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

We examine the critical exchange between Ben Whitmore’s Trials of the Moon and Ronald Hutton’s responses to it, using the debate as a lens through which to explore contemporary tensions in the historiography of witchcraft and Pagan origins. Whitmore, writing from within the Pagan community, accuses Hutton of adopting an overly sceptical methodology and of applying uneven evidentiary standards that, in his view, systematically downplay the possibility of ritual continuities in European folk culture. Hutton’s rejoinders foreground the demands of historical method, emphasising the importance of verifiable documentation over conjectural survivalism and defending the historian’s obligation to distinguish cultural revival from demonstrable lineage. We will assess which of Whitmore’s critiques raise legitimate questions about interpretive frameworks and where his reasoning departs from accepted scholarly practice. It also considers how this debate reflects wider issues around authority, tradition, and the negotiation of identity within modern Paganism, and how different communities assign meaning to the fragmentary traces of the past.CONNECT & SUPPORT💖MY COURSES 👩🏻‍🎓 https://drangelapuca.com/coursesWEBSITE & NEWSLETTER 💌 https://www.drangelapuca.com/#newsletterBOOK A TUTORING OR A LECTURE 📖https://drangelapuca.com/servicesBECOME MY PATRON! 🎩 https://www.patreon.com/angelapucaSUPPORT ME ON KO-FI ☕️https://ko-fi.com/drangelapucaONE-OFF DONATIONS 💰 https://paypal.me/angelasymposiumJOIN MEMBERSHIPS 👥 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPSbip_LX2AxbGeAQfLp-Ig/joinMY PODCAST 🎙 https://open.spotify.com/show/2TKoWTGe6OKRokHN2zUIxM?si=dd9f50a734b14f86MY MERCH 👕 https://drangelapuca.creator-spring.com/FOLLOW ME👣- YouTube (@drangelapuca)🌟- Instagram (@drangelapuca) 📸- TikTok (@drangelapuca) 🎵- Twitter (@angelapuca11) 🐦- Facebook (Dr Angela Puca) 👥RECOMMENDED READINGS 📖REFERENCES 📚Ginzburg, C. (1989). Storia notturna: Una decifrazione del sabba. G. Einaudi.Hutton, R. (1999). The triumph of the moon: A history of modern Pagan witchcraft. Oxford University Press.Hutton, R. (2010). Writing the history of witchcraft: A personal view. The Pomegranate, 12(2), 239-262. https://doi.org/10.1558/pome.v12i2.239Leland, C. G. (1899). Aradia, or the gospel of the witches. David Nutt.Whitmore, B. (2010). Trials of the moon: Reopening the case for historical witchcraft. Briar Books.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!

This episode offers a critical, historically grounded examination of Aphrodite as a trans-cultural religious phenomenon rather than a stable mythological figure. It traces the goddess’s development from Near Eastern traditions associated with Astarte, Ishtar, and Inanna through her incorporation into Greek religion, where tensions between her martial, erotic, civic, and cosmic dimensions produced multiple and often contradictory forms of worship. The discussion then follows her Roman reconfiguration as Venus, focusing on the political and ideological implications of her role as divine ancestress and guarantor of imperial order.Combining literary sources, archaeological evidence, cult practice, and ritual calendars, the lecture analyses how Aphrodite functioned within ancient economies of desire, gender, power, and civic cohesion, as well as how regional cults negotiated her ambivalent capacity to generate both harmony and destruction. The final section examines modern resurrections of Aphrodite in Neopaganism, feminist spirituality, Hellenic reconstructionism, and Western esotericism, assessing how contemporary movements selectively reinterpret ancient materials.CONNECT & SUPPORT💖MY COURSES 👩🏻‍🎓 https://drangelapuca.com/coursesWEBSITE & NEWSLETTER 💌 https://www.drangelapuca.com/#newsletterBOOK A TUTORING OR A LECTURE 📖https://drangelapuca.com/servicesBECOME MY PATRON! 🎩 https://www.patreon.com/angelapucaSUPPORT ME ON KO-FI ☕️https://ko-fi.com/drangelapucaONE-OFF DONATIONS 💰 https://paypal.me/angelasymposiumJOIN MEMBERSHIPS 👥 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPSbip_LX2AxbGeAQfLp-Ig/joinMY PODCAST 🎙 https://open.spotify.com/show/2TKoWTGe6OKRokHN2zUIxM?si=dd9f50a734b14f86MY MERCH 👕 https://drangelapuca.creator-spring.com/FOLLOW ME👣- YouTube (@drangelapuca)🌟- Instagram (@drangelapuca) 📸- TikTok (@drangelapuca) 🎵- Twitter (@angelapuca11) 🐦- Facebook (Dr Angela Puca) 👥RECOMMENDED READINGS 📖REFERENCES 📚on screen by the end (too long for the description)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/3NWAVVQ00:00 Aphrodite and Venus: Cult, Myth, and Evolution05:07 Origins and the Problem of Divine Genealogy08:05 Mythographic Ambivalence and the Dual Birth Narratives10:27 Panhellenic Proliferation and Local Variations13:43 The Roman Transformation: From Foreign Goddess to Divine Ancestress17:15 Mythological Narratives: Love, War, and the Price of Beauty22:51 Dangerous Liaisons: Ares, Hephaestus, and the Comedy of Divine Adulter20:05 Adonis: Mortality, Mourning, and Cyclical Return22:37 Regional Variations and Lesser-Known Narratives24:37 Cult Practices and Sacred Economies26:41 Ritual Calendars and Festival Cycles29:02 Regional Variations in Worship31:59 Sacred Spaces and Architectural Statements33:39 Modern Resurrections: From Antiquarian Fantasy to Living Religion35:42 Wiccan Appropriations and Transformations37:31 Hellenic Reconstructionism and the Quest for Authenticity41:09 Feminist Spirituality and the Reclamation of the Erotic43:04 Esoteric Traditions and Planetary Magic44:31 Conclusion: The Immortality of Desire47:55 Support Angela’s Symposium⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!

