Podcast Summary: Otherworld – Interview with Jessica Hundley
Release Date: November 24, 2025
Host: Jack Wagner
Guest: Jessica Hundley (journalist, filmmaker, creator/editor of the Library of Esoterica)

Overview

This episode of Otherworld features a deep, remarkable conversation between host Jack Wagner and Jessica Hundley, creator and editor of the Library of Esoterica book series. They explore why esoteric traditions, the paranormal, and mystical experiences remain compelling across cultures and ages. Hundley shares personal childhood encounters, tales of haunted houses and burial grounds, her creative journey, and discusses how esotericism, channeling, and altered states shape both art and life. The conversation seamlessly intertwines personal stories, history, and cultural critique—making it a must-listen for anyone fascinated by the supernatural, creativity, or spiritual history.

Contents

1. The Library of Esoterica: Vision & Origins (05:34–13:51)
2. Jessica’s Early Engagement with the Esoteric (13:51–20:27)
3. Art, Channeling, and the Paranormal (23:20–33:44)
4. Creativity, Plant Magic, and the Occult in Music (33:44–39:01)
5. Unnerving Research and Haunted Artifacts (36:41–39:01)
6. UFOs, Non-Human Intelligence, and Modern Mysticism (39:10–48:46)
7. Why Share Esoteric Histories? Jessica’s Ethos (49:23–54:58)
8. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

1. The Library of Esoterica: Vision & Origins

05:34–13:51

• Jack praises the ubiquity and visual allure of the Library of Esoterica:
  “...everywhere I go, if I go into somebody’s house, I’m likely to see one of these on the shelf or on the coffee table...” (05:35)
• Jessica describes the series:

  “They are encyclopedias of esoteric philosophies in the disguise of a beautiful art book... talking about esoteric ideas, the paranormal, the occult, channeling, divination, plant medicine, the history of the ways we interact with those traditions and practices…” (06:09)

• She frames the books as not only visually stunning, but also as a growing “coven” or community—both among readers and contributors.
• On storytelling’s importance:

  “Telling stories is so important. It’s kind of the most ancient form of connection.” (07:28)

Key Moment

Jessica links the ethos of Both series and podcast:

“I think that you have this amazing platform where people are sharing their stories, I think is very much aligned with... the books I’m trying to create with Library of Esoterica.” (07:55)

2. Jessica’s Early Engagement with the Esoteric

13:51–20:27

• Began as an underground music/film journalist and zine creator in the late 80s/90s (zine: Mommy and I Are One).
• Grew up in rural Massachusetts—an area steeped in haunted folklore, which fueled early fascination.
• Young exposure to tarot and witchcraft (buying herbs and tarot decks as a child, “adolescent witchcraft in the woods behind my house”).
• Childhood home built atop a Native American burial ground:

  “It was literally surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of Native American remains... I had some pretty intense experiences there, which really kind of instilled in me a respect for the other side.” (13:51)

• Jessica recounts an unforgettable incident: a group of friends in her basement experienced a sudden, unexplainable temperature drop and a feeling of an angry, unwelcoming presence:

  “The temperature in the basement dropped significantly within seconds... And then my friend said, ‘Let’s get the fuck out of here.’ And we all ran upstairs... we were all feeling this entity asking us to get the hell out.” (17:00)

• Years later, friends spontaneously recall the same experience, affirming its reality.

3. Art, Channeling, and the Paranormal

23:20–33:44

• Jessica discusses creativity as “channeling”—receiving ideas from mysterious or subconscious sources:

  “Anyone who writes or paints or makes music... there’s ideas that come from a subconscious place that is perhaps connected to another realm.” (24:33)

• The new book, Spirit Worlds, examines how artists throughout history channel nonphysical realms, often via automatic writing/drawing or contact with spirits.
• Case in point: Hilma af Klint, now recognized as a groundbreaking abstract artist:

  “She had a group of five women... would come together and sort of channel and do automatic writing... She felt like people would not understand [her paintings] until now.” (25:26–26:24)

• Other artists: Surrealists like Leonora Carrington and Remedios Varo explored the subconscious and supernatural.
• Highlighted “extreme” example:
  Paulina Peavey, who “encountered during a seance in the 1930s, this spirit she called Lacamo... She would meet with Locamo... and channel him in these trance meetings and ask him to direct her brush... she believed that he was actually an extraterrestrial.” (29:25)
• Jessica’s thesis:

  “All art is channeled, right. It’s just a question of if you are calling it that.” (31:07)

4. Creativity, Plant Magic, and the Occult in Music

33:44–39:01

• Of the books so far, Jessica singles out Plant Magic as closest to her heart:

  “It’s about our relationship to the plants, the tree worlds in myth and religion and ritual... of course about the use of plants for consciousness expansion...” (32:51)

• She made a documentary on doom/stoner metal (Such Hawks, Such Hounds), acknowledging the consistent intersection of music, altered states, and the occult.
• References to the historical role of plant-based consciousness (including LSD from ergot, psychedelic mushrooms, etc.) in art and music:

  “Psychedelic rock... would not exist without lysergic acid, which is... from a plant material, a mineral, earth based material.” (35:01)

• The books always conclude with analysis of contemporary cultural expressions and art.

