#138 - Damsel Elysium, Intuition Musician

Damsel Elysium is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and experimental sound and visual artist who uses double bass, violin, and original recorded sounds to explore alternative communication and connections with space, nature, and the unseen world. Their performances combine improvisational music-making, ritual, costume, and fantastical worldbuilding, giving the audience a sensation of being transported to another realm while staying rooted wholly in their bodies. Damsel’s EPs include 2024’s Whispers from Ancient Vessels and Whispers and Speakings, as well the score to the short horror film GLINT. Their LP softfalling will be out in 2025, and they are currently developing it in part via a multimedia exhibition at London’s Stage Gallery which is up now through November 27th.

In addition to that, Damsel has collaborated with and performed for FKA twigs and V&A Museum, they’ve created work for Tate Collective, they’ve created glass instruments for IITTALA, they’ve been commissioned by fashion brands such as Gucci and Simone Rocha, and they’ve composed for films which have entered Sundance film festival.

On this episode, Damsel discusses performance as ritual, the animism of instruments, and their intuitive approach to making music.

Pam also talks about seeking the light in dark times, and answers a listener question about how to change one’s luck.

Featured tracks in the episode:

Damsel Elysium “Shoreline” from Whispers from Ancient Vessels

Damsel Elysium “Whispers from Ancient Vessels – Nyokabi Kariuki Rework” from Whispers and Speakings

Damsel Elysium “Wide Eyed Bird Sings” from the GLINT Soundtrack

Our sponsors for this episode are Mithras Candle, BetterHelp, Rue and Vervain, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, and Snowy Owl Tea

We also have print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here, and all sorts of other bewitching goodies available in the Witch Wave shop.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to detailed show notes, bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

#137 - Robert Shehu-Ansell of Fulgur Press

Robert Shehu-Ansell is a publisher, curator and independent scholar. Through his publishing company Fulgur Press he has represented esoteric artists in book form since 1992. These books are exquisitely produced, highly collectible, and deeply magical. From grimoires to artist monographs to tarot decks, everything Fulgur publishes is meticulously crafted with eye towards elegance and deluxe beauty. Their most recent publication is the first English language edition of Surrealist founder André Breton’s visionary 1957 art survey, Magic Art (L’Art Magique). They’ve also published the work of such art mages as Austin Osman Spare, Leonora Carrington, Ithell Colquhoun, and Jesse Bransford, to name but a few, and they have conducted numerous symposiums and exhibitions about occult art.

Robert is also the publisher of several series publications, including Black Mirror and Abraxas Journal, which has been described as ‘today’s pre-eminent voice for the serious study of occult and esoteric expression.’ Robert has been interviewed for such varied outlets as the BBC Culture Show, Dazed and Confused, and Boing Boing, and as an experienced public speaker, he also lectures on esoteric art of the 20th century, with a specific focus on Austin Osman Spare.

On this episode, Robert discusses the delights and challenges of publishing a legendary occult art survey, the magic of Surrealism, and how he came to specialize in talismanic books.

Pam also talks about her magical excursion to England, and answers a listener question about following the Wheel of the Year down under.

Our sponsors for this episode are Open Sea Design Co., BetterHelp, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, ZOUZ Incense, and Mithras Candle.

We also have print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here, and all sorts of other bewitching goodies available in the Witch Wave shop.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to detailed show notes, bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

#136 - Joanna Ebenstein, Founder of Morbid Anatomy and Author of "Memento Mori"

Joanna Ebenstein is the founder and creative director of Morbid Anatomy, which is the world’s leading community that focuses on, among other things, the culture and contemplation of death. Morbid Anatomy has taken many forms since its founding in 2007. It’s been a wildly popular blog, a library, a museum, a project-in-residence at Green-Wood Cemetery, just to name a few, and it’s currently both an in-person gathering space in Brooklyn’s Industry City, as well as a thriving online community that features lectures, workshops, and merch, as well as in-person experiences including field trips, conferences, and other events.

