witchcraft – New World Witchery – The Search for American Traditional Witchcraft

Episode 225 – All Them Witches with Kelden

Twisted Nursery Rhymes and Sabbath Shenanigans

Summary: We sit down to talk to Kelden about his work researching witch trials, exploring the magical nature of nursery rhymes, and creating witch tales with a twist.

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.

Producer for this show: This episode is supported by listener Kym, who’s been tossing the good stuff into our cauldron since 2021. Our immense thanks to you for all you do, and we’ll be sending you a hand-engraved sulfur-scented invitation to our sabbat revels as soon as they’re back from the printers.

Play: Episode 225 – All Them Witches with Kelden
Stream:

Visit Llewellyn’s author page for Kelden to find more of his works, including The Crooked Path and The Witches Sabbath. You can order his self-published book of lore and magic, All Them Witches, from Bookshop.org or your local bookseller.

Some upcoming publications from us:

Cory recently contributed to The Gorgon’s Guide to Magical Resistance, edited by Jenn Zahrt and Laura Tempest Zakroff (which includes his “penis trees” article along with a lot of other great pieces) and the upcoming release of the Llewellyn’s Complete Book of North American Folk Magic, out in Spring 2023. Also be on the lookout for our upcoming collaborative book Conjuring the Commonplace: A Guide to Everyday Enchantment and Junk Drawer Magic also coming in 2023 from 1000Volt Press.

You can also buy Cory’s book, New World Witchery: A Trove of North American Folk Magic! (also available from Amazon)

Please note that clicking on links may provide some monetary compensation to New World Witchery.

Image via Pixabay (Used under CC 2.0 License, modified by New World Witchery)

If you have feedback you’d like to share, email us at compassandkey@gmail.com or newworldwitcherypodcast@gmail.com or leave a comment at the website: www.newworldwitchery.com . 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 are also on TikTok now. You can follow us on Instagram (main account, or you can follow Laine as well) or check out our new YouTube channel with back episodes of the podcast and “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 and Music: Title music is “Woman Blues,” by Paul Avgerinos. All music is licensed from Audio Socket (#35954). Additional Music from Kevin Macleod, used under a CC 2.0 license.

Please consider supporting us by purchasing our promotional items in the New World Witchery Threadless shop or by joining our Patreon supporters. 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

Special Episode – Folk Magician’s Notebook – March 2023

Birds, diamonds, discs, squeaky wagons, and wishing lanterns!

Summary:

We look at the cards and moon for the month, hear a story about a trio of competitive friends from Slavic lore, watch some birds in the sky, and send up some wishes!

Producers for this show:

ConjuredCardea, AthenaBeth, Jen Rue of Rue & Hyssop, Achija Branvin Sionach, Catherine, Jamie, Ralph of the Holle’s Haven Podcast, Christopher, Montine of Book of My Shadows, Victoria & Keifel of 1000 Volt Press, Heather, Sherry, Fergus, Jennifer, Donna, Stephanie, AromaG’s Botanica, Benjamin, Matthew Venus of Spiritus Arcanum, Mark, Vee, Meg, Liz, Donna, Lisa, Jacob, Sierra, and Jen!

Our sincere thanks to everyone supporting us!

Play:

Play: Special Episode – Folk Magician’s Notebook – March 2023

Stream:

/audio]

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We highly recommend that you find an almanac or lunar-oriented datebook to help you with planning out your own magical year. Some we can recommend:

The Witches Almanac

Llewellyn’s Witches’ Datebook

Benebell Wen’s Metaphysician’s Planner

Montine’s Book of My Shadows

Or your local Farmer’s Almanac!

You can find a transcript of this episode at our Transcripts page.

The story this episode is “The Carpenter, Perun, and the Devil.” found in Forests of the Vampire, edited by Charles Phillips.

We also mention The Dabbler’s Guide to Witchcraft by Fire Lyte for the Wishing Lanterns section.

Please note that we’ll be doing our card-readings slightly differently this year. Laine will read for Cory, and Cory for Laine, but we’ll also share general information on the cards we pull, too. If you are interested in playing card divination, you can check out our Cartomancy post or pick up Cory’s book, 54 Devils.

You can now buy Cory’s book, New World Witchery: A Trove of North American Folk Magic! (also available from Amazon)

Image via Pixabay (CC 2.0)

Don’t forget to follow us at Twitter! And check out our Facebook page! For those who are interested, we are also on TikTok now. You can follow us on Instagram (main account, or you can follow Laine as well) 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 and Music:

Title and closing music are “Runaround (AM Radio),” by Aaron Solomon, and is licensed from Audio Socket. (License #1273). Additional incidental music Kevin Macleod, from Free Music Archive and used under a CC 2.0 license; and additional music licensed from Audio Socket including: “Lost Souls,” by Aaron Solomon; “Finally at Peace,” by Colin Scudder; “Baluji Shrivastv,” by Raag Maru Bihag; and “Underwater Astronomy,” by Tear Ceremony.

Sound effects from Freesound.org and in the Public Domain.

Please consider supporting us by purchasing our promotional items in the New World Witchery Threadless shop or by joining our Patreon supporters.

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! You can also check out Cory’s folklore show, Chasing Foxfire, where he explores the intersection of folklore and topics like history, medicine, science, nature, literature, pop culture, and more!

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

Episode 224 – (Smug) Bird Lore

Ca-CAW!!! Feather your nest with some egg-cellent lore!

Summary: They may be smug, but there’s a LOT of folklore about them! We’re talking bird-based folk beliefs, magic, superstitions, and more this time.

Producer for this show: This episode is supported by listener Cathy, to whom we offer an egg in these trying times.

Play: Episode 224 – (Smug) Bird Lore
Stream:

We draw upon a variety of sources for information this episode, including:

De Divinatonae/On Divination by Cicero (augury in the ancient world)
What the Robin Knows by Jon Young (the science of bird-watching)
Folkloric American Witchcraft & the Multicultural Experience by Via Hedera (blue jays and the devil)
Earth, Air, Fire, Water by Scott Cunningham (the passage that inspired this episode)
“The Goose Girl” and “Frau Holle” which appear in the Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm
The Crow by James O’Barr (massive childhood inspiration) and The Sandman by Neil Gaiman (adult inspiration)
“Odds and Ends of North American Folklore on Birds,” by W.L. McAtee (Western Folklore 1955 article)

The transcript for this episode is available on our Transcripts page.

Some upcoming publications from us:

You can now buy Cory’s book, New World Witchery: A Trove of North American Folk Magic! (also available from Amazon)

Please note that clicking on links may provide some monetary compensation to New World Witchery.

Image via Pixabay (Used under CC 2.0 License, modified by New World Witchery)

If you have feedback you’d like to share, email us at compassandkey@gmail.com or newworldwitcherypodcast@gmail.com or leave a comment at the website: www.newworldwitchery.com . 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 are also on TikTok now. You can follow us on Instagram (main account, or you can follow Laine as well) 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 and Music: Title music is “Woman Blues,” by Paul Avgerinos. All music is licensed from Audio Socket (#35954).

Video – An Introduction to Ozark Folk Magic

Wishbones for love? Talking to bees? Ozark folk magic!

In which Cory gives a brief (and VERY high-level) overview of Ozark folk magic, along with a few suggestions for further research and learning. Turkey wishbones for love? Talking to beehives? Moon signs and body parts? All that and more in this video!

Please note that I am NOT a native Ozarker, and can only speak as someone studying folklore. Those who would like to know more should definitely seek out the expertise and knowledge of Ozark residents over what I say here.

Books mentioned in this video include:

Ozark Magic & Folklore by Vance Randolph – https://bookshop.org/a/4988/9780486211817
Ozark Folk Magic and Ozark Mountain Spell Book – https://bookshop.org/a/4988/9780738767253 and https://bookshop.org/a/4988/9780738770673
The Llewellyn Complete Guide to North American Folk Magic – https://bookshop.org/a/4988/9780738767871
Additionally, the archives of Bittersweet are a good source for information: https://thelibrary.org/lochist/periodicals/bittersweet/index.html

Images are designed by Canva. Images from Vance Randolph’s article from Life Magazine are used under the presumption of Fair Use for educational and critical purposes. Additional images via Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain).

