All entries
2,261 entries so far, best known first. 3,057 more are on the list to be written. Narrow by region, kind, purpose, practitioner, belief world, occasion or how alive it is.
RegionSouth AsiaSoutheast AsiaEast AsiaCentral Asia and the CaucasusMiddle EastNorth AfricaSub-Saharan AfricaEuropeNorth AmericaLatin America and the CaribbeanOceania
PurposeProtectionHealingSeeing and foretellingLuck and prosperityLove and attractionCursing and harmCleansing and purificationSpeaking with spirits and the deadChange and initiationBinding and oathsPower and authorityWonder and entertainment
WhoShamansFolk healersPriests and ritual specialistsWitches, sorcerers and cunning folkDiviners and readersMediums and the possessedCeremonial magicians and alchemistsHouseholds and ordinary peopleStage magiciansScholars and sceptics
BeliefHindu and TantricBuddhistJainMuslim and SufiJewishChristianSikhZoroastrianShinto and TaoistIndigenous and shamanicAfrican and Afro-diasporicPagan and NeopaganEsoteric and occultFolk and village customSecular and stageOther traditions
🇮🇱 IsraelSeder hishtalshelusסדר השתלשלות
A Kabbalistic cosmology mapping the descent of divine light through spiritual realms to the physical world.Belief · Power and authority · Wonder and entertainment Living
🇮🇱 Israel and 1 moreYom Hillulaיום הילולא
A joyous death anniversary for a saint in Jewish traditionRite · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇬🇷 Greece and 2 moreClassical elements
Ancient theories that explain all matter as combinations of earth, water, fire, air, and aetherBelief · Wonder and entertainment Historical
🇻🇺 Vanuatu and 3 moreMana
A spiritual force of power and authority in Oceanic culturesBelief · Power and authority Living
🇮🇳 India and 3 moreTermaགཏེར་མ
Hidden teachings in Tibetan Buddhism and Bon, revealed by tertöns when the time is right.Text · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Change and initiation Living
🇨🇭 SwitzerlandSegen
A German term for blessing, charm, or spell rooted in Christian and folk traditions.Belief · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
🇪🇸 Spain and 2 moreHoly ChaliceSanto Cáliz
A cup believed to have held the blood of Jesus at the Last SupperCharm · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Power and authority Living
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreAlpha et Omega
An occult order formed from the Golden Dawn schism, active in London and Paris before World War IITradition · Power and authority Historical
🇷🇸 Serbia and 1 moreVampire pumpkins and watermelons
A Balkan folk tale about ground fruit that turns into vampires.Belief · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇸🇾 Syria and 1 moreShatiqatu𐎌𐎓𐎚𐎖𐎚 (šʿtqt)
A Ugaritic healing figure created from clay to cure the king KirtaBeing · Healing Historical
🇺🇸 United StatesOpen Source Order of the Golden Dawn
A modern magical order using open-source principles to adapt ceremonial ritualsTradition · Change and initiation Historical
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreOdinic Rite
A UK-based Heathen group that restricts membership to people of European ancestry.Tradition · Power and authority Living
🇪🇷 Eritrea and 1 moreBeher
A pre-Christian Aksumite deity of the sea and agricultural fertilityBeing · Luck and prosperity · Healing Historical
🇩🇪 Germany and 2 moreFraternitas Saturni
A German esoteric order focused on Saturn magic and astrological teachingsTradition · Power and authority Living
🇪🇬 Egypt and 1 moreMahalathמָחֲלַת
A queen of demons in Jewish mysticism and the mother of AgratBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇺🇸 United StatesPlastic shaman
A label for imposters who sell fake Indigenous spiritual practices for profitBelief · Cursing and harm Living
🇵🇭 PhilippinesMananambal
A Filipino folk healer who treats illness with herbs, prayers, and sorceryTradition · Healing · Cursing and harm Living
🇳🇵 Nepal and 3 moreGurung ShamanismTamu Cho
The ancient shamanic beliefs and rituals of the Gurung people in NepalTradition · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇲🇳 Mongolia and 1 moreOngon
Ancestor spirits in Mongolian shamanism, represented by consecrated idols and talismansBeing · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇦🇲 Armenia and 3 moreNardoqanНартуған
A Turkic winter solstice celebration marking the birth of the sunTradition · Wonder and entertainment Revived
🇮🇳 IndiaCausal bodyKarana-Sarira
A yogic and esoteric concept describing the highest innermost body that veils the true Self.Belief · Change and initiation Living
🇮🇱 Israel and 1 moreOrdeal of the bitter waterמֵי הַמָּרִים (mei ha-marim)
A biblical test for a wife accused of adultery when no witnesses are present.Rite · Cursing and harm · Protection Historical
🇺🇸 United States and 4 moreZombie walk
A public gathering where people dress as zombies to walk through city streets for entertainment or charityIllusion · Wonder and entertainment · Luck and prosperity Living
🇺🇸 United StatesPele's Curse
A belief that taking Hawaiian sand or rock brings bad luckBelief · Cursing and harm Living
🇭🇹 HaitiChristian-Vodou
The blending of Haitian Vodou and Roman Catholicism into a single spiritual practiceTradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Protection Living
🇩🇴 Dominican RepublicAnaisa Pye
A Dominican loa of love and wealth, linked to Saint Anne.Being · Love and attraction · Luck and prosperity Living
🇬🇾 Guyana and 1 moreBaccoo
A half-wood spirit from Guyanese and Surinamese folklore that serves as a mercenary or a haunting presence.Being · Cursing and harm · Speaking with spirits and the dead Legendary
🇪🇸 SpainGuañameñe
A Guanche prophet and the highest priestly rank in pre-conquest TenerifeFigure · Seeing and foretelling · Power and authority Historical
🇮🇳 India and 3 moreAstral projection
An intentional out-of-body experience where consciousness travels through the astral planeTradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Change and initiation Living
🇮🇷 Iran and 1 moreBabr-e Bayanبَبْرِ بَیان
A legendary armor worn by the Iranian hero Rostam, said to be made from a dragon's skin.Figure · Protection · Power and authority Legendary
🇸🇮 SloveniaGiantess of Crngrobajdovska deklica
A Slovene giantess who helped build a church and left a rib as an omenFigure · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇮🇱 Israel and 1 moreSe'irimשעירים
Demons of Hebrew tradition linked to wild goats and ruined placesBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreBloody Bones
A bogeyman figure used to frighten children in English and North American folkloreFigure · Cursing and harm Historical
🇳🇵 NepalLakheyलाखे (Lākhe)
A masked demon figure from Newar folklore, performed in festivals across Nepal.Figure · Protection · Wonder and entertainment Living
🇧🇷 Brazil and 2 moreCaiporaCaapora
A Brazilian forest spirit that guards game and tests hunters with bribes or terrorBeing · Protection · Cursing and harm Living
🇨🇴 ColombiaMohan
A forest spirit and ancestor soul in Colombian Indigenous folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm · Speaking with spirits and the dead Legendary
🇮🇪 Ireland and 3 moreFairy path
An invisible route used by fairies, often straight and connecting sacred sitesBelief · Cursing and harm · Protection Historical
🇬🇧 United KingdomDunnie
A border spirit that mimics horses and sings of lost treasureBeing · Cursing and harm · Wonder and entertainment Historical
🇩🇪 GermanyBieresel
A German house spirit taking the shape of a donkey, linked to beer cellars and taverns.Being · Power and authority Historical
🇮🇸 IcelandGrásteinn
A lodestone in Iceland linked to elf habitation and safe passageBeing · Luck and prosperity · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇮🇪 IrelandThe DagdaIn Dagda
Chief god of the Tuatha Dé Danann in Irish mythology, associated with fertility and magic.Being · Power and authority · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇮🇪 IrelandAbhean
A Tuatha Dé Danann poet said to have been killed in a disputeFigure Legendary
🇵🇹 PortugalAngel of PortugalAnjo de Portugal
A guardian spirit of Portugal, celebrated on June 10 and linked to the Fátima visions.Being · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇭🇹 HaitiMarassa Jumeaux
The divine twins of Haitian Vodou, representing love, truth, and justice.Being · Love and attraction · Cursing and harm Living
🇯🇵 JapanYamajijii山爺
A one-eyed mountain spirit from Shikoku folklore known for its thunderous voice and unpredictable nature.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇯🇵 JapanKyōka Hyaku Monogatari狂歌百物語
An 1853 Japanese picture book pairing yōkai illustrations with humorous kyōka poetryText · Wonder and entertainment Historical
🇯🇵 JapanŌnyūdō大僧正
A giant monk spirit in Japanese folklore, ranging from helpful helpers to menacing shadows.Being · Cursing and harm · Healing Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanShidaidaka次第高
A tall spirit in Japan that grows when you look up and shrinks when you look down.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Mohan: Sanjuan, Public domain, source
- Giantess of Crngrob: Vid Pogacnik, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Astral projection: Hereward Carrington, Sylvan Muldoon., Public domain, source
- Ordeal of the bitter water: Charadron, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Folk Catholicism: Calvin Hennick, for WBUR Boston, CC BY 3.0, source
- Seder hishtalshelus: Daderot, Public domain, source
- Yom Hillula: Jonathan Stein, Public domain, source
- Classical elements: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Mana: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Holy Chalice: Vitold Muratov, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Vampire pumpkins and watermelons: The original uploader was Ke4roh at English Wikipedia ., Public domain, source
- Shatiqatu: Rama, CC BY-SA 2.0 fr, source
- Mananambal: Ji-Elle, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Ongon: Vyacheslav Kirillin, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Nardoqan: Ollios, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Zombie walk: tangi bertin, CC BY 2.0, source
- Bloody Bones: ArtemisiaGentileschiFan, CC0, source
- Lakhey: Less than 3, CC BY 2.0, source
- Fairy path: Aviddoghug at English Wikipedia ( Original text: David Gough ), Public domain, source
- Bieresel: Neulich im Roxy Kino, CC BY 3.0, source
- Grásteinn: Ásgeir Helgason, Attribution, source
- The Dagda: WordRidden, CC BY 2.0, source
- Angel of Portugal: Daderot, Public domain, source
- Shidaidaka: by Reggaeman, CC BY-SA 3.0, source