An internationally recognized death expert, Joanna is the author of several books, including Anatomica: The Exquisite and Unsettling Art of Human AnatomyDeath: A Graveside Companion, and The Anatomical Venus. Her newest book is Memento Mori: The Art of Contemplating Death to Live a Better Life. She is also an award-winning curator, photographer, and graphic designer, and the teacher of the many times sold-out class, Make Your Own Memento Mori: Befriending Death with Art, History and the Imagination.

On this episode, Joanna discusses the value of ancestor veneration, her research on varying cultural attitudes about grief and loss, and how befriending death can lead to a better life.

Pam also talks about Samhain as time to contemplate the divinity of death, and answers a listener question about activism and the Goddess.

Our sponsors for this episode are Ritual + Shelter, TU·ET·AL soap and skincare, BetterHelp, Secrets of Romani Fortune-Telling out now from Weiser Books, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, Mithras Candle, and the Missing Witches Deck of Oracles out now from North Atlantic Books.

We also have print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here, and all sorts of other bewitching goodies available in the Witch Wave shop.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to detailed show notes, bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

#135 - Judika Illes Returns! Author of "Witches: A Compendium"

Judika Illes is the author of numerous books devoted to spells, spirits, and witchcraft, including Encyclopedia of Spirits, as well as Pure Magic, Daily MagicEncyclopedia of WitchcraftEncyclopedia of Mystics, Saints, and Sages, and Magic When You Need It. Judika also was a significant contributor to the Witchcraft book Pam co-edited for Taschen’s Library of Esoterica Series, and she’s been a speaker at the Occult Humanities Conference as well.

Her newest literary offering, Witches: A Compendiumexplores what a witch is and the different ways to be one. In it Judika Illes presents the history, mysteries, and diverse natures of witches from around the world. Featuring a who’s who ranging from famous—or infamous—historical witches such as Tituba, Sybil Leek, Aleister Crowley and popular fictional witches such as the Scarlet Witch, Agatha Harkness, and the Wicked Witch of the West, Witches: A Compendium celebrates witches in all their complicated glory.

Judika herself is a practicing witch who has been a professional tarot card reader for over three decades and is a certified aromatherapist. A native New Yorker, she teaches in the US and internationally, live and virtually, and is one of the world’s most knowledgeable and renowned experts in witchcraft.

On this episode, Judika discusses her favorite pop culture witches, bewitching Egyptian deities, and why the witch is a symbol of transgressive joy.

Pam also talks about her Occultober film and TV viewing plans, and answers a listener question about setting a protective magical boundary at work.

Our sponsors for this episode are Luna Lifted, The Modern Witches’ Confluence, BetterHelp, Woodland Magic, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, and Rue and Vervain

We also have print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to detailed show notes, bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

#134 - Cécile McLorin Salvant, Enchanting Chanteuse

Welcome to Season 8 of The Witch Wave!

Cécile McLorin Salvant is a three-time Grammy-winning singer and composer, considered by many to be the Ella Fitzgerald/Sarah Vaughan/Billie Holiday/choose-your-own-iconic-vocalist of our time. The late opera legend Jessye Norman described Salvant as “a unique voice supported by an intelligence and full-fledged musicality, which light up every note she sings.” Salvant’s style and repertoire are extensive and expansive connecting vaudeville, blues, theater, jazz, baroque, pop, and folkloric music. She’s known as an eclectic curator, unearthing rarely recorded, forgotten songs with strong narratives, interesting power dynamics, unexpected twists, and humor. 

