Magick & Alchemy

In episode 168 of the Magick & Alchemy podcast, hosts Kate Belew & Kristin Lisenby interview Joanna Tarnawska. Joanna is an animist, folk practitioner, writer, and psychologist residing in the mountains of Lower Silesia, Poland.  In this conversation, they dive deep into Polish folk magic. Guided by Joanna, listeners explore her homeland, her ancestors' teachings, how she came to folk magic, and her new book, Polish Folk Magic: Ancestral Lore & Traditions of the West Slavs. They also discuss the diaspora traditions of Polish heritage and a new perspective on the beloved and fierce Baba Yaga. 

To learn more about Joanna, visit her website and Patreon, follow her online @polish.folk.witch, and order her latest book, Polish Folk Magic.

Sources & Shoutouts:

Polish Folk Magic: Ancestral Lore & Traditions of the West Slavs, Joanna Tarnawska

Episode 164: To Die For, Gravestone Recipe’s with Rosie Grant

Episode 81: An Interview with Madam Pamita 

Join Tenth House Rising!

Tenth House Rising offers seasonal learning for those who seek meaning through myth, magick, and memory. Rooted in the rhythm of the seasons and inspired by the Wheel of the Year, each month brings a new theme that echoes the energies of the natural world. Learn more at TenthHouseRising.com.

For those who desire magick in the mail, you can also subscribe to the Tamed Wild Box, a monthly delivery of magic & earth medicine. Each box is crafted around a season and includes items for the earth-spirited and the lovers of all things mystical and natural. Deliveries can include crystals, herbs & teas, ritual tools, altar items, jewelry, essential oils & other lifestyle pieces. 

The Tamed Wild Box is a monthly offering of 5-7 items, chosen for the month and season we are in. Each delivery includes a box card that explains your items and a little ritual you can do with your new tools. You will also receive access to a monthly moon gathering, exclusive to box subscribers! 

Created by Tamed Wild.
Production by Julio Montero.
Music by Follow the Wind,
Taizo Audio

In episode 167 of the Magick & Alchemy podcast, hosts Kristin Lisenby and Kate Belew return to the realm of sacred numbers in search of 666, the Number of the Beast. In this conversation, Kate and Kristin share lore and superstitions surrounding this number, highlighting its connection to mystery and solar magick. They consider pre-Christian mythologies, in which 666 was not a symbol of sin but a symbol of the sun. They contemplate 666 in art and magical communities and its evolution through pop culture.

Sources & Shoutouts:

Beltane Retreat

The Moon in Carolina podcast

Muse Mail

Tenth House Rising - Ritualizing Demeter

Oracle of the Hecatean Path Oracle

The Moon in Carolina, Episode 35: Psychic Abilities with Kristin Lisenby

Episode 155: Sacred Numbers

Episode 93: Types of Magick, pt. 2

Episode 88: An Interview with Chaweon Koo

Brewers Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, John Ayto

“666, the Beast, and the Sun-King: An Esoteric Biblical Exploration,” Michelle Hayman

“The number of the beast is 666,” William Blake

Iron Maiden, Number of the Beast

Season of the Witch: How the Occult Saved Rock & Roll, Peter Bebergal 

Fountain of the Fallen Angel, Atlas Obscura

“Why are we so fascinated by the number 666?” Mike Rampton

“What Is Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia?” Lisa Fritscher 

Join Tenth House Rising!

Tenth House Rising offers seasonal learning for those who seek meaning through myth, magick, and memory. Rooted in the rhythm of the seasons and inspired by the Wheel of the Year, each month brings a new theme that echoes the energies of the natural world. Learn more at TenthHouseRising.com.

For those who desire magick in the mail, you can also subscribe to the Tamed Wild Box, a monthly delivery of magic & earth medicine. Each box is crafted around a season and includes items for the earth-spirited and the lovers of all things mystical and natural. Deliveries can include crystals, herbs & teas, ritual tools, altar items, jewelry, essential oils & other lifestyle pieces. 

The Tamed Wild Box is a monthly offering of 5-7 items, chosen for the month and season we are in. Each delivery includes a box card that explains your items and a little ritual you can do with your new tools. You will also receive access to a monthly moon gathering, exclusive to box subscribers! 