Join Maevius Lynn and me on Sunday, 28 December at 6 pm GMT and 1 pm EST for a fascinating conversation on all things Thelema.ABOUT OUR GUESTMaevius Lynn is a writer, artist, international lecturer, and ceremonial magician who currently resides in the Southern United States. Her work approaches Thelema as a living tradition from the perspective of both a solitary practitioner and an initiate of Ordo Templi Orientis and Temple of the Silver Star. She is particularly interested in getting people to practice magick and not leaving it as a niche interest relegated to history books. Her efforts inspire others to make Thelema and magick a purposeful part of their lives. Her work includes YouTube educational videos, online study groups, workshops, and lectures at pagan and occult conferences, books, magazine articles, and art. As part of this work, she especially enjoys collaborating with educators and content creators of various traditions, building bridges of understanding and inclusion around the living tradition of Thelema."Pre-order her upcoming book here: https://www.llewellyn.com/product.php?ean=9780738779355Links:https://www.youtube.com/@MaeviusLynnhttps://www.patreon.com/c/maeviuslynnhttps://www.instagram.com/maeviuslynn/https://bsky.app/profile/maeviuslynn.bsky.socialCONNECT & SUPPORT💖MY COURSES 👩🏻‍🎓 https://drangelapuca.com/courseWEBSITE & NEWSLETTER 💌 https://www.drangelapuca.com/#newsletterBOOK A TUTORING OR A LECTURE 📖https://drangelapuca.com/servicesBECOME MY PATRON! 🎩 / angelapuca SUPPORT ME ON KO-FI ☕️https://ko-fi.com/drangelapucaONE-OFF DONATIONS 💰 https://paypal.me/angelasymposiumJOIN MEMBERSHIPS 👥 / @drangelapuca MY PODCAST 🎙 https://open.spotify.com/show/2TKoWTG...MY MERCH 👕 https://drangelapuca.creator-spring.com/FOLLOW ME👣YouTube (@drangelapuca)🌟Instagram (@drangelapuca) 📸TikTok (@drangelapuca) 🎵Twitter (@angelapuca11) 🐦Facebook (Dr Angela Puca) 👥⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!00:00:00 Introduction: Meet Maevius Lynn00:02:09 How Maevius Lynn chose Thelema as her Path00:06:51 Why did Lynn stay with Thelema as her chosen path?00:10:22 True Will and the Book of the Law00:15:56 Thelema and the Kabbalistic Tree of Life00:18:32 The Role of Magick in Thelema00:24:01 What are Lynn’s philosophical views as a Thelemite?00:28:44 The Role of Ritual in Thelema00:33:54 Can one be an Atheistic Thelemite?00:37:26 The Relationships between Thelema and Christianity.00:51:48 Can a Thelemite Trust Aleister Crowley?00:56:28 Why are the Thelemite Gods different from the Egyptian Ones?01:01:34 Maevius Lynn Explains the Role of Women in Thelema 01:07:03 Lynn’s New Book, "The Holy Year of Thelema."01:20:19 Support Angela’s Symposium Want to create live streams like this? Check out StreamYard: https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5768951004397568

Join me live on Sunday 21 December at 6 pm GMT, 1 pm EST, for a festive and thought provoking deep dive into the Winter Solstice. In the first half of the livestream we will journey through midwinter traditions from around the world, exploring fire, feasting, ancestors, rebirth, and the many ways humans have ritualised the longest night of the year. Expect myths, surprising historical details, and a clear distinction between what we know from the sources and what modern practitioners have creatively developed.In the second half, the floor is yours. Bring your questions, curiosities, and favourite solstice themes for a relaxed and lively Q&A. Whether you are interested in history, contemporary practice, or simply want to get into the solstice spirit, this is a perfect way to welcome the returning light together.CONNECT & SUPPORT💖MY COURSES 👩🏻‍🎓 https://drangelapuca.com/courseWEBSITE & NEWSLETTER 💌 https://www.drangelapuca.com/#newsletterBOOK A TUTORING OR A LECTURE 📖https://drangelapuca.com/servicesBECOME MY PATRON! 🎩 / angelapuca SUPPORT ME ON KO-FI ☕️https://ko-fi.com/drangelapucaONE-OFF DONATIONS 💰 https://paypal.me/angelasymposiumJOIN MEMBERSHIPS 👥 / @drangelapuca MY PODCAST 🎙 https://open.spotify.com/show/2TKoWTG...MY MERCH 👕 https://drangelapuca.creator-spring.com/FOLLOW ME👣YouTube (@drangelapuca)🌟Instagram (@drangelapuca) 📸TikTok (@drangelapuca) 🎵Twitter (@angelapuca11) 🐦Facebook (Dr Angela Puca) 👥⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!Want to create live streams like this? Check out StreamYard: https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5768951004397568

This livestream brings together Manon Hedenborg White and Henrik Bogdan to discuss their newly co-edited volume The Magical Diaries of Leah Hirsig, 1923 to 1925, published by Oxford University Press. The book presents, for the first time, a critical edition of Hirsig’s surviving diaries from the period when she served as Aleister Crowley’s Scarlet Woman and played a formative role within the development of Thelema. These documents reveal a complex portrait of Hirsig as practitioner, partner, and independent thinker while also illuminating the daily workings of Crowley’s magical system during a turbulent chapter of his life.You can buy the book here ➡️ https://amzn.to/48AL03NThe conversation will explore the challenges of editing primary sources in esotericism, the significance of Hirsig’s voice within a field long dominated by male figures, and the broader implications of her magical, emotional, and intellectual labour for understanding early twentieth-century occultism. We will examine how the diaries complicate established narratives around gender, authority, and the lived experience of Thelemic practice. The discussion will also consider the historiographical value of such material within contemporary scholarship on Western esotericism.Join us on Sunday, 7 December at 5 pm GMT or 12 pm EST for an in-depth conversation that opens new perspectives on a pivotal yet understudied figure in the history of modern magic.CONNECT & SUPPORT💖MY COURSES 👩🏻‍🎓 https://drangelapuca.com/courseWEBSITE & NEWSLETTER 💌 https://www.drangelapuca.com/#newsletterBOOK A TUTORING OR A LECTURE 📖https://drangelapuca.com/servicesBECOME MY PATRON! 🎩 / angelapuca SUPPORT ME ON KO-FI ☕️https://ko-fi.com/drangelapucaONE-OFF DONATIONS 💰 https://paypal.me/angelasymposiumJOIN MEMBERSHIPS 👥 / @drangelapuca MY PODCAST 🎙 https://open.spotify.com/show/2TKoWTG...MY MERCH 👕 https://drangelapuca.creator-spring.com/FOLLOW ME👣YouTube (@drangelapuca)🌟Instagram (@drangelapuca) 📸TikTok (@drangelapuca) 🎵Twitter (@angelapuca11) 🐦Facebook (Dr Angela Puca) 👥⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!00:00:00 Introduction: Crowley’s Scarlet Woman, Leah Hirsig’s Diaries00:01:05 Meet Manon Hedenborg White and Henrik Bogdan00:01:47 Manon’s Academic Background00:02:25 Henrik’s Academic Background00:06:34 How the Book Came to Be and was Written00:19:25 Leah Hirsig’s Diaries00:11:44 Leah Hirsig’s Magick00:16:31 Purpose in Crowley’s and Hirsig’s Practice / Sex Magick00:22:35 Leah Hersig as the Scarlet Woman00:24:52 Decoding Leah’s Diaries00:31:41 Leah Hirsig and Aleister Crowley Break Up00:39:00 The Scarlet Woman and the Great Beast 66600:59:20 The Role of Menstruation in Hirsig’s Magick00:56:55 Money Magick in Thelema00:59:18 Why Some Cities are Breeding Grounds for Esoteric Movements01:03:33 Babalon and Ra-Hoor-Khuit01:06:56 Henrik and Manon’s Favourite Parts of the Diaries01:12:54 Contact Details for Dr Manon Hedenborg White and Dr Henrik Bogdan01:14:34 Support Angela’s SymposiumWant to create live streams like this? Check out StreamYard: https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5768951004397568