The Magical Salon

In this episode, we unpack the strange and enduring human habit of giving power to objects as we explore talismans.From traditional talismans and protective charms to personal items meaningful to the wearer, we ask: what exactly are these objects doing—and what are we doing with them? Are talismans vessels of real power, mental placebos, or something in between?Along the way, we question the line between empowerment and dependence. At what point does a talisman stop being a tool and start becoming a crutch? And is belief itself the true source of its power?Episode Easter Eggs:Peter J Carroll – Liber Null and Psychonaut.Read all about talismans. Moldavite – Despite the name, it comes from outer space - not moldy food. Be on the lookout for the evil eye.Lucky rabbit foot for us, not so lucky for the rabbit.Could talismans and amulets just be magical placebos? Scott Cunningham warns not to get too dependent on talismans.Protect yourself from nightmares with dreamcatchers.Are you ready to “play like a champion today?”·You better BELIEVE that another season of Ted Lasso is coming.Have you kissed the Blarney Stone?Former Bears RB used to wear a shirt while playing to remind him of his dad.Remember when Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton wore vials of each other’s blood?Learn “How to Change your Mind” with Michael Pollan. Click the links above to explore the magic. Follow the magic on Instagram  & TikTok.

In this week’s episode, we set out to discuss animals but end up mostly going on a series of wild goose chases. From animals’ heightened senses to the insect worlds living beneath and all around us, tune in to hear a whole lot of horsing around and the occasional gem of wisdom.  Episode Easter EggsWant to learn about how we try to copy nature? Biomimicry is for you!Ants are pretty cool. Watch them build a floating raft of… ants!Be wary of skin-walkers and changelings (+2 for your due diligence).Hear about the circle of life in a catchy song you may recognize from 90s Disney.A lame and forgotten superhero tries to reignite his career in Grant Morrison’s Animal Man.Who remembers Animorphs?David Foster Wallace asks you to “Consider the Lobster.”Did you know owls can see the ultraviolet spectrum?Listen to whales communicating and let us know how close we were to emulating their calls (+5).Octopi and Cephalopods oh my!Was anyone else afraid of sharks after watching Jaws?Click the links above to explore the magic. Follow the magic on Instagram  & TikTok.

In this episode, we’re falling into the void, a concept ripe for exploration by scientists, artists, and spiritual seekers. But what is the void, exactly? The source of everything, or the nothingness that came before it? We discuss a variety of interpretations of the void, from its role in a few major religions to the overwhelming terror it seems to invoke in most of us. But what if the void isn’t something to be frightened of at all? What if it’s just something we don’t understand yet?Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:Science Sinkholes:Alive or dead? Schrödinger’s cat is both.You know the highest point of a rollercoaster? That’s potential energy.Glimpse Earth from space in this famous photo: the pale blue dot.Spiritual Snacks:Wuji: a formless nothingness in Taoism.Ashes to ashes, dust to dust on Ash Wednesday.Ever felt god-like? Welcome to theosis.Draw parallels between the Buddhist idea of Nirvana and the void. Mind Benders:L’appel du vide (French for the call of the void).Learn about Nietzsche.Check out the big three: existentialism, fatalism and nihilism (warning: existential malaise may ensue).Books and Media:Ever thought it would be cool to live mostly virtually? Ready Player 1 says it might not be so fun, after all. Confuse your brain with this documentary by trying to comprehend infinity (+infinity if you manage it).Draw a creature from one of Lovecraft’s stories. (Don’t forget the unspeakable horrors +5.)Click the links above to explore the magic. Follow the magic on Instagram & TikTok

In this episode, we probe into mind control and unearth the hidden mechanics of influence behind why we do what we do. From religion to governments to magic, everyone’s interested in controlling the minds of others. Is it even possible to have an original thought anymore? Covering everything from hypnosis to truth serums, we debate whether we’re preventing or already living in the worlds of 1984 and Brave New World.Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:Episode Bookshelf:Have you read George Orwell’s 1984 or Animal Farm? (Hi, Big Brother :).)Brave New World by Aldous Huxley: this guy definitely did drugs.Hear Amanda’s longer take on The Trial by Kafka.Learn how to win friends and influence people.Initiate yourself into Hermetics with Franz Bardon.Propaganda: Jacque Ellul.Hear from another Amanda in Montell’s The Age of Magical Overthinking.Movies and Media:The Men Who Stare at Goats – Not our favorite movie, but an interesting concept.Love medical dramas? Try some of our recent favs: ThePitt and The Resident.Hypnosis?Take the Mayo Clinic’s word for it.You might be feeling sleepy. Before you drift off, don’t forget to like and rate us 5 stars.Adbusters:Remember this ad? Warning: Completely unforgettable, and not in a good way.Make the Marines proud by watching this ad. Can you beat James in the corporate logo quiz? He got 31/32 before calling it quits!Click the links above to explore the magic. Follow the magic on Instagram & TikTok

