ESOTERICA
ESOTERICA
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Dr. Justin Sledge explores the arcane in history, philosophy, and religion, covering topics such as alchemy, magic, Kabbalah, mysticism, hermetic philosophy, theosophy, and the occult using academic scholarship. The podcast also offers a study guide, rare occult books, and merchandise for enthusiasts.
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Kabbalah and Zohar - Advice and Tips for Starting to Study the Zohar - the core text of the Kabbalah 18.09.2026 44minI was recently asked about tips for how to start studying the Zohar, the core text in the development of the Jewish Mystical tradition or Kabbalah. I've been study this incredibly challenging text from both religious and academic perspectives for years and here are some tips and advice for anyone - Jewish, non-Jewish, academic, secular, occultist, or just fan of literature - for starting to study this amazing text. Also note the links to the texts below including some recommendations for editions to study at any level of Zohar study.Sample Section of Talmud - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RLHGFBVl79KWYav7HSgAMblU7Q5lOP4RpTBSjm47tA4/edit?usp=sharingZohar Editions from Starter to AdvancedZohar: Annotated & Explained - 978-1893361515 - Best text for absolute beginnerZohar: The Book of Enlightenment (Classics of Western Spirituality) - 978-0809123872 - More diverse texts, still great for absolute beginnerThe Pritzker Zohar in 12 volumes - https://www.sup.org/zohar/ - Best translation in EnglishSefer Zohar (Hebrew/Aramaic) - Margaliot 3 volume edition - Standard edition for both Academic and Religious referenceFrom here, move on to both academic and religious commentariesThe Zohar can be incredibly challenging to study. Here is a short syllabus in graduated form from easier (Midrash haNe'elam) to more difficult (Idra Rabba) sections:Midrash haNe'elam / The Hidden Midrash - (2:4a–5b, 14a–22a, 2:35b–40b 46b-47b and volume 11 of the Pritzker Zohar vol. 11 )The Sava (2:94b–114a - Pritzker Zohar vol. 5) and Yanuka pericopes (3:186a–92a - Pritzker Zohar vol. 9)The main body of the Zohar - The Introduction being a real challengeIdra Zuta or the The Lesser Assembly (3:287b–96b - Pritzker Zohar vol. 9)Sifra di-Tzeni'uta (2:176b–179a - Pritzker Zohar vol. 9)Idra Rabba or The Greater Assembly (3:127b–145a - Pritzker Zohar vol. 8)#kabbalah #zohar #mysticism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Does ESOTERICA rely on AI? 18.09.2026 18minLaying out my position on the use of AI - especially generative AI - here at Esoterica.Consider Supporting Esoterica!Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/esotericachannelMerch - https://www.youtube.com/@TheEsotericaChannel/storeNew to Studying Esotericism? Check out my Reading Guide here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1caKNlW7sogEF7lAeYNbOQF9pt5O5b70yAXa-icUJO3o/edit?usp=sharingRare Occult Books - https://www.esotericaoccultbooks.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Ancient Angel Magic - Sefer HaRazim - The Book of Secrets - Jewish Magic 18.09.2026 19minThe Sefer HaRazim ( Book of Secrets / Mysteries) is an ancient Jewish book of angel magic dating to the 3rd or 4th century CE. It was discovered in the Cairo Genizah in the 1960's in fragments and was edited together over the course of three years by Mordecai Margalioth. In the text we find descriptions of the seven heavens, angelic military formations, and magical spells corresponding to the various heavens and angels. Sefer HaRazim is an interesting combination of both Merkabah mysticism (in which mystics 'descend' to the throne of the Divine through the palaces of G-d) and the sophisticated technologies of Greco-Egyptian magic. This episode explores the text in depth, several of the spells, angelic names and the long-standing impact of this kind of angelic magic on later traditions of magical practice.Recommended Reading:Michael Morgan - Sepher Ha-Razim: The Book of Mysteries - 978-0891306153Margalioth, Mordecai - Sepher Ha-Razim - Jerusalem: Yediot Achronot, 1966Medieval Latin Translation: https://histbest.ub.uni-leipzig.de/rsc/viewer/UBLHistBestCBU_derivate_00000077/cod_mag_40_jpg/cod_mag_40_001.jpg#angel #magic #judaism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Gnosticism - The Apocryphon of John - The Fall of Sophia and Origins of the Demiurge Ialdabaoth 18.09.2026 44minGnosticism has produced some of the richest and most difficult spiritual texts of the