In today’s episode of A Pinch of Magick, I share a cup (literally) with Amal Al-Agroobi, a fellow MA student, award-winning filmmaker, and explorer of the Islamic occult.

Get ready to dive into a conversation brimming with mysticism, storytelling, and magickal curiosities as Amal spills the coffee grounds on her journey to blend creativity and academia.

Spoiler: it involves coffee cup readings, Sufi rituals, and an epic search for a lost Islamic occult ritual book!

What You’ll Hear in This Episode

• From Neuroscience to Filmmaking to Magick: Amal shares how her unconventional journey—spanning neuroscience, fantasy filmmaking, and occult studies—shaped her fascination with the unseen.

• Childhood Mysticism and Coffee Cup Reading: Growing up surrounded by paranormal experiences in Belgium and Syria, Amal explains how coffee cup readings became an essential part of her cultural and magickal story.

• Islamic Occultism: Amal uncovers hidden gems from the Islamic tradition, from Arabic lettering tied to celestial spheres to the rituals of her Sufi ancestors.

• The Science of the Unseen: Amal’s neuroscience background offers a unique perspective on why we lose our connection to the spiritual as we grow older.

• The Power of Intention and Magick: From evil eyes to talismans, Amal and I explore the fine line between belief and blasphemy and the ethical considerations behind magickal practice.

• Behind the Scenes of Exeter’s MA in Magic and Occult Science: Amal discusses how the course challenges her understanding of faith, magic, and storytelling—and how it’s inspiring her next creative works.

• Upcoming Projects: From haunted docu-dramas to her dream of translating rare Arabic occult texts, Amal is blending her academic journey with her creative vision.

Key Takeaways

Magic is about intention: the energy you put into your rituals and words shapes their power.

Cultural storytelling is a treasure trove for magickal practices and creativity—don’t be afraid to dig deep into your heritage.

Bridging magick and academia is as challenging as it is rewarding, offering new ways to legitimise and celebrate mystical traditions.

Mentioned in This Episode

Exeter’s MA in Magic and Occult Science: The first-of-its-kind programme that brought Rebecca and Amal together.

Amal’s Instagram: @AmalAlAgroobi

Exeter Magic Instagram: @ExeterMagic

Amal’s films: Voice Notes from Palestine and The Brain That Sings (available online).

The Prayer of Fire: Amal’s family ritual inspiring her dissertation.

Coffee cup reading: An practice that’s as delicious as it is mystical!

Magickal Thought of the Day

“Your beliefs are your power. Whether you’re reading coffee grounds or crafting talismans, it’s your intention that makes the magick happen.”

About Amal Al-Agroobi

Amal Al-Agroobi is a film director who works in genre cinema - fantasy, sci-fi and horror.

She is half Emirati (from the UAE) and half Syrian, with a passion for social-based and human-interest stories.

She started her career in 2012 in documentaries, winning multiple competitions worldwide before transitioning into genre cinema. She now writes for film and television.

She is a BAFTA member and a Directors UK member. Her most notable film was “Half Emirati (2012),” a documentary about mixed-parentage individuals in the UAE; her latest is a Lovecraftian horror, “Ladies Coffee (2024)” about fortune-telling through coffee cup reading in Syrian culture.

She has also just completed a documentary about university students living with disabilities in Gaza, entitled “Voice notes from Palestine.”

Her personal interests include financial markets and the paranormal and occult, specifically Islamic occultism. 

Connect with Amal

Website: www.AmalAlAgroobi.com

Instagram: @AmalAlAgroobi

Films: Voice Notes from Palestine and The Brain That Sings

Voice notes from Palestine (2024) - https://youtu.be/HNXn315F-4Q

Filmmaker Amal on YouTube: FilmMakerAmal

ALAGROOBI films on YouTube: ALAGROBI Films

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