The Man Who Put a Spell on Trump: Interview w/Michael M. Hughes

February 28, 2017 By Peg Aloi

Michael M. Hughes describes himself as a “writer, speaker and magical thinker.” He has published novels, short stories and numerous articles on various occult and esoteric topics, including the tarot, Dungeons and Dragons, UFOs, and occult references in popular media (his work on decoding the first episode of True Detective is particularly notable). Recently, Hughes posted an article on Medium calling for a mass binding spell of President Donald Trump, and, after being first spread around among the pagan community, began... Read more

Witchery and the Women’s March

January 20, 2017 By Peg Aloi

Hundreds of thousands of protesters will be gathering to march in Washington, DC on Saturday, and similar marches will be taking place in cities across the country. Some of the largest events will be in New York City, Los Angeles and Boston, but smaller cities are also planning similar events. The energy being galvanized by those protesting against a Trump presidency, and, in some cases, bemoaning the loss of Hillary Clinton, is palpable and growing in numbers as I type... Read more

Yuletide Movie Watching: Beyond the Basics

December 20, 2016 By Peg Aloi

I know these days that “seasonal” TV watching seems to start at the beginning of the month (October for Samhain, December for Yule), but some of us are WAY too busy to begin our holiday binge-viewing until the actual holidays are upon us! So if you have missed all the animated Christmas specials and old-timey holiday favorites, you can still look forward to watching some great movies to get you in the mood. I posted a list of some of... Read more

Why Real Witches Are Going to Love (or Maybe Hate) The Love Witch

November 11, 2016 By Peg Aloi

Witches are a hot topic lately, as savvy political essayists have shown. But the witch’s popularity in media has exploded since 1999’s The Blair Witch Project; though it’s a shame the latest reboot in the franchise is so ham-fisted and awful. Both Hollywood and indie efforts have been exploring pagan and occult narratives in provocative new ways (see The Sisterhood of Night, or Kill List, or even American Horror Story: Coven.) But what about real witches? Should we embrace... Read more

Hillary Clinton is Not a Witch…or is She?

November 6, 2016 By Peg Aloi

Who better to discuss the witchy proclivities of our democratic candidate than another witch? If you’re paying attention, you may have noted that the witch archetype has been discussed a bit more than usual during the recent Hallowe’en season. And now, on the eve of the Samhain cross quarter (when many witches celebrate the Celtic Feast of the Dead, which is a pagan pre-cursor to the secular festival of Hallowe’en), and as we approach what may be the most significant... Read more

Connecticut School Cancels Hallowe’en, Citing “Respect for Religious Beliefs”

October 22, 2016 By Peg Aloi

An elementary school in Niantic, CT has canceled its Hallowe’en festivities citing a number of reasons, including “safety concerns” as well as “respect for religious and cultural beliefs.” That means no costume parade (a practice that has a long tradition in many American schools, including the one I went to in central NY), and no costumes or trick or treating allowed on school grounds. A report from a news outlet based in Albany, NY says that the decision is causing... Read more

Gavin Frost, author and lecturer on modern witchcraft, has died

September 12, 2016 By Peg Aloi

I learned today from my friend Jo Frost that her father Gavin Frost has passed away. Gavin had been having health issues in recent years and had been scheduled for surgery this week. He was 86 years old. Gavin leaves behind his wife of more than fifty years, Yvonne, also his partner in writing and teaching. In 1968 the couple founded The Church and School of Wicca, and co-authored nearly two dozen books on witchcraft, magic and related topics. Gavin also... Read more

Why Were So Many Pagans Fooled by that “New Pagan Holiday Stamps!” Article?

July 31, 2016 By Peg Aloi

So. You saw it. Maybe you shared it. You had a feeling something was odd. Why is the image of a stamp from the UK, you wondered? Why are no major news outlets covering this story? Why can’t I find anything on Snopes? The Witches and Pagans website shared a short article from their website on Facebook, entitled “Postmaster Announces New Pagan Holiday Stamps.” The accompanying image was of a stamp that had been issued in the UK a few years ago,... Read more

The New BLAIR WITCH Movie: Are We Excited?

July 25, 2016 By Peg Aloi

Drop Everything But Your Pants! There’s a new sequel to The Blair Witch Project, slated to open in September. The news broke recently, as in, Friday night recently, when the trailer was shown at Comic-Con in San Diego, as reported by the Nerdist website (another genre-happy blogs and sites). The movie is called The Woods, and includes no members of the previous casts, creators or even distributors of the first film or its first sequel, Book of Shadows: Blair Witch... Read more

A Bakery, a Christian Cult, and the Reach of Social Media

July 11, 2016 By Peg Aloi

The Blue Blinds Bakery in Plymouth, Massachusetts looks to all outwards appearances like a nice friendly family-owned business. It’s gotten great reviews for its food and service in major media outlets like the Boston Globe and, until rather recently, their Yelp page also contained many positive reviews for their friendly service and delicious fare. But the recent creation of a Facebook page that exposes the family behind the establishment as a fringe sect of evangelical Christians who believe in severe corporal... Read more