Best With Cunning & Command Podcasts (2025)

1
Paring Down a Practice 1:38:11

12d ago1:38:11

1:38:11

Key and Sfinga reminisce on the essentials of their practices and what it means to return to the basics. In addition to musing on what exactly the physical needs of their spiritual traditions are, they go over what a healthy dose of minimalism can do to revitalize connections to spirits and confidence in one's sorcery.…

1
Justified Work with Austin Fuller 1:52:27

27d ago1:52:27

1:52:27

Austin Fuller of Bane X Bramble joins the gang for a discussion on how to act calmly when attacked, as well as how to move in justice on both the defensive and offensive sides. B. Key gets possessed by the spirit of Jeff Goldblum the Karcist (summoning Guland from the Grimorium Verum), Austin and Sfinga channel J.D. Vance meeting the pope, and ever…

1
Kitchen Witchin' with Caspar 1:46:22

1M ago1:46:22

1:46:22

De Duivelbanner van Overijssel joins the crew again for a lighthearted discussion of the spirits, implements, and rites of the heart of the home: the kitchen. From attack sorcery to fertility magic and all the various beings that patron the workings of the hearth, the the gang walk each other through some of the most notable negotiations they've we…

1
Amulets and Talismans 1:34:33

2M ago1:34:33

1:34:33

Salt leads a discussion on the definitions, differences, and contentious scholarly boundaries between amulets and talismans across various traditions in translation. In addition to chatting creation, activation, and use, the gang explores the immense diversity of magical technologies involving ensouled and empowered phylacteries, charms, counterspe…

1
Cleansing the Home 1:47:47

2M ago1:47:47

1:47:47

The Dragon, Wolf, and Owl tackle the ins and outs of keeping your home spiritually refreshed. In addition to covering some simple staples for each kind of room, basic omen divination for when something is off, and discrete ways to elevate the vibe while living with roommates, the gang also considers the importance of managing the ambient dead—espec…

1
The Black Pullet 1:36:02

3M ago1:36:02

1:36:02

Key takes the gang on a journey through the first grimoire he ever dabbled with: the ever-reliable and user-friendly Black Pullet. Going over the talismans and rings as well as his own experiences with them, Key outlines budget-friendly ways to reap the benefits of this fascinating text (and its rather hilarious framing device). Support us on patre…

1
First Steps with Plant Allies 1:48:53

3M ago1:48:53

1:48:53

By popular request, the gang discusses some preliminary considerations in working with our verdant allies of the plant kingdoms. Drawing on their training across traditions, as well as Key's education in bio-chemistry, the trio discuss important protocols, spiritual understandings, and magical approaches to engaging with the spirits and patrons of …

1
Enchanting on the Go 1:25:14

4M ago1:25:14

1:25:14

Drawing on a set of frequently asked questions, Sfinga, Salt, and B. Key touch base on the ins and outs of travel magic. Starting off on tips for locking down your house with protection, negotiating your offering schedules with your spirits, and building the best travel kit for on the go magic, the gang also considers how to optimize your fortune i…

1
Consorting With Angels 1:33:55

4M ago1:33:55

1:33:55

Salt takes the reigns on an introduction to basic angelic magic. Covering some basic theory following Pseudo-Dionysius, he considers the implications of working with angels on a number of metaphysical levels, and explores with the gang some of the most user-friendly ways of doing so, from the famous Drawing Spirits into Crystals to John Dee's scryi…

1
Nosferatu, Zalmoxis, and Appetite with Rose Aurora 1:56:57

5M ago1:56:57

1:56:57

Emergency episode incoming, spoilers beware! Sfinga and Key rush back to their mics after seeing Robert Eggers' Nosferatu (2024) to get beloved friend, fairy seer, and horror savant Rose Aurora on the call. Together, they analyze some of the key folkloric themes of the film—including vampirism, Balkan witchcraft, and erotic encounters with spirits—…

1
Ba Zi with Maria, Green Dragon Healer 1:32:31

5M ago1:32:31

1:32:31

Sfinga and B. Key are joined by their dear friend, Greek Orthodox folk practitioner and Traditional Chinese Medicine healer, Maria! Drawing on over a decade of experience training in various lineages of traditional Chinese healing and metaphysics, Maria leads the gang through an erudite discussion on the Chinese astrological understandings of Ba Zi…

1
Sorcerous Pentesting in the Workplace 1:33:55

6M ago1:33:55

1:33:55

This could be none other than a certified B. Key special, an eclectic investigation into domination magic, intelligence gathering, and sorcerous pentesting for optimal results. Building off Episode 23: Troubleshooting Your Sorcery, Key leads the gang through the many ways you can work over targets that prove harder to crack, especially when it come…

1
Ceremonial Tattooing with Gary Noriyuki 1:34:44

6M ago1:34:44

1:34:44

Longtime friend and incredible tattoo artist, conjurer, Quimbandeiro, and practitioner of Thai necromancy Gary Noriyuki joins the gang once more to talk all about the magic involved in ceremonial tattooing. From inheriting lineage taboos to maintaining pacts, Gary covers the ins and outs of receiving different kinds of sacred tattoos, touching on h…

1
Quimbanda with Jesse Hathaway Diaz 3:20:36

6M ago3:20:36

3:20:36

Laroyê Exu, Exu é Mojubá! In this very special episode, Sfinga and Key welcome their Tata in Quimbanda de Angola, Tata Apokan (Jesse Hathaway Diaz), for a winding, serpentine foray through the world of Afro-Brazilian sorcery. In addition to touching on personal experiences in initiation, priesthood, and continual, expansive study within oral tradit…

1
Six Fairy Tales for Discerning Sorcerers 2:00:00

7M ago2:00:00

2:00:00

It's the Halloween special! Sfinga, Salt, and B. Key dive into the world of fairytales, folklore, and dramatic plays to narrate six different stories—and reflect on each of the sorcerous lessons one can glean from them. From seafaring saints and Faustian conjurers to old witches and dragon-slaying princes, the gang giggles their way through all the…

1
Formulating Divination Questions 1:42:55

7M ago1:42:55

1:42:55

How do you determine which spirits are best suited to consult for which questions? What roles to concurrent auguries play alongside one's chosen divinatory system? How can over-divining block a result, and how can you know the answer generated by trance is the most accurate and precise one? How do we better our capacity to not only hear our spirits…

1
Coptic Magical Papyri 1:33:01

8M ago1:33:01

1:33:01

The gang reunite to discuss their favourite spells from the corpus of Coptic Magical Papyri. From contests with headless beings to rites to bring (and take away) fertility, the Dragon, Wolf, and Owl cover a wide spectrum of practical applications born of this often-neglected yet exceedingly rich collection of ancient magical technologies. Support u…

1
Lording Over Landlords 1:24:27

8M ago1:24:27

1:24:27

B. Key provides an array of tips and tricks for dominating landlords—and by extension anyone in a position of financial authority over you. Whether it's propitiating the spirits of the land, fixing contractors and neighbours alike, or keeping the peace within the home, Key explores the ins and outs of how to stay safe, stay strapped, and stay secur…

1
Animist Immersion with Albert Björn Shiell 1:33:20

9M ago1:33:20

1:33:20

Sfinga and B. Key are joined by the incredible Albert Björn Shiell, witch, sorcerer, and student of English and Icelandic folk magical traditions. Albert goes over his experience studying oral and literary traditions of Icelandic magic, and muses on the nature of integrating into not only a new culture and language, but a foreign country's animist …

1
The Pentacles of Solomon 2:12:49

9M ago2:12:49

2:12:49

Sfinga and B. Key cover the 44 pentacles of the Key of Solomon, their construction, uses, and personal tips, tricks, and innovations they've gleaned from their experiments. The Dragon and Owl discuss at length the various ways in which the planetary pentacles can be used across the sorcerous board, as well as the magical implications of matching on…

1
Dutch Folk Magic with Caspar, De Duivelbanner van Overijssel 1:48:02

10M ago1:48:02

1:48:02

Dear friend and discerning sorcerer Caspar, also known as De Duivelbanner van Overijssel, joins the hosts to chat all things Dutch folk magic. In addition to discussing the diversity of Dutch folk practitioners, what duivelbanners are, differences between Protestant and Catholic traditions, and types of spirits one may encounter, the gang explores …