ancient world. With the discovery of the Nag Hammadi library one is confronted with numerous, often obscure and difficult texts - where to begin? This episode of Esoterica argues that the best first text is the Apocryphon / Secret Writing of John, a text found two recensions (long and short) in four manuscripts from antiquity. Here we introduce, summarize and discuss this amazing gnostic text.Recommended Readings:Meyer - The Nag Hammadi Scriptures - 978-0061626005Robinson - The Nag Hammadi Library - 978-0060669355Davies - The Secret Book of John - 978-1594730825King - The Secret Revelation of John - 978-0674030558van den Broek - Gnostic Religion in Antiquity - 978-1107514799Lambdin - Introduction to Sahidic Coptic - 978-0865540484Williams - Rethinking "Gnosticism": An Argument for Dismantling a Dubious Category - 978-0691005423#gnosticism #gnostic #apocryphon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
The Origins of Dracula - How Printing Made a Monster 18.09.2026 36minHow did Dracula become...Dracula? The grim tales of Vlad III the Impaler, Voivode of Wallachia, are infamous. Touted as a bloodthirsty tyrant and a pious defender of Christendom, much of our knowledge of Dracula's stems from a now lost 1463 anonymous German Pamphlet. Reprinted many times, including woodcuts of Vlad dining among his impaled and mutilated victims, these early texts detail the "frightful and strange" deeds of Vlad Dracula. But, what can we reconstruct of the lost original 1463 "Geschichte Drakole Waide - The History of Voievode Dracula"? And, can we trust such accounts as historically reliable? Was Vlad the Impaler as horrible as recounted? Did he drink the blood of his victims like the Vampire that now bears his name? Let's explore the earliest narratives of Vlad Dracula!Consider Supporting Esoterica!Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/esotericachannelOne Time Donation Support - Paypal Donation - https://www.paypal.me/esotericachannelMerch - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoydhtfFSk1fZXNRnkGnneQ/storeNew to Studying Esotericism? Check out my Reading Guide here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1caKNlW7sogEF7lAeYNbOQF9pt5O5b70yAXa-icUJO3o/edit?usp=sharingRare Occult Books - https://www.esotericaoccultbooks.com/Recommended Readings:Cazacu - Dracula - https://amzn.to/4733XwHCorpus Draculianum - https://www.harrassowitz-verlag.de/search.ahtml?act=suchen&type=quick&keyword=draculianumCorpus Draculianum YouTube - @CorpusDraculianum St. Gall 'Dracula" MS - https://www.e-codices.unifr.ch/en/csg/0806/283/0/Dracole Waida - https://bildsuche.digitale-sammlungen.de/index.html?c=viewer&bandnummer=bsb00032879&pimage=00006&v=5p&nav=&l=enHistoria von dem wilden Wüterich Dracole Waida, Straßburg: [Matthias Hupfuff], 1500 - https://dlib.gnm.de/item/8Inc16936/5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
How to Explore the Occult and Western Esotericism 18.09.2026 29minStudying Western Esotericism can be a daunting task. How to even begin? I prepared a self-study guide for getting access to the most reliable and accessible literature on topics in Esotericism up to around 1650, updated for 2026. In this episode I want to walk you through my methodology, the study guide itself and how you can use it to bring yourself up to date on the scholarship. Let's build a library of the occult and the esoteric together!You can find the study guide here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1caKNlW7sogEF7lAeYNbOQF9pt5O5b70yAXa-icUJO3o/edit?usp=sharingConsider Supporting Esoterica!Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/esotericachannelMerch - https://www.youtube.com/@TheEsotericaChannel/storeNew to Studying Esotericism? Check out my Reading Guide here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1caKNlW7sogEF7lAeYNbOQF9pt5O5b70yAXa-icUJO3o/edit?usp=sharingRare Occult Books - https://www.esotericaoccultbooks.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Esotericism in Philosophy: Pythagoras and Parmenides 18.09.2026 24minPhilosophy is taken to be the paragon of rational argumentation and logical analysis but I want to explore the esoteric and mystical aspect of ancient Greek philosophy - a dimension often ignored or unstressed . This is the first in a series that will explore this more arcane side of western philosophy from ancient Greece to contemporary analytic and continental schools.Support Esoterica on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/esotericachannelRecommended Readings:Kirk, Raven and Schofield - The Presocratic Philosophers: A Critical History with a Selection of Texts - 978-0521274555Philosophy Before Socrates - Richard D. McKirahan - 978-1603841825Eric Dodds - The Greeks and the Irrational - 978-0520242302 Walter Burkert - Lore and Science in Ancient Pythagoreanism - 978-0674539181Charles Kahn - Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans - 978-0872205758Peter Kingsley - Ancient Philosophy, Mystery, and Magic: Empedocles and Pythagorean Tradition - 978-0198150817Parmenides - Martin Heidegger - 978-0253212146 (caveat lector!)