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

By Dr Angela PucaReligion & Spirituality

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

July 26 Lughnasadh vs Lammas: The Truth About the First Harvest Festival
Was Lughnasadh really an ancient Celtic fire festival, and is it actually the same celebration as Lammas?

In this video, I separate historical evidence from modern Pagan reconstruction. I explore the medieval Irish assemblies associated with Lugh and Tailtiu, the English Christian origins of the Lammas loaf-mass, the folklore collected by Máire MacNeill, and how Wicca brought these distinct traditions together on the modern Wheel of the Year.

Join me if you are interested in Paganism, witchcraft, occultism, Celtic religion or harvest festivals, and discover how we can celebrate the season meaningfully without mistaking modern mythology for ancient fact.

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RECOMMENDED READINGS 📖

REFERENCES 📚
(Check the related slide on screen)

MY SET-UP 🛠️
- Canon 90D camera 📸 https://amzn.to/3yQclh0
- Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 📷 https://amzn.to/3JjU1BS
- Teleprompter 🗒️ https://amzn.to/3linWCB
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⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️
Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!
16 min
July 19 Can AI Become a Magical Familiar? Witchcraft, Tarot and the Algorithm
In this video, I explore one of the strangest and most fascinating questions emerging in contemporary occultism: what happens when witches, tarot readers, and magical practitioners begin treating AI not just as a tool, but as an oracle, assistant, mirror, or even a familiar-like presence?

Drawing on the history of familiar spirits, digital religion, WitchTok, AI-assisted tarot, and theories of agency and animism, I ask whether artificial intelligence can meaningfully participate in magical practice, and where the real dangers lie.

Is the algorithm just reflecting us back to ourselves, or is something more interesting happening in the relationship between magic, technology, and meaning?

Perfect for anyone interested in witchcraft, tarot, AI, digital religion, occult studies, and the future of magical practice.

CONNECT & SUPPORT💖
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RECOMMENDED READINGS 📖

REFERENCES 📚
(Check the related slide on screen)

MY SET-UP 🛠️
- Canon 90D camera 📸 https://amzn.to/3yQclh0
- Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 📷 https://amzn.to/3JjU1BS
- Teleprompter 🗒️ https://amzn.to/3linWCB
- Shure SM7B Microphone 🎙️ https://amzn.to/3Jm5IYK
- Microphone stand 🎤 https://amzn.to/3FueJOn
- Lights 💡 https://amzn.to/3Zdk8k1
- DJI Wireless microphones 📡 https://amzn.to/3NWAVVQ

⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️
Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!
51 min
July 12 What Is Theurgy? The Ancient Philosophy Behind Ritual Magic
Was ritual magic ever taken seriously by philosophers?

In this episode, I explore Neoplatonism and theurgy, the ancient ritual philosophy that challenged the idea that spiritual ascent happens through contemplation alone. From Plotinus and Porphyry to Iamblichus, Proclus, and the Chaldean Oracles, we will examine how late antique philosophers understood ritual, divine symbols, sacred matter, and the soul’s return to the divine.

Rather than treating theurgy as superstition or irrational magic, recent scholarship has shown that it was a sophisticated philosophical system in which ritual, embodiment, and material objects played a central role in spiritual transformation.

I also discuss why this matters for contemporary practitioners of magic, Paganism, polytheism, and Western esotericism today. Can ritual truly connect the human and divine? Is theurgy different from sorcery? And what happens when philosophy becomes a sacred practice?

Join me as we uncover the ancient philosophy behind ritual magic.

