Pagan Coffee Talk

Deities, Spirits, And Liminal Spaces

Life Temple and Seminary Season 5 Episode 52

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In this episode of Pagan Coffee Talk, we dive into a wide‑ranging conversation about deity perception, exploring the idea of a single divine source filtered through human‑created masks and cultural lenses. We discuss why pantheons don’t clash, how different traditions tune into the same “radio,” and why this flexible approach to divinity often labels pagans as heretics in monotheistic frameworks. The conversation expands into spirits and dark entities, challenging fear‑based narratives and examining whether harmful entities behave more like opportunistic predators than soldiers in a cosmic war.

We also tackle the debate around magic during eclipses, breaking down what an eclipse actually is—a powerful liminal new‑moon moment (we are speaking about solar eclipses)—and questioning why some witches avoid liminal spaces despite their immense potential. We explore cultural fear, misconceptions, and the importance of reclaiming transitional spaces as tools rather than threats. We emphasize critical thinking, balance, and the need for real conversations instead of vague warnings or inherited dogma.

Ultimately, this episode encourages listeners to rethink spiritual assumptions, embrace nuance, and engage with liminal spaces as fertile ground for growth and magic. It’s a thoughtful, grounded discussion that blends pagan philosophy, practical craft, and a healthy dose of humor—inviting the community to join the dialogue rather than accept fear‑driven narratives at face value.

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Welcome And Listener Support

SPEAKER_01

Welcome to Peggy Coffee Talk. If you enjoy our content, please consider donating and following our socials.

SPEAKER_03

I've been out on the net trying to look to see what people were asking about. And most people seem to be asking about deity, spirits, entities, and other things out there. I figured we'd have this discussion on what things are out there that aren't necessarily human, but are still part of this world.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. That'll be interesting.

SPEAKER_03

It should

Deity As One Unknowable Source

SPEAKER_03

be. Let's start this with, well, let's start at the top. Let's start with deity. All right. Now, our concept of deity is that we we believe in the source, right? That there is only one source of creation, and this thing's so far beyond us, we can't understand it.

SPEAKER_02

Right.

SPEAKER_03

All right. Well, we do not have the equipment to even communicate with this thing.

SPEAKER_02

Right.

SPEAKER_03

So we then create mask to put on to this thing to where is things we can understand.

SPEAKER_02

Right. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

So so so when I say that, it sounds very technical, but what do you think what do you hear?

SPEAKER_01

Well, what I hear is that um and it's something that I've kind of played around with trying to word it right for a while, but and I'm still kind of working on that, but it's kind of like you'll see, it's just one of those things. It's kind of like you can't really uh perceive what it is or what it's supposed to look like or how to understand it. So your mind kind of creates something that you can understand.

SPEAKER_03

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

And that's how we wind up perceiving it. I think this is where we this is where we get the idea of different deities. This is where we get the idea of what they look like, what they do. It's it's how our mind relates to what we call a divine source.

SPEAKER_03

Right. Well, we've discussed this, and well, we've described this too as like a radio.

SPEAKER_01

Yes.

SPEAKER_03

All right. A radio is the source, all right? It's got this wide bandwidth it can tune into. So that means if we want something, if we want a God that specifically deals with something, farming, we could probably find that somewhere on our dial.

SPEAKER_02

Right.

SPEAKER_03

But again, just because we set the dial on our radio to country, it doesn't make the radio country, it just makes the station we're on country.

SPEAKER_01

Right. It's frequencies. I mean, everything's I don't know if we've discussed that before, but everything revolves around frequencies. It's part of this kind, it's part of what we deal with.

SPEAKER_03

Well, this concept also does one other thing that I think does very elegantly.

Why Pantheons Do Not Battle

SPEAKER_03

Why aren't the pantheons fighting? Why aren't the gods fighting among themselves?

SPEAKER_02

Right.

SPEAKER_03

You know, I I'm I'm I'm sorry, I I have yet to hear anybody practicing Nordic anything to come up and go, hey yeah, we're at war with uh, you know, the Roman gods, and you you never hear that.

SPEAKER_01

No, and you never, yeah. I mean, you never hear that like the Romans and the Nordics. Right. You never hear, well, Mars came and trampled on the world's territory.

SPEAKER_03

Thank you. So again, my only thought is that this is actually more along this line, is that we're all really talking to the same thing, we're just looking at it in slightly different ways.

SPEAKER_02

Right.

SPEAKER_03

But this also means one other thing. If we take this concept to its ultimate conclusion, if you believe in this and you think like this, this makes you the biggest heretic there is why why would why would that make me a heretic? Well, in Christianity, okay, and well, in Christianity and Judaism and Muslims, you're only allowed to be in one room with one door with access to one God. Yeah. We don't do that. We're standing in a room with thousands of doors, thousands of different tools, even their tools. This concept allows us to trample on their deities and use their deities like we do ours, but they can't use ours, they're not allowed. Okay, so all the other deities to them are lessers.

SPEAKER_01

All right, but again, that's that's just from their perspective that makes me a heretic.

SPEAKER_03

Right. From their perspective. I don't care about that. Well, I don't either, but I'm just saying, this is one of the reasons why in the world they look at us as like we're the biggest heretics there are, because we can use their gods as another tool on our workbench. Sure. We can bring in that Christ energy into our circle if we want. Sure. They can. So again, I I think it gives us a bigger playground to play in to some extent. It also makes us a little bit more of a heretic because, again, we have that, we have that ability. We can call the Muslim gods up and use them in our ritual. How are they gonna stop us?

SPEAKER_01

Well, again, that's heretic by their perspective.

SPEAKER_03

Perspective. So, to some extent, this is I think this is one of the reasons why they call us this. Probably because of this idea right here. Probably. So let's move

Spirits, Dark Entities, And Predation

SPEAKER_03

on. Then we actually have well, what people call what? Spirits.

SPEAKER_01

I guess so, yeah. Spirits, demons, um I don't know what else you want to call them.

SPEAKER_03

Spirits. I uh I get which it gets really confusing because we talk a lot about in craft and stuff like this, we talk a lot about spirit energy and spirits. So again, I can see where people get a little confused here, all right? Spirit energies are uh spirit beings are beings that live in that spirit realm. And in the spirit realm, there is nothing but spirit energy to live off of. Kind of like fish in the ocean.

SPEAKER_01

Right.

SPEAKER_03

Just the middle of the waters, just a little bit more.

SPEAKER_01

I'm sure people appreciate that. Thanks. I'm sure they do too.

SPEAKER_03

Again, well, we do have some good beings out there that are, you know, okay, they're not complete love and light, but they're not completely overbearing and blah, blah, blah.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

I honestly believe there are dark beings out there. Right? There are dark entities out there that will attack, possess, and all this other stuff. My only problem is I don't believe there's some type of army to come out to get us. I think they're more opportunistic creatures more than anything else.

SPEAKER_01

All right. Well, let me ask you this, since you said that, what what makes you believe that?

SPEAKER_03

Because nothing makes sense. We had discussed, first of all, if you have a strong enough will, it's very hard to be possessed unless you allow it. Literally allow it. So again, you're really inviting it in. Ignoring that part for just a moment, how many leaders do you know that have weak wheels?

SPEAKER_01

Good point.

SPEAKER_03

The whole army thing, how does possessing some abused child out in Oklahoma create that army of darkness to take over the world? Are you with what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_01

I am, but it doesn't well, I I think more my question was is what makes you believe in these entities?

SPEAKER_03

You know, I'm not saying I haven't had experiences, all right?

SPEAKER_01

Okay.

SPEAKER_03

There are things out there that are there that cannot be explained right now. Yes, they are part of nature, they're not some supernatural force. I don't see them as some army of darkness with Satan at the head of them, and the stuff that they do makes no sense to me as far as if you're you're really waging a war against humanity.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, so you don't see them that way, but but yet you do see them as like a type of predator.

