Julian Vayne and Gordon 'The Creeping Toad' on Sacred Animals - In Conversation

Sacred animals appear in many cultures, taking on various roles as guides, spiritist antagonists, and more. They are a well-known concept, but perhaps for this reason one that is often taken for granted. What if the value of animals (and plants and wider landscapes) was to be considered in their own right, rather than purely as ciphers or stereotypes with set meanings and significances, as described in many magical traditions? Can a deeper meaning be found in sacred animals in their independence (and that of other spirits), and the nature of humanity's relationships with them?

This conversation strives to examine where these ideas came from, and is less of a 'skip through flower-filled meadows with butterflies' but more a cheerful but challenging 'running across thin ice with tigers'. This in-depth conversation will touch on the successes and failures of the current conservation movement and the importance of recognising a spiritual…