Radical Elphame

We are living in weird times. We can see the weirdening all around us. In our politics, in our ethics, in our communities, in our personal lives. This observation could lead me down the path of lofty rhetoric about how we navigate some of the darker implications of this weirdening we find ourselves in. Right now, though, I just want to point out some of the positive–or at least amusing–effects of this shift weirdward. I find myself amazed on an almost weekly basis by how much easier it is to talk to almost anyone about the kind of weird shit that I used to have to preface with a litany of qualifiers. Not only is the UFO Disclosure crowd talking about faeries, and demonologists talking about tulpas, and witches talking about hyperstition, but the guy I met at a children's birthday party not only wants to talk about his UFO sighting, but also is curious if I think the phenomenon is related to consciousness. A sommelier I met on a work trip, after an evening of bar hopping, casually mentioned the spirit guide he believes he has regular communication with, and goes to for advice. My Mother-in-Law randomly mentions, for the first time, that her relative in the Navy told her when she was a kid that he saw ships flying out of the Ocean and disappearing into the sky. My normie friends are experimenting more with psychedelics, astrology and Human Design is now acceptable icebreaker material in certain circles, and the somatic therapy I keep hearing about from my friends sounds a lot like techniques I would have previously lumped in with the occult. If I look back just a few years, say to 2020, this wasn't my everyday reality. I know this was the case because that's when I first heard Mana Aelin's podcast, The Real Witches of the End Times. This was far from the first paranormal or occult podcast I had heard, but there was something incredibly unique about it. Mana didn't present herself as an expert, didn't lean into a spooky or empowering vibe template, and didn't consider these subjects from the armchair or at a remove. She put out a show where people who seemed down-to-earth could talk casually about their–for the time–very weird experiences and beliefs as though they were completely normal. As a practitioner with a lack of community, I quickly fell in love with her show, and it was definitely a big inspiration for Radical Elphame. Now, though, living through this weirdward shift, I can't help but wonder if this is all Mana's manifestation, and we're just living in it. 
SHOW NOTES
Mana's Website: Mothmana.com
Mana's IG: @mothmanatarot
Mana's Podcast: Real Witches of the End Times

Enjoy a Patreon preview of the second episode of The Imbas Transmissions. This time, we sit down with the delightful Teagan West to talk animism, weaving the web of wyrd, and imbas as the dance between hunter and hunted. You can receive full episodes of The Imbas Transmissions by joining the Radical Elphame Patreon or Chaise Levy Storyteller on Patreon, or Chaise's Inspiration, Move Me Brightly Substack.
Teagan's Substack: The Altar of Stars
Teagan's Services: The Altar Healing
Teagan's Podcast: The Altar of Stars Podcast
Radical Elphame Patreon
Chaise's Patreon
Chaise's Substack: Inspiration, Move Me Brightly
The Hagstone Podcast
Theme Song: "Move it" by Dunham

There's a common phrase in Occult circles that often precedes a cautionary tale: "blowing your life up with magic." The story goes something like this: a burgeoning magician, fresh off the armchair, skips a few steps or bites off more than they can chew. Sometimes this neophyte is drawn to a dark current that they aren't prepared for, or catfished by a parasitic entity. What tends to unfold is the practitioner's life unraveling, and often poorly applied magical remedies just dig them deeper into a hole. It's a common enough story that I find it fascinating, and would be lying if I said I didn't have some experiences that might qualify. On the one hand, this trope is plucked straight from the ancient tale "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" and can serve the common fairy-tale function of reinforcing the exoteric societal taboo that magic and the occult are not to be messed with. More interesting to me, though, is when blowing up your life with magic can be conceived of as an initiatory experience. When the spirits or the powers that be may be taking apart your life to build it back better. Is there a way to transition from a disenchanted world to one teeming with magic without undergoing a radical change? I'm so excited to explore this question today with the delightful Janie Roberts. 
Before that conversation, though, I just want to throw out a quick plug for the Radical Elphame Patreon page. There you will find extended interviews, exclusive essays, a private Discord server, and an entirely Patreon-exclusive podcast that I do with my friend Chaise Levy called The Imbas Transmissions. I've also got a free Substack that I'm particularly proud of, called The Foliate Head, where I have the opportunity to expand on the subjects we explore on this show through a different medium. Over on Substack, I've just released the sixth part of my ongoing essay series on the various theories surrounding the nature of faeries, which explores the relationship between faeries, time travel, and Pulp Fiction. If you like this show, I know you'll love this series. Without further ado, here's my chat with Janie Roberts.
SHOW NOTES:
Janie's Substack: Wild Horse Circle
Janie's IG: @wherearethebigpeople
Janie's Links: https://linktr.ee/wildhorsecircle

Excited to bring you a new Patreon exclusive series I'll be doing with, friend of the pod, Chaise Levy of the Hagstone Podcast. For those who haven't fed the tip jar, the first one is free! We wanted to find a way to expand on some of the conversations we've been having behind the scenes and share them with the kind folks who support our respective Patreon and Substack pages. I think this spin-off show is very much a living thing that will likely grow, evolve, and change. This episode is us jamming on some possible directions it might take.
SHOW NOTES:
Theme Song: "Move it" by Dunham
Chaise's Patreon
Chaise's Substack: Inspiration, Move Me Brightly
The Hagstone Podcast
Outro Song: "Maiden Voyage / Everything In Its Right Place" - Robert Glasper

Three years ago, Douglas Batchelor of the What Magic is This? podcast released a series that caught my attention. I had been a fan of his show for years and had come to expect his episodes to revolve around magical history, often with an emphasis on the ceremonial and evocatory variety. He called this series A Fistful o' Fairies, and over six episodes, he brought on an assortment of amazing guests to delve into different facets of the various interpretations of "who faeries actually are." As someone with a strange compulsion to explore this liminal realm and its denizens, this was a rare encounter with a podcast that didn't broach "fairies" as a one-off curio but rather gave the vast topic the searching consideration it demands. I loved this series, and after it ended, I asked myself, "What if that series spun off into an entire podcast?" Within a matter of months, Radical Elphame was born. 
In light of the monumental influence Douglas had on the inception of this show, it was a true honor to chat with him and explore what inspired him to go down the faerie rabbit hole in the first place, and where it has continued to lead him today.
SHOW NOTES:
What Magic is This? Podcast
Douglas' Patreon
Douglas' Website