SPEAKER_03

Well, more like a vulture, I guess.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, praying on the week.

SPEAKER_03

Playing on the weak, take uh taking scraps. Taking scraps where you can. I I mean, I know it sounds awful, but again, it's the same thing. Again, these entities see someone with some psychological problems because it's there, I'm here, I need the energy, I'm going to possess this person.

SPEAKER_01

Okay.

SPEAKER_03

I can get past their psychic armor. It's an opportunity, it has nothing to do with what the person are you with me? It don't have anything to do with the person, it's just the opportunity.

SPEAKER_01

Gotcha.

SPEAKER_03

Dark entities specifically attacking you to do what? And even then, when we look at the when we look at the stories of possessions and stuff, how does this further the goals of these dark forces if they're doing an army? How does killing off a little girl or a little kid or doing all this stuff destructive behavior, how does that further that goal of taking over the world?

SPEAKER_02

Right. It really does.

SPEAKER_03

It makes no sense to me. How in the world killing off some kid or somebody that's possessed and making them do all this bad stuff? I maybe there's a disconnect in my head. Maybe it's me.

SPEAKER_01

I mean, I don't know. I mean, when you put it that way, I kind of see the same way. I mean, there's really no logic to it. I'll give you a perfect example.

SPEAKER_03

What is Annabelle doing to further the goals of the satanic army that Christians tell us are out there?

SPEAKER_01

I mean, I guess it's just the fact that she can wreak havoc. I don't know.

SPEAKER_03

I don't but are you with what I'm saying? Wreaking havoc alone does not make a war, it's just random chaos.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. There is a difference.

SPEAKER_03

So I there is a difference. So again, this is why I have a problem with this. It makes no sense to me. You hear Christians say this stuff, and I'm like, how does that make sense?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I mean, I don't I don't know how they can make a logical argument out of that. But they do try to anyway.

SPEAKER_03

Again, I'm not saying these things don't exist and we shouldn't protect ourselves from it, but to me, this is the same thing about protecting yourself from muggers, thieves, lock your doors.

SPEAKER_01

I mean, right, it's common sense protection.

SPEAKER_03

It's common sense protection, it's not anything you got to go overboard on.

SPEAKER_02

Right.

Fear, Control, And Yin Yang Balance

SPEAKER_03

So I know you're seeing what I'm saying here, but is there something I'm missing from more of the Christian viewpoint? Are you are you with I'm what I'm asking here?

SPEAKER_01

I am, but honestly. Where I'm not seeing the army. Honestly, I've I've been out of Christianity for so long. I don't know that I could really speak to any of that anymore. Um I think they just they use it from a place of fear. They're using fear to um, you know, to keep people quote unquote in line and under control, whatever. I don't know.

SPEAKER_03

Well, well, again, it's the perfect enemy. I mean, no matter what in the world you do, their tactics are always against you.

SPEAKER_01

Right. Well, and then it works for Christianity because in order to have a savior, you have to be saved from something. So you have to have an enemy, you have to have an army of darkness, if you will.

SPEAKER_03

Now, as part of this problem, because they are too busy trying to separate and make something, oh, there's something has to be pure good or pure right or pure why something else has to be pure darkness.

SPEAKER_01

Well, they've they've tampered with the whole balance of things. They're they're they're tampering with the with the ancient um idea of yin and yang, in my opinion.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

So you've got the balance there, right? You've got the light part, you've got the dark part, whatever you want to call it. In the typical yin and yang symbol, you have a white part with a black spot in the middle. Then you have a black part with a white spot in the middle. And I think that's which is the right. So they've tampered with that to And remove the spot. And basically remove the spots.

SPEAKER_03

Right, which there's actually a balance here. There's nothing so good that it's not bad, and there's nothing so bad that it can't be good.

SPEAKER_02

Right.

SPEAKER_03

There is a concept of redemption here. I mean, you can move one way or the other.

SPEAKER_01

Right, but again, you've got to when you say redemption, you have to be redeemed from something.

SPEAKER_03

Well, there has to be something there to redeem.

