Why So Many LGBTQ+ People Are Drawn to Paganism

Why does Paganism attract so many LGBTQ+ people—and how are queer practitioners reshaping Pagan traditions from within? In this in-depth episode, Dr Angela Puca draws on extensive academic research and ethnographic evidence to explore the powerful intersection of queerness and contemporary Paganism. We’ll examine why decentralised structures, ritual flexibility, and the sacralisation of the body make Paganism particularly resonant for queer seekers. From feminist Wicca to trans-inclusive magical circles, and from the mythic play of the Minoan Brotherhood to the controversies surrounding Dianic Witchcraft, this episode uncovers the theological innovations and spiritual practices that queer Pagans are creating. Drawing on scholarship by Sarah Pike, Melissa Wilcox, Robert Wallis, Martin Lepage, Kathryn Rountree, and many others, this lecture explores topics such as gender alchemy, ritual storytelling, queer reinterpretations of myth, and the embodied politics of magical practice. It also problematises the gender polarity model in traditional Wicca and explores how LGBTQ+ practitioners are queering divinity itself. Join us for a critical and compassionate conversation about how Paganism becomes not only a refuge for LGBTQ+ individuals but also a space of radical religious creativity.CONNECT & SUPPORT💖MY COURSES 👩🏻‍🎓 https://drangelapuca.com/coursesWEBSITE & NEWSLETTER 💌 https://www.drangelapuca.com/#newsletterBOOK A TUTORING OR A LECTURE 📖https://drangelapuca.com/servicesBECOME MY PATRON! 🎩 https://www.patreon.com/angelapucaSUPPORT ME ON KO-FI ☕️https://ko-fi.com/drangelapucaONE-OFF DONATIONS 💰 https://paypal.me/angelasymposiumJOIN MEMBERSHIPS 👥 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPSbip_LX2AxbGeAQfLp-Ig/joinMY PODCAST 🎙 https://open.spotify.com/show/2TKoWTGe6OKRokHN2zUIxM?si=dd9f50a734b14f86MY MERCH 👕 https://drangelapuca.creator-spring.com/FOLLOW ME👣- YouTube (@drangelapuca)🌟- Instagram (@drangelapuca) 📸- TikTok (@drangelapuca) 🎵- Twitter (@angelapuca11) 🐦- Facebook (Dr Angela Puca) 👥REFERENCES 📚Berger, H. A., Leach, E. A., & Shaffer, L. S. (2003). Voices from the Pagan Census: A National Survey of Witches and Neo-Pagans in the United States. Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press.Clifton, C. S. (2006). Her Hidden Children: The Rise of Wicca and Paganism in America. Lanham, MD: AltaMira Press.Coyle, T. T. (2012). Snapshots: Musings on polarity and flow. In S. Thompson, G. Pond, P. Tanner, et al. (Eds.), Gender and Transgender in Modern Paganism (pp. 91–92). Circle of Cerridwen Press.Eller, C. (1993). Living in the Lap of the Goddess: The Feminist Spirituality Movement in America. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.Helix. (2012). Polarity without gender. In S. Thompson, G. Pond, P. Tanner, et al. (Eds.), Gender and Transgender in Modern Paganism (pp. 35–40). Circle of Cerridwen Press.Kaldera, R. (2012). The third voice. In S. Thompson, G. Pond, P. Tanner, et al. (Eds.), Gender and Transgender in Modern Paganism (pp. 75–86). Circle of Cerridwen Press.Lepage, M. (2013). A Lokian family: Queer and Pagan agency in Montreal. The Pomegranate: The International Journal of Pagan Studies, 15(1–2), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1558/pome.v15i1–2.1Mueller, M. (2017). The chalice and the rainbow: Conflicts between women’s spirituality and transgender rights in US Wicca in the 2010s. In I. B. (Eds.), Female Leaders in New Religious Movements (pp. 249–268). London: Palgrave Macmillan.(check the last slide on screen for the complete bibliography)⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!

In this episode, we delve into one of the most profound and contested questions in both philosophy and esotericism: What is the self in magical practice?Drawing on thinkers such as René Descartes, David Hume, and Carl Jung, we examine how the self has been variously conceived as a rational substance, a bundle of perceptions, or an archetypal totality. We then explore how these models intersect with key esoteric frameworks, from Aleister Crowley’s doctrine of the True Will and the invocation of the Holy Guardian Angel, to the layered soul of Hermetic Qabalah, and the radically performative self of chaos magic.Is the magical self unified, fragmented, performative, or transcendent? And how do different traditions answer this question through their rituals, symbols, and spiritual technologies?Join me as we explore the shifting boundaries between self, soul, and sorcery.CONNECT & SUPPORT💖MY COURSES 👩🏻‍🎓 https://drangelapuca.com/coursesWEBSITE & NEWSLETTER 💌 https://www.drangelapuca.com/#newsletterBOOK A TUTORING OR A LECTURE 📖https://drangelapuca.com/servicesBECOME MY PATRON! 🎩 https://www.patreon.com/angelapucaSUPPORT ME ON KO-FI ☕️https://ko-fi.com/drangelapucaONE-OFF DONATIONS 💰 https://paypal.me/angelasymposiumJOIN MEMBERSHIPS 👥 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPSbip_LX2AxbGeAQfLp-Ig/joinMY PODCAST 🎙 https://open.spotify.com/show/2TKoWTGe6OKRokHN2zUIxM?si=dd9f50a734b14f86MY MERCH 👕 https://drangelapuca.creator-spring.com/FOLLOW ME👣- YouTube (@drangelapuca)🌟- Instagram (@drangelapuca) 📸- TikTok (@drangelapuca) 🎵- Twitter (@angelapuca11) 🐦- Facebook (Dr Angela Puca) 👥RECOMMENDED READINGS 📖https://amzn.to/3GUMI6bhttps://amzn.to/3YM6QgNhttps://amzn.to/43gS7Mrhttps://amzn.to/4dlR8iyhttps://amzn.to/3S2B4IEREFERENCES 📚Carroll, P. J. (1987). Liber Null & Psychonaut: An introduction to chaos magic. Samuel Weiser.Crowley, A. (1904/1997). The Book of the Law (Liber AL vel Legis). In H. B. Urban (Ed.), The Law is for All: The Authorized Popular Commentary of Liber AL vel Legis (pp. 3–41). New Falcon Publications.Crowley, A. (1929/1998). Magick in theory and practice. Castle Books.Crowley, A. (1998). The Vision and the Voice: With commentary and other papers. Weiser Books. (Original work published 1911)Crowley, A. (1999). Magick: Book four – Liber ABA. York Beach, ME: Weiser Books.Descartes, R. (1641/1996). Meditations on first philosophy (J. Cottingham, Trans.). Cambridge University Press.Hume, D. (1739/2000). A treatise of human nature (D. F. Norton & M. J. Norton, Eds.). Oxford University Press.Jung, C. G. (1953). Psychological aspects of the personality. In Two essays on analytical psychology (R. F. C. Hull, Trans.; Vol. 7 of The Collected Works of C. G. Jung, pp. 123–240). Princeton University Press.Jung, C. G. (1959). Aion: Researches into the phenomenology of the self (R. F. C. Hull, Trans.; Vol. 9, Part II of The Collected Works of C. G. Jung). Princeton University Press.Jung, C. G. (1963). Memories, dreams, reflections (A. Jaffé, Ed.; R. Winston & C. Winston, Trans.). Pantheon Books.Kraig, D. M. (2002). Modern magick: Eleven lessons in the high magickal arts (2nd ed.). Llewellyn Publications.00:00 Exploring the Role of the Self in Magical Traditions01:26 The Legacy of Descartes' Cogito and the Conception of Self02:54 David Hume's Challenge to the Concept of a Stable Self04:28 Jung's Model of the Self in Analytical Psychology06:03 The Multifaceted Nature of the Self in Western Philosophy06:54 Support Angela’s Symposium07:27 The Concept of True Will in Thelema10:02 The Soul in Hermetic Qabalah12:47 Magical Identity as Ritual Performance14:25 Esoteric Debates on the Nature of the Self15:27 The Self as Crucible of Magical Transformation16:14 Support Angela’s Symposium⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!

What is Freemasonry?This episode presents an in-depth academic overview of Freemasonry, the world’s oldest initiatory society independent of religious institutions. Drawing on peer-reviewed scholarship and primary source analysis, it traces Freemasonry's historical evolution from its medieval operative roots to its speculative transformation in the eighteenth century and its global spread through colonial, imperial, and transnational networks.We explore the major Masonic traditions—Regular (Anglo-American), Liberal (Continental), mixed-gender, and female orders—highlighting their theological, political, and ritual distinctions. It examines the function and symbolism of Masonic initiation, the role of embodied ritual in shaping moral and esoteric knowledge, and the use of architectural space, tracing boards, and mythic narratives in the ritual construction of identity.CONNECT & SUPPORT💖MY COURSES 👩🏻‍🎓 https://drangelapuca.com/coursesWEBSITE & NEWSLETTER 💌 https://www.drangelapuca.com/#newsletterBOOK A TUTORING OR A LECTURE 📖https://drangelapuca.com/servicesBECOME MY PATRON! 