Hello from Cusco, where the streets are laid out like a puma and hawkers offer massages on every corner. I've been thinking about Huáscar, the last true Sapa Inca, who willingly took sacred knowledge into the underworld until the time was right for its return.

What if the strange convergence we're witnessing - the grimoire revival, the sudden value of grandmother's recipes, and yes, even the rise of what I'm calling "orthodank" online - are all manifestations of the same archetypal energy? Things coming up from below, returning from the shadows at this precise moment in time. The question is: which returns will we embrace?

1. The Temple City of Cusco - Exploring the ancient capital and how authentic experience lurks just beneath tourist traps

2. The Tale of Two Brothers - The story of Waskar and Atahualpa, the civil war that weakened the Inca Empire, and how Waskar preserved sacred knowledge

3. Three Stories of Waskar's Fate - Drowning, beheading, or escape: tracing the different narratives through history and oral tradition

4. The Return of Waskar in the 90s - Alberto Violdo's observations and the rising indigenous pride in Peru

5. The Fortean Dominant - How things pushed into the underworld are returning in our time

6. Conservative Returns - The relationship between rising conservatism and the return of things worth conserving

7. Grandmother's Foods - How millennials became the generation that values heritage foods and traditional ways

8. Magic's Return - The grimoire revival and the return of ancestral magical knowledge

9. Shadow and Integration - How to navigate the darker aspects of what returns from the underworld

This week, I'm welcoming fellow substacker and Tolkien nerd, Charles McBride, whose essay 'Shire Anarchy' caught my eye in the cultural curiosity that is the substack notes app.

We're diving into the political imagination behind Middle-Earth – a world where having a king is perfectly fine, as long as he's quite far away or, better yet, long dead.

From childhood obsessions with Tolkien to the strange bedfellows his work creates in modern fandom, Charles and I explore what it means when the villain of the story isn't a particular people, but the very desire for total control. How did this Franco-supporting Catholic writer end up crafting one of the most compelling visions of localism and self-governance in modern literature? And what might the hobbits teach us about freedom in an age of empire?

"I think Shire anarchy is best described in a sentence I wrote in the piece, where I said that all the affairs of hobbits are organized under the assumption that having a king was basically a good idea, so long as he was quite far away, or better yet, long dead. And I think that that kind of cuts to the heart of what this concept of Shire anarchy is. You have a society that holds a reverence for the past. And they believe that their system of political and social organization is derived from something authoritative in their deep, distant past."

• Charles’s amazing essay, Shire Anarchy.

• Charles on Instagram.

02:00 - Charles' essay "Shire Anarchy" and initial connection

04:00 - Childhood experiences with Tolkien and homeschooling background

08:30 - Gordon's similar Tolkien childhood experiences

11:00 - Discussion of Substack platform and media evolution

14:00 - Tolkien's political views and introduction to "quiet radicalism"

15:30 - Explanation of Tolkien as an "anarcho-monarchist"

18:30 - Monarchy, pragmatism, and Tolkien's support for Franco

22:30 - The Ring as metaphor for power, greed, and capital

25:00 - Lord of the Rings' resilience against political appropriation

27:30 - Peter Jackson's film adaptation achievement

29:00 - Charles' viral thread about polarized Tolkien fandom

32:00 - CS Lewis vs. Tolkien on moral clarity and writing

35:30 - Lewis as a potential universalist and perennial philosophy

38:30 - Religious conversion, cultural identity, and belonging

42:30 - Modern politics, monarchy, and fascism as shadow kingship

45:00 - Definition and explanation of "Shire anarchy" concept

50:30 - Charles' personal political journey toward anarchism

54:00 - Political polarization and contemporary discourse

57:00 - Defining philosophical anarchism and attitudes toward hierarchy

59:30 - Religion as natural human function and political movements

63:00 - Discussion of The Hobbit movies and fan edits

69:00 - Concluding thoughts and where to find Charles online

Everyone’s favourite gnostic raconteur, Miguel Conner, returns to the show this week to discuss his latest book, The Occult Elvis.

The book becomes an entryway into a wide-ranging discussion on the role of shamans, cultural transformation, fate and the destiny of America. (Mere trifles!)

00:00 Introduction to the Occult Elvis

04:03 The Spirituality of Rock Music

07:54 Elvis as a Magician and Shaman

11:52 The Blue Light Phenomenon

15:54 Elvis's Influence on American Identity

19:53 Elvis's Mystical Interests and Books

23:47 The Legacy of Elvis in Modern Culture

34:37 Exploring Fate and Free Will

37:56 The Wounded Healer: Elvis and Addiction

40:06 The Search for Self: Elvis's Identity Crisis

46:52 Elvis as a Cultural Trickster

51:10 The Archetype of the Shaman in Modern Fame

57:52 Elvis: A Reflection of Post-War America

• Get the book.

• Miguel’s author website.

• Miguel on Substack.

In this episode, I explore the shifting landscape of conspiracy culture and what I've been noticing about an emerging "conspiracy canon."

