Soror Mystica
Soror Mystica is a podcast hosted by mythopoetic astrologer Cristina Farella and archetypal tarotist Mariana Louis. The show explores the rich, magical symbolism of the world through insightful and imaginative conversations. Drawing on their backgrounds in depth psychology, myth, art, and literature, the hosts discuss modern spirituality with a mix of scholarship and warm-hearted humor. They also interpret listeners' dreams and decipher occult archetypes, aiming to spark imagination and support listeners on their personal paths.
Episodes
Episode 51: The Symbol of the Unicorn
The unicorn is one of the most potent, and mysterious, mythical beasts the imaginal wilderness has to offer us. These creatures carry fascinating symbolic weight with them, and are present in the texts of cultures the world over. Join Cristina and Mariana as they explore the history of the unicorn, the magical unicorn tapestries from the late Medieval period, the unicorn's relationship to alc
Episode 50: The Meaning of Magic
As the veil thins and the days darken, many are inspired to turn toward a magical practice for reflection, inspiration, and spiritual support. Magic is a powerful tool with a deep historical context, but living in our technologized, modern world can make approaching ritual and magic feel strange, even intimidating. Join us in this conversation where we explore what it means to be in relationship w
Episode 49: The Symbol of the Great Mother
The Great Mother is one of the most primordial archetypes, and one today that has lost some of her original potency. We either tend to wash away her intensity by reducing her to "creativity" or "nurture" or project her power outwards, turning it into the witch, the monster, the devourer.In this episode, Mariana is joined again by Alyssa Polizzi to explore the true potency of th
Episode 48: The Symbols of Alchemy
Alchemy is an ancient practice that continues to enchant and mystify us today. There are so many symbols to explore, paths to follow, and often our investigation of alchemy is quickly derailed by the intimidation of it all.In this episode, Mariana is joined by alchemical expert Alyssa Polizzi to break down the major themes and symbols of alchemy, including the prima materia, the philosopher's
Episode 47: The Symbol of the Tower
The tower, a symbol of ascent to the heavens, and eventual destruction. In the practice of pulling tarot, drawing this card can inspire anxiety, as we gaze upon the image of the figures falling from a great height, struck by lightning from the heavens above. In this episode, we explore this complex symbol, weaving tarot, the story of the Tower of Babel, the tower in fairytales, and the modern day
Episode 45: The Symbol of the Eclipse
To be eclipsed is to fall into shadow. Astronomical eclipses occur about four times a year, when one of the luminaries is cast into darkness. We too can be cast into darkness, thrown into life experiences that bring us down into the depths of our personal underworlds. Just as the Sun and Moon go dark, so can we. Eclipses were seen as a malefic omen to ancient people, but we know that we need the s
Episode 44: The Symbol of the Lover
One of the most archetypal experiences we undergo in this lifetime is the search for the "other." We move through the world as individuals, learning and growing on our own path of development, but eventually, we begin to yearn for another to share space and time with. Enter the symbol of the lover. Is the beloved a mirror? A focal point of projections that teaches us something about ours
Episode 43: The Symbol of the Collective Unconscious
The collective unconscious lives and breathes between us all, a mysterious web of connectivity, sign, and symbol. Join us in this fresh episode where we contemplate the origins of the concept of the collective unconscious, and how it’s functioning in its highly activated state, in our present moment. The primordial forms of the archetypes are activated, and emerge into the world. We’re currently w
Episode 42: The Symbol of Alchemical Marriage
We're back! After a break (and by the way, how fitting that our previous episode was about retrogrades and reversals), we've returned to the pod, to explore the symbol of alchemical marriage. This discussion is inspired by the fact that Cristina got married in late September, with, of course, Mariana as her maid-of-honor :) Together we explore common conceptions around marriage, sexist e
Episode 41: The Symbol of Reversals & Retrogrades
What does it mean to be forced to reverse course? How do we contend with the moments in our lives where we cannot push forward, as expected? In this episode, we explore the concept of reversals, retrogrades, and what it means to embrace moments of inversion, or opposition. In Mariana's modality, tarot, reversed cards are often frustrating to querents, and can bring anxiety about thwarted goal
Episode 40: The Symbol of the Ocean
The ocean is our primordial origin, the place from which all life emerges. Symbolically, the ocean represents the waters of the unconscious, which shape and give form to the solid earth on which we live. Join us in this episode where we explore the magic and mythos of the sea! From the stories of the great mother, Tiamat, Oceanus, and the anima mundi, the ocean has much to offer us in terms of exp
Episode 39: The Symbol of Macro & Microcosm
"As above so below, as within so without," is one of the most famous maxims of the occult world, a phrase shared and repeated by those who explore the wonders of the mythic and the magical, the symbolic and the unknown. This phrase comes to us from the Emerald Tablet, a Hellenistic text by Hermes Trismegistus. The meaning, though sounding like a riddle, is that what happens in the greate
Episode 38: Listener Q/A
In this special episode, we had the rare opportunity to be in the same place at the same time! And so we sat on Mariana's couch, and answered questions submitted by our dear listeners. Tune into our thirty-eighth show, where we explore topics both personal and magical, chatting about the story of our friendship, building spiritual businesses, contending with family reactions to interest in wi
Episode 37: Interpreting Your Dream Language
While it's typical to, after a dream, turn to a dream symbol dictionary to puzzle out the meaning of what we saw while we were asleep, dream experts urge us to connect with the symbols and images of our dreams in a personal, particular manner. But how can we do that, when we feel we have no foundation for understanding the strange images of our dreams? Join us in this special episode, where w
Episode 36: The Symbol of the Star
The Star: a beloved major arcana card in the tarot, and a beautiful feature of the natural world. Stars glitter in the dark, reminding us of the vastness of the cosmos, and our smallness within it. But the star is never solitary - it is grouped in clusters of its fellow stars, forming constellations that tell cultural stories, encouraging us to find a sense of place within the wild reaches of the
Episode 35: The Symbol of the Garden
As the season of spring unfurls before us, we contemplate the symbol of the garden. Different from the lush vitality of wild nature, the garden tends to be protected by a fortress, guarded by angels, with something sacred and special at its very center. Join us as we explore the meaning of the garden and its occulted fertility, moving through famous gardens like Eden and the Garden of the Hesperid
Episode 34: The Path of the Healer
This episode offers a conversation a bit more personal, and more candid, about our experiences of working in our fields of tarot and astrology. Both of our disciplines can be considered healing modalities, but what does it really mean to be a healer in the modern age? How can we keep our work grounded and human, yet still invite in a connection with something more numinous? We chat about the ways
Episode 33: The Symbol of the Cosmic Egg
The egg, or the cosmic egg, is a primal symbol of creation. In honor of spring truly getting underway, episode 33 of Soror Mystica explores the egg in all its procreative glory. Eggs are present in mythologies the world over, often coming up in explanations of the birth of the world, which usually is figured by the bifurcation of an egg which splits into sky and earth. Join us as we explore the my
Episode 32: The Symbol of Spring
In honor of the Vernal Equinox, this episode is dedicated to the shimmering, gently unfurling symbol of Spring! With winter behind us, the Sun and his warmth grows wilder and more golden with each passing day. But there is more to this season than the warming of the world. Spring is associated with the themes of resurrection, fertility, and the reclamation of the sovereign path. Our listener symbo
Episode 31: The Symbol of Oracular & Prophetic Vision
Oracles and prophetic vision were paramount to life in the ancient world. Along with astrology and haruspicy, consultation of the oracle was recognized as an important way of connecting with the will and vision of the divine. We live in a world that has stripped away the importance of the oracle and her voice, and so in this episode, we explore stories of the Oracle at Delphi, Apollo, Python, and
Episode 30: The Symbol of the Ouroboros
The ouroboros is one of our most mysterious and powerful symbols, denoting the simultaneity of life, subsequent endings and beginnings, death and rebirth, completion and totality, solar power and bravery, an encircling of the world... As an alchemical concept the ouroboros represented the circular nature of the alchemist's work, or what Jung interpreted as the integration of shadow, an evoca
Episode 29: The Symbol of the Heart
When it comes to romantic love, the heart is the symbol that most immediately comes to mind. When we're passionate, we move from the heart, and when we're disappointed, our hearts can break. The heart is central, literally, to our functioning, and so in this episode, we explore different ways of understanding and holding the heart, letting it be messy, complex, and expansive. Join us as
Episode 28: The Symbol of the Threshold
What does it mean to approach a threshold? Prevalent in myths, fairy tales, sagas, ancient hymns, thresholds represent a point of departure from the profane to the sacred. Thresholds demarcate the space between realms, and our passage through them is transformative. But how do we know when we’re at a “threshold moment”? And what do we do when we find ourselves navigating the difficulty of said pas
Episode 27: The Symbol of the Lion
The lion! A symbol of sovereignty, regality, solar power, and bravery, associated with kings of all kinds. These are the primary associations we call up, when asked to contemplate the lion in all his golden glory, but upon a closer look, the lion holds more than meets the eye. At the beginning of a new calendar year, there is as much potential for hope as there is exhaustion. We can connect with t
Episode 26: The Symbol of the Winter Solstice
We enter into the depths of December and are immersed in a maelstrom of commercialized holiday ~cheer~. This time of year can be exceptionally stressful, with its emphasis on the weight of our purchases. Looking back in pre-Christian history, the winter solstice was frequently celebrated as a returning of longer days, a re-birth of the “Sun King,” a celebration of hope in the dark and cold of the
Episode 25: The Symbol of the Angel
Angels are most famous as god's messengers, often depicted in flowing white robes, surrounded by choirs of harps, and bewinged. What superficial depictions of angels tends to miss is their terrifying power. To be a messenger of god can mean so many different things--angels can deliver god's decree, they can banish and protect, and they can avenge. Join us in this conversation where we ex
Episode 24: The Symbol of the Shadow
We talk so much about “shadow” in our work as diviners, but what does the shadow really entail? And what is shadow work?! The shadow is an expression of what is yet unintegrated in our personality, that which we don’t see about ourselves, which we can strive to bring to awareness over the course of our life. As we work towards individuation in our lifetime, we must go searching for the pieces of o
Episode 23: The Symbol of the Wheel
The Wheel of Fortune is an ancient symbol, spun by the Roman goddess Fortuna, doling out gifts and twists of fate in equal measure. Many of us are most familiar with the Wheel of Fortune from the tarot (or the famed gameshow, though here at Soror Mystica, we’re more Jeopardy girls), as a card that holds the promise of change…But the Wheel of Fortune brings with it an element of chance. Sometimes w
Episode 22: The Symbol of the Undead
What does it mean for our cultural moment that we are awash in a sea of zombie TV shows and films? Carl Jung said that when we’re unsure of what’s going on in our unconscious, we may project it outward, and we seem to be focusing on this projection of the zombified expression of human consciousness. What can we learn from this creepy, brain-devouring monster, and what are the deeper roots of this
Episode 21: The Symbol of the Witch
