Heathen’s Journey Podcast

Aidan Wachter has been actively involved in magical practice since the 1980’s. His work reflects a wide ranging, eclectic, and non-dogmatic approach with influences from many paths including witchcraft, folk magic, and chaos magic. His books focus on the practice of the craft as a learnable set of skills that can be developed rather than innate talents that must be inherited or granted to the seeker. They are field guides rather than philosophy. In this episode, Aidan and Siri talk about using Black Books for working magic and changing your fate. 

If you loved this episode, you should consider attending Siri's talk at the Salem Witchcraft and Folklore Festival, which runs August 5-7 2022. You can register here.

Take the Heathen's Journey Podcast listener survey to help Siri shape the future of this podcast!

Purchase Aidan's books here

Preorder Lessons from the Empress here!

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Cory Thomas Hutcheson is the cohost of the popular podcasts New World Witchery, Chasing Foxfire, and Myth-Taken: A Buffy the Vampire Slayer Podcast, and author of the book New World Witchery: A Trove of American Folk Magic. He has a doctorate in American Studies with specializations in folklore, religion, and ethnicity from Penn State. He is a contributor to the Oxford Handbook of American Folklore and Folklife Studies and American Myths, Legends, and Tall Tales. Visit him online at www.newworldwitchery.com

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Check out my website

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Katy Swallow is a spirit worker, reader, mage and reiki practitioner, who tends to specialize in uncomfortable things. Death, grief, and intergenerational and ancestral trauma are her frequent companions. Her work can be accurately described as “navigating the lines between everything.” In this episode, Katy and Siri talk about their experiences working with spirits, speaking with ancestors, and ancestral healing. We also laugh a lot and have an overall amazing conversation. 

Katy has some classes coming up! Please check out her website for more information: katyswallow.com

You can also follow her on Twitter here: @kswallowtarot

Register for Intro to Spirit Contact on February 7th here

Read my blog here

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While being incarcerated for her struggles with drug addiction, Awyn Dawn began to actively look for her spiritual side - and she found it in Paganism.By developing a profound relationship with the gods, Awyn gained greater clarity and a deep sense of peace. You can too with help from this empowering guide to starting and strengthening your spiritual practice. Her book comes out in December and is available for pre-order now. 

Support the podcast on Patreon

Register for Creative Grimoiring on December 5: https://www.northernlightswitch.com/creative-grimoiring-december-5

Book your Year Ahead Reading: https://northernlightswitch.as.me/

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Lex Ritchie is a tarot reader and folk magician weaving spells for liberation, living in the Great Black Swamp. They believe individual liberation and enchantment create collective liberation and enchantment. Lex helps witches connect to their power, agency and magic so they can make magic that makes change. In this conversation, Siri and Lex talk about ancestor work - including some ways for those who are new to ancestor work to get started. 

Lex's Website: thelexritchie.com

Instagram + Twitter: @TheLexRitchie

More on the Viking calendar: https://www.vikingsofbjornstad.com/Viking_Calendar.shtm

How to Host a Dumb Supper

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Wouldst thou like to live deliciously? Explore what joy and happiness mean in this episode. This is a solo episode in which Siri dives deep into the meaning of the Wunjo rune.

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I am so thrilled to finally be able to release this episode into the world! Eric Purdue has been working tirelessly on a new translation of the Three Books of Occult Philosophy - the first new translation in over 300 years. This edition corrects many, many mistakes and mistranslations, and will hopefully make this behemoth of a classic more approachable for the modern occultist. Purdue has studied metaphysics and the occult and has practiced magic and astrology for more than thirty years, with a particular focus on practical folk and astrological magic. Through his lectures and writings on traditional astrology and talismanic magic, he has been a notable voice on the subjects of medieval astrology, traditional magical systems, and the legacy of Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa. 

Preorder your copy at the Northern Lights Apothecary

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After an unintended hiatus, we are back with season 2 of the Heathen's Journey Podcast. This week, we're talking about Gyfu, Mutual Aid, and Creating Reciprocal communities and what that means in 2021. 

Gyfu is one of my favorite runes, and I hope you enjoy it. 

