John Crow, host of the popular occult podcast Thelema Coast to Coast, chose the last day of 2007 to release its forty-fourth and final episode. New podcasts have been released sporadically in the past year, and with Crow’s move to Amsterdam earlier in the year, it’s not terribly surprising, but the loss of one of the very few truly intelligent occult podcasts will be felt.

In its two year history host John Crow has used Thelema Coast to Coast as a vehicle to explore many “advanced” occult subjects such as the Goetia, Enochian magick, with a special focus on the works of Aleister Crowley, as well as challenging contemporary Thelemic thought and the OTO with regular guest Keith418.

Numerous occult authors have been guests, including Richard Kaczynski, Steven Ashe, and Lon Milo DuQuette. Crow has also provided unique and rare interviews, such as in Episode 4, which featured Tony Stansfeld Jones, son of Charles Stansfield Jones, better known as Frater Achad, the “magical son” of Aleister Crowley.

Each episode concluded with Thelemic music which, for the most part, one would be unlikely to encounter elsewhere. While, admittedly, for many of the featured recordings that might be for the best, the various renditions of The Book of the Law offered in April 2006 for the anniversary of Crowley’s initial reception of the text proved fascinating to hear.

In the final podcast, Crow has stated that the Thelema Coast to Coast website will remain up for at least a year, but in the next three months the podcast files will be moved to an “Internet archive system”, where podcasts will be available “on their terms”. Without knowing where these files will be located, or how they may be made available, it might be best to download them now from Libsyn while you still can.

Crow will be maintaining his public blog, The Treasure House of Pearls, and Keith418′s friends-locked blog is hosted on LiveJournal.

Popularity: 2%

“Too many bishops are not taking this seriously and are not delegating their priests in the fight against the Devil. You have to hunt high and low for a properly trained exorcist.”

The Daily Mail, “Pope’s exorcist squads will wage war on Satan“

Concerned with a “rise of Satanism” and “an increased interest in the occult”, the Catholic Pope has introduced courses for priests to combat “the most extreme form of “Godlessness”" – as opposed to other, milder forms of atheism? One wonders.

Naturally, rock music and the Internet are to blame. (Yet, strangely, the Catholic Pope looks far more sinister and demonic than anything I’ve ever conjured, and certainly more ostentatious.)

Eighty-two year old Vatican “exorcistinchief” Father Gabriele Amorth has stated that each bishop is required to have in his diocese “a number of priests trained to fight demonic possession”.

They’re also on a kick to restore a prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel which was originally dropped in the 1960s. The claim is that it’s “useful not only for priests but also for lay people in helping to fight demons”.

Personally, I find an almond wand and a sense of conviction work just fine, too.

Thanks to Lupa’s LiveJournal for the head’s up.

Popularity: 3%

Chet Fitch died in October at the age of eighty-eight and yet thirty-four cards arrived for his friends and family written in his hand, with the return address as “Heaven”.

The greeting read:

I asked Big Guy if I could sneak back and send some cards. At first he said no; but at my insistence he finally said, ‘Oh well, what the heaven, go ahead but don’t (tarry) there.’ Wish I could tell you about things here but words cannot explain.

Better get back as Big Guy said he stretched a point to let me in the first time, so I had better not press my luck. I’ll probably be seeing you (some sooner than you think).

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas.

Chet Fitch

- MSNBC, “Dead man sends cards from ‘heaven’“

Apparently this gag was arranged two decades ago between Fitch and his barber, Patty Dean. Quite diligently, too, as Fitch made a point of updating the mailing addresses and giving Dean more money as postage went up.

What a guy.

Popularity: 6%

In the introduction to episode 66, Tarot Journaling with Amy Lamash, Tarot Connection‘s host Leisa ReFalo announced that the archives of earlier podcasts will be taken down from the website in January due to bandwidth issues; a six month rolling archive will be maintained.

The Tarot Connection released its first episode in July 2006 and quickly established itself as a premiere occult podcast with its professional sound, in-depth coverage of topics and highly competent host, Leisa ReFalo. Guests have ranged from “known” names such as Rachel Pollack, Robert Place and Lon Milo DuQuette to those just starting out.

Episodic themes are diverse, often innovative and always relevant, from discussing the surprising versatility of the one-card reading, the benefits of journaling, and considerations regarding going pro. While the tenor of each episode varies, ReFalo always proves herself to be a steady voice of reason in what can be an over-mythologized subject.

One of the most impressive things about this podcast is that it is produced regularly – usually about once a week. I listen to a number of podcasts, and there are none that compare in this field for consistent quality: download them while you can.

Past episodes will be made available from the Tarot Connection Shop on CDs with all original handouts, and each episode may eventually be offered for a dollar a download as well.

Popularity: unranked

Police in southern India are hunting for two men who attacked a Hindu holy man, cut off his right leg and then made off with it.

BBC, “Thieves cut off man’s ‘holy leg’“

Earlier this month, eighty year-old Yanadi Kondaiah was lured to a deserted spot by two men with the promise of alcohol, for which he had a weakness. Once he was sufficiently inebriated they brutally cut off his right leg from the knee, probably with a hunting knife.

Holy men are often revered for their healing powers, and the people of Kondaiah’s community thought they could be healed of “spiritual and physical problems” by touching his leg.

Left for dead, he was found by locals who alerted the police; Kondaiah is now recovering in a Tirupati hospital.

Let this be a lesson, kids: if you have a magical leg, it’s probably best to keep this knowledge to yourself.

Popularity: 4%