1
Techniques of Magical Healing 1:28:53

10M ago1:28:53

1:28:53

Salt opens the floor on the grounding elements of magical healing and sorcery in health. Exploring the logics of oral charms, Galenic medicine, and medical astrology, he leads the gang through a round table discussion of the key principles of protecting and nurturing long-term health in one's spiritual practice—through all holistic means, magical a…

1
Law Stay Away and Magical Resistance 1:43:44

11M ago1:43:44

1:43:44

B. Key brings the fire to passionately advocate for the use of magic in anti-fascist resistance. After a brief overview of some of the most critical Supreme Court cases that have eroded civil liberties in the United States, Key provides a miscellany of sorcerous workings to resist the state, evade the law, and protect our communities—especially tho…

1
Birth Omens and Witch Marks with Rose Aurora 1:51:55

11M ago1:51:55

1:51:55

Sorceress, Fairy Seer, Trollkvinne, and dear friend of the show Rose Aurora returns for a discussion about the various signs that manifest in clusters at birth, puberty, and beyond to delineate proclivities for certain kinds of magical pacts. We cover questions concerning lack of free will and choice, what does having "the gift" entail across our c…

1
Witching the Witch Bottle 2:01:27

12M ago2:01:27

2:01:27

Sfinga leads the gang through a survey of the counter-magical tactics employed by witch bottles. From Blagrave’s "Astrological Practice of Physick" all the way to Harry Middleton Hyatt's collections on hoodoo and conjure, the Dragon, Wolf, and Owl engage in some quick maths: early modern humoural theory + pins + heat + a witch's bladder = an absolu…

1
Foam-born Aphrodite 2:29:35

12M ago2:29:35

2:29:35

After six months of continuous labour, Sfinga and B. Key at last unveil as much as can be said publicly about their profound experience pilgrimaging to the Sanctuary and Rock of the Goddess of Love's birth. Pouring their hearts out in celebration of a theophany, numerous physical manifestations of spiritual presence, remarkable omens of nature, and…

1
Alchemy and Spiritual Perfume with Austin Fuller 1:48:43

1y ago1:48:43

1:48:43

This week we welcome diviner, perfumer, and conjurer Austin Fuller of BanexBramble and the Southern Bramble podcast. Austin joins Sfinga and B. Key in a heartfelt and riotous discussion on perfume and spiritual colognes, from their creation under the auspices of alchemical patrons to their use in glamour, sorcery, and the activation of spirits. We …

1
The Book of the Images of the Twelve Hours of the Night 1:21:54

1y ago1:21:54

1:21:54

B. Key introduces the gang to his experiments with the aptly-named Book of the Images of the Twelve Hours of the Night. Beginning with an overview of the text itself and then diving deep into the properties of each associated talismanic image, the Owl goes over his personal experiences with the spirits and their manifestations, personal application…

1
Hodie et Cras: The Feast of St. Expedite with Mahigan Saint-Pierre 1:42:49

1y ago1:42:49

1:42:49

Mahigan Saint-Pierre of Kitchen Toad joins us once again to celebrate the feast of our most beloved Saint Expedite! We giggle about our formative experiences with the martyr, reminisce on baking late night pound cakes after our petitions manifested even more quickly than we'd dreamed, and ponder why Mahigan's statue of the saint looks exactly like …

1
Daji and Chinese Fox Worship with Red Hu 1:40:07

1y ago1:40:07

1:40:07

Sorceress, diviner, and Chinese folk magic practitioner Red Hu leads the gang through the story of Daji, the intelligent, sadistic, and supernaturally seductive fox spirit who allegedly brought about the fall of the Shang dynasty. We cover her legend from Xu Zhonglin's "The Investiture of the Gods," discuss the survival of Chinese fox cults and fol…