#esotericism #presocratic #philosophy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Ancient Christian Magic - Protection, Exorcism, and Love Magic from Ancient Coptic Texts 18.09.2026 54minWhile Christianity is often thought of as hostile to any form of magical practice, history reveals that magic has been practiced through all of Christian history. In this episode of Esoterica we explore the earliest Christian magic preserved in Greek and Coptic sources from late-classical Egypt. Here we find a wide range of magical practices from protection, exorcisms, love magic, curses - even a spell for a good singing voice. Studying early Christian magic gives us an important glimpse into a wider range of Christianity than just the world of theologians, monks, and priests.Recommending Readings:Meyer and Smith - Ancient Christian Magic - 978-0691004587Coptic Magical Papyri - https://www.coptic-magic.phil.uni-wuerzburg.de/#magic #christian #coptic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Mystical Language - Hildegard of Bingen's Lingua Ignota (Unknown Language) - Early Invented Tongue 18.09.2026 27minThe first in a series here at Esoterica exploring esoteric languages and symbol systems! This video takes a look at the Lingua Ignota (Unknown Language) of the 12th century mystic and polymath Hildegard of Bingen.Support Esoterica on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/esotericachannelO Orzchis Ecclesia - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGCAOf9gjBMRecommended Readings:Sarah Higley - Hildegard of Bingen’s Unknown Language: An Edition, Translation, and Discussion - ISBN-13: 978-1403976734Hildegard's Music on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=hildegard+musicHildegard - Hildegard of Bingen: Scivias - ISBN-13: 978-0809131303Selected Writings: Hildegard of Bingen - ISBN-13: 978-0140436044Fiona Maddocks - Hildegard of Bingen - ISBN-13: 978-0571302437Illuminations of Hildegard of Bingen - Matthew Fox - ISBN-13: 978-1879181977#hildegard #ignota #conlang Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Magical Symbols - History of Sigils Angelic Alphabets and Symbols of Power 18.09.2026 23minThis video traces the origin and development of magical symbols from late-classical Egypt through their development into Western European Magic. These characters likely began as debased hieroglyphics and would eventually develop into unique symbols of power, the seals and sigils in angelic and demonic mage, and form the basis for angelic script / alphabets. This video is a part of a series on magical and occult symbolism so make to subscribe if that interests you!Support Esoterica on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/esotericachannelRecommended Readings:Richard Gordon's article - https://www.academia.edu/13925134/Charakteres_between_Antiquity_and_Renaissance_Transmission_and_Re-inventionDon Skemer - Binding Words: Textual Amulets in the Middle Ages - 978-0271027234#magic #sigil #seal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Medieval Magic - Scholastic Analysis of Magic and Necromancy in the Middle Ages 18.09.2026 35minScholasticism was the greatest intellectual movement of the Middle Ages. In this episode of Esoterica we explore the attitudes of medieval philosophers, theologians and scientists concerning magic. From Augustine where magic is a demonic deception to the rise of natural magic and medieval necromancy we will see that just beneath the surface there is a great deal of subtlety among these thinkers. Further, we will also notice that necromancy and black magic are always at the edges acceptable theory and practice.Recommended Readings:Kieckhefer - Magic in the Middle Ages - 978-1107431829Thorndike - History of Magic and Experimental Science vol. 2Magic in History Series - Penn State#magic #medieval #demons Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Introduction to Merkavah Mysticism - 7a of 15 - The Map is Not Territory 