Nighttide

Almost everyone has some sort of superstition they believe in - and one of the biggest superstitions in western culture has to do with Friday the 13th. There are some people out there who legitimately fear this day and the bad luck it brings. Have you ever wondered why? When did this fear of the 13th begin?

There are some places that are just naturally spooky, even in the daylight. Swamps and bogs are just such places, there’s an air of mystery about them. The secretive dark waters (and what lives just beneath) fill us with a shuddersome sense of foreboding. It’s a feeling that has remained a constant throughout history, and is something that has inspired countless stories of ghosts, curses, and mysterious creatures.

Magic is defined as the natural art of bringing about change in one’s life by using the power of one’s own thoughts or energies. Throughout most of ancient history magic was seen as an important part of daily life. For the Egyptians, was not only an integral part of their religious practices, but also an important part of daily life. For the Greeks and Romans, magic was used for every purpose under the sun – from ensuring a good harvest to making sure one looked their best. In fact, every single ancient society out there employed some sort of magical belief system – magic is just something that goes hand-in-hand with animism and connection the natural world.

Hear some of the tales of UFO lore that started our modern-day obsession with odd lights in the sky and little gray beings.

Many believe that the monster of Loch Ness is an entity that was summoned to the area by none other than famous occultist, Aleister Crowley while staying in his Loch Ness area Bolskine Home. Learn about the ritual Crowley performed there that many believe brought a darkness over the area and cursed the Boleskine House.

Mirrors have always been seen as more than just a vanity. Throughout the world, they have long been associated with magical and spiritual properties, and many believe they are capable of reflecting far more than our image. If we quiet our mind and gaze long enough, the mirror can reflect the shadow soul, the future, and the spirit realm.

Every culture has some sort of tale about the dead coming back, often being the harbingers of death themselves. It’s been the center of many of our superstitions and even some of our holidays. The fear of the dead and the horrors they could bring about on the living was a very real thing. Even today there are still many cultures and religions which believe in this very thing, and for many, the dead returning and bringing suffering to the living is still something that happens.

How can a simple deck of cards give someone so much insight into a person’s life? How do these cards have such a reputation of accuracy, and where exactly did these cards and their strange pictures come from? How did Tarot cards become such a staple for psychics and followers of the occult? This episode we are going to explore the history of the Tarot.

The story of the Dybbuk Box is an especially captivating one, and is a great example of how quickly legends and folklore are born. It’s one of my favorite bits of modern folklore, not only for the story telling behind it, but also for all the strange twists and turns the story takes the more you delve into it.

Waverly Hills was once a place of healing, but has now become known as a place of infamy, where it’s touted that many unspeakable atrocities occurred. It’s said to be not only one of the most haunted places in America – but perhaps one of the most haunted in the world. Its past does create the right environment for earning such a title.