Magick & Alchemy

In episode 175 of the Magick & Alchemy podcast, hosts Kate Belew and Kristin Lisenby continue their series on Women in Art & the Occult, dedicating this chapter to Georgie Yeats and Sylvia Plath. Georgie was an author and medium whose journey with automatic writing began during her honeymoon with the poet and author W.B. Yeats. Over the next decade, she channeled messages from spirits who called themselves the “Instructors,” producing 50 notebooks and thousands of pages of writing and geometric designs on the occult nature of reality. Meanwhile, fellow author and mystic Sylvia Plath preferred the Ouija board to communicate with the spirit world. Although she was fiercely private about her magical interests, she relied on astrology, ‘homemade talking boards,’ and tarot cards as tools to guide her pen.CW: Mention of SuicideSources & Shoutouts:W.B. Yeats - WikipediaA Vision, W.B. Yeats“The Vision of W.B. Yeats,” Gary Lachman“Yeats and the Golden Dawn: Occult Poetry and Automatic Writing,” Nicole Lau“The Tower,” W.B. Yeats“Exploring The Occult Sylvia Plath,” Kalenna Fraga“The Haunting Story Of How Sylvia Plath Died And The Tragic Events That Led Up To It,” Kaleena Fraga“Uncovering Sylvia Plath,” Emanuela Borgatta DunnettMagic Maker, Pam GrossmanThe Occult Sylvia Plath, Julie Gordon-Bramer“Sylvia Plath And The Occult,” Terri-Jane Dow“How Black Magic Killed Sylvia Plath,” - The GuardianJoin Tenth House Rising! Tenth House Rising offers seasonal learning for those who seek meaning through myth, magick, and memory. Rooted in the rhythm of the seasons and inspired by the Wheel of the Year, each month brings a new theme that echoes the energies of the natural world. Learn more at TenthHouseRising.com.For those who desire magick in the mail, you can also subscribe to the Tamed Wild Box, a monthly delivery of magic & earth medicine. Each box is crafted around a season and includes items for the earth-spirited and the lovers of all things mystical and natural. Deliveries can include crystals, herbs & teas, ritual tools, altar items, jewelry, essential oils & other lifestyle pieces. The Tamed Wild Box is a monthly offering of 5-7 items, chosen for the month and season we are in. Each delivery includes a box card that explains your items and a little ritual you can do with your new tools. You will also receive access to a monthly moon gathering, exclusive to box subscribers! Created by Tamed Wild.Production by Julio Montero.Music by Follow the Wind,Taizo Audio

In episode 174 of the Magick & Alchemy podcast, hosts Kristin Lisenby and Kate Belew delve into the creative lives of magical women for their new series, Women in Art & the Occult. They open with the story of Hilma af Klint, a Swedish artist who explored Spiritualism, mediumship, automatic drawing, and the teachings of Rudolf Steiner and Madame Blavatsky in her work and creative process. Kate and Kristin also discuss Vali Myers, a bohemian artist known as the Witch of Positano. Vali was a maker and a muse, a painter and a tattoo artist, who was compared to the goddesses Artemis and Diana for her close relationship with animals and mountains, and for her wild nature.Sources & Shoutouts:Episode 144: Wyrd Women, Pt. 2New Moon Magic, Amy Torok & Risa DickensWaking the Witch: Reflections on Women, Magic, and Power, Pam GrossmanPaintings for the Temple, Guggenheim, New York“The Strange Afterlife of Hilma af Klint, Painting’s Posthumous Star,” Alice GregoryThe Spiral Dance, StarhawkJust Kids, Patti SmithA Lesson in True Bohemianism with the Witch of PositanoBohemian like you: Vali Myers the Witch of PositanoEverything Shines in the Darkness: Sheldon & Diane Rochlin's Vali, The Witch of Positano - YouTubeInside the remote Italian home of Australia’s bohemian high priestessPhotos: Revisiting Love on the Left Bank - Vanity FaireFlorence Welch on feminism, depression, fameVali Myers, the Witch of Positano - TumblrJoin Tenth House Rising! Tenth House Rising offers seasonal learning for those who seek meaning through myth, magick, and memory. Rooted in the rhythm of the seasons and inspired by the Wheel of the Year, each month brings a new theme that echoes the energies of the natural world. Learn more at TenthHouseRising.com.For those who desire magick in the mail, you can also subscribe to the Tamed Wild Box, a monthly delivery of magic & earth medicine. Each box is crafted around a season and includes items for the earth-spirited and the lovers of all things mystical and natural. Deliveries can include crystals, herbs & teas, ritual tools, altar items, jewelry, essential oils & other lifestyle pieces. The Tamed Wild Box is a monthly offering of 5-7 items, chosen for the month and season we are in. Each delivery includes a box card that explains your items and a little ritual you can do with your new tools. You will also receive access to a monthly moon gathering, exclusive to box subscribers! Created by Tamed Wild.Production by Julio Montero.Music by Follow the Wind,Taizo Audio

In episode 173 of the Magick & Alchemy podcast, hosts Kristin Lisenby and Kate Belew investigate the folklore, superstitions, and astrological significance of eclipses. Beginning with the myriad of eclipse mythologies from around the world, they consider the stories of monstrous Apep and heavenly Selene. They contemplate eclipses as omens, bolstering agents for medieval magicians, and course correctors for modern spellcasters. They also highlight the influence of these celestial phenomena on earth-dwellers, and how they deliver stories, guidance, and path-aligning magic.Sources & Shoutouts:Small Spells Deck by Tamed WildEpisode 128: Spring MagickHistory of Eclipses - NASAMoon Lore, Timothy Harley“Behold Rahu, the Beheaded Asura, and Other Eclipse Monsters of Yore,” Robert LambBrewers Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, John Ayto“Surprising facts and beliefs about eclipses during medieval and Renaissance times,” Sandra KnispelCarl Jung, Letter to Horst Scharschuch, 1 September 1952, Letters, Vol. IIAstrology Is Real: Revelations from My Life as an Oracle, Robb Breszny“Totality,” Anne CarsonChani NicholasCalifornia Academy of Sciences supervisor Elise RicardDoug Duncan, director of the Fiske Planetarium at the University of Colorado, BoulderThe Astrology Podcast, Episode 215 Join Tenth House Rising! Tenth House Rising offers seasonal learning for those who seek meaning through myth, magick, and memory. Rooted in the rhythm of the seasons and inspired by the Wheel of the Year, each month brings a new theme that echoes the energies of the natural world. Learn more at TenthHouseRising.com.For those who desire magick in the mail, you can also subscribe to the Tamed Wild Box, a monthly delivery of magic & earth medicine. Each box is crafted around a season and includes items for the earth-spirited and the lovers of all things mystical and natural. Deliveries can include crystals, herbs & teas, ritual tools, altar items, jewelry, essential oils & other lifestyle pieces. The Tamed Wild Box is a monthly offering of 5-7 items, chosen for the month and season we are in. Each delivery includes a box card that explains your items and a little ritual you can do with your new tools. You will also receive access to a monthly moon gathering, exclusive to box subscribers! Created by Tamed Wild.Production by Julio Montero.Music by Follow the Wind,Taizo Audio

In episode 172 of the Magick & Alchemy podcast, hosts Kristin Lisenby and Kate Belew welcome back Shelby Bundy and Amanda Paulson! Shelby Bundy is the visionary and creatrix behind Tamed Wild, where modern magick meets ancient wisdom, and Amanda Paulson is a paranormal investigator and psychic medium based in the Pacific Northwest. In this conversation, the coven discusses the crossroads of magick and creativity, highlighting their literary muses and current works in progress. They talk about different writing methods and rituals, finding inspiration in unlikely places (bogs), and the areas of their craft they plan to explore more in depth.To connect with Shelby, visit her website, subscribe to her Substack, and follow her on Instagram @themoonincarolina.To learn more about Amanda, visit prettyfnspooky.com, look for her on Substack, and follow her online @prettyfnspooky.Sources & Shoutouts:Barabra G. Walker's recommended reading listHans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid (1975) - YouTubeJoin Tenth House Rising! Tenth House Rising offers seasonal learning for those who seek meaning through myth, magick, and memory. Rooted in the rhythm of the seasons and inspired by the Wheel of the Year, each month brings a new theme that echoes the energies of the natural world. Learn more at TenthHouseRising.com.For those who desire magick in the mail, you can also subscribe to the Tamed Wild Box, a monthly delivery of magic & earth medicine. Each box is crafted around a season and includes items for the earth-spirited and the lovers of all things mystical and natural. Deliveries can include crystals, herbs & teas, ritual tools, altar items, jewelry, essential oils & other lifestyle pieces. The Tamed Wild Box is a monthly offering of 5-7 items, chosen for the month and season we are in. Each delivery includes a box card that explains your items and a little ritual you can do with your new tools. You will also receive access to a monthly moon gathering, exclusive to box subscribers! Created by Tamed Wild.Production by Julio Montero.Music by Follow the Wind,Taizo Audio