18.09.2026 1val 24minWelcome to our seminar on Merkavah MysticismHundreds of years prior to the rise of the Kabbalah, shaman-like rabbinic mystics were described as having made the terrifying and awe-inspiring descent into the Divine Palaces. There they met with and bypassed fearsome angels with magical codes, gained control over angelic powers, became transformed into beings of fire, gained vast wisdom and mounted the very throne of G!d to carefully measure the vast dimensions of the divine body. These experiences and their praxes are recorded in about 50 manuscripts now known as the Hekhalot (lit. palaces) literature. Outside of specialists this late-classical form of (a)(de)scent mysticism is poorly understood and little appreciated. In this course, we will explore the foundations, social origins, myth-world, praxes and the afterlife of Merkavah Mysticism. Consider Supporting Esoterica!Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/esotericachannelOne Time Donation Support - Paypal Donation - https://www.paypal.me/esotericachannelMerch - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoydhtfFSk1fZXNRnkGnneQ/storeNew to Studying Esotericism? Check out my Reading Guide here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1caKNlW7sogEF7lAeYNbOQF9pt5O5b70yAXa-icUJO3o/edit?usp=sharingRare Occult Books - https://www.esotericaoccultbooks.com/Course Syllabus: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1URUIb_AkZGM3hXzTnPFAwQYkZf_WgL0Q9wWWqSr2ug0/edit?usp=sharingCourse Materials: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-93Z0g92p4xMTFRjk5KznFvh65oRjFAo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Alchemy - Origins of Alchemy in Europe - First Alchemy Book - The Composition of Alchemy ( 1144 ) 18.09.2026 36minAlchemy is one of the more obscure aspect of western esotericism and the history of science. In this episode of Esoterica, we explore the first known European alchemical text The Book of the Composition of Alchemy (Liber de compositione alchemiae) translated from the Kitab al-Kimya (from the circle of Jabbir ibn Hayyan c. 8th CE) by Robert of Chester on February 11th 1144. The book features in microcosm much that will become commonplace in the alchemical tradition: romantic tales of holy masters, the stone of the philosophers, the transmutation of substances, the famous Green Lion, and more. By studying this foundational alchemical text we may better understand the history of alchemy and chemistry.Recommended Reading and Links:Stavenhagen - A Testament Of Alchemy - 978-0874510959Al-Hassan - THE ARABIC ORIGINAL OF LIBER DE COMPOSITIONE ALCHEMIAE The Epistle of Maryānus, the Hermit and Philosopher, to Prince Khālid ibn Yazīd - https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/arabic-sciences-and-philosophy/article/abs/arabic-original-of-liber-de-compositione-alchemiae-the-epistle-of-maryanus-the-hermit-and-philosopher-to-prince-khalid-ibn-yazid/BD9E8994AF1B205A13B1498DE548DCA5Auriferae artis (Latin text) - https://www.google.com/books/edition/Auriferae_artis_quam_chemiam_vocant_anti/A2FWAAAAcAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0Alchemy website - https://www.alchemywebsite.com/Purchase some of Adam McLean's art - https://www.ebay.com/str/Esoteric-paintingsLinden, Stanton J. (ed.) The Alchemy Reader: From Hermes Trismegistus to Isaac Newton. 978-0521796620. Nicely edited collection of alchemical primary texts.Principe, Lawrence. The Secrets of Alchemy. 978-0226103792. An up-to-date history of alchemy.Newman, William. Newton the Alchemist: Science, Enigma, and the Quest for Nature's "Secret Fire" 978-0691174877. Cutting edge research on alchemy in the 17th century. Roob, Alexander(ed.) Alchemy & Mysticism. 978-3836549363. A collection of alchemical imagery and symbolism, also a nice coffee table book!Spiritual / Psychology School of Interpretation Atwood, Mary Anne. A Suggestive Inquiry into the Hermetic Mystery….(many re-print editions). The first text to introduce the ‘spiritual interpretation” of alchemy.Eliade, Mircea. The Forge and the Crucible: The Origins and Structure of Alchemy. 978-0226203904. Religious-philosophical interpretation of alchemy.von Franz, Marie-Louise. Alchemy: An Introduction to the Symbolism and the Psychology. 978-0919123045. An introduction to the Jungian psychological interpretation of alchemy.