A student of the magical arts since childhood, Judika Illes discussed beings that can offer both physical assistance and spiritual guidance. Known as saints in some traditions and mystics & sages in others, she shared both the history and current ways these beings can be used to help such situations as illness, and unemployment. There are literally tens of thousands of saints, both sanctioned by the Catholic Church, and in other traditions, and they can be thought of as "powerful, helpful, ghosts," she said. The Catholic Church canonizes saints when they have demonstrated two miraculous medical cures but it must be after they have already died, she explained.

Among the more controversial saints are Padre Pio who reportedly bore stigmata while alive, and Santa Muerte (Saint Death), a Mexican folk saint depicted as a skeleton that the Vatican has denounced, Illes said. There are saints called upon to fix various issues in one's life, such as St. Anthony who can help people find what they are looking for. "You ask him: Tony, Tony, look around, something's lost and must be found. I need that job," she cited, adding that St. Anthony is beloved and many have testified to his prowess. Typically, a person lights a candle and then makes their request of a saint.

Saints and spirits can be direct conduits to the sacred, Illes said. Interestingly, working with saints and prayers bears a similarity to magic spells-- prayer though is a request, while a spell is a demand, she detailed. Magic spells can help create reality but are enhanced when you have a solid picture in your mind of what you want to accomplish. One easy spell she shared is a "money mantra" that a person can say or write: "A money miracle happens to me today."

Physics Update

First hour guest, scientist and author Leonard Mlodinow shared updates on quantum physics. He discussed the work being done at the Large Hadron Collider, where they are looking for the Higgs boson (the so-called 'God particle'), as well as attempting to create mini "black holes" that could provide evidence for String Theory. Contrary to some media reports, there is no danger that these tiny black holes could cause damage-- particles such as these already hit the Earth, he noted.

News segment guest: Jim Berkland