Salvant is widely admired and decorated with such awards as being the winner of the Thelonious Monk competition in 2010, the MacArthur fellowship (known in shorthand as the MacArthur Genius Award), and the Doris Duke Artist Award, in addition to the aforementioned multiple Grammys for Best Jazz Vocal Album. In addition to her stunning singing, Cécile is beloved for her visionary visual style, as well as for the tropes of mythology, magic, and monstresses which often show up in her original songs and her interpretations of existing ones. Her two most recent albums, Ghost Song (Nonesuch Records, 2022) and Mélusine (Nonesuch Records, 2023) include songs about supernatural love and mythic transformations, and her forthcoming album and animated feature, Ogresse, is a musical fable she describes as both a biomythography and an homage to the loa Erzulie.

Born and raised in Miami, Florida of a French mother and Haitian father, she started classical piano studies at 5, sang in a children’s choir at 8, and started classical voice lessons as a teenager. Salvant received a bachelor’s in French law from the Université Pierre-Mendes France in Grenoble while also studying baroque music and jazz at the Darius Milhaud Music Conservatory in Aix-en-Provence, France.

Salvant is also an accomplished visual artist, and her fantastical drawings, embroideries, and papercuttings can currently be seen up at Picture Room in Brooklyn through Nov 3, 2024. She is also on tour now, and will be performing at Carnegie Hall multiple times over the coming months.

On this episode, Cécile discusses how she learned to embrace her “weird” in her music and other work, her love of hybrid creatures and mystical monstresses, and her burgeoning interest in ancestral magic.

Pam also talks about voting as a means of counteracting tired old tropes about “diabolical” outsiders, and answers a listener question about getting to know the goddess Athena.

Cécile McLorin Salvant songs featured in this episode:

“Ghost Song” from Ghost Song (Nonesuch Records, 2022)

“Wuthering Heights” cover from Ghost Song (Nonesuch Records, 2022)

“Fenestra” from Mélusine (Nonesuch Records, 2023)

Our sponsors for this episode are Ritual + Shelter, The Vintage Storyteller, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, BetterHelp, Blackthorn’s Book of Sacred Plant Magic out now from Weiser Books, Mithras Candle, and The Missing Witches Deck of Oracles out now from North Atlantic Books.

We also have print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to detailed show notes, bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

#133 - Suranne Jones, Bewitching BAFTA-winning Actor

This season finale of The Witch Wave features Suranne Jones, the award-winning English actor, producer, and series creator. She’s been nominated for several awards for acting and won a BAFTA for her starring role in the hit series Doctor Foster: A Woman Scorned. Some highlights from her decades long television career include starring roles in Gentleman Jack, Vigil, and Scott and Bailey, and she’s also appeared in such British television intuitions as Coronation Street and Doctor Who. She’s currently in production on a new Netflix thiller series called The Choice, which sees her starring as the British Prime Minister opposite Julie Delpy’s French president, so look for that in 2025. Suranne also has an illustrious theatre career, and has starred in such plays as Frozen, Orlando, and Beautiful Thing.

As producer, Suranne runs the TeamAkers Productions company with her husband Laurence Akers, and it’s this company that is responsible for the new docuseries, Suranne Jones: Investigating Witch Trials (which features our own Pam Grossman!) The series is currently airing in 2 parts on the UK’s Channel 4 on June 23rd and June 30th, and if you missed the first part not to worry as both will be streaming on the Channel 4 site as well.

On this episode, Suranne discusses what compelled her to make a witchcraft documentary, her personal relationship to magic, and the shapeshifting abilities that she brings to the craft of acting.

Pam also talks about why historical witch hunts are relevant to this present moment, and answers a listener question about revealing her witch self on a date.

Our sponsors for this episode are Ritual + Shelter, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, Nicole Marxen, BetterHelp, Snowy Owl Tea, Liza Fenster’s COMMUNION course, Sphere + Sundry, and The Queer Witches of Maude’s Paperwing Gallery

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to detailed show notes, bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

#132 - Cat Willett, "Women of Tarot" Author and Illustrator

Cat Willett is a Brooklyn-based artist. She has written, illustrated, and published two full-length books. The first is The Queen of Wands: The Story of Pamela Colman Smith, the Artist Behind the Rider-Waite Tarot Deck. Her newest book, Women of Tarot, An Illustrated History of Divinators, Card Readers, and Mystics is out next week. Cat is fascinated by tarot as a facet of art history, and her work aims to elevate the women behind its evolution. She’s dedicated the last few years to telling these magical stories in her published books, both of which feature her own research and gorgeous artwork.

