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 ...
May 31, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 20
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 discuss...
May 07, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 19
"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 similariti...
Apr 22, 2021•56 min•Season 2Ep. 18
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 te...
Apr 07, 2021•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 17
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 ha...
Mar 24, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 16
"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 firs...
Mar 11, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Season 2Ep. 15
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 bo...
Feb 24, 2021•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 14
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 concept...
Feb 10, 2021•55 min•Season 2Ep. 13
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 ...
Jan 29, 2021•1 hr 25 min•Season 2Ep. 12
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 rea...
Jan 20, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 11
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. T...
Dec 30, 2020•1 hr 17 min•Season 2Ep. 10
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 sh...
Dec 23, 2020•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 9
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 befo...
Dec 09, 2020•51 min•Season 2Ep. 8
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 th...
Nov 25, 2020•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 7
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 psychedeli...
Nov 11, 2020•59 min•Season 2Ep. 6
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...
Nov 04, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 5
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...
Oct 28, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 4
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 dis...
Oct 14, 2020•53 min•Season 2Ep. 3
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...
Sep 30, 2020•53 min•Season 2Ep. 2
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 gett...
Sep 16, 2020•26 min•Season 2Ep. 1
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 se...
Sep 02, 2020•1 min
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 a...
Jun 24, 2020•54 min•Season 1Ep. 32
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 ...
Jun 17, 2020•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 31
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...
Jun 10, 2020•1 hr 13 min•Season 1Ep. 30
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!...
May 27, 2020•1 hr 6 min
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 ...
May 20, 2020•1 hr 18 min•Season 1Ep. 29
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 ...
May 13, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 28
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...
Apr 29, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 27
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 ...
Apr 22, 2020•34 min•Season 1Ep. 26
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...
Apr 15, 2020•53 min•Season 1Ep. 25