1
Spiritual Hygiene and Sympathetic Magic 1:18:13

1y ago1:18:13

1:18:13

What lies at the heart of the concept of spiritual hygiene and what implications does it pose for sympathetic magic? Salt leads the team through an exploration of the relationship between different notions of ritual purity and spirit communion, a topic so often misconstrued with notions of morality, strict orthodoxy, and personal worth. Support us …

1
Spirit Offering Protocols 1:29:25

1y ago1:29:25

1:29:25

The gang explores the ins and outs of offering protocols, from divination to presentation to disposal. The Dragon, Wolf, and Owl dive deep in consideration of when to make them, what to give, how different actions and foods influence spirits during workings, and how to clean up and dispose of weekly treats and lavish annual feasts alike. Support us…

1
Troubleshooting Your Sorcery 1:34:47

1y ago1:34:47

1:34:47

B. Key leads the gang through an exploration of what to do when your magic doesn't work out the way you intend. From partial successes to outright roadblocks in materia, technique, taglocks, or spiritual sabotage, the Owl provides a thorough account of how to keep your wits sharp and your spells sharper. Support us on patreon.com/TheFrightfulHowls …

1
Planetary Conditions in Traditional Astrology 1:15:17

1+ y ago1:15:17

1:15:17

Salt brings out his astrological cunning to explain the importance of planetary conditions and necessity. Explaining the underlying implications of angularity, aspects and zodiacal shares, the Wolf explores how different contexts shape condition in the astrological figure. Support us on patreon.com/TheFrightfulHowls and follow us at twitter.com/Fri…

1
Encountering the Djinn with J.M. Hamade 1:41:04

1+ y ago1:41:04

1:41:04

Astrologer, artist, author, and fellow podcaster J.M. Hamade of "starnightdwell" joins the gang for an exceptionally thoughtful conversation on the hidden djinn. From literary motifs in Qur'anic scripture, Arabic grimoires, and the One Thousand and One Nights to the trance possession rituals of Zār and Gnawa cults, J.M. provides a vivid and articul…

1
Kitsune-tsuki, Fox Familiars, and Witchcraft Politics in Japan 1:41:50

1+ y ago1:41:50

1:41:50

Sfinga explores some of the historical, anthropological, and medical scholarship on the phenomena of kitsune-tsuki: fox spirit possession or "attachment". From Meiji Period medical and religious reforms to the anxieties of socio-economic upheaval in villages, the Dragon considers culturally-negotiated categories of "madness" and trance, the politic…

1
Faeries, Fact, and Fiction with Rose Aurora 1:54:35

1+ y ago1:54:35

1:54:35

Sfinga and B. Key are joined by their dear friend, the impeccable sorceress, Fairy Seer, and Trollkvinne Rose Aurora. Trained in trolldom, rootwork, and a sorcerous lineage of Celtic origin, Rose brings her deep erudition and practical cunning to evaluate some of the prominent tropes about the Fair Folk. How do the Good Neighbours differ from spiri…

1
French-Canadian Folklore with Mahigan Saint-Pierre 1:17:52

1+ y ago1:17:52

1:17:52

Cows that are also werewolves, trigger-happy priests who curse more than witches, and a stone bearing the ass-print of the Devil Himself—the world of French Canadian folklore is full of some of the most hilarious motifs and cantrips. Mahigan Saint-Pierre, witch and proprietor of Kitchen Toad, joins the crew for a wild ride on the wild hunt canoe of…

1
Balancing Traditions with Gary Noriyuki 1:35:39

1+ y ago1:35:39

1:35:39

Ceremonial tattoo artist and practitioner of rootwork, Quimbanda, and Thai necromancy Gary Noriyuki joins the crew to discuss what it means to participate deeply and authentically in multiple spiritual lineages. From apprenticing under elders in traditional modes of study to making use of the mediumship skills which inevitably carry over, Gary demo…

1
The Immortal Faith in Northern China 1:35:36

1+ y ago1:35:36

1:35:36

Salt takes us on a journey through the worship of the Wǔdàxiān in Northern China: the Fox, Weasel, Serpent, Hedgehog, and Rat Immortals of the Chumaxian tradition. Covering the history, cultural roots and influences, and trance possession rites of this rich current, Salt shares his love of the Five Great Immortals in a deeply evocative exploration …