Witches are people who have the power to heal or to harm, the sacred encapsulation of life and death. As a result of this, witches are personified as revolting, terrifying, uncontrollable expressions of the dark feminine, often banished to the edges of society. Just in time for the thinning of the veil, this episode of Soror Mystica explores the symbol of the witch, in all her complex detail. Many
Episode 20: The Symbol of the Pearl
The pearl! A luminescent, oceanic gemstone, created in the briny deep, the result of an intrusive grain of sand. Pearls are usually associated with the feminine, with Venus-Aphrodite, as a symbol of purity and beauty, or perhaps an expression of lunar consciousness. This episode pushes the understanding of the pearl beyond these expectations, as we explore adjacent stories in which characters are
Episode 19: The Symbol of the Maiden
What does it mean to be “maiden”? The maiden is most famously known as one-third of the feminine triad, and along with the mother and crone, symbolizes a particular kind of life force in the cyclic flow of life. But what happens when we hold the maiden on her own, what does her form suggest, and how can we better understand this symbol? In this episode, we explore the archetypal details of the mai
Episode 18: On the Creation of Sacred Space
We live in a magical moment where so many of us are turning away from established religion, and seeking spirituality on our own in nature, in divination, and so many other modalities. But when we step away from the church or the temple, we suddenly realize that we need to create a sacred space of our own, which can be quite daunting!This episode explores what it means to create a space to connect
Episode 17: The Symbol of the Swan
At first blush, the swan impresses us with its dazzling white feathers and graceful posture, conjuring images of ballerinas or fairytale settings. But what does the swan offer us beyond the image of beauty and grace?Swans appear in myths often as emblems of solar, masculine gods, like Apollo or Zeus. In alchemy, the swan symbolizes a union of opposites, and can be found in the “albedo,” or the wh
Episode 16: The Symbol of the Spiral
🌹 Advertise With Us 🌹Would you like your product or shop to be featured as an ad partner on Soror Mystica? Explore advertising options here!🌞 Share Your Symbols 🌞Do you have a symbol that pops up in dreams, in your tarot card pulls, or in your personal experience that puzzles you? If you’d like to hear us talk about your personal symbol on our show, feel free to share your story with us here.❤️🔥
Episode 15: The Symbol of the Psychopomp
Special thanks to this episode’s ad partner, Vibes del Alma! https://www.vibesdelalma.comIf you enjoy this episode, please remember to leave us a rating or review on Apple podcasts or Spotify :) Share Your SymbolsDo you have a symbol that pops up in dreams, in your tarot card pulls, or in your personal experience that puzzles you? If you’d like to hear us talk about your personal symbol on our sho
Episode 14: The Symbol of the Holy Mountain
SHOW NOTESAd PartnerMoon Magic - Distance Healinghttps://www.moonmagicwellness.com/distance-healing@MoonMagicWellnessLinks to connect with us, share your sacred symbols, or explore materials referenced in this episode:Register for Mythology for Astrologers here!Support us on Patreon here!Find Us On InstagramhereMariana LouisCristina FarellaShare Your SymbolsDo you have a symbol that pops up in dre
Episode 13: Meeting the Soror Mystica
SHOW NOTESAD PARTNERVibes de Alma@vibesdealma Links to connect with us, share your sacred symbols, or explore materials referenced in this episode:Support us on Patreon here!Find Us On Instagram hereMariana LouisCristina FarellaShare Your SymbolsDo you have a symbol that pops up in dreams, in your tarot card pulls, or in your personal experience that puzzles you? If you’d like to hear us talk abou
Episode 12: The Symbol of Divine Music
SHOW NOTESLinks to connect with us, share your sacred symbols, or explore materials referenced in this episode:Episode Playlist Linked here!Support us on Patreon here!Find Us On InstagramhereMariana LouisCristina FarellaShare Your SymbolsDo you have a symbol that pops up in dreams, in your tarot card pulls, or in your personal experience that puzzles you? If you’d like to hear us talk about your p
Episode 11: The Symbol of the Sun
SHOW NOTES Links to connect with us, share your sacred symbols, or explore materials referenced in this episode:Support Soror Mystica and receive supporter perks by joining our Patreon, here.Find Us On InstagramSoror Mystica PodcastMariana LouisCristina FarellaShare Your SymbolsDo you have a symbol that pops up in dreams, in your tarot card pulls, or in your personal experience that puzzles you? I
