Christopher Penczak and The Goddess of the Cauldron – Ep. 3

While Christopher Penczak doesn’t need an introduction here, he certainly does deserve one—and possibly a drumroll or something, too. He’s a witch, teacher, minister, and co-founder of the Temple of Witchcraft. As an author, he’s penned more than twenty books on spirituality, healing, magick, and witchcraft. You’ve probably heard of some of them, especially if you frequent my website, like The Mighty Dead, The Three Rays of Witchcraft, and the Temple series.

Recently, Christopher returned to M3 to discuss his latest work, The Goddess of the Cauldron, explore the writing process, and share some insights of qualities he looks for in spiritual teachers. Oh, and he’ll also answer the question we’ve all been dying to know: just how many book ideas are floating around in his head?

These are the highlights.

If you’re looking for a little bit more information on things like Christopher’s background or how the Temple of Witchcraft was formed, I’ll kindly direct you back to Season 1, where we discussed those things in detail. For now, let’s just dive right into the conversation.

The Goddess of the Cauldron

Christopher’s latest book is called The Goddess of the Cauldron—an occult look at the cauldron mysteries, the holy grail, goddess alchemy, and so much more. He says that the goddess of inspiration made him work for this one. He’s been working on it for almost a decade and, apparently, it’s the hardest book he’s put out in a long time!

Like so many ideas, the book started as a workshop. Christopher has spent roughly the last ten years honing the concepts, comparing his experiences to others, and trying to ensure that he wrote exactly the words needed to express them.

Christopher talks of the writing process as a transformative one—I’m inclined to agree. In fact, I think writing can be almost alchemical, depending on how you look at it. In this case, he’s been reinterpreting some of the grail mysteries through a lens of healing.

If you exist in the world today, then you’re probably aware that we’re very much in need of healing. For that reason, especially, it sounds like a book we should all be reading.

Oh, and since we’re on the topic of cauldrons, have you guys ever checked out the Gundestrup cauldron? I talk about it a little over here in this article. Christopher and I discussed it briefly during the interview, so I thought I’d share some more information about it.

Pros and Cons of Online Rituals

At the beginning of the interview, Christopher shared that he had recently been traveling and teaching in person, literally “getting in the dirt” with people to do magick. If you check his events schedule, however, you’ll find that he also has many online classes. In short, he seems to keep a foot firmly planted in both the digital and physical world.

Ten years ago, online spiritual training was something that very few would have accepted… unless of course, they were out for a quick buck. Obviously, we all had to rethink those values post 2020.

As much as he says he might have fought against it in the beginning, Christopher has now come to see some of the blessings of online rituals. He says he loves being able to connect with distant members. During “The Great Pause,” the Temple of Witchcraft began putting out many virtual offerings, many of which continue to this day.

But, more about that in-person stuff…

Workshops

At Summer Magick Fest this year, Christopher taught two new workshops.

The Magick of the Watcher Stars

The four royal stars of Persia are known as the watcher stars, and have long been associated with myth, magick, and Witchcraft. Associated with the seasons, the elements, and the mysteries of the fixed signs, as well as the angels known as the Grigori, they are powerful allies in our magick. Often called as quarter guardians to our rites, the watcher stars can be communed with as spirits, visited as realms, and called upon for aid in magick. Each has a deeper initiatory mystery to guide us in our lives.

Opening the Starry Door to Sirius: Myths, Magick and a Vision of the Lion’s Gate.

A modern teaching on the rising of the star Sirius is called the Lion’s Gate, a powerful time in August to align, commune, and manifest. Yet Sirius has lore and traditions dating back to the ancients, with its rise marking the flooding of the Nile, and its association with the great goddess Isis. During the Summer the Earth is bathed in Her light. Explore the modern and traditional views of this time and star, and experience a vision working to connect with the Spirit of Sirius and knock upon the Lion’s Gate.

This is a Hubble Telescope image. Sirius is there, somewhere. Can you find it?

More on this soon! Expect a Summer Magick Fest 2026 recap post in the near future. Alternatively, if you’re reading this from the future, then I guess you can expect it now.

Who Teaches the Teacher

One of the fascinating things about talking to Christopher is how frequently he throws in tidbits of what he’s currently learning or interested in. Last episode, for instance, we spent a good deal of time discussing the “temple building” classes he was taking.

