E47 • The Countercultural Life of William S. Burroughs

A new four-part miniseries from Solved Murders: This is the story of a legendary figure of the Wild West… The man widely believed to have inspired the Lone Ranger… Who was born into slavery — and became one of America’s most revered lawmen. Listen to Bass Reeves: No Master But Duty, guest hosted by Darnell Ishmel, free and only on Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What do invisible astral jellyfish and egg-laying lemurs with eyes in the back of their heads have in common? They each appear in “The Secret Doctrine,” the masterwork of a famed occultist known for co-founding the Theosophical Society and SERIOUSLY messing with biographers. So, how much of this episode is even true?! Em and Christine root around for the real truth surrounding… Helena Blavatsky 🔎 This is the last episode of Rituals. On behalf of everyone here at Parcast, thank you for listening! You can still catch Christine and Em each week on their other podcast, And That's Why We Drink. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sure, he was the genius who discovered the laws of motion and gravity, but his methods were highly criticized and far from traditional (he once stuck a needle in his eye socket to determine what light was made of — aka Sir Eye-sick Newton??). From apples to alchemy, Em and Christine discuss the life, science, and secret studies of the Master of the Mint himself… Sir Isaac Newton 🍎🤯 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Before the internet… Before podcasts… Violet Mary Firth brought magic to the masses by way of auras, chakras, and astral visions (oh my!). Born in Glastonbury in 1890, it was believed by her parents that Violet was a changeling — an impostor replaced by fairies. As she grew older, Violet developed visions of a former life, honed her skills as a trance medium, and changed her name to something more fitting. Today Em and Christine tell the tale of famed occultist… Dion Fortune 🪄 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You might know his work as a writer and poet during the Beat Movement. Less well-known is that his first published piece was at age 15 on mind control methods (whaaaaat?!). Come for the story of how he killed his wife. Stay for Christine's story about her poem "Ben the Pen." This is a spiritual journey through the writings and life of… William S. Burroughs 🤯 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You've heard about them on Charmed, Buffy, and in the Harry Potter series. Now get the history of Grimoires from Christine and Em as they rifle through these legendary books containing spells, rituals, and witchcraft laws. After, they discuss three of the most influential Grimoires for your rituals reading list 📚 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Let’s take a walk on the lighter (or… should we say Blighter?) side of witchcraft! Today, Christine and Em are pivoting from persecution stories to talk about the magic of pellars, aka “good” witches who were popular in their communities and may also have been… narcs? Toss your torches and time travel with us to Cornwall, England to meet the witchy entrepreneur known as… Tamsin Blight 🧙‍♀️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today Christine and Em are taking a hike — a history hike — into the dawn of civilization, sussing out the occult rituals of humanity’s OG innovators. Did they create agriculture? Sure. Math? Mmhm. The concept of time? Yup. But did they believe in magic? Hell yeah. These are powers, practitioners, and gods of… Mesopotamia 🌅 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever taken the fall for someone else, then watched from the afterlife as their name became more famous than yours? Brutal. Today Em and Christine recount the tale of an Irish witch hunt that pitted the wealthy, influential Alice Kyteler against a toxic bishop. But who took the heat in the end? Alice’s servant… Petronilla de Meath 💀 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re sweeping away bad vibes and funneling the world’s wisdom into our brains today. Em and Christine unpack the history of the early Wicca movement, including its associations with witchcraft. Crack open your Book of Shadows and join us in the Land of the Youth for the beginner’s guide to… Wicca 🍃 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices