A Critical-Rational Guide for Magicianc and Occultists

Have you ever lit a candle, whispered an incantation, and watched something uncannily fitting happen days later? Was it magic, or just a well-timed coincidence? In the world of esoteric practice, we are trained to notice patterns, to read signs, to find meaning where others see randomness. But what if some of those connections aren’t what they seem? What if we’re mistaking correlation for causation, and calling it magic?In this video, we’re diving into the most seductive illusion in both magic and conspiracy thinking: the leap from “this happened” to “I caused it.” Drawing on philosophy, psychology, and the history of occult thought, we’ll explore why our brains are wired to see patterns, how magical fallacies take root, and how to practise with both conviction and discernment. If you want to refine your craft, sharpen your thinking, and avoid the traps that turn meaningful magic into wishful thinking, stay with me. This might just be the most important spell you ever learn.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 📚Barkun, M. (2013). A culture of conspiracy: Apocalyptic visions in contemporary America (2nd ed.). University of California Press. Boyer, P. (2001). Religion explained: The evolutionary origins of religious thought. Basic Books. (Hachette Book Group)Bruno, G. (1986). De magia; De vinculis in genere (A. Biondi, Ed.). Biblioteca dell’Immagine. (Original work published 1590). (philpapers.org)Conrad, K. (1958). Die beginnende Schizophrenie: Versuch einer Gestaltanalyse des Wahns. Georg Thieme. (PubMed)Corbin, H. (1972). Mundus imaginalis, or the imaginary and the imaginal. Spring, 1972, 1–19. Spring Publications. (springpublications.com)Dukes, R. (2001). SSOTBME: An essay on magic (Rev. ed.). The Mouse That Spins. (splendorsolisbooks.com)Evans-Pritchard, E. E. (1937). Witchcraft, oracles and magic among the Azande. Clarendon Press. (Wikipedia)Hanegraaff, W. J. (2012). Esotericism and the academy: Rejected knowledge in Western culture. Cambridge University Press. (Cambridge Assets)Hui, Y. (2016). The question concerning technology in China: An essay in cosmotechnics. Urbanomic. (urbanomic.com)Hume, D. (1748). An enquiry concerning human understanding. A. Millar. (davidhume.org)Hutton, R. (1999). The triumph of the moon: A history of modern Pagan witchcraft. Oxford University Press. (cmc.marmot.org)Jung, C. G. (1960). Synchronicity: An acausal connecting principle (R. F. C. Hull, Trans.). Princeton University Press. (cmc.marmot.org)Kripal, J. J. (2006). The serpent’s gift: Gnostic reflections on the study of religion. University of Chicago Press. (University of Chicago Press)Latour, B. (1993). We have never been modern (C. Porter, Trans.). Harvard University Press. (Original work published 1991). (hup.harvard.edu)Midgley, M. (2001). Science and poetry. Routledge. (Routledge)Popper, K. (1959). The logic of scientific discovery. Hutchinson. (philotextes.info)Stenger, V. J. (2009). Quantum gods: Creation, chaos, and the search for cosmic consciousness. Prometheus Books. (Simon & Schuster)⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!

This lecture explores the provocative question: Can magic stop wars? Drawing on historical and cross-cultural sources, we examine how rituals and spells have been used not merely as private acts of devotion but as technologies of politics, resistance, and reconciliation. From the Assyrian Maqlû tablets and Egyptian execration rites, to the Wiccan “Cone of Power” against Hitler and the modern #MagicResistance movement, we uncover how ritual has been mobilised to defend rulers, resist tyranny, and shape the course of events.The lecture also turns to reconciliation practices such as the Acholi Mato Oput in Uganda, Hawaiian ho‘oponopono, and Arab-Islamic sulha, showing how communities have ritualised the difficult work of forgiveness and the transformation of enmity. By analysing these cases, we see how ritual externalises conflict into material or symbolic form, such as burned effigies, bitter drinks, and shared meals, so that violence can be reframed, managed, or dissolved.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 📚Baines, E. K. (2007). The Haunting of Alice: Local Approaches to Justice and Reconciliation in Northern Uganda. International journal of transitional justice, 1(1), 91–114. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijtj/ijm011Beard, M., North, J., & Price, S. (1998). Religions of Rome, Vol. 1: A History. Cambridge University Press.Bell, C. (1992). Ritual theory, ritual practice. Oxford University Press.Graf, F. (1997). Magic in the ancient world (F. Philip, Trans.). Harvard University Press.Hutton, R. (1999). The triumph of the moon: A history of modern Pagan witchcraft. Oxford University Press.Kemp, B. J. (2006). Ancient Egypt: anatomy of a civilization (2nd ed.). Routledge.Lang, F. (2002). Sulha Peacemaking and the Politics of Persuasion. Journal of Palestine studies, 31(3), 52–66. https://doi.org/10.1525/jps.2002.31.3.52Pukui, M. K., Haertig, E. W., & Lee, C. A. (1972). Nānā i ke kumu (Look to the source), Vol. 1. Hui Hānai. 39MY 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, Dr Angela Puca unpacks one of the most fascinating questions in the study and practice of magic: how does magic actually work? Drawing on both historical and contemporary scholarship, she explores the six major explanatory models: the spirit, psychological, natural or energetic, information or cybernetic, sociological, and transcendent or mystical frameworks. Each reveals a different way magicians and scholars have tried to understand the mechanisms of ritual power, from relationships with spirits and manipulation of subtle forces to consciousness engineering and divine realisation. Whether you’re a practitioner, scholar, or simply curious about how magic makes sense of the impossible, this episode will deepen your understanding of what really happens when magic works.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 📚Asprem, E. (2014). The problem of disenchantment: Scientific naturalism and esoteric discourse, 1900-1939. Brill.Asprem, E. (2013). Programmatic models of esoteric science: The case of chaos magick. In E. Asprem & K. Granholm (Eds.), Contemporary esotericism (pp. 283-300). Equinox Publishing.Bell, C. (1992). Ritual theory, ritual practice. Oxford University Press.Berger, H. A. (1999). A community of witches: Contemporary neo-paganism and witchcraft in the United States. University of South Carolina Press.Carroll, P. J. (1987). Liber null & psychonaut. Weiser Books.Crowley, A. (1997). Magick: Liber ABA, Book 4 (2nd rev. ed.). Weiser Books. (Original work published 1912-1936)De Martino, E. (1959). Sud e magia. Feltrinelli.Fernández Olmos, M., & Paravisini-Gebert, L. (2011). Creole religions of the Caribbean: An introduction from Vodou and Santería to Obeah and Espiritismo (2nd ed.). New York University Press.Grant, K. (1972). The magical revival. Muller.Greenwood, S. (2009). The anthropology of magic. Berg.Hanegraaff, W. J. (1996). New Age religion and Western culture: Esotericism in the mirror of secular thought. Brill.Harner, M. (1990). The way of the shaman (3rd ed.). Harper & Row.Hine, P. (1995). Condensed chaos: An introduction to chaos magic. New Falcon Publications.Jung, C. G. (1969). The archetypes and the collective unconscious (R. F. C. Hull, Trans.; 2nd ed.). Princeton University Press. (Original work published 1959)Kripal, J. J. (2022). The superhumanities: Historical precedents, moral objections, new realities. University of Chicago Press.Luhrmann, T. M. (1989). Persuasions of the witch's craft: Ritual magic in contemporary England. Harvard University Press.Luhrmann, T. M. (2012). When God talks back: Understanding the American evangelical relationship with God. Knopf.Pike, S. M. (2001). Earthly bodies, magical selves: Contemporary pagans and the search for community. University of California Press.Regardie, I. (1989). The tree of life: A study in magic. Weiser Books. (Original work published 1932)Tambiah, S. J. (1990). Magic, science, religion, and the scope of rationality. Cambridge University Press.⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!

For over thirty years, Richard Kaczynski has been a scholar, speaker and writer on Western esotericism, particularly the life and work of British occultist Aleister Crowley. His publications include Perdurabo: The Life of Aleister Crowley (2002, 2010), The Weiser Concise Guide to Aleister Crowley (2009), Forgotten Templars: The Untold Origins of Ordo Templi Orientis (2012), Friendship in Doubt: Aleister Crowley, J. F. C. Fuller, Victor B. Neuburg, and British Agnosticism (2024), and the just-released Mind Over Magick: The Psychology of Ritual Magick (2025). He also edited, annotated and introduced a critical edition of Aleister Crowley's The Sword of Song (2021, 2025). He has spoken internationally at both academic and pagan/occult conferences, and appeared in several documentaries. He holds a Ph.D. in psychology with a minor in statistics. His doctoral dissertation examined the structure and correlates of metaphysical beliefs.GET "Mind Over Magick": https://amzn.to/4p5NeiCCONNECT & 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 happens when a work of fiction becomes a real grimoire? In this episode, we explore The Demons of the Necronomicon, H. P. Lovecraft’s imagined pantheon of cosmic entities and their extraordinary transformation into living figures within modern occultism. Drawing on peer-reviewed research, we trace how Cthulhu, Yog-Sothoth, and Nyarlathotep escaped the pages of pulp horror to become objects of ritual, devotion, and philosophical speculation. From Kenneth Grant’s Typhonian Thelema to chaos magic’s postmodern experiments, this video unveils how fiction, faith, and imagination converge in the making of contemporary demonology.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 📚Asprem, E. (2014). The problem of disenchantment: Scientific naturalism and esoteric discourse, 1900–1939. Leiden: Brill.Asprem, E., & Granholm, K. (Eds.). (2013). Contemporary esotericism. Sheffield: Equinox.Bolton, K. R. (2011). The Influence of H. P. Lovecraft on Occultism. Irish Journal of Gothic and Horror Studies, 9, 2–21.Burleson, D. R. (1990). Lovecraft: Disturbing the universe. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky.Dyrendal, A., Lewis, J. R., & Petersen, J. A. (Eds.). (2016). The invention of Satanism. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Engle, J. (2014). The troubling use of fiction in cultic practices: Lovecraft and religion. Mythlore, 32(1), 15–34.Evans, T (2005) — Timothy H. Evans, “A Last Defense Against the Dark: Folklore, Horror, and the Uses of Tradition in the Works of H. P. Lovecraft” (Journal of Folklore Research, 2005).Grant, K. (1972). The magical revival. London: Frederick Muller.Harms, D., & Gonce, J. W. (2003). The Necronomicon Files: The truth behind Lovecraft’s legend. St. Paul, MN: Weiser.Hine, P. (1994). Pseudonomicon. Chaos International.Joshi, S. T. (1996). H. P. Lovecraft: A Life. Baltimore, MD: Necronomicon Press.Joshi, S. T. (2001). A dreamer and a visionary: H. P. Lovecraft in his time. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press.Laycock, J. (2015). Dangerous games: What the moral panic over role-playing games says about play, religion, and imagined worlds. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.Partridge, C. (2004). The re-enchantment of the West: Volume 1 — Alternative spiritualities, sacralization, popular culture, and occulture. London/New York: T & T Clark.Punter, D. (1996). The literature of terror: A history of Gothic fictions from 1765 to the present day. London: Longman.Schultz, D. E. (2006). The cosmology of chaos: H. P. Lovecraft and the modern horror of entropy. Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts, 17(1), 45–62.Joshi, S. T., & Schultz, D. E. (2001). An H. P. Lovecraft encyclopedia. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.Urban, H. B. (2006). Magia sexualis: Sex, magic, and liberation in modern Western esotericism. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!

Asmodeus is more than the “demon of lust.” In this episode, I trace his journey from the Avestan aēšma in Zoroastrian texts to Ashmedai in Jewish literature, through the Book of Tobit and the Babylonian Talmud, into Islamic narratives of Solomon’s throne, and on to Christian demonology, Renaissance grimoires, Enlightenment satire, and modern occult reinterpretations. Rather than a single biography, Asmodeus emerges as a cultural palimpsest that different communities used to think about desire, power, and knowledge. We examine philology, theology, ritual technologies, and iconography to ask what this demon reveals about changing ideas of evil and the management of sexuality. If you value evidence-based scholarship on magic and esotericism, this one is for you.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 📚(full list on screen)Boyce, M. (1975). A history of Zoroastrianism: The early period. Brill.Duling, D. C. (1983). Testament of Solomon: A new translation and introduction. In J. H. Charlesworth (Ed.), The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha (Vol. 1, pp. 935–987). Doubleday.Fitzmyer, J. A. (2003). Tobit. De Gruyter.Al-Ṭabarī. (2001). The history of al-Ṭabarī: Volume III, The children of Israel (W. M. Brinner, Trans.). State University of New York Press.Clark, S. (1997). Thinking with demons: The idea of witchcraft in early modern Europe. Oxford University Press.Davies, O. (2009). Grimoires: A history of magic books. Oxford 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/3NWAVVQ00:00 Introduction: Who is Asmodeus the Demon?06:57 Asmodeus: Philological Archaeology and Zoroastrian Foundations11:38 Asmodeus inJewish Tradition and Second Temple Literature13:40 Asmodeus Reimagined in the Testament of Solomon16:49 Asmodeus in Christian Demonology18:53 The possessed Nuns of Loudun21:37 Islamic Adaptations of Asmodeus26:05 Asmodeus in Renaissance Grimoires and Systematic Demonology31:44 Modern Occult and Esoteric Reinterpretations of the Demon King Asmodeus36:46 Conclusion: The Demon as a Cultural Palimpsest41:33 Support Angela’s Symposium⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!

Ivy Corvus has been practicing various occult philosophies for 20 years. She is the author of "Chaos Magic: A Complete Beginner's Guide", a contributing author to "This is Chaos: Embracing The Future Of Magic", and has written for Pagan Dawn magazine. Ivy is best known as “Ivy The Occultist” on her YouTube channel, established in 2022. She is a seer, witch, chaos magician, astral surfer, a former Zen Buddhist, embodying the curiosity of Alice with magic and mysticism. With a history as a healthcare practitioner, and through her science degree, her passion lies in understanding the convergence of mind, body, and spirit. All of Ivy Corvus' links can be found here: https://linktr.ee/ivycorvusCONNECT & 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 📚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!

Across three millennia, the goddess Astarte was recast as the demon Astaroth: a transformation that reveals more about humanity’s fear of the sacred feminine than any real change in divinity. This episode traces that metamorphosis from ancient Mesopotamian goddess to grimoire demon and modern occult archetype. Drawing on sources from biblical polemics and Renaissance demonology, as well as feminist and queer reimaginings, this exploration examines how Astaroth embodies the persistence of forbidden knowledge, gender fluidity, and spiritual defiance. Was Astaroth truly a fallen angel or the suppressed face of divine wisdom, buried under centuries of theological sabotage? 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 (full list on screen)📚Cornelius, I. (2004). The many faces of the goddess: The iconography of the Syro-Palestinian goddesses. Academic Press.Russell, J. B. (1977). The Devil: Perceptions of evil from antiquity to primitive Christianity. Cornell University Press.De Plancy, J. C. (1993). Dictionnaire infernal. Slatkine. (Original work published 1863)Lévi, É. (2001). Transcendental magic: Its doctrine and ritual (A. E. Waite, Trans.). Weiser Books. (Original work published 1854)Crowley, A. (1995). The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King (S. L. M. Mathers, Trans.). Weiser Books. (Original work published 1904)Ruether, R. R. (1974). Religion and sexism. Simon & Schuster.Granholm, K. (2014). Dark enlightenment: The historical, sociological, and discursive contexts of contemporary esoteric magic. Brill.Hanegraaff, W. J. (2012). Esotericism and the academy: Rejected knowledge in Western culture. Cambridge 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/3NWAVVQ00:00 Introduction: A Theological Palimpsest of the Demon Astaroth05:12 Philological and Historical Foundations: Tracking Asteroth’s Divine Genealogy 08:36 Asteroth’s Presence in Grimoires and Demonological Catalogues: Codifying the Forbidden12:37 Theological and Polemical Framing: The Demon as Moral Allegory19:11 Esoteric and Magical Receptions: Reclaiming the Fallen26:27 Demonic Iconography and Symbolism: Reading the Visual Palimpsest31:40 Practical Ritual Dimensions: From Constraint to Cooperation37:13 Asteroth - Contemporary Relevance and Reinterpretations: The Living Tradition41:27 IX. Conclusion: The Endless Metamorphosis of the Demon King15:11 Support Angela’s Symposium ⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!

This video explores the fascinating figure of Paimon, one of the most prominent kings of the Goetia, tracing his journey from early modern demonological catalogues to his reinvention in contemporary occultism and popular culture. We will examine how his image shifts across grimoires, from Johann Weyer’s Pseudomonarchia Daemonum to the Ars Goetia, and how his regal yet ambiguous traits became symbols of hidden wisdom, exotic authority, and intellectual mastery. The talk also considers Aleister Crowley’s psychological reinterpretation, the adaptations within Left-Hand Path traditions, and the transformation of Paimon into a mentor-like figure in modern demonolatry. Finally, we look at his unexpected entry into mainstream media through Ari Aster’s Hereditary and his reimagining in gaming and internet culture. Paimon’s enduring appeal lies not in stability but in continual reinvention, making him a key case study in the dynamics of Western esotericism.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 📚Agrippa, H. C. (1992). Three books of occult philosophy (J. Freake, Trans.; D. Tyson, Ed.). St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications. Original work published 1533.Church,D. (2020). Post-Horror: Art, Genre and Cultural Elevation. United Kingdom: Edinburgh University Press.Asprem, E. (2014). The problem of disenchantment: Scientific naturalism and esoteric discourse, 1900–1939. Leiden: Brill.Asprem, E. (2021). The occult among us: Esotericism in the mirror of contemporary culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Aster, A. (Director). (2018). Hereditary [Film]. A24.Carroll, P. J. (1987). Liber Null and Psychonaut. York Beach, ME: Weiser.Clark, S. (1997). Thinking with demons: The idea of witchcraft in early modern Europe. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Connolly, S. (2010). The complete book of demonolatry. Tempe, AZ: DB Publishing.Crowley, A. (1973). Liber ABA: Book four, parts I–IV. Weiser. Original work published 1909.Crowley, A., & Mathers, S. L. M. (1976). The Goetia: The lesser key of Solomon the King. Samuel Weiser. Original work published 1904.Davies, O. (2009). Grimoires: A history of magic books. Oxford University Press.Gilbert, R. A. (1983). The Golden Dawn: Twilight of the magicians. : Aquarian Press.Granholm, K. (2016). Dark enlightenment: The historical, sociological, and discursive contexts of contemporary esoteric magic. Leiden: Brill.Hine, P. (1995). Condensed chaos: An introduction to chaos magic. Weiser.Howe, E. (1972). The magicians of the Golden Dawn: A documentary history of a magical order, 1887–1923. Routledge & Kegan PaulKarlsson, T. (2004). Qabalah, Qliphoth and Goetic magic. Ouroboros.Karnowska, M. (2011). Magician means philosopher: Magic of Giordano Bruno. Studies in history and philosophy of science Part C: Studies in history and philosophy of biological and biomedical sciences, 42(3), 449–456. Kieckhefer, R. (1997). Forbidden rites: A necromancer’s manual of the fifteenth century. Pennsylvania State University Press.Peterson, J. H. (Ed.). (2001). The lesser key of Solomon: Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis. Weiser Books.Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!

Is there such a thing as a universal human experience of the divine, or are all encounters shaped by culture, language, and power? In this video, we explore the classic debate between perennialism and constructivism, from William James and Mircea Eliade to Steven Katz, Talal Asad, and beyond. Drawing on philosophy, anthropology, psychology, and neuroscience, we look at how claims of universality are entangled with history and how particular traditions cultivate what we call “religious experience.”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 📚Asad, T. (1993). Genealogies of religion: Discipline and reasons of power in Christianity and Islam. Johns Hopkins University Press.Beauregard, M., & Paquette, V. (2006). Neural correlates of a mystical experience in Carmelite nuns. Neuroscience Letters, 405(3), 186–190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2006.06.060Boyer, P. (2001). Religion explained: The evolutionary origins of religious thought. Basic Books.d’Aquili, E., & Newberg, A. (1993). Religious and mystical states: A neuropsychological model. Zygon, 28(2), 177–200. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9744.1993.tb00918.xd’Aquili, E., & Newberg, A. (1999). The mystical mind: Probing the biology of religious experience. Fortress Press.Eliade, M. (1958). Patterns in comparative religion. Sheed & Ward.Forman, R. K. C. (1990). The problem of pure consciousness: Mysticism and philosophy. Philosophy East and West, 40(4), 463–483. https://doi.org/10.2307/1399452Forman, R. K. C. (1999). Mysticism, mind, consciousness. State University of New York Press.Fuller, C. J. (1992). The camphor flame: Popular Hinduism and society in India. Princeton University Press.Hood, R. W., Jr. (1975). The construction and preliminary validation of a measure of reported mystical experience. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 14(1), 29–41. https://doi.org/10.2307/1384454Hood, R. W., Jr., Hill, P. C., & Spilka, B. (2001). The psychology of religion: An empirical approach (4th ed.). Guilford Press.Hori, V. S. (1999). Teaching and learning in the Rinzai Zen monastery. Journal of Japanese Studies, 25(1), 5–39. https://doi.org/10.2307/133231Humphrey, C., & Laidlaw, J. (1994). The archetypal actions of ritual: A theory of ritual illustrated by the Jain rite of worship. Clarendon Press.James, W. (1902). The varieties of religious experience: A study in human nature. Longmans, Green.Katz, S. T. (Ed.). (1978). Mysticism and philosophical analysis. Oxford University Press.Keane, W. (2007). Christian moderns: Freedom and fetish in the mission encounter. University of California Press.Luhrmann, T. M. (2012). When God talks back: Understanding the American evangelical relationship with God. Knopf.Mahmood, S. (2005). Politics of piety: The Islamic revival and the feminist subject. Princeton University Press.Meyer, B. (2009). Aesthetic formations: Media, religion and the senses. Palgrave Macmillan.Meyer, B. (2011). Mediation and the genesis of presence. In D. Morgan (Ed.), Religion and material culture (pp. 84–102). Routledge.⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!