🎩 https://www.patreon.com/angelapucaSUPPORT ME ON KO-FI ☕️https://ko-fi.com/drangelapucaONE-OFF DONATIONS 💰 https://paypal.me/angelasymposiumJOIN MEMBERSHIPS 👥 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPSbip_LX2AxbGeAQfLp-Ig/joinMY PODCAST 🎙 https://open.spotify.com/show/2TKoWTGe6OKRokHN2zUIxM?si=dd9f50a734b14f86MY MERCH 👕 https://drangelapuca.creator-spring.com/FOLLOW ME👣- YouTube (@drangelapuca)🌟- Instagram (@drangelapuca) 📸- TikTok (@drangelapuca) 🎵- Twitter (@angelapuca11) 🐦- Facebook (Dr Angela Puca) 👥RECOMMENDED READINGS 📖REFERENCES 📚Berman, R. (2013). Schism: The battle that forged Freemasonry. Lewis Masonic.Bogdan, H., & Snoek, J. A. M. (Eds.). (2014). Handbook of Freemasonry. Brill.Brown, L. A. (2013). Mystic ties of brotherhood: Freemasonry, ritual, and Hawaiian royalty in the nineteenth century. Journal of Social History, 47(1), 198–219.Dance traces surviving in the ritual of Freemasonry. (n.d.). Unpublished manuscript.de Hoyos, A. (n.d.). Is it true what they say about Freemasonry? The Masonic Information Center.Ferré Benimeli, J. A. (2014). Freemasonry and the Catholic Church. In H. Bogdan & J. A. M. Snoek (Eds.), Handbook of Freemasonry (pp. 139–154). Brill.Geographies of Freemasonry: Ritual, Lodge, and City in Spatial Context. (n.d.). Unpublished manuscript.Harland-Jacobs, J. (2014). Freemasonry and colonialism. In H. Bogdan & J. A. M. Snoek (Eds.), Handbook of Freemasonry (pp. 439–460). Brill.Jacob, M. C. (2014). Freemasonry and politics in Enlightenment Europe. In H. Bogdan & J. A. M. Snoek (Eds.), Handbook of Freemasonry (pp. 155–172). Brill.Mackey, A. G. (2010). The symbolism of Freemasonry: Illustrating and explaining its science and philosophy, its legends, myths and symbols. Andrews UK.Mollier, P. (2014). Freemasonry and Templarism. In H. Bogdan & J. A. M. Snoek (Eds.), Handbook of Freemasonry (pp. 82–99). Brill.Moore, W. D. (2006). Masonic temples: Freemasonry, ritual architecture, and masculine archetypes. University of Tennessee Press.Snoek, J. A. M. (2012). Initiating women in Freemasonry: The adoption rite. Brill.Stevenson, D. (2014). The origins of Freemasonry: Scotland. In H. Bogdan & J. A. M. Snoek (Eds.), Handbook of Freemasonry (pp. 50–62). Brill.Prescott, A. (2014). The Old Charges. In H. Bogdan & J. A. M. Snoek (Eds.), Handbook of Freemasonry (pp. 33–49). Brill.Porset, C. (2014). Masonic historiography. In H. Bogdan & J. A. M. Snoek (Eds.), Handbook of Freemasonry (pp. 117–138). Brill.⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!

Let's explore the complex tradition of Hermeticism—an esoteric philosophy rooted in Hellenistic Egypt and attributed to the legendary Hermes Trismegistus. Exploring its metaphysical teachings, spiritual practices such as alchemy, astrology, and ritual magic, and its profound influence on Renaissance thinkers, Freemasonry, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and modern occultism, this video offers an accessible yet academically grounded journey through one of the most enduring currents in Western esoteric thought. Perfect for those curious about the deeper layers of magic, mysticism, and spiritual transformation.CONNECT & SUPPORT💖MY COURSES 👩🏻‍🎓 https://drangelapuca.com/coursesWEBSITE & NEWSLETTER 💌 https://www.drangelapuca.com/#newsletterBOOK A TUTORING OR A LECTURE 📖https://drangelapuca.com/servicesBECOME MY PATRON! 🎩 https://www.patreon.com/angelapucaSUPPORT ME ON KO-FI ☕️https://ko-fi.com/drangelapucaONE-OFF DONATIONS 💰 https://paypal.me/angelasymposiumJOIN MEMBERSHIPS 👥 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPSbip_LX2AxbGeAQfLp-Ig/joinMY PODCAST 🎙 https://open.spotify.com/show/2TKoWTGe6OKRokHN2zUIxM?si=dd9f50a734b14f86MY MERCH 👕 https://drangelapuca.creator-spring.com/FOLLOW ME👣- YouTube (@drangelapuca)🌟- Instagram (@drangelapuca) 📸- TikTok (@drangelapuca) 🎵- Twitter (@angelapuca11) 🐦- Facebook (Dr Angela Puca) 👥RECOMMENDED READINGS 📖https://amzn.to/3GLb95Ohttps://amzn.to/4k5H4fMhttps://amzn.to/4iTmD4zREFERENCES 📚(full bibliography on screen by the end)Copenhaver, B. P. (1992). Hermetica: The Greek Corpus Hermeticum and the Latin Asclepius in a New English Translation with Notes and Introduction. Cambridge University Press.Faivre, A. (1994). Access to Western Esotericism. SUNY Press.Fowden, G. (1993). The Egyptian Hermes: A Historical Approach to the Late Pagan Mind. Princeton University Press.Hanegraaff, Wouter J. (2021). Hermetic Spirituality and the Historical Imagination: Altered States of Knowledge in Late Antiquity. Cambridge University Press.Hanegraaff, W. J. (2013). Western Esotericism: A Guide for the Perplexed. Bloomsbury Academic.Moreschini, C. (2022). Hermetica and Gnosticism. In S. Page & C. Rider (Eds.), The Routledge History of Medieval Magic. Routledge.Principe, L. M. (2013). The Secrets of Alchemy. University of Chicago Press.Shaw, G. (1995). Theurgy and the Soul: The Neoplatonism of Iamblichus. Pennsylvania State University Press.Stroumsa, G. G. (2005). Hidden Wisdom: Esoteric Traditions and the Roots of Christian Mysticism (2nd ed.). Brill.van Bladel, K. (2009). The Arabic Hermes: From Pagan Sage to Prophet of Science. Oxford University Press.Yates, F. A. (1964). Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic Tradition. University of Chicago Press.MY SET-UP 🛠️- Canon 90D camera 📸 https://amzn.to/3yQclh0- Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 📷 https://amzn.to/3JjU1BS- Teleprompter 🗒️ https://amzn.to/3linWCB- Shure SM7B Microphone 🎙️ https://amzn.to/3Jm5IYK- Microphone stand 🎤 https://amzn.to/3FueJOn- Lights 💡 https://amzn.to/3Zdk8k1- DJI Wireless microphones 📡 https://amzn.to/3NWAVVQ⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!

In this episode, we dive deep into the esoteric teachings of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, co-founder of the Theosophical Society and one of the most influential occult thinkers of the nineteenth century. Focusing on her mature doctrine of reincarnation as outlined in The Secret Doctrine (1888), we explore how Blavatsky moved away from earlier notions of metempsychosis to formulate a complex cosmology in which the soul—or monad—undergoes countless rebirths across vast spans of cosmic time.Drawing on Theosophical anthropology, planetary evolution, and the doctrine of karma, this episode unpacks Blavatsky’s concept of the saptaparna, the sevenfold human constitution, and the soul’s gradual progression through root races, planetary rounds, and astral realms. We examine how Blavatsky’s vision was both impersonal and democratic, placing individual suffering within a broader metaphysical narrative of spiritual evolution and cosmic justice.CONNECT & SUPPORT💖MY COURSES 👩🏻‍🎓 https://drangelapuca.com/coursesWEBSITE & NEWSLETTER 💌 https://www.drangelapuca.com/#newsletterBOOK A TUTORING OR A LECTURE 📖https://drangelapuca.com/servicesBECOME MY PATRON! 🎩 https://www.patreon.com/angelapucaSUPPORT ME ON KO-FI ☕️https://ko-fi.com/drangelapucaONE-OFF DONATIONS 💰 https://paypal.me/angelasymposiumJOIN MEMBERSHIPS 👥 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPSbip_LX2AxbGeAQfLp-Ig/joinMY PODCAST 🎙 https://open.spotify.com/show/2TKoWTGe6OKRokHN2zUIxM?si=dd9f50a734b14f86MY MERCH 👕 https://drangelapuca.creator-spring.com/FOLLOW ME👣- YouTube (@drangelapuca)🌟- Instagram (@drangelapuca) 📸- TikTok (@drangelapuca) 🎵- Twitter (@angelapuca11) 🐦- Facebook (Dr Angela Puca) RECOMMENDED READINGS 📖REFERENCES 📚Blavatsky, H. P. (1881). The Theosophist. Theosophical Publishing House. Blavatsky, H. P. (1886). The Theosophical Path. New Century Corporation. Blavatsky, H. P. (1888). The secret doctrine: The synthesis of science, religion, and philosophy. Theosophical Publishing House. Blavatsky, H. P. (1889). The key to Theosophy: Being a clear exposition, in the form of question and answer, of the ethics, science, and philosophy for the study of which the Theosophical Society has been founded. Theosophical Publishing Company. Chajes, J. (2017). Reincarnation in H. P. Blavatsky’s The Secret Doctrine. Correspondences: Journal for the Study of Esotericism, 5, 65–93.Ellwood, R. S. (1996). Obligatory pilgrimage: Reincarnation in the Theosophical tradition. In S. J. Kaplan (Ed.), Concepts of transmigration: Perspectives on reincarnation (pp. 189–202). Edwin Mellen Press.Hammer, O. (2001). Claiming Knowledge: Strategies of Epistemology from Theosophy to the New Age. Brill.Hanegraaff, W. J. (1996). New Age Religion and Western Culture: Esotericism in the Mirror of Secular Thought. Brill.Neufeldt, R. W. (1986). In search of utopia: Karma and rebirth in the Theosophical movement. In R. W. Neufeldt (Ed.), Karma and rebirth: Post classical developments (pp. 233–255). State University of New York Press.Zander, H. (1999). Geschichte der Seelenwanderung in Europa*. Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft. 00:00 Introduction: Helena Blavatsky's Evolving Views on Rebirth00:29 Metempsychosis and Reincarnation04:34 Support Angela’s Symposium05:58 Theosophical Reincarnation: A Reassessment12:58 The Macrocosmic Cycle of Spirit and Matter15:42 Unveiling the Cosmic: The Metaphysical Fountain of Creation19:22 Planetary Cycles and Human Evolution27:43 Reincarnation and Karma in Blavatsky’s Anthropology29:27 The Dual Nature of Human Consciousness34:00 Understanding the Theosophical Concept of Karma36:10 Reincarnation, Evolution, & the Human in the Cosmic Drama40:12 Karmic Reincarnation: The Dual Path to Cosmic Justice and Evolution41:13 Support Angela’s Symposium⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!

Why does truth no longer seem to matter? In this episode, we explore the philosophical and psychological roots of today's crisis of reality. Drawing on Jean Baudrillard’s theory of hyperreality and Carl Gustav Jung’s concept of the Shadow, I unravel how modern society’s obsession with materialism, the proliferation of simulations, and the repression of symbolic, non-material dimensions of human experience have led to the current breakdown of truth. We will examine how Baudrillard’s insights reveal a world where images no longer reflect reality but replace it entirely, and how Jung’s warning about the dangers of ignoring the unconscious has manifested in distorted, collective forms. Together, these perspectives illuminate why facts are increasingly dismissed in favour of emotionally compelling narratives. Finally, I propose a path forward: a reintegration of critical thinking and symbolic imagination as essential tools for restoring our relationship with reality and cultivating a culture where truth matters once again. Join me as we delve into the death of the real — and how we might yet reclaim it.CONNECT & SUPPORT💖MY COURSES 👩🏻‍🎓 https://drangelapuca.com/coursesWEBSITE & NEWSLETTER 💌 https://www.drangelapuca.com/#newsletterBOOK A TUTORING OR A LECTURE 📖https://drangelapuca.com/servicesBECOME MY PATRON! 🎩 https://www.patreon.com/angelapucaSUPPORT ME ON KO-FI ☕️https://ko-fi.com/drangelapucaONE-OFF DONATIONS 💰 https://paypal.me/angelasymposiumJOIN MEMBERSHIPS 👥 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPSbip_LX2AxbGeAQfLp-Ig/joinMY PODCAST 🎙 https://open.spotify.com/show/2TKoWTGe6OKRokHN2zUIxM?si=dd9f50a734b14f86MY MERCH 👕 https://drangelapuca.creator-spring.com/FOLLOW ME👣- YouTube (@drangelapuca)🌟- Instagram (@drangelapuca) 📸- TikTok (@drangelapuca) 🎵- Twitter (@angelapuca11) 🐦- Facebook (Dr Angela Puca) 👥RECOMMENDED READINGS 📖REFERENCES 📚Arendt, H. (1967). "Truth and Politics." The New Yorker, 25 February 1967.Baudrillard, J. (1981). Simulacres et Simulation. Paris: Éditions Galilée.Cassirer, E. (1944). An Essay on Man: An Introduction to a Philosophy of Human Culture. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.Fricker, M. (2007). Epistemic Injustice: Power and the Ethics of Knowing. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Jung, C.G. (1933). Modern Man in Search of a Soul. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.Jung, C.G. (1951). Aion: Researches into the Phenomenology of the Self. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.MY SET-UP 🛠️- Canon 90D camera 📸 https://amzn.to/3yQclh0- Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 📷 https://amzn.to/3JjU1BS- Teleprompter 🗒️ https://amzn.to/3linWCB- Shure SM7B Microphone 🎙️ https://amzn.to/3Jm5IYK- Microphone stand 🎤 https://amzn.to/3FueJOn- Lights 💡 https://amzn.to/3Zdk8k1- DJI Wireless microphones 📡 https://amzn.to/3NWAVVQ⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!

This episode explores the role of protection magic as a historically grounded response to war, oppression, and systemic violence across diverse cultural and temporal contexts.Drawing on peer-reviewed academic sources, it examines how magical practices—rituals, talismans, verbal formulae, and spirit invocations—have been used as forms of spiritual defence and political resistance. From Mesopotamian anti-witchcraft rites and Greco-Roman defensive curses to medieval Christian amulets, Renaissance grimoires, and the Magical Battle of Britain, the lecture situates protection magic within broader religious, social, and cosmological frameworks.Special attention is given to non-Western and postcolonial contexts, including the ritual technologies of Haitian Vodou during the revolution, Obeah in the British Caribbean, Yoruba warrior rites, and Andean protective ceremonies. The discussion also considers contemporary expressions of magical protection, including digital activist magic, Chaos Magic, and the esoteric disciplines of Damien Echols under carceral conditions.CONNECT & SUPPORT💖MY COURSES 👩🏻‍🎓 https://drangelapuca.com/coursesWEBSITE & NEWSLETTER 💌 https://www.drangelapuca.com/#newsletterBOOK A TUTORING OR A LECTURE 📖https://drangelapuca.com/servicesBECOME MY PATRON! 🎩 https://www.patreon.com/angelapucaSUPPORT ME ON KO-FI ☕️https://ko-fi.com/drangelapucaONE-OFF DONATIONS 💰 https://paypal.me/angelasymposiumJOIN MEMBERSHIPS 👥 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPSbip_LX2AxbGeAQfLp-Ig/joinMY PODCAST 🎙 https://open.spotify.com/show/2TKoWTGe6OKRokHN2zUIxM?si=dd9f50a734b14f86MY MERCH 👕 https://drangelapuca.creator-spring.com/FOLLOW ME👣- YouTube (@drangelapuca)🌟- Instagram (@drangelapuca) 📸- TikTok (@drangelapuca) 🎵- Twitter (@angelapuca11) 🐦- Facebook (Dr Angela Puca) 👥RECOMMENDED READINGS 📖REFERENCES 📚Abusch, T., & Schwemer, D. (2011). Corpus of Mesopotamian Anti-Witchcraft RitualsBetz, H. D. (Ed.). (1992). The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation, Including the Demotic Spells. University of Chicago Press.Christian, W. A. (1981). Apparitions in Late Medieval and Renaissance Spain. Princeton University Press.Davies, O. (2003). Cunning-Folk: Popular Magic in English History. Hambledon and London.Davies, O. (2012). Magic: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.Dayan, J. (1995). Haiti, History, and the Gods. University of California Press.Desmangles, L. G. (1992). The Faces of the Gods: Vodou and Roman Catholicism in Haiti. University of North Carolina Press.Fanger, C. (2012). Invoking Angels: Theurgic Ideas and Practices, Thirteenth to Sixteenth Centuries. Penn State University Press.Faraone, C. A. (1991). Binding and burying the forces of evil: The defensive use of “voodoo dolls” in ancient Greece. Classical Antiquity, 10, 165–205.Handler, J. S., & Bilby, K. M. (2012). Enacting Power: The Criminalization of Obeah in the Anglophone Caribbean, 1760–2011. University of the West Indies Press.Hazzard-Donald, K. (2013). Mojo Workin’: The Old African American Hoodoo System. University of Illinois Press.Kieckhefer, R. (2000). Magic in the Middle Ages. Cambridge University Press.Klaassen, F. (2013). The Transformations of Magic: Illicit Learned Magic in the Later Middle Ages and Renaissance. Penn State University Press.Olupona, J. K. (2014). African Religions: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.Oppenheim, A. L. (1977). Ancient Mesopotamia: Portrait of a Dead Civilization. University of Chicago Press.Pasi, M. (2014). Aleister Crowley and the Temptation of Politics. Acumen.Paton, D. (2015). The Cultural Politics of Obeah: Religion, Colonialism and Modernity in the Caribbean World. Cambridge University Press.Pócs, É. (1999). Between the Living and the Dead: A Perspective on Witches and Seers in the Early Modern Age. Central European University Press. [...]⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!

This interview offers an insightful discussion with anthropologist Tanya Luhrmann, whose pioneering scholarship has significantly advanced our comprehension of magic, esotericism, and witchcraft. In this academic interview, we critically examine Luhrmann's influential notion of "interpretive drift"—the incremental cognitive process by which individuals progressively adopt and internalise magical beliefs and practices.We engage with her seminal ethnographic research on contemporary magical and esoteric communities, investigating how practitioners utilise rituals, visualisation techniques, and imaginative practices to foster potent experiential encounters. Luhrmann elucidates the psychological and sociocultural mechanisms that underpin and sustain belief in magic and witchcraft, illuminating how rational actors negotiate and integrate esoteric practices within their quotidian existence.Employing ethnographic case studies and rigorous theoretical analyses, we explore the broader implications of Luhrmann's findings for understanding the endurance and attractiveness of magical thought within contemporary secularised societies. Scholars, practitioners, and those intrigued by the enduring relevance of magical belief will find this discussion academically stimulating, providing nuanced insights into humanity’s enduring inclination to engage with the transcendent and extraordinary.Get Prof Luhrmann's bookshttps://amzn.to/4lDeYKjhttps://amzn.to/42zNVqAhttps://amzn.to/4jISm9vhttps://amzn.to/3Gfz11fABOUT OUR GUESTanya Luhrmann is a professor of anthropology at Stanford University, specialising in the study of spiritual experiences and their relation to religious practices. In her research, she analyses the ways in which people in various religions and spiritualities ‘kindle’ experiences of invisible others like gods, spirits and demons. Among the groups she has studied are evangelical Christians, Contemporary Pagans, magicians, Zoroastrians, Catholics, Santeria initiates, and newly orthodox Jews. She links their experiences to a variety of practices like prayer, ritual, storytelling and the cultivation of the inner senses.She was named to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2003, received a John Guggenheim Fellowship award in 2007, and was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 2022. Her book ‘When God Talks Back’ was named a ‘New York Times’ Notable Book of the Year and a ‘Kirkus Reviews’ Best Book of the Year. It was awarded the $100,000 Grawemeyer Prize for Religion by the University of Louisville. She has published over thirty op-eds in ‘The New York Times’, and her work has been featured in ‘The New Yorker’, ‘The New York Review of Books’, the ‘Times Literary Supplement’, ‘Science News’, and many other publications. She is the author of ‘Persuasions of the Witch’s Craft’, ‘The Good Parsi’, ‘Of Two Minds’, ‘When God Talks Back’, ‘Our Most Troubling Madness’, and ‘How God Becomes Real’, and is currently at work on a book entitled ‘Voices’.If you want to participate in her research, reach out to her [email protected] & SUPPORT💖MY COURSES 👩🏻‍🎓 https://drangelapuca.com/courseWEBSITE & NEWSLETTER 💌 https://www.drangelapuca.com/#newsletterBOOK A TUTORING OR A LECTURE 📖https://drangelapuca.com/servicesBECOME MY PATRON! 🎩 / angelapuca SUPPORT ME ON KO-FI ☕️https://ko-fi.com/drangelapucaONE-OFF DONATIONS 💰 https://paypal.me/angelasymposiumJOIN MEMBERSHIPS 👥 / @drangelapuca MY PODCAST 🎙 https://open.spotify.com/show/2TKoWTG...MY MERCH 👕 https://drangelapuca.creator-spring.com/FOLLOW ME👣YouTube (@drangelapuca)🌟Instagram (@drangelapuca) 📸TikTok (@drangelapuca) 🎵Twitter (@angelapuca11) 🐦Facebook (Dr Angela Puca) 👥⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!Want to create live streams like this? Check out StreamYard: https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5768951004397568

What happened to the fairies?In this episode of Angela’s Symposium, we uncover the history of fairy beings—from terrifying, liminal spirits associated with death, illness, and esoteric knowledge to the benign, whimsical figures of children’s books and garden ornaments. Drawing on peer-reviewed scholarship and folkloric sources, I trace how fairies were feared as soul-stealing entities, morally ambiguous tricksters, and powerful beings of the Otherworld in Celtic and Germanic traditions. These entities weren’t cute—they were cautionary, chthonic, and occasionally divine.But during the Victorian era, spiritualism, Theosophy, and literary romanticism reshaped fairy imagery into something innocent and controllable. This domestication served ideological purposes: reinforcing ideals of childhood, whiteness, femininity, and empire.With insights from Robert Kirk, W.Y. Evans-Wentz, Katharine Briggs, and contemporary scholars such as Sabina Magliocco, Morgan Daimler, and Richard Sugg, this video explores how fairies reflect changing cultural values—and why reclaiming their wilder past matters.CONNECT & SUPPORT💖MY COURSES 👩🏻‍🎓 https://drangelapuca.com/coursesWEBSITE & NEWSLETTER 💌 https://www.drangelapuca.com/#newsletterBOOK A TUTORING OR A LECTURE 📖https://drangelapuca.com/servicesBECOME MY PATRON! 🎩 https://www.patreon.com/angelapucaSUPPORT ME ON KO-FI ☕️https://ko-fi.com/drangelapucaONE-OFF DONATIONS 💰 https://paypal.me/angelasymposiumJOIN MEMBERSHIPS 👥 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPSbip_LX2AxbGeAQfLp-Ig/joinMY PODCAST 🎙 https://open.spotify.com/show/2TKoWTGe6OKRokHN2zUIxM?si=dd9f50a734b14f86MY MERCH 👕 https://drangelapuca.creator-spring.com/FOLLOW ME👣- YouTube (@drangelapuca)🌟- Instagram (@drangelapuca) 📸- TikTok (@drangelapuca) 🎵- Twitter (@angelapuca11) 🐦- Facebook (Dr Angela Puca) 👥RECOMMENDED READINGS 📖REFERENCES 📚Briggs, K. M. (1976). An encyclopedia of fairies: Hobgoblins, brownies, bogies, and other supernatural creatures. Pantheon Books.Briggs, K. M. (2002). The fairies in tradition and literature. Routledge.Daimler, M. (2014). The witch, the bean feasa, and the fairy doctor in Irish culture. Air n-Aithesc, 1(2), August 2014.Daimler, M. (2015). The good neighbors: Fairies in an Irish animistic worldview. Air n-Aithesc.Daimler, M. (2024). Two views of the leannán sí. Air n-Aithesc.Daimler, M. (2024a). Fairy: The Otherworld by many names. Collective Ink.Daimler, M. (2024b). Two views of the leannán sí. Air n-Aithesc.Evans-Wentz, W. Y. (1911). The fairy-faith in Celtic countries. H. Frowde.Gaffin, D. (2012). Running with the fairies: Towards a transpersonal anthropology of religion. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.Hutton, R. (2024). Professor Ronald Hutton shares his fairy encounter with a leanan sídhe [Video]. YouTube. The Modern Fairy Sightings Podcast.Kirk, R., & Lang, A. (2020). The secret commonwealth of elves, fauns & fairies: A study in folk-lore and psychical research. Library of Alexandria.Lenihan, E., & Green, C. E. (2004). Meeting the other crowd. Penguin Publishing Group.Magliocco, S. (2019). The taming of the fae: Literary and folkloric fairies in Magic and witchery in the modern West: Celebrating the twentieth anniversary of 'The triumph of the moon'. Springer International Publishing.Pócs, É. (2005). Communicating with the spirits: Christian demonology and popular mythology (E. Pócs & G. Klaniczay, Eds.). Central European University Press.Sugg, R. (2018). Fairies: A dangerous history. Reaktion Books.Thompson, T. (2005). Hosting the dead: Thanotopic aspects of the Irish sídhe. In É. Pócs & G. Klaniczay (Eds.), Communicating with the spirits: Christian demonology and popular mythology. Central European University Press.Young, S. (2024). Classifying supernatural beings. Transactions of the Yorkshire Dialect Society, 23.⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!

