Syncretic saint lore with Polish Folk Witch Joanna Tarnawska
In this episode, I welcome Joanna Tarnawska aka Polish Folk Witch to the podcast, who teaches online about Polish folk magic with a syncretic perspective. In this episode she speaks generously with me about her understanding of and experience with saints within the Polish folk tradition, and I respond with my own reflections on engaging with saints with a pagan and animistic lens.
Sign up for Wonder Club, my course on saints for the Christian-ambivalent: danicaboyce.com/wonder-club
Join Joanna’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/polishfolkwitch
Pre-order Joanna’s book, Polish Folk Magic: https://www.crossedcrowbooks.com/shop-crossed-crow-books/p/polishfolkmagic
Joanna’s website: https://polishfolkwitch.pl/
Find her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polish.folk.witch/
Image: A wayside shrine
--------
50:32
Wolf at the door - interview w/ Scottish storyteller Dougie Mackay
In this episode I speak with Scottish storyteller Dougie Mackay about the troubled relationship between humankind and wolves in the British isles, and how we might revive the days when culture was shared with entertainment and joy at the centre. He shares a moving story from Ireland about a peculiar family a man meets while searching for lost cows, and offers a blessing for the revival of the wolf's vital place in our world.
Learn more about the upcoming Wonder Club saints course, starting March 5th: https://www.danicaboyce.com/wonder-club
Sign up for Cave of Dreams - Feast and Fast workshop, February 23: https://www.houseoflegends.me/cave-of-dreams
Learn more about A Song of Oak and Ash retreat, Sept 11-14: https://www.houseoflegends.me/2025-retreat
Dougie’s Mailing list: sendfox.com/dougiemackaystory
Dougie’s website: storyconnection.org
Dougie’s Podcast: Tales for our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/tales-for-our-times/id1691719370
The Hearthfire sessions: https://scottishstorytellingcentre.online.red61.co.uk/event/913:5916/913:25451/
The Edinburgh Fringe: https://www.edfringe.com/
Dougie’s book, Scottish Tales for Telling: https://dougiemackaystory.bandcamp.com/album/scottish-tales-for-telling
--------
59:16
Towards a metaphysics of neurodivergence
In this episode I share my most popular Substack mailing list post from 2024, as well as some ways you can work with me this January.
Sign up for my mailing list on Substack: https://enthusiastica.substack.com/
Sign up for Entheos workshop: Danicaboyce.com/entheos
Sign up for Wolf Milk or the Cave of Dreams series: https://www.houseoflegends.me/cave-of-dreams
Make a coaching appointment with me: https://www.danicaboyce.com/shop/p/walk-talk-coaching-session
Listen to the Wolf Milk almanac episode from 2023: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5itug3FltIUkTwY29YzP4j?si=c2883a9841cb4a6d
Listen to Craft as pagan devotion with Daniel Allison: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2VT0N5gjTNDOR5Gpifd2pN?si=d86300a4b3754085
--------
30:04
Winterfylleþ - October Almanac
Sign up for October's Cave of Dreams workshop: www.houseoflegends.me/cave-of-dreams
Find me on Substack: https://enthusiastica.substack.com/
In this almanac episode, I survey some themes of the folklore of October, from fire rituals to guising, and invite listeners to dream into the relationship they would like to cultivate with the unseen in the winter months of the year. The full moon of October this year is October 17th, from which this episode took its Anglo-Saxon name, Winterfylleþ, winter-full, the full moon marking the start of the winter half of the year.
Music in this episode:
Opening theme: "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods
Buy Sylvia Woods’ music:
www.harpcenter.com/category/harp-cds
"Tam Lin" by Moira Craig
Buy this track: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/tam-lin/1617427959?i=1617427977
"The Foggy Dew" by Ye Vagabonds
Buy it: https://yevagabonds.bandcamp.com/track/the-foggy-dew
"Dromte Mig En Drom I Nat" by Musica Ficta & Bo Holten
Buy this track: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/dromte-mig-en-drom-i-nat/474624260?i=474624262
Corrections:
The whales I saw were in fact porpoises, and I was recording near Dunstanburgh Castle, rather than Dunstan Castle
--------
48:13
Haligmonað / Holy Month - September Almanac
In this episode I share about September as harvest month in folklore, Old English names for the month and season, spirits of the grain, the meaning of the equinox in tradition, the upcoming lunar eclipse, and Michaelmas!
Sign up for the Cave of Dreams workshop series: https://www.houseoflegends.me/cave-of-dreams
Find me on Substack: https://enthusiastica.substack.com/
September Almanac playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0gajsHJ86ljT3f1TuFtLFI?si=ce9b72a3701d4b77
Music in this episode:
Opening theme: "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods
Buy Sylvia Woods’ music:
www.harpcenter.com/category/harp-cds
“Ripest of Apples” by Anna and Elizabeth
Buy Anna and Elizabeth’s music:
https://annaandelizabeth.bandcamp.com/
“Band of Shearers” by Carla Sciaky
Buy Carla Sciaky’s music:
https://carlasciaky.com/index.html#store
“My Son David” by the Brothers Gillespie
Brothers Gillespie tour and music: https://thebrothersgillespie.com/shows
“Apples and Potatoes” by June Tabor
June Tabor tour: https://www.bandsintown.com/a/112582-june-tabor
Instrumental tracks:
“Apples in Winter” by Peter Acty
Buy this track: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/apples-in-winter/1617403163?i=1617403387
“Harvest Home” by Willie Clancy
Buy the album: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/willie-clancy-the-gold-ring/458399572
Image: Theodor von Hörmann - Mondaufgang nach der Ernte
UK