Who is Pythian Priestess?

Ashley M. Ryan, known publicly as Pythian Priestess, is an occult educator, initiated Hermetic Priestess, professional tarot reader, and media creator based in Los Angeles.

With a background in philosophy, theology, and television production, Ashley bridges ancient esoteric traditions with contemporary storytelling, ritual practice, and psychological insight.

Her work focuses on intuition development, divine communication, energetic protection, and helping individuals reclaim agency, values, and spiritual authority in their lives.

Ashley holds a B.A. in Philosophy and Theology from Flagler College and an M.F.A. in Writing and Producing for Television from Loyola Marymount University. Her academic training informs her approach to spirituality as both a lived discipline and a symbolic language that shapes meaning, ethics, and identity. Before launching her spiritual brand “Pythian Priestess,” she produced multiple short films and award-winning screenplays exploring themes of human consciousness and transcendence.

In 2019, Ashley created Pythian Priestess, a platform born from her own spiritual initiation and years of private study in Western Hermeticism, ceremonial magick, tarot, and ritual practice. What began as a personal path later became public education, reaching more than 670,000 followers across social media platforms. Through this work, she has become a recognized voice in modern mysticism, offering grounded, non-sensational frameworks for spiritual development.

Ashley has worked as a Spiritual Advisor to Sam and Colby, GRAZY GRACE, and The Paranormal Files, contributing her expertise as a ritual practitioner, tarot reader, and psychic investigator within filmed paranormal environments.

She approaches haunted locations as living spiritual ecosystems, emphasizing consent, boundaries, and the investigator’s responsibility as an active participant in the encounter. Her role centers on ethical spirit engagement, energetic assessment, and spiritual protection rather than spectacle or provocation.

Today, Ashley runs the Pythian Mystery School, where she teaches tarot, psychic development, paranormal protection, ritual construction, and spellwork. Her teaching emphasizes responsibility, consent, and clarity, rejecting escapism in favor of integration.

Across all media, her work invites people to examine the unconscious narratives that guide their lives and to consciously reclaim meaning, virtue, and spiritual sovereignty.

Ashley continues to work in Los Angeles as a spiritual educator, media producer, and ritual practitioner, offering a synthesis of ancient wisdom and modern inquiry for those seeking a Spirit-centered life grounded in thought, practice, and accountability.

Pythian Priestess is available for events, weddings, and other events.