ANGELA'S SYMPOSIUM 📖 Academic Study on Witchcraft, Paganism, esotericism, magick and the Occult

✨ Italian Folk Magic and Shamanism: A Course in the Tradition of Segnature ✨ I’m Dr Angela Puca, and I’m beyond excited to finally share this with you. This is not just another witchcraft course. It’s the first and only course on Segnature taught live by the only Italian and only academic who has studied this tradition systematically, academically, and from within. Over 11 live Zoom sessions, I’...

In this special episode—presented for the first time in Italian with (ala, literal and not always accurate) English subtitles—Dr Angela Puca is joined by Emanuele Viotti, founder of Ad Maiora Vertite, for a discussion on the religion of ancient Rome. Emanuele Viotti is a respected educator and independent scholar in the field of Roman traditional religion. Since founding Ad Maiora Vertite in 2012,...

Why does Paganism attract so many LGBTQ+ people—and how are queer practitioners reshaping Pagan traditions from within? In this in-depth episode, Dr Angela Puca draws on extensive academic research and ethnographic evidence to explore the powerful intersection of queerness and contemporary Paganism. We’ll examine why decentralised structures, ritual flexibility, and the sacralisation of the body m...

In this episode, we delve into one of the most profound and contested questions in both philosophy and esotericism: What is the self in magical practice? Drawing on thinkers such as René Descartes, David Hume, and Carl Jung, we examine how the self has been variously conceived as a rational substance, a bundle of perceptions, or an archetypal totality. We then explore how these models intersect wi...

In this live interview, I am joined by Dr Christina Oakley Harrington—medieval historian, long-standing practitioner of witchcraft, and founder of the renowned Treadwell’s Bookshop in London—for a conversation that traces the intersections of scholarship, community, and contemporary esotericism. We explore the historical development of modern witchcraft, with particular attention to the inclusive...

What is Freemasonry? This episode presents an in-depth academic overview of Freemasonry, the world’s oldest initiatory society independent of religious institutions. Drawing on peer-reviewed scholarship and primary source analysis, it traces Freemasonry's historical evolution from its medieval operative roots to its speculative transformation in the eighteenth century and its global spread thr...

Let's explore the complex tradition of Hermeticism—an esoteric philosophy rooted in Hellenistic Egypt and attributed to the legendary Hermes Trismegistus. Exploring its metaphysical teachings, spiritual practices such as alchemy, astrology, and ritual magic, and its profound influence on Renaissance thinkers, Freemasonry, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and modern occultism, this video...

In this episode, we dive deep into the esoteric teachings of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, co-founder of the Theosophical Society and one of the most influential occult thinkers of the nineteenth century. Focusing on her mature doctrine of reincarnation as outlined in The Secret Doctrine (1888), we explore how Blavatsky moved away from earlier notions of metempsychosis to formulate a complex cosmolog...

Why does truth no longer seem to matter? In this episode, we explore the philosophical and psychological roots of today's crisis of reality. Drawing on Jean Baudrillard’s theory of hyperreality and Carl Gustav Jung’s concept of the Shadow, I unravel how modern society’s obsession with materialism, the proliferation of simulations, and the repression of symbolic, non-material dimensions of huma...

This episode explores the role of protection magic as a historically grounded response to war, oppression, and systemic violence across diverse cultural and temporal contexts. Drawing on peer-reviewed academic sources, it examines how magical practices—rituals, talismans, verbal formulae, and spirit invocations—have been used as forms of spiritual defence and political resistance. From Mesopotamia...

This interview offers an insightful discussion with anthropologist Tanya Luhrmann, whose pioneering scholarship has significantly advanced our comprehension of magic, esotericism, and witchcraft. In this academic interview, we critically examine Luhrmann's influential notion of "interpretive drift"—the incremental cognitive process by which individuals progressively adopt and internalise magical b...

What happened to the fairies? In this episode of Angela’s Symposium, we uncover the history of fairy beings—from terrifying, liminal spirits associated with death, illness, and esoteric knowledge to the benign, whimsical figures of children’s books and garden ornaments. Drawing on peer-reviewed scholarship and folkloric sources, I trace how fairies were feared as soul-stealing entities, morally am...

Join us for a livestream featuring Andrea Centore and Dr Bernd-Christian Otto, the Research Network for the Study of Esoteric Practices (RENSEP) founders. Andrea Centore is the co-founder and managing director of the Research Network for the Study of Esoteric Practices. He received his training in Translation Studies from the University of Mons and his training in Religious Studies from the Univer...

This episode explores key figures such as Helena Blavatsky and Rudolf Steiner, whose Theosophical and Anthroposophical systems redefined Lucifer as a bearer of divine knowledge and imagination rather than a malevolent entity. The analysis further considers contemporary Luciferian traditions, ritual practices, and psychological interpretations—particularly Jungian and post-Jungian approaches—positi...

In this episode, we'll cover how magic operates—not as an omnipotent force but rather as a subtle method for shifting probabilities and influencing outcomes. We'll discuss key magical principles, including the Path of Least Resistance, which highlights why aligning magical intentions with existing socio-political conditions enhances effectiveness, and the Principle of Proportional Energy,...

Lucifer is one of the most complex and historically misinterpreted figures in Western religious and esoteric traditions. While commonly associated with Satan and the Devil in Christian theology, the name Lucifer, meaning "light-bearer" in Latin, initially referred to the morning star, Venus, in Roman astronomical and literary traditions. This episode examines the historical development of Lucifer,...

For centuries, magic and warfare have been deeply intertwined, shaping military strategy, morale, and even battlefield outcomes. From Mesopotamian divination and Greek war omens to medieval sacred warfare and modern occult operations, supernatural beliefs have influenced how wars are fought and won. In this episode, we explore the forgotten history of magical warfare, revealing how esoteric tradit...

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For centuries, legends have spoken of sorcerers, witches, and mystical warriors who could summon storms, call forth rain, and battle for control over the elements. From the mysterious Benandanti of Italy to the feared tempestarii of medieval Europe, weather magic has long been shrouded in secrecy. In this video, we uncover the hidden history of magia tempestaria, explore the real-life witch trials...

🎉 Birthday Q&A Livestream with Dr Angela Puca – Let’s Celebrate Together! 🎉 It’s my birthday, and I want to celebrate it with YOU! 🥳 Join me for a special Q&A livestream where we chat about esotericism, witchcraft, Paganism, academia, and anything else you’d like to ask! But that’s not all—we’re going to blow out candles together! 🕯️✨ So bring your own candle (or just make a wish in sp...

In this episode, we examine the Minoan Brotherhood, a contemporary Pagan tradition that reinterprets Minoan religious symbolism through the lens of LGBTQ+ spirituality. Founded in the late 1970s by Eddie Buczynski, the Brotherhood emerged as a response to the heteronormativity of mainstream Wicca, creating a sacred framework that centres homoerotic relationships within a reconstructed mythological...

Explore the transformative interplay of Gnosis and the Multimind in Chaos Magic, where altered states of consciousness and the plurality of the self converge. This video delves into the historical evolution of Gnosis, from its mystical roots in ancient traditions to its pragmatic reimagining by figures like Peter Carroll, and examines the Multimind as a postmodern lens on identity. Discover how th...

Is magic inherently evil, or is this a cultural construct shaped by power, religion, and philosophy? In this video, we explore the historical and theological framing of magic as 'evil,' from ancient texts like The Book of Enoch to the European witch trials and the controversial ideas of Aleister Crowley. We'll examine the concept of evil itself, from Augustine’s privatio boni to Nietzsche's critiq...

Explore the enigmatic world of Giuliano Kremmerz, one of Italy's most influential Hermeticists, and his esoteric order, the Fratellanza Terapeutica Magica di Miriam. This video delves into Kremmerz's philosophy, the role of the divine feminine symbolised by Miriam, and the blend of ancient Hermetic wisdom with therapeutic magic. Discover his key texts, including La Scienza dei Magi and La Medicina...

Join us for an engaging conversation with Dr Jeffrey J. Kripal, J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University and co-director of the Center for Theory and Research at the Esalen Institute. Known for his groundbreaking work exploring the intersections of consciousness, the paranormal, and the humanities, Dr Kripal will share insights from his latest books, The Superh...