What do angels, secret languages, and occult orders have in common? Enochian magic. In this episode, we trace its evolution from John Deeâs apocalyptic visions in Elizabethan England to the ritual systems of the Golden Dawn, Aleister Crowleyâs initiatory drama, and its surprising reinventions in contemporary occultismâfrom chaos magic to digital ritual tech. Drawing on original sources and modern scholarship, this deep dive explores how a forgotten angelic language became one of the most endurin...
Aug 15, 2025â˘1 hr 3 min
Who was Saint Cyprian: a holy bishop, a legendary sorcerer, or both? In this video, I explore the enigmatic figure of Saint Cyprian through the lens of history, folk magic, and grimoire traditions. Drawing on academic sources and rare magical texts, we trace the evolution of his legend from early Christian writings to the Black Books of Norway, the Clavis Inferni, and Latin American necromantic practices. Discover how this patron saint of cunning folk became a master of crossroads magic, feared ...
Aug 10, 2025â˘54 min
CONNECT & SUPPORTđ MY COURSES đŠđťâđ https://drangelapuca.com/courses WEBSITE & NEWSLETTER đ https://www.drangelapuca.com/#newsletter BOOK A TUTORING OR A LECTURE đhttps://drangelapuca.com/services BECOME MY PATRON! đŠ https://www.patreon.com/angelapuca SUPPORT ME ON KO-FI âď¸https://ko-fi.com/drangelapuca ONE-OFF DONATIONS đ° https://paypal.me/angelasymposium JOIN MEMBERSHIPS đĽ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPSbip_LX2AxbGeAQfLp-Ig/join MY PODCAST đ https://open.spotify.com/show/...
Aug 03, 2025â˘4 min
What do bread blessings, hilltop fairs, and a Celtic god of light have in common? In this video, I explore the real history of Lammas and Lughnasadh, the first harvest festival in the Pagan Wheel of the Year. Drawing on peer-reviewed scholarship and historical sources, I trace the festivalâs roots in ancient Celtic rites, its Christian transformation into Loaf Mass, and its creative revival in modern Paganism. Join me as I unpack the myths, magic, and meanings behind this rich seasonal tradition...
Jul 29, 2025â˘12 min
What is the Church of the SubGenius? What if parody could be sacred? This video explores the Church of the SubGeniusâa surreal blend of satire, esotericism, and counterculture. Discover the origins of âBobâ Dobbs, the mystery of Slack, and how this invented religion both mocks and mirrors spiritual belief. Drawing from academic research on contemporary religion, occultism, and pop culture, this episode unpacks one of the most bizarre and thought-provoking movements of our time. Is it a joke, a f...
Jul 28, 2025â˘56 min
What if divination doesnât just reveal the future, but intervenes in it? In this episode, I explore the philosophical and esoteric dimensions of divination, asking what it really means to predict the future and whether that future can be changed. Drawing on thinkers from Boethius to Bergson, Kant to Crowley, I examine how different conceptions of timeâlinear, cyclical, eternalist, presentist, and modalâradically shape what we believe divination can do. Is time a fixed block in which all events a...
Jul 27, 2025â˘59 min
In this video, I explore the magical dimension of Brunoâs thoughtâan aspect often overlooked or dismissed in favour of his more fashionable reputation as a forerunner of modern astronomy. But Bruno was no mere proto-scientist. He was a visionary who believed that the universe was infinite, ensouled, and fundamentally magicalâa living network of correspondences that could be navigated through imagination, desire, and memory. Drawing from his key textsâDe Magia, De Vinculis in Genere, On the Compo...
Jul 20, 2025â˘49 min
⨠Italian Folk Magic and Shamanism: A Course in the Tradition of Segnature ⨠Iâm Dr Angela Puca, and Iâm beyond excited to finally share this with you. This is not just another witchcraft course. Itâs 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, Iâll guide you through the real history and living practice of Italian folk magic. Weâll look at how it ...
Jul 06, 2025â˘6 min
In this special episodeâpresented for the first time in Italian with (ala, literal and not always accurate) English subtitlesâDr 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, he has authored and curated numerous publicationsâoften in collaboration with academicsâon Roman re...
Jun 22, 2025â˘1 hr 30 min
Why does Paganism attract so many LGBTQ+ peopleâand 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. Weâll examine why decentralised structures, ritual flexibility, and the sacralisation of the body make Paganism particularly resonant for queer seekers. From feminist Wicca to trans-inclusive magical...
Jun 15, 2025â˘52 min
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 RenĂŠ 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 with key esoteric frameworks, from Aleister Crowleyâs doctrine of the True Will and the invocation of ...
Jun 08, 2025â˘18 min
In this live interview, I am joined by Dr Christina Oakley Harringtonâmedieval historian, long-standing practitioner of witchcraft, and founder of the renowned Treadwellâs Bookshop in Londonâfor 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 dimensions of early Wiccan covens such as the New Forest group. Drawing from Christinaâs research, t...
Jun 04, 2025â˘1 hr 23 min
What is Freemasonry? This episode presents an in-depth academic overview of Freemasonry, the worldâs 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 through colonial, imperial, and transnational networks. We explore the major Masonic traditionsâRegular (An...
May 25, 2025â˘42 min
Let's explore the complex tradition of Hermeticismâan 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 offers an accessible yet academically grounded journey through one of the most enduring currents in West...
May 18, 2025â˘48 min
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 cosmology in which the soulâor monadâundergoes countless rebirths across vast spans of cosmic time. Drawing ...
May 11, 2025â˘44 min
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 Baudrillardâs theory of hyperreality and Carl Gustav Jungâs concept of the Shadow, I unravel how modern societyâs obsession with materialism, the proliferation of simulations, and the repression of symbolic, non-material dimensions of human experience have led to the current breakdown of truth. We will examine how Baudrillardâs insights reve...
May 04, 2025â˘16 min
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 practicesârituals, talismans, verbal formulae, and spirit invocationsâhave been used as forms of spiritual defence and political resistance. From Mesopotamian anti-witchcraft rites and Greco-Roman defensive curses to medieval Christian amulets, Renaissance ...
Apr 27, 2025â˘53 min
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"âthe incremental cognitive process by which individuals progressively adopt and internalise magical beliefs and practices. We engage with her seminal ethnographic research on contemporary magical and e...
Apr 22, 2025â˘1 hr 6 min
What happened to the fairies? In this episode of Angelaâs Symposium, we uncover the history of fairy beingsâfrom terrifying, liminal spirits associated with death, illness, and esoteric knowledge to the benign, whimsical figures of childrenâs books and garden ornaments. Drawing on peer-reviewed scholarship and folkloric sources, I trace how fairies were feared as soul-stealing entities, morally ambiguous tricksters, and powerful beings of the Otherworld in Celtic and Germanic traditions. These e...
Apr 13, 2025â˘52 min
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 University of Amsterdam. His research explores the intersection of Jewish and Islamic esotericism, with a ...
Apr 08, 2025â˘1 hr 20 min
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 interpretationsâparticularly Jungian and post-Jungian approachesâpositioning Lucifer within broader cultural shifts toward individual gnosis and alternative spiritualities...
Mar 30, 2025â˘31 min
In this episode, we'll cover how magic operatesânot 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, the need for energetic input to match the magnitude of desired outcomes. We'll also explore practical strate...
Mar 24, 2025â˘1 hr 5 min
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, tracing his transformation from a celestial body to a theological symbol of rebellion, pride, and f...
Mar 23, 2025â˘36 min
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 traditions have been used to protect warriors, disrupt enemies, and even alter the course of history.Did J...
Mar 09, 2025â˘53 min
CONNECT & SUPPORTđ MY COURSES đŠđťâđ https://drangelapuca.com/courses WEBSITE & NEWSLETTER đ https://www.drangelapuca.com/#newsletter BOOK A TUTORING OR A LECTURE đhttps://drangelapuca.com/services BECOME MY PATRON! đŠ https://www.patreon.com/angelapuca SUPPORT ME ON KO-FI âď¸https://ko-fi.com/drangelapuca ONE-OFF DONATIONS đ° https://paypal.me/angelasymposium JOIN MEMBERSHIPS đĽ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPSbip_LX2AxbGeAQfLp-Ig/join MY PODCAST đ https://open.spotify.com/show/...
Mar 02, 2025â˘50 min
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 that accused people of controlling the weather, and reveal the forgotten rituals used to summon or ...
Feb 16, 2025â˘48 min
đ Birthday Q&A Livestream with Dr Angela Puca â Letâs Celebrate Together! đ Itâs 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 youâd like to ask! But thatâs not allâweâre going to blow out candles together! đŻď¸â¨ So bring your own candle (or just make a wish in spirit), and letâs share this moment as a magical community. đŽ When? 2nd February đĽ Where? on my You...
Feb 11, 2025â˘1 hr 6 min
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 and ritual structure. Drawing on the Labrys (double-headed axe) as a key symbol, the Brotherhood bl...
Feb 09, 2025â˘36 min
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 these concepts empower Chaos Magicians to transcend mental limitations, harness internal complexity, a...
Jan 26, 2025â˘35 min
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 Augustineâs privatio boni to Nietzsche's critique of moral binaries, and explore how magic has been interpreted in monotheistic, polytheistic, and ...
Jan 19, 2025â˘35 min
