Podcast 100 – Josephine McCarthy

Josephine McCarthy, author of The Exorcist’s Handbook, and many other excellent texts, joins us for our 100th episode!

fireworks

Josephine has been teaching and writing about the Western esoteric tradition, as well as working as a consecrator and exorcist, for the past two decades. The Exorcist’s Handbook is a groundbreaking work that approaches the subject in a practical, thorough, and balanced manner (meaning McCarthy is deft at knowing when a bit of humor is required to break up the deadly serious nature of the text).

The Exorcist's Handbook by Josephine McCarthy

“Exorcism is a topic that immediately leads into a fog of sensational and paranoid religious expressions, in which any direction or clear vision is quickly lost. Josephine McCarthy slices through this fog with a brilliant sword of a book. While McCarthy is conversant with scholarship on the topic, and knowledgeable regarding many religious, esoteric, and other spiritual traditions, it is her hard-won experience as an exorcist which animates her writing. With good humor and common sense, all sensationalism is brushed aside, so that the student can get down to work. This is very much a “how to” guide, in which decades of experience are shared far more openly than any other treatment of the subject I have encountered.”
– Dr. John Plummer in Forward to The Exorcist’s Handbook

Die Bibel in Bildern

Josephine begins by providing an overview of her esoteric experience. Then she tells us she wrote the book to provide accurate, proven techniques for doing the work of exorcism. She shares her perspective on secrecy and the importance of approaching things with humor. We explore the non-religious nature of the possession phenomena, its similarity to mental illness, and some of the incorrect stereotypes that abound. Josephine also shares some of her amazing experiences performing exorcisms.

Stay tuned after the interview for a special message about the 100th episode.

Please join Josephine McCarthy in the Occult of Personality Membership Section for “A Vision of the Abyss” guided meditation!

The Inner Library

The Exorcist’s Handbook by Josephine McCarthy

Exorcism” Wikipedia entry

“The Magickal Work of Josephine McCarthy” – Occult of Personality podcast episode 116

The Work of the Heirophant by Josephine McCarthy

Magical Knowledge Book I: Foundations / The Lone Practitioner by Josephine McCarthy

Magical Knowledge Book II: The Initiate by Josephine McCarthy

Magical Knowledge Book III: Contacts of the Adepts by Josephine McCarthy

intro music by HipGnosis and Paul Avgerinos – β€œAwakening”

outro music by Sol Surfers – “Terra Nocturne”

{ 32 comments… add one }
  • josephine February 23, 2011, 4:27 AM

    HI Greg,
    thanks for having me on the show… I really enjoyed talking with you and I hope I didn’t swear too much (not very British you know).. and to those who listen… thanks for taking the time to listen to the ramblings of a mad occultist!

    • rochester92 February 23, 2011, 1:05 PM

      Josephine – You’re most welcome … and thank you for such a wonderful interview! It was a pleasure speaking with you and I hope we can do it again soon. Perhaps next time we could talk about The Work of the Heirophant or some of your upcoming new books?

      • josephine February 24, 2011, 5:44 AM

        Sure Greg, would love to…just let me know when you want to do it.
        J

        • rochester92 February 24, 2011, 1:21 PM

          Excellent!

  • dogstardom February 23, 2011, 11:54 PM

    Congratulations on ep.100!!! thankyou for all your fantastic work Greg.

  • Daniel Tatman February 25, 2011, 11:05 PM

    Just a brilliant talk , Joesphine is someone i’d very much like to speak to myself – Not in regards to becoming and exorcist mind you … πŸ™‚

    And Congratulations Greg on episode 100

    Great work mate

    much respect as always

    dan

    • rochester92 February 26, 2011, 1:32 AM

      Thank you Dan! I appreciate your kind words very much.

    • josephine February 27, 2011, 4:09 AM

      Dan, you can email me at [email protected] thanks for the compliment!! its all down to Greg though, he is brilliant at interviewing..

  • Michiel February 26, 2011, 8:15 PM

    Congrats on episode 100! I still enjoy listening to this podcast immensly and once again a great guest πŸ™‚

  • gary February 26, 2011, 8:40 PM

    A most entertaining interview. Josephine cuts right through. i’ll order the book.

    Congratulations on #100, Greg. Quite a feat!

    gary

  • Steve February 27, 2011, 3:48 PM

    Greg

    Congratulations on the 100 and many thanks for all your dedication and hard work.

    Steve

    • rochester92 February 27, 2011, 8:19 PM

      Josephine – You’re too kind! You and the guests do most of the heavy lifting πŸ˜‰

      Michiel, Gary, and Steve – Thank you all so much!

  • Rob March 1, 2011, 5:53 PM

    Best episode so far! I really hope to hear Josephine on the show again. I’ve listened to a few other podcasts that like to have exorcists as guests and Josephine is the first I’ve ever heard that makes the subject actually make sense and not a mess of delusion.

    • rochester92 March 11, 2011, 1:45 PM

      Rob – Thanks! I think Josephine will be back πŸ™‚ I agree with you – she’s a wonderfully honest, forthright, and her knowledge on the subject is unmatched in my experience.

  • Suzi March 1, 2011, 6:23 PM

    I found out about this podcast from Marcus Katz.. WOW! I learned SO much, and while I have never looked into the Abyss, I do want to learn more. I have ordered two of Josephine’s books “Exorcist” and I have just received “Magical Knowledge Book II The Initiate” I can’t wait to begin! Thank you!

    • rochester92 March 11, 2011, 1:46 PM

      You’re most welcome Suzi! I’m glad you found the podcast and thanks for listening.

  • Brett March 19, 2011, 11:26 PM

    Josephine I really enjoyed what you had to say especially about the part where you mention that the entities are just doing what they are meant to do. Too many times people think that everyone should and does think and feel the same way they do. They do not think about how they may have a different idea, motive or purpose.