Cat also makes illustrated comics about parenting, motherhood, gender, and animals, and she is a regular contributor to The Washington Post. Other clients and publications include The New York Times, Apple, Doc Martens, the Museum of Arts + Design, and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and she is available for select freelance work and projects as well.

On this episode, Cat discusses visionary tarot artists such as Pamela Colman Smith and Lady Frieda Harris, the illuminating power of illustration, and the divinely feminine history of divination.

Pam also talks about tarot’s impact on the arts, and answers a listener question about witchly concerns regarding a religious pre-school.  

Our sponsors for this episode are Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, Sphere + Sundry, BetterHelp, The Queer Witches of Maude’s Paperwing Gallery, and Snowy Owl Tea.

Please consider donating to Pam’s fundraiser for the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to detailed show notes, bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

#131 - Kimberly Rodriguez, Author of "Incantations Embodied"

Kimberly Rodriguez (@poetagoddess) is a first-generation Indigenous Mexican artist and writer based in the Bay Area, CA. Her art reflects her journey toward reclaiming her indigenous roots and exploring different forms of self-expression. As an artist, Kimberly is deeply committed to creating work that is inclusive and accessible to all. She believes that art has the power to heal, connect, and inspire and strives to use her platform to promote positivity and self-love.

In addition to her art, Kimberly is also a writer and community activist. She is dedicated to using her talents and voice to create positive change and empower others to do the same. Her art and writing are a celebration of diversity, resilience, and the beauty and strength that can be found in all of us.

Kimberly’s new book, Incantations Embodied: Rituals for Empowerment, Reclamation, and Resistance, is an offering that combines her writing, art, activism, and magic. Incantations Embodied invites readers on a transformative journey of self-discovery and empowerment. It seeks to dismantle the oppressive narrative that has been ingrained in our collective consciousness, urging us to question and challenge the colonized structures that have kept us disconnected from our own truth. This also happens to be the first book chosen to be published by Spirit Bound Press, an independent publishing house devoted to fostering diverse voices in the spiritual community.

On this episode, Kimberly discusses her path to becoming an empowered and embodied bruja, the “undrowning” power of intentional words, and how we can all use magic to free ourselves from the capitalist colonial mindset.

Pam also talks about the musical connection between enchantment and incantation, and answers a listener question about bewitching songs.

Our sponsors for this episode are Mooonbody, Mithras Candle, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, Alive with Spirits out from Weiser Books, BetterHelp, The Queer Witches of Maude’s Paperwing Gallery, and Sphere + Sundry,

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to detailed show notes, bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

#130 - Pati Dubroff, Glamour Goddess

Pati Dubroff is an iconic, world-renowned makeup artist. She has worked with such glamazons as Margot Robbie, Kirsten Dunst, Elizabeth Olsen, Laura Dern, Christy Turlington, Priyanka Chopra, and Emma Watson to name but a few. She’s also collaborated with such photographic phenoms as Annie Leibovitz, Peter Lindbergh, and Tom Munro, and her artistry has been featured on countless covers, red carpets, photo shoots, and brand ambassadorships. She is an ambassador for Chanel beauty, and she has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on social media thanks to her makeup tutorial videos which show that that glamour can be accessed and expressed by anyone at any age.

Pati is also a lifelong spiritual seeker, and has been mindfully integrating her bewitching craft into her professional life. She honors the sacredness of beauty in all facets of her life, and has developed her own unique practice of glamour magic. She works bi-coastally in NY and LA, and often accompanies clients globally. She also teaches makeup masterclasses, most recently doing so in Mumbai.