Charlie Claire Burgess, queer and trans-nonbinary author, artist, tarot creator and witch, talks about queer deities, reconstructing erased queer myths, and treating words as magical acts. They explore fantasy as a portal, tarot’s card-of-the-year and the Wheel of Fortune for 2026, creative rituals and the idea of the “word witch,” plus a queer horror-fantasy in progress.

In episode 170 of the Magick & Alchemy podcast, hosts Kristin Lisenby and Kate Belew interview Sanyu Estelle. Sanyu is an author, artist, and Word Witch whose work challenges supremacist narratives while exploring the intersection of cultures, histories, and ontologies. In this conversation, Sanyu speaks about the magical lanterns of poetry and magic. Together, three witches discuss creativity and word witchery, tracing their way back into the roots of words as sacred secrets. Sanyu guides listeners toward new approaches to their craft, infusing each action with a sense of possibility and enchantment. She shares what it means to be a Word Witch, and how to work with your gut messages and intuitive hits as missives from past and future selves. To learn more about Sanyu and her offerings, follow her on Instagram @sanyuestelle and read her words on Substack. Visit her website at SanyuEstelle.com Sources & Shoutouts:Tamed Wild Beltane RetreatThe Moon in Carolina podcastEpisode 12: ImbolcEpisode 50: Imbolc Plant & Animal LoreEpisode 136: Asteroids with Empress AtlantisKate & Kristin’s to-be-read book piles:Asteroid Goddesses, Demetra GeorgeMany Masters, Many Lives, Brian WeissJourney of Souls, Dr. Michael NewtonThe King and the Corpse, Heinrich ZimmerThe Power of Myth, Joseph CampbellNear to the Wild Heart, Clarice LispectorThe River Has Roots, Amal El-MohtarSlewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery, BromBog Queen, Anna NorthThe Other Side: A Story of Women in Art and the Spirit World, Jennifer HiggieWuthering Heights, Emily BrontëAednan, Linnea AxelssonJoin Tenth House Rising! Tenth House Rising offers seasonal learning for those who seek meaning through myth, magick, and memory. Rooted in the rhythm of the seasons and inspired by the Wheel of the Year, each month brings a new theme that echoes the energies of the natural world. Learn more at TenthHouseRising.com.For those who desire magick in the mail, you can also subscribe to the Tamed Wild Box, a monthly delivery of magic & earth medicine. Each box is crafted around a season and includes items for the earth-spirited and the lovers of all things mystical and natural. Deliveries can include crystals, herbs & teas, ritual tools, altar items, jewelry, essential oils & other lifestyle pieces. The Tamed Wild Box is a monthly offering of 5-7 items, chosen for the month and season we are in. Each delivery includes a box card that explains your items and a little ritual you can do with your new tools. You will also receive access to a monthly moon gathering, exclusive to box subscribers! Created by Tamed Wild.Production by Julio Montero.Music by Follow the Wind,Taizo Audio