In this episode, we explore the art, and magic, of collage. From musical sampling and physical collage to literature, visual art, and montage, collage touches every part of creativity.What happens when we place different materials in conversation with each other? How can we create (or see) something new?And what if this approach to art making could carry over into life? Does our perspective shift if anything we encounter can become part of something larger — something more creative?Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:A Sample of SamplingA sample definition.Coldplay meets Frank Ocean in Strawberry Swing.Collage can be a Gangsta’s Paradise or, maybe you just want to Sing for the Moment. Into the StacksCheck out a definitive argument for collage in Reality Hunger.Read The Brothers Karamazov, a giant Russian novel.Compare narrative notes with Bolano’s 2666.Impact meets inventive form in Long Soldier’s Whereas.Match the references and allusions in The Wasteland to their original source material (+4).Memoir meets criticism in Nelson’s The Argonauts.A fragmentary Greek poem gets a new life in Carson’s Autobiography of Red.Whitehead explores New York through collage (+10 to collage a city of your own).Read Cortazar’s Hopscotch while playing the famed game (+2).Metacommentary and footnotes abound in House of Leaves (but you got this, don’t worry).Read Naked Lunch…while naked having lunch? (don’t send pics. Some things should be kept to yourself.)Laugh your way to buy Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest.Collage rebranded as a literary puzzle in Diaz’s Trust.The internet is rewiring our brains. Find out more in Carr’s The Shallows.General Collage KnowledgeFridge magnet poems = the cut up method, rebranded.Is hypertext the future? A Mini Art Rabbit HoleWhen a child’s first words are not Ma Ma but Dada.Comic books winning Pulitzers? That’s Pop Art energy.Ever looked at a urinal and thought: art? Marcel Duchamp did.Click the links above to explore the magic. Follow the magic on Instagram & TikTok

In this episode, we explore the role of teachers, mentors, and coaches on the spiritual path. What makes a genuinely good teacher, and how do you recognize one? Are teachers essential for a meaningful practice, or can the path be walked alone? From the qualities great teachers embody, to what they awaken in us, we unpack why intentional guidance feels more like companionship than hierarchy.Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:Media Mania:Ready for a great teacher (and great tragedy)? Watch Dead Poets Society.Browse Eragon for teacher/student training sequences.Who’s your favorite teacher in Star Wars? Watch the whole thing again, just to be sure (+5).Two Types of Teachers:Learn about the sensei, or “the one who came before.”Guru is actually a Sanskrit term.Other Rabbit Holes:You’ve probably heard about Scientology (or at least the South Park episode about it.)With FIRE, you can stop working earlier (and no, it doesn’t involve actual flames!)Heard the term “drinking the Kool-Aid”? This comes from what happened at Jonestown.Influencers have a Wikipedia page now (but who needs to read it when we have our friends online?) William Arthur Ward, motivational writer (whatever that is), provides our weekly wisdom.Click the links above to explore the magic. Follow the magic on Instagram & TikTok

In this episode, we explore the magic of dreams—what they are, why they matter, and what happens when we start paying attention. From lucid dreaming and dream journals to divine messages and midnight ideas that refuse to stay asleep, we wander through science, myth, and the weird wisdom of the unconscious.Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:Shout outs to PeopleImagine a world (where John Lennon still exists).A nod to the 2 OG dream baddies (Freud and Jung).Stay up late to try and catch the Sandman (+100 if you catch him. Good luck, players…)Boycott Neil Gaiman. Read Jeff Vandermeer or T. Kingfisher instead.Remember memorizing the periodic table of elements?You can thank Dmitri Mendeleev for that. Tunes & MoviesBang your head to Dokken’s Dream Warriors.Watch Inception simultaneously with 3 other movies (+3). Conceptual Rabbit HolesTry to astral travel (+5 if you succeed).Practice oneiromancy, or dream divination. Do some dream yoga, then fall asleep (+2 for each, no halfsies).Ever noticed you’re dreaming? Welcome to lucid dreams.An Assigned Reading List (No Grading Here)Follow a symbologist’s wild adventure in The Da Vinci Code.Read Ben Okri’s The Famished Road while walking down a street (+4).Read Twilight and Fifty Shades of Grey and see where your dreams take you. Send us your fanfic (+50).Click the links above to explore the magic. Follow the magic on Instagram & TikTok

In this episode, we explore the role of magic and spirituality in a technology-centered world. Where do we go when our physical and digital worlds are increasingly monetized and controlled by corporations? How do these shifts affect community and personal wellbeing? While spiritual knowledge is more accessible than ever, constant availability and mental crowding take a spiritual and psychological toll. We also ask: what is truth in a world where the “real” becomes more and more difficult to identify?Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:Books & Media:Learn about techno-capitalism (how fun!) in Paul Kingsnorth’s Against the Machine.Explore technique in Jacque Ellul’s The Technological Society. A huge company tells a story about a desiccated earth in Wall-E. Ironic or prophetic?Dive into Marx and Engels’ Communist Manifesto.Poltergeist meets internet chain mail in Pulse.Concepts:Impress your friends with this cool word: Luddite. Think you have a lead foot? Introducing cannonball runs.Click the links above to explore the magic. Follow the magic on Instagram & TikTok

