What Magic Is This‪?‬ Douglas Batchelor

We truly live in a golden age for Magic, the Occult and all the high strangeness that comes with it. There are many of the greatest thinkers to ever tackle these strange and weird concepts alive right now; at this very moment. Every paradigm needs its heroes and villains, but more importantly- those who broaden and illuminate the ideas which are its very lifeblood. For Magic, one person has been the greatest promulgator of thinking magically for the last 50 years- And that is Ramsey Dukes.

Most likely each and every one of us has walked into a building or a structure which had the capacity to touch something inside of you in some ineffable way. For Millenia, cultures around the world have constructed buildings which have this ability to cut through aesthetics of their appearance and bestow upon those who look upon or enter inside, a sort of spiritual reverence. How does this happen and what sort of elements make up these structures? Helping us break ground on this curious topic is the author and scholar of esotericism, Peter Mark Adams!

If there is one single concept which has been associated with Magic for the last 2000 years, none would be more notorious than Demons & Infernal Spirits. For centuries, the idea of illness, misfortune and all aspects of evil have been personified as a class of spirits. How they are conceptualized by different religions and spiritual traditions is fascinating and in a way- the key to understanding these faiths and how they view evil. Everyone has an idea in their head as to what demons are or if they even exist. It is time to put them front and centre as we look closer at these agents of malevolence.

For the most part, What Magic is This? Podcast has stuck to the cozy realm of "Western" Magic and Occultism. Yet the listeners beg for a more expansive examination of the magical world we live in! It is with such curiosity that we head East to the continent of Asia and the country of China and take a look at some of the Magic which has arisen within the diverse tradition of Taoism. Helping us along the way is Chinese Magical practitioner and author of Practical Chinese Magic- Jason Read!

No list of early 20th century Magicians would be complete without Dion Fortune being there. Although many these days might not know her name, her books, or the magical order that she founded, nevertheless Dion Fortune's influence on contemporary magic is vast. Although she considered herself an occultist and ceremonial magician, it is within the realms of Wicca and Neopaganism that we can see much of Dion's impact. Helping us through the world of one of most notorious Occultists of the last 150 years is magic and paranormal author and researcher, Professor WHAM!

Just like today, our ancient ancestors would utilize magic through the use of amulets, talismans and other materials. Some of these we have to this day, and many are on display in museums around the world- amazing snapshots of magical beliefs of a bygone age. But these objects have much to tell us not only about the sorts of magic we used to do, but the spiritual and magical ecosystems from where they were produced. Helping us examine these amazing ancient magical artefacts is an Archeologist of Ancient Magic- Dr. Kirsten Dzwiza!