All entries
2,158 entries so far, best known first. 3,227 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
馃嚛馃嚜 Germany and 3 moreSixth and Seventh Books of Moses
A grimoire claiming to reveal the hidden spells of Moses for controlling spirits and natureText 路 Power and authority 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
馃嚭馃嚫 United StatesRing shout
A sacred circle dance of African American origin using rhythmic movement and call-and-response singingRite 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Power and authority Living
馃嚭馃嚫 United States and 5 moreFlorida Water
A citrus perfume used in spiritual cleansing and folk healing across the Americas.Substance 路 Protection 路 Cleansing and purification Living
馃嚞馃嚪 Greece and 5 moreCrossroads (folklore)
A junction between worlds where spirits are met and deals are madeBelief 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚭馃嚫 United StatesFolk healer
An unlicensed community member who provides healing care using local plants and traditional knowledge.Tradition 路 Healing 路 Protection Historical
馃嚭馃嚫 United States and 2 moreBlack Hebrew Israelites
A religious movement claiming African Americans are descendants of ancient IsraelitesTradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚭馃嚫 United States and 5 moreSpiritualist church
A worship service led by a medium to communicate with the deceasedTradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Healing Living
馃嚭馃嚫 United StatