Jacob Budenz returns for a discussion of poetry, music, art, and how all of them intersect with witchcraft and magic. Jake shares some of their process, and discusses influences from a wide array of mystics and artists, including the anchoress Julian of Norwitch and artist Marjorie Kemp. This episode was a blast---we laughed a lot, and I am sure you will, too!

Jacob Budenz is a queer author, multi-disciplinary performer, educator, and witch with an MFA from University of New Orleans and a BA from Johns Hopkins, whose work focuses broadly on the intersection of otherness and the otherworldly. In addition to writing, Jake is the front person for Baltimore-based psychedelic witchpop darlings Moth Broth. This episode features their new song, Willa!

• Listen to Mothbroth on Bandcamp!
• Mothbroth on Instagram
• Jacob Budenz on Instagram
• Jake's website
• Jake's previous appearance on the podcast

Support the Arnemancy podcast: https://arnemancy.com/support

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Sword + Scythe creates handmade materia magica, amulets, astrological talismans, and provides divinatory services under the auspices of Mars and Saturn. Visit at swordandscythe.com

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Derek Hunter joins me in this episode to explore the rich and confusing world of literature in Elizabethan England! We talk about a number of very interesting characters, especially how they may relate to the question of the identity of William Shakespeare and the authorship of his plays.

Derek is theauthor of 15 books—11 works of fiction, 4 nonfiction—the creator of a philosophy called Love Chaos, an occult practitioner, and a general seeker after the variety and depths of existence.

Three of his most recent works are: Anonymous Agnostic Antichrists, Passionate Pilgrims, and The Human Drama Part Zero: The Fool, Frank Francine Fontaine. These were released in late 2023 and early 2024. AAA, a novel, and PP, a short nonfiction companion piece, were dedicated to the Shakespeare authorship question. The Human Drama series began this year with The Fool and will continue with The Magician on the Summer Solstice, a total of 78 short stories planned for the 78 tarot cards in the next 20 years.

• Find all of Derek's work at love-chaos.com!

Mentioned in this episode:

Visit Sword + Scythe

Sword + Scythe creates handmade materia magica, amulets, astrological talismans, and provides divinatory services under the auspices of Mars and Saturn. Visit at swordandscythe.com

Sword + Scythe

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Bishop Scott Rassbach joins me in this episode to discuss the Apostolic Johannite Church, the Friary Ordo Sacrae Flammae, and the AJC's annual Conclave, and all manner of mystical strangeness.

Bishop Rassach has a Bachelor's degree in English and History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he prepared on a thesis on Philip K. Dick and his works. He also holds a Licentiate in Sacred Theology from St. Raphael’s seminary, where he has delved into many topics in Modern Gnosticism.

He is an avid student of magical and mystic orders, modern ways of understanding ancient ideas, and the intersection of the traditional and the current. Scott likes to say that he is not a professional occult practitioner, but rather an advanced amateur. But he seems pretty advanced to me!

• Apostolic Johannite Church
• Ordo Sacrae Flammae
• The AJC Annual Conclave (May 31st through June 2nd!)

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Visit Sword + Scythe

Sword + Scythe creates handmade materia magica, amulets, astrological talismans, and provides divinatory services under the auspices of Mars and Saturn. Visit at swordandscythe.com

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In this episode, Dr. Nick Literski joins me to explore the topic of spiritual guidance. What does a spiritual guide do? Who should seek one out? Along the way, we dive into the latest findings on religious affiliations and behaviors, which suggest that many identify with being spiritual seekers outside traditional settings. In such a diverse spiritual landscape, whom do these seekers turn to for guidance?

Dr. Nick Literski is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies, and a professional spiritual guide. Dr. Literski holds a doctorate in Depth Psychology with Emphasis in Jungian and Archetypal Studies from Pacifica Graduate Institute, as well as a master’s in Spiritual Guidance from Sofia University and a Juris Doctor from the Northern Illinois University College of Law. Their research interests include depth psychological reflections on spirituality, magic, Paleolithic cave art, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Nick’s work has been published in multiple professional journals. Their recent book, Method Infinite: Freemasonry and the Mormon Restoration, was published by Greg Kofford Books in 2022.

• Dancing Ancestors
• Dancing Ancestors on Facebook

Support this podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy

Mentioned in this episode:

Visit Sword + Scythe

Sword + Scythe creates handmade materia magica, amulets, astrological talismans, and provides divinatory services under the auspices of Mars and Saturn. Visit at swordandscythe.com

Sword + Scythe

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Rejoice, lovely listeners! In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Mat Dragonstone, astrologer, Tarot reader, astro-mage, all round nice guy. This is part two of our discussion on Agrippa, and you should definitely listen to part one on Mat's podcast before listening to this one.