In episode 169 of the Magick & Alchemy podcast, hosts Kate Belew and Kristin Lisenby welcome back Amy Torok and Risa Dickens! Also known as the Missing Witches. Amy and Risa are old friends, creative collaborators, curious crafters, big cacklers, howlers at the moon, grumpy old crones, and a couple of perpetual baby Witches living, writing, recording, and making magic out in the woods on unceded Anishinaabe territory in Quebec, Canada. In this conversation, Amy and Risa discuss community and collaboration as essential to our creativity. They talk about the power of music, sharing songs, and spells for the collective. They discuss claiming our creative magic, community outreach, giving back, and strengthening networks of support in a magical sense.To connect with Amy and Risa, follow @missingwitches on social media and join their community, the Missing Witches Coven. Listen to the Missing Witches podcast, and find their books and oracle deck at MissingWitches.com.Sources & Shoutouts:Tethered: An Anthology of Magic - Tamed Wild SubstackThe Crossroads: Sacred Stories & the Dark MoonEdgar Fabian FriasNew Moon Magic: 13 Anti-Capitalist Tools for Resistance and Re-enchantment, Amy Torok and Risa DickensIf you want to join the Magick & Alchemy dance party, here are the songs we mentioned listening to on repeat:Make Your Own Kind of Music, Cass ElliottMy Way is Cloudy, Jake Blount & Mali Obomsawin feat. Joe RaineyOld Tape, Lucius feat. Adam GranducielSympathy Magic, Florence and the MachineDon’t Fight it, Feel it, Primal ScreamJoin Tenth House Rising! Tenth House Rising offers seasonal learning for those who seek meaning through myth, magick, and memory. Rooted in the rhythm of the seasons and inspired by the Wheel of the Year, each month brings a new theme that echoes the energies of the natural world. Learn more at TenthHouseRising.com.For those who desire magick in the mail, you can also subscribe to the Tamed Wild Box, a monthly delivery of magic & earth medicine. Each box is crafted around a season and includes items for the earth-spirited and the lovers of all things mystical and natural. Deliveries can include crystals, herbs & teas, ritual tools, altar items, jewelry, essential oils & other lifestyle pieces. The Tamed Wild Box is a monthly offering of 5-7 items, chosen for the month and season we are in. Each delivery includes a box card that explains your items and a little ritual you can do with your new tools. You will also receive access to a monthly moon gathering, exclusive to box subscribers! Created by Tamed Wild.Production by Julio Montero.Music by Follow the Wind,Taizo Audio

In episode 168 of the Magick & Alchemy podcast, hosts Kate Belew & Kristin Lisenby interview Joanna Tarnawska. Joanna is an animist, folk practitioner, writer, and psychologist residing in the mountains of Lower Silesia, Poland.  In this conversation, they dive deep into Polish folk magic. Guided by Joanna, listeners explore her homeland, her ancestors' teachings, how she came to folk magic, and her new book, Polish Folk Magic: Ancestral Lore & Traditions of the West Slavs. They also discuss the diaspora traditions of Polish heritage and a new perspective on the beloved and fierce Baba Yaga. To learn more about Joanna, visit her website and Patreon, follow her online @polish.folk.witch, and order her latest book, Polish Folk Magic.Sources & Shoutouts:Polish Folk Magic: Ancestral Lore & Traditions of the West Slavs, Joanna TarnawskaEpisode 164: To Die For, Gravestone Recipe’s with Rosie GrantEpisode 81: An Interview with Madam Pamita Join Tenth House Rising! Tenth House Rising offers seasonal learning for those who seek meaning through myth, magick, and memory. Rooted in the rhythm of the seasons and inspired by the Wheel of the Year, each month brings a new theme that echoes the energies of the natural world. Learn more at TenthHouseRising.com.For those who desire magick in the mail, you can also subscribe to the Tamed Wild Box, a monthly delivery of magic & earth medicine. Each box is crafted around a season and includes items for the earth-spirited and the lovers of all things mystical and natural. Deliveries can include crystals, herbs & teas, ritual tools, altar items, jewelry, essential oils & other lifestyle pieces. The Tamed Wild Box is a monthly offering of 5-7 items, chosen for the month and season we are in. Each delivery includes a box card that explains your items and a little ritual you can do with your new tools. You will also receive access to a monthly moon gathering, exclusive to box subscribers! Created by Tamed Wild.Production by Julio Montero.Music by Follow the Wind,Taizo Audio

