a mystic is someone who believes that all people have access to the Divine, regardless of whether they are good or bad, addicted or lost or found, joyful, poor, ill or murderous, filled with hatred, filled with love. It was mystics who practiced the magic that existed before Orthodox Religions turned faith into a system of power and control.. Mystics carried the truest renditions of the lessons of great prophets and visionaries. They also rejected and questioned authority, sometimes to their death. A good mystic is a danger to those in power, in that they might teach people about their own spiritual sovereignty, so many mystics had to hide their teachings in poetry, dance, music, etc. In Christianity, there are the gnostics; in Islam, the Sufis. In the modern day, I inhabit mysticism by insisting that trans gender non-conforming people are an important part of the spiritual well-being of society, by claiming that we are sacred, and exploring how our embodied experiences connect us to the realm of spirit, irregardless of social/cultural understandings of our lives.

I began studying magic in my undergrad in courses with Jill H. Casid on topics like psychoanalysis and visual cultural studies.

I have been studying minerals (their geology and energetic qualities) for 8 years. I was under the instruction of Olivia Pepper for the 3.5 years and have been co-teaching with them on this topic for about 5.

I have been facilitating/anchoring/leading prayer circles for trans and gender non-conforming people for about 2 years and praying actively for 3-4. I have no significant religious background.

It depends on the project! The best way to contact me with questions is via email at jonah.m.welch@gmail.com

Thank you for wondering — i have a shop where I sell my art and jewelry, a patreon where I share my art, and several ways to donate if you wish to support my work.