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CONNECT & SUPPORT💖
MY COURSES 👩🏻‍🎓 https://drangelapuca.com/courses
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SUBSTACK ✉️ https://substack.com/@drangelapuca
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JOIN MEMBERSHIPS 👥 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPSbip_LX2AxbGeAQfLp-Ig/join
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RECOMMENDED READINGS 📖

REFERENCES 📚
(Check the related slide on screen)

MY SET-UP 🛠️
- Canon 90D camera 📸 https://amzn.to/3yQclh0
- Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 📷 https://amzn.to/3JjU1BS
- Teleprompter 🗒️ https://amzn.to/3linWCB
- Shure SM7B Microphone 🎙️ https://amzn.to/3Jm5IYK
- Microphone stand 🎤 https://amzn.to/3FueJOn
- Lights 💡 https://amzn.to/3Zdk8k1
- DJI Wireless microphones 📡 https://amzn.to/3NWAVVQ

⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️
Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!
51 min
July 05 The Philosophy of Magic：My New Online Course
What assumptions are hidden beneath your magical practice?

In The Philosophy of Magic, I explore the ideas that make magic possible in the first place: reality, spirits, deities, time, the self, will, language, ethics, and hidden knowledge. Across eleven live Sunday lectures, we will examine how different philosophies produce different forms of magic, and how understanding those foundations can make your practice more coherent, intentional, and meaningful.

This is the only live run of the course, with space for Q&A and discussion each week. We begin on Sunday 19 July at 6 pm UK time, 1 pm Eastern. Places are limited, so join while you can.
SIGN UP NOW ➡️ https://drangelapuca.com/the-philosophy-of-magic

CONNECT & SUPPORT💖
MY COURSES 👩🏻‍🎓 https://drangelapuca.com/courses
WEBSITE 🔗 https://www.drangelapuca.com/
BOOK A TUTORING OR A LECTURE 📖https://drangelapuca.com/services
SUBSTACK ✉️ https://substack.com/@drangelapuca
BECOME MY PATRON! 🎩 https://www.patreon.com/angelapuca
SUPPORT ME ON KO-FI ☕️https://ko-fi.com/drangelapuca
ONE-OFF DONATIONS 💰 https://paypal.me/angelasymposium
JOIN MEMBERSHIPS 👥 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPSbip_LX2AxbGeAQfLp-Ig/join
MY PODCAST 🎙 https://open.spotify.com/show/2TKoWTGe6OKRokHN2zUIxM?si=dd9f50a734b14f86
MY MERCH 👕 https://drangelapuca.creator-spring.com/

FOLLOW ME👣

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- Twitter (@angelapuca11) 🐦
- Facebook (Dr Angela Puca) 👥

RECOMMENDED READINGS 📖

REFERENCES 📚
(Check the related slide on screen)

MY SET-UP 🛠️
- Canon 90D camera 📸 https://amzn.to/3yQclh0
- Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 📷 https://amzn.to/3JjU1BS
- Teleprompter 🗒️ https://amzn.to/3linWCB
- Shure SM7B Microphone 🎙️ https://amzn.to/3Jm5IYK
- Microphone stand 🎤 https://amzn.to/3FueJOn
- Lights 💡 https://amzn.to/3Zdk8k1
- DJI Wireless microphones 📡 https://amzn.to/3NWAVVQ

⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️
Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!
9 min
June 28 Should Practitioners Do What Academics Say?
Are scholars of magic trying to tell practitioners what to believe, or is this a misunderstanding of what academic research actually does?
In this video, I explore the tension between the academic study of magic and lived spiritual practice. Drawing on debates around Wicca, Pagan origins, folk magic, historical evidence, and practitioner identity, I explain why scholarship can challenge historical claims without invalidating religious experience.
This is a nuanced look at authenticity, tradition, myth, evidence, and why a practice worth keeping has nothing to fear from the truth.

