Dallington's aborted English translation of 1592 (at Project Gutenberg) Scans of the 1499 first edition of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili (at the Internet Archive) The Rosicrucian Trilogy (also check out my review of this book) Excellent overview of the story and artwork in the HP "Elucidating and Enigmatizing: the Reception of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili in the Early Modern Period and in the Twentieth and Twenty-first Centuries" by Efthymia Priki The Club Dumas by Arturo Pérez-Revert The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana by Umberto Eco (Make sure you get one that's in full color!) Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

In this episode, we're joined by The Word Witch, Claire Burgess! Claire (pronouns they/them) is a queer and non-binary Tarot reader, teacher, writer, and illustrator. They're the host of The Word Witch podcast and the creator of the Fifth Spirit Tarot deck, both of which explore and re-imagine Tarot through a queer and intersectional lens. They teach Tarot at Portland Community College and, soon, online! We discuss how gender works in Tarot and how modern Tarot creators are working to introduce non-binary ideas into new decks and artwork. We also have a great conversation about Claire's creative process with the Fifth Spirit Tarot. This is a great deep dive into deck creation and we can all learn a lot from their experience and learning process! The Fifth Spirit Tarot is being featured in the online course, Tarot for the Wild Soul. Make sure to check it out and use Claire's affiliate code FIFTHSPIRIT in the "Add Coupon" spot at checkout to get a complimentary Fifth Spirit Tarot deck/altar cloth! Links Live as of April 17th!! The Fifth Spirit Tarot on Kickstarter The Word Witch website and podcast The Fifth Spirit Tarot @the.word.witch on Instagram The Word Witch on Facebook @WordWitchTarot on Twitter Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

Alexx Bollen returns to the podcast to talk about Wyrm's Addition, a new comic book project he's working on with Eric Millar of Outlet Press. The story takes place in an eponymous fictional Portland neighborhood based on a real neighborhood called Ladd's Addition, which those familiar with Portland will undoubtedly recognize as that weird 45°-tilted neighborhood in inner Southeast. What's up with that place? Well, Alexx and Reverend Erik discuss the weirdness of Ladd's Addition and how it influenced the theme and plot of Wyrm's Addition, and then go on to talk about how comic books and writing are a form of magic. Make sure to check out Alexx's new comic book in the links below! There are both digital and physical copies available. Hunson Abadeer summoning part 1 and part 2 Wyrm's Addition digital edition Wyrm's Addition physical edition All of Alexx's other links The history of Ladd's Addition The exact location of our Hunson Abadeer ritual: ///stacks.chat.rocket John and Alexx Hate Stuff Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

Travis Lawrence is an artist, printmaker, explorer of symbolism, meddler in metaphor, and allegorical adventurer. In this episode, guest co-host Coleman Stevenson of the Dark Exact joins me to dive into Travis's history with art, the method behind his creative vision, and some of the mysteries behind his amazing work. We explore Jungian psychology and esoteric influences including Hermetic Qabalah, Alchemy, and Freemasonry. Travis reveals the meaning behind a mysterious phrase that shows up in some of his art, and we ponder carving my front porch into a woodcut of its own. Links Travis Lawrence's website Travis Lawrence on Instagram Travis Lawrence on Facebook The Arnemancy online shop Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

Earlier this month, I was a guest on The Word Witch Podcast, where I discussed The Chariot, The Tower, and the Sevens of the Tarot with amazing host Claire Burgess. Here's what they had to say about the episode: In this tarot lesson episode, Claire is joined by Reverend Erik of the Arnemancy podcast to guide you through The Chariot, The Tower, and the Sevens! This deep and meaty conversation contains lightbulb moments for both Claire and Erik, and it also offers the most laughs you’ll probably ever hear about The Tower. (Read the rest here!) Claire's new deck, the Fifth Spirit Tarot, will be launching on Kickstarter on March 20th -- that's two days from now! Check back and I'll have a link for you. In the meantime, make sure you check out The Word Witch Podcast!

