Podcast 34 – Biblical Magic

10 thoughts on “Podcast 34 – Biblical Magic”

1. Dumble-Jesus….that’s what I’m talking about right there!

   Hey guys, that was a great podcast. As a hoodoo practitioner in Southern Mississippi, I can say that working with the Psalms and biblical magic is a great cover for those who’d rather not be harassed for not having a christian worldview. Besides that, I work with the Psalms regularly and find them to be quite effective. As far as the Saints, I am new to working with them, and I am still trying to get a feel for them. I come from a pentecostal background, so I am not very familiar with them.

   Very recently I have been attending services at an Episcopalian Church, which is a mix of protestant and catholic practices. I recently got engaged, and my fiance, who is also pagan, thought it would be nice to be married in this Episcopal church she was baptized in as a child. After meeting with the Rector, we found out we would need to be members of the church to use its chapel. So long story short, we are going to church XD.

   Anyway, while I am not getting any spiritual fulfillment from attending services, I find the rituals very interesting. They venerate saints, and even discuss them during services occasionally. There’s also the singing of a psalm, which is awesome, and the Eucharist is performed every service. I am currently plotting on how to steal the holy wafer. Also as a bonus, the chapel was based on a Templar design, and has the Templar crosses all over the place.

   Now I have a question: What is a good source (other than the episcopal book of saints) for working with the saints? I picked up a book by Anna Riva and it presents very shallow information on working with the saints. Also, what is a good source for finding pagan spirit/deity correspondences with the saints?

   Thanks for all the hard work guys, keep ’em comin’!

   -Odom

   1. Glad you like the Dumble-Jesus 😉

      Saint magic is, unfortunately, not always easy to find good info on. I’d recommend the Curious Curandera’s book on it, though it’s a little expensive for an e-book. It’s worth it, though, I think. Judika Illes is about to release her book on Saints, Sages, and Mystics, which will hopefully cover some of these ideas, too. Her book on Spirits also has a few things to work with. Beyond that, you’ll have to rely on little one-off chapbooks or pamphlets to figure out how to work with them. Surprisingly the Episcopal church frequently has mini books or pamphlets that might be of interest to someone looking to work with saints esoterically. You might see if there’s one in your area. If I can think of other books, I’ll try to post them, too!

      Thanks!
      -Cory

2. One star reviews? Say it ain’t so! Truly, I can’t understand that. Your podcast is everything a good podcast should be: grounded and down-to-earth, well researched, and featuring personable hosts that one can relate to.

   1. Awwww, shucks! Thanks so much! We think we do an okay job, too, but I guess we’re just not everyone’s cup of tea. But we love knowing that there are people out there enjoying what we do, so thank you so much for writing!

      All the best!
      -Cory

3. Great episode! Well worth the wait, and I only wish it had been longer. Laine, your questions were great, and really helped to fill out the topic. You should consider using that question-and-answer format more often.

   Odom, I really like Judika Illes’s Encyclopedia of Spirits. She includes a lot of information about syncretism of Pagan deities to Christian saints (official and folk), and substitution of churches dedicated to specific saints in place of ancient Pagan temples. You can’t just look up a saint’s name and find out what Pagan spirits he or she corresponds to, but you can do it the other way around. Very helpful.

   Generally, I find the Anglican (Episcopalian) churches are dedicated to more interesting saints than the Roman Catholic ones. Your Templar-inspired church sounds interesting!

   Wulf
   Toronto, ON

   1. Thanks Wulf, I actually have Illes’s “Encyclopedia of Spirits,” but didn’t even think to reference it! I guess that’s one of those moments of not being able to see the forest for the trees.

      I do want to get the Episcopal book of Saints. I got to thumb through it during my initial meeting with the Rector and they have some more conventional saints, such as Frederick Douglass. It’s a pretty thick book, but definitely an interesting resource.

      I’m going to have to try and get pictures of the chapel so you guys and gals can see this place. One of the stained glass windows is a beautiful portrait of Jesus scattering grain in a field. It gets my pagan senses tingling, but that’s probably because I start thinking about fertility and harvest deities.

      Oh by the way Cory, I made the mistake of sharing the awesomeness of 2 Kings 2:23-24 with some of my buddies, and one of them got all offended about Elisha kicking ass with bears. He’ll get over it I’m sure. I want to learn the “summon bears to kick ass” spell….

      -Odom

      1. Hahaha! Yes, spread the gospel of vengeance bears and talking asses everywhere! This shall be my legacy to the world! 🙂

         Glad y’all enjoyed this one. Hopefully we’ll have more good episodes like this coming up, though October is probably going to be a little different (he says slyly).

         -Cory

4. Grand Show Cory and Lane keep up the Good Work and don’t bother with the negative nellies out there ! Also my Eleven year old son Alexander Loves your show and Cory’s Storytelling he hopes you’ll do more this Halloween . All the Best Love and Bright Blessings too you Both .Marc

   1. Thanks Marc,

      We appreciate knowing that we’re not universally reviled, lol. And tell your boy to be listening in October! We’ve got some fun stuff planned (we hope)!

      All the best,
      -Cory

      1. Thanks Cory ,Looking forward too the October things that you have planned ! All the Best to you .
         -Marc

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