Hello, friend.
My name is Scout. This name was given to me by an NYC Subway busker (emeritus) who ran an open mic in Brooklyn that I used to frequent.
I am a collector of stories, an autodidact, and a vessel for both poetic and intellectual wisdom. I am a systems thinker, a ritualist, a devotional singer, and an ancient child.
I decided around four years ago that I would weave together the various threads that interested me into a unique web of sorts——a web that could serve the transformation and regeneration of culture through ritual practise.
This web, which I am calling emergent ritual, sits between the spiritual insights of traditional ritual, the biopsychosocial understandings about ritual that have emerged in modernity, and the felt human experience of meaning, cosmic connection, and transformation that ritual practise offers us.
HYPERPHANTASIA
Once upon a time, this newsletter was called The Oscillator’s Stone. It was a nod to the philosopher’s stone, a symbol of wholeness and perfection in the Western Alchemical Traditions, as well as the oscillation between “irony and earnestness” observed in a number of contemporary cultural artefacts by scholars such as Robin van den Akker, Timotheus Vermeulen, Greg Dember, and Linda Ceriello.
As I have evolved, so too has the newsletter. It’s come quite far from its humble beginnings. I am leaning more and more towards explorations of the relationship between body, ritual, art, and ecosystem—towards the ways in which these realms are ultimately one complex system, interacting in an elegant dance that demands to be acknowledged and admired.
The word hyperphantasia comes from the Greek words hyper (over, beyond) and phantasia (perception, image) and refers to people whose imaginations are so vivid, they can be indistinguishable from physical reality.
As a child, I was told I had an hyperactive imagination. This talent has followed me into adulthood, continuously showing me the richness and complexity of reality beyond what our physical senses can perceive.
These works serve to advocate for the legitimacy of the imaginal, the animacy of all beings, and the necessity of animist ritual practise in a culture of fragmentation. They serve to illustrate how the art of hyperphantasia can water the roots of a slowly but surely emerging regenerative culture.
Here’s how:
There are two newsletters. One is completely free, and one is partially paywalled. Both contain poetic prose in both written and audio format.
Ritual reflections (Wednesday)
Every week, I pull one card as the theme for Wednesday’s newsletter.
The newsletter is broken into five sections. Sections one and two are available to the public, but sections 3-5 are only available to paid subscribers.
Tarot Tune
I’ll write a song based on a tarot card, and I’ll share the lyrics and recording with you.
Offerings
This is where I usually share about workshops, courses, and other opportunities to work with me more directly as a guide.
Song of the Week (PAID)
A song that I think encapsulates the vibe of the card of the week. I’ll share whatever history I know about the tune and what I think makes it special.
Quote of the Week (PAID)
A quote from a book I’m currently reading. Usually, it doesn’t have anything to do with the card of the week, but sometimes they converge.
Ritual reflections (PAID)
Here, I usually share whatever has been going on with me lately. Sometimes, I write about some topics I’ve been exploring or researching. Other times, I’ll write more propositional material on the nature of ritual practise. Sometimes I just ramble for a few paragraphs about something I’m processing. No matter what, the ritual reflections will always be tied back to the notion of magic.
Collective message (Thursday)
Every week, I create a prose poem based on tarot and oracle cards, runes, and numbers that I intuitively select.
This prose poem can be used as intuitive guidance, creative inspiration, or purely for entertainment. It is up to you what feels best, but please take things as they resonate and always trust your own judgement regarding the meaning of things.
The collective message is broken into three sections, both of which are available to the public.
Prose poem
The message itself. It comes in both audio and written format.
Extended analysis
I explain the meaning of each rune, card, and number that was divined.
Ritual reflections essay excerpt
Here, have a little Wednesday newsletter. As a treat.
I sincerely hope you enjoy these offerings. If they speak to you, kindly share them with a friend to make their day a little brighter.
Thank you for joining me on this adventure.
Take care and live magically.
Scout Rainer Wiley (they/she/he)
Ritual Artist
https://scoutrainerwiley.tumblr.com/