On this episode, Pati discusses the divine aspects of beauty, the secret to radiance at any age, and the power of manifesting childhood dreams.

Pam also talks about the magic of glamour, and answers a listener question about receiving signs from across the veil.

Our sponsors for this episode are Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, BetterHelp, Mithras Candle, Sphere + Sundry, and Snowy Owl Tea

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

#129 - Christopher Marmolejo, Author of "Red Tarot"

Christopher Marmolejo is a Brown, queer, and trans writer, diviner, and educator. They use divination to promote a literacy of liberation, and their new book Red Tarot: A Decolonial Guide to Divinatory Literacy is an in-depth exploration of how tarot can be a tool of freedom, magical interrogation, and energetic support for anyone, and particularly for BIPOC folks. Christopher was born and raised in San Bernardino, California, among the pines, in community with the Serrano clan.

With nine-plus years of experience as a trained educator focused on cultivating classrooms of emancipatory possibility, they work with students around the world to plant and nurture the seed of a divinatory practice, finely weaving tarot, astrology, and curanderismo with critical, decolonial Black queer feminist epistemology. They offer tarot readings and astrology readings, as well limpia cleansing sessions, per their ancestral folk healing practices. They also teach many online workshops and write a splendid Substack newsletter called The Red Read.

On this episode, Christopher discusses their project of decolonizing the tarot, their ancestral magic practices, and the intrinsic non-binary magic of The Temperance card.

Pam also talks about entering her Empress phase, and responds to a follow-up message from an eclipse ritualist.

Our sponsors for this episode are Ritual + Shelter, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, BetterHelp, Mithras Candle, Sphere + Sundry, and Snowy Owl Tea

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to detailed show notes, bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

#128 - Ron Regé, Jr., Cosmological Cartoonist

Ron Regé, Jr. is a Los Angeles-based cartoonist who began drawing and self-publishing comics in the early 1990s in Cambridge, MA. Though he came out of zine culture and the underground comics scene, his work took a distinctly mystical turn thanks to a spiritual awakening he had the early 2000s. From that point on, his comics turned cosmic, exploring ideas of the occult, esotericism, and magic all in his signature psychedelic style.

Though whimsical and whirling at first glance, Ron’s work belies decades of rigorous research and devoted inquiry into the workings of the unseen world. His books include The Cartoon Utopia, Halcyon, What Parsifal Saw, The Weaver Festival Phenomenon, Skibber Bee Bye and many more. His newest book, Shell Collection, out this week from Fantagraphics, gathers many of his monthly mini-comics which he’s been sending out to subscribers and Patreon backers over the last 8 years.

Ron’s comics and drawings have also appeared in hundreds of zines and comics anthologies. His illustration clients have included Nike, Sony, Tylenol, McSweeney’s, and The New York Times. And if that wasn’t enough, Ron is also the drummer for the celestial folk rock band, Lavender Diamond.

On this episode, Ron discusses his cosmological cartoons, his practice of creative channeling, and the many inspirations and influences behind his wondrous work.

Pam also talks about hermeticism and The Hermit, and answers a listener question about a big life decision.

Our sponsors for this episode are Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, Weiser Books, BetterHelp, Snowy Owl Tea, Sphere + Sundry, and Mithras Candle

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to detailed show notes, bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

#127 - Jodi Wille, Director of "Welcome Space Brothers" and "The Source Family"

Jodi Wille is a director and producer of the critically acclaimed documentary The Source Family and her brand new feature documentary Welcome Space Brothers which is about The Unarius Academy of Science. Her work explores people whose extraordinary true stories and creations leave us with new ways of seeing, and she has a special interest in so-called outside artists, alternative spiritual seekers, and radical intentional communities.