SPEAKER_01

And if and if you remove it altogether, right, but that's but that's where they've that's where they've messed with the balance.

SPEAKER_03

Right.

SPEAKER_01

Because if you're all dark, then you're not godly.

SPEAKER_03

Right.

SPEAKER_01

If you're all light, then you have no sin.

SPEAKER_03

But unfortunately, the world we live in don't work that way. There is nothing. You might think a tiger is very beautiful and all that until it freaking eats the antelope and you see it's covered in blood. I mean, that's not kindness, that's you know, but then the animal does have to eat it's that's its food source. And there's nuance in the world. Why aren't there nuance there?

SPEAKER_01

Well, yeah, and well, and there is. They're just the they're just not showing it to everybody. Because if you look at it this way, Christians teach that God has saved us from our sins, right? Right. But yet, by the same token, they say we're all sinners. Right. Even if you've been saved, you're still a sinner. Well, like yet, they also say if you there's that white side of the yin, yin and yang, with the black spot in the middle.

SPEAKER_03

And they also sit there and say, What, if you think about it, you might as well have done it.

SPEAKER_01

Right. But on the other hand, follow the logic here, but on the other hand, you've got Lucifer, who became Satan. Lucifer, if you look at the name, means light bringer or light bearer. And Christians will tell you part of their teaching is that Satan comes to us in the form of something good to deceive us into into being bad. There's the white spot in the dark yang.

SPEAKER_03

But again, I I I've I've heard this before from Christians. I've heard it my whole entire life, but again, at the end of the day, it's still a good spot.

SPEAKER_01

Right. What they're trying to do, I'll spit it out in a minute. What they're trying to do is remove those spots and say, well, everything on the light side is light, it's good. Everything on the dark side, no matter how it appears, is bad.

SPEAKER_03

It's bad.

SPEAKER_01

So they're removed, they're trying to remove those spots. So they're messing with the balance.

SPEAKER_03

Right. Like I said, I still don't see no pattern here that lends me to think there's some type of army or war or something going on here.

Human Behavior Vs Supernatural Blame

SPEAKER_02

Right.

SPEAKER_03

In my head, I'm removing what humans do. Politics, culture. I don't see this influenced by anything else than other than human behavior.

SPEAKER_01

Right. So there's no dark entities behind anything, all of this. It's not, it's just human behavior.

SPEAKER_03

It's just human behavior. Is humans doing what humans do? I see Christians often trying to move this to, oh, here's signs we're Satan in the world. What are you talking about? That's just cultural stuff that goes on. Right. As a culture, we need to sit down and talk about it and figure it out and move on.

SPEAKER_01

I mean, there's that thing, there's that concept again. Conversations. Let's talk about this.

SPEAKER_03

Conversations.

SPEAKER_01

How dare you suggest such a thing?

SPEAKER_03

I God forbid, my my expectations of people to actually communicate with one another is so freaking far off the base.

SPEAKER_01

I mean, you're not wrong. It's like I tell people to work, you gotta lower your expectations a little bit.

SPEAKER_03

Well, after after watching uh witch talk and TikTok, trust me, my expectations are as low as they can get between it and Reddit.

Eclipse Magic And Practical Timing

SPEAKER_03

Okay, so another thing that had actually come up here recently that I sort of wanted to talk about is this whole entire concept of you should or you shouldn't do spells during the lunar uh during the eclipse.

SPEAKER_01

Okay.

SPEAKER_03

I I've I've heard it for days now. Half the community goes, No, you shouldn't be doing no spells during an eclipse. The other half goes, Oh no, you should. It's the most powerful ploying ever.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, watch me roll my eyes.

SPEAKER_03

Well, here's my question to you is which do you think? Should you or shouldn't you?

SPEAKER_01

Me personally, yeah, you personally. Well, that means that kind of goes along with with the with the way I do my my quote unquote practice, how I live my daily life. If I need something, I'm gonna do it. I'm not gonna wait two hours down the road just to do something, or you know, I'm not gonna wait till some astrological thing happens in the sky.

