In this episode, Jason explores one of the most important texts in world spirituality: The Dark Night of the Soul by St. John of the Cross.

St. John was a 16th-century Carmelite monk who helped St. Teresa of Ávila reform the Carmelite order—and was kidnapped and imprisoned by rival monks for nine months, during which he composed this classic text on spiritual transformation.

In this episode, you'll learn:

- Why the "dark night" is not depression, but a necessary stage of spiritual development

- The three signs that distinguish true spiritual purgation from mere lukewarmness

- How God "weans" the soul like a mother teaching a child to walk

- Why divine light appears as darkness to the unprepared soul ("a ray of darkness")

- The ten steps of the ladder of love leading to union with God

- How suffering is more secure than pleasure on the spiritual path

Key quote: "He who shines with the greatest light shall cast the darkest shadow."

If you've ever felt spiritually dry, disconnected, or like God has withdrawn His presence—this episode reveals why that experience is not only normal, but essential.

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🔥 JOIN THE WINTER SOLSTICE WORKING — December 20-21

This episode connects directly to what Temple and I are doing this weekend: a live two-day intensive timed to the exact astronomical moment of the Winter Solstice—the longest night of the year, when darkness peaks and light begins its return.

This is not a course you watch alone. It's a live working we do together:

- Death meditations & shadow integration

- Kabbalistic pathworking

- Guided Bardo journeys

- A ritual timed to the precise moment of the solstice

Join us for the most potent time of the year for powerful, deep inner work.

→ solstice.magick.me

BLACK FRIDAY ENDS TOMORROW AT MIDNIGHT: friday.magick.me

This episode goes out on the final day of the Black Friday sale for a reason.

What you're about to hear is Eliphas Levi's chapter on The Magician from Transcendental Magic (1856)—the first chapter of the first modern book on ceremonial magic ever written. Levi is going to lay out exactly what it takes to become an adept—"a person who is achieved by will and by work."

He's going to talk about the four powers of the Sphinx: To know, to dare, to will, to keep silence. He's going to talk about why most people never make it. And he's going to say something that hit me hard when I first read it:

"Those qualified for initiation no longer finding initiators, and the leaders of conscience becoming in the laps of time as uninstructed as the vulgar, the blind have grown weary of following the blind."

That's the problem I've spent ten years trying to solve. That's why Magick.Me exists. That's why I built The Adept Initiative.

Listen to Levi. Really listen. And then decide: Are you ready?

KEY PASSAGES:

• "To know, to dare, to will, to keep silence—such are the four words of the magus"

• "Those qualified for initiation no longer finding initiators, the blind have grown weary of following the blind"

• "Once started, we must reach the end or perish. To doubt is to lose one's reason, to pause is to fail, to recoil is to plunge into an abyss"

BLACK FRIDAY ENDS TUESDAY MIDNIGHT:

→ The Adept's Path — $397
Adept Initiative I & II + Solstice Working (Dec 20-21)
This is where Levi would tell you to start.

→ Complete Mastery — $997 (41/50 spots left)
Everything + 12-month library access + Solstice
If you want to go deep—if you want the complete toolkit—this is it.

→ ULTIMATE — $1,797 (16/20 spots left)
Complete Mastery + year of direct mentorship with Jason
This is for people who heard what Levi said and thought: "I'm ready. I want an initiator."

👉 friday.magick.me

Links & Resources:

🔥 BLACK FRIDAY SALE: https://friday.magick.me

🌈 Magick.Me - Online School for Magick, Meditation, and Mysticism: https://www.magick.me

🧘‍♂️ Free Guided Meditation and Mailing List: https://start.magick.me

🌌 See you in class! ✨

BLACK FRIDAY SALE: https://friday.magick.me — Our best three offers OF ALL TIME. Sale ends December 2nd or when we run out (slots limited)!

In this episode, Jason dives deep into epistemology—how we actually determine what's true and what's not in an age of overwhelming information, AI-generated content, and competing narratives. He explores practical frameworks for critical thinking, discusses the difference between knowledge and belief, and offers tools for navigating uncertainty without falling into either gullibility or paranoid skepticism.

Topics covered: epistemological frameworks, critical thinking tools, media literacy, discernment practices, the role of intuition vs. analysis, and how magickal practice can sharpen your ability to perceive truth.

BLACK FRIDAY SALE: https://friday.magick.me - Three paths to mastering magick, available through December 2nd only!

In this episode, Jason Louv and his wife Temple tackle one of the most important topics of our age: epistemology—how do you actually tell truth from lies? With information overload at an all-time high and critical thinking seemingly at an all-time low, they break down practical methods for discerning valid information from propaganda, snake oil, and well-meaning but misguided claims.

Temple shares her research methodology for evaluating sources, identifying bias, and getting as close to the truth as humanly possible. Together, they discuss why critical thinking is no longer taught in schools, how to avoid falling for charlatans, and the tools you need to free yourself intellectually in an age of manufactured consensus and algorithmic manipulation.

Links & Resources:

🔥 BLACK FRIDAY SALE: https://friday.magick.me - The Adept's Path ($397), Complete Mastery ($997), or The Magician's Year ($1,797)

🌈 Magick.Me - Online School for Magick, Meditation, and Mysticism: https://www.magick.me

🧘‍♂️ Free Guided Meditation and Mailing List: https://start.magick.me

🌌 See you in class! ✨

BLACK FRIDAY SALE: https://friday.magick.me - Three paths to mastering magick, available through December 2nd only!

After a year away, Jason Louv returns to discuss practical, modern Thelemic magick for functional adults. In this episode, he explores what it actually means to discover your True Will, the four fundamental principles of magick, and how to live authentically in alignment with your deepest purpose.

This isn't magick for escapists or those seeking to avoid reality—it's magick for people who want to engage more fully with life, take responsibility for their existence, and become the best version of themselves. Jason breaks down the core practices and mindset shifts that have helped thousands of students transform their lives through the Western esoteric tradition.

Links & Resources:

🔥 BLACK FRIDAY SALE: https://friday.magick.me - The Adept's Path ($397), Complete Mastery ($997), or The Magician's Year ($1,797)

🌈 Magick.Me - Online School for Magick, Meditation, and Mysticism: https://www.magick.me

🧘‍♂️ Free Guided Meditation and Mailing List: https://start.magick.me

🌌 See you in class! ✨

Watch the video version of this podcast on YouTube!

Yes hello! Thee Very Wizard of New Zealand himself, Ari Freeman unlocks the DREAD and FORBIDDEN SECRETS of Furry Sorcery and Brony Tulpas in this conversation with Jason Louv in this, the first "actual YouTube show" episode of the Ultraculture Podcast! THINGS MAN WAS NOT MEANT TO KNOW become, most unfortunately, KNOWN. Dare ye enter the Thunderdome???

About Ari: Leading what appears to be a charmed life, Ari Freeman is, aside from being a professional musician, a writer, fortune teller, and music teacher from Christchurch New Zealand. Recognisable as the frontman of the psychedelic funk band Rhomboid, and in his one-man-band project Blues Professor. He served seven years as the apprentice to the Wizard of New Zealand before becoming a published author of 'occult books for sceptics'. His first book Pragmatic Magical Thinking is out with Aeon Books (London) and a two volume Tarot manual, Psychic Results for Sceptics & Magical Results for the Reality Hacker come out in May and November of 2025. His solo album You Can See Everything If You Look From Nowhere is set for release on 30th March 2025. Ari performed all the instruments, many of which he built himself, sang and recorded this multi-dimensional album entirely in his home studio.

Links & Resources:

🌈 Magick.Me - Online School for Magick, Meditation, and Mysticism: https://www.magick.me

🃏🔮✨ Introduction to Magick - The world's best course on practicing real magick, right where you are sitting now: https://www.magick.me/p/intro-magick

🧘‍♂️ (NEW!) Free Guided Meditation and Mailing List: https://start.magick.me

📖 (NEW!) Free Introductory Magick Course: https://www.magick.me/p/why-magick

🌌 See you in class! ✨

Fresh from the archives, this is a talk on the Revival of Magick that I gave at the now-defunct Catland Books in Brooklyn, NY in 2014. The quality is so-so as it was filmed on a handheld digital camcorder, but I've done my best to clean up the sound and video. In the talk, I discuss how 3rd millennium magick radically differs from the magick of the 2nd millennium, and talk about Terence McKenna, shamanism, the Book of the Law and lots more.

Links & Resources:

🌈 Magick.Me - Online School for Magick, Meditation, and Mysticism: https://www.magick.me

🃏🔮✨ Introduction to Magick - The world's best course on practicing real magick, right where you are sitting now: https://www.magick.me/p/intro-magick

🧘‍♂️ (NEW!) Free Guided Meditation and Mailing List: https://start.magick.me

📖 (NEW!) Free Introductory Magick Course: https://www.magick.me/p/why-magick

🌌 See you in class! ✨

In this episode of the Ultraculture Podcast, I reflect on the recent attack in New Orleans, exploring its implications and the interplay of spirituality and cultural conflict. I critique the notion of universality in religion, highlighting significant disparities among belief systems, particularly regarding Islam, and discuss the historical role of the Western esoteric tradition in promoting free thought and the need for vigilance against ideologies that threaten individual freedoms.