Abigail Atkins of Discordian Astrology joins me in this episode to discuss various aspects of modern and Kabbalistic astrology. Abigail has studied ritual magic and methods of esoteric spiritual development for nearly a decade, and implements astrology as a means of discovering the Holy Guardian Angel and the soul's destiny in this lifetime. Unlike other episodes on astrology, this episode focuses on modern astrology. We discuss synastry, or the comparison of two charts, alongside integration of the slow-moving outer planets and fast-moving asteroids. In addition to this, Abigail integrates her astrological practice deeply into her spiritual practice to produce a unique and enlightening map of reality. This episode was recorded back in October 2019, and I have to apologize for taking so long to release it. Links You can get links to free weekly horoscopes and interactive Tarot readings on the Discordian Astrology social media accounts. @discordastro on Twitter Discordian Astrology on Facebook Discordian Astrology on Patreon Kabbalistic Astrology by Rav Berg Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Please rate this podcast! Listen on Podcrypt

My guest in this episode is Douglas Batchelor, host of the What Magic Is This? Podcast and veteran occultist. This is a continuation of my guest appearance on his podcast, where we started with a broad view of Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa's work and and life. In this sequel, we do a deep dive into Agrippa's Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy, a fascinating work which contains such occult classics as the Heptameron and the Arbatel. It's the grimoire episode you've been waiting for! Links What Magic Is This? Podcast Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa writings on Esoteric Archives Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy Opération des Sept Esprits des Planètes (a merging of the Arbatel and Heptameron workings) A Small Collection of Specialized Spreads (the new Tarot book I'm in!) Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Please rate this podcast! Listen on Podcrypt

This was a really fun one. I was on What Magic is This? with host Douglas Batchelor to talk about occult legend, super wizard, and proto-feminist Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa! Douglas did an incredible job on the show notes for this, so make sure to check out the episode page on his website. From his notes: Occultist. Theologian. Mercenary. Soldier. Physician. Spy. Scholar. Legal Expert. Peripatetic Polymath. Prisoner. Heretic. Certainly someone who lived a full life, Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa looms large over the Occult, and is an obvious addition to the Fools Gallery. He is certainly one of the Titans of Magic, anyone seriously interested in the Occult must give Agrippa his due. In one book (or three) De Occulta Philosophia, it was Agrippa’s contention that there could be a synthetic vision of magic whereby the natural world combined with the Celestial and the Divine.

Montana Jordan joins me to talk about spirits, demons, and ghosts -- or energies, as she calls them. In addition to being a recurring guest, Montana appears on the Travel Channel show "It Feels Evil," in which "a team of demon hunters investigate the darkest hauntings across America." But this is where I had questions: most paranormal investigation shows approach their topic from a Christian worldview, where pretty much everything is considered evil and scary. Montana helps clear up her views on the spirit world and we explore the question of good and evil in spirit interactions. Montana Jordan's home page Montana Jordan on Twitter It Feels Evil home page It Feels Evil on Amazon Video And if you're interested in my Introduction to Sigils class, click here! Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

I was really honored to be a guest on Andrew B. Watt's new Wanderings in the Labrynth podcast! We talked about the Art of Memory, imagination, astrology, and how all of it fits together. Here's what Andrew wrote and you can visit the original episode here. Our wide-ranging conversation covers both “memory of image” and “memory of place”, although Erik demonstrates the value of both the “chain” and the “field” or “table” seals from Thirty Seals and the Seal of Seals, one of the expert-level manuals from Giordano Bruno (executed AD 1600 in Rome for heresy).

This episode of the podcast is a solo show about practical spirituality. This category is one that I just made up, and covers spiritual, esoteric, or mystical practices that impact your external world by either making you a measurably better person, or by providing you with helpful life skills that positively impact your life and the lives of others around you. I touched on this topic in the future-proofing episode with Andrew Watt and with my interview with Greg Marcus on Mussar. But I believe there's a lot more to explore in this area. Here are the various topics I briefly discuss and some links to other things I've written about them: Meditation Freemasonry (also see my other website) The Art of Memory Mussar Arts and Crafts Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt

In part 2 of our two-part forecasting series, Andrew B. Watt and I use astrology and Tarot to try to predict what 2020 will be like. We go through every month and produce both cards and an astrological chart. This second part covers July through December of 2020. You can hire Andrew for astrological consulting, and of course you can schedule a Tarot reading online with me! We had a couple of spotty connection problems during this recording. I believe I caught them all and edited them out, but the RØDECaster Pro has already made me lazy and I didn't check every second. Andrew's Blog, Wanderings in the Labrynth Find him at @AndrewBWatt on Twitter. Andrew's AMAZING Etsy Shop Andrew B. Watt's books on Amazon: The Sun's Paces: Thirty-Six Hymns for the Decans of the Zodiac The Mansions of the Moon: Twenty-Eight Odes or Hymns for the Moon's Course Poems for the Behenian Stars Festae: poetry for the ancient Roman sacred calendar Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy Listen on Podcrypt