Created by Tamed Wild.
Production by Julio Montero.
Music by Follow the Wind,
Taizo Audio

In episode 166 of the Magick & Alchemy podcast, hosts Kate Belew and Kristin Lisenby interview Pam Grossman. Pam is a writer, curator, and teacher of magical practice and history. She is also the host of the internationally beloved podcast, The Witch Wave. In this conversation, Pam considers creativity as magic and magic as creativity. She talks about the archetype of the magician and working with the God Hermes as a guide for her new book, Magic Maker: The Enchanted Path to Creativity. Together, three witches celebrate this new book and talk about casting its spell. They also discuss creating with their younger selves, the rituals of writing and word witchery, and how to enchant the sharing of our work.

To learn more and connect with Pam, look for her online @phantasmaphile, buy her books on her website pamgrossman.com, and listen to her on the Witch Wave wherever you get your podcasts!

Sources & Shoutouts:

Magick & Alchemy book list - download here!
Robin Rose Bennett
Normandy Ellis, “Awakening Osiris”
Lynda Barry
Rosarium Blends
Occult Humanities Conference
Jinkx Monsoon

Join Tenth House Rising!

Tenth House Rising offers seasonal learning for those who seek meaning through myth, magick, and memory. Rooted in the rhythm of the seasons and inspired by the Wheel of the Year, each month brings a new theme that echoes the energies of the natural world. Learn more at TenthHouseRising.com.

For those who desire magick in the mail, you can also subscribe to the Tamed Wild Box, a monthly delivery of magic & earth medicine. Each box is crafted around a season and includes items for the earth-spirited and the lovers of all things mystical and natural. Deliveries can include crystals, herbs & teas, ritual tools, altar items, jewelry, essential oils & other lifestyle pieces. 

The Tamed Wild Box is a monthly offering of 5-7 items, chosen for the month and season we are in. Each delivery includes a box card that explains your items and a little ritual you can do with your new tools. You will also receive access to a monthly moon gathering, exclusive to box subscribers! 

Created by Tamed Wild.
Production by Julio Montero.
Music by Follow the Wind,
Taizo Audio

In episode 165 of the Magick & Alchemy podcast, hosts Kate Belew and Kristin Lisenby interview Rachelle Robinett. Rachelle Robinett, RH (AHG), is a writer, herbalist, educator, and life-long naturalist. She’s the founder of multidisciplinary companies dedicated to the art and science of natural wellness. Combining traditional medicine and current health insights with an understanding of individual behavior modification, Rachelle has provided accessible plant-based healing to countless people. In this conversation, Rachelle guides listeners to connect with the magical plant world and claim the title of herbalist for themselves. She speaks about the potency of writing, habits, and rituals, and discusses the relationship between plants and pleasure. She shares the history of herbalism, how such a wide-reaching practice has been deemed "alternative," the roots of the "happy hour," and the kinship between herbalists and witches. 

To learn more about Rachelle, visit her website here: https://www.rachellerobinett.com/

Sources & Shoutouts:

Naturally: The Herbalist's Guide to Health and Transformation 

Join Tenth House Rising!

Tenth House Rising offers seasonal learning for those who seek meaning through myth, magick, and memory. Rooted in the rhythm of the seasons and inspired by the Wheel of the Year, each month brings a new theme that echoes the energies of the natural world. Learn more at TenthHouseRising.com.

For those who desire magick in the mail, you can also subscribe to the Tamed Wild Box, a monthly delivery of magic & earth medicine. Each box is crafted around a season and includes items for the earth-spirited and the lovers of all things mystical and natural. Deliveries can include crystals, herbs & teas, ritual tools, altar items, jewelry, essential oils & other lifestyle pieces. 

The Tamed Wild Box is a monthly offering of 5-7 items, chosen for the month and season we are in. Each delivery includes a box card that explains your items and a little ritual you can do with your new tools. You will also receive access to a monthly moon gathering, exclusive to box subscribers! 

