Summary:
We’re discussing the power of names, both magical and mundane (and if there’s really a difference). We discuss the names we keep, the names thrust upon us, the names we lose, and the power of knowing a “true” name.
Please check out our Patreon page! You can help support the show for as little as a dollar a month, and get some awesome rewards at the same time. Even if you can’t give, spread the word and let others know, and maybe we can make New World Witchery even better than it is now.
Producers for this show: Heather, Donald, WisdomQueen, Regina, Jen Rue of Rue & Hyssop, Little Wren, Khristopher, Tanner, Fergus from Queer as Folk Magic, Achija of Spellbound Bookbinding, Johnathan at the ModernSouthernPolytheist, Catherine, Patrick, Carole, Payton, Staci, Debra, Montine, Cynara at The Auburn Skye, WickedScense, Moma Sarah at ConjuredCardea, Jody, Josette, Clarissa, Leslie, Hazel, Amy, Victoria, Sherry, Tarsha, Jennifer, Jess, Laura, Emily, Clever Kim’s Curios, Donald, Bo, Drew, Jenni Love of Broom Book & Candle, & AthenaBeth. (if we missed you this episode, we’ll make sure you’re in the next one!). Big thanks to everyone supporting us!
Play:
Download: Episode 155 – Names and Magic
Play:
-Sources-
We pull in a whole heap of sources for this episode, including:
-
We mention Shalom Auslander’s story: “Honor God,” from This American Life
-
We talk about the Freakanomics podcast: “How Much does your Name Matter?”
-
The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft, by Judika Illes
-
Spirited Away, a film from Studio Ghibli featuring a girl whose name is stolen by a witch
-
Oxford Dictionary of Superstitions, by Opie & Tatem
-
Encyclopedia of Asian American Folklore & Folklife, by Lee & Nadeau
Promotional image modified from image via Pixabay, public domain.
If you have feedback you’d like to share, email us or leave a comment. We’d love to hear from you!
Don’t forget to follow us at Twitter! And check out our Facebook page! For those who are interested, we also now have a page on Pinterest you might like, called “The Olde Broom.” You can follow us on Instagram or check out our new YouTube channel with back episodes of the podcast and new “Everyday Magic” videos, too (as well as most of our contest announcements)! Have something you want to say? Leave us a voice mail on our official NWW hotline: (442) 999-4824 (that’s 442-99-WITCH, if it helps).
Promos & Music
Title and closing music is “Homebound,” by Bluesboy Jag, and is used under license from Magnatune.
If you like us AND you like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you will love our new show: Myth Taken: A Buffy the Vampire Slayer Podcast, now available through all the podcatchers!
Please think about checking out our Audible Trial program. Visit Audibletrial.com/newworldwitchery to get your free trial of Audible, where you can download over 180,000 titles (including some narrated by Cory). Your purchases help support this show, and there’s no obligation to continue after the free trial
New World Witchery - The Search for American Traditional Witchcraft 
Merry Meet!
Speaking of names and having power over those who’s names u know–
Referring to the spell you described where you wrote the target’s (your intended boss) +your future job title +your name in a circle in cursive, then put the petition paper in a honey jar… (traditionally, the worker burns a candle on the lid of the jar) -that is a traditional hoodoo spell sweetening spell, which I’m sure you know.
I’ve only listened so far to two episodes; the other being another episode in which you discussed job getting, and one spell that was described involved using the logo of the company you want to work with, and -if memory serves- making a sigil from your name/ your photo/ name paper/ petition paper/ Solomonic Seals, etc. That was also an old traditional hoodoo working, which in this case was updated to our current times where we can print out company logos ourselves and use them. Current technology with old downhome hoodoo work.
It appears you’ve grown quite an audience of baby > adolescent > mature witches, who download your podcast in order to tune into your robust and educational discussions, and who are excited to learn new spells- and congrats for the growth and success of your work, btw! -which obviously reaches many seekers, far and wide.
I’m writing to say that it would be really cool for you guys to give credit where credit is due to all the hoodoo-conjure-rootwork spells that you share on your podcast; newbies to magickal practice should know where working such as these ones originated from.
Blessed Be,
Rev. Diana P