What if I told you that you could have certain desires manifest in your life with a few seemingly simple steps? What if things in your life could change to meet with your aspirations both physical and mental? A somewhat recent weapon in the Magicians arsenal, Sigils are pictographic representation of an outcome that you desire. Their possibilities are seemingly endless, from creation to activation to disposing of them. Sigils go to the core of magic in many ways and are great evidence that symbo...
May 11, 2020•1 hr 55 min
Residing in the heart of England lives one of the most notorious Wizards of the last 100 years. A Wizard who has not only seen the future, but some say has had a hand in crafting it. Conjuring characters that are as timeless as his ideas, there does not seem much that is beyond this Sorcerer's Magic. We are talking about Northampton's own Mr. Alan Moore. Widely considered the greatest writer of comic books in the history of the medium, Alan is beloved and feared in equal measures. Besides acknow...
May 01, 2020•1 hr 48 min
In the Prologue to my Podcast, I talked about experiences; occurrences that happened to us all but were extraordinary in a way, something 'other' than normal. Aliens, Ghosts and Spirits are all somewhat common when these things happen. But what exactly is going on during these events? Is there some way that we can think about them that is useful to us? Perhaps there is a metaphor that could give us some kind of perspective? There is. For this, we will need to look through both sides of the Two-W...
Apr 26, 2020•23 min
Another soul lurking around the Fools Gallery. This time, we introduce The Witch of Kings Cross- Rosaleen Norton. Kicked out of school for having a 'Depraved Nature which could corrupt the others' Rosaleen always did things her own way. Influenced by Aleister Crowley and other occultists, Ms. Norton crafted some amazing art from her Magic. She was devoted to the Greek God Pan, the earth's true god- her residence completely adorned with altars to such deities. To many she was a kind, intellectual...
Apr 10, 2020•1 hr 4 min
It became clear very early on in Colin Wilson's life that there was one thing that he had to do for the world. Write. An author of over a hundred books, he was incredibly prolific. But Colin considered himself a philosopher. What kind of Philosopher? He called it New Existentialism- a way for each of us to be responsible for our gift of consciousness. Colin saw that what was missing in a lot of people's lives is meaning, but that our idea of meaning in the world was incorrect. Colin sought to re...
Mar 31, 2020•1 hr 14 min
Ever met a Neoplatonist before the 19th Century? Me neither. The term was cast on a load of figures from the 3rd Century onwards. Using the philosophy of Plato, Neoplatonists came up with a sort of Unified Field Theory for how existence works. Without a doubt one of the most influential philosophies to the world of the esoteric and the occult. But how does it work? What view of the world does it propose? In this Episode, Doug and Dominique get their hands quite dirty going through a philosophy t...
Mar 20, 2020•50 min
After Astrology, the second most popular form of divination is Cartomancy. For over 500 years, we have turned to cards to show us how things were, are and what might be. Cards used include the Tarot, Oracle Cards, Lenormand Cards, and good ol' fashioned Playing Cards. But how did this come about? More importantly, how do you do it? In this episode of WMiT? Doug breaks it down with the assistance of a good friend, Brad. The cards tell stories to those willing to see them and one hopes by the end ...
Mar 12, 2020•1 hr 2 min
Scattered across many museums, there are scrolls of Papyrus from the Early Common Era. Strange documents filled with spells of all kinds, formulae, prayers, hymns, rituals and rites. Their influences are all over the place- Egyptian, Greek, Jewish, Babylonian, Coptic even Gnostic and Christian. They are called the Greek Magical Papyri. Amazing documents that give us a glimpse into how magic was performed for a period of time, even though many of the spells date from much further back. Their exis...
Mar 01, 2020•1 hr 16 min
Continuing with our deep dive on Cornelius Agrippa, this time around the tables are turned and Doug is the Guest. The Arnemancy Podcast is Hosted by Reverend Erik, in which he discusses topics with many magically inclined folks. In this specific Episode, we toss around aspects of a book which may or may not have been written by Agrippa- The Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy . Usually overshadowed by Agrippa’s Three Books of Occult Philosophy, Erik and Doug attempt to make a strong case for this s...
Feb 26, 2020•1 hr 13 min
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 m...
