St. Anthony's Tongue

We are often told to pray - but we are never taught how to pray. In fact, we are often only taught one type of prayer (vocal prayer) and aren't aware of the many steps and types of prayers, these same steps were used by the saints to bring them closer to God. In this episode we will discuss the mystical journey of prayer. This is the final "intro" episode before we dive into the lives of the mystics. Join the Patreon for more!

Welcome to a new season of St. Anthony's Tongue!  This entire series will be focusing on the great saintly mystics - but first, we will begin with an episode on mysticism, it's basics and how we are all called to be mystics. For more episodes and content join our Patreon here, or follow me on Instagram. 

This series is a Patreon series, but I am sharing the first episode with all of you. If you’re interested in the Patreon please check it out at: Patreon.com/anthonystongue Alongside series such as this, we also have weekly posts on saints, psalms, blessings, deliverance rituals and more. We also have perks that include monthly gifts, a Discord server, and much more! I hope to see you over there, and I am excited to share this devotional series with you all. -W. 

Following this episode, I will soon be off on a brief hiatus to write my series on the mystics. Thus, I felt it was time to open up about my own experiences with the divine. This isn't to set myself apart, as I am a broken human like us all - but to showcase my philosophy, of how spirituality should start from the heart, and be an exercise of love, rather than an exercise of logic. In this reflection, I discuss real experiences I've had in prayer that have shaped my view on God, that has allowed me to go beyond logic, beyond the human, and rest in the mystery. I hope you enjoy me opening up in this episode, and I am very excited to revamp the podcast with our upcoming season on the mystics. Thank you for all your support. If you want more St. Anthony's Tongue during my break, I still post daily on the Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/anthonystongue 

This reflection focuses on some of the teachings that I found along the way that allowed me to see church teaching in a new light. Not necessarily in a way that made me fall in love with the institution per se, but more so, teachings that allowed me to be quite comfortable at my home altar and at the altar of a church. We discuss spiritual systems, spiritual trauma, and some alternative views and mindsets that I found enlightening when approaching Christian mysticism and spirituality. 

After a year of podcasting on Catholic saints, and the spiritual system surrounding them - here are a few key things that have strongly stayed with me. Here I explore the concept of spiritual systems, and how the saints and other Catholic rituals offer a complete system not only for our temporal lives, but our spiritual lives, too. I also look into ritual, the avoidance of superstition, and the true role the saints play in our lives. 

As we wrap up a year of St. Anthony's Tongue, I am sharing a few takeaways and reflections that I've had during this journey. I want to start with the concept of Catholic Witchcraft and Magic. The saints seem to appear in various folk rituals, which now run into what some call "folk magic" and with the rise of the term "witchcraft" - many have incorporated saints into these forms of spirituality. Therefore, I get asked a lot about saints in this framework. In this episode I reflect on: What is magic and witchcraft anyway? The differences between magic and traditional Catholic rituals. Why I do not call myself a witch, folk magician - and just call myself a Catholic. The mental pitfalls of superstition. The "hungry ghost realm" issue. Why God is not a petty God.  + More! 

Hundreds, if not thousands, of saints have had a devotion to the Christ Child, but today - it seems silly, rather than important. However, I'd argue this devotion is perfect for those struggling with spiritual or religious trauma. It's also a great topic that uncovers so many areas of cultural Catholicism. We discuss the Infant of Prague, as well as numerous other well-known Infant Jesus devotions. We also discuss it's mystical components and how it can be applied to your spirituality.  For more check out my Patreon here: http://www.patreon.com/anthonystongue Also follow on Instagram at: http://www.instagram.com/stanthonystongue 

St. John of the Cross is the premiere mystical saint in Catholicism. While we be doing a deep dive on all things mystical in the coming months - I wanted to record this episode on my favorite St. John work as a tribute to his feast day today (12/14). In this episode we unpack his poem the Spiritual Canticle, while also discussing mysticism, and methodology. Support the podcast via the Patreon at: www.patreon.com/anthonystongue  

Can we really ever escape the love of a mother? Especially the mother of the whole world? Our Lady of Guadalupe is one of the most beloved faces of Mary. She is revered in various cultures - and yes, she also has a long history of native worship in her history, that has only added to her mystique. This episode dives into the lore of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and how you can incorporate her into your own spirituality. I also am offering an Our Lady of Guadalupe novena for free on Patreon. It has custom written prayers for all nine days. You can find it at: www.patreon.com/anthonystongue