In this episode, we sink our teeth into the vampire as a spiritual and magical symbol—one that lives at the crossroads of fear and desire. Why does this figure haunt us across centuries and cultures? From its deep ties to aristocracy and power, to religion’s attempt to name, control, and sanctify the terrors of the night, the vampire becomes a mirror for how societies manage the unknown. The vampire is a god on the physical plane yet is barred from transcendence after death. This episode examines the toll of immortality, its seductive corruption, and what it means to live forever without release.Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:Books & MediaSoak up Bram Stoker’s Dracula.Interview a vampire after reading Anne Rice’s similarly named book.Team Edward or Team Jacob? Read the Twilight series to find out.Female villains and an all-female cast? Read Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil.Watch people survive in the wilderness to get money on Alone.Read book 1 of Robin Hobb’s fantasy trilogy, Assassin’sApprentice.Like graphic novels? Learn your directions in East of West.Sometimes, the ogre gets the girl. (Watch Shrek to learn how you, too, can be successful). Watch Freaky Friday on the appropriate day of the week (+1). Cast of CharactersCheck out Vlad the III the Impaler (not to be confused with the first two Vlads).Ever heard of this guy: Brad Pitt? He’s been in some movies.Concepts to Sink Your Teeth IntoDistinguish between arhats and bodhisattvas.Identify the energy vampires in your life (+2). Stay away from a succubus (or don’t.)Remember learning about feudalism in school? No? Check it out now. Click the links above to explore the magic. Follow the Magic on Instagram & TikTok

Creativity is magic—and you can tap in. Everyone is creative, even if you’ve been taught otherwise. Asking questions and coming up with innovative solutions is no less powerful than creating an art piece. This episode explores creativity as a spiritual practice, asking where inspiration truly comes from and why it’s important. By adopting a creative mindset, we can shift how we see the world, rooting deeply into the present, where limitations transform from obstacles into enticing launch points.Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:Books and MediaFollow The Artist’s Way (or don’t. It doesn’t make a difference to us.)+5 to watch Taxi Driver in a taxi (Ubers don’t count.)Ever seen this woman? Hint: It’s the Mona Lisa.Watch Denzel Washington give a highly underratedcommencement speech.Concepts To Chew OnAutomatic writing might not have been what we meant. But hey, here’s the link, anyway. Enjoy.Wu wei, a key to living in the present. Anyone else into ecocomposition? No? Just us?PeopleHemingway, famous ambulance driver (he also wrote some stuff).Who is the most well-known U.S. postal worker (and writer)? Charles Bukoski!Why do we have some many inventive myths about Thomas Edison?Like Apple? Thank Steve Jobs.Read about Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro(+10 to make a film in his style).You probably know Pablo Picasso.Repeat CharactersDidya read about Joan Didion last time?It’s the Magical Salon’s most referenced book!Another gimme in Art Trivia: Van Gogh.Rabbit hole, meet Da Vinci. You will be the best of friends.Click the links above to explore the magic. Follow the Magic on Instagram & TikTok

Alchemy is often advertised as a wild goose chase for gold, but its true aim is transformation. In this episode, we trace the origins of alchemy, unpacking humanity’s obsession with immortality, and explore the idea of alchemy as a metaphorical, spiritual and physical process. From the alchemist’s search for firsthand knowledge to the idea of the magnum opus as a tangible expression of inner transformation, we uncover how experimentation lies at the heart of both alchemy and creativity.Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:Spiritual Concepts:Start here: alchemy.Gno some stuff about gnosis. The Great Work can take you many places, but I’m taking you here.Actually, maybe start here: prima materia. (Start anywhere). Mercury, salt, and sulphur (and maybe the first academic link on the show).Are you a recluse, or are you going through your hermit phase? Books & MediaTuck Everlasting, a book for kids about immortality (+3 to read it).Groundhog day deserves your views (+3 to watch three times in a row).Scare a cashier at a local bookshop by buying Real Alchemy: A Primer of Practical Alchemy.Did Dexter from Dexter’s Laboratory even have parents?Read The Wasteland (+15 to read all of the source material, too).Episode CastParacelsus, the father of toxicology.Learn about the guy who banned alchemy, aka Pope John XXII (+2 to defend or defame the use of roman numerals).You have 9.58 seconds to read Usain Bolt’s Wiki. Repeat CharactersRemember yin/yang? If not, ⁠click here!⁠⁠Nirvana is here⁠ (not the band).Internal alchemy, aka ⁠qigong⁠. ⁠Wicca⁠.  Click the links above to explore the magic. Follow the Magic on Instagram & TikTok