Jodi has a background in commercial, editorial, and rock band photography, as well as music video direction, working with artists like REM, Sparks, and Vincent Gallo. She also cofounded the book publishing companies Dilettante Press (1998), Process Media (2004), and Otherworld (2022), to explore otherworldly and countercultural realms, and she has editing several award-winning books, most recently co-authoring the illustrated book Family: The Source Family Scrapbook (2022, Otherworld with Sacred Bones).

Jodi has curated art exhibitions for The American Visionary Art Museum, Deitch Projects and others, and she’s curated numerous film festivals and cultural programs at institutions across the globe.

On this episode, Jodi discusses the radical visionaries behind the Unarius Academy of Science, the development of new religions, and how filmmaking has helped her explore mind-expanding ideas and experiences. (Make a tax-deductible donation to help fund Jodi’s film Welcome Space Brothers here)

Pam also talks about the difference between cults and positive alternative spiritual groups, and answers a listener question about a group ritual happening during the solar eclipse. (And you can check out details about the ritual here)

Our sponsors for this episode are Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, Mithras Candle, BetterHelp, Snowy Owl Tea, and Sphere + Sundry

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

#126 - Penny Slinger, Surrealist Sorceress

Penny Slinger is a Los Angeles–based artist whose work investigates the feminine, the magical and the erotic. In the late 1960s, her encounters with the work of Max Ernst initiated an enduring involvement with both the Surrealist movement and the medium of collage. Her groundbreaking publications such as 50% The Visible Woman (1971) and An Exorcism: A Photo Romance (1977) explore the image of woman through a series of often provocative photomontage self-portraits, and a new expanded edition of An Exorcism will be published by Fulgur Press later this year. Her studies of various divine feminine practices including Tantra led her to co-create The Secret Dakini Oracle deck in the 1970s, and the deck is still in print now under the name The Tantric Dakini Oracle Deck, and she has continued to work with dakini imagery over decades.

Penny’s work is in many international museum collections, including Tate Britain, and was included in the Tate’s recent exhibition “Women in Revolt!” Other notable exhibitions showcasing Penny’s work include “The Dark Monarch” at Tate Gallery St Ives, “Angels of Anarchy” at Manchester Art Museum, and countless solo shows around the world. She also recently collaborated with House of Dior, and, as you’ll hear, has many more projects in the works.

On this episode, Penny Slinger discusses her self-celebrating surrealist art practice, her lifelong devotion to the divine feminine, and how she’s celebrating aging in her work and in her life.

Pam also talks about older witch archetypes, and answers a listener question about embracing the magic of middle age.

Our sponsors for this episode are Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, Sphere + Sundry, BetterHelp, and Woodland Magic

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

#125 - Robin Ha, "The Fox Maidens" Graphic Novelist

Robin Ha is an award-winning author and illustrator of several graphic novels including the best-selling comic recipe book Cook Korean!: A Comic Book With Recipes and the illustrated memoir Almost American Girl which is about her move from South Korea to America when she was 14. Robin’s new graphic novel, The Fox Maidens is her first foray into fiction, and is based on the Korean folklore of her ancestors.

Robin’s comics and illustrations have appeared in various publications, such as the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times, as well as in anthologies highlighting Asian American culture, including Rise: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now, New Frontiers: The Many Worlds of George Takei, and Shattered: The Asian American Comics Anthology. She is also a highly gifted fine artist, and she has a Seven Ladies of Tarot coloring book that you can download from her site.

On this episode Robin discusses fox maiden mythology, Korean folk magic, and the intergenerational shapeshifting power of women.

Pam also talks about fox magic, and answers a listener question about a Witch Wave book club.

Our sponsors for this episode are Unquiet Arcadian, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, The Love Witch, BetterHelp, Woodland Magic, and Sphere + Sundry

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

#124 - L'Enchanteur's Dynasty and Soull Ogun, Adornment Transformers

Soull & Dynasty Ogun are identical twins who together are the forces behind their design and thought incubator, L’Enchanteur, which they founded in 2017. L'Enchanteur is a multifaceted design house, creating unique and ethereal fine jewelry, accessories, and garments which draw from esoterica and alchemical symbolism, the mystical practices of their Nigerian and Dominican ancestors, and their own inventive style and magical intentions.

