ESOTERICA

ESOTERICA
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I'm Dr. Justin Sledge and welcome to Esoterica: Where we explore the arcane in history, philosophy, and religion. This channel produces content relating to topics such as alchemy, magic, Kabbalah, mysticism, hermetic philosophy, theosophy, the occult and more using the best academic scholarship currently available. Support Esoterica with Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/esotericachannel New to Esotericism? Checkout out my Study Guide - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1caKNlW7sogEF7lAeYNbOQF9pt5O5b70yAXa-icUJO3o/edit?usp=sharing Interested in Rare, Occult Books? Check out our bookstore - https://www.esotericaoccultbooks.com/ Merch - https://www.youtube.com/@TheEsotericaChannel/store Contact Esoterica - https://www.justinsledge.com/contact About Dr. Justin Sledge: https://www.justinsledge.com/

  1. How to Explore the Occult and Western Esotericism

    29 min ago

    How to Explore the Occult and Western Esotericism

    Studying 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

    31 min
  2. The Origins of Dracula - How Printing Made a Monster

    1 hr ago

    The Origins of Dracula - How Printing Made a Monster

    How 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

    40 min
  3. Psychedelic Natural Magic - Potions from the 1558 Magiae Naturalis of Giambattista della Porta

    2 hr ago

    Psychedelic Natural Magic - Potions from the 1558 Magiae Naturalis of Giambattista della Porta

    While psychoactive substances are a core component in many religious traditions, with the exception of alcohol, they are conspicuously missing from much of the western European context. Did and how did such substances play a role in religious, philosophy, mysticism, and magic? This episode explores what appears to be an early selection of mind-altering compounds found in the enormously popular 1558 Magiae Naturalis (On Natural Magic). of Giambattista della Porta. Here della Porta describes four such 'potions,' to use his language, which allegedly cause "pleasant madness for a day" and provide for a range of phenomenological effects from 'being silly' to 'thinking one an animal or fish." What role did "potions" like these play beyond recreation - such as the ubiquitous flying ointments of the middle ages? What does it mean for such "potions" to appear in a book on "natural magic"?Disclaimer and Plea: I've blurred out sections which contain specific ingredients, amounts, and processes for creating the 'potions' described by della Porta for reasons of safety. It is highly unadvised to attempt to recreate or ingest anything described in this text. I also know that early modern translations of this text exist and they are very easy to find. Please respect my wishes to not reproduce the description (in Latin, English, etc.) for how to make these 'potions' in the comments. I want encourage safety, responsible consumption of psychoactive substances, and harm reduction and without specialist vetting I can't reproduce these instructions in good conscious. Comments which violate this request will be deleted. Recommended Readings:Giambattista della Porta - 1558 - Magiae Naturalis (On Natural Magic) - https://books.google.com/books?id=R6vzpy4WQYMC&pg=PR5#v=onepage&q&f=false#magic #psychedelics #occultism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    15 min
  4. Mysticism vs Satan - Hildegard of Bingen's Sacred Exorcism

    3 hr ago

    Mysticism vs Satan - Hildegard of Bingen's Sacred Exorcism

    Can Mysticism Defeat Satan? In 1196 the mystic Hildegard of Bingen was called to help cure a noble woman of demonic possession. However, it became clear that only a divine revelation could combat these demonic forces. And, in a mystical vision, Hildegard received a powerful ritual of exorcism through which She and God alone could contend with the forces of Satan. This Mystical Exorcism is one of the most fascinating in history and may have, unwittingly, helped to form the foundation of the Clerical Necromantic Underground. 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/Recommended Readings:Hildegard of Bingen: Scivias - https://amzn.to/4vEtsyxSelected Writings: Hildegard of Bingen - https://amzn.to/3OIXxfEHildegard of Bingen - https://amzn.to/3OViaFBSarah Higley - Hildegard of Bingen’s Unknown Language: An Edition, Translation, and Discussion - ISBN-13: 978-1403976734The Letters of Hildegard of Bingen - https://amzn.to/4cAzEilThe Personal Correspondence of Hildegard of Bingen - https://amzn.to/4sMOdW8The Digital Version of the Reisencodex - https://hlbrm.digitale-sammlungen.hebis.de/handschriften-hlbrm/content/pageview/449620 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    38 min
  5. The Mystical Dreams of Descartes - Exploring the Origins of Rationalism and Modernity

