The inner experience of magic – the knowledge and gnosis gleaned from somatic responses and inner-eye eruptions – is a feature, not a bug, of engaging with these practices. When magic can be experienced fully, without doubt, it tends to draw us in and lead us to seek even deeper. The mystical applications of magic are a large part of what drew me to it in the first place. The utility of practical magic is important, sometimes even vital, but once your roads are open, your luck is drawn, and your boundaries are set, then these tools can help us ask the bigger questions. Sometimes, this inner exploration can draw practitioners into the hermitage or wizard's tower, and even lead them to retreat from life. Once you've plowed the depths of your shadow or returned from your katabsis or grounded from your celestial ascent, what are you to do with the boons of this experience? Hopefully, lead a richer and more fulfilling life.

Today's show is a little different than usual. Rather than an interview with a magical expert or a deep dive into a tradition or technique, today, I enjoy the chance to catch up with some friends and let them regale us with all the ways magic can be used to have fun, to seek out some adventure, and foster new friendships. CR and Robert tell us about their chance encounter in the UK, the magical shenanigans they got up to, and CR describes how those same magical currents and spiritual support systems can also guide us through the trials of loss and grief. I thought it would be fun to share this chat with you all. It's very casual, but also heartening, and at times truly poignant.

SHOW NOTES:

C.R.'s Website: https://lalanomicon.com/

Alien Encounters: Fact or Fiction: HBO MAX

IG: @misterxofer

No Hand Path: Robert's Substack

IG: @robertpeterservices