Created by Tamed Wild.
Production by Julio Montero.
Music by Follow the Wind,
Taizo Audio

In episode 164 of the Magick & Alchemy podcast, hosts Kate Belew and Kristin Lisenby interview Rosie Grant. Rosie Grant is the creator behind @GhostlyArchive on TikTok and Instagram, where she researches and re-creates recipes found on gravestones. In this conversation, Rosie guides listeners through archival work in the sacred setting of the cemetery. She speaks about the potency of working with family recipes and stories. She invites everyone into the kitchen to her altar of ancestor veneration, and talks about rituals and practices to honor the beloved dead and embrace death as inevitable magic. 

To learn more about Rosie, visit https://www.ghostlyarchive.com/gravestone-recipes and follow her on Instagram here. 

Sources & Shoutouts:

Green Wood Cemetery 

Congressional Cemetery

The Philosophical Research Society

The Order of the Good Death

Join Tenth House Rising!

Tenth House Rising offers seasonal learning for those who seek meaning through myth, magick, and memory. Rooted in the rhythm of the seasons and inspired by the Wheel of the Year, each month brings a new theme that echoes the energies of the natural world. Learn more at TenthHouseRising.com.

For those who desire magick in the mail, you can also subscribe to the Tamed Wild Box, a monthly delivery of magic & earth medicine. Each box is crafted around a season and includes items for the earth-spirited and the lovers of all things mystical and natural. Deliveries can include crystals, herbs & teas, ritual tools, altar items, jewelry, essential oils & other lifestyle pieces. 

The Tamed Wild Box is a monthly offering of 5-7 items, chosen for the month and season we are in. Each delivery includes a box card that explains your items and a little ritual you can do with your new tools. You will also receive access to a monthly moon gathering, exclusive to box subscribers! 

Created by Tamed Wild.
Production by Julio Montero.
Music by Follow the Wind,
Taizo Audio

In episode 163 of the Magick & Alchemy podcast, hosts Kate Belew and Kristin Lisenby interview Jarod Anderson. Jarod is a nature writer, podcaster, poet, and erstwhile academic. In this conversation, Jarod invites listeners into the church of the forest, where the priests and clergy are heron, stick bugs, and squirrels. He offers us perspectives on poetry, on brain weather, and what magic means to him, as well as shares some rituals for helping you remember that you too, are nature. 

To learn more about Jarod, visit JarodKAnderson.com and follow him on Instagram @thecryptionaturalist and Substack. Check out all of his books and writings here.

Sources & Shoutouts:

Episode 133: Women of Tarot with Cat Willett

Episode 78: Annie Finch

Episode 90: Sophie Strand

W. B Yeats, “A Vision”

Emily Lygren

David Baker, “Whalefall”

Susanna Clark, “Piranesi” 

 Louise Gluck

H.D

Aracelis Girmay

Alice Notley

Diane Di Prima

Mary Oliver

Join Tenth House Rising!

Tenth House Rising offers seasonal learning for those who seek meaning through myth, magick, and memory. Rooted in the rhythm of the seasons and inspired by the Wheel of the Year, each month brings a new theme that echoes the energies of the natural world. Learn more at TenthHouseRising.com.

For those who desire magick in the mail, you can also subscribe to the Tamed Wild Box, a monthly delivery of magic & earth medicine. Each box is crafted around a season and includes items for the earth-spirited and the lovers of all things mystical and natural. Deliveries can include crystals, herbs & teas, ritual tools, altar items, jewelry, essential oils & other lifestyle pieces. 

The Tamed Wild Box is a monthly offering of 5-7 items, chosen for the month and season we are in. Each delivery includes a box card that explains your items and a little ritual you can do with your new tools. You will also receive access to a monthly moon gathering, exclusive to box subscribers! 

Created by Tamed Wild.
Production by Julio Montero.
Music by Follow the Wind,
Taizo Audio

In episode 162 of the Magick & Alchemy podcast, Kristin Lisenby and Shelby Bundy interview Kate Belew. Kate Belew is an author, poet, and Witch whose work exists at the crossroads of creativity and magic. Inspired by a shared love of word witchery and books, Kristin, Shelby, and Kate discuss the intersections of ritual and creativity, and the importance of giving ourselves permission to follow our dreams. They consider creative ancestors, altars of language, and the younger self as a muse. They also discuss Kate’s upcoming book, Witch Witch:  How to Call Upon and Cultivate the Creative Magic Within You.

To connect with Kate, follow her on Instagram @k8belew and subscribe to Word Witch on Substack. Sign up for her newsletter at KateBelew.com, and pre-order Word Witch online or from your local bookshop.