#alchemy #hermetic #transmutation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Corpus Hermeticum - Introduction to Hermes Trismegistus and Hermetic Philosophy 18.09.2026 24minThe Corpus Hermeticum are the texts and teachings ascribed to the legendary Egyptian sage, priest, and philosopher Hermes Trismegistus. When translated and published by Ficino in 1471 these texts were heralded as the very source of pure, perennial wisdom. In the subsequent years, these ideas went on to have a massive impact upon what is now called western esotericism. Just what are these teaching? What is the history of the text? How did this pagan wisdom survive into modernity? In this episode of Esoterica we introduce the Corpus Hermeticum, Hermes Trismegistus & Hermetic Philosophy.Reccomended Reading:Dillion - The Middle Platonists: 80 B.C. to A.D. 220 - 978-0801483165Copenhaver - Hermetica - 978-0521425438Litwa - Hermetica II - 978-1107182530Salaman, van Oyen, Wharto, Mahe - The Way of Hermes - 978-0892811861van Bladel - The Arabic Hermes - 978-0195376135Fowden - The Egyptian Hermes - 978-0691024981Festugière - La révélation d'Hermès Trismégiste - 978-2251326740 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
John Dee - The Monas Heiroglyphica - Part III - Metaphysical Power and Symbolism 18.09.2026 29minIn our final installment of our series on John Dee's famous 1564 Monas Hieroglyphica or the Hieroglyphic Monad we explore how metaphysical power and symbolism are fused in the glyph itself. By locating Dee's thinking in the realist trajectory of Medieval, Renaissance and Hermetic philosophy, we hope to reveal how Dee fused both semiotics (the study of symbols and representation) with ontology (the study of being itself) in a grand effort to both correct all knowledge but also reform reality itself - what Dee calls "The Cabala of What is" or the "Cabala of Reality." This episode also explore how Dee continued this project even during the famous angelic conversations.Episode I - https://youtu.be/2meS9-YGYhUEpisode II - https://youtu.be/lEwK1dmco3IThese episodes represent a more introductory version of my thesis on the Monas Hieroglyphica prepared at the University of Amsterdam.You can read the entire thesis here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9iShqG1gJavUXVKVnk2d1UzQVE/view?usp=sharingStandard text and translation of the Monas Hieroglyphica - C. H. Josten, Ambix, 12:2-3 (1964): 82-221#dee #enochian #monas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Necromancy and Magic - The Munich Necromancer's Manual - CLM 849 - Actual Historical Grimoire of Sorcery 18.09.2026 25minThe first in a series here at Esoterica exploring books of magic or grimoires. This episode takes a look at the Munich Necromancer's Manual: the spells inside (summoning a castle, a 'love' spell and a spell to find buried treasure), the author and their historical context, and more books are medieval magic.Support Esoterica on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/esotericachannelRecommended Readings:Richard Kieckhefer - Forbidden Rites: A Necromancer’s Manual of the Fifteenth Century - ISBN-13: 978-0271017518Richard Kieckhefer - Magic in the Middle Ages - ISBN-13: 978-1107431829Owen Davies - Grimoires: A History of Magic Books - ISBN-13: 978-0199590049Witchcraft and Magic in Europe - eds, Bengt Ankarloo and Stuart Clark- Six VolumesMagic in History Series - Published by Penn State University Press (various texts and authors)#necromancy #magic #grimoire Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Sefer Yetzirah - Book of Formation - Introduction to a Core Early Text of Kabbalah Cabala Qabbalah 18.09.2026 32minThe Sefer Yetzirah is perhaps the oldest text of what would become the Jewish Mysticism known as the Kabbalah. Though, virtually everything about this brief text is a mystery. When was it written, by whom and exactly what it means are all hotly debated topics by academics, kabbalists and occultists. Indeed, the text is so linked with magical power that commentaries on the text describe how one might construct artificial life itself in the form of the famed Golem. This episode explores the origin, development and contents of this elusive but profound mystical textGershom Scholem - Kabbalah - 978-0452010079 (dated but still useful)Tzahi Weiss - Sefer Yesirah and Its Contexts - 978-0812249903Peter Hayman - Sefer Yesira: Edition, Translation and Text-critical Commentary - 978-3161483813 (ILL this one)Don Karr - Notes on Editions of Sefer Yetzirah in English - https://www.academia.edu/22875900/Notes_on_Editions_of_Sefer_Yetzirah_in_EnglishAryeh Kaplan - Sefer Yetzirah: The Book of Creation - 978-0877286905 (Lurianic perspective)Sefer Yetzirah HaShalem - Harav Moshe Tzuriel - (check seforim stores)#kabbalah #yetzirah #golem Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Primer on Alchemy (FIA Lecture) 18.09.2026 1val 8minThis is a lecture I gave last year at the Flint Institute of Art on the history, theory, and symbolism of alchemy. It's going to serve as an introduction to alchemy until I make a series for the channel.Support Esoterica: https://www.patreon.com/esotericachannelSupport Adam McLean's art and research: https://www.alchemywebsite.com/bookshop/index.htmlSupport the Flint Institute of Arts: https://flintarts.org/join-and-give/ways-to-giveRecommended Readings:Linden, Stanton J. (ed.) The Alchemy Reader: From Hermes Trismegistus to Isaac Newton. 978-0521796620. Nicely edited collection of alchemical primary texts.Principe, Lawrence. The Secrets of Alchemy. 978-0226103792. An up-to-date history of alchemy.Newman, William. Newton the Alchemist: Science, Enigma, and the Quest for Nature's "Secret Fire" 978-0691174877. Cutting edge research on alchemy in the 17th century. An amazing wok of scholarship.Roob, Alexander(ed.) Alchemy & Mysticism. 978-3836549363. A collection of alchemical imagery and symbolism, also a nice coffee table book!Spiritual / Psychology School of Interpretation Atwood, Mary Anne. A Suggestive Inquiry into the Hermetic Mystery….(many re-print editions). The first text to introduce the ‘spiritual interpretation” of alchemy.Eliade, Mircea. The Forge and the Crucible: The Origins and Structure of Alchemy. 978-0226203904. Religious-philosophical interpretation of alchemy.von Franz, Marie-Louise. Alchemy: An Introduction to the Symbolism and the Psychology. 978-0919123045. An introduction to the Jungian psychological interpretation of alchemy.#alchemy #transmutation #hermeticism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Magic in Theory - The Stellar Ray Theory of Al-Kindi 18.09.2026 29minThis episode is the first in a series focusing on theories of magic. We begin with one of the most popular medieval theories: the stellar rays of Al-Kindi. Al-Kindi, a 9th century Islamicate philosopher, who argued that the stars emits rays which trickle down to the sub-lunar world where they qualify matter. Further, all entities emit rays. Certain occult or hidden rays can be manipulated by the sage to induce apparently supernatural or magical effects though speech, powerful symbols and animal sacrifice. This idea provided a route to natural, as opposed to ritual/demonic, magic in the middle ages and underwrote much of astrological theory. The stellar ray theory would also be built into the famous book of the magic the Picatrix which would be one of the earliest books learned magic to enter Western Europe. Indeed, the argument in defense of occult forces in the universe is essential for modern physics.Recommended readings:Pormann and Peterson - The Philosophical Works of al-Kindi - 978-0199062805 Liana Saif - The Arabic Influences on Early Modern Occult Philosophy - 978-1137399465Al-Kindi - De Radiis (pp. 139-260) - Marie-Thérèse d'Alverny and Françoise HudryArchives d'histoire doctrinale et littéraire du Moyen Age, Vol. 41, 1974 - https://www.jstor.org/stable/i40184716Al-Kindi: On the Stellar Rays - trans. Zoller and Hand - http://www.projecthindsight.com/archives/medieval%20contents/al-kindi.htmlEsmé L K Partridge - Al-Kindi's Theory of The Magical Arts: A Commentary on Al-Kindi's Treatise 'On Rays' - https://www.academia.edu/36457042/Al-Kindis_Theory_of_The_Magical_Arts_A_Commentary_on_Al-Kindis_Treatise_On_Rays#magic #astrology #alkindi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
The Occult in Colonial America - Magic Divination Astrology and Alchemy 18.09.2026 29minWhile Puritan spirituality and the Witch Hunts dominate our view of the colonial period of North America, history reveals that a range of occult practices flourished. From magic, astrology, alchemy and various forms of divination - there is plenty of evidence for early American occultism. In this episode of Esoterica, we explore this dimension of early American history.Recommended Readings:Godbeer - The Devil's Dominion - 978-0521466707Butler - Awash in a Sea of Faith - 978-0674056015Newman - Gehennical Fire - 978-0226577142Woodward - Prospero's America - 978-1469600871Works by George Starkey / Eirenaeus Philalethes - https://archive.org/details/collectaneachymi00phil#magic #alchemy #america #salem Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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