SPEAKER_03

Me and you on the same bus.

SPEAKER_01

I'm not gonna wait till the next full moon to do something, or new moon, or whatever. If I need something, I need something.

SPEAKER_03

See, I started to think about this, and I started to think about this a different way. When people were making this, I started back going, what is an eclipse?

SPEAKER_02

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_03

And and started to try to think of like the factors here, all right? An eclipse is when the moon passes in front of the sun.

SPEAKER_01

Right.

SPEAKER_03

Casting a shadow on the world, making a limital space. The other side from the shadow. Alexa, stop. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_01

Nice little interruption from Alexa.

SPEAKER_03

I have no idea what question she was asked answering.

SPEAKER_01

No, they don't listen at all, do they? Anyway.

SPEAKER_03

Anyway, okay. An eclipse is when the moon comes between the sun and the earth, casting a shadow on the earth. All right, making a limital space. But you know what else it is? It's a new moon.

SPEAKER_01

Technically.

SPEAKER_03

It's not a full moon. It's a new moon. The only time we get eclipse is during a new moon. You can never have an eclipse during a full moon. Because the moon is on the wrong side of the planet. It's on the outside of the earth, away from the sun. So this is actually a liminal spot. So yeah, I would sit there and say, yeah, you should be able to cast spells there. They might even be more powerful.

SPEAKER_01

Might be. I guess it depends on how you look at it. I mean, I could see it both ways. I could see, you know, people saying, well, it's a disruption in the day-to-day workings of things, so it's best not to do that because you know you're you're dealing with extra chaos. Okay. But then I also see it the other way, where you know, like you just described, it's it's a natural phenomenon. There's nothing, it's not like out of the ordinary.

SPEAKER_03

No.

SPEAKER_01

When you look at the you know the at the bigger picture, it is something that happens on a regular basis, so to speak.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Why not use it?

SPEAKER_03

Why not? And again, I really haven't heard any energy any arguments to not do this, other than ooh, dark, bad, blah, blah, blah. And again, this leads me back to the army of darkness.

SPEAKER_01

Okay.

SPEAKER_03

To a certain extent. This is sort of the way it's I've I've heard it. Not not that they're directly saying that, but it's sort of along those lines, is ooh, you do this, the army of darkness. What are are you with what I'm saying there?

SPEAKER_01

Well, that's what I was gonna ask. Have you heard anybody say that like if you do magic during an eclipse, that it's opening up doors to whatever else?

SPEAKER_03

Or to whatever, and it's all vague. And I'm kind of like I've actually I've actually heard a few people actually say that. I'm kind of like, what?

SPEAKER_01

I've never heard that.

SPEAKER_03

You know, that you might attach dark energies to you during this time because it's this or that. And I I'm not saying they're wrong or right, I'm just asking the question here.

SPEAKER_02

Right.

SPEAKER_03

When we look at these events and stuff. How do we how are we supposed to look at them?

SPEAKER_01

Well, again, I can't speak to anybody else. That's I mean, it's just how I look at it. I don't I don't see any reason not to, not to use it for what it is.

Liminal Spaces As Real Power

SPEAKER_03

Well, I'm sorry, this that this sort of brings up this whole entire thought I had on this is why do a lot of witches seem to not like liminal spaces?

SPEAKER_01

Oh, that's a good question.

SPEAKER_03

This is where in the world this thought eventually this is why I bring this up because this is what brings it up is we should revel inside liminal spaces. They're they're they're places of potential.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I I agree with that 100%.

SPEAKER_03

So I I have to ask the question, what is it with some of us having a problem being in liminal spaces? Because again, that's circle.

SPEAKER_01

See, I don't know. Um, I I kind of look at it as even if you look at a liminal space as something that's like extra or left over or or whatever, however you may look at it. If you kind of look at it from the aspect of like when you kill a deer, right? Use everything you can off of that deer. You keep the skin, you keep the antlers, you keep the skull, you can keep the bones, you can I mean you can use everything off of that deer. Why wouldn't you use liminal space? Even if you see it as something that's just left over, tossed aside, discarded, or whatever, why wouldn't you utilize that?