So it got me thinking… what does he look for in a good teacher? And the answer, ultimately, is: it depends. At times, he might only be looking for someone to provide raw data (like numbers and math), in which case he’d just want to feel confident that they’re an expert in their field. But when he’s seeking information that must be interpreted through someone else’s spiritual lens, he needs to see that they’re walking the talk—that the principles they’re promoting have made a difference in their own lives.

Consider this: if the spiritual lesson hasn’t benefited the person teaching it, why should I assume it would benefit me?

In general, however, one thing seemed to stick out over the course of the entire conversation… infectious joy. You know when someone is so excited about explaining something… and even if you don’t quite understand what it’s all about, you can’t help but be a little excited about it too? That’s how I really want my teachers to feel about what they’re teaching.

And as a teacher, I’ve encountered it both ways with my own classes. When I first learn about something, I’m excited to share it with people. Folks will get involved in the discussion and learn. But after repeating a class year after year, I sometimes get a little bit less excited. And you know what happens? I convey my boredom. If I don’t care about it, why should the student?

(and that’s why I tend to frequently switch up my workshops)

All in all, it was a great reminder.

More About the Temple of Witchcraft

Over the course of the interview, Christopher spoke about a 9-year adept program that is currently happening for Temple initiates, so I thought I’d put a little bit more general info here about the Temple of Witchcraft.

Last time, I asked Christopher what sets them apart from other traditions. Here’s what he mentioned to me:

They are not coven based. Training takes a more academic, self-paced approach
The initiatory system has five degrees and follows an elemental model
There is not an exclusive focus on fertility or gender mysteries
Much of the teaching is based on “The Three Rays” system (Will, Love, and Wisdom) rather than polarity

To join the Temple of Witchcraft, you just need to start showing up at events! After participating in three events (rituals, classes, or otherwise), you can claim membership. To become an initiate, you need to go through the mystery school (either in person or online). To check out what events are happening soon, you can view their full calendar online. And if a 9-year adept program sounds like your speed, be sure to check them out!

Finding Christopher Penczak Online

As I may have mentioned, there’s plenty of ways to find Christopher online. If you’re looking to connect, be sure to check out some of these links:

For easy access to information, be sure to sign up to his mailing list. Don’t worry, he won’t overwhelm your inbox with spam emails or anything like that, but you will receive occasional updates on where he’ll be and what he’s teaching.

More of Christopher’s Books

After you finish reading The Goddess of the Cauldron, here are some other books to keep you busy:

Oh, heck, just go check out his entire catalog on Amazon—or better yet, go straight to his own publishing company, Copper Cauldron Publishing.

By the way, have I ever mentioned that on top of all those other cool things that he writes, Christopher wrote the foreword to my book, Fluid Condensers: Unlocking the Mysteries of Gold, Alchemy, and Magick? Go check that out, too, if you need something else to occupy yourself with.

Signature Question Round 2

Last time, I asked Christopher how he uses sound or music in his practice—and the answer was fantastic (go listen if you haven’t already). This time, I asked him about a favorite musical memory.

I won’t spoil the detail, but he told me about a beautiful experience in a college choir class. And it just so happens that the choir director had that thing we talked about earlier… infectious joy.

Conclusions

Alright, if you were looking for the answer to how many books Christopher is holding in his head, the answer is: 42. He says he has that many detailed outlines for books—more than he’ll probably ever be able to finish in this lifetime. I have to tell you, friends, that I only have a meager 2 or 3 book ideas in my head at the moment, and it’s crowded AF in there.

As always, having Christopher Penczak as a guest on my show was informative, educational, and tons of fun. I look forward to our next encounter!

Did you enjoy this article? Please consider subscribing to my website or to my YouTube channel. I know I sound like a broken record sometimes, but just drop a comment on the actual video or check out my Patreon page. Perhaps consider ordering my book. There’s lots of ways to help support, even if it means just sharing my content with another human.

There will be tons of other great guests coming at your for the rest of Season 4! That’s all for today, but stay tuned for more soon!

Oh boy, it feels like it’s been so long since I’ve written fine print. What have I even been doing with myself? Then again, it’s not like I can just sit around and write fine print all day. The sun is shining. The birds are singing. I should probably go outside! And you know what? You probably should, too. But before you walk out, let me just remind you that there are affiliate links on this page. If you use one of those links to make a purchase, Amazon will pay me a small commission. That’s all.

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