Sources & Shoutouts:

Mythica: A New History of Homer’s World, Through the Women Written Out of It, Emily Hauser

Kristin Hannah

Jennifer Saint

Emily Dickinson’s Envelope Poems

Women Who Run With the Wolves, Clarissa Pinkola Estes

Mysteries of the Dark Moon, Demetra George

Barbara G. Walker

The Love Witch

J.E. Cirlot, Dictionary of Symbols

The Secret Teachings of All Ages, Manly P. Hall

Brando Skyhorse

Marie Howe

Monica Furlong

Tamara Pearce

The Baby-sitter’s Club, Ann M. Martin

The Saddle Club, Bonnie Bryant

Nancy Drew Mystery Stories Series, Carolyn Keene

Christopher Pike

R.L. Stine

Witchcraft For Wayward Girls, Grady Hendrix

Brian Froud

Take Back the Magic, Perdita Finn

The Unwritten, Christina Campo

Join Tenth House Rising!

Tenth House Rising offers seasonal learning for those who seek meaning through myth, magick, and memory. Rooted in the rhythm of the seasons and inspired by the Wheel of the Year, each month brings a new theme that echoes the energies of the natural world. Learn more at TenthHouseRising.com.

For those who desire magick in the mail, you can also subscribe to the Tamed Wild Box, a monthly delivery of magic & earth medicine. Each box is crafted around a season and includes items for the earth-spirited and the lovers of all things mystical and natural. Deliveries can include crystals, herbs & teas, ritual tools, altar items, jewelry, essential oils & other lifestyle pieces. 

The Tamed Wild Box is a monthly offering of 5-7 items, chosen for the month and season we are in. Each delivery includes a box card that explains your items and a little ritual you can do with your new tools. You will also receive access to a monthly moon gathering, exclusive to box subscribers! 

Created by Tamed Wild.
Production by Julio Montero.
Music by Follow the Wind,
Taizo Audio

In episode 161 of the Magick & Alchemy podcast, hosts Kate Belew and Kristin Lisenby interview Melissa Madara. Melissa is an occultist, author, and educator who teaches magic and witchcraft from a historical perspective. In this conversation, three witches discuss the goddess Hecate, her invocations, and how to work with her symbols through altars and offerings. Melissa shares their thoughts on Kitchen Witchery and working with magic through printed matter. Melissa also introduces us to their latest zine, “Hekate: Hymns of the Dread Goddess,” a compendium of devotional hymns to the goddess of the crossroads.

To learn more about Melissa, follow them on Instagram (@moon.cultus), visit their website at mooncvlt.com, and join their community on Patreon.

Sources & Shoutouts:

Tamed Wild Samhain Retreat

Tenth House Rising 

Magic Mail (Muse Mail)

Word Witch: How to Call Upon and Cultivate the Creative Magic Within You, Kate Belew

Hekate: Hymns of the Dread Goddess, Moon Cult

The Witch’s Feast, Melissa Madara

The Witch’s Yearly Planner

The Rotting Goddess, Jacob Rabinowitz 

Morbid Anatomy Museum

The Crossroads: Sacred Stories & the Dark Moon

Mysteries of the Dark Moon, Demetra George

Witchcraft Medicine: Healing Arts, Shamanic Practices, and Forbidden Plants, Claudia Müller-Ebeling, Christian Rätsch, Wolf-Dieter Storl Ph.D.

Alchemy-works.com

Join Tenth House Rising!

Tenth House Rising offers seasonal learning for those who seek meaning through myth, magick, and memory. Rooted in the rhythm of the seasons and inspired by the Wheel of the Year, each month brings a new theme that echoes the energies of the natural world. Learn more at TenthHouseRising.com.

For those who desire magick in the mail, you can also subscribe to the Tamed Wild Box, a monthly delivery of magic & earth medicine. Each box is crafted around a season and includes items for the earth-spirited and the lovers of all things mystical and natural. Deliveries can include crystals, herbs & teas, ritual tools, altar items, jewelry, essential oils & other lifestyle pieces. 

The Tamed Wild Box is a monthly offering of 5-7 items, chosen for the month and season we are in. Each delivery includes a box card that explains your items and a little ritual you can do with your new tools. You will also receive access to a monthly moon gathering, exclusive to box subscribers! 

Created by Tamed Wild.
Production by Julio Montero.
Music by Follow the Wind,
Taizo Audio

In episode 160 of the Magick & Alchemy podcast, hosts Kate Belew and Kristin Lisenby interview Laetitia Barbier. Laetitia is an independent scholar, professional tarot reader, teacher, and author. In this conversation, Laetitia reminisces on her introduction to tarot during childhood and discusses her relationship with the cards today. She shares some of her favorite magical places in New York City and considers the importance of building community, even during the Hermit year of 2025. Laetitia also introduces listeners to the Camena, the Roman spirits of prophecy and wells, and the muses for her upcoming deck with Lou Benesch, the Camena Tarot.

To learn more about Laetitia, visit her website, follow her on Instagram @laetitiacartomancy, and pre-order her new deck, the Camena Tarot.

Sources & Shoutouts:

Pamela Coleman Smith: The Untold Story, R. Kaplan Stuart

Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom, Rachel Pollack

Episode 143: Wyrd Women

Join Tenth House Rising!

Tenth House Rising offers seasonal learning for those who seek meaning through myth, magick, and memory. Rooted in the rhythm of the seasons and inspired by the Wheel of the Year, each month brings a new theme that echoes the energies of the natural world. Learn more at TenthHouseRising.com.

For those who desire magick in the mail, you can also subscribe to the Tamed Wild Box, a monthly delivery of magic & earth medicine. Each box is crafted around a season and includes items for the earth-spirited and the lovers of all things mystical and natural. Deliveries can include crystals, herbs & teas, ritual tools, altar items, jewelry, essential oils & other lifestyle pieces. 

The Tamed Wild Box is a monthly offering of 5-7 items, chosen for the month and season we are in. Each delivery includes a box card that explains your items and a little ritual you can do with your new tools. You will also receive access to a monthly moon gathering, exclusive to box subscribers! 

Created by Tamed Wild.
Production by Julio Montero.
Music by Follow the Wind,
Taizo Audio

In episode 159 of the Magick & Alchemy podcast, hosts Kate Belew and Kristin Lisenby discuss auras with Eileen Lee. Eileen is a Detroit-based aura photographer and energetics researcher. In this conversation, Eileen shares her auric philosophy and considers the aura as a tool to manifest. She considers her experiments with aura photography and walks listeners through the colors of the aura. She also explains the purpose of aura altars and introduces us to her new book, The Ultimate Guide to Auras: How to Read, Cleanse, and Shift Color Energy to Change Your Life.

To learn more about Eileen, follow @weareauraaura and @colorofourenergy on Instagram and visit her websites auraaura.co and colorofourenergy.com.

Sources & Shoutouts:

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, Elizabeth Gilbert

Magic Jewelry

What we're reading:

The First Verse,  Barry McCrea

Gospel of the Worms, Dr Georgia van Raalte

Approaching Babylon: Essays from the Abyss, Dr Georgia van Raalte

The Waters, Bonnie Jo Campbell 

Once Upon a River, Bonnie Jo Campbell 

American Salvage, Bonnie Jo Campbell 

The Age of Deer, Erika Howsare

Join Tenth House Rising!

Tenth House Rising offers seasonal learning for those who seek meaning through myth, magick, and memory. Rooted in the rhythm of the seasons and inspired by the Wheel of the Year, each month brings a new theme that echoes the energies of the natural world. Learn more at TenthHouseRising.com.

For those who desire magick in the mail, you can also subscribe to the Tamed Wild Box, a monthly delivery of magic & earth medicine. Each box is crafted around a season and includes items for the earth-spirited and the lovers of all things mystical and natural. Deliveries can include crystals, herbs & teas, ritual tools, altar items, jewelry, essential oils & other lifestyle pieces. 

The Tamed Wild Box is a monthly offering of 5-7 items, chosen for the month and season we are in. Each delivery includes a box card that explains your items and a little ritual you can do with your new tools. You will also receive access to a monthly moon gathering, exclusive to box subscribers! 

Created by Tamed Wild.
Production by Julio Montero.
Music by Follow the Wind,
Taizo Audio