VODKA O’CLOCK 1615
RECORDED AT STEAMPUNK WORLD’S FAIR 2016
EYRIE TWILIGHT ON OCCULTISM IN AMERICA
AMBER LOVE 27-JUNE-2016 My debut mystery novel, Cardiac Arrest, is available. Please go to patreon.com/amberunmasked to sponsor the show, the site, and my work. If you’re already a backer, please make sure you’ve adjusted your pledge for the new Per Month setup. Check out my full review and lots of pictures from SPWF at the recap post.
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AMERICAN OCCULTISM WITH EYRIE TWYLIGHT
Eyrie Twylight, archaeologist, burlesque dancer, and witch presented a fun discussion on Colonial American-based hex magic. Not all occultism conflicts with Christianity – Eyrie gave plenty of examples.
This episode was recorded live at Steampunk World’s Fair in Somerset, New Jersey. It’s run by Jeff Mach Events. Eyrie also used a lot of visual aides which audio listeners will unfortunately miss, but I posted a few so you get the idea.
Basic introductions to Mormons, Quakers, and Shakers were discussed. Eyrie appropriately gave time to African practices that had to be infused with acceptable slave owner practices so they could hold on to some of their traditions. Vodou/Vodun/Voodoo/Vudú/Vodú is usually disrespected when discussed outside the people who practice it. Hoodoo, Eyrie described as not exactly a religion, but more about daily life traditions and ways of doing things brought from western Africa also brought to the states because of the slave trade.
Close to our geography of New Jersey, was the Native American tradition of the Pow-Wow in Pennyslvania. It occurs all over the country, but the Pennyslvania Dutch influence that came from the indigenous culture is something still seen today in folk magic, spells, and herbal cures.
“If God put this here and it works, why not use it?â€
The occult and spiritualism became popularized as entertainment. The New York scene boomed with seances or spirit rappings and made a charlatans a lot of money. This was the era where the Theosophical Society was born. It was created by Madame Blavatsky.
If you’re a fan of Harry Houdini, you’re probably familiar with this era of the spiritualism. There were clever ways to fake photographs to “prove†the existence of the spirits or ghosts.
In the late 1800s, the occult world transformed further because European aristocratic influence. Although it was a former shoemaker turned Roman Catholic priest and radical socialist, Éliphas Lévi where high magick surged. Though he didn’t subscribe to a specific organization, his work influenced others who created the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.
One of Eyrie’s favorite people to talk about is Aleister Crowley so fortunately she had time to fit in a little about him and his “all about me because I’m so special†doctrines.
And although the concept and belief in Satan was practically worldwide, American Anton LaVey founded the Church of Satan in 1966 in San Francisco. Eyrie explained that there is quite a lot of satanism that’s misunderstood, primarily any religion that focuses on oneself rather than a deity, is the sort of thing frowned upon and co-opted into fear-mongering campaigns against everything from important symbols like the pentacle to rock music.
Eyrie’s banter with the audience was lively and engaging. The slide show didn’t always cooperate, a risk with live presentations. At the end, the audience had a rare and wonderful treat to learn some practical magick and we were walked through the steps for creating sigils.
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Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AmberUnmasked.com and Vodka O'Clock Podcast. Author of The Farrah Wethers Mysteries, comic book short stories, prose, and non-fiction. Cosplayer and figure model.