Our discussion begins with a conversation about two logical fallacies: the appeal to antiquity, and the appeal to novelty. We look at how these fallacies influenced Agrippa's work in Three Books of Occult Philosophy, but that's not all! We also discuss how these fallacies may be impacting today's magicians and practitioners, and then look at ways to mitigate the confusion and wrong-turns this appeal could take. This involves a discussion of post-modernism and Jaques Derrida, which Dr. Dragonstone is well-equipped to handle because his PhD is a real honest-to-gosh philosophy degree!

This is a fascinating episode, and we only had mild internet troubles that I managed to almost completely edit around. Grab a caffeinated beverage for this one!

• Dr. Dragonstone's website
• Talismans
• Instagram
• Facebook
• YouTube

Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy

Mentioned in this episode:

Check out the Arnemancy Discord server!

Connect with fellow listeners and maybe chat with your favorite podcast guests.

Join the Arnemancy Discord!

Visit Sword + Scythe

Sword + Scythe creates handmade materia magica, amulets, astrological talismans, and provides divinatory services under the auspices of Mars and Saturn. Visit at swordandscythe.com

Sword + Scythe

Jacob Budenz joins me to discuss Greco-Roman witchcraft, and in particular the influences of a number of classical texts have had upon modern witchcraft practices. We discuss "Idyll II" by Theocritus, Euripides' Medea, and Metamorphoses by Apueleius (aka The Golden Ass).

Jacob is a queer author, multi-disciplinary performer, educator, and witch with an MFA from University of New Orleans and a BA from Johns Hopkins whose work focuses broadly on the intersection of otherness and the otherworldly. The author of magic realist short story collection Tea Leaves (Bywater Books 2023) and poetry chapbook Pastel Witcheries (Seven Kitchens Press 2018), Budenz has fiction and poetry in traditional print journals including Slipstream and Assaracus, zeitgeisty online journals including Taco Bell Quarterly and Wussy Mag, and lauded anthologies by Mason Jar Press and Unbound Edition. In addition to writing, Jake is the front person for Baltimore-based psychedelic witchpop darlings Moth Broth and has received awards and accolades for original theater work including a new adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita (Baltimore City Paper's Top Ten Staged Productions of 2016) and an original cabaret play about immortality and the cultural icon of the witch, Simaetha: a Dreambaby Cabaret (Baker Innovative Projects Grants, 2019).

• Jacob's website
• Jacob on Instagram
• Moth Broth on Bandcamp

Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy

Mentioned in this episode:

Visit Sword + Scythe

Sword + Scythe creates handmade materia magica, amulets, astrological talismans, and provides divinatory services under the auspices of Mars and Saturn. Visit at swordandscythe.com

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I was recently a guest on Mat Dragonstone's podcast to talk about Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa and his theories on divine light. My internet connection was doing horribly, though, so Mat had to do a lot of creative editing to get the episode to come out okay. He did an AMAZING job. Give it a listen, and then head over to his website to check out what else he has going on!

• Here is a link to the original episode.

Mentioned in this episode:

Check out the Arnemancy Discord server!

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Join the Arnemancy Discord!

Visit Sword + Scythe

Sword + Scythe creates handmade materia magica, amulets, astrological talismans, and provides divinatory services under the auspices of Mars and Saturn. Visit at swordandscythe.com

Sword + Scythe

Would Mormonism even exist without magical treasure hunting? This is an amazing question and a strange topic, and I am really thrilled that I get to explore this topic with my guest in this episode, Dr. Nick Literski!

Dr. Nick Literski is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies, and a professional spiritual guide. Nick holds a doctorate in Depth Psychology with Emphasis in Jungian and Archetypal Studies from Pacifica Graduate Institute, as well as a master’s in Spiritual Guidance from Sofia University and a Juris Doctor from the Northern Illinois University College of Law. Their research interests include depth psychological reflections on spirituality, magic, Paleolithic cave art, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Nick’s work has been published in multiple professional journals. Their recent book, Method Infinite: Freemasonry and the Mormon Restoration, was published by Greg Kofford Books in 2022.

• The Occult Influences on Mormonism with Nick Literski (What Magic is This?)
• All You Need to Know About the Infamous Morgan Affair
• Holiness to the Lord lamen and read more about it here.
• Method Infinite: Freemasonry and the Mormon Restoration
• Dancing Ancestors
• Dancing Ancestors on Facebook

Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arnemancy

Mentioned in this episode:

Check out the Arnemancy Discord server!

Connect with fellow listeners and maybe chat with your favorite podcast guests.

Join the Arnemancy Discord!

Visit Sword + Scythe

Sword + Scythe creates handmade materia magica, amulets, astrological talismans, and provides divinatory services under the auspices of Mars and Saturn. Visit at swordandscythe.com

Sword + Scythe