Well, it’s time. I’m building a small, friendly, progressive online community for Pacific Northwest witches who work with Celtic deities, lore, and ritual forms. It’s a new incarnation of WitchSpiral, and if it is a fit for you, you are welcome to join. I hope you’ll consider becoming a regular. Click below to get started. See you soon.
-Talasyn
I’ve recently been talking to two witches in my circle about podcasts we each enjoy. For me, podcasts are a favorite way to do some witchcraft “continuing education” on a whole bunch of topics, and to learn more about traditions, practices, and beliefs outside my own little patch.
Here are a few of my favorites.
Down at the Crossroads / The Infinite & The Beyond
Hands down, this is my favorite. Chris Orapello and his wife, Tara-Love Maguire, are trad witches who just published their first book last year. They invite a pretty broad range of guests to their show, so it’s a great cross-pollination experience. Some of their interviews are stunning. What I appreciate about the host, Chris, is that he gets his ego out of the way, and lets the guests tell their stories. This podcast has been going on for several years.
Missing Witches
This is a brand new podcast that’s just over a year old. The women who run the show tell the stories of a multicultural range of witches, and address some controversial questions with dignity and respect. They ran an episode on Z Budapest, the Dianic witch who paved the way for legal tarot readings in the US, but who is also problematically anti-trans, and managed to present the complexities of this woman very effectively. The production values are great, as well. Check out the episode on Pamela Colman-Smith.
Rune Soup
I just started listening to this one a few months ago, and like it a lot. Gordon White is an occultist living in Tasmania, and he invites guests from lots of different trads on his show.
Story Archaeology
This will probably not be new to some of you, as it’s been out for several years. Isolde Carmody and Chris Thompson have been recording these spirited, wise retellings of Irish mythology for years. Isolde is taking a break from the podcast for health reasons.
Blúiríni Béaloidis: Folklore Fragments
“Bluiríní Béaloidis is the podcast from The National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin, and is a platform to explore Irish and wider European folk tradition across an array of subject areas and topics.” I love this podcast, coordinated by Jonny and Claire, two employees at UCD. Sadly, Claire recently left the show after what sounded like some friction with her co-host. I don’t know what’s next for the podcast.
Enjoy your streaming.
-Talasyn
I recently closed down my sacred landscape blog, The Faery Fort, and moved its contents to the CauldronFire Witchcraft site. Let’s face it–it’s easier to manage a single resource, and I find that too much social media drains me. In honor of fairy forts, here’s a podcast on this fascinating topic by one of my favorite podcasting teams @ Blúiriní Béaloidis, with Claire and Jonny from the National Folklore Collection at University College, Dublin.
Claire and Jonny have their own wonderful patter, and this episode is particularly interesting. If you’d like to know more about the intersection between modern life in Ireland and old faery traditions and prohibitions, give this a listen.
Enjoy that waning full moon.
-Talasyn
CauldronFire Witchcraft 