Broadly Occult
The Strange, Freakish Story of Britain's 'Last Convicted Witch'
Helen Duncan was one of the last people convicted under the archaic Witchcraft Act of 1735. She was also a renowned medium known for spewing ectoplasm out of her nose.
I Visited a Forest-Dwelling Witch to Cure My Crushing Existential Dread
I have been drinking Susun Weed's calming herbal tinctures for months in an attempt to stave off my impending mental breakdown. But I knew it was not enough; I needed to meet the wood witch to receive her blessings directly.
Trying to Escape Our Hellish Reality with Motherwort, a Very Chill Herb
It's hard to ignore the fact that everything is awful. Recently, though, a group of witches told me about an herb that would make me feel like I'm "being embraced by Mother Earth."
The Enduring Allure of Baba Yaga, an Ancient Swamp Witch Who Loves to Eat People
Baba Yaga is a fearsome character from Russian folklore who lives in a hut that walks on chicken legs, and either cannibalizes her visitors or offers them help. In recent years, she's become a sort of aspirational figure on the Internet.
How the Socialist Feminists of WITCH Use Magic to Fight Capitalism
The first incarnation of WITCH performed their inaugural action—a hex on Wall Street—on Halloween in 1968. Now a new generation of witches is taking up the mantle from the infamous provocateurs.
The Two Schoolgirls Who Fooled the World Into Believing in Fairies
With some hatpins, cardboard, and a borrowed camera, Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths created the Cottingley Fairies—one of the biggest photographic hoaxes of the 20th century.
Praise Lilith, a Chill Demon Cast from Eden for Refusing Missionary Position
According to legend, Lilith was Adam's first wife. Exiled from Eden for her refusal to submit to him, she was known for centuries as a baby-snatching sex demon. But contemporary feminists and religious scholars insist there's more to the story.
What Happened When I Tried to Use Crystals to Improve My Life
I skeptically set out to see whether crystals—which science classifies as "literally just rocks"—could alter my mental state for the better and ended up enthusiastically drinking water "purified" by a stone I had soaked in it for 24 hours.
How to Celebrate Today's Historic Eclipse Like a Witch
"It takes both a disciplined and experienced witch to harvest the power of the eclipse magic."
Witches Respond to Allegations that Some Guy From Blink-182 Hexed Fyre Fest
"If Blink-182 was any good at witchcraft there would have been a point in their career where they weren't a laughingstock."
The First Ladies Who Brought the Occult to the White House
Over the years, several presidents' wives—including Mary Todd Lincoln and Nancy Reagan—turned to spiritual practices like seances and astrology.
Sometimes Pop Culture Really Is the Gateway to the Occult
For decades, Christian groups have warned that beloved fantasy franchises like Dungeons & Dragons and Harry Potter can lead impressionable youths astray. We spoke to some witches who can confirm this is true, though by no means a bad thing.