1
Pacts Praxis 1:32:33

1+ y ago1:32:33

1:32:33

Some sorcerers are born with pacts, some achieve pacts, and others have pacts thrust upon them! Sfinga, Salt, and B. Key delve into personal considerations on intimate spirit alliances as more than just reciprocal agreements forged in trade, but transformative convergences of mutual oaths, duties, and license to conjure one another. Support us on p…

1
Gathering Materia 1:26:56

1+ y ago1:26:56

1:26:56

Sfinga and B. Key reflect on recent sorcerous adventures—and all the dirt, hagstones, brick dust, and herbs harvested along the way. Diving into the tips and tricks of collecting, storing, and using materia, the duo consider how to seem innocuous and invisible when gathering spicier dirt, trading with spirit merchants for greater boons, pacts which…

1
So You Think You Can Ward 1:49:53

1+ y ago1:49:53

1:49:53

The gang reunites with a vengeance to discuss what it means to test your own protection magic. Taking turns sharing stories of practical enchantment, Sfinga, Salt, and B. Key consider ways to improve upon wards, how to check that they are indeed in place, what to do when protective amulets break, verifying disturbances and intrusions, and being war…

1
Fotamecus, Lord of Time 1:42:00

1+ y ago1:42:00

1:42:00

Sigil, servitor, egregore, god(?) - Fotamecus is everything, and we're just Ken(jurers). Sfinga and B. Key tackle the origins, magics, and memetic self-replication of the Internet's favourite time-bending spirit. From his construction as a temporal compression glyph to his current status as a godform of fluid, malleable time, the Dragon and Owl con…

1
The DKMU's Assault Against Reality 2:00:00

1+ y ago2:00:00

2:00:00

The gang immanentizes the eschaton in this blast from the past! B. Key returns to his magical origins and leads Sfinga down the rabbit hole of the DKMU. From its early origins on OccultForums through the present day, Key explores the history of one of the most successful chaos magical movements and traverses through the pantheon of godforms that pa…

1
Super Incantation Bowl 1:42:39

1+ y ago1:42:39

1:42:39

Sfinga leads the gang through the spiraling words and worlds of Near Eastern incantation bowls. Rife with the poetics of exorcism and courtly judgement, and populated with a cast of satans, liliths, "no-good-ones", and the gods, angels, and even rabbis who bind them, this episode considers the cunning of the Syriac and Jewish Babylonian Aramaic gen…

1
A Divination Primer 1:42:11

2y ago1:42:11

1:42:11

The gang follows up on Episode 6: Scrying the Spirits with a miscellany of tips and tricks for beginner and veteran readers alike, marking the second installment in the recurring series of practical insights to sorcery informed by their direct experiences. The Dragon, Wolf, and Owl chime in on the importance of not over-divining, thoughts on the li…

1
I'm the Schratmann! 1:19:01

2y ago1:19:01

1:19:01

B. Key delights us with a tour into all things Schrat: an ambiguous and exquisitely folkloric category of spirits hailing from nature, the hearth and home, and from the devil's own collection of souls to imbue manmade creations with life alike. Traversing through German, Dutch, and Estonian folklore, Key navigates through the winding paths of the S…

1
Hagstones and Hol(e)y Rocks 1:20:01

2y ago1:20:01

1:20:01

Witches love a forked stick and a holed stone! Sfinga and B. Key explore our favourite of companions, the eggs, eyes, and spines of serpents, the wounds and sighs of the stars, the vigour and descent of the gods: hagstones. Featuring lore from the British, Germanic, and Slavic sources, this episode considers some of the general folklore on these mo…

1
Scrying the Spirits 1:36:48

2y ago1:36:48

1:36:48

In a turn for the practical, Salt contextualizes the Renaissance worldview behind the sensory perception of spirits within the Western philosophical tradition, while B. Key gives us some hard-won insights into developing mediumship. The first in a (hopefully, extensive!) series on spirit perception across cultures (and scrying specifically in multi…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

With Cunning & Command Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide