Witches In History - Podcast Recs

Witches in History - Podcast Recs

If you prefer your history lessons in podcast form, here’s a list of audio treats about witches, witch trials, and witch panics, from antiquity to the modern day. Check out these shows on your favorite podcast app!

I will update this list as I find new examples. Feel free to add your own!

(Last Updated October 16, 2023 - Full post under Read More)

Witches & Witch Trials in History

Hex Positive

Ep. 3 - Hex Positive June 1, 2020 Bree delves into what it means to be Hex Positive, as well as discussing and dismantling some of the confusion surrounding the use of hexes and curses. Just what IS the Threefold Law, anyway? The answer may surprise you.

Ep. 19 - The Trouble with Tarot August 1, 2021 Tarot and tarot-reading have been a part of the modern witchcraft movement since the 1960s. But where did these cards and their meanings come from? Are they secretly Ancient Egyptian mystical texts? Do they have their origins among the Romani people? Are they a sacred closed practice that should not be used by outsiders? Nope, nope, and nope. This month, we delve into the actual history of tarot cards, discover their origins on the gaming tables of Italy and France, meet the people who developed their imagery and symbolism into the deck we know today, and debunk some of the nonsense that’s been going around lately concerning their use. The Witchstorian is putting on her research specs for this one!

Ep. 20 - Witchcraft and the Law September 1, 2021 A discussion of the history of witchcraft-related laws and how changing views on magic, religion, and superstition first denied the existence of witches, then panicked over their alleged activities, and finally settled into something resembling common sense. This is a long slog, encompassing over 3000 years of history from a broomstick-height view, and I get off on a few tangents where history crosses paths with modern issues. But if you’re a history buff, you’re gonna love this episode!

Ep. 21 - Witchcraft and Modern Law September 21, 2021 A follow-up to Ep. 20, this time dealing with modern legal codes that may affect our practices even if they don’t deal with witchcraft directly. There is also some discussion of 20th-century events missed in the previous episode, as well as a brief overview of witch hunts still occurring in some parts of the world today.

Ep. 22 - Bree and Lozzie vs the Witch Hunters October 1, 2021 Bree NicGarran and guest host Lozzie Stardust run down the history and many misdeeds of notorious witch hunters Matthew Hopkins and John Stearne.

Ep. 23 - The Name of the Game November 1, 2021 Bree delves into the history, myths, and urban legends surrounding Ouija boards. Along the way, we’ll uncover their origins in the spiritualist movement, discover the pop culture phenomenon that labeled them portals to hell, and try to separate fact from internet fiction with regard to what these talking boards can actually do.

Ep. 28 - The Easter-Ostara Debacle April 1, 2022 Bree puts on her Witchstorian hat once more to delve into the origins of both Easter  and Ostara and to finally answer the age-old question: which came first  – the bunny or the egg?

Ep. 036 - Margaret Effing Murray with Trae Dorn July 1, 2023 Margaret Murray was a celebrated author, historian, folklorist, Egyptologist, archaeologist, anthropologist, first-wave feminist, and the first woman to be appointed to the position of lecturer in archaeology in the UK. So why so we get so annoyed whenever her name is mentioned in conversations about witchcraft? Well, it all has to do with a book Margaret wrote back in 1921…which just so happened to go on to have a profound influence on the roots of the modern witchcraft movement. Nerd & Tie senpai and host of BS-Free Witchcraft Trae Dorn joins me in the virtual studio to discuss the thoroughly-discredited witch-cult hypothesis, Murray’s various writings and accomplishments, and why modern paganism might not have caught on so strongly without her.

BS-Free Witchcraft

Ep 03: The History of Wicca October 06, 2018 On this episode Trae digs deep into the history of Wicca, and tries to give the most accurate history of the religion as they can. I mean, yeah, we know this is a general Witchcraft podcast, but Wicca is the most widely practiced form of Witchcraft in the US, UK, Canada and Australia… so how it got started is kind of important for the modern Witchcraft movement. (And trust me, there aren’t any pulled punches here.)

Ep. 28: The Burning Times May 30, 2020 On this installment of the podcast, we tackle probably one of the more controversial topics in the modern witchcraft movement: The Burning Times. What were the actual “Burning Times,” where do we get that phrase from, and what really happened? Also, how has this phrase been used in modern witchcraft? It’s a heavy one, folks.

Ep. 33: The Wheel of the Year March 27, 2021 After two fairly depressing episodes, it’s time to move on to something a little less bleak. This time around we’re talking about the Wheel of the Year! Well, at least the basic idea. Where did it come from, who slapped these eight holidays together, and are they really something every witch needs to give a crap about? (Minor spoiler, the answer to that last question is a firm “no.”)

Ep. 39. - Mabon and Aidan Kelly Sept. 25, 2021 In the last few years there has been some minor push back against using the name “Mabon” for the Autumnal Equinox. In this episode we’re going to talk about how Mabon got its name, who came up with the name, and why exactly a small group of British Traditional Wiccans are so mad about it. (Spoiler: it’s because a bunch of Gardnerian Wiccans are mad at Aidan Kelly.)

Ep. 43 - “Lilith” Jan. 29, 2022 As long as I can remember, people have been debating whether or not it’s okay for non-Jewish witches to incorporate Lilith into their practices. Is Lilith closed? Is it cultural appropriation? There’s so much misinformation in new age and poorly written witchcraft books on Lilith, it’s hard for some witches to get a clear picture. Like I’ve run into folks on social media talking about Lilith as a “Goddess,” which she very much isn’t. Let’s dive into the origins of the folklore surrounding this figure, and I’ll let you decide whether or not it’s okay to work with Lilith. But, uh, spoiler – I don’t think you should.

Ep. 53 - Modern Witchcraft History Nov. 26, 2022 This episode of BS-Free Witchcraft is actually a panel from CritWitchCon 2022 this last October. Spend an hour with Alex Wrekk, Bree NicGarran, Lozzie Stardust, and Trae Dorn as they talk about the history of modern witchcraft. Also you get to list to Trae speed run like 130 years of history in under five minutes. [It was epic.]

Ep. 54 - A Conversation with Aidan Kelly Dec. 31, 2022 Trae sits down with Aidan Kelly (yes THE Aidan Kelly) to discuss the September 2021 episode listed above and set the record straight about Kelly’s new Wheel of the Year.

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Blessed Yule!

Yule, Yuletide or the winter solstice, happens usually around the 21st to the 25th (it depends for each year!) The winter solstice is a celebration of the longest night and shortest day of the year: after that, days will get longer again! It's a great time to celebrate home, family, friends, and reflect on ourselves. It also celebrates the eternal cycle of light and dark, life and death.

Crystals that are good to have for Yule are Ametrine, Orange Calcite, Ruby, Turquoise, Garnet, Bloodstone, Snowflake Obsidian and Onyx

For food, you can think of fruit (like oranges!), dried fruit, nuts, or even drink cider!

Colors that go well for Yule are, of course, red, green, white, silver and gold!

What to do for Yule

Decorate a Christmas/Yule tree. It's also a great activity if you are still in the broom closet

Bake a Yule log (the cake!), gingerbread cookies, plum pudding, or other recipes you usually make for the holidays. For example, fruit pies are always a big thing in my house during Christmas, so I also bake some for Yule!

Since Yule is a great time for reflection, make sure you take some time for that. Sit down and think about what happened in your life this year, meditate on it, try to see what was good and what was bad, and how to fix/change the latter. Do shadow work. Be grateful, make bullet points of your year's highlights. Using divination tools, like making a tarot spread about yourself/your situation, is also a great way to do that. Sometimes, it's even easier because the tool might bring up points you would've never thought of.

Have fun with family and friends! Yule is about the love and warmth around you, that also goes for the people you love.

Take a cleansing bath or shower! It's time to let go of things that you don't need anymore: and cleansing yourself helps to move on, to get rid of energies that no longer serve you. It will make some space for new things to come!

Go take a walk outside! Go appreciate the cold and how calm winter is.

Watch the sunrise and sunset. Afterall, it is the shortest day of the year, and it's nice to really see it.

With all that being said, I wish a blessed Yule to all! Take care of yourselves and have fun :)

ORANGE GARLAND

Take 4 or 5 oranges and slice them into circles; thinner slices make it easier to dry

Place slices in rows on a baking sheet

Place sheets into 200° F oven

Check and flip slices every hour until dry

Let cool, then use a needle, chopstick, or something similar to push two holes through the flesh of the orange (NOT THE RIND! It will fall apart)

String the oranges onto a piece of string or jute

You now have a complete Yule orange decoration! String it on a tree, hang in front of a window, or use as an altar decoration. You can also save it for next year, compost, or give to the birds when the season is over!

Cord Cutting || The Do's and Dont's for this DIFFICULT spell || Witchcraft Tips

Cat-Sìth | Scottish Folklore

If you have ever wondered why black cats are associated with Halloween, the cat-sìth/cait-sìth may be the reason.

They are described as giant black cats with a spot on their chests, an arched back, and long hair always standing upright and bristly.

“Elfin cats (cait shìth) are explained to be of a wild, not a domesticated, breed, to be as large as dogs, of a black colour, with a white spot on the breast, and to have arched backs and erect bristles” “Superstitions of the Highlands & Islands of Scotland” by John Gregorson Campbell (1900)

On Samhain(the early version of Halloween), when the cat-sìth was said to roam around, many families would leave out a bowl of milk to keep in the cat-sìth‘s good favour. If you did that, you would be blessed, if you forgot, you would be cursed. 

As well as that, some people in the Scottish highlands were often fearful of the cat-sìth stealing the souls of the recently dead and carrying them away to the otherworld, so people would stand watch over their loved one until they could be buried. This was called Feil Fadalach or Late Wake. Essentially, this involved a large number of activities to distract the cat-sìth, such as games, dancing, contests, riddles, and even catnip spread over the house. All the fires in the room with the body would be put out, since cats like warmth (though this would also help keep the body from decomposing as quickly).

Eventually, a change of beliefs changed the cat-sìth from a fairy, into a witch. The myth that cats have nine lives is said to come from the fact that a witch could transform to a cat exactly 8 times. If she did it a 9th time, she would be a cat forever.

High-landers commonly explained the cat síth as a transformed witch, not a fairy.  A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology

The cat-sìth is not to be confused with Big Ears, the demonic god of the cats. He was said to be even bigger and more ferocious.

“But Big Ears was a monstrous demon cat who had only a slight connection with the Cait Sith.” “A Encyclopedia of Fairies” by Katharine Briggs (Published in 1976)

That is a story I won’t be covering, because I think it will be too troubling for people. Putting it bluntly, there was a belief that if you brutally tortured a certain number of cats to death in a certain way(known as the taghairm), Big Ears would appear, and grant you wishes in return for your soul.

((My first post :>>))

Next month is Yule!! Time to learn, my beautiful lovelies,

What is Yule?

Yule is one of the first holidays celebrated, originating from Pagan Traditions, things such as the Christmas Tree, Yule Log and Yule singing were originally Yule celebrations. Christmas is a Christian-ized version of Yule, it's celebrated same time, depending on who you ask, or your opinion, it can be celebrated same day as Christmas, from the 21st-23rd, or from the 21st-1st of January. There's no specific reasons on these different dates, besides most witches in the Broom Closet (meaning they hide their craft, rather for personal reasons or because of where/how the they live) when a witch is in the broom closet it might be easier to celebrate more across more days, for those who have to keep their craft and celebrations a secret. With more Wiccan traditions it celebrates the Oak and Holly King belief, that the Oak King takes half of the year (Spring and Summer) and the Holly King takes the other half (Autumn/Fall and Winter) some say they battle all year, and Summer and Winter Solstice is when each respecting brother is the strongest. Some say they're battling for the Goddess, other say they're fighting for their part of year, other's say it's just them being rivals. In more Pagan Traditions it celebrates Odin, as that's also were Santa Claus originated from. Odin lead the Wild Hunt through the Sky

"As far as practitioners of nature spiritualities are concerned, the Wild Hunt offers an initiation into the wild and an opening up of the senses; a sense of dissolution of self in confrontation with fear and death, an exposure to a 'whirlwind pulse that runs through life'. In short, engagement with the Hunt is a bid to restore a reciprocity and harmony between humans and nature."

— Susan Greenwood.

Not only this, but it also celebrates the new year (if you go by traditional new year) it's about preparing for the new year, a fresh start

How to celebrate Yule?

There's many ways to celebrate Yule, I recommend you do your own research or ask your family or friends (if you have any) about their beliefs and celebrations, but here's some ways

You can have a Christmas like tree, but instead put orange peels on the tree for celebration of a new year, and the close return of the Oak King. You can write wishes or spells on bay leaves and put it on the tree as well, the star originated from putting candles on the tree, BE CAREFUL though, obviously can be dangerous if you light the candles. You can also put bells on the tree to let Spirits know it's a safe place to stay, and to make their presence aware (not all spirits are bad) you can decorate your altar with things like colors associated with Yule or Christmas if you have experience with Christmas, like red, green, Gold, Silver and maybe even white. Pine cones, snow water, or pine needles from your tree(s) it's also common to make Vision Boards for the new year and do shadow work for the new year on Yule. It's also common to make a bonfire, write all you want to release on paper or bay leaves and throw it into the bon fire. If you can't have a bonfire you can also just a fire safe container and candle, I recommend a Yule colored candle if possible. You can also make the very famous Yule Log, rather it be the actual thing, a tiny version using a stick, or making a Yule Log pastry/dessert.

(Image not mine) I always provide an image with information in case of those who are into Witchcraft, Paganism or Wicca, and have select internet options or they lose this post. They can download this image and have portable knowledge even if they're in a place without internet, or they lose their Tumblr account, or many other things.

That's all for now!!