October 2021

Hello Students of Magic

It is Oct 1st and the start of witchcraft awareness month.  I am still hard at work on Part 11 Modern Witchcraft, but I want to get it right.  I have some cool content to share in it and I must make sure I can work it in without looking like I’m cutting a foot to fit a shoe.  All I can say about it is this, we are going OG text on Gerald Gardner and Starhawk.  I hope that sounds as cool as I wanted.

Thank you for all the great comments I’m getting on Part 10. I think it is important stuff for anyone who is exploring modern witchcraft.

I hope everyone has a safe but spooky October.  More importantly take the time reflect on the past year, what have you learned and what will you take with you as the season change and it gets a little darker in the northern hemisphere. If you are in the South, and I know some of you are, I’m very envious. 😉

I’ll get back to work on Part 11 and 12, in the meantime here are some prop codes for the courses I have running now.  Oh and one more thing, I have included a great academic article in Part 5 Section on Herbalism.  Check it out if you like incantations, folklore, and herbs!

These promo codes are good all month ENJOY!

Litha 2021

Hello Students of Magic

I have been quiet but not unproductive. Be sure to check out the resource section on The Golden Dawn, I have also snuck in some new resources across the series. Something I will continue to do for you and anyone who wants to learn more about the many topics brought up.  More importantly, THANK YOU!  I have been getting great questions, a lot of feed back, and increased interest in my series. 

For Litha (which is coming up) I am putting all my courses on promo for you. If you missed the last Udemy sale now is your chance!

PROMO CODES

Part 1: https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-1-ancient-history/?couponCode=41CD34FA3A452932C372

Part 2: https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-2-philosophy/?couponCode=98513128E7DBD7DC329C

Part 4: https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-4-early-modern/?couponCode=9D5C4E9E9B60536BFDB6

Part 5: https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-5-low-magic/?couponCode=A29D9AC451E9C393914D

Part 6: https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-6-high-magic/?couponCode=1F67EFC6FCD170302343

Part 7: https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-7-science-magic/?couponCode=FAFADC7D4661226B5B02

Part 8: https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-8-enlightenment/?couponCode=6EA8C978AF55840B886E

Part 9: https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-9-occult-revival/?couponCode=E4C4A4748EB70DAD9043

THE FIRST 10 PEOPLE TO REDEEM A PROMO CODE WILL GET A SPECIAL SNEAK PEEK AT MY NEXT LECTURE SERIES ON PRACTICAL MAGIC.  HERE IS A SNEAK PEAK OF THE SNEAK PEAK.

Part x of the Foundations in the Study of magic Series is ready to be filmed as soon as I get a hair cut.

Talk to you soon!

R.A. Priddle

Samhain/Yule (‘Christoween’)

What a year it has been. Samhain is normally the time I do a final reflection on the year and become a ‘ghost’ of sorts until the sun returns. But there is no rest for me yet.

I have started a new job as a school librarian so my time is less flexible than before. But I am committed to finishing my lecture series. And just last month I completed Part 8 of my lecture series outlining the Enlightenment.

Part 8 is by and large a simplified version of my MA thesis, it covers some highlights of book history and print culture, society in the 18th century, some theory on the Knowledge Economy, and finally a discussion of Francis Barrett.

Francis Barrett was an often overlooked figure in the history of Western Esotericism and my thesis work is a systematic analysis of Barrett’s life and his important contribution to the study of magic in the 19th century, his opus, The Magus.

If you are wondering why he was often overlooked in the History of Magic I believe the simple answer has two parts. First, magic is almost never taken seriously as a topic let alone a topic of research. And second, when it is taken seriously its researcher usually have an ego that could choke a whale. Thus, a ‘plagiarist’ and failed balloonist was given short shrift. That is until this persistent historian decided to give him a second look.

That being said my series is more than merely a talking head video, it is a resource hub. If you do choose to support my work I periodically update and curate articles and resources in the many many sections in each of the lectures I have recorded thus far. Stay tuned for new and exciting resources as I discover them.

Thank you again for your support and please check out the lecture using the promo code below or wait for a Udemy sale. Until then thank you for your questions and your support.

Part 8: The Enlightenment. https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-8-enlightenment/ couponCode=58B15C02CFE86C0FCA29

Mabon

Dear Students of Western Esotericism,

I have not forgotten about you or this site, nor have I stopped thinking and working on finishing the lecture series. But as I am sure you are aware dear reader; the world is a little different right now.

Not only has the virus impacted the plan to deliver my lecture series in person for the Learning in Retirement program at Carleton U, it has slowed me down considerably in filming and writing. Compounding this was my gardening projects and I started a new job at the end of August. So, my time is a little less flexible.

However, I have begun working on Part 8 (Magic in the Enlightenment) and I plan on having that filmed in the month of October as well as Part 9 (The Occult Revival) and Part 10 (The Witch Cult Thesis).

More importantly, I have not stopped gathering resources for you! I have some new material to add to the current lectures so be sure to check out each sections resource for some fun and exciting articles and videos.

Finally, check out a picture of the upcoming lecture and links to promocodes for the current series.

Stay safe out there and have a happy harvest!

Image may contain: outdoor, text that says "Magic During the Enlightenmen Knowledge Economy R.A Priddle mပ Theosopical Enlightenm ent Francis Barrett Book Historv GONHArDON Next C.LIFLANTA"

PROMO CODES

Part 1: https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-1-ancient-history/?couponCode=9C193E0F9122D13FC8F7

Part 2: https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-2-philosophy/?couponCode=0BEAF0254E8A4A5F3CD9

Part 4: https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-4-early-modern/?couponCode=C2F1F3986DDCBE62994E

Part 5: https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-5-low-magic/?couponCode=F60DCFE42EA46268149E

Part6: https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-6-high-magic/?couponCode=2F60C313C82CCDA05192

Part 7: https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-7-science-magic/?couponCode=D8F38C96286630A8BB46

Me, Myself, and Marketing.

I pushed through and filmed the remainder of Part 7 of Foundations of Magic: Science & Magic. It is up and ready for your enjoyment. But now I must set about my next task, marketing.  It is not easy to produce digital content on one’s own from start to finish.  There are a number of skills I do not have, like the ability to remember all my animation cues while I try to ‘act natural’ on camera.  It is even harder to get people to buy what ever comes out at the end.  Fortunately, I have a mentor in the ways of marketing who has been extremely helpful in telling me what I need to do next.  Which is, write a blog.  

Now, in addition to the content I am trying to finish for Udemy, I have to create things people would want to read on a regular basis. Let me tell you from the perspective of a librarian or academic the very idea of creating and selling knowledge is very different than organizing or analyzing it.  But I want to do this. I want to do this because there are many reasons. Yes, you read that right, I want to do this because I have a lot of reasons to do it.  It is like climate change, there is a preponderance of reasons to act, so the rational thing to do is to act. 

So, over the many weeks to come I will use this space to share those reasons with you. I can’t sell this project in one clean package. But I can take it apart, bit by bit and share it with you.  The first reason I am doing this is to increase awareness.

The study of magic is truly interdisciplinary. And I wanted to create this course as a launching pad for other people. One can never know how a small bit of information can cascade into a work of art, a research project, or a discourse.  More specifically to this most recent course I want people to become aware of the interdisciplinary methodology required to analyse the boundary between Science & Magic through the historical lens of Astrology and Alchemy.

So, I present to you the promo codes for all my courses I have completed thus far.

BRAND NEW Part 7: Science & Magic  https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-7-science-magic/?couponCode=D1CBAAC55ECD24F8F455

Part 6: High Magic https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-6-high-magic/?couponCode=9FB690175A108A3B4431

Part 5: Low Magic https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-5-low-magic/?couponCode=89C89CE0B9E8D7EA8EAD

Part 4: Early Modern https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-4-early-modern/?couponCode=5C8177ECB06AE4598FBB

Part 2: Philosophy https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-2-philosophy/?couponCode=6A894FDAEC5C88E93E0C

Part 1: Ancient History https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-1-ancient-history/?couponCode=CB66EABA8452C0CFDC1F

And as always Part 3: Historiography and Definitions, is always free.

Thank you for following  me on this journey.  Keep the feed back and the reviews coming, I appreciate your support.

Beltane

I’m terrible at keeping a journal, to be more precise I am inconsistent.  I have a practice I try to deploy in times of trouble; “when in doubt write it out.” Thus, I am a terrible journal keeper because I tend to overlook writing down my joyful moments. My journal is mostly some emo rant about being jilted or anxious.  This, and what I hope will follow for many more decades, is not that.  This is my ‘Witch Blog,’ as my best friend colourfully phrased.

I like their description of this website as a ‘Witch Blog,’ after all the content of this will be brimming  with magic. I started this site for a school project in library school, my goal was to provide a resource for the Academic Study of Magic.  In developing my lecture series, “Foundations in the Study of Magic,” I have found new utility with this website.

I also like the description of a ‘Witch Blog’ because in the study of witchcraft I have found a philosophy that I think I can adhere to and it makes my friends description of this project of mine special to me.

The late and great Terry Pratchett in his synecdotal Discworld developed a philosophy of witchcraft  that I am totally on board with, it can be summed up in three key themes: leave the world a bit better than you left it as; be a voice for the voiceless; and if you want to amount to anything as a witch you have to know what is real, what is not real, and what is the difference. This is why the ‘witch  blog’ description is great to me.  If I can do even just a small fraction of those three goals I will be satisfied, because I also believe that any good personal philosophy should guide a journey through life and not prescribe a way of living.

So, what is up next?  I am working on Part 7 of Foundations in the Study of Magic: The Scientific Revolution. I have been digesting  the feedback I receive very carefully and I hope to continue to refine my project for everyone’s enjoyment.

 

Happy Beltane everyone

 

R

Ordering Chaos

colemining

It doesn’t seem like there is anything else on the menu, lately. Everything is in flux and new and different and not in a good and exciting way.

All of us are struggling with the reality of Covid-19 – and the ways in which we deal with the chaos are as myriad as our personalities and life situations.

I tend to like order.  Not to the extreme of stifling creativity or preventing spontaneity, but, overall, I like to have things organized.

I’m not sure that I’m really truly a control freak or anything. I can go with the flow with the best of them. I’ve been known to drop everything and take chances/switch plans/directions at the drop of a hat – proverbial or otherwise (hats HAVE been left behind on occasion).

Before anyone starts thinking that I’m perhaps protesting too much, let me just say that I am well aware that my

View original post 2,215 more words

Future of the lecture series.

I have finished 50% of my @udemy lecture series on the #historyofmagic with Part 6: High Magic. In the future I will begin to focus on the modern forms of magic starting with the Scientific Revolution in Part 7.  The Enlightenment in Part 8 and The Occult Revival in Part 9. And be on the lookout for part 10 on the witch cult thesis which will be FREE, just like part 3!  So here are some promo codes for my labour of love, they expire in April 30th.

Part 1: https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-1-ancient-history/?couponCode=68B2E2CA02FDC0292E91

Part 2: https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-2-philosophy/?couponCode=D2FF30128EF0421138B8

Part 4: https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-4-early-modern/?couponCode=BC943EC9E6D120A4A873

Part 5: https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-5-low-magic/?couponCode=905A58665C8B0B2C4A67

Part 6: https://www.udemy.com/course/foundations-in-the-study-of-magic-part-6-high-magic/?couponCode=69EAF854EAEB6C72F0B9