Support me on Patreon

Visit the Apothecary

Sources: 

"The Runes: A Deeper Journey" by Kari Tauring
Interview with Sara Axtell (episode 19)
"Wild Soul Runes" by Laura Veleda Vesta
"Taking Up the Runes" by Diana Paxson
Norwegian Language Primstav Facebook page

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Hot Queer Summer continues with Fire Lyte!

Siri and Fire got a little ... enthusiastic in this episode. It is a huge topic in Fire's book, "The Dabbler's Guide to Witchcraft." Fire refers to this book jokingly as "the anti-beginner's book" specifically because he takes a scientific, experimental approach. In this episode, Fire and Siri discuss atheistic witchcraft, threading the needle between a beginner and advanced witchcraft book, discernment, how to tell you're not in joining a cult, and so much more. Fire Lyte is the host of the Inciting A Riot podcast, and has been creating pagan content for over a decade. 

You can listen to Inciting A Riot wherever you get your podcasts.

Sponsors: 

Support the Podcast by becoming a Patron on Patreon

Shop the Northern Lights Apothecary

Shop Needfire Wellness + Apothecary

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We continue our journey through the elder futhark with Kenaz. This is a rune of fire, truth, and in some ways - balance. Listen to the podcast episode to learn more about this rune, and to hear how it plays with other runes.

Transcription: https://www.northernlightswitch.com/blog/heathens-journey-podcast-ep-21

Northern Lights Apothecary

Needfire Apothecary

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Welcome to the extra special bonus episode of the Heathen's Journey Podcast! I had friend of the pod Minta Karlsson back to discuss Midsommar traditions in Sweden, Norway, and Finland. Hopefully this will serve as an inspiration as you are preparing your own Midsommar celebrations. We ramble into a lot of different topics, including folk magic practices, and even get into astrology for a while. I hope you enjoy, and have a great Midsommar! Radical Runes Course - Starts Mon July 5th Needfire Wellness - Midsommar Vatten kits (affiliate link) Needfire Wellness and Apothecary (affiliate link) --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/heathens-journey/support

Lara Veleda Vesta, MFA, is an artist, author, storyteller and educator transforming chronic illness into a path of healing and reclaiming.   She is the  illustrator of The Moon Divas Oracle Cards, author of The Moon Divas Guidebook, and the newly released Wild Soul Runes: Reawakening the Ancestral Feminine. Her research interests include ancestral connection, mythtelling and disability as initiation, and she is currently creating an illustrated guide to death transitions. Her path of myth, folk magic, ancestor lore and ritual practice is shared through classes at the Wild Soul School.

Check out the giveaway of Wild Soul Runes over on Instagram! 

Newsletter for Apothecary Updates

Patreon.com/northernlightswitch

Sign up for Radical Runes

Affiliate Link for Needfire Wellness (use code heathenjourneypodden for 10% off)

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In this episode of the podcast, Siri is joined by Sara Axtell, a local leader in the heathen community in Minnesota. The conversation is wide-reaching and deep, and all centered around the idea of getting to know our natural, ancestral rhythms. This allows American heathens to unsettle themselves, and start to make reparations for the wrongs of our ancestors. This work is in part guided by learning the Primstav, a Norwegian calendar stick that kept time for our ancestors and holds a lot of local folklore for us to discover. 

To learn more about the Primstav, here are some resources: 

Primstav Study Group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/2354134371472956

Healing Roots:  https://healingrootscommunity.com/

Gullveig's Hearth:  https://www.facebook.com/Gullveigs-Hearth-106320354684263

Primstav learning resources:

Norwegian language primstav page:  https://www.facebook.com/Primstav-1386373814920152

Marking Time:  The primstav murals of Sigmund Aarseth by Kathleen Stokker

The Nordic Animist Year by Rune Hjarnø Rasmussen

Primstav Explanations by Alfred Miller

**

Creating in Wyrd Times: Pay it forward ($250); Standard Price ($197)

Radical Runes ONLINE via Catland Books

Podcast Affiliate: Needfire Wellness and Apothecary

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We continue our exploration of the runes with Raidho. Siri talks about the role of travel and chariots in Old Norse thinking, as well as the different soul parts that make up a pre-Christian Nordic concept of self. The Fylgja, or guide, is deeply connected with the Raidho rune. They are a part of the Nordic soul, and are often thought of as an ancestor, and can often take the shape of an animal. Raidho invites us to move forward in both our mundane and spiritual lives. Let's explore our personal gnosis together, and get to know our motivations better with Raidho.

Transcript: https://www.northernlightswitch.com/2021/04/28/episode-18-meeting-our-soul-guides-and-moving-forward-with-raidho/

Creating in Wyrd Times: http://cassandra-snow.com/tarot-class-registration

Needfire Wellness (promo code heathenjourneypodden): https://www.needfirewellness.com/

Swamp Witch Stephanie (promo code heathen): https://swampwitchstephanie.com/

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Matthew Venus is a Folk Magician, Artist, Writer, and Witch based in Salem, Massachusetts. He is the owner and lead apothecary of SpiritusArcanum.com. In this conversation, we talk a lot about spirits, working with spirit familiars, and the spirits of plants. Venus has thirty years of experience with witchcraft and folk magic, and is a veritable wealth of historic knowledge. I hope you enjoy this episode! Like, subscribe, and review <3

Sponsors: 

Swamp Witch Stephanie

Needfire Wellness

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In this interview, I'm speaking with Lindy-Fay Hella of Wardruna and Johanna Elf of Cult Botanic. These two fantastic artists are collaborating on a new intention oil. Join us as we explore scent, memory, and Nordic herbcraft. I had such a lovely time speaking with these two about their deep relationships with the sensual and the magical, and I know you'll love it too.

Check out Cult Botanic

Check out Lindy-Fay's website here. Listen to her on the new Wardruna album here.

Book a tarot or rune reading with me: northernlightswitch.com/shop

Sponsors: 

anchor.fm

Swamp Witch Stephanie

Needfire Wellness + Apothecary

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We're back to studying the runes in depth! In this episode, Siri talks about Ansuz and communication. They also discuss Odin at length - as it's nearly impossible to study the runes without also studying Odin. 

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You may know Marcus McCoy's work already - he runs the Trollcunning Forge, a blacksmithing studio dedicated to crafting beautiful occult wares. There are a lot of misconceptions about alchemy, including the idea that it was all metaphorical. It's not! In this episode, we go deep on magical practice, the blurry lines between folk and ceremonial magic, and the art of the forge. 

Books and teachers for further research: 

Robert Bartlett
The Forge and the Crucible: the Origins and Structures of Alchemy by Mircea Eliade
Ars Filtron by Daniel Schulke
Rituals and Remedies by Kathleen Stokker

Link to join my mailing list: https://bit.ly/2KDHZsK

Support the podcast: patreon.com/heathensjourneypod

Find me on social:
Instagram: @siri.vincent.plouff
Twitter: @northlightwitch

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Did you know there's no future tense in Old Norse? It's a huge part of why I (Siri) don't use the runes for predictive reading or fortune telling. My approach has shifted a lot since going deep in my relationships with the runes, and now I'm primarily using tarot for year-ahead readings. I like to take a very practical approach, using divination to help me understand what the best actions to take are. 

I hope you are staying safe and healthy.

Book a year-ahead reading with me: https://northernlightswitch.as.me/

Join my Patreon: patreon.com/northernlightswitch

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Did you know that there are technically two full months of Jul in Norse tradition? There is so much to celebrate! In this episode, Kari and Siri talk about the different winter traditions, keeping time in an old Norse way, and the tension between joy and grief that accompanies this time of year. 

If you're interested in learning more about these traditions, join us for Jul Fest at Needfire Wellness! This is a series of zoom classes all about Jul. Learn more here: http://www.needfirewellness.com/jul-fest

You can book a year ahead reading at my Acuity Scheduling page here.

Click here to learn more about Folk Songs of Another America

And here is the Frugal Gourmet, to learn some ancestral recipes

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Siri sits down with Cassandra Snow for a chat about what it means to queer your witchcraft. Cassandra is a queer tarot reader, writer, and witch who recently released "Queering Your Craft: Witchcraft from the Margins." In this episode, Siri and Cassandra talk a lot about how their personal witchcraft styles developed, how queer people can harness magic for themselves, and so much more. 

To follow Cassandra on social media: 

Instagram: @tarotcassandra

Twitter: @tarot_cassandra

Patreon: patreon.com/cassandrasnow

To support this podcast: 

patreon.com/northernlightswitch

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This episode covers the necessity for secrecy in witchcraft, some examples of why you might want to keep your magic a secret. This episode also covers some psychic protection basics, as well as instructions on warding your home from negative entities or energies. 

Further Reading: 

“The Witch’s Shield” by Christopher Penczak

“Psychic Self-Defense” by Dion Fortune

Sponsors: 

anchor.fm

Needfire Wellness + Apothecary

Swamp Witch Stephanie

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The Heathen's Journey Podcast is back from unintended hiatus! In this episode, Siri talks about pagan timekeeping practices and holidays. You *might* have noticed that this is the spookiest time of year, and many witches celebrate accordingly. Siri talks about Samhain, the Norwegian Primstav as a living relic of folklore, and Alfablot. So grab a cup of your favorite tea, coffee, or ale, and have a seat by the fire.

Sponsors and links:

Witchcraft Immersion: https://www.northernlightswitch.com/witchcraft-immersion/

Witchcraft Immersion Scholarship Fund: https://www.gofundme.com/f/witchcraft-immersion-fundraiser

Witchcraft Immersion Scholarship Application: https://forms.gle/AmqHdAH9zdADaCZV7

Take 10% off your purchases at Needfire Wellness with offer code HeathenJourneyPodden: needfirewellness.com

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The Radical Runes Course admissions close on Monday, September 14th at 5pm CST! This is the course I wish I'd had when I first started learning the runes. Radical Runes is a 12-week transformative journey through the Runes. This course is unlike any other runes course in that it is grounded in queer, leftist theory and practice. Register today! https://www.northernlightswitch.com/product/radical-runes-course/

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Hello I go by Siri now! Please use they/them pronouns to refer to me.

In this episode, I come out of the gender closet, and relate that back to Uruz. I also talk about the rune Thurisaz, an intense one that many people struggle to work with. This is the introduction of aggression into the futhark, but it is also one of the most powerful runes we can use for self protection.

Resources:
Blog post on Radical Runes: https://www.northernlightswitch.com/2020/08/26/radical-runes-the-class-i-wish-id-had/
Sign up for Radical Runes: https://www.northernlightswitch.com/product/radical-runes-course/
Join the Troll Club: https://www.needfirewellness.com/troll-club

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I interview Minta Karlsson about Trolldom and Needfire Wellness. In this interview, we talk about methods of folk magic, how to get started, as well as dealing with our complex understandings of our own ancestors as settler colonialists. We talk about how the privilege of traveling to our ancestral homelands has opened our eyes to what we’re missing in America, and how to try to make that more accessible to people who still live in America.

I am also happy to announce that the Radical Runes course is live! This is a 12-week rune intensive starting on September 15, 2020. You can learn more and register here: https://www.northernlightswitch.com/product/radical-runes-course/

If you want to treat yourself to some magical goodies, head on over to needfirewellness.com and use offer code HeathenJourneyPodden for 10% off your purchase.

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Let's dive deep into the rune Uruz, its different meanings, and how we can gain strength from and persistence. In this episode, I talk about Audhumla, the Norse creation myths, and the meeting of fire and ice. 

Bonus: If you want to learn runes with me, I've got a class coming up on August 18th, 2020! Intro To Runes will give you a quick overview of the full futhark, the history of the runes, and other important info. You can sign up here: https://thefuturempls.com/collections/events/products/august-18-intro-to-runes-online

References: 

The Poetic Edda (translated by Carolyne Larrington). Oxford University Press. 1996.

The Prose Edda. (edited by Anthony Faulkes).

Aswynn, Freyja. Northern Mysteries and Magick: Runes and Feminine Powers. Llewellyn Worldwide, 1998.

Murphey, Bradley. Othil: Norse Ancestral Traditions. Thrymheim Publishing. 2006.

Paxson, Diana. Taking Up The Runes: A Complete Guide to Using Runes in Spells, Rituals, Divination, and Magic. Weiser Books, 2005.

Plouff, Abbie. Heathen’s Journey Column on Little Red Tarot. First published in 2017.

Rhys-Mountfort, Paul. Nordic Runes. Versa Press, 2003.

Tauring, Kari. The Runes: A Deeper Journey. Self published, © 2007

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And now for something a little different! In this episode, I interview author and friend Kelden about his new book "The Crooked Path: An Introduction to Traditional Witchcraft." We talk a lot about familiar spirits, traveling to the Pagan Otherworlds, and the distinction between Traditional Witchcraft and other paths. I know that this podcast is focused primarily on Heathenry, but Traditional Witchcraft is another practice that is dear to my heart and can teach us a lot about our folk paths. 

Recommended reading: 

The Crooked Path: An Introduction to Traditional Witchcraft

Sponsors: 

Needfire Wellness + Apothecary (use code HeathenJourneyPodden for 10% off!)
Anchor.fm

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In this episode, I begin our journey through the Elder Futhark with Fehu. This is the first rune we encounter, and traditionally means wealth, property, or cattle. But what does wealth mean to the radical heathen? How can we know where to start with wealth when we have complicated feelings about it? Abbie dives into the many layered meanings behind the Fehu rune, and looks at it from an anticapitalist perspective. We talk about generosity, reciprocal communities, and making sure our needs are met before we go off on our own journeys.

Links: 

northernlightswitch.com

patreon.com/northernlightswitch

Follow me: 

Instagram: @northern.lights.witch

Twitter: @northlightwitch

Sources: 

The Poetic Edda (translated by Carolyne Larrington). Oxford University Press. 1996.

Aswynn, Freyja. Northern Mysteries and Magick: Runes and Feminine Powers. Llewellyn Worldwide, 1998.

Murphey, Bradley. Othil: Norse Ancestral Traditions. Thrymheim Publishing. 2006.

Paxson, Diana. Taking Up The Runes: A Complete Guide to Using Runes in Spells, Rituals, Divination, and Magic. Weiser Books, 2005.

Plouff, Abbie. Heathen’s Journey Column on Little Red Tarot. First published in 2017.

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In this episode, Abbie interviews teacher Kari Tauring (she/her). Kari is a Nordic folk musician, cultural educator, and spiritual leader, a staff carrier and horn prayer living in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. In this episode, we talk about the concepts of frith, grith, healing oorlog, and what it looks like to be a professional Volva. For more info about Kari, visit her website (karitauring.com). To take one of her online classes, please visit the Needfire Academy (https://needfire-wellness.teachable.com/) for more information. Skol!

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This week, I’m going to be talking about the history of white supremacist and Nazi appropriation of Germanic and Nordic symbols. This is at the heart of my work, and is a big part of the reason I write about the Norse path. I think it is a deep responsibility that we have as white people to understand our cultural lineage, and how we got to this place.

Resources: 

Shannon Weber, “White Supremacy’s Old Gods: The Far Right and Neopaganism,” at Political Research Associates. February 1 2018 (https://www.politicalresearch.org/2018/02/01/white-supremacys-old-gods-the-far-right-and-neopaganism)

Sarah Emily Bond, “Hold My Mead: A Bibliography for Historians Hitting Back At White Supremacy.” History From Below. September 10, 2017. (https://sarahemilybond.com/2017/09/10/hold-my-mead-a-bibliography-for-historians-hitting-back-at-white-supremacy/)

Shane Burley, “Rainbow Heathenry: Is a Left-Wing, Multicultural Asatru Possible?” at Gods and Radicals. April 6 2016. (https://godsandradicals.org/2016/04/06/rainbow-heathenry-is-a-left-wing-multicultural-asatru-possible/)

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Welcome to the Heathen’s Journey Podcast! Listen and learn more about the pod, then subscribe. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/heathens-journey/support

Siri explores what heathenry is - how heathens define it, and what it looks like in belief and practice. This is essential as we move through the rest of this podcast, seeking Nordic wisdom and to live in the rhythm of the natural world. 

Books mentioned:

"A Practical Heathen's Guide to Asatru" by Patricia Lafayllve

"The Way of Fire and Ice" by Ryan Smith

Support this Podcast on Patreon:
patreon.com/heathensjourneypod

Sponsor:
anchor.fm

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