Music is “Cattails” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

(Note: Clicking on links may result in financial or other compensation to the video’s creators)

Special Episode – Folk Magician’s Notebook – February 2023

Cards, candles, comets, coneys, and chilling out your enemies!

Summary:

We take a look at a pair of cards, watch the sky for a comet, learn to read candles for signs, and much more in our latest notebook episode!

Producers for this show:

Our sincere thanks to everyone supporting us!

Play:

Play: Special Episode – Folk Magician’s Notebook – February 2023

Stream:

/audio]

-Sources-

We highly recommend that you find an almanac or lunar-oriented datebook to help you with planning out your own magical year. Some we can recommend:

The Witches Almanac

Llewellyn’s Witches’ Datebook

Benebell Wen’s Metaphysician’s Planner

Montine’s Book of My Shadows

Or your local Farmer’s Almanac!

You can find a transcript of this episode at our Transcripts page.

The story this episode is “The Foolish, Timid Rabbit,” a Jataka Tale from the Buddhist Tradition, translated by Ellen C. Babbit

You can find out more about candle reading from Jake Richards’ post on the topic at his website, Little Chicago Conjure.

You can now buy Cory’s book, New World Witchery: A Trove of North American Folk Magic! (also available from Amazon)

Image via Pixabay (CC 2.0)

Promos and Music:

Sound effects from Freesound.org and in the Public Domain.

Please consider supporting us by purchasing our promotional items in the New World Witchery Threadless shop or by joining our Patreon supporters.

Episode 223 – Birthday Magic with Hannah Hawthorn

How to bewitch your solar return

Summary: We chat with Simply Witched maven Hannah Hawthorn about birthday-based magic, astrology, everyday folk magic, and even witchy video games!

Producer for this show: This episode is supported by listener Mark, and we are grateful for all the cabbage, black-eyed peas, and fireworks you have served us in our lucky New Year’s feast!

Play: Episode 223 – Birthday Magic with Hannah Hawthorn
Stream:

You can find out much more about Hannah at her website, SimplyWitched. Her book, The Magick of Birthdays, is also available wherever books are sold. If you book one of her astrology services, you can also get a 10% discount with the code “NEWWORLDWITCHERY” (no quotes) on checkout! Thanks Hannah!

Some upcoming publications from us:

You can now buy Cory’s book, New World Witchery: A Trove of North American Folk Magic! (also available from Amazon)

Please note that clicking on links may provide some monetary compensation to New World Witchery.

Image via Pixabay (Used under CC 2.0 License, modified by New World Witchery)

Promos and Music: Title music is “Woman Blues,” by Paul Avgerinos. All music is licensed from Audio Socket (#35954).

Episode 222 – The Witch’s Rest

The value in sitting out a Sabbat once in a while

Summary: In which we discuss the concept of taking time off from witchcraft intentionally in order to recharge, as well as precedents for down time in folklore.

Producer for this show: This episode is supported by listener Mark, and we are grateful for all the cabbage, black-eyed peas, and fireworks you have served us in our lucky New Year’s feast!

Play: Episode 222 – The Witch’s Rest
Stream:

Our main source for this is The Witch at the Forest’s Edge, by Christine Grace. We mention Mother Lane, the New Moon Curandera, who is also mentioned in Cory’s book, New World Witchery. The mention of Pop Cliff is found in Rocky Sexton’s article “Cajun and Creole Traiteurs.”

You may also be interested in these previous episodes:

The transcript for this episode is available on our Transcripts page.

Some upcoming publications from us:

You can now buy Cory’s book, New World Witchery: A Trove of North American Folk Magic! (also available from Amazon)

Please note that clicking on links may provide some monetary compensation to New World Witchery.