Join us for a livestream featuring Andrea Centore and Dr Bernd-Christian Otto, the Research Network for the Study of Esoteric Practices (RENSEP) founders. Andrea Centore is the co-founder and managing director of the Research Network for the Study of Esoteric Practices. He received his training in Translation Studies from the University of Mons and his training in Religious Studies from the University of Amsterdam. His research explores the intersection of Jewish and Islamic esotericism, with a particular focus on Kabbalah and Sufi Lettrism.Dr Bernd-Christian Otto, a scholar of religion at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, serves as RENSEP's scientific director. His extensive research encompasses magic and esotericism, and his notable publications include 'Defining Magic: A Reader' and 'Fictional Practice: Magic, Narration and the Power of Imagination'.​RENSEP is dedicated to promoting and advancing the interdisciplinary and comparative study of esoteric practices from a global perspective. The organisation strives to create a stimulating intellectual and methodological environment that facilitates collaboration among researchers from diverse backgrounds and disciplines. By providing a shared cognitive and interactional space, RENSEP transcends traditional academic boundaries, encouraging the participation of both scholars and practitioners in the study of esoteric practices. ​In this session, we will delve into RENSEP's mission to bridge the gap between scholars and practitioners, fostering a collaborative environment that enriches theoretical understanding and practical engagement with esoteric traditions. We will explore how RENSEP's initiatives, such as funding research projects and establishing databases for ritual scripts and experience reports, contribute to this goal. ​Don't miss this opportunity to gain insights into the innovative approaches RENSEP employs to advance the study of esoteric practices and to understand how the collaboration between scholars and practitioners can lead to a more comprehensive understanding of these traditions.SIGN UP TO RENSEP https://www.rensep.org/Discount code: angelaHere is Dean Radin's article with the result of the sigil magick experiment: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ithst5hzbmpbdrfc37mrv/Physics-Essays-Quantum-Observer-Radin-2025.pdf?rlkey=gpyzz52z5wh2o88foxn1jemdm&e=1&dl=0CONNECT & SUPPORT💖MY COURSES 👩🏻‍🎓 https://drangelapuca.com/courseWEBSITE & NEWSLETTER 💌 https://www.drangelapuca.com/#newsletterBOOK A TUTORING OR A LECTURE 📖https://drangelapuca.com/servicesBECOME MY PATRON! 🎩 / angelapuca SUPPORT ME ON KO-FI ☕️https://ko-fi.com/drangelapucaONE-OFF DONATIONS 💰 https://paypal.me/angelasymposiumJOIN MEMBERSHIPS 👥 / @drangelapuca MY PODCAST 🎙 https://open.spotify.com/show/2TKoWTG...MY MERCH 👕 https://drangelapuca.creator-spring.com/FOLLOW ME👣YouTube (@drangelapuca)🌟Instagram (@drangelapuca) 📸TikTok (@drangelapuca) 🎵Twitter (@angelapuca11) 🐦Facebook (Dr Angela Puca) 👥00:00:00 Introduction RENSEP00:01:58 Meet Andrea Centore00:04:13 Meet Bernd-Christian Otto00:08:12 Bernd-Christian Otto’s Definition of Magic00:13:54 RENSEP and Esoteric Practice00:15:12 What is RESEP?00:19:16 RENSEP Funding Research00:28:28 RENSEP Funding Art00:31:24 The RENSEP Database00:33:21 Changing Public Perception of Esotericism00:35:43 The Future of RENSEP00:40:52 Esoteric Content on Social Media00:49:19 Can Science Prove Esotericism00:00:41 Humanities-Based Research00:03:09 Dr Puca’s Opinions on Subjectivity and Objectivity01:15:51 Volunteering for RENSEP01:16:32 Join RENSEP01:19:39 Support Angela’s Symposium⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!Want to create live streams like this? Check out StreamYard: https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5768951004397568