What happens when human curiosity goes too far?In this episode, we explore Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein alongside Guillermo del Toro’s 2025 film adaptation, unpacking a story with timeless resonance. We dive into the nature of suffering, the ethics of creation, and the danger of playing God through the lens of Victor Frankenstein, the scientist-alchemist driven by forbidden knowledge.From the consequences of unchecked ambition to the question of whether evil is created or learned, we examine how abandonment, responsibility, and power shape both monster and maker. Finally, we connect Frankenstein to modern fears about AI sentience. If we create sentient intelligence, will we reject it the way Victor rejected his creation?And if we do—what comes next?Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:Episode CastCheck out Prometheus, the guy pecked for giving us fire.Learn about Mary Shelley, the godmother of sci-fi.Meet Mary Shelley’s mom, Mary Wollstonecraft.Guess who? Elphaba! (+2 to belt out your fav Wicked tune.)Google Jacob Elordi as the creature and tell us if you think he’s hot (+1).Episode LibraryRead Frankenstein for free (no forbidden knowledge here!)Take a photo of Susan Sontag’s On Photography.Confused about camp? Learn a few things.Electricity and you: explore The Invisible Rainbow. Fans of comics unite! Check out the Technopriests.Watch Some StuffTHE gothic adaptation of Frankenstein we all needed. Are mechanical warlords the future? Find out in Terminator.Watch the iconic camp film, Rocky Horror Picture Show (+5 to reenact).Is Earth a planet held in someone’s hand? Horton Hears a Who may have answers.Learn Some StuffMix some stuff together and let’s call it alchemy.Draw a snake eating its own tail (ouroboros). Prana, Sanskrit for “breath” or “life force” (Not to be confused with The Force.)I know a few things about physics. Type in the Hadron Collider and you will, too.Learn about EMF radiation (yay!)Bonus points to discover the magic of camp on a camping trip (+10).Repeat Characters:I’m pointing the way!! (to Dune).At some point, Jung will get more than a show note.It’s our favorite book! (David Hawkins’ Map of Consciousness)Click the links above to explore the magic. Follow the Magic on Instagram & TikTok

In this episode, we dive into the practice of keeping a magic journal—what it is, why it matters, and how it can help you create your own magical or spiritual practice. In magic journaling, paying attention becomes the tool. Use a journal, any journal, to transform isolated knowledge into everyday practice. We share how we use our journals, including to record meditations, rituals, synchronicities, and insights from books we’re reading, but truly, the sky is the limit.Get out there and write some stuff.Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:A Quick Hollywood Walk of Fame:Learn about Laozi, classic Chinese philosopherand founder of Taoism.Discover some new info about the guy that painted the Mona Lisa, da Vinci.Try and make a lightbulb 10,000 ways or maybe read Edison’s Wiki instead (+10 for the former).He H.P. Love[(d) his craft], and maybe you will, too?Scott Cunningham wrote some Wicca Wicca cool books.Joan Didion, writer and author of A Star is Born (+3 to read the screenplay and message us your review).Books & MediaWant to leave your corporeal body? Learn some tips in Hacking the Out of Body Experience.Check out the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.Scroll through some info re the Dead Sea Scrolls.Explore field guides in Spiderwick Chronicles.Read The Psychick Bible (not misspelled, in case you were wondering). Other Things to Consider Knowing:Bored of poker? Play with tarot instead.Read Moleskine’s Wiki instead of their website. The energy centers of the body, also known as chakras, want your attention. Will you heed them?Ooh, spooky, a link on grimoires. Do you dare click it?Fall into a trance learning about Luddites. Or don’t. Public libraries with brick-and-mortar locations are still a thing. Click the links above to explore the magic. Follow the Magic on Instagram & TikTokMusic Credit:Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/prigida/sketch-book

What does it mean to truly know the divine — not through books or belief, but through direct experience? In this episode, we journey into the heart of gnosis, direct, experiential insight into the divine. We explore the paths that may lead to this state as well as its results, from meditation to magic, and ask how gnosis differs from spiritual ecstasy or the concept of no-mind found across religious traditions. Finally, we share our own encounters with gnosis — what it felt like, and how those moments changed our understanding of the sacred.Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:People:A fitting beginning to any list: Plato. Discover Catholic mystic St Teresa of Avila.Explore the life and times of artist and occultist Austin Osman Spare.Religions:Gno a bit more about Gnosticism.Learn about one of the world’s oldest religions, Zoroastrianism.Interested in direct revelation? Check out mysticism.Dive into the esoteric teachings of Hermeticism.Concepts:Learn more about transcendence (or ditch the Wiki and try it yourself!)Explore or practice chaos magic (based on Spare, above).Delve into Ein Sof, the infinite in Jewish mysticism.Practice samadhi, a state of consciousness.Looking for ecstasy? (Not that kind!) Fall into spiritual ecstasy.Explore asceticism, a lifestyle based on abstinence.Learn about the Black Mass (not exclusively tied to Satanists…+5 to update the Wikipedia page).Books:Read Peter Carroll’s Libernull and Psychonaut for free (you’re in for a ride!)Want to up the ante? Read The Psychick Bible (also free).The free trio ends with Alan Chapman’s Advanced Magick for Beginners (+9 to read all three).Repeat Characters:Drumroll…you guessed it! Aleister Crowley is baack!And yes, Jung returns.Click the links above to explore the magic. Please sponsor us, Wikipedia. :)Follow the Magic on Instagram & TikTokMusic Credit: “Subway Cell,” from silvermansound.com (2023).