Image via Pixabay (Used under CC 2.0 License, modified by New World Witchery)

If you have feedback you’d like to share, email us at compassandkey@gmail.com or newworldwitcherypodcast@gmail.com or leave a comment at the website: www.newworldwitchery.com . 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 are also on TikTok now. You can follow us on Instagram (main account, or you can follow Laine as well) 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 and Music: Title music is “Woman Blues,” by Paul Avgerinos. All music is licensed from Audio Socket.

Special Episode – Folk Magician’s Notebook – January 2023

First-footing, cartomancy, helpful birds, and more!

Summary:

We welcome in a new year with some information on first footing, add a little variety to our card readings, hear a story about a helpful robin, shake and rattle some gourds, and much more!

Producers for this show:

Our sincere thanks to everyone supporting us!

Play:

Play: Special Episode – Folk Magician’s Notebook – January 2023

Stream:

/audio]

-Sources-

We highly recommend that you find an almanac or lunar-oriented datebook to help you with planning out your own magical year. Some we can recommend:

The Witches Almanac

Llewellyn’s Witches’ Datebook

Benebell Wen’s Metaphysician’s Planner

Montine’s Book of My Shadows

Or your local Farmer’s Almanac!

You can find a transcript of this episode at our Transcripts page.

The story this episode is taken from The Secret Garden, by Mary Hodges Burnett. Laine reads Chapter 8 – The Robin Who Showed the Way (link for full chapter at Lit2Go)

You can find out more about first footing and other New Year’s Traditions at our post about the topic, as well.

You can now buy Cory’s book, New World Witchery: A Trove of North American Folk Magic! (also available from Amazon)

Image via Pixabay (CC 2.0)

Promos and Music:

Title and closing music are “Runaround (AM Radio),” by Aaron Solomon, and is licensed from Audio Socket. Additional music licensed from AudioSocket includes”Rain,” by Jim Coleman; “Campfire Slow,” by Randall Chrissman; “My Dreams Start out Calmly,” by Shadowy Lines; “At this Point,” by Abstract Aprils; and “Paranormal Dobro,” by Steve Barden. Additional incidental music Kevin Macleod, from Free Music Archive and used under a CC 2.0 license.

Sound effects from Freesound.org and in the Public Domain.

Please consider supporting us by purchasing our promotional items in the New World Witchery Threadless shop or by joining our Patreon supporters.

Episode 221 – Yuletide Cheer! 2022

Our annual “Tales and Wassails” episode for the midwinter nights

Summary:

We bring the year to a close with our midwinter festivities, including wassails and carols, a few fairy tales, a pair of poems, and even a bit of festive food lore. Got Jul and Happy Holidays to all!

Producers for this show:

Abby, Achija Branvin Sionach, AromaG’s Botanica, AthenaBeth, Andrea, Bagga Marsh, Benjamin, Breanna, Carol, Carole, Catherine, Cheryl, Christopher, Colby, ConjuredCardea, Daniel, Dave, Don, Donna, Elizabeth, Eveline, Erin, Fergus, Griffin, Heather, Jamie, Jen Rue of Rue & Hyssop, Jess, Jenna, Jennifer, Jodi, John, Jonathan at the ModernSouthernPolytheist, Kat, Kee, Kristopher, Liz, Mark, Marisa, Matthew Venus of Spiritus Arcanum, Milo, Minimiel, Montine of Book of My Shadows, , Nikki, Payton, Sara, Scarlet Pirate, Sherry, Staci, Stephanie, Ralph from the Holle’s Haven Podcast, Vee, Victoria & Keifel of 1000 Volt Press, Violet, and WisdomQueen (if we missed you this episode, we’ll make sure you’re in the next one!). Big thanks to everyone supporting us!

Play:

Play: Episode 222 – Yuletide Cheer! 2022

Stream:

/audio]

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Our stories for this episode are “The Golden Key” from the Brothers Grimm and “The Snow Maiden” from Russian folklore.

The poems are “Winter Stars,” by Sara Teasdale and “The Snow Fairy,” by Claude McKay.

The apple lore can be found in our Post #143 – Apples.

If you are interested in playing card divination, you can check out our Cartomancy post or pick up Cory’s book, 54 Devils.

