I’d consider myself spiritual-adjacent. Yes, I’m a self-identified astrology girl, but I couldn’t guess your sign just by looking at you. Sure, I have crystals, but I don’t know a whole lot about harnessing that power to work with the universe.
A personal goal of mine is to become more intentional about these practices. I firmly believe that putting out positive energy into the universe is powerful, but I need to know more about doing that effectively.
That’s why I was so excited to come across “Your Magic,” a podcast that “explores and celebrates all things mystical,” as described by the host, Michelle Tea. The Spotify original podcast, which released its first episode Monday, has celebrity interviews, tarot card readings and discussions of spiritual practices from around the world.
So, I had high hopes. Before listening, though, I was skeptical about how the podcast planned to make spiritual guidance an audio-only experience. Being from a small town next to Salem, Massachusetts, and growing up down the road from actual witches, I’ve witnessed hardcore spirituality and magic in person. I wanted to see what that looked like in a virtual format.
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The inaugural episode’s celebrity guest is Brittany Howard, lead singer of Alabama Shakes. She spoke about her sister who passed when she was young and how that affected her songwriting. Howard reflected on how her loss guided her journey in spirituality. She also talked about her experience living in a haunted house, which she said raised questions in her spiritual philosophy.
“You wanna live in a world that has a little bit more purpose and a little bit more sensitivity, and a little more magic in it,” Howard said. “Well, that sounds a hell of a lot better than walking around this computer digital credit card world.”
I thought this was especially poignant given the time we’re living in. Day in and day out, I log into my little laptop and live my life in that computer, digital, credit card world Howard described. It’s limiting and it’s exhausting. And I felt immediately seen on my journey when that sentiment was expressed within the first episode.
Tea read Howard’s cards after a short interview, which I also loved. After getting to know a bit more about Howard’s spiritual life, we got to hear what’s in store for her. While reading the cards, Tea also tells the audience what the cards mean and how they’re related to astrological placements, helping us listeners learn more as we go.
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In addition to the interview and reading, Tea gives an overview of the relevant astrological landscape. For her first episode, she focused specifically on Pisces season, which began on Feb. 18. “Your Magic” doesn’t strive to be a horoscope, but rather looks to provide context to your astrological experience by explaining more widespread events and phenomena.
Another lovely detail is listeners can subscribe to the podcast newsletter, which will send a playlist inspired by each week’s episode straight to your inbox. As someone who consistently looks for new songs, this newsletter lies at the intersection between my passion for music and quest for spiritual direction. It must have been written in the stars for me to find this show.
The podcast’s description lists Phoebe Bridgers as a guest in a future episode, so needless to say, I will definitely be back for more. Check out “Your Magic” if you’re interested in a deeper look into your spiritual side — it’s great for newcomers and veteran spiritualists alike.