Both Soull and Dynasty are autodidactic artisans in their respective fields with Soull focusing within the metal work, jewelry realm, and Dynasty focusing within the realm of textiles, fibers, accessories, and garments. Together, they create adornment with seeks bring empowerment, inspiration, and healing to the world via their shared vision of spiritual transformation through craft. Their pieces have been worn by such powerhouses as Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Erykah Badu, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Michelle Obama, and many, many others at events, in editorial spreads, and in music videos including Beyoncé’s film Black is King.

The Ogun twins also been embraced by the fine art world with their work being shown in galleries and other art spaces beyond the fashion industry. They’ve gone on to win countless fans, critical acclaim, and awards, including The Fashion Trust US Jewelry Design Award of 2023.

On this episode, Dynasty and Soull discuss the alchemical power of adornment, the magic of twins, and the ancestral influences on their enchanting line.

Pam also talks about spellbinding jewelry, and answers a listener question about ambidextrous divination.

Our sponsors for this episode are The Ritual Tarot, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, Mithras Candle, BetterHelp, The Love Witch and Sphere + Sundry

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

#123 - Amy Hale, Author of "Sex Magic: Diagrams of Love, Ithell Colquhoun"

Dr. Amy Hale is an Atlanta-based writer, curator, critic, ethnographer, and folklorist, who focuses on esoteric history, magic, art, culture, women, and Cornwall.

She has written widely on the surrealist and occultist Ithell Colquhoun, and in 2009 she received a grant from the Paul Mellon Foundation for her research. Her biography of Colquhoun, Ithell Colquhoun: Genius of the Fern Loved Gully (2020) is widely praised, and is just one of many ways that Amy has helped amplify Ithell’s impact on art and magic. Her newest book, Sex Magic: Diagrams of Love, Ithell Colquhoun is out this week from Tate Publishing, and A Walking Flame: Selected Magical Essays of Ithell Colquhoun is coming out from Strange Attractor later this year.

Amy is also the editor of numerous other collections including the groundbreaking Essays on Women in Western Esotericism: Beyond Seeresses and Sea Priestesses. And she has contributed essays for Tate, Burlington Contemporary, The Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, and many more.

And if that wasn’t enough, Amy is currently a curator and host for the internationally beloved London-based Viktor Wynd’s Last Tuesday Society lecture series. She has been featured on BBC Radio Cornwall and the BBC World Service, and is a regular guest on a variety of podcasts, lecture series, and conferences including the Occult Humanities Conference at NYU.

On this episode, Amy discusses the visionary art and sex magic of Ithell Colquhoun, the power of alternative depictions of divine union, and the energetic connections between color, body, and the land.

Pam also talks about radical reimaginings of the lovers archetype, and answers a listener question about keeping a long-term love flame lit.

Our sponsors for this episode are Ritual+Shelter, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, The Love Witch, BetterHelp, Woodland Magic, and Sphere + Sundry

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

#122 - Chelsea Wolfe Returns! Triple Rock Goddess

Chelsea Wolfe is a critically-acclaimed singer, guitarist, and songwriter, who has been hailed by Guitar World as “the queen of gothic industrial guitar.” Her dark and dreamy music has also been described as doom-folk and goth-folk, though her albums have spanned genre from rock to electronica. She’s been celebrated for her solo offerings and her collaborations, including her otherworldly contributions on the soundtrack to the 2022 horror film, X.

Chelsea’s seventh studio album under her own name is called She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She, and it will be out on February 9th on Loma Vista. It is a gorgeous, epic, and cathartic offering blending elements of trip-hop with her signature shadowy guitar and entrancing vocals. Several singles and videos from this album have dropped already, each exquisite in their own right. The new album is available for pre-order now, as are tickets to Chelsea’s 2024 tour, so be sure to snag yours before it all sells out.

