The SHWEP blog is for all manner of things which crop up in the life of the scholar of western esotericism but don’t fit into our chronological framework: the Living Esoteric Cultures Series of interviews, reflections on the academic field of the study of western esotericism, accounts of past or upcoming events, other notifications, and perhaps even the odd blog post.
March 26, 2025
In our fourth Roots of Magic interview, we speak with Jonathan Beltz, specialist on the scarier side of ancient Sumerian cultural life, the side occupied by demonic entities bringing disease and death. But one entity stands out from the crowd: Namtar, the divine psychopomp whose arrival means ineluctable mortality. Or does it? We explore the world of magical ways to send death packing in ancient Sumeria.
January 29, 2025
We discuss the dangerous, liminal space of childbirth and childhood in ancient Egypt. How might the gods, magic, and medicine interact to help make this a less perilous realm? Charlotte Rose has some ideas.
January 15, 2025
The Bodleian Library in Oxford, one of the world's greatest repositories of all manner of cultural treasures, is currently host to an extraordinary exhibition drawing on its collections. The title is Omens, Oracles, and Answers, and the subject is divination. We speak with Michelle Pfeffer, one of the exhibition's organisers.
December 31, 2024
Our castaway is Gary Lachman, prolific author on many recondite and fascinating currents of modern esotericism and, as Gary Valentine, member of the Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame. The esoteric island is touched by the presence.
December 25, 2024
2024 was damn esoteric; here's hoping for an even more esoteric 2025.
November 13, 2024
In our second Roots of Magic interview, we speak with Svenja Nagel on erotic magic in ancient Egypt. Ritual practices and potions, magical continuity and change, and cross-cultural pollination feature prominently in a conversation which tells us what Egyptian erotic magic was, and what dangerous-yet-sexy things you could do with it.
October 9, 2024
We discuss one of the most exciting initiatives in the study of esotericism currently happening with two members of its scientific committee. RENSEP is looking to crack open the divide between practitioners and scholars, and to devise new methods for studying that most elusive of subjects, ‘esoteric practice’.
August 15, 2024
We review a new collection of essays on the history of music and esotericism. It's an interesting collection of papers from what must have been a great conference, and your host does his best to get through the bits which require actual, technical knowledge of music-theory. This is a field of study demanding to be expanded upon, and this volume is a worthy addition to the studies out there so far.
June 5, 2024
I was invited to speak to the Philosophy of Psychedelics Exeter Research Group on the subject of psychedelic research and ancient Platonism. I argue that Platonism is way more psychedelics than psychedelics.
May 8, 2024
The project known as CAS-E (full title ‘Alternative Rationalities and Esoteric Practices from a Global Perspective’) is a major, state-funded, cross-disciplinary investigation of contemporary magic and related topics headquartered at the University of Erlangen. The scope of this thing is ridiculously ambitious. We discuss the project with one of its primary movers, Bernd-Christian Otto.
February 21, 2024
In the first interview of a new series, we discuss the academic project we have all been waiting for, MagEIA: Magic between Entanglement, Interaction, and Analogy, with one of its principal investigators, Daniel Schwemer. MagEIA will host cross-disciplinary conversations across specialisms in the study of ancient (bronze-age to late antiquity) magic. Amazing work, with amazing things to come.
December 21, 2023
We contemplate the year that was and plot and scheme for the year to come.
November 15, 2023
Like the title says: I was interviewed by Gnostics.
October 25, 2023
We are delighted to speak with Mathieu Ossendrijver about an extraordinary project he heads in Berlin investigating the earliest origins and the dissemination of Mesopotamia's most popular export, the zodiac. Interesting things happen at the intersection between scientific and historical methodologies.
June 28, 2023
There are exciting things afoot in the study of magic and esotericism. Emily Selove of the University of Exeter and Matt Melvin-Koushki from the University of South Carolina tell us about two new graduate programmes in the study of magic and related subjects.
June 21, 2023
More Nordic animism, plus a dive into pop culture, where the Mighty Thor (Kirby version) rubs shoulders with ancient gods.
June 14, 2023
We speak with Dr Rune Hjarnø, a man interested in reigniting the spirit of animism within European cultures. Note that that's ‘reigniting’, not importing from ‘indigenous’ cultures. Come for the yule-goats, stay for the Q-shaman.
December 24, 2022
Mithras, sadly, ain't the reason for the season. And yet ....
December 21, 2022
We reflect on the past year of doing the podcast, and this time we don't bother predicting how at the end of this coming year we will definitely have finally covered Proclus, because it's just never true. We'll confidently promise Zosimus of Panopolis and Julian, but not Proclus.
December 14, 2022
We are delighted to speak with Dr Lucinda Martin, Director of the Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica and Ritman Research Institute in Amsterdam, one of the world's great collections for the study of western esotericism. We discuss the history and current activities of this august institution, its recently having been awarded UNESCO status as a cultural treasure of the Netherlands, and more.
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