Links & Resources:

🌈 Magick.Me - Online School for Magick, Meditation, and Mysticism: https://www.magick.me

🃏🔮✨ Introduction to Magick - The world's best course on practicing real magick, right where you are sitting now: https://www.magick.me/p/intro-magick

🧘‍♂️ (NEW!) Free Guided Meditation and Mailing List: https://start.magick.me

📖 (NEW!) Free Introductory Magick Course: https://www.magick.me/p/why-magick

🌌 See you in class! ✨

Jason Louv explores the intricate relationships between psychoanalysis and occult practices, emphasizing the importance of personal narrative and psychological awareness in fostering self-understanding—including an active meditation for meeting higher levels of yourself!

Links & Resources:

🌈 Magick.Me - Online School for Magick, Meditation, and Mysticism: https://www.magick.me

🃏🔮✨ Introduction to Magick - The world's best course on practicing real magick, right where you are sitting now: https://www.magick.me/p/intro-magick

🧘‍♂️ (NEW!) Free Guided Meditation and Mailing List: https://start.magick.me

📖 (NEW!) Free Introductory Magick Course: https://www.magick.me/p/why-magick

🌌 See you in class! ✨

Jason Louv interviews Barbara Mendes, a multifaceted artist known for her underground comics and contemporary art. Mendes, affectionately known by her pen name Willie Mendes, recounts her artistic journey that began in the 1960s, during a time when female artists often faced discrimination and marginalization. She reflects on the challenges that women artists experienced, noting that much of the comic book industry, as well as the fine arts, was dominated by men. Despite these obstacles, Mendes pursued her passion for painting, which she describes as her true love. Throughout the conversation, Mendes reveals her spiritual evolution, which has shifted from exploring Eastern philosophies and African spirituality to embracing Orthodox Judaism later in her life. She shares anecdotes about her family history rooted in rabbinical tradition and discusses her initial rejection of religious teachings as superstition. However, her spiritual quest led her back to her Jewish roots, guided by a longing for faith and connection. Mendes recounts how significant events, such as the influence of various books on mysticism and spirituality, shaped her understanding of Judaism and inspired her art. Mendes discusses her experiences studying Hebrew and Torah and how they deepened her artistic expression. Through her mural projects, she dove into biblical themes while utilizing vibrant colors and imaginative storytelling to convey her interpretations. Her relationship with the Orthodox community has been complex; while she embraces many rituals, she also grapples with the patriarchal aspects of the tradition that feel constraining at times. Mendes articulates how the dynamics of being a woman within the Orthodox framework can be challenging, but she finds empowerment and strength within her experiences. The interview takes a thought-provoking turn when they discuss the concept of divinity and gender. Mendes introduces her idea that the traditional male depiction of God does not account for the feminine aspect of divinity. She references the cultural shift from ancient matriarchal societies to patriarchal religions, suggesting that women have long been marginalized in religious narratives. Mendes proposes that a more balanced understanding of spirituality should involve recognizing the feminine face of divinity alongside the male. As they explore the intersections of art, spirituality, and societal changes, Mendes shares her vision for a future defined by gender equality and compassion. She highlights influential figures like Golda Meir, the former Prime Minister of Israel, whom she views as a powerful representation of women in leadership. Mendes envisions an ideal where women's contributions are celebrated as essential to societal progress rather than secondary to male leadership. Mendes also brings forth the topic of angels as symbols of guidance and support, drawing parallels between her artistic imagination and the reality of human relationships. The conversation culminates in Mendes's belief that art is a tool for personal and societal transformation. She emphasizes that while her artistic inspirations are deeply personal, they reflect universal themes of hope, resilience, and the quest for understanding. The dialogue concludes on a celebratory note, with Mendes discussing her ongoing artistic endeavors, including her new paintings and her gallery in Los Angeles. She invites listeners to engage with her work, emphasizing her commitment to using art as a means of expressing her unique vision and fostering a deeper understanding of spirituality. Overall, the interview provides a rich tapestry of insights into Mendes's life, exploring her journey as an artist, her spiritual explorations, and her perspectives on gender dynamics in both the art world and religious traditions.

Links & Resources:

🌈 Magick.Me - Online School for Magick, Meditation, and Mysticism: https://www.magick.me

🃏🔮✨ Introduction to Magick - The world's best course on practicing real magick, right where you are sitting now: https://www.magick.me/p/intro-magick

🧘‍♂️ (NEW!) Free Guided Meditation and Mailing List: https://start.magick.me

📖 (NEW!) Free Introductory Magick Course: https://www.magick.me/p/why-magick

🌌 See you in class! ✨