Cosmic Edges

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This love of which we speak is the union of lovers, the inflaming fire which burns without consuming. — Marguerite Porete

As part of the occasional audio series Mystics & Heretics, a short talk on Marguerite Porete, who was dubbed a relapsed heretic and a fake woman, and burned at the stake in 1310 for her mystical treatise and guidebook for union with t…

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Planet-infused writing accelerator: Doors close TODAY! A few spots left.Astrology and tarot readings and packages

I spoke with fellow Virgo and fellow astrologer Danielle Beinstein on the first day of Pisces season with an eye on the clarifying full moon in Virgo on February 24.

We laughed a lot, and talked about:

The archetype of Virgo and its connection with animalityThe Strength card in the tarotFamiliars, routines, the 6th houseThe Virgo-Pisces axis and finding medicine in one’s opposite signThe Hermit card and hermit-ing with animals Virgo’s connection with digestion, our favorite foodsLeaving the Canyon…What makes a good sandwich and the history of the sandwich (yeah)Astrology and animalsOur dogs and householdsChironFashionLots more

For the full episode, and regular posts/audio experiences:

Dani’s websiteSome of my favorite images of familiars:

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««««««I have a few more ASTROLOGY READINGS IN FEBRUARY and some spaces open for this cosmic and practical WRITING INTENSIVE.»»»»

“Will the veiled sister between the slenderYew trees pray for those who offend her” T.S. Eliot, “Ash Wednesday”

A languid reading of Eliot’s “Ash Wednesday” on Valentine’s Day slash Ash Wednesday. Rereading this thing, it’s so very Saturnine—the repetition, the turning and returning through the thin lens of lent and under dust. At the edge of forty days of contemplation. Unordinary time. Above, a small audio reflection on calcination (the first stage in the alchemical process, the one associated with the planet Saturn—with contemplation, mourning, decay, but also the beginning) and then I read “Ash Wednesday.”

More scattered thoughts on ashes, mysticism, conversion, and the alchemical trilogy of T.S. Eliot, George Herbert, and Simone Weil:

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On the occasion of the new moon in Aquarius: the first in a labyrinthine series called Mystics, Heretics, and Madmen, for paid subscribers.

UPCOMING THINGS: ASTROLOGY READINGS IN FEBRUARY WRITING INTENSIVE! [space is limited]

“I am not a philosopher, but a saint, maybe a madman.” – Georges Bataille, Method of Meditation

“To purify community of all its ‘contamination’ for whatever political agenda is an activity that leads to the destruction of community. A community without foreign bodies is a dead community, a community that lacks any communication with its outside. It is in the negotiation with the foreign body that community is at stake…” — Benjamin Noys, Georges Bataille: A Critical Introduction

In this one, I talk (in my morning voice) about the following: Georges Bataille and Bataille’s (mad, mystic) Nietzsche, death of god mysticism, ears as labyrinths, the tragic worldview, and risky readings.

In this episode, I chat with the artist Caris Reid about her artistic process, the liminal space where art happens, astrology, the tarot, and the energetics of objects.

“…breathing life into what otherwise is just a piece of wood and acknowledging that it’s going to become a window into something deeper….” — Caris Reid

Waiting for the Sun

Acrylic on Wood

30 x 24 inches

2019

CARIS’ WEBSITE

Check Out Caris’ paintings on February 14th at the Spring Break Art Show in LA

LUMINOUS PALM TAROT
Caris Reid’s work deploys symbolism, symmetry, and repetition to explore femininity throughout history. The female figures directly meet the eye of the viewer and impress with the strength of their pose. These female archetypes are covered with iconography such as triangles, flowers, eyes, peace signs, butterflies, birds. Reid extensively researches symbols from ancient history through the contemporary emoticon and is inspired by psychology and hypnosis.
Reid has shown her paintings in solo exhibitions at Denny Dimin Gallery in New York and Ochi Projects in Los Angeles as well as exhibiting in two-person shows with artist Amanda Valdez at Denny Dimin Gallery in New York and Circuit12 Gallery in Dallas, and with Elise Ferguson at Monya Rowe Gallery.  Her work has been exhibited at the Untitled Art Fair in Miami and The Spring Break Art Fair in New York.  She's been included in group exhibitions including Sargents Daughters New York, Longhouse Projects New York, O-O Los Angeles, SEASON  Seattle, Ochi Gallery Idaho, and The National Arts Club, New York. In 2016 she completed a 40 foot mural in downtown Los Angeles titled Grace and Grit.  Her work has been featured in The New Yorker, The Observer, Vogue Japan, Vogue Mexico, W Magazine, Architectural Digest, Forbes Magazine, LALA magazine and The New York Times among others.

