Tue, 14 Jul 2026 22:42:55 -0500 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2615220 en-us © 2026 Academia Obscura yes ccc28e25-5a18-5e15-a6bc-e37304e79775 Chris Little episodic false A podcast exploring the intersection of philosophy, esoterica, history, and consciousness—where ancient symbols meet modern thought. Academia Obscura dives into hidden knowledge, spiritual discipline, and the deeper forces shaping human experience, challenging listeners to question everything and live with intention.

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) Chris Little https://storage.buzzsprout.com/4nm2nly4jx6eynmed47lebh63hr8?.jpg https://www.buzzsprout.com/2615220 Doublethink, Oil Shocks, and the Chocolate Ration w/ Stacy Chris and his sister Stacy finally sit down to talk Orwell's 1984, using the novel as a jumping-off point for a wide-ranging conversation about authoritarianism, demagoguery, and how closely the book's mechanics (the two minutes hate, doublethink, Big Brother as an idea rather than a person) map onto the current moment. From there the conversation ranges into Fed leadership and monetary policy, the Israel-Gaza war and the politics propping up Netanyahu's coalition, the unfolding Iran standoff and its ripple effects on oil and global food supply, gender and sexual politics both historically and in the modern religious right, and Chris's own attempt to define his political identity somewhere between libertarianism and pro-union social democracy. Next time: Fahrenheit 451.

]]> Chris and his sister Stacy finally sit down to talk Orwell's 1984, using the novel as a jumping-off point for a wide-ranging conversation about authoritarianism, demagoguery, and how closely the book's mechanics (the two minutes hate, doublethink, Big Brother as an idea rather than a person) map onto the current moment. From there the conversation ranges into Fed leadership and monetary policy, the Israel-Gaza war and the politics propping up Netanyahu's coalition, the unfolding Iran standoff and its ripple effects on oil and global food supply, gender and sexual politics both historically and in the modern religious right, and Chris's own attempt to define his political identity somewhere between libertarianism and pro-union social democracy. Next time: Fahrenheit 451.

]]> Chris Little Buzzsprout-19496364 Tue, 14 Jul 2026 22:00:00 -0500 3102 1 5 full true My Faith: Part 1 Chris Little Buzzsprout-19439356 Fri, 03 Jul 2026 12:00:00 -0500 2429 full false The Ancient Queens of Sumeria w/ Demetria Nanos In this episode of Academia Obscura, host Chris Little interviews Demetria Nanos, head administrator for the Fellowship of Isis in Chicagoland and a board member of the International Pagan Society (IPS), about what sets IPS apart and its five pillars, focusing on education and scholarship. Demetria explains IPS’s integrative approach connecting spirituality with science, economics, history, and cultural context, using examples from the Bhagavad Gita, karmic ideas, and tantric perspectives. The conversation explores new DNA-based archaeological findings suggesting many lavish “royal” Sumerian tombs at Ur may have belonged to women, challenging earlier male-centered interpretations, and discusses Sumerian influences on biblical and mythic narratives (Abraham and Sarah, Samson and Gilgamesh, Esther/Ishtar, Mordecai/Marduk). They recount key elements of the Gilgamesh and flood stories, reflect on modern religious media and propaganda, and close with how to contact Demetria and plans to cover more IPS pillars next time.

]]> In this episode of Academia Obscura, host Chris Little interviews Demetria Nanos, head administrator for the Fellowship of Isis in Chicagoland and a board member of the International Pagan Society (IPS), about what sets IPS apart and its five pillars, focusing on education and scholarship. Demetria explains IPS’s integrative approach connecting spirituality with science, economics, history, and cultural context, using examples from the Bhagavad Gita, karmic ideas, and tantric perspectives. The conversation explores new DNA-based archaeological findings suggesting many lavish “royal” Sumerian tombs at Ur may have belonged to women, challenging earlier male-centered interpretations, and discusses Sumerian influences on biblical and mythic narratives (Abraham and Sarah, Samson and Gilgamesh, Esther/Ishtar, Mordecai/Marduk). They recount key elements of the Gilgamesh and flood stories, reflect on modern religious media and propaganda, and close with how to contact Demetria and plans to cover more IPS pillars next time.

]]> Chris Little Buzzsprout-19404565 Fri, 26 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0500 4198 1 3 full false 2026 Astrology Forcast w/ Victoria Martin Host Chris interviews Chicagoland astrologer Victoria Martin, who has practiced since the mid-1970s and full-time since 1982, including a 20-year run as Bloomberg Business News’ on-staff astrologer interpreting statistical commodity-market charts. She explains her forecasting style as a “weather report,” her preference for working with about 100 fixed stars rather than 12 zodiac signs, and her emphasis on new and full moons, eclipses, and mass psychology. Martin outlines an intense start to 2026 with multiple new-moon conjunctions, discusses eclipse-related public confusion and unrest, and describes May’s new moon conjunct Uranus as a formative window focused on technology and groups, with July favoring alliances and August’s solar eclipse emphasizing leadership; after August she expects fewer proactive opportunities. The episode also discusses Chicago’s esoteric scene, ley lines, and contact details for readings and her free forecast email list.

]]> Host Chris interviews Chicagoland astrologer Victoria Martin, who has practiced since the mid-1970s and full-time since 1982, including a 20-year run as Bloomberg Business News’ on-staff astrologer interpreting statistical commodity-market charts. She explains her forecasting style as a “weather report,” her preference for working with about 100 fixed stars rather than 12 zodiac signs, and her emphasis on new and full moons, eclipses, and mass psychology. Martin outlines an intense start to 2026 with multiple new-moon conjunctions, discusses eclipse-related public confusion and unrest, and describes May’s new moon conjunct Uranus as a formative window focused on technology and groups, with July favoring alliances and August’s solar eclipse emphasizing leadership; after August she expects fewer proactive opportunities. The episode also discusses Chicago’s esoteric scene, ley lines, and contact details for readings and her free forecast email list.

]]> Chris Little Buzzsprout-19225173 Fri, 22 May 2026 19:00:00 -0500 1457 1 2 full false Pilot Chris Little Buzzsprout-19114546 Sat, 02 May 2026 22:00:00 -0500 3246 full false