CONNECT & SUPPORT💖
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SUBSTACK ✉️ https://substack.com/@drangelapuca
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JOIN MEMBERSHIPS 👥 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPSbip_LX2AxbGeAQfLp-Ig/join
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RECOMMENDED READINGS 📖

REFERENCES 📚
(Check the related slide on screen)

MY SET-UP 🛠️
- Canon 90D camera 📸 https://amzn.to/3yQclh0
- Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 📷 https://amzn.to/3JjU1BS
- Teleprompter 🗒️ https://amzn.to/3linWCB
- Shure SM7B Microphone 🎙️ https://amzn.to/3Jm5IYK
- Microphone stand 🎤 https://amzn.to/3FueJOn
- Lights 💡 https://amzn.to/3Zdk8k1
- DJI Wireless microphones 📡 https://amzn.to/3NWAVVQ

⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️
Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!
21 min
June 20 The Summer Solstice and Litha： What History Actually Says
Is Litha really an ancient Pagan festival, or is its history far more fascinating?
In this episode, Dr Angela Puca explores the true history of Litha, the Summer Solstice, and Midsummer, separating historical evidence from modern Pagan myth-making. We look at Stonehenge, Bede, St John’s Eve, midsummer bonfires, folk magic, Wicca, and the creation of the modern Wheel of the Year.
Rather than asking whether Litha is “real” or “fake,” this video reveals how contemporary Pagans transform ancient solar symbolism, European folklore, and modern ritual creativity into a meaningful seasonal celebration.

Perfect for Pagans, witches, Wiccans, folklore lovers, and anyone interested in the history of magic, ritual, and the Summer Solstice.

CONNECT & SUPPORT💖
MY COURSES 👩🏻‍🎓 https://drangelapuca.com/courses
WEBSITE 🔗 https://www.drangelapuca.com/
BOOK A TUTORING OR A LECTURE 📖https://drangelapuca.com/services
SUBSTACK ✉️ https://substack.com/@drangelapuca
BECOME MY PATRON! 🎩 https://www.patreon.com/angelapuca
SUPPORT ME ON KO-FI ☕️https://ko-fi.com/drangelapuca
ONE-OFF DONATIONS 💰 https://paypal.me/angelasymposium
JOIN MEMBERSHIPS 👥 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPSbip_LX2AxbGeAQfLp-Ig/join
MY PODCAST 🎙 https://open.spotify.com/show/2TKoWTGe6OKRokHN2zUIxM?si=dd9f50a734b14f86
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FOLLOW ME👣

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- Facebook (Dr Angela Puca) 👥

RECOMMENDED READINGS 📖

REFERENCES 📚
(Check the related slide on screen)

MY SET-UP 🛠️
- Canon 90D camera 📸 https://amzn.to/3yQclh0
- Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 📷 https://amzn.to/3JjU1BS
- Teleprompter 🗒️ https://amzn.to/3linWCB
- Shure SM7B Microphone 🎙️ https://amzn.to/3Jm5IYK
- Microphone stand 🎤 https://amzn.to/3FueJOn
- Lights 💡 https://amzn.to/3Zdk8k1
- DJI Wireless microphones 📡 https://amzn.to/3NWAVVQ

⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️
Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!
15 min
June 14 The Question Isn't If AI. It's How
I keep being accused of using AI. I've even been accused, more than once, of being AI-generated. So I owe you something better than irritation: an actual explanation of where I stand.
In this episode, I work through the real concerns: the scraping of artists' work, the environmental cost, algorithmic bias, the fear of job displacement, the worry about deskilling, and argue that every one of them is a problem of how, not of whether. They are arguments for regulation, not for personal abstention. I talk about my own practice (yes, AI images sometimes; yes, Grammarly; no, not the writing or the thinking), about teaching at university in the middle of all this, and about why, as an anthropologist, I think this debate is really a debate about authorship and authenticity wearing a technological costume.
The question, in the end, was never if AI. It was always, only, how.

CONNECT & SUPPORT💖
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REFERENCES 📚
Cognitive offloading and deskilling
Risko, E. F., & Gilbert, S. J. (2016). Cognitive offloading. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 20(9), 676–688. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2016.07.002
Gerlich, M. (2025). AI tools in society: Impacts on cognitive offloading and the future of critical thinking. Societies, 15(1), 6. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc15010006
Training data, consent, and copyright
Buick, A. (2025). Copyright and AI training data – transparency to the rescue? Journal of Intellectual Property Law & Practice, 20(3), 182–192. https://doi.org/10.1093/jiplp/jpae102
Dornis, T. W., & Stober, S. (2025). Generative AI training and copyright law. Transactions of the International Society for Music Information Retrieval, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2502.15858
Algorithmic bias and discrimination
Barocas, S., & Selbst, A. D. (2016). Big data's disparate impact. California Law Review, 104(3), 671–732. https://doi.org/10.15779/Z38BG31
Rosenthal-von der Pütten, A. M., & Sach, A. (2024). Michael is better than Mehmet: Exploring the perils of algorithmic biases and selective adherence to advice from automated decision support systems in hiring. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1416504. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1416504
Labour displacement and the reshaping of work
Acemoglu, D., & Restrepo, P. (2019). Automation and new tasks: How technology displaces and reinstates labor. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 33(2), 3–30. https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.33.2.3
Environmental cost of AI
Strubell, E., Ganesh, A., & McCallum, A. (2019). Energy and policy considerations for deep learning in NLP. In Proceedings of the 57th Annual Meeting of the Association for Computational Linguistics (pp. 3645–3650). Association for Computational Linguistics. https://doi.org/10.18653/v1/P19-1355
Aczel, M., Chamanara, S., Matin, M., Farsi, A., Marwala, T., & Madani, K. (2026). Environmental cost of AI's energy use: Carbon, water and land footprints. United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health. https://doi.org/10.53328/INR26RMA002
Regulatory competition and the US–EU asymmetry
Smuha, N. A. (2021). From a 'race to AI' to a 'race to AI regulation': Regulatory competition for artificial intelligence. Law, Innovation and Technology, 13(1), 57–84. https://doi.org/10.1080/17579961.2021.1898300

⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️
Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!
21 min
June 10 British Traditional Wicca with Rufus Harrington
What does it mean to practise Wicca as an initiatory tradition today, and how does the legacy of figures such as Doreen Valiente continue to shape modern Witchcraft?

In this livestream, I will be joined by Rufus Harrington, a Wiccan priest and long-standing initiate of the Craft, trustee of the Doreen Valiente Foundation, psychotherapist, and teacher of magical practice. Together, we will explore the history, practice, and inner logic of Wicca beyond the stereotypes: initiation, ritual, secrecy, the Horned God, the role of the priesthood, and the relationship between magic, psychology, and transformation.

Rufus brings a rare combination of lived initiatory experience, historical connection to key figures in modern Witchcraft, and professional expertise in psychotherapy. This conversation will be especially valuable for anyone interested in British Traditional Wicca, Alexandrian and Gardnerian lineages, Doreen Valiente, Enochian magic, Pagan priesthood, and the deeper question of how magical traditions survive, adapt, and remain meaningful in the present.
CONTACT DETAILS: [email protected]

CONNECT & SUPPORT💖
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MY SET-UP 🛠️
- Canon 90D camera 📸 https://amzn.to/3yQclh0
- Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 📷 https://amzn.to/3JjU1BS
- Teleprompter 🗒️ https://amzn.to/3linWCB
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00:00:00 British Traditional Wicca with High Priest Rufus Harrington
00:02:33 Rufus Harrington’s Journey into Alexandrian and Gardnerian Wicca
00:06:44 Experiencing the Gods: Wicca as a Living Spiritual Tradition
00:08:03 Meeting Doreen Valiente: Memories of the Mother of Modern Witchcraft “
00:11:19 Did Doreen Valiente Write the Wiccan Rede?
00:12:53 Ronald Hutton, Gerald Gardner and Wicca’s Foundational Myth
00:21:43 Can Academic Research Strengthen Rather Than Destroy Wicca?
00:25:45 Wicca as Practice, Not Dogma: Covens, Autonomy and Evolution
00:30:54 Why Wicca Developed Differently in Britain, America and Australia
00:36:40 Historical Denial, Anxiety and the Need for Religious Certainty
00:39:12 Is Wicca Really the World’s Oldest Religion?
00:47:49 Must You Be Initiated to Call Yourself Wiccan?
00:50:22 Initiatory Wicca, Eclectic Wicca and Solitary Practice
00:55:06 Finding a Coven and Learning Wicca Online
00:57:54 Why Wicca Works: Sacred Space, Ecstasy and Everyday Life
01:00:19 The Great Rite: Spirit, Matter, God and Goddess
01:01:53 Why Wicca Became a Gateway into Paganism and Magic
01:04:34 Extraordinary Magical Experiences and the Holy Guardian Angel
01:11:30 Love Spells and the Magical Mistakes Practitioners Make
01:12:45 The Wiccan Law of Return and the Ethics of Magic
01:18:17 Rufus Harrington’s Wiccan Training and Final Blessing
01:19:49 Be a part of the growing Angela’s Symposium community

⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️
Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!
1 hr 22 min
May 31 How to Lucid Dream: Science, Dream Yoga, and the Magic of the Sleeping Mind
Lucid dreaming is often presented as a modern discovery, but traditions across the world have explored conscious dreaming for centuries. In this episode, I examine what neuroscience has actually shown about lucid dreams, how Tibetan dream yoga reframes the practice, and why magical and contemplative traditions may have understood aspects of the dreaming mind long before the sleep laboratory could measure them.

We will look at lucid REM sleep, dream induction methods, dream yoga, magical dream work, and the important limits of reducing these practices to brain activity alone.

CONNECT & SUPPORT💖
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SUBSTACK ✉️ https://substack.com/@drangelapuca
BECOME MY PATRON! 🎩 https://www.patreon.com/angelapuca
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39 min
May 24 ESBAT: The History of Wicca’s Full Moon Ritual
What is an Esbat, and is it really an ancient full moon ritual?

In this video, I trace the surprising history of the word Esbat, from its Old French meaning of “frolic” or “amusement” to its modern role in Wicca and contemporary Pagan witchcraft. I explore how Margaret Murray, Gerald Gardner, and Doreen Valiente helped transform a borrowed word into one of the best-known terms in the modern witchcraft ritual calendar.

Was the Esbat an ancient Pagan tradition, or a modern invention? The answer is more interesting than either option. I separate historical evidence from modern myth while recognising the real religious value of living practice.

This video is for anyone interested in Wicca, Paganism, full moon rituals, witchcraft history, and how modern magical traditions are created.

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(Check the related slide on screen)

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00:00 Esbat: Origins, Meaning, and Modern Pagan Practice
01:22 What Is an Esbat in Wicca? Full Moon Rituals Explained
02:29 The Old French Etymology of Esbat: Frolic, Play, and Amusement
03:37 Pierre de Lancre and the First Witchcraft Use of Esbat
04:40 Margaret Murray Invents the Esbat as a Witch-Cult Institution
06:39 Why Scholars Rejected Margaret Murray’s Witch-Cult Theory
08:07 Gerald Gardner, Wicca, and the Survival of Murray’s Vocabulary
08:38 Doreen Valiente and the Full-Moon Esbat in Modern Wicca
09:18 How Esbat Became Standard Pagan and Wiccan Vocabulary
10:17 Word-History vs Ritual-History: The Esbat as Invented Tradition
10:57 Modern Does Not Mean Fake: Esbat, Authenticity, and Lived Practice
11:59 Benandanti, Táltos, and Real Nocturnal Folk Traditions
13:11 The Real Meaning of Esbat: History, Myth, and Pagan Truth-Telling
13:52 Support Dr Angela Puca’s Project
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Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!
16 min

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

From the publisher's feed

As an academic and university lecturer in Philosophy and Religious Studies, I'll share peer-reviewed research on MAGIC, ESOTERICISM, WITCHCRAFT, PAGANISM, SHAMANISM and related currents.