In episode 167 of the Magick & Alchemy podcast, hosts Kristin Lisenby and Kate Belew return to the realm of sacred numbers in search of 666, the Number of the Beast. In this conversation, Kate and Kristin share lore and superstitions surrounding this number, highlighting its connection to mystery and solar magick. They consider pre-Christian mythologies, in which 666 was not a symbol of sin but a symbol of the sun. They contemplate 666 in art and magical communities and its evolution through pop culture.Sources & Shoutouts:Beltane RetreatThe Moon in Carolina podcastMuse MailTenth House Rising - Ritualizing DemeterOracle of the Hecatean Path OracleThe Moon in Carolina, Episode 35: Psychic Abilities with Kristin LisenbyEpisode 155: Sacred NumbersEpisode 93: Types of Magick, pt. 2Episode 88: An Interview with Chaweon KooBrewers Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, John Ayto“666, the Beast, and the Sun-King: An Esoteric Biblical Exploration,” Michelle Hayman“The number of the beast is 666,” William BlakeIron Maiden, Number of the BeastSeason of the Witch: How the Occult Saved Rock & Roll, Peter Bebergal Fountain of the Fallen Angel, Atlas Obscura“Why are we so fascinated by the number 666?” Mike Rampton“What Is HexakosioihexekontaJoin Tenth House Rising! Tenth House Rising offers seasonal learning for those who seek meaning through myth, magick, and memory. Rooted in the rhythm of the seasons and inspired by the Wheel of the Year, each month brings a new theme that echoes the energies of the natural world. Learn more at TenthHouseRising.com.For those who desire magick in the mail, you can also subscribe to the Tamed Wild Box, a monthly delivery of magic & earth medicine. Each box is crafted around a season and includes items for the earth-spirited and the lovers of all things mystical and natural. Deliveries can include crystals, herbs & teas, ritual tools, altar items, jewelry, essential oils & other lifestyle pieces. The Tamed Wild Box is a monthly offering of 5-7 items, chosen for the month and season we are in. Each delivery includes a box card that explains your items and a little ritual you can do with your new tools. You will also receive access to a monthly moon gathering, exclusive to box subscribers! Created by Tamed Wild.Production by Julio Montero.Music by Follow the Wind,Taizo Audio

In episode 166 of the Magick & Alchemy podcast, hosts Kate Belew and Kristin Lisenby interview Pam Grossman. Pam is a writer, curator, and teacher of magical practice and history. She is also the host of the internationally beloved podcast, The Witch Wave. In this conversation, Pam considers creativity as magic and magic as creativity. She talks about the archetype of the magician and working with the God Hermes as a guide for her new book, Magic Maker: The Enchanted Path to Creativity. Together, three witches celebrate this new book and talk about casting its spell. They also discuss creating with their younger selves, the rituals of writing and word witchery, and how to enchant the sharing of our work.To learn more and connect with Pam, look for her online @phantasmaphile, buy her books on her website pamgrossman.com, and listen to her on the Witch Wave wherever you get your podcasts!Sources & Shoutouts:Magick & Alchemy book list - download here!Robin Rose BennettNormandy Ellis, “Awakening Osiris”Lynda BarryRosarium BlendsOccult Humanities ConferenceJinkx MonsoonJoin Tenth House Rising! Tenth House Rising offers seasonal learning for those who seek meaning through myth, magick, and memory. Rooted in the rhythm of the seasons and inspired by the Wheel of the Year, each month brings a new theme that echoes the energies of the natural world. Learn more at TenthHouseRising.com.For those who desire magick in the mail, you can also subscribe to the Tamed Wild Box, a monthly delivery of magic & earth medicine. Each box is crafted around a season and includes items for the earth-spirited and the lovers of all things mystical and natural. Deliveries can include crystals, herbs & teas, ritual tools, altar items, jewelry, essential oils & other lifestyle pieces. The Tamed Wild Box is a monthly offering of 5-7 items, chosen for the month and season we are in. Each delivery includes a box card that explains your items and a little ritual you can do with your new tools. You will also receive access to a monthly moon gathering, exclusive to box subscribers! Created by Tamed Wild.Production by Julio Montero.Music by Follow the Wind,Taizo Audio