5. Unnerving Research and Haunted Artifacts

36:41–39:01

• Jessica discusses the emotional and spiritual “charge” of researching arcane and sometimes disturbing artifacts for the books.
• Recalls omitting the sculpture “Simon of Trent” (Getty Museum) because of its disturbing energy:

  “If you go to the room at the Getty that it’s in, you’re like, you don’t want to get near it. I need to write a horror film about it...” (37:49)

• On whether the research ever gets frightening:

  “We very intuitively react to images... there were a few that felt too charged, too potent for us to include...” (36:58)

6. UFOs, Non-Human Intelligence, and Modern Mysticism

39:10–48:46

• Jessica, based in Joshua Tree, frequently observes unexplained celestial phenomena:

  “I have been very often experiencing celestial ufo, non human intelligence sightings.” (40:00)

• Attended a retreat at Esalen with ex-military UFO researchers, spiritual leaders, and scientists.
• Experience at Esalen:

  “We all meditated with blindfolds on, and then we took the blindfolds off, and there were all sorts of crazy lights in the sky... I captured on my phone these blue orbs, which is something that a lot of people who are deep into this research see quite often.” (43:34)

• She notes how mystical and material interpretations of such phenomena converge:

  “If you look at any of the art in the books... from cave paintings to plant medicines, you know, non human consciousness... There’s non human consciousness all around us. There’s trees, there’s animals. There’s a consciousness to everything, right.” (41:41)

• Describes dialogue and tension at the retreat between military and spiritual perspectives:

  “Some people did not like the language that was being used. It was very militaristic... it got very tense, actually... And we ended it... [with] a sound bath. And I looked over and [the ex-marine] was... holding hands with the woman who had confronted him...” (47:17–48:42)

7. Why Share Esoteric Histories? Jessica’s Ethos

49:23–54:58

• Jessica’s purpose:

  “It is this evolving platform for a community... the reason that I wanted to be a journalist and a writer was to share things that I think are beautiful or valuable or cathartic and... showing them to a new audience in a new way...” (49:36)

• She wants the books to present formerly “obscure or scary” ideas as modern, inclusive, accessible, and dialogic—inviting curiosity, not dogma.
• Key mission:

  “I’m trying to create these books as a way for people to be introduced to these ideas in a non dogmatic way and... grounded a little bit in the history... because I do think curiosity and dialogue is more important than ever now... seeking the truth is really everybody’s individual path.” (52:16)

• Concludes with a favorite Manly P. Hall quote:

  “To live in the world without becoming aware of the meaning of the world is like wandering about in a great library without touching the books.” (54:14)

8. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the books as “encyclopedias of esoteric philosophies in the disguise of a beautiful art book.” – Jessica (06:09)
• “I had several invisible friends who creeped my parents out to no end.” – Jessica (11:55)
• The basement haunting: “There was this presence there that was very angry that wanted us out.” – Jessica (18:49)
• “All art is channeled, right? It’s just a question of if you are calling it that.” – Jessica (31:07)
• “The summoner said that it was the Blue Beings, he called them.” – Jessica (re: Esalen orbs, 45:09)
• On inclusivity: “I want it to be shown to a new audience in a new way. And the core ideas behind these books are to be presenting these ideas which have been made sort of obscure or scary and be presenting them in a way that feels modern, that feels inclusive, that feels open and excited...” – Jessica (51:17)
• “Curiosity and dialogue is more important than ever now... and the mysteries that we don’t quite understand. A lot of them we have begun to understand. And it’s only through curiosity and dialogue and exploration and sort of a fearlessness and non-judgmental, non-dogmatic way, I think is the only way, the only way in.” – Jessica (53:08)
• “To live in the world without becoming aware of the meaning of the world is like wandering about in a great library without touching the books.” – Manly P. Hall (shared by Jessica, 54:14)

Key Timestamps for Reference

• Introduction to Library of Esoterica – 05:34
• Jessica’s haunted childhood home & paranormal story – 13:51–20:27
• Exploring channeling in art (Hilma af Klint, surrealists) – 24:47–28:21
• Paulina Peavey & channeling extraterrestrials in art – 29:25–31:54
• Plant Magic, music, and the occult – 32:51–35:42
• Encounter with disturbing artifacts – 36:41–39:01
• UFOs, Esalen retreat, blue orbs, and perspectives on NHI – 39:10–48:46
• Jessica’s mission and the importance of open dialogue – 49:23–54:58

For more, visit libraryofesoterica.com, the series’ Instagram, or buy the books via Taschen, independent stores, or bookshop.org.
The new volume—Spirit Worlds—is out now.