An irregular hodgepodge of links gathered together … Omnium Gatherum for October 16, 2018
If you’d like to participate, head over to Omnium Gatherum on the BBS, or suggest something.
- Waking the Witch: Reflections on Women, Magic, and Powerby Pam Grossman, due June 2019, from Gallery Books
“A whip-smart and illuminating exploration of the world’s fascination with witches from podcast host and practicing witch Pam Grossman (The Witch Wave), who delves deeply into why witches have intrigued us for centuries and why they’re more relevant now than ever.
When you think of a witch, what do you picture? Pointy black hat, maybe a broomstick. But witches in various guises have been with us for millennia. In Waking the Witch, Pam Grossman explores the cultural and historical impact of the world’s most magical icon. From the idea of the femme fatale in league with the devil in early modern Europe and Salem, to the bewitching pop culture archetypes in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Harry Potter; from the spooky ladies in fairy tales and horror films to the rise of feminist covens and contemporary witchcraft, witches reflect the power and potential of women.
In this fascinating read that is part cultural analysis, part memoir, Pam opens up about her own journey on the path to witchcraft, and how her personal embrace of the witch helped her find strength, self-empowerment, and a deeper purpose.
A comprehensive meditation on one of the most mysterious and captivating figures of all time, Waking the Witch celebrates witches past, present, and future, and reveals the critical role they have played—and will continue to play—in shaping the world as we know it.”
- Tweet by Lindsey Fitzharris; about something from 2010, “Reconstruction of the Face of a 5000-year old Woman in Iran“—Kaveh Farrokh [HT Jason Whittaker]
5,000-year-old prosthetic eye made from a mixture of natural tar and animal fat. This incredible object was found near the city of Zabol in Iran. The world's earliest prosthetic eye, which was once painted gold, was worn by an ancient priestess who stood 6’ tall. #goldeneye pic.twitter.com/BfvPznPPs6
— Lindsey Fitzharris (@DrLindseyFitz) October 14, 2018
- Imgur by loveyouall
Finished illustrating another card for a Tarot deck I'm designing!
- Runes for Writers: Ancient Tools for Modern Storytellers, a crowdfunding effort by Marc Graham; from the 25-Days-Let dept.
“Story matters. Myths helped the ancients understand their place in the universe and their relationship to the tribe. Today’s stories have the same power to transform lives, and I want to help writers do just that.
Runes for Writers is designed to boost creativity and help writers get past blocks and solve story challenges. Through specific patterns of runecastings, writers can access the realm of creativity–the Source of Story–for developing powerful characters, scenes, and plots.”
- “Witches Outnumber Presbyterians in the US; Wicca, Paganism Growing ‘Astronomically’” — Brandon Showalter, Christian Post; from the DEPT dept. [HT Hermetic Library Anthology Artist David B Metcalfe]
“It makes sense that witchcraft and the occult would rise as society becomes increasingly postmodern. The rejection of Christianity has left a void that people, as inherently spiritual beings, will seek to fill,” said author Julie Roys, formerly of Moody Radio, in comments emailed to The Christian Post Tuesday.
“Plus, Wicca has effectively repackaged witchcraft for millennial consumption. No longer is witchcraft and paganism satanic and demonic,” she said, “it’s a ‘pre-Christian tradition’ that promotes ‘free thought’ and ‘understanding of earth and nature.'”
“As mainline Protestantism continues its devolution, the U.S. witch population is rising astronomically. There may now be more Americans who identify as practicing witches, 1.5 mil, than there are members of mainline Presbyterianism (PCUSA) 1.4 mil,” [Carmen LeBerge] said Tuesday.
- From the Vault of Dr. Frank – Build Your Own Andromeda Klein Box (Limited to 50), a bundle of Hermetic Library Anthology Artist Frank Portman’s work, from Sounds Rad
“From the vault of Dr. Frank (Portman) comes an unbelievable collection of rarities that will only be available through All Hallow’s Eve. This package includes one of 50 hand-signed Andromeda Klein 7″s and posters, rare items from the original 2009 release discovered in Dr Frank’s archives. The poster and 7” were designed by the artist Lane Smith and the poster has never been offered for sale anywhere before.
For this package we are also allowing you to build your own box and save some coin. Add a 1.5″ enamel pin, full-color sticker, and Andromeda Klein novel!”
- “Though it takes its time, Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina will put a spell on you” — Danette Chavez, AV Club
“Fans of Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s work in the world of Archie Comics, both on the page and screen, will definitely want to see what kind of magic the Riverdale creator casts away from the land of network standards and practices (not that his maple-covered CW series seems to fuss over them much). Though the aesthetic sharply deviates from that of the TGIF sitcom that came before it, there’s also plenty here for viewers who grew up with Melissa Joan Hart’s portrayal of the teen witch and enjoyed the witchy hijinks and family dynamic. But even if you have no knowledge of the blond spellcaster, you’ll find a visually innovative supernatural drama about a rebel with a cause.”
“The historical subjugation of virtually everyone who’s not a cishet white man clearly informs the series, but there isn’t a hint of dogma in this stylishly frightening story—there are, however, orgies and frequent calls to “Praise Satan.” From the start, Chilling Adventures has a firm grip on its darkly comedic tone, and like its ersatz predecessors Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Charmed (at their best, that is), the series presents a nuanced fight between good and evil, or oppressor and oppressed.”
- “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Is a Yummy Cup of Witch’s Brew in Need of a Few More Ingredients” — Beth Elderkin, io9
“I will admit, I was afraid they weren’t going to “go there.” In the first episode, they kept saying “Dark Lord,” making me think they were blanketing over that part so they wouldn’t offend some religious groups. But this isn’t a Golden Compass situation, where organized religion was replaced with generic totalitarianism to appease a certain demographic. These witches worship Satan. And holy hell is he terrifying.”
“There aren’t a lot of shows out there where your stars eat corpses, sacrifice goats, and worship the devil. If you’re like me and that’s your cup of witch’s brew, then drink up.”
- “Astrology” — Quartz Obsession, October 5, 2018
“Maybe it’s the -ology of the end: About 40% of Americans think astrology is “very” or “sort of” scientific; those 25 to 34 years old are less skeptical than they’ve been in decades. (In China, for comparison, the devoted are more like eight percent of the population.) The psychic-services industry as a whole is now worth $2 billion a year.”
- “The Us Witch Population Has Seen an Astronomical Rise” — Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz & Dan Kopf, Quartzy
“Spirituality is now firmly placed in mainstream culture. The growing interest in astrology driven by millennials, as well as the popularity of crystals and tarot cards via the ballooning wellness industry, have brought mysticism from the fringes, and right into your Instagram feed.”
- Stranger Than Fiction: Essays by Mike Jay by Mike Jay [HT Daily Grail]
“Stranger Than Fiction brings together, for the first time, Mike Jay’s distinctive and immensely readable forays into the twilight zones of history, culture and the human mind.
Among them are his trademark investigations into the hidden histories of drugs, from the lotus eaters of Homer’s Odyssey to the laughing gas escapades of the Romantic poets and Sherlock Holmes’ cocaine habit; his reports from the disputed territories of mesmerism, brainwashing and mind control; fantastic beliefs from the birth of the Illuminati conspiracy to futuristic scenarios of human evolution; and global travel tales from megalith cultures of Borneo to ancient temples of Peru, the ‘cargo cult’ ceremonies of Melanesia to Britain’s most anarchic bonfire night.
Beautifully designed and lavishly illustrated, Stranger Than Fiction is a unique compendium of forgotten histories, untold stories and unexplored worlds.”
- “The Story of Victorian Funeral Cookies.
Revisiting a Centuries’ Old Mourning Tradition” — Hoag Levins, Historic Camden County; Sept 12, 2011; from the Eucharist dept. [HT Spooky Soniasuponia]“It’s likely that eating a bit of a deceased loved one was an effort to both honor and incorporate their essence into one’s own. Anthropologists believe this grisly habit evolved into the somewhat more
paleolithic grave civilized mourning practices throughout medieval Europe and ultimately gave rise to the “funeral biscuits” so popular in the Victorian age.Emerging from the Middle Ages in old Germany, for instance, was the funeral tradition of eating “corpse cakes” that symbolically mirrored the act of eating the deceased. After the body had been washed and laid in its coffin, the woman of the house prepared leavened dough and placed it to rise on the linen-covered chest of the corpse. It was believed the dough “absorbed” some of the deceased’s personal qualities that were, in turn, passed on to mourners who ate the corpse cakes.”
“In the Victorian Age, funeral biscuits, along with all other customs related to death and mourning, became more formalized and baroque. Like wedding cakes, funeral biscuits were a staple of the bakery business, and competition for customers was brisk. Some bakers’ newspaper ads addressed the suddenness with which most people had to organize funeral details and promised “funeral biscuits made to order on the shortest notice.”
The commercial biscuit wrappings were ornately printed with bakery advertisements as well as uplifting biblical quotes and poems. Like church holy cards, they served as a keepsake of the event itself.” - “Halloween for Real. There’s more to Halloween than egging houses and gorging on candy. This could get scary…” — Mitch Horowitz, In The Dark
“Strap in — we’re going on a little Halloween time-machine journey. The old practices provide frightfully interesting ways of observing the ancient holiday.”
- Traveling Witch Figurine by Jon Carling
“She is finally available! The first edition of 100 witches. Hand casted, hand painted, numbered and signed. She comes with a bunch accessories, including a spell book and a silk screened traveling pouch.”—Jon Carling
“The Traveling Witch now has her own instagram page: HERE tag your photos #travelingwitch to share your adventures!”
- Tweet by Hermetic Library Anthology Artist T Thorn Coyle
You must pass the seven gates and face your fears in order to unlock your destiny. https://t.co/3O3tI0vIlU
— T. Thorn Coyle (@ThornCoyle) October 3, 2018