Are ghosts real — or just really good stories? In our Halloween episode, we dive into one of humanity’s oldest haunting questions: What are ghosts, and why do so many people believe in them? From our own personal encounters and our opinions on life after death to Bloody Mary and possession movies, we explore the draw of these powerful stories. We also ask: can people still be “possessed,” or has modern science exorcised the idea for good?Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:Paranormal & Pop Culture:Do other people believe in ghosts? Giddy on over to the Gallup poll.Learn about Dia de los Muertos (+2 to participate in the upcoming festivities!)Who is Bloody Mary? Ever used a Ouija board? Learn a little (or a lot) about jinn (or genies). Watch every Paranormal Activity movie (+2 to reenact). Philosophy & Religion:Study the differences between an arhat and a bodhisattva. Read about Nirvana (not the band).A thermodynamics lesson: nothing is ever destroyed.Look at a photo of Pope Leo.Read about Saint John Chrysostom, the provider of this week’s wisdom! Repeat Characters:If this is your third time reading Brahman in the show notes, click the link!Watch Avatar the Last Airbender (or don’t!) Follow the Magic on Instagram & TikTokMusic Credit: “They Come at Night,” from silvermansound.com (2021).

In this episode, we explore two contrasting ways of moving through life: being in the present vs constantly striving to become something more. We talk about how identity gets tied to our jobs, how creativity becomes about achievement instead of play, and why the ego resists simply being. Is self improvement culture just another trap? In a world increasingly driven by productivity and capitalism, is it harder than ever to just be?Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:People:Check out Ram Dass (born Richard Alpert)’s Be Here Now (better in physical form!)Read Walt Whitman’s famous poem, Song of Myself, and get inspired about your own multitudes. Joel Osteen (you’re probably good not clicking this, tbh).Adyashanti, “primordial peace,” born Stephen Gray. Concepts:Read about auras (+3 to try and see your own aura).Brush up on koans (+2 to fall down a koan rabbit hole).The Tao, it’s back again! Although it never really went anywhere, did it?Learn some stuff about the Buddha.Reoccurring Characters:You guessed it…Hawkins’ Map of Consciousness is back again!Tap the links above to explore the magic. The list is soshort I may have missed something…Follow the Magic on Instagram & TikTokMusic Credit: Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/el-depravo/black-powder-revolverLicense code: O4EDFIL2EF3WKYPV

What is real? In this episode, we explore the strange terrain of reality television, a genre built on the promise of authenticity, yet crafted with scripts, edits, and carefully chosen archetypes.Why are we so drawn to these shows? Is it pure escapism, voyeurism, or a deeper desire to see ourselves reflected in exaggerated forms? Drawing on competition shows, the Kardashians, influencers, and livestreamers, we unpack how internet culture and capitalism drive and shape these so-called “realities.”Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:Extreme Competition Shows:Watch contestants lay amongst snakes and eat roadkill in Fear Factor. Ever wanted to watch someone artificially stranded in the wilderness, with just a camera and their own survival skills? You’re not Alone!Toxicity, cheating, and crying abound in Temptation Island.“Regular” Competition Shows:America’s Favorite! Compete for a partner on the Bachelorette!Artwork is painted on human bodies in Skin Wars and inked on canvases in Ink Master.Ever wanted to make something cool with Legos? Try recreating the work on Lego Masters (+3 pics or it didn’t happen).More Shows:Keep up with your favorite socialites and entrepreneurs, the Kardashians.Are you ready to be America’s Next Top Model?Watch an epic mind-bending tale in The Truman Show.Seen all of the above? Now it’s time for Squid Games’ scathing social commentary.Alex Honnold attempts the first free climb of El Capitan (+1 to rock climb against a green screen).A Crash Course in Internet Culture:Ever hate watched something?Try your hand at vlogging (+4 if you tag The Magical Salon).Curious about two of the YouTube greats: Casey Neistat (OG) and Mr. Beast? Tap the links above to explore the magic.Follow the Magic on Instagram & TikTokMusic Credit: “Savour The Moment,” from silvermansound.com (2016).

Parables are simple stories that carry deep truths, found in both sacred texts and pop culture. Why do they resonate so deeply? Why do we keep returning to tales like The Tortoise and the Hare or The Good Samaritan?This episode also explores deeper questions: Do our motivations for doing good matter? Is there such a thing as "performative kindness"? Can too much questioning erode inner peace?Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:Read Some Parables:Remember the Tortoise and the Hare? (+1 for recall).The classic underdog story, David vs. Goliath.Explore the deeper context behind The Good Samaritan.Read two Buddhist parables: the poisoned arrow and the gift of anger.Belief and Doubt in Doubting Thomas: the original “pics or it didn’t happen.”Other Media:Ursula Le Guin’s Left Hand of Darkness and unanswerable questions (+5 to identify your own unanswerable questions).Check out Mark Manson’s The Subtle Art of Not Giving a #@%.Listen to Poet Ocean Vuong discuss writing, cringe culture, and cynicism.Reoccurring Characters:Yeah, it’s Hawkins’ Map of Consciousness Explained (again).Tap the links above to explore the magic.Follow the Magic on Instagram & TikTokMusic Credit: Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/ottomp3/go-big-or-go-homeLicense code: LAVEDXFSD76SCMIS

What do weddings, white coat ceremonies, and singing the national anthem in school all have in common? They’re highly symbolic acts, also known as rituals. From baptisms to presidential inaugurations, rituals are everywhere, even in our daily lives. Join us as we discuss the multitude of reasons we turn to ritual, and how they can help us both tap into something larger than us, as well as keep ourselves fully rooted in the present.Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:Reoccurring Characters:Hey, it’s Aleister Crowley again.Groups:Explore the Golden Dawn (maybe at...uh, dawn?)Investigate your local Freemason temple (+1 for in-the-field action).Pop Culture & Books:Watch National Treasure (+2 to binge watch both franchise movies).Read Israel Regardie’s The Tree of Life for free. Meet Dr. AJ in The Resident, a medical drama.Isn’t it funny when fictional characters have Wikipedia pages? Here’s Han Solo’s.Concepts:Brush up on shiva. Learn about Hinduism’s Kali Yuga.Recognize the caduceus? Dive down a rabbit hole by discovering kundalini.Refresh your memory on the Hippocratic oath.Have you ever achieved gnosis, even for a minute?Read some Nietzsche (or read something about Nietzsche). Discover invocation (results may vary).Tap the links above to explore the magic.Follow the Magic on Instagram & TikTokMusic Credit: “The Gatekeepers,” from silvermansound.com (2017).

In this episode, we explore the spellbinding power of music as a kind of magic. From the raw energy of live performances to epic movie soundtracks, we dive into how music shapes emotion, memory, and even perception.We touch on music’s role as both a universal language and a subversive force and unpack how genres from electronic to hip hop tap into something deeply human.Whether you see music as time travel, a connection to something larger than yourself, or pure artistic expression, this episode will leave you hearing it all in a new way.Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:The Episode Playlist:Jam with Iron Maiden in Rio.Get in the fall spirit with Green Day.Cry to “About You” in Manchester with the 1975. Extreme crowd noise in Frank Ocean’s “I Miss You,” (+3 for an accurate recreation).Rage against the machine (ft. RATM). A tonal shift with Beethoven’s “9th Symphony” (warning, it’s long).“The Riders of Rohan” from The Lord of the Rings (+2 if listening on horseback).Cry again with Hans Zimmer. Feel the depths of your soul in “On the Nature of Daylight.”Remember Halo? Listen to some Gregorian chanting.Need a song to belt out while standing on a table? Try this one from Wicked.Learn a few things about Alexander Hamilton.Dance to The Master Musicians of Jajouka.Rock out to Trapt’s “Headstrong.”Giorgio by Moroder by Daft Punk (as recommended by The Magical Salon!)Make “Contact” with the most stressful space ship ride of your life (hopefully).People & Things:The one and only Woodstock.Read about David Bowie and the Berlin Wall.Learn about William Burroughs and the cut up method (+3 to practice with something you find).The two British Brians mentioned: Brion Gysin and Brian Jones.All tracks and articles are linked—tap to explore the magic.Follow the Magic on Instagram & TikTokMusic Credit: “Overlander,” from silvermansound.com (2025).

What’s the line between magical thinking and madness, and who gets to draw it? From shamans and mystics to Joan of Arc and stigmata, we look at how systems built to preserve the status quo often reject those who break from it.Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:People:Learn about Joan of Arc.Refresh your Copernicus knowledge. Read about Rosemary Kennedy’s lobotomy.Dive into the magical worlds of David Blaine, Criss Angel, and Houdini.Fall into Russian mystic Rasputin’s Wikipedia page.Refresh your memory on Pythagoras (+2 if you remember the Pythagorean theorem).Learn about Nikola Tesla (one of the OG mad scientists).Leonardo da Vinci, who did not finish most things (relatable, huh?)Learn about St. Francis of Assisi and his stigmata.Poet William Blake (+2 if you read poetry, even if it’s not Blake.)Concepts:Hear about shamans and shamanism.Jung and the shadow: because who doesn’t want to analyze their inner psyche?Alchemy: the perfect mix of metaphor and chemistry.Read about channeling.Hide your stigmata, or don’t. Who are we to tell you what to do?Gnosis, or spiritual knowing without an instruction manual (fun, right?)Books & Media:Read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein for free.The citations for Hawkins’ Map of Consciousness, Explained continue...(yes, still.The Very Ape Podcast talks da Vinci.Follow the Magic on Instagram & TikTokMusic Credit: Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/sky-gienger/body-languageLicense code: ZCKKFADC3OHCX81A

