Podcast episodes – The Secret History of Western Esotericism Podcast (SHWEP)

Philo of Alexandria, the first true western esotericist, is discussed in this episode. Topics include his involvement in politics and philosophy, his fusion of Greek philosophy with Judaism, his projects and structure of works, his belief in hidden esoteric meanings of scriptures, and his pioneering work on numerical interpretation of texts.

Naomi Janowitz, a scholar on Jewish magic in antiquity, discusses the intersection of ritual and social discourse, gender dynamics in ancient Jewish magic, the power of language and its connection to weddings, the evaluation of magic in Judaism, and the complexities of ritual practices in Hellenistic Judaism. The conversation also explores rabbinic culture, debates surrounding legitimate ritual practices, conflicts between rabbis and magicians, and the appearance of a group during the Maccabean period.

Frances Flannery, Professor of ancient Judaism, discusses the significance of dreams in ancient times, analyzes the interpretation of ancient dreams and the importance of angels, explores conventional and unconventional methods for altered states of consciousness, analyzes esotericism in Judaism from a gendered perspective, delves into the uncertainty surrounding Fort Bezra and its mystical practices, and explores the controversy surrounding Jewish dreams in antiquity and their role in gaining spiritual insight.

Explore the Hekhalot and Merkavah texts, Jewish works describing the journey to God's throne and offering instructions and tools for summoning angels. Delve into the visionary descriptions of God's throne in the book of Ezekiel and its influence on Jewish lore. Learn about the sources of Hekhalot texts, revealing insights into Jewish life in North Africa. Discover the concept of Hecholot and its association with exploring otherworldly realms and the divine throne. Explore the hymns, instructions, and magical seals used during the spiritual journey. Uncover the complex instructions and requirements for embarking on a journey to the divine realm. Delve into the development and reception of Hekhalot and Merkavah traditions, including an overview of different texts and their contents.

In this episode we explore further the amazing work 1 Enoch, taking in along the way ruminations on the history of the west, debates about the identity of the Enochic authors, and some hints as to the development of the Enochic tradition as a western esoteric ‘scripture’.

The text known as 1 Enoch is perhaps the greatest work of apocalyptic literature, and a kind of esoteric scripture within Judaism, Christianity, and Gnosticism. We meet the text and look at the evil giants and celestial visions of its first part, the Book of Watchers.

In this episode Professor John J. Collins introduces a fascinating product of Second Temple Judaism, and a fertile vehicle for esoteric speculation beyond the bounds of Jewry – apocalyptic literature. All will be revealed!

Judaism starts to get seriously esoteric in the time known as the Second Temple period. This episode gives some basic historical points of reference for this era of Jewish antiquity, setting the stage for the visionary journeys, apocalyptic revelations, and magic to come.

Explore the revival of Pythagoreanism in the Hellenistic period, including the concept of Neopythagoreanism, the Pythagorean way of life, and the unconventional lifestyle of Neopythagoreans. Discover the various facets of Pythagoras and his contributions to different fields, as well as the legendary and mystical feats associated with him in the context of Neopythagoreanism.

Discover the fascinating origins of gematria and arithmology in the Pythagorean tradition, as Dr. Joel Kalvesmaki explores the practice of divinatory numerology, the concept of gematria, the psephic tradition and isopsefi in ancient Greece, the evolution of the Greek numerical system, the dating and origins of Pythagoreanism, and the symbolism of numbers in natural phenomena.