On this episode, Chelsea discusses the revolving and revolutionary power of her new album, her recent magical expansion, and the ways in which her music has manifested true change in her life.

Pam also talks about triple goddesses, and answers a listener question about breaking through creative blocks.

Chelsea Wolfe songs featured in the episode are all from She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She:

"Whispers in the Echo Chamber"

"Tunnel Lights"

"Everything Turns Blue"

Our sponsors for this episode are Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab,  Natasha Levinger’s Getting to Know Woo podcast, BetterHelp, and Sphere + Sundry

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

#121 - Lisa Stardust, Stellar Astrologer

Lisa Stardust (they/she) is a New York City-based astrologer who has been part of the astrology community for over 15 years. She writes columns for O Magazine, Teen Vogue, The Hoodwitch, Cosmo, Bust, British Vogue, and more. She has also been featured in Vice, Refinery29, Bustle, The Daily Mail, and InStyle to name a few. Lisa is the author of the book Saturn Return Survival Guide: Navigating this Cosmic Rite of Passage as well as two oracle decks: The Love Deck and The Astrology Deck. She also does astrology readings and tarot readings for private clients.

On this episode, Lisa discusses the impact of our Saturn Return, the power of eclipses, and the astrological themes of the year ahead.

Pam also talks about New Year’s intentions, and answers a listener question about a symbolic tattoo.

Our sponsors for this episode are Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab,  Mithras Candle, BetterHelp, and Sphere + Sundry

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

#120 - Stephen Ellcock, Image Alchemist

Renowned image alchemist Stephen Ellcock is a London-based curator, writer, researcher, and online collector of images who has spent the last decade creating an ever-expanding virtual museum of art that is open to all via social media, attracting more than 600,000 followers worldwide. He is the author of many art books including All Good Things, The Book of Change, and The Cosmic Dance, and he is co-author of England On Fire and Jeux de Mains. His new book is Underworlds: A Compelling Journey Through Subterranean Realms, Real and Imagined.

On this episode, Stephen discusses the dark beauty of underworlds, the alchemical power of imagery, and why he sees his books as visual spells.

Pam also talks about Winter Solstice magic, and answers a listener question about invoking the goddess Hecate.

Our sponsors for this episode are Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, Witch Lit, BetterHelp, Sphere + Sundry, and Mithras Candle

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

#119 - Nikoo Bafti, Meditative Art Magus

Nikoo Bafti is an Iranian-British visual artist and illustrator currently based in Rome, Italy. After graduating with an honors BA degree in Illustration from the Arts University of Bournemouth, Nikoo began her early career as an animation intern at Disney Channel UK, and has since been working independently as an illustrator as well as exhibiting her fine art internationally. 

Inspired by the traditional miniature paintings of her Persian heritage, Nikoo combines intricate narrative imagery with a deep curiosity for the esoteric and metaphysical phenomena to create ethereal visions of a vibrant, holographic reality. With her spiritual and art practices closely intertwined, she uses her work as a vehicle to explore and understand what lies behind the veil.

Nikoo’s latest project, The Transmutation Oracle: A Metaphysical Guide To Navigating Reality, will be released by The Philosophical Research Society in January 2024 and is available now to pre-order at PRS.org.

You can find more of Nikoo’s work on her website nikoobafti.com & on Instagram @nikoobafti.

On this episode, Nikoo discusses the meditative nature of her artwork, the magical and  aesthetic influences of her Persian roots, and how she developed her holographic outlook.

Pam also talks about the wounded healer archetype, and answers a listener question about staying magically anchored during their travels.

Our sponsors for this episode are Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, Open Coven, Sphere + Sundry, BetterHelp, Psyche Magic Podcast, Mithras Candle, and The Meta Muse Tarot

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave