May 22 2023 79 mins
Today's guest is Thea Wirsching, author and academic, Astrologer Extraordinaire and creator of the American Renaissance Tarot Deck! Thea works at the intersection between literary studies, magical and visionary working, and the weavings of Fate through the Stars and the Cards ...
We had a wonderful discussion about the ins and outs of the Academy, and how things have changed and are changing with regard to the study of the Occult and the Esoteric. Much of her experience resonated with my own, as we made our way through the strictures of academic life and tried - with greater or lesser success - to marry it to our beliefs and practices of Magic and Occultism. Her insights into the state of academia and the prospects and obstacles for Weird Folk within it are most enlightening, and she regales us with anecdotes and experience with humour and a much-needed philosophical approach!
We also take a deep dive into the study and practice of Astrology, and what it can be in the hands of a true scholar and experienced practitioner. Thea practices Evolutionary Astrology, which addresses material from past lives as well as the current one. Having trained with renowned master Steven Forrest to the highest level, she now offers her professional services both online and in-person.
As she says on her website : "Astrology can put us in touch with those values so often discounted by modern society, such as family, community, spirituality, intimacy, and creativity. The disease of modern society is an experience of lack and discontent because we don’t personally have it all. No one ever has it all, because happiness is a function of giving, not having. When we are sharing our unique gifts with the world, maximizing our opportunities and accepting our perceived limitations and imperfections, we can achieve the elusive state of contentment. We discover wholeness by experiencing our relationship to the whole of the human family, not by developing our egos in isolation."
You can consult her propsed services and find out more about Thea at her website here : http://theplutobabe.com/
Her incredibly richly detailed and researched American Renaissance Tarot is available here : https://www.americanrenaissancetarot.com/
Finally, if you're interested in the workshops she mentions in the episode, you can access information about that here : https://www.astro-bash.com
It's a rich and fascinating conversation, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
(btw, one swift glance at MY chart, and Thea spotted that my Moon Sign was NOT what I thought it was ... I'm actually right on the Cusp between that and the next ... Maybe I'll have her back on to read my chart in detail, for your amusement and edification - yes, yes, I AM a Scorpio, and yes, I know it's completely obvious ...)
THE HOLLOW PATH IS A MEETING OF MINDS AND HEARTS, TO FOSTER EXHANGES AROUND MAGIC, ART, ENCHANTMENT, CULTURE, POLITICS, AND POETICS ...
RE-ENCHANTMENT. RE-WILDING. RE-MEMBERING.
RESISTANCE.