Me on honeymoon in New Orleans
That's right folks, I am very pleased to be coming down to New Orleans to talk about some of my favourite things. The Big Easy holds a special place in my heart - it was where my dear wife and I honeymooned and it certainly treated us real good. I'm really excited to get back to NOLA, see dear friends and family (new and old), and talk some good magics.
My NOLA squad rolls deep
My first date is a double-A side of talks at the Alombrados OTO Oasis. I'll be speaking on Saturday 17th February in the afternoon on cursing and humoural theory - specifically, how four elemental-humoural techniques of cursework function within traditional early modern European occult philosophy and magical practice. So we'll examine how to stare sorcerous daggers of wrath at enemies, how to inflict love-sickness, how to craft a talisman that renders the target afraid of their own body, and investigate some of the many terrible things that can be done through the melancholia of black bile. You can grab advance tickets here.
Then in the evening of that same Saturday 17th February, still at Alombrados OTO, I'll be talking about geomancy. Because, honestly, try and stop me talking about geomancy. This introductory talk is designed to, yes, introduce the fundamentals of this still-undervalued art of divination; but I also hope to go into a few techniques that seasoned geomancers should also appreciate and find interesting. Advance ticketeses here.
Sunday 18th February has me presenting on the Fundamentals of Traditional Astrological Magic at Académie Gnostique. We'll be going over various techniques for framing magical objects, performing planetary ritual, and working with astrological spirits. Eagle-eyed viewers might see this relates both to my book, The Starry Rubric: Seventeenth-century English Astrology and Magic, as well as my Fundamentals of Astrological Magic series of recordings available through Kepler College. This talk will introduce these concepts for students who can then pursue them in more depth through these resources, as well as talk about some fascinating details - magical rings, ritual costume, and some other ideas - that aren't available in these other sources. I should also have copies of aforementioned book for sale in case anyone wants a hastily sigilised copy.
Finally, Wednesday 21st February has me return to the Académie Gnostique to talk early modern British necromancy, another of my favourite topics. We'll discuss death and dying 1500-1700, corpses as components for medicine and magic, and finally some good old fashioned ghostlore and spiritwork. For a city as vibrantly haunted as New Orleans, I am especially looking forward to seeing what we can stir up with this one!
If you are able to make it out to any or some or even all of these, it would be a pleasure to see you. I look forward to raising a go-cup with you. Salut!