Recording from my new apartment in Paraguay, I dive into observations from my recent event with Greg Carlwood in Florida, examining how conspiracy thinking has evolved from political analysis to metaphysical questioning.

Using Charles Fort's framework of "dominants," I discuss how we're witnessing a paradigm shift toward a more meaning-centered worldview as a response to scientific materialism.

Whether you consider yourself a conspiracy person or not, this episode offers insights into epistemology, metaphysics, and our relationship to meaning in the cosmos.

Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction and setting the scene from Paraguay 02:15 - Recent event with Greg Carlwood in Florida 04:30 - The concept of a "Conspiracy Canon" 07:10 - Observing alignment among respected thinkers 09:05 - When brilliant people question fundamental assumptions 12:30 - Robert Anton Wilson on conspiracy culture shifting from left to right 15:45 - The "Alex Jones era" and libertarian influence 18:20 - The 80s-90s "Lone Gunman Era" conspiracy canon 21:40 - Today's conspiracy canon: no virus, flat Earth, aliens as demons, Tartaria 24:15 - The internet's "hold my beer" effect on conspiracy thinking 27:50 - Shift from "how things are" to "who we are in the cosmos" 31:10 - Natural drift toward meaning-seeking 34:30 - Pushback against scientific materialism 37:50 - Charles Fort and reality paradigm shifts 40:15 - Fort's "dominants" and "damned data" 43:40 - Accumulated "damned facts" challenging mainstream narratives 46:20 - The "religious dominant" as initial framework 49:30 - The "scientific dominant" and its exclusionist tendency 52:45 - Fort recognizing scientism's limitations ahead of his time 56:10 - The emergent "dominant of wider inclusions" 59:25 - Visit to Cassadega and Greg's psychic reading experience 01:02:40 - Kelly Brogan and Mark Gober's alternative cosmology 01:05:15 - Being "80% flat earther" on meaningful universe principles 01:09:30 - Flat Earth as Biblical literalism seeking meaning 01:12:45 - Critique of Tartaria theories 01:15:20 - Meme culture and uncritical sharing of conspiracy content 01:18:40 - "Realm theory" as a container for anomalous data 01:21:25 - Being "Gandalf among the hobbits" during paradigm shifts 01:24:50 - Fortean flow model for approaching change 01:27:30 - Closing thoughts on being a container for transformation

Hi from the Amazon jungle. Honestly, if I’d known that AI would do such a good job of describing this podcast, I would have left it in charge and stayed longer.

Although I will say, I asked it to write it in the style of the speaker, and it made me sound way more polite than I usually am to you scrubs.

Enjoy! (PS - you will find the same show in your podcatcher, as normal.)

In the heart of the Amazon, under a tin roof pummeled by tropical rain, I offer you a cosmic upgrade to Nietzsche's Amor Fati. While the German philosopher tells us to love our fate unconditionally, I'm proposing something more alchemical: co-creation with disappointment. It's not about passively accepting what happens, nor gaslighting yourself into loving the unlovable. Rather, it's asking "what choices do I have in the direction of beauty given the limitations before me in this moment?" Drawing from my own messy Paraguayan adventures during a Mars direct station in Cancer (sit down Scorpio risings, this one was truly mine to bear), I explore how this principle transforms practical enchantment beyond simple success/fail metrics into continuous creation. Whether you're dealing with planetary transits or broken water towers in indigenous villages, this approach connects the Dine concept of the Beauty Way with our magical capacity to participate in the unfolding of reality. Roll your suitcase through cosmic mud with me on this one.

• 00:02 - Introduction and recording conditions in the Amazon

• 00:48 - Explaining the concept of "Amor Fati" and Nietzsche's philosophy

• 02:23 - Comparing Nietzsche's idea with Stoicism's similar concept

• 04:37 - Why Gordon believes he's "more right" than both Nietzsche and the Stoics

• 06:49 - Co-creation with disappointment as an upgrade to "love your fate"

• 09:14 - Mars direct station and Cass Tyndall's insight on struggle

• 11:40 - How metaphysical laws relate to physical and psychological laws

• 14:06 - The moment-by-moment decision of co-creation and manifestation

• 16:05 - Lessons from Shipibo culture and challenging gaslight responses

• 18:21 - Finding beauty within disappointment and discomfort

• 20:47 - Moving beyond success/fail metrics in practical enchantment

• 21:58 - Continuous co-creation as a definition of magic

A solo show from Asunción, Paraguay.

I wanted to share some thoughts that I have been sitting with while remastering all the premium member courses, beginning with Grimoires. These thoughts turned into a full-length solo show.

Hope you like it! AI certainly seems to have had an absolute blast listening to it:

In this thought-provoking episode, Gordon White explores the concept of magical readiness and authenticity in practice. Recording from Paraguay, he delves into what it truly means to be "ready" for magic, challenging common assumptions about magical practice and discussing the difference between genuine magical work and what he terms as "cope" - using magical aesthetics as a form of psychological compensation.

White examines the evolution of Western magical practices, critiques Victorian-era approaches, and discusses the importance of finding one's authentic magical expression. He also touches on current spiritual awakening, the role of shadow work in magical practice, and the emerging significance of biblical archetypes in contemporary magic.

Show Notes

I will be in the Tampa area for some free events on the weekend of March 8th and 9th. 

• RSVP to the Higher Soup event here.
• Buy a ticket for the bus to and from the venue here.

Ringing in the new year with a banger!

John Michael Greer returns to the show to explore

• Whether we can say if 'western' magic has a discernable metaphysics.
• What those might be.

Seeing as AI did such a good job of giving us a definition of metaphysics (which you will get in the show), here's what she thinks the episode is about:

"The dialogue emphasizes the importance of directionality, the existence of intelligent non-human beings, and the overarching themes that unify magical practices across cultures. In this conversation, Gordon White delves into the complexities of historical knowledge, the concept of polarity in cosmology, and the nuances of sex magic. He discusses the limitations of historical records, the significance of polarity as a universal principle, and the often-misunderstood relationship between sexuality and magic. White also challenges cultural assumptions about elitism in esoteric practices and highlights the contributions of lesser-known figures like Pascal Beverly Randolph to the field of magic. The discussion culminates in a reflection on the meaningfulness of the cosmos and the interplay of energy in our experiences."

Honestly? Pretty good.

Show Notes

• John's website, Ecosophia.
• The Philosophy and Practice of Polarity Magic: A Secret Wisdom of Sex.
• The Earth Mysteries Workbook: A One Year Course in the Enchantment of the Land.

Austin Coppock returns to the show for our traditional six-monthly astrological forecast, this time for the first half of 2025.

We are calling this one Just The Tip (Of The Chainsword)!

• 00:00 Introduction to 2025 Astrology Predictions
• 02:56 The Significance of Warhammer 40K in 2025
• 05:45 Astrological Context: The Transition from 2024 to 2025
• 09:00 Civil Unrest and Mars Retrograde
• 11:53 Neptune and Saturn's Influence in 2025
• 15:00 The Impact of Neptune's Ingress into Aries
• 18:00 The Role of Heroism and Leadership in 2025
• 20:50 The Collapse of Narratives and Storytelling in Society
• 39:31 The Present as a Story: Chaos and Meaning
• 41:02 Saturn in Aries: The Fall and Its Implications
• 44:50 Historical Parallels: The 47 Ronin and Vigilantism
• 49:10 The Breakdown of Order: Anti-Authoritarian Sentiment
• 52:32 The Need for New Rules: Transitioning from Bad to Good
• 54:15 Eclipses and Their Significance: March and April 2025
• 01:01:56 Venus Retrograde: A Journey of Self-Discovery
• 01:03:24 Eclipses in Virgo and Aries: A Shift in Dynamics
• 01:10:08 Jupiter in Cancer: A Time for Growth and Stability
• 01:16:06 The Great Rearrangement: A New World Order
• 01:23:49 Exploring Uranus in Gemini 01:30:53 Historical Context of Uranus in Gemini
• 01:37:27 The Power of Language and Technology
• 01:48:44 Cultural Reflections and Media Consumption
• 01:55:21 Future Plans and Aspirations

SIGN UP to be notified of Austin's future class availability here!

In this episode, Gordon discusses the evolution of his podcast, the connections between magical individuals, and the themes presented in Grant Morrison's comic series, The Invisibles. He explores

• The loneliness epidemic in modern society.
• The role of digital connectivity.
• The concept of the invisible college as a metaphor for shared vision and belonging among like-minded individuals.

We also look at the intersections of various spiritual practices, the disintegration of civilisational fields, and the importance of finding resonance within an invisible college of shared beliefs and values. He discusses the overlap between different spiritual traditions, the current state of societal fragmentation, and the necessity of community and belonging in navigating these challenges.

• Join the completely free Rune Soup substack to stay up to date.
• Join the Rune Soup Premium Membership.

Gabriel Kennedy joins the show to discuss Chapel Perilous: The Life and Thought Crimes of Robert Anton Wilson, the first-ever book-length biography of ol' RAW.

We explore Wilson's life, philosophy, and literary contributions. Kennedy shares his personal journey of discovering Wilson's work, the process of writing the biography, and the significance of concepts like Chapel Perilous and general semantics. The discussion also touches on the relevance of Wilson's ideas in today's world and the lasting impact of his writings on counterculture and conspiracy theories. 

We're back, baby!

00:00 Introduction to Robert Anton Wilson

02:45 First Encounters with Wilson's Work

05:59 Navigating Wilson's Bibliography

08:55 The Journey to Writing a Biography

12:00 Researching Robert Anton Wilson

14:43 The Influence of General Semantics

17:48 Personal Connections and Discoveries

21:01 The Process of Biographical Writing

24:01 Understanding Wilson's Legacy

27:03 Final Thoughts on Robert Anton Wilson

44:20 The 23 Enigma and Synchronicities

49:27 Writing and Synchronicities in Biography

56:22 The Impact of Robert Anton Wilson's Work

01:02:00 Conspiracy Theories and Critical Thinking

01:10:33 Chapel Perilous: A Journey of Discovery

NOTE: You can alternatively watch this discussion on YouTube.