    4 hr ago

    The Mystical Dreams of Descartes - Exploring the Origins of Rationalism and Modernity

    In this episode we explore the non-rational origins of rationalism by investigating a series of dreams had by Rene Descartes - thought to have founded rationalism and modern philosophy - on the night of November 10/11, 1619. Early in his career Descartes, like many intellectuals of his day, was searching for new intellectual and scientific foundations as the worldview provided by Aristotle had become moribund. In this search, Descartes explores many avenues for the truth from strict logic to mystical Rosicrucianism. In this context, he experiences a profound fit of 'enthusiasm' and has a series of three dreams which ground and propel his own foundationalist project. This episode explores how the origins of rationalism and modernity are simply more esoteric, even mystical, than we typically learn in intellectual history or philosophy classes.Recommended Readings:Adrien Baillet - La vie de Monsieur Descartes - https://archive.org/download/bub_gb_RhNEAAAAcAAJ/bub_gb_RhNEAAAAcAAJ.pdfJohn Cottingham - The Philosophical Writings of Descartes in 3 vols.Alice Browne - Descartes's Dreams - https://www.jstor.org/stable/750999Michael Keevak - Descartes's Dreams and Their Address for Philosophy - https://www.jstor.org/stable/2709883William Shea - Descartes and the Rosicrucian Enlightenment - Metaphysics and Philosophy of Science in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries, Pages 73-99Frances A. Yates - The Rosicrucian Enlightenment, pgs 113 et passim#descartes #philosophy #rationalism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    45 min
  6. Does ESOTERICA rely on AI?

    5 hr ago

    Does ESOTERICA rely on AI?

    Laying 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

    20 min
  7. Mystical Language - Hildegard of Bingen's Lingua Ignota (Unknown Language) - Early Invented Tongue

    6 hr ago

    Mystical Language - Hildegard of Bingen's Lingua Ignota (Unknown Language) - Early Invented Tongue

    The 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

    29 min
  8. What is Spiritual Alchemy?

    7 hr ago

    What is Spiritual Alchemy?

    What is Spiritual Alchemy? Most people interested in alchemy these days are primarily interested in alchemy as a kind of mystical self-transformation. But, where did this concept first emerge in European Alchemy? We first find the concept that the concept of alchemy as spiritual transformation in a obscure text known as Azoth Et Ignis - Azoth and Fire (1584-99/1702). Born in heterodox Protestant, Paracelsian and mystical circles Azoth and Fire argued that in the mystery of the number 666 we find that alchemy is theology and theology is alchemy. But how does Christ become the Stone of the Philosophers' Stone, our means of Spiritual Transformation and the process by which We perfect Nature itself? Let's explore this obscure, profound and important text: Azoth and Fire!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:Zuber - Spiritual Alchemy - https://amzn.to/49QU4DXAzoth Et Ignis - https://archive.org/details/azothetignisdasi00fict/mode/1upDas Lebendige Buch : Ms. germ. fol. 1070 , 1599 - https://digital.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/werkansicht?PPN=PPN737954477&PHYSID=PHYS_0045&DMDID=DMDLOG_0001&view=picture-downloadAlchemistische Sammelhandschrift - Cod. Allerheiligen 3 - https://digital.blb-karlsruhe.de/blbdd/content/pageview/2949214 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    39 min
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About

I'm Dr. Justin Sledge and welcome to Esoterica: Where we explore the arcane in history, philosophy, and religion. This channel produces content relating to topics such as alchemy, magic, Kabbalah, mysticism, hermetic philosophy, theosophy, the occult and more using the best academic scholarship currently available. Support Esoterica with Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/esotericachannel New to Esotericism? Checkout out my Study Guide - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1caKNlW7sogEF7lAeYNbOQF9pt5O5b70yAXa-icUJO3o/edit?usp=sharing Interested in Rare, Occult Books? Check out our bookstore - https://www.esotericaoccultbooks.com/ Merch - https://www.youtube.com/@TheEsotericaChannel/store Contact Esoterica - https://www.justinsledge.com/contact About Dr. Justin Sledge: https://www.justinsledge.com/

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