    Great Work, i look forward to purchasing your book!

    • josephine April 4, 2011, 2:27 PM

      Hi Brett,
      thankyou for your kind words, much appreciated!

      best wishes, Josephine

  • Carole Linda Gonzalez March 22, 2011, 1:40 AM

    Great guest to celebrate your 100th podcast! Congratulations!

    • rochester92 March 22, 2011, 10:32 AM

      Thank you Carole Linda!

  • Holder54 July 20, 2011, 12:49 PM

    Josephine,

    Thank you so much for both this interview and your book… I am in the middle of my Daoist Mysticism studies and The Exorcists Handbook has become required reading for us… It is truly one of those pieces of work that shifts paradigms and for that, we all owe you a great debt of gratitude… I hope to hear you on a podcast in the future…

    Many Blessings…

    • josephine July 24, 2011, 3:48 PM

      dear Holder54,
      Thankyou for your kind comments and I am excited to read that the book has become required reading, rather than propping up someone’s table leg somewhere! I do hope to do another podcast at some point in the future with Greg to talk about the work reflected in the Magical Knowledge books.
      Josephine

  • Janus September 5, 2011, 12:59 PM

    Hi Josephine,
    I have actually met very few authentic magicians in my life. Many dilettantes, many so called ‘satanists’ and ‘setians’ and ‘thelemites’ , but very few actual adepts.
    From these people, one of whom was my mentor, I learned about how magic really works. Listening to you speak was refreshing and intriguing. It was really a ray of light in my world. I look forward to reading your work. Thank you so much for coming on this show. it really made me very happy to hear someone speak about things which touch the fabric of who i am. I would like very much to talk with you sometime.

    • josephine September 28, 2011, 8:19 AM

      Hi Janus,
      thankyou for your kind words, they are much appreciated. You can contact me through my website theinnerlibrary if you wish to.
      best wishes
      Josephine

  • Terrence April 24, 2012, 9:10 PM

    Much thanks for this podcast! I love this quote:
    ” …it goes right down to the fundamental basics of that the monotheistic religions look at these beings as good or bad, evil or not, satan, the devil all of that, you know which is like, video games for idiots…”

    • gkaminsky April 29, 2012, 5:23 PM

      You’re most welcome Terrence! Josephine doesn’t hold back, does she? πŸ˜‰

  • PombagirasPolly June 29, 2012, 4:50 AM

    Late to the Party! However this was a most excellent episode and completely thought provoking which i adore!! Josephine is fascinating to listen to, (and someone i would love to meet one day *is very wishful*) boy did i learn a lot, which you can tell cause there was swearing and a bit of grumping, which is par for the course really *grins*

    I may have to go and listen to a bunch more of these now.

    Thank you!!

    *smiles*
    Polly

  • Dee April 25, 2019, 5:44 AM

    I cannot remember exactly how I found my way to this podcast, Greg, but I’m so glad I did.

    I am not a practitioner of magic and confess that I only thought of magic in either the sense of what we see in the movies or magic shows with sword and card tricks. I HAD NO IDEA the magic you all speak of here is what it is which I still have no idea what it actually is.

    I don’t know if that made any sense.

    In any case, this particular podcast blew me out of the water and I am wanting to know more but fear and disbelief that magic really exists is taking up space in my noggin.

    Also, I was a nun at one time in my life. When I left the monastery and returned home, I eventually left the Catholic Church and got back into a lot of New Age ways of thinking, etc.

    While in the monastery, I suppose because I wasn’t raised Catholic, (a friend dared me to go to a charismatic meeting and I had an “experience” there and I interpreted that “experience” to eventually mean I was called to be a nun), I got into quite a bit of trouble as I’d question the heck out of everything as what I was learning did not make sense to me.

    WELL… this podcast interview with Josephine McCarthy makes a great deal of sense to me. What an amazing discussion. Thank you!

    I am going to purchase her book, “The Exorcist’s Handbook”, even though I do not want to be an exorcist. I did, however, have a Catholic Charismatic exorcism performed on me by a priest and about 15 members of his congregation. My former mother superior believed “the devil was working through me” because I wanted to leave the monastery. I feel bad admitting this but I was laughing my buttress off inside myself when they were doing this.

    I hope I can remember how I came to find your podcast and Josephine McCarthy. She really is amazing and funny.

    Thanks, again, Greg. All the best.

  • Dee April 25, 2019, 3:36 PM

    Hello, Greg.

    I think I may have accidentally sent my first comment from an incorrect email address. In any case… here’s my second try.

    Thank you and Josephine for such a wonderful podcast.

    I actually stumbled upon Josephine’s work by accident this past week. I was doing some online research trying to figure out some experiences I’ve been having lately whilst in nature – like hearing rocks. I did think I was going nutty, and perhaps I am, but a few friends said they’d had similar experiences in nature. So, before running to a doctor for meds I decided to see where my online research would take me. A very long, story short, I came upon Josephine’s work via an Amazon review, to her website and here to yours. I’d never in a million years expected this part of my journey to lead to magic.

    Forgive any stupidity on my part, but as both an ex-nun and someone who’s checked out a few New Age things, I’d only ever thought of magic as that which we see in the movies or at parlor shows. My mom was interested in magic, not me. I don’t know if she ever studied magic and all as she never mentioned if she did.

    I was really surprised that this talk, and Josephine’s other podcasts here, resonated with me very deeply. I’ve looked into her online school, Quareia, and have no idea where the next part of my journey will take me. I’ll simply continue to follow the path laying down before me. And… I look forward to listening to more of your interviews here.

    Thanks, again, Greg.

    All the best to you, Josephine and others here.

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