SPEAKER_03

Well, where this concept comes up, and and the most mainstream media place where in the world I can see this concept being wielded was um the X-Men First Class.

SPEAKER_01

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_03

Where um Charles and Magneto are standing outside and they're talking, and Magneto's like, This is as powerful as I can get. Charles is like, no, because all you're using is the anger.

SPEAKER_02

Right.

SPEAKER_03

And he brings up a memory, uh, a beautiful memory that he had of his mom, of love and all this. And it was finally able to hold both thoughts in his head at the same time, and his power magnified instantly. This is where I see this liminal spaces. Now I could even understand if you're sitting there going, okay, because liminal spaces are so powerful, doing spells there and you're not know what you're doing, you can really get yourself into trouble because there's extra power there that you're tapping into without actually understanding it. That argument I can understand, but just not to do it because there might be something. Just because I'm gonna have the the the ghost of Marilyn Manson rubbing up on me when I do it. I just how right well I understand we see liminal spaces as something scary and unknown. It's it it's that zero line in the S wave.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

It's floating and it's doing the whole airplane thing where you've got weightlessness because they're doing a nose dive. And you're actually weightless. You're you're in between two spots.

SPEAKER_02

Right.

SPEAKER_03

And I I don't see why in the world suddenly all everybody in craft and the pagan seems to have a problem being in these spaces. These are the spaces we're supposed to revel in.

SPEAKER_01

Well, I don't know, I don't know if it's everybody, but I I could see where some people like maybe certain types of liminal spaces they're not they're not comfortable in. I mean, it's obvious, you know, if they're if they're practicing Wicca in any form, typically they are doing circles of some kind. Right.

SPEAKER_03

So circles, another one of them, right?

SPEAKER_01

So right, so they're obviously comfortable in a liminal space, but maybe it's different types of liminal spaces that they're not comfortable with. Maybe they just haven't worked with them enough. I don't know.

SPEAKER_03

Maybe not. Be nice to know what other people think besides us.

SPEAKER_01

Right? Something to think about.

Send Comments And Final Wrap

SPEAKER_01

Leave us your comments, rude gestures, whatever.

SPEAKER_03

Please, rude finger gestures, please.

SPEAKER_01

Something. No, seriously, y'all. There's there's there's plenty of ways to get in touch with us and post your comments on YouTube or send us a fan mail or join the Discord and have the conversation there.

SPEAKER_03

All right, here, just tell us how stupid we are. I mean, I don't these are the things I've been questioning. I again, I'm not giving any hard answers here, but I'm just I'm trying my best to sit here and bring up both sides of this conversation going, here's the way I'm seeing it, and why? Mm-hmm, more than anything else. And it just it drives me up the wild because again, we have this notion here, and we want to we want to claim there's an army of darkness out there at pagans, and I'm like, where's your proof?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Why are we so scared of illuminal spaces? I don't really see any actual answer. I don't want to say answers, but explanations. Yeah, something a little bit more than some vague thing, I guess is what I'm after. Because I said so, or just because or just because I'm gonna pull up this ancient myth or whatever to do, and but yet I can find 20 myths that says the opposite. I just hey if any of these things you got a question about or you got a comment, say something.

SPEAKER_01

Please. Let's have let's have this conversation.

SPEAKER_03

All right, I'm ready for some coffee.

SPEAKER_01

Let's get some coffee. Thanks for listening. Join us next week for another episode. Pegan Coffee Talk is brought to you by Life Temple and Seminary. Please visit us at Life Tempelseminary.org for more information, as well as links to our social media Facebook, Discord, Twitter, YouTube, and Reddit.

SPEAKER_00

We travel down this trodden path, the maze of stone and mire. Just hold my hand as we pass by a steel blazing fires. And so it is the end of our days to walk with me till morning breaks. And so it is the end of our days to walk with me till morning break.

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