Episode 10: The Symbol of the Moon
In our tenth episode, we immerse ourselves in the symbol of the Moon, one of our most ancient, and most important, symbols of fertility, the feminine, and the powers of creation and destruction. Whether we’re contemplating the Great Mother goddess, meditating on the Moon card in the tarot, or approaching our own lunar placement in our natal charts, the Moon’s expressions are wildly varied—nurturin
Episode 9: The Symbol of Resurrection
Links to connect with us, share your sacred symbols, or explore materials referenced in this episode:Support Soror Mystica and receive supporter perks by joining our Patreon, here.Find Us On InstagramSoror Mystica PodcastMariana LouisCristina FarellaShare Your SymbolsDo you have a symbol that pops up in dreams, in your tarot card pulls, or in your personal experience that puzzles you? If you’d lik
Episode 8: The Path of Individuation
SHOW NOTESLinks to connect with us, share your sacred symbols, or explore materials referenced in this episode:Support Soror Mystica and receive supporter perks by joining our Patreon, here.Find Us On InstagramSoror Mystica PodcastMariana LouisCristina FarellaShare Your SymbolsDo you have a symbol that pops up in dreams, in your tarot card pulls, or in your personal experience that puzzles you? If
Episode 7: The Symbol of the Familiar
We’re all well aware of the archetype of the witch—the mysterious woman, often seen as an outsider who lives alone on the fringes of society, who works in secrecy to perfect her magic spells, lunar rituals, and banquets with the Devil. Though stories and depictions of the witch are wild and variegated, one detail of her life is quite consistent; the witch is always accompanied by her familiar. The
Episode 6: The Symbol of Triplicity
SHOW NOTESLinks to connect with us, share your sacred symbols, or explore materials referenced in this episode:Support Soror Mystica and receive supporter perks by joining our Patreon, here.Find Us On InstagramSoror Mystica PodcastMariana LouisCristina FarellaShare Your SymbolsDo you have a symbol that pops up in dreams, in your tarot card pulls, or in your personal experience that puzzles you? If
Episode 5: The Symbol of the Rose
SHOW NOTESSupport Soror Mystica and receive supporter perks by joining our Patreon, here.Links to connect with us, share your sacred symbols, or explore materials referenced in this episode:Find Us On InstagramSoror Mystica PodcastMariana LouisCristina FarellaShare Your SymbolsDo you have a symbol that pops up in dreams, in your tarot card pulls, or in your personal experience that puzzles you? If
Episode 4: The Quaternity of the Elements
SHOW NOTESLinks to connect with us, share your sacred symbols, or explore materials referenced in this episode:Support Us on PatreonGet Supporter Perks like early episode access, access to the extended version of each episode, and monthly divinatory tools from Mariana and Cristina!Explore HereFind Us On InstagramSoror Mystica PodcastMariana LouisCristina FarellaShare Your SymbolsDo you have a symb
Episode 3: The Marriage of Tarot & Astrology
SHOW NOTESLinks to connect with us, share your sacred symbols, or explore materials referenced in this episode:Support Soror Mystica and receive supporter perks by joining our Patreon, here.Find Us On InstagramSoror Mystica PodcastMariana LouisCristina FarellaShare Your SymbolsDo you have a symbol that pops up in dreams, in your tarot card pulls, or in your personal experience that puzzles you? If
Episode 2: Living Your Myth
SHOW NOTESLinks to connect with us, share your sacred symbols, or explore materials referenced in this episode:PatreonSupport Soror Mystica and receive supporter perks by joining our Patreon, here.Find Us On InstagramSoror Mystica PodcastMariana LouisCristina FarellaShare Your SymbolsDo you have a symbol that pops up in dreams, in your tarot card pulls, or in your personal experience that puzzles
Episode 1: The Symbol of the Dream
Links to connect with us, share your sacred symbols, or explore materials referenced in this episode:PatreonSupport Soror Mystica and receive supporter perks by joining our Patreon, here.Find Us On InstagramSoror Mystica PodcastMariana LouisCristina FarellaShare Your SymbolsDo you have a symbol that pops up in dreams, in your tarot card pulls, or in your personal experience that puzzles you? If yo
