One of the best-known episodes in the history of Spanish witchcraft is the Auto of Zugarramurdi, in Navarre. The Spanish Inquisition doesn't really owe its fame to its cruelty or its number of victims, but to a black legend that later spread to Anglo-Saxon countries, where the Inquisition had been much worse but had ended earlier. Suffice it to...

Samhain, or Halloween, as it is more widely known worldwide, refers to the end of October, also understood as the end of the year in various pagan traditions. It is the time when the true change in weather begins to be noticed, the sun sets earlier, and the trees are already losing their leaves. If Mabon is the time of...

Johann Weyer was one of the most important figures of the Central European Renaissance, coming from the Netherlands in the 16th century.

Amethyst is undoubtedly one of the stones that is always present in the homes of those who believe in the magical and energetic properties of minerals, but it's nice to know that these beliefs have been held since ancient times. What makes this mineral so special?

Isis is one of the best-known goddesses in Egyptian religion and mythology. Not only is she the representation of the feminine, the queen, the mother, but she also plays a major role as the architect, along with Anubis, of the resurrection of her brother and husband, Osiris, as well as of conceiving her son, Horus, from his dead body. She...

In the introductory article on the Lenormand Tarot: Grand Jeu and Petit Jeu, we were able to see in general terms the most basic meanings of the cards in both decks. Since Petit Jeu is more popular than its older brother, we will dedicate this article to a more comprehensive explanation of the meanings of the 36 standardized...

Dogu (土偶) literally means "earth figure," as these are human- or animal-like dolls made of fired clay, produced during the Jōmon period of prehistoric Japan. The word Jōmon is related to "rope," as this is how the pottery decoration characteristic of this period is defined, as well as the culture that produced it. The Jōmon culture is known for...

Throughout our study of esotericism, we have encountered the term "Rosicrucian" or "Rosicrucians" several times. To understand the significance of their emergence, a fruit of the diverse humanist and magical thought of the period, we must briefly summarize and analyze how this initiatory movement, considered legendary by many, began, its...

As we have already seen, candles are an esoteric instrument par excellence, both for petitions and spells, as well as for divination. In this article, we will delve a little deeper into divination based on the fall of wax and the remains or "seals" left by the candle when it burns, and the different interpretations.

We continue the article on pre-Roman magic in the Iberian Peninsula. We provide a link to the first part:

The biggest problem when studying pre-Roman magic, whether in the Iberian Peninsula or other parts of the vast Roman Empire, is precisely that the assimilation and blending of Roman culture and religion with native customs and divinities sometimes makes it very difficult to distinguish whether parallel rites existed or whether they were truly Roman...

The use of animals in the field of magic, and especially in witchcraft and folklore, is not unknown. Roosters and hens hold a special place, probably due to the ease of obtaining these birds—or at least parts of them—especially in rural areas. Because of their benefits (eggs, meat, low maintenance, etc.), the hen immediately had positive...