This month's entry in the Conversations series is with Jake Stratton Kent, who is well known for his writings on ancient goetia, particularly their relationship to the grimoire traditions. Jake's work is an invaluable exploration into pre-Platonic beliefs and magical practices. In this episode Jake and I talk about the different "versions" of Hecate in ancient times, questioning the idea that she wasn't always a chthonic deity. This includes a discussion of goetia, Hecate's association with Apollo, the Athenian Hecate, and the challenge of the more current interpretations of the goddess.

This week we talk about the Greek and Roman daimon called Mania, or sometimes Maniae when treated as a group of spirits. Between the Etruscans, the Greeks, and the Romans, Mania has a variety of associations with madness, rage, and frenzy; she is also associated with the dead and with the Furies. The connection between gods, daimons, and human psychology is especially interesting here.

Happy Spring Equinox! Our subject for this week is Nephthys, the Egyptian goddess who is the sister of Isis and the wife of Seth. The psychopomp Anubis is said to be her son from Osiris, and she is connected with lamentation, healing, and guiding the dead.

In this month's episode of Chthonia Conversations, I chat with Dan Hanley about the Gnostic Feminine, and 4 main figures--Barbelo, the "4 Sophias", Mary Magdalene, and Noraia. We also discuss misunderstandings about Gnostic currents in early Christianity, and the ways in which it is both anti-chthonic and chthonic.

This week we look at Medea, the niece of the witch Circe and the granddaughter of the sun god, known for being the actual "hero" in the Argonautica who enables Jason to fulfill the necessary tasks to acquire the golden fleece. Eventually he abandons her for another wife, and she takes her revenge by setting the wife on fire with a poisoned dress and murdering their children. Like many myths, the deeper meaning about the nature of the chthonic Feminine is more important than the social implications.

Finally fixed! Here is what was meant to be the previous episode, on the sea monsters Skylla and Charybdis, the daimonic spirits of the dangers of the sea associated with the phrase "between a rock and a hard place". There are various stories about their origins, including some surprising links to chthonic deities such as Hekate.

In this first video of the Chthonia Conversations series, Brigid talks with Lana Popovic of Psychosomatic Alchemy about the Tantric Buddhist practice of Chöd, and the connected psychological practice called "Feeding Your Demons."

You can learn more about Psychosomatic Alchemy and Lana's upcoming Shadow Integration course at https://www.psalchemy.com/

Chöd practice should only be performed under the guidance of a qualified teacher; for those interested in learning the practice, here are some resources:
Lama Tsultrim Allione - retreat center
www.taramandala.org
(Here people can take Chöd initiation as well as learn Feeding Your Demons practice)

Dharma Mittra teaches Psychic development course (pranayamas) on this website
https://www.dharmayogacenter.com

Lana also recommends reading The Tantric Alchemist: Thomas Vaughan and the Indian Tantric Tradition by Peter Levenda.

To read about the differences between Tantra and Neo-Tantra, check out this article:
Tantra vs Neo-Tantra by Georg Feuerstein
https://www.santosha.com/moksha/meditation1.html

Visit https://chthonia.net for all of my work.

If you would like to support Chthonia, consider joining Patreon at https://patreon.com/chthonia. More of this conversation will be available to subscribers. Thank you to my existing patrons for your support!

This week we look at Lethe, the daimon of forgetfulness, the female personification of the river that the dead drink from to forget their previous lives. As we will see, the idea of "lethe" may go beyond just forgetting.

This week we look at Skylla and Charybdis, two figures in Greek mythology that represent the terrors of the sea, and the inspirations for the phrase "between a rock and a hard place." We look at multiple origin stories, their connection to underworld goddesses, as well as the likely real world inspiration for their terrifying influence.

This week's podcast looks at Morgan Le Fay, enchantress and sister of King Arthur who ultimately brings about his downfall. We look at the main legends surrounding her, and reflect on the challenges she presents to the chivalric etiquette of Arthur's knights and court.