Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Ryan.
Hi Ashley, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My path into magick began when I was just four years old. My great aunts were Benedictine nuns who asked if I wanted to be a nun too. I told them, “No, I want to be a priest.” Their response was immediate and firm: “That’s only for boys.” That moment of rejection left a deep imprint on me. I didn’t have the language for it at the time, but something in me began seeking a spiritual path that could include me, fully and equally.
As I grew older, I became fascinated with philosophy and theology. I earned my BA in Philosophy and Theology from Flagler College and went on to get an MFA in Writing and Producing for Television from Loyola Marymount University. The combination of rigorous academic training and creative storytelling gave me the tools to think critically and communicate powerfully. These skills now shape everything I create under the Pythian Priestess brand.
My internet presence started during the early days of #WitchTok in 2019. My early videos on tarot went viral, gaining 20,000 followers in just two weeks. I had practiced witchcraft and tarot privately in my teenage years, but in my late twenties, I began studying ceremonial magick more seriously.
I was initiated into a secret society in 2020 and given the title of ‘Priestess.’ The following year, I took a leap of faith and quit my job in television (I was working on Ridiculousness for MTV at the time) to focus entirely on building the Pythian Mystery School (CAN WE ADD A LINK HERE?) and creating educational content full-time.
But it wasn’t until the pandemic that I realized this could be a real career path. I began teaching by filming classes and connecting with students from around the world who were hungry for spiritual depth but unsure where to start. My work is rooted in Hermeticism and the Western Mystery Tradition, but I rework those teachings into clear, accessible steps that can support real transformation in people’s lives.
Over the last 5 years, I’ve expanded MY WORK AS Pythian Priestess into in-person work. I am a professional reader and ritual MOON CIRCLE leader at The Crooked Path in Los Angeles. I speak at conferences around the country, including The Witch Summit.
Pythian Priestess has been featured on many podcasts, and the popular YouTube channel called Sam & Colby, where Pythian Priestess acts as a spiritual advisor and ritual leader.
Most notably, Pythian Priestess has an upcoming YouTube series called Exploring Haunted America, which combines paranormal investigation, intuitive work, and ritual at haunted sites.
Today, I see myself as someone who helps people remember the spiritual nature of reality. Whether through media, ritual, or mentorship, my goal is always the same: to help people reconnect to the sacred within and the world around them.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I often say my path began with rejection. When I was four years old, my great aunts, who were Benedictine nuns, asked if I wanted to be a nun too. I told them no, I wanted to be a priest. They said, “That’s only for boys.” I didn’t understand, but I felt the door to the sacred close in my face. That moment shaped everything that came after.
It planted a question in me that would take decades to answer: Why was the voice of the feminine excluded from the priesthood?
I never felt like I fit in at school or in my community. I always felt like an outsider, but I didn’t know that the outsider energy would be the key to becoming famous.
I had been practicing witchcraft privately since my teenage years, but at twenty-nine, I was initiated as a Priestess. That initiation felt like the closing of a circle. The little girl who was told “you can’t” had finally become what she was told she could never be.
But that blessing came with new challenges. The little girl, accustomed to rejection, had to become comfortable with being seen by a public audience. I had to learn to let my brand live beyond me, to understand that people’s criticism wasn’t personal, and to understand that I would face the projections of people’s misunderstandings of the occult and witchcraft.
When I left my stable television career to devote myself fully to Pythian Priestess, I had to confront fear, doubt, and the deep conditioning from my youth, where I was told my calling to the priesthood wasn’t legitimate.
Now, at its core, my work is still about that same question I asked as a child: how do I go about reclaiming the spiritual authority of women?
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My work centers on making the occult understandable for a modern audience and forging a meaningful path of spirituality for people who seek it. As the founder of Pythian Mystery School, I teach courses on divination, spellwork, and spiritual development. I focus on helping students develop discernment and personal practice rather than chasing trends. My goal is to preserve the integrity of the Western Mystery Tradition while translating it for a modern audience that learns visually and experientially.
Alongside teaching, I serve as a recurring spiritual advisor for Sam and Colby, where I guide rituals (most famously the Spirit or Ouija board) and provide metaphysical context for their investigations.
That collaboration opened the door to my own upcoming series, Exploring Haunted America, which I hosted and co-produced with Harrow House Films. The show combines paranormal investigation, ritual, and intuition to explore haunted sites from a spiritual rather than sensational lens. I am proud to be bridging the gap between the paranormal and esoteric communities.
What I’m most proud of is that this work allows me to demonstrate that spirituality and entertainment don’t have to be at odds. It’s possible to approach the unseen world with respect, historical awareness, and ethical integrity. I believe what sets me apart is that I never promise quick fixes or sensational outcomes.
My work is grounded in philosophy, dedicated practice, and accountability. In an online world often saturated with escapism and misinformation, I want to offer something different: ancient wisdom, critical thinking, and personal transformation through discipline.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I could give you a whole library of occult books, but I will narrow it down for you.
My favorite book for understanding tarot is The Tarot Architect by Lon Milo Duquette.
My favorite book for understanding Hermeticism is The Secret Teachings of All Ages by Manly P. Hall
My favorite book (which is also a workbook) for witchcraft is The Eclectic Witch’s Book of Shadows: Witchy Wisdom at Your Fingertips by Deborah Blake
I am a big fan of Becoming Supernatural How Common People Are Doing the Uncommon by Joe Dispenza.
Of course, you can learn from me at https://study.pythianmysteryschool.com and visit me online on TikTok and Instagram @pythianpriestess
Pricing:
- Tarot Readings are $30 every 15 minutes
- Psychic Development membership is $24.99
- 1:1 Mentoring starts at $200 a month
Contact Info:
- Website: www.pythianmysteryschool.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pythianpriestess/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleymryan/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@pythianpriestess
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@pythianpriestess/
Image Credits
Harrow House Films Sam and Colby