In this episode, Amanda and James recap their recent personal odysseys, returning to their respective hometowns in search of…something. Was there a call to adventure, or did the journey reveal its meaning only in hindsight?  From pivotal childhood sites to meditative circular practices, we explore how the most profound experiences often emerge only when we stop trying so hard to have them.Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:Written Works:Dive into Joseph Campbell’s The Hero’s Journey.Read the Odyssey (+4 if you listen to it!).Check out Nicholas Triolo’s The Way Around: A Field Guide to Going Nowhere.Try and buy the 10th Anniversary edition of The Buddhist Review, featuring the Dalai Lama (+1 if you obtain it).Concepts:Read about nostos. Look up qigong (+2 if you can tell us how many times this has appeared in show notes...)What is kora, or circumambulation? Explore Mount Kailash.Learn about the hajj. Curious about genuflection?Follow the Magic on Instagram & TikTokMusic Credit: “Switch Me On,” from silvermansound.com (2019).

What is the fourth dimension, and could it hold the key to understanding higher realities, including the divine? In this episode, we dive into astronomer Carl Sagan’s classic explanation of the fourth dimension, including how this concept could intersect with ideas of spirituality and magic. Could the divine be a higher-dimensional intelligence? Whether you’re into philosophy or alien communication, this episode will stretch your mind in all directions.Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:Books & Media:Browse Edwin Abbot’s Flatland for free.Watch the Carl Sagan video we mention (+2 if you draw your own illustration).Watch Interstellar and try not to cry. People:Learn about Carl Sagan.Read about Neil deGrasse Tyson.Art:Stare at NASA’s 1990 Pale Blue Dot photo (+2 if you manage to escape an existential crisis).Study Salvador Dali’s Crucifixion (Corpus Hypercubus) (1954).Other Things:Explore the Voyager Golden Records with NASA. Analyze the Pioneer Plaque (+5 to draw your own).Fall into a hole as you try and understand “as above, so below.”Try and draw a tesseract (good luck...)Revisit the Tao.Follow the Magic on Instagram & TikTokMusic Credit: “Space Race,” from silvermansound.com (2023).

In this episode, we explore the timeless wisdom of Lao-tzu’s Tao Te Ching, one of the foundational texts in Taoism. What does it mean to live in harmony with the Tao, or the Way? What is the role of knowledge compared to direct experience? And why is water, often perceived as soft and yielding, the ultimate teacher? We journey into the practice of wuwei (non-action) and consider how letting go and embracing non-resistance can lead to a more effortless life rooted in the present.Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:Taoist Fundamentals:Read the Tao Te Ching(+3 if you buy used).Discover the basics of taiji.Compare, contrast, and see the similarities in yin/yang.Explore wu-wei and put your learning into practice.Dive into the principle of the uncarved block. The Tao cont. (let’s go beyond wading!):Listen to episodes one and fifty of the podcast What’s This Tao all About?Descend into a brief rabbit hole on Jane and Bataan Faigao.Learn how Winnie the Pooh is the uncarved block in Benjamin Hoff’s The Tao of Pooh.Read about Zhuangzi, another core Taoist text.Bookish Things to Explore:Check out Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.Spiral into a new and dark world by reading Burroughs’ Naked Lunch.Practice reading Ginsburg’s Howl aloud (+5 if you can recite in one breath).Browse The Buddhist Review’s new issues online.Revisit David Hawkins’ The Map of Consciousness Explained (+2 if you’ve read this in more than two episode descriptions).Reread Octavia Butler’s The Parable of the Sower.Other Concepts to Explore:The Big Bang Theory. Remember that?Tabula Rasa, or blank slate (+2 for philosophy majors and/or acolytes).Compare The Fool, in the tarot deck, to the uncarved block. Follow the Magic on Instagram & TikTokMusic CreditMusic: “Zen Garden,” from silvermansound.com (2016).