Some upcoming publications from us:

You can now buy Cory’s book, New World Witchery: A Trove of North American Folk Magic! (also available from Amazon)

Please note that clicking on links may provide some monetary compensation to New World Witchery.

Image via Pixabay (Used under CC 2.0 License, modified by New World Witchery)

Promos and Music:

Our music for this episode is used under Public Domain through Archive.org or licensed from AudioSocket unless noted otherwise. The songs for this episode are:

“Old Christmas,” by Boyd Asher (Library Of Congress – Public Domain)
“Jingle Bells,” by Morrie Morrison Orchestra (AudioSocket)
“Fum Fum Fum” by the US Army Men’s Choir (Public Domain)
“Pat-a-Pan,” by the Concordia Choir (Archive.org)
“Good King Wenceslas,” by the Harmony Choristers (Archive.org)
“Angels We Have Heard on High,” by Joe Matzzie (AudioSocket)
“Soul Cake,” by the Pagan Carolers (Archive.org)
“Carol of the Birds,” by Columbus Boyschoir (Archive.org)
“Sing We Noel Once More,” by the Harmony Choristers (Archive.org)
“The Wassail Song,” by the English Singers (Archive.org)
“We’ve Been A-Wandering,” by Concordia Choir (Archive.org)
“Somerset Wassail,” by the Pagan Carolers (Archive.org)
“Carol of the Bells,” by Columbus Boyschoir (Archive.org)
“Green Groweth the Holly,” by the Pagan Carolers (Archive.org)
“The Boar’s Head Carol,” by the Pagan Carolers (Archive.org)
“Silent Night,” by Steven Rice (AudioSocket)
“Da Day Dawn,” by Samantha Gillogly (used with permission of artist)

Incidental music includes work by Kevin MacLeod, made available under a CC 2.0 license, and found at the FreeMusicArchive.org

Please consider supporting us by purchasing our promotional items in the New World Witchery Threadless shop or by joining our Patreon supporters.

Episode 220 – Divine Divination with Siri Vincent Plouff and Cassandra Snow

We talk tarot, runes, Queerness, and more!

Tarot, Runes, Melted Lead, and more!

Summary: We chat with Siri Vincent Plouff and Cassandra Snow about the intersections of divination, folklore, community, Queerness, and much more in this episode.

Producer for this show: This episode is supported by listener Matthew Venus of Spiritus Arcanum in Salem. We hope you enjoy your new familiar, Gary Busey, and keep him well-fed and magically bound as needed.

Play: Episode 220 – Divine Divination with Siri Vincent Plouff and Cassandra Snow
Stream:

Sources:
You can find our guests at:

The Heathen’s Journey Podcast with Siri Vincent Plouff and their website Northern Lights Witch

Cassandra Snow – the website!

Plus you can find their books: Lessons from the Empress (by Cassandra Snow and Siri Vincent Plouf), Queering the Tarot (by Cassandra Snow), and Queering Your Craft (by Cassandra Snow)

Our guests mention the site Asali Earthworks as well for Queer-friendly and social justice-oriented tarot reviews and more. Maria Minnis’ Anti-Racist tarot website also gets brought up.

We mention a LOT of tarot decks, too, including:

The Doodle Tarot by Em Kay Halloway
The Next World Tarot by Christy Road
The Rosebud Tarot by Diana Rose Harper
Tarot of the Divine by Yoshi Yoshitani
The Numinous Tarot
The Fat Folks Tarot (currently unavailable)

Some upcoming publications from us:

You can now buy Cory’s book, New World Witchery: A Trove of North American Folk Magic! (also available from Amazon)

Please note that clicking on links may provide some monetary compensation to New World Witchery.

Image via Pixabay (Used under CC 2.0 License, modified by New World Witchery)

If you have feedback you’d like to share, email us at compassandkey@gmail.com or newworldwitcherypodcast@gmail.com or leave a comment at the website: www.newworldwitchery.com . 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 are also on TikTok now. You can follow us on Instagram (main account, or you can follow Laine as well) 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 and Music: Title music is “Woman Blues,” by Paul Avgerinos. All music is licensed from Audio Socket.