Finding Magic in the Mundane | The Psychology of Synchronicity and Approaching Signs as a Skeptic The Skeptical Witch 2021-03-07 | Hello lovely people! In this video, I take a look at "signs" and synchronicity from a skeptical perspective. I unpack some of the psychology behind these phenomena, and explore how synchronicities can still be significant for us even if we *know* rationally that they're just coincidences, and *not* supernatural signs from spiritual agents or the universe. Hope you enjoy the video, and let me know in the comments what your take on signs/synchronicity is!Watch my video on Magical Thinking: youtube.com/watch?v=PNSjQgwf63Y&t=1sRead my blog post on Synchronicity for Skeptics: http://www.obscureclouds.com/a-skeptics-guide-to-synchronicityFollow me on Instagram: instagram.com/skeptical.witchMusic in this video is Blossom by Lakey Inspired: youtube.com/watch?v=B7ArnZl_zBUSources used for this video:“Apophenia: Meaning and Examples.” PsycholoGenie. psychologenie.com/apophenia-meaning-examplesBender, Courtney. 2010. The New Metaphysicals: Spirituality and the American Religious Imagination. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Hocoy, Dan. 2012. “Sixty Years Later: The Enduring Allure of Synchronicity.” Journal of Humanistic Psychology 52, no. 4: 467-478. Hoopes, John. 2011. “11-11-11, Apophenia, and the Meaning of Life.” Psychology Today. psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/reality-check/201111/11-11-11-apophenia-and-the-meaning-lifeLuhrmann, Tanya. 1989. Persuasions of the Witch’s Craft: Ritual Magic in Contemporary England. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Main, Roderick. 2007. Revelations of Chance: Synchronicity as Spiritual Experience. Albany: State University of New York Press. #synchronicity #witchcraft #psychology
critical thinking witch con vlog & channel updates ✨ The Skeptical Witch 2023-10-20 | Hello lovely people! Clearly it's been a long time since I uploaded a video here, so I thought I'd ease back into content creation by vlogging my experience of the Critical Thinking Witch Collective 2023 Convention. If you missed the Con, you can still purchase tickets for $25 to access the recordings and Discord group up until November 1st, 2023 here: criticalthinkingwitches.comThanks for watching, and hopefully I'll be back to posting more regular content soon! ✨In the meantime, check out the content from some other con participants:🌼 Bree NicGarran's podcast Hex Positive: http://www.nerdandtie.com/Hex🌼 Lee Ignire's channel Do The Magical Thing: youtube.com/channel/UCJjiUlrSJTpX6JFtAgMmewQ🌼 Alex Wrekk's Portland Button Works and zines: portlandbuttonworks.com 🌼 Nina Zina's blog Echo Zines: echopublishing.wordpress.com🌼 Sedna Woo's channel: youtube.com/@SednaWooAlso check out these fantastic vendors & support small witchy businesses if you can!: criticalthinkingwitches.com/vendors-2Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/skeptical.witchTimestamps00:00 CritWitchCon day 110:13 CritWitchCon day 219:03 CritWitchCon day 319:25 Preview of my Cauldron Talk, "Witchcraft and (Dis)connection in the Anthropocene"24:19 Some channel & life updates------------------------Music in this video includes:Music track: Autumn by LukremboSource: freetouse.com/musicFree Background Music for Videos"Alexander Nakarada - Ethereal Guitars" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license.https://creativecommons.org/licenses/.../ serpentsoundstudios Music powered by BreakingCopyright: 🍂 Autumn (Royalty Free Music) - "ETHEREAL GUITARS" by Alexander Nakarada🎵 Music "starlit path" by ‘Tama’ starlit path ✨ dreamy lofi vibes (no ... 💿 Listen everywhere: ffm.to/starlitpath✅ For more Copyright Free Music visit:youtube.tamamusic.com---------------#critwitchcon #witchcraft #autumnvlog
Knowledge Hierarchies & Decolonizing Our Thinking | Critical Reflections on Skeptical Witchcraft The Skeptical Witch 2022-07-30 | Hello lovely humans! I'm back with another video... I vaguely remember having said that my next video would be a lot shorter than usual... whoops. This video is one that I struggled to make, and to be honest I don't think I really said everything I wanted to say, or exactly in the way I wanted to say it. I feel like there's a lot I didn't properly convey here, so if anything is confusing I apologize, and would of course be happy to chat more about it.This video has come out of doing some critical reflection on this channel, and really thinking about what kind of content I want to be putting out there. It gets into some issues with "intellectual imperialism" and the hierarchies of knowledge perpetuated by Western universalism. I've been thinking a lot lately about the importance of decolonizing my work as a scholar, and I think that needs to apply to my work as a content creator as well. **SOME IMPORTANT NOTES:**I think maybe I wasn’t super clear about this in the video, but I want to emphasize the fact that I’m not trying to critique Western scientific knowledge *itself* here, or attempting to disregard its importance in any way. I’m critiquing the way Western understandings of intellect and reason are often framed as superior to other knowledge systems, and placed in this hierarchical relationship with them. I am NOT trying to say that we should just do away with Western science, and I’m not trying to undermine all the good its done for us. I am, however, trying to point out how scientific reason and Enlightenment rationality are implicated in ongoing (neo)colonialism and systems of inequality. Historically, Western science most definitely played a role in colonial conquest, and continues to be wrapped up with ideas of mastery and control in some ways (see my video on religion & science! youtube.com/watch?v=uM6HFRThcr8&t=161s) ALSO, I don’t think I made this point well enough in the video, but I’m NOT trying to say that indigenous and other non-Western knowledges are incompatible with Western scientific knowledge. This is definitely not the case, and it’s important to recognize that Western science is often **complimentary** to these non-Western perspectives. Different knowledge systems and worldviews do not by any means need to clash with one another, or be antithetical to one another. For many indigenous peoples, learning about Western science is about the *addition* of MORE knowledge to their understandings of the world, but NOT “better” knowledge. Western perspectives can exist harmoniously alongside indigenous and other non-Western perspectives (or “non-scientific”/spiritual perspectives)—there doesn’t have to be any conflict between them!I should have been a lot clearer about that in the video, but hopefully this makes sense! :) Thank you so much for watching!!References & relevant sources for this video (and texts I would really recommend checking out!): Cadena, Marisol de la. 2015. Earth Beings: Ecologies of Practice Across Andean Worlds. Duke University Press.Clement, Vincent. 2019. "Beyond the Sham of the Emancipatory Enlightenment: Rethinking the Relationship of Indigenous Epistemologies, Knowledges, and Geography Through Decolonizing Paths." Progress in Human Geography 43, no. 2: 276-294.Coulthard, Glen. 2014. Red Skin White masks: Rejecting the Colonial Politics of Recognition. University of Minnesota Press.Cruikshank, Julie. 2005. Do Glaciers Listen? Local Knowledge, Colonial Encounters, and Social Imagination. UBC Press.Donald, Dwayne Trevor. 2009. "Forts, Curriculum, and Indigenous Métissage: Imagining Decolonization of Aboriginal-Canadian Relations in Educational Contexts." First Nations Perspectives: The Journal of the Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre 2, no. 1: 1-24. mfnerc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/004_Donald.pdfSimpson, Leanne. 2017. As We Have Always Done: Indigenous Freedom Through Radical Resistance. University of Minnesota Press.Todd, Zoe. 2016. "An Indigenous Feminist's Take on the Ontological Turn: 'Ontology' is Just Another Word for Colonialism." Journal of Historical Sociology 29, no. 1: 4-22.Vizenor, Gerald. 2009. Native Liberty: Natural Reason and Cultural Survivance. University of Nebraska Press.Watts, Vanessa. 2013. "Indigenous Place-Thought and Agency Amongst Humans and Non-Humans (First Woman and Sky Woman Go on a European World Tour!)." Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society 2, no. 1: 20-34.Willerslev, Rane. 2007. Soul Hunters: Hunting, Animism, and Personhood Among the Siberian Yukaghir. University of California Press.Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/skeptical.witchMusic in this video is Blossom by Lakey Inspired: youtube.com/watch?v=oUwo03pUYx8&t=0s#decolonize #religiousstudies #paganism
The Law of Attraction | Some Issues With Manifestation Spirituality (And Some Benefits!) The Skeptical Witch 2022-03-18 | Hi all! In this video I dive into the "law of attraction"--the idea that you can manifest the things you desire in life through the manipulation of universal energies. It's based on the idea that "like attracts like," so if you have "good vibes" you'll attract positive things into your life, including material wealth. While this sounds great, I think there are certain elements about this "manifestation" mindset that can be really toxic and harmful. In addition to discussing some of the more problematic elements of the law of attraction, I get into what the law of attraction is, some of its historical roots, and also some elements of the law of attraction that can be beneficial, like the way it encourages positive thinking.Sorry for the super long video again--I promise next time I'll ramble less! Thanks for watching! :) Sources used in this video:Crockford, Susannah. 2021. Ripples of the Universe: Spirituality in Sedona, Arizona. University of Chicago Press. Schmidt, Leigh Eric. 2012. The Restless Souls: The Making of American Spirituality. University of California Press.Albina, Albert C. 2018. “The Law of Attraction: Positive Thinking and Level of Gratitude Towards Happiness.” CMU Journal of Science 22, no. 1: 15-22.researchgate.net/profile/Albert-Albina/publication/334083472_The_Law_of_Attraction_Positive_Thinking_and_Level_of_Gratitude_towards_Happiness/links/5d15bf1b458515c11cfdb431/The-Law-of-Attraction-Positive-Thinking-and-Level-of-Gratitude-towards-Happiness.pdfEagleson, Claire et al. 2016. “The Power of Positive Thinking: Pathological Worry is Reduced by Thought Replacement in Generalized Anxiety Disorder.” Behaviour Research and Therapy 78: 13-18.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0005796715300814Lyubomirsky, Sonja and Laura King. 2005. “The Benefits of Frequent Positive Affect: Does Happiness Lead to Success?” Psychological Bulletin 131, No. 6: 803-855.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/bul-1316803.pdfSegerstrom, Suzanne C. And Gregory E Miller. 2004. “Psychological Stress and the Human Immune System: A Meta-Analytic Study of 30 Years of Inquiry.” Psychol Bull 130, no. 4: 601-630.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15250815National Geographic’s Brain Games episode “Positive Thinking” (S4, E13)imdb.com/title/tt4447546Also a good article: psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/the-blame-game/201609/the-truth-about-the-law-attractionFollow me on Instagram: instagram.com/skeptical.witchMusic in this video is Blossom by Lakey Inspired: youtube.com/watch?v=oUwo03pUYx8#lawofattraction #toxicspirituality #religiousstudies
Posthumanism and Spirituality: A Philosophy to Live By | Paganism, Witchcraft & New Materialism The Skeptical Witch 2022-01-26 | Hi friends! It's been a long time since I posted a video, so I apologize for my absence & hope you're all doing well :)I'm returning to you with a (super long--sorry!) video on posthumanism and spirituality, which is meant to be a follow-up for my last video on Enlightenment humanism.Posthumanism is a philosophical movement that arose in reaction to some of the issues with Enlightenment humanism, and is what some people have called a "post-dualistic," "post-anthropocentric" way of thinking. At the core of posthumanism and the related feminist philosophy of new materialism is an effort to dismantle modern hierarchies that privilege the human above all else (and sometimes, certain kinds of humans over others), while also challenging the assumed separation between nature and culture. In posing a direct challenge to Enlightenment humanism’s construction of the bounded, rational human subject, posthumanism also strives to subvert other taken-for-granted binaries foundational to modern narratives, such as the perceived dichotomies of human/nonhuman, self/other, and subject/object, as well as sacred/profane and material/spiritual. In this video I discuss some of the connections that have been made between posthumanism and spirituality or religion, and explore how some forms of Paganism (both ancient and contemporary) and witchcraft can be seen to have some "posthumanist" tendencies. Materiality, embodiment, and kinship with more-than-human others are important to the practices and beliefs of many Pagans and witches, and I think posthumanism and new materialism can offer some teachings and perspectives that can go hand-in-hand with Paganism and witchcraft.As always let me know your thoughts on any of this in the comments, and thanks for watching! Watch my video on Enlightenment humanism: youtube.com/watch?v=8mnIJ9D3XA8&t=1225sMy spell jars video: youtube.com/watch?v=Y81sJMnIeM4&t=202sFollow me on Instagram: instagram.com/skeptical.witchBooks discussed in this video:Abram, Christopher. 2019. Evergreen Ash: Ecology and Catastrophe in Old Norse Myth and Literature. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press. Scott, Sabrina. 2019. Witchbody. Canada: Weiser Books.(Check out Sabrina Scott on Instagram: instagram.com/sabrinamscott)Resources used for this video: Alaimo, Stacy. 2010. Bodily Natures: Science, Environment, and the Material Self. Indianapolis: Indiana University Press.Alaimo, Stacy. 2016. Exposed: Environmental Politics and Pleasures in Posthuman Times. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.Barad, Karen. 2007. Meeting the Universe Halfway: Quantum Physics and the Entanglement of Matter and Meaning. Durham: Duke University Press.Barad, Karen. 2017. "What Flashes Up: Theological-Political-Scientific Fragments." In Entangled Worlds: Religion, Science, and New Materialisms, edited by Catherine Keller and Mary-Jane Rubenstein, 21-88. New York: Fordham University Press. Braidotti, Rosi. 2008. "In Spite of the Times: The Post-Secular Turn in Feminism." Theory, Culture and Society 25, no. 6: 1-24.Braidotti, Rosi. 2013. The Posthuman. Cambridge: Polity Press.Ferrando, Francesca. 2016. “Humans Have Always Been Posthuman: A Spiritual Genealogy of the Posthuman.” In Critical Posthumanism and Planetary Futures, edited by Debashish Banerji and Makarand R. Paranjape, 243-256. Springer.Ferrando, Francesca. 2019. Philosophical Posthumanism. London: Bloomsbury Academic. Gaard, Greta. 2014. "Mindful New Materialisms: Buddhist Roots for Material Ecocriticism's Flourishing." In Material Ecocriticism, edited by Serenella Iovino and Serpil Opperman, 291-300. Bloomington: Indian University Press.Haraway, Donna. 2016. Staying With the Trouble: Making Kin in the Chthulucene. Duke University Press.Tsing, Anna, Heather Swanson, Elaine Gan, and Nils Bubandt (eds.). 2017. Arts of Living on a Damaged Planet. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.Singh, Julietta. 2018. Unthinking Mastery: Dehumanism and Decolonial Entanglements. Durham: Duke University Press.Music in this video is Blossom by Lakey Inspired: youtube.com/watch?v=oUwo03pUYx8#paganism #posthumanism #religiousstudies
The Problematic Legacy of Enlightenment Humanism & Why Im Not a Humanist The Skeptical Witch 2021-07-19 | Hello lovely people! I've got a long one for you today, all about humanism. Humanism today is a worldview that often acts as a replacement for traditional religion, in that it's a *human-centric*, rather than *deity-centric* framework for morality. It's very much invested in human agency, liberty, and rights. However, humanism wasn't always about equality for *all*--on the contrary, Enlightenment humanism was only about equality for a select few, and the category of the "human" was established in relation to those who were considered to be "non-human" or "less-than-human" others. It's this somewhat darker history of Enlightenment humanist that I start to unpack here, as well as examining the religious (especially Protestant) connections with humanism. Even though I don't consider myself a humanist (for various reasons that I outline here), I'm certainly not trying to attack humanism today, or anyone who is a humanist. I just want to dig into some of humanism's past, and maybe challenge some assumptions we may have about it!Let me know if you have any suggestions for upcoming videos! :)Watch my video on Religion, Science & Some Issues with New Atheism: youtube.com/watch?v=uM6HFRThcr8&t=161sResources used for this video:Alaimo, Stacy. 2016. Exposed: Environmental Politics and Pleasures in Posthuman Times. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.Anderson, Elizabeth. 2020. "Reading the World's Liveliness: Animist Ecologies in Indigenous Knowledges, New Materialism and Women's Writing." Feminist Modernist Studies 3, no. 2: 205-216.Barad, Karen. 2017. "Troubling Time/s and Ecologies of Nothingness: Re-Turning, Re-Membering, and Facing the Incalculable." New Formations 92, no. 1: 56-86.Braidotti, Rosi. 2013. The Posthuman. Cambridge: Polity Press.Clement, Vincent. 2019. "Beyond the Sham of the Emancipatory Enlightenment: Rethinking the Relationship of Indigenous Epistemologies, Knowledges, and Geography Through Decolonizing Paths." Progress in Human Geography 43, no. 2: 276-294.Crosson, J. Brent. 2021. "Humanism and Enlightenment." The Oxford Handbook of Humanism, edited by Anthony B. Pinn. Oxford University Press.Ferrando, Francesca. 2019. Philosophical Posthumanism. London: Bloomsbury Academic. Latour, Bruno. 1993. We Have Never Been Modern. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Tsing, Anna, Heather Swanson, Elaine Gan, and Nils Bubandt (eds.). 2017. Arts of Living on a Damaged Planet. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.Singh, Julietta. 2018. Unthinking Mastery: Dehumanism and Decolonial Entanglements. Durham: Duke University Press.Taylor, Charles. 2007. A Secular Age. Cambridge: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/skeptical.witchMusic in this video is Blossom by Lakey Inspired: youtube.com/watch?v=oUwo03pUYx8#humanism #posthumanism #religiousstudies
Tarot for Skeptics | Using Tarot Cards for Psychological Exploration & More! The Skeptical Witch 2021-06-11 | In this video, I discuss some ways we can use tarot as “skeptics,” which is to say, how tarot cards can be helpful in ways that go beyond divination. As someone who doesn’t necessarily think that tarot cards can predict the future, in this video I cover some of the ways I use tarot it my own life, and how it can be a powerful tool for psychological exploration.Read my blog post on skeptical tarot: http://www.obscureclouds.com/a-skeptics-guide-to-tarotFollow me on Instagram: instagram.com/skeptical.witchMy video on Synchronicities: youtube.com/watch?v=cRc3DU0Xf00Music in this video is Blossom by Lakey Inspired: youtube.com/watch?v=oUwo03pUYx8#tarot #seculartarot #witchcraft
The Religion vs. Science Debate & Some Issues with New Atheism The Skeptical Witch 2021-05-18 | Hello lovely humans! In this video, I dive into the science vs. religion debate, addressing the "conflict theory" promoted by New Atheists, which sees science and religion as being ultimately opposed to one another. I take issue with this overly simplistic binary, as I don't think religion and science are necessarily incompatible with one another. In unpacking some of the history behind this conflict theory and New Atheist discourse, I attempt to problematize them, and reveal some of the underlying issues at play. While the scientific method remains crucial, I also think it's important for us to be mindful of where our thoughts about modern Western science come from, and to be critical of the various myths and narratives surrounding this. It's a long one (sorry about that!) but I've only just scratched the surface on this topic! If you're interested in learning more, here's a list of resources I used for this video: Beattie, Tina. 2007. The New Atheists: The Twilight of Reason and the War on Religion. New York: Orbis Books.Elsdon-Baker, Fern. 2017. "The Compatibility of Science and Religion?" In Religion and Atheism: Beyond the Divide, edited by Anthony Carroll and Richard Norman, 82-92. New York: Routledge. Haraway, Donna. 1988. "Situated Knowledges: The Science Question in Feminism and the Privilege of Partial Perspective." Feminist Studies 14, no. 3: 575-599. (philpapers.org/archive/harskt.pdf) Hashemi, Morteza. 2017. Theism and Atheism in a Post-Secular Age. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan.Josephson-Storm, Jason. 2017. The Myth of Disenchantment: Magic, Modernity, and the Birth of the Human Science. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.Lee, Lois. 2015. Recognizing the Non-Religious: Reimagining the Secular. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Unsworth, Amy. 2020. "Secularization: What Has Science Got to Do with It?" In Identity in a Secular Age: Science, Religion, and Public Perceptions, edited by Fern Elsdon-Baker and Bernard Lightman, 141-158. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press. Weber, Max. 2001 [1930].The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. New York: Routledge. Weber, Max. 2004 [1918]. The Vocation Lectures. Edited by David Owen and Tracy B. Strong. Translation by Rodney Livingstone. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing.Check out my grad school journey here: youtube.com/channel/UCmwpvU5AhozhWH2K7RTvg5QFollow me on Instagram: instagram.com/skeptical.witchMusic in this video is Blossom by Lakey Inspired: youtube.com/watch?v=oUwo03pUYx8#newatheism #religiousstudies #secularization
Quiet Your Inner Critic: 3 Spells for Dealing with Imposter Syndrome | Transformative Witchcraft The Skeptical Witch 2021-04-03 | Hello all! If, like me, imposter syndrome is something that you struggle with, hopefully this video will be helpful for you! In this video, I cover what imposter syndrome is and some ways we can start dealing with our imposters, including three spells you can incorporate into your witchcraft or spiritual practice. While I don't believe that there are any "quick fixes" for something like imposter syndrome, I do think these spells can be helpful for *acknowledging* and *quieting* that imposter's voice. When approached from a psychological perspective, witchcraft can be a fantastic tool for inner transformation and altering our mental and emotional states. Hope you enjoy the video! :)*Check out my grad school/vlogging channel!*: youtube.com/channel/UCmwpvU5AhozhWH2K7RTvg5QKelly-Ann Maddox's fantastic video on imposter syndrome: youtube.com/watch?v=1X49fD2ZBFQFollow me on Instagram: instagram.com/skeptical.witchThe music in this video is Blossom by Lakey Inspired: youtube.com/watch?v=B7ArnZl_zBU#impostersyndrome #witchcraft #magick
Setting Up Your Altar | Tips & Ideas for Creating a Powerful Witchcraft Altar The Skeptical Witch 2021-02-19 | Hello lovely humans! This video is all about ALTARS, including what they are, what makes them effective, and some tips and ideas for things you can include on them to make more powerful for YOU. While I touch on some of the altar fundamentals here, I mostly focus on ways you can take your altar setup *beyond* the basics in order to really make it your own. If you're interested in learning more about altar basics beyond what I cover here (and especially if you're new to witchcraft/Pagan altars), I'd suggest checking out these videos too:The Beginning Witch on a witch's altar: youtube.com/watch?v=HwgA3s13xHk&list=LL&index=67The Witch of Wonderlust on altars 101: youtube.com/watch?v=p3ysPbvQa7cMintfaery with three basic altar setups: youtube.com/watch?v=3kJwLqe_1u4Read the blog posts that this video is based on:http://www.obscureclouds.com/tips-for-designing-an-effective-altarhttp://www.obscureclouds.com/11-ideas-for-creating-an-effective-altarFollow me on Instagram: instagram.com/skeptical.witch#witchcraft #altar #paganism
Days in my Life as a PhD Student | Religious Studies & Humanities Online Courses | Grad Student Vlog The Skeptical Witch 2021-01-31 | Hello there, I hope you're doing well! Here's a little vlog of a few (semi) productive days in my life as a Religious Studies PhD student. It's the third week of my Winter semester, and already I've got so much to do! In this video, I'm working on submitting an abstract for a witchcraft conference (!) and *trying* to get all my readings done for my classes, including an English/Film Studies course. With classes still online, I like making (and watching!) these grad studies vlogs, as they help me feel a little less isolated during these strange times!Hope you enjoy the video, and thanks for watching! If you're also a student, I'd love to know what you're studying! :)For more videos like this one, check out my grad school channel: youtube.com/channel/UCmwpvU5AhozhWH2K7RTvg5QFollow me on instagram: instagram.com/skeptical.witchMusic in this video:Blossom by Lakey Inspired Woods by Oak StudiosIt's Been a While by Vlad Gluschenko#PhD #gradstudent #studentvlog
7 Spells & Rituals for SUCCESS in School and Work | Practical Witchcraft for Students The Skeptical Witch 2021-01-24 | Hey everyone, here's another video on some practical spells and rituals that you can use for achieving success in your academic or professional life! Success--it's something we're all striving for in one way or another. Whatever success means for you, hopefully some of these spells and rituals will helpful for you as you work towards making your goals into a reality! My first video on witchcraft for school & work: youtube.com/watch?v=j1smxEoUTEE&t=3sIf you're interested in what life looks like for me as a PhD student, check out my grad school channel: youtube.com/channel/UCmwpvU5AhozhWH2K7RTvg5QRead my blog: http://www.obscureclouds.comFollow me on Instagram: instagram.com/skeptical.witchThe music in this video is Blossom by LAKEY INSPIRED: youtube.com/watch?v=B7ArnZl_zBU#witchcraft #spells #magick
Magical Thinking Explained! | The Psychology of Magical Belief and Superstition The Skeptical Witch 2021-01-07 | In this video, I discuss magical thinking and the belief in magic and superstition from a cognitive science/psychological perspective in order to understand why we believe the things that we do, and why rational people sometimes behave in irrational ways. As a skeptical witch, I fully understand that magic is a placebo. Logically, while it can cause profound changes within my external reality, I know it can't have any real effect on my external reality. And yet, in my witchcraft practice, I nonetheless allow myself to look past this rational knowledge now and then, and fully embrace the reality of magic (impossible as it may be). In these instances, you could say that I simultaneously *believe* and *don't believe* in magic. This may seem counter-intuitive, but in fact, our minds are actually wired for these kinds of conflicting perceptions and judgements, as we are incredibly complex beings capable of some pretty complex thinking!If you're interested in this topic, check out my blog post on magical thinking for more about the cognitive science of belief: http://www.obscureclouds.com/the-science-of-magical-thinking-why-rational-people-have-irrational-beliefsArticles Discussed:Risen, Jane L. 2016. “Believing What We Do Not Believe: Acquiescence to Superstitious Beliefs and Other Powerful Intuitions.” Psychological Review 123, no. 2: 182-207. Request Access: researchgate.net/publication/283011737_Believing_What_We_Do_Not_Believe_Acquiescence_to_Superstitious_Beliefs_and_Other_Powerful_IntuitionsSubbotsky, Eugene. 2014. “The Belief in Magic in the Age of Science.” SAGE Open January-March: 1-17. Access: journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2158244014521433Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/skeptical.witchMusic in this video is Blossom by Lakey Inspired: youtube.com/watch?v=B7ArnZl_zBU#magicalthinking #witchcraft #cognitivescience
Academic Witch: A Week in the Life of a Religious Studies PhD Student | Essays, Spells & More! The Skeptical Witch 2020-12-21 | Hello all! In this video, I vlog a week in my life as a religious studies PhD student & witch. I filmed a bit of my process for writing papers and presentations, as well as for taking notes. I also rearrange my altar for Yule/the winter solstice in this video and do some spell work to help with school, bringing witchcraft and academics into a kind of synthesis with one another. Sorry the video is a bit long, but it's my first attempt at vlogging & I hope you enjoy it!For more videos like this one, check out my grad school channel: youtube.com/channel/UCmwpvU5AhozhWH2K7RTvg5QRead my latest blog post: http://www.obscureclouds.com/resources-for-non-theistic-pagans-and-skeptical-witchesCheck out my Instagram: instagram.com/skeptical.witchMusic in this video:Blossom by Lakey Inspired: Woods by Oak Studios: youtube.com/watch?v=eAiAlg22gqQIt's Been a While by Vlad Gluschenko: youtube.com/watch?v=7iyqhbEk2rIDrums of Drakkar: youtube.com/watch?v=w2db3E8j7wg#PhD #witchcraft #vlog
Religion without Gods? Can You be a RELIGIOUS ATHEIST? | Atheopaganism & Religious Naturalism The Skeptical Witch 2020-12-06 | In this video, I discuss the concept of religious atheism, and address the question of whether you can have a religious practice without the belief in gods, spirits or the supernatural. I look specifically at atheist Paganism, or Atheopaganism, and consider how it is a form of religious naturalism. While most people associate contemporary Paganism (Neopaganism) with polytheism (the belief in multiple gods), the truth is you DO NOT need to believe in gods, spirits, magic, or anything otherworldly to be a Pagan. You 100% can be a non-theistic or atheist Pagan!Hope you enjoy the video! :) Religion For Breakfast video on atheist churches: youtube.com/watch?v=vqFJEzsffnE&t=448sMark Green's book on Atheopaganism: amazon.ca/Atheopaganism-Earth-honoring-path-rooted-science-ebook/dp/B07YBNN81HBlog post on resources for non-theistic Pagans and skeptical witches: http://www.obscureclouds.com/resources-for-non-theistic-pagans-and-skeptical-witches Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/skeptical.witchThe music in this video is Blossom by Lakey Inspired: youtube.com/watch?v=B7ArnZl_zBU#religiousstudies #paganism #atheism
Samhain Altar Tour & New Kitten! | Witchcraft Altar The Skeptical Witch 2020-10-27 | In this video I take you on a little tour of my Samhain altar, and introduce you to my new kitten Freya! Samhain or Halloween is one of my favourite times of the year--it is the season of the witch, after all! They say that during this time, the veil between this world and the otherworld is at its thinnest... And while I don't actually believe in any spiritual otherworld, I do love the metaphor, and try to incorporate it into my altar setup. My last altar tour: youtube.com/watch?v=3XtGDLHAJuEJournaling prompts for Samhain: http://www.obscureclouds.com/five-shadow-work-journaling-prompts-for-samhainFollow me on Instagram: instagram.com/skeptical.witchMusic by Lakey Inspired: youtube.com/watch?v=B7ArnZl_zBU#altartour #samhain #witchcraft
GLAMOUR MAGIC: 7 Practical Glamour Spells & Rituals! | Everyday Witchcraft The Skeptical Witch 2020-09-16 | This video is all about glamour magick! Here I discuss what glamour magic is, and how YOU can incorporate it into your everyday life! I provide seven practical glamour magic spells & rituals, as well as tips on how to make it part of your everyday witchcraft. While it is partially about using your external appearance to get what you want, it's also SO MUCH MORE than that! Glamour magic has become a pretty important part of my witchy practice, so hopefully you'll find some of these tips and examples helpful!Blog post on witchcraft and self care: http://www.obscureclouds.com/witchcraft-and-self-care-ten-ways-to-make-your-self-care-routine-more-magickalFollow me on Instagram: instagram.com/skeptical.witchMusic is Blossom by Lakey Inspired: youtube.com/watch?v=B7ArnZl_zBU#glamourmagic #witchcraft #magick
Spirits vs. Science: How Ouija Boards Actually Work!! | A Skeptics Guide to Divination The Skeptical Witch 2020-09-04 | How do Ouija Boards actually work? Is it really spirits, speaking to us from the otherworld? Can the dead really communicate with us? Or do studies in cognitive science tell us otherwise? In this video, I explore some of the history behind Ouija Boards, as well as recent scientific studies that seek to explain how the planchette can seemingly move on its own. While the science might not be nearly as spooky as spirits, it is pretty cool for what it can tell us about the unconscious mind!Studies Referenced:Helen L. Gauchou et al. 2012. "Expression of Nonconscious Knowledge via Ideomotor Activity": www2.psych.ubc.ca/~rensink/publications/download/Ouija-GRF.pdfMarc Andersen et al. 2018. "Predictive Minds in Ouija Board Sessions": https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/publications/predictive-minds-in-ouija-board-sessions(62feeaa3-d035-4340-8937-dc9cc30cb25c).htmlHistory of the Ouija Board, taken from a Smithsonian Magazine article: smithsonianmag.com/history/the-strange-and-mysterious-history-of-the-ouija-board-5860627 The Witch's Cookery video on divination: youtube.com/watch?v=oVSHgtJCtHgRead my blog: http://www.obscureclouds.comInstagram: instagram.com/skeptical.witchThe music in this video is Blossom by LAKEY INSPIRED: youtube.com/watch?v=B7ArnZl_zBU
BACK TO SCHOOL WITCHCRAFT: Magick, Spells & Spirituality for Students and Success at Work The Skeptical Witch 2020-08-19 | It's that back to school time of year again, so in this video I share some tips for using magick, witchcraft, and spiritual practice to help you succeed in school. Though the video primarily covers some of the ways that I use witchcraft and spells as a university student, it could definitely also apply to work as well, and help you bring magic and spirituality into your work life! So, whether you're a student, a working professional, or both, hopefully you will find something useful to you here as I explore practical ways you can use witchcraft and spirituality to enhance your everyday life, and find success in whatever it is you do!If you're interested in what life looks like for me as a PhD student, check out my grad school channel: youtube.com/channel/UCmwpvU5AhozhWH2K7RTvg5QWatch my video on creating more effective spell jars here: youtube.com/watch?v=Y81sJMnIeM4 Anya Esma's video on Spirituality at the Workplace: youtube.com/watch?v=YwUFU9wkw-oRead my blog: http://www.obscureclouds.comFollow me on Instagram: instagram.com/skeptical.witchThe music in this video is Blossom by LAKEY INSPIRED: youtube.com/watch?v=B7ArnZl_zBU#witchcraft #tarot #sigils
SPELL BOTTLES & JARS: How to Make them More Effective! || Witchcraft Spells that Work For YOU The Skeptical Witch 2020-08-12 | I love making spell bottles and jars--it's such a fun and simple way of practicing witchcraft! In this video I cover some tips and tricks for making your spell jars MORE EFFECTIVE!! I also discuss my views on correspondences and magical properties, and how you can use materials in ways that may work better for YOU. Read my blog here: http://www.obscureclouds.comFollow me on Instagram: instagram.com/skeptical.witchThe music in this video is Blossom by LAKEY INSPIRED: youtube.com/watch?v=B7ArnZl_zBU#spelljar #witchcraft #witchspells
Astrology for Skeptics and Non-Believers! | Skeptical Witchcraft & Science-Based Spirituality The Skeptical Witch 2020-07-23 | In this video, I explore astrology from a skeptical perspective, and discuss how you can incorporate it into your spiritual practice and/or witchcraft even if you don't *literally* believe that the patterns of the planets or alignments of the stars can have any tangible or objective effect on our lives. Even though I'm a skeptic when it comes to astrology, I'm still really interested in it, and able to incorporate it into my practice and daily life in ways that are valuable and meaningful for me!Read my blog here: http://www.obscureclouds.comFollow me on Instagram: instagram.com/skeptical.witchThe music in this video is Blossom by LAKEY INSPIRED: youtube.com/channel/UCOmy8wuTpC95lefU5d1dt2Q
Finding POWER & AGENCY in Skeptical Witchcraft The Skeptical Witch 2020-07-02 | In this video, I discuss some of the ways in which I've come to discover my personal power in witchcraft--specifically, in doing "skeptical" witchcraft. Agency and empowerment are really important parts of what it means for me to be a witch, and big reasons for why I've come to claim this term. You don't need to be able to contact spirits or believe in the manipulation of external energies in order to be a POWERFUL witch... Empowerment and agency can come from a variety of different places!Kelly-Ann Maddox's videos on finding your POWER in witchcraft: youtube.com/watch?v=YMstnN7ZquEyoutube.com/watch?v=uuFKeAvupXA&t=1sThe blog post that explores what being a skeptical witch means to me: http://www.obscureclouds.com/a-skeptics-guide-to-witchcraftMy most recent blog post (on facing issues of racism and cultural appropriation in contemporary spirituality): http://www.obscureclouds.com/racism-and-cultural-appropriation-in-contemporary-spirituality-and-witchcraftFollow me on Instagram: instagram.com/skeptical.witch
Summer Altar Tour! | Setting up my Witchcraft Altar The Skeptical Witch 2020-06-25 | In this video I take down my spring altar and set up my summer altar in celebration of the Summer Solstice, and give you a little look at what a "skeptical" Pagan witch's altar looks like. Hope you enjoy, and sorry about the shoddy camera work! :)Links for the amazing artwork in this video:Kaitlyn Page: http://kaitlynpage.storenvy.comMadison Ross: etsy.com/ca/shop/LilchiveCheck out my blog post on setting up an effective altar: http://www.obscureclouds.com/tips-for-designing-an-effective-altarMore altar ideas: http://www.obscureclouds.com/11-ideas-for-creating-an-effective-altarFollow me on Instagram: instagram.com/skeptical.witch
Spell Casting for Skeptical Witches! | Witchcraft Tips & Techniques The Skeptical Witch 2020-06-16 | In this video, I explore what "skeptical" spell casting might look like, and provide some tips for doing magic as a skeptical witch. I consider spell casting from both a psychological approach and a chaos magick based approach, both of which I use in my own practice.Thanks for watching, and leave your comments below if you have any thoughts on skeptical witchcraft and spellcasting! Read the blog post this video is based on here: http://www.obscureclouds.com/a-skeptics-guide-to-casting-spells Check out this post if you're interested in "magical consciousness" and/or correspondences: http://www.obscureclouds.com/tools-correspondences-in-witchcraft-how-important-are-they-really Embodied witchcraft: http://www.obscureclouds.com/witchcraft-and-the-body-using-your-body-in-ritual-and-magickMore on skeptical witchcraft: http://www.obscureclouds.com/skeptical-witchcraft-what-is-it-how-to-do-itInstagram: instagram.com/skeptical.witch
What is Skeptical Witchcraft? | The Skeptical Witch The Skeptical Witch 2020-06-11 | What does it mean to be a "skeptical" witch? Can you be a skeptic, and still practice magick? I believe that there are ways to maintain a scientific worldview grounded in material reality, and still practice contemporary witchcraft. In this video, I explore three ways of being a "skeptical" witch!This is my first video, so I apologize for the not so great quality--I only realized after I'd finished editing that it's slightly out of focus 😅 Also sorry for all the "uhms" and "kind of"s... I'm not the most eloquent on camera! (But hopefully my videos can only get better from here, right? 🤞) Read more about the things I discussed in this video on my blog!A Skeptic's Guide to Witchcraft: http://www.obscureclouds.com/a-skeptics-guide-to-witchcraftThe Models of Magick: http://www.obscureclouds.com/models-of-magick-and-learning-to-embrace-the-mysterySedna Woo's awesome channel (with videos on atheist witchcraft): youtube.com/channel/UCKpiaNefOjsgjL4u3PT7CNQFollow me on Instagram: instagram.com/skeptical.witch