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THE AVANT-GALAXY / EMMALEA RUSSO

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In which I have an impromptu talk about tonight’s full moon in Leo (Feb 8/Feb 9) and some other conversations that are happening in the sky. For your easy listening.

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Astrology readings with Emmalea.

Image: Marcel Broodthaers, The Belgian Lion, 1968.

*The quote from the title of this episode is via Robert Plant.

“He not busy being born is busy dying.” — Bob Dylan

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In this deep-diving episode, I chat with my ancient astrology teacher, Acyuta-bhava Das (formerly Adam Elenbaas), about:

Acyuta’s classes and my experience learning from him.

some fundamental differences between ancient and modern astrology

the importance of learning the meaning behind astrological concepts

how Acyuta began studying astrology, his history with Ayahuasca, and his spiritual path and name change

Astrology as part of spiritual practice and a devotional experience

Seeing the planets as emissaries/omens of the gods rather than entities to *get something out of*

the wisdom of ancient astrology and the immutable soul

ways to work with difficult natal chart stuff in a devotional, meaningful way

LOVE as the path

importance of laughter + not taking oneself too seriously

lots more

It was so illuminating and fun chatting with him and please do check out his work below. His insights are rooted in years of spiritual and astrological study and practice and if you like this podcast/newsletter, you’ll likely be into his work, as it’s been foundational for me.

Nightlight Astrology Website

Acyuta-bhava’s YouTube Channel

Nightlight Astrology’s Kickstarter Campaign (get readings from Acyuta, take classes, and support his work)

IG: @nightlightastrology

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In which I discuss the energies of Sagittarius and read the poem-scopes for the month. I talk about wisdom, visionaries, Jupiter, meaning-making, and words from famous Sagittarian writers and musicians.

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Book an astrology reading with me.

photo credit: Meg Puckett

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I had the distinct pleasure of chatting with the writer Sarah Rose Etter. In this episode, we talked about:

her writing process & the origins of her new novel, The Book of X

surrealism

breaking from the “traditional novel” and the form of The Book of X

the internal safe space of creation & the space of engaging with the public

the need for holding space for more innovative/experimental writing

the letter X

Sarah’s experience on book tour

what Sarah’s currently working on

& more…

Sarah Rose Etter is the author of two books, most recently The Book of X (Two Dollar Radio). Her fiction, essays, and interviews have appeared or are forthcoming in VICE, Guernica, The Cut, Gulf Coast, Philadelphia Weekly, and more. She is the recipient of writing residencies at the Disquiet International Program in Lisbon and the Gullkistan Residency in Iceland. She has served as an arts columnist at Philadelphia Weekly and The Austin Chronicle, as well as a contributing editor at The Fanzine.
Website: www.sarahroseetter.com ||| Instagram + Twitter: @sarahroseetter

Order The Book of X here

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Emmalea’s Website || Avant-Galaxy Newsletter || Astrology Readings || @emmaleaxrusso

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In which I chat with the wonderful writers Sarah Gerard and Patty Yumi Cottrell. In the first part of the episode, Patty and Sarah read excerpts from each other’s work. Next, we chat about:

dark humor

Scorpio season

similarities and differences b/w Patty and Sarah’s writing processes and work

the capitalist myth of the “writing every day” requirement

toward a more expansive view of “writing”

finding space and energy for writing and deciding where to put one’s energy

writing as a collaboration with the body

the brain as a gentle creature

astrology

Is writing therapeutic?

writing as videogame and compulsion

the importance of diversions

Sarah Gerard is the author of the essay collection Sunshine State, a New York Times Critics' Choice, and the novel Binary Star, a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction. Her short stories, essays, interviews, and criticism have appeared in the New York Times, T Magazine, Granta, The Believer, The Baffler, and the anthologies Tampa Noir, We Can’t Help it if We’re From Florida, and One Small Blow Against Encroaching Totalitarianism. Her novel True Love is forthcoming from Harper in July 2020. She lives in New York City with her true love, the writer Patty Yumi Cottrell. Find her at Sarah-Gerard.com.

Patty Yumi Cottrell (born 1981) is the author of Sorry to Disrupt the Peace and the winner of a 2018 Whiting Award and a Barnes and Noble Discover Award. A devout practitioner of the absurdist method, she teaches fiction in New York.

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