Feb 09, 2020•1 hr 12 min
The quest of turning lead into Gold, this was the aim of the Alchemist. But was this seen as being something practical, or was it a journey to become enlightened? Broadly speaking, Alchemy was actually comprised of many different pursuits to many different people at many different junctures of history. For a time, it captured the imagination of many throughout Europe, and it still does to this day. Practically, it was an antecedent to chemistry and science. Philosophically, it promised the pract...
Jan 31, 2020•52 min
This episode is coming in swift as a greyhound, quick as light. Ancient Egypt has kept us enthralled for centuries. From the childlike curiosity of their culture, Gods and architectural marvels to the miraculous perspective of everyday life. One force weaved everything together from the beginning of their civilization to the end- Magic. The rites uttered to a freshly wrapped Mummy, to the ceremonies carried out to ensoul a God's statue, an understanding of the Sanctity of all things was paramoun...
Jan 21, 2020•56 min
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! Everybody has an image in their mind of the Devil. What he means, what he represents, where he is now. Though the Devil exists in many cultures differently, Christianity seems to have a monopoly on the Devil and his handiwork. Yet up until the 12th Century, the Devil was seen as a somewhat small part of Christianity. This changed dramatically and the Devil became G...
Jan 10, 2020•50 min
Perhaps the most notorious Grimoire (Book of Spells) of all time. Occultists and scholars fear this book and the magic within. Known as Al Azif, it was transcribed or received by Abdul Alhazred in the 9th Century. Only five copies of this mysterious text exist, and it is certain that those who study these documents either go mad or come to regret their decision shortly after. In this episode, Doug and Clay crack open the most stygian document of all time. Support my Flourishing on Patreon or if ...
Dec 31, 2019•39 min
Can your thoughts change reality, specifically yours? Are there laws within this universe that dictate that you attract to yourself what you send out into the universe? Can thinking positive thoughts all the time change your world? Such ideas are so prevalent today that we seem to have forgotten where they came from, a late 19th century movement called New Thought . On this episode of WMiT it's time to go through perhaps the single biggest American Contribution to the world of the Occult. Suppor...
Dec 23, 2019•55 min
Sit Down. Shut up. Follow the Breath. Over the last 40 years, there has been quite a bit of scientific inquiry into the benefits of a technique that is utilized by many cultures and religions around the world. Science aside, Meditation is often one of the first things that an occult aspirant is directed to do. On this episode of WMiT? Doug and Avaah discuss, with a focus on Meditation within the Western Esoteric Tradition. Support my Flourishing on Patreon or if you Enjoyed the Episode, Toss Me ...
Dec 14, 2019•1 hr
Returning to the Fools Gallery, Doug is joined by Tara to discuss one of his favourite people of all time. William Blake was seen as an eccentric loner both during his life and after. However, William considered himself a visionary and a prophet. Woefully ignored during his lifetime, since his death some of his poems and paintings are seen as being among some of the greatest of all time. Blake was certainly inspired, his visions fused into his art and always with the ambition of reminding mankin...
Nov 30, 2019•59 min
Can you keep a secret? Sure ya can... For centuries, groups of people (usually men) met in secret, planning certain actions to their advantage. They created initiatory rites, ceremonies and a hierarchy within their group. These would be unknown to the public, unless you were a member of course. Such behaviour lends itself to conspiracy very easily. On this Episode of WMiT?, I am joined by fellow Podcaster Gabriel as we dig in to the world of Secret Societies and their works. What would those wor...
Nov 22, 2019•1 hr 13 min
Starting in the evening of November 1st and carrying through until November 2nd, many Mexicans will visit the graves of their departed friends and family. This is Dia de los Muertos; The Day of The Dead. Every year, this celebration of ancestral veneration is observed throughout the country. How did it come about? What is the reason for it? Join Douglas for a very special, very personal episode of What Magic is This? Support my Flourishing on Patreon or if you Enjoyed this Episode, Toss a Coin o...
Nov 14, 2019•39 min
What would a wizard be without the wand? What's a witch without the cauldron? On this episode of What Magic is This? we delve into Magic Tools, the instruments and objects that a Magician needs and uses to aid in their spells and rituals. Usually the tools a magician has are technique specific, but are there some that no magician should be without? Doug and Kyle engage in a more conversational episode of WMiT , one that might have a trick-or-treat-or-two up its sleeve. Support my Flourishing on ...
Oct 31, 2019•54 min
If there is one Occult book that is omnipresent, in bookshops and on a Magicians bookshelf, it would be Aleister Crowley's Liber 777. A book of correspondences that showcase the exchange between Kabbalism, Gods, Elements, Planets and many many more. But how did these correspondences come about? How did the book come to be made? How is the book to be used Magically? Doug goes through all this and his opinion of the book that seems to be considered The Only Occult Book a Magician Needs! Support my...
Oct 21, 2019•53 min
We all have them. Each time we go to sleep, something odd occurs. While our eyes may be closed and we are certainly unconscious- it is almost as if our brain is awake. At this point, we are in the Dream Realm. Through the generations, each culture has attached certain functions to dreaming. Yet with all of our knowledge, there still is no consensus as to the purpose of dreams. Countless theories exist, but one of them is certainly incorrect- That dreams themselves are basically insignificant. On...
Oct 10, 2019•1 hr 5 min
Consciousness is pretty much everything. Everything that you've apprehended in your life is due to being able to have conscious experience. But why is it that perhaps the most fundamental ability in our life is so hard to pin down? Why are we Conscious? Where is Consciousness? How did we become Conscious? What do we do with it now? Is it evolving? All of these questions are brought up with my guest Zoi in the latest (and most chaotic) episode of What Magic is This? Support my Flourishing on Patr...
Sep 30, 2019•48 min
In this episode of What Magic is This? we head back to the Fools Gallery with the enigmatic political French Occultist Éliphas Lévi. Pretty much most of what is considered Modern Occultism can be traced back to him. What did he write about? Only that all magic has some kind of direct lineage through all of history and that there is another world underneath this one. Interesting ideas. But how much of what Éliphas wrote was true? Douglas hopes to answer this (on his own) and lay down some thought...
Sep 17, 2019•26 min
Technical issues from my end. My laptop has been acting up and basically petered out as I was recording the newest episode of What Magic is This? So as to not keep everybody waiting, I've recorded a solo show! The first part is about how I came to be a Magician; what led me to thee Temple of Magic. The second half of the episode is a Q&A in which I (hopefully) answer some of the listeners questions. Fingers crossed that I'll be back up with regular scheduled podcasting soon! Thanks for beari...
Sep 03, 2019•35 min
Perhaps the greatest gift that we possess in the world is our Imagination. Without it, we would not have our greatest works of literature, paintings, music, film, even scientific breakthroughs. But science and the materialist worldview has few means to explain what the Imagination is. We know it is a 'thing' that gives us 'things' to help us and move us. On this episode of What Magic is This? I am joined by Caroline to merely scratch the surface of the Imaginal realm, perhaps my favourite place ...
Aug 22, 2019•58 min
Symbols. We are awash in them. No matter where you are, 'Things' are being represented by other 'things.' For many people, strange symbols in books or elsewhere are their introduction to the world of the Occult. But what are symbols themselves, and how can they be used within a magical perspective? Alex joins me to try and get to the crux of the matter, and I lay out my perspective as to what they are and where they might come from. Support my Flourishing on Patreon or if you Enjoyed this Episod...
Aug 12, 2019•39 min
Back to the Fools Gallery! Our second resident is none other than the great Robert Anton Wilson. Writer, itinerant lecturer and all around swell guy. Bob certainly left quite a legacy and the impact of his 1977 autobiography Cosmic Trigger solidified its place as one of the greatest books in the pantheon of weird literature. If you want to get started in Magic and the Occult, you have to get to grips with Robert Anton Wilson and his ideas. Adam joins me for a smashing discussion and he really hi...
Aug 01, 2019•1 hr 5 min
Coincidences are everywhere. But they are certainly a double-edged sword. For some they show that the universe is more connected and has the best intentions in store for us. For others, the word is used as a weapon to discount and dispel many paranormal or supernatural phenomena. But what happens when that coincidence goes into overdrive and something so seemingly profound and unknowingly meaningful unfolds before you? That would make it a synchronicity. On this episode of What Magic is This? I ...
Jul 22, 2019•45 min
Soul Flight, Astral Projection, Astral Travel, Etheric Travel, maybe even Remote Viewing and Bilocation. A lot of terms for something that is very fundamental to Magic. Is something really going on- are people visiting other places, worlds, stars and planets, while their 'real' body is safe somewhere else? Or are they just using their imagination? Then again, what is real? What is imaginary? My guest Camille joins me for a splendid episode which delves into what it is, a bit of history, some peo...
Jul 12, 2019•59 min