In this episode, we explore major spiritual themes in the iconic children’s show, Avatar: The Last Airbender (ATLA), including nonviolence, imbalance, and the constant push and pull of destiny and responsibility.From the Fire Nation’s imperialism and its use of technology to the tension between the physical and spirit worlds, ATLA reveals itself as far more than a kids’ show—it’s a series of parables with real-world resonance.Is anyone truly enlightened in Avatar: The Last Airbender? And what does it mean to find your own path in alignment with harmony? Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:Media:Watch (or rewatch) Avatar the Last Airbender. Missed Kung Fu Panda? Check it out here. Explore the steampunk Legend of Korra (pretty sure we said cyberpunk in the ep, oops).Watch Timothy Chalamet ride a sandworm in Dune 2.Books:Read George Orwell’s 1984 (+1 if you read this in school).Read about Earthseed in Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower.Revisit David Hawkins’ The Map of Consciousness Explained (+5 if you rate the other ATLA characters).People & Things:Read about Gandhi.Check out Taoism.Understand the Chakras.Read about Ayurveda.Connect with Qigong.Learn about Brahman.Follow the Magic on Instagram & TikTokMusic CreditMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/oakvale-of-albion/riffs-and-rhymesLicense code: 09FKTDPVJUMTNEQA

Join Amanda and James as they explore David Hawkins’ Map of Consciousness—a model for understanding the different emotional and mental states on the path toward enlightenment. Do you need your basic needs met to seek higher awareness? What does it mean to operate out of love rather than fear? And how does letting go of ego shift the way we experience life? No matter where you are on your journey, this conversation opens up new ways of thinking about how we evolve, as well as what might be holding us back. Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:Books & Media:·     Dive into Hawkins’ The Map of Consciousness Explained. ·     Explore Richard Cavendish’s The Black Arts, a history of the occult through the ages. ·     Listen to Bo Burnham’s Welcome to the Internet, from the Netflix special Inside.People: ·     Learn more about Eckhart Tolle.·     Not sure if you exist? Look into Descartes. ·     Fall down a rabbit hole and into Carl Jung’s collective unconscious. Spiritual Concepts:·     Learn about “the all” by reading The Kybalion for free. ·     Read up on Buddha mind.·     Practice Sufism’s remembrance (+4 for completion of the suggested exercise.)·     Flip through Ram Dass’ Be Here Now.·     Explore the alchemical symbol of the Ouroboros (ever seen a snake eating its own tail? +2 for visual evidence).·     Dive into Extrasensory Perception (ESP).·     Identify how the siddhis work.·     Discover shamanism.·     Read about Taoism.·     Refresh your memory on qigong (+2 for first time explorers). Follow the Magic on Instagram ⁠@themagicalsalon⁠Music CreditMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/night-drift/the-cleanerLicense code: T3ULLC7VOT4NVY6B

Join Amanda and James in episode 2 as they talk about the books that sparked their love for reading and kickstarted their interest in magic. From childhood favorites like Eragon to epic fantasies like The Priory of the Orange Tree, they describe how reading acts as both a portal and a practice one that encourages creativity, immersion, and play. What does it mean to be a reader? How do schools shape our relationship with books? If you’ve ever carried a story with you, this one’s for you.Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:Childhood Favs:·     Explore Avatar the Last Airbender.·     Read Christopher Paolini’s Eragon.·     Immerse yourself in James Patterson’s Maximum Ride series.·     Summon your own favorite book characters by reading Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart.·     Re-read the Spider Wick Chronicles (+3 for detailed self made field guides.)·     Want a book with an included wand? Check out Wizardology.Recent Recommendations:·     Lose yourself in Karl Ove Knausgård’s quotidian My Struggle series.·     Flip through Ram Dass’ Be Here Now.·     Explore the world in 4D by reading Mircea Cărtărescu’s Solenoid.·     Lose yourself in Samantha Shannon’s fantasy epic The Priory of the Orange Tree.·     Dive into Stephen King’s It. Read a Classic:·     Read Virginia Woolf’s short and accessible Mrs. Dalloway.·     Annotate Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter (+3 for screengrabs of color-coded notes).·     Explore religion in Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov.·     Race Amanda to finishing Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina (+5 if you beat her).Follow the Magic on Instagram ⁠@themagicalsalon⁠Music CreditMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: HYUQLMBOL1GHYGFW

How do we make meaning in our lives? Does magic exist in the real world, and if so, what does it look like? In the inaugural episode of The Magical Salon, Amanda and James discuss how magic represents a paradigm shift in spiritual self-empowerment, and chart major milestones on their journeys, including some of their key methods, or portals, for tapping into a higher state of being.Episode Resources & Easter Eggs:Spiritual Concepts·     What is Qigong?·     Dive into the Taoist concept of  wu wei, or “inaction.”·     Read about Zen Buddhism’s mushin, or “no mind.”·     Check out the meanings of the tarot cards.Books·     Explore the Tao Te Ching.·     Discover how to transcend different levels of consciousness by reading The Map of Consciousness.People·     Read about author Elizabeth Gilbert.·     Learn about British occultist and magician Aleister Crowley. Media·     Watch Avatar the Last Airbender on Netflix.·     Watch sci-fi/horror film They Live.·     Watch Kung Fu Panda and capture a screengrab of this episode’s Weekly Wisdom (+3 points).·     Listen to Bon Iver’s Everything is Peaceful Love and tell us how we should pronounce the band’s name. Follow the Magic on Instagram @themagicalsalon Music CreditMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/ben-mcelroy/the-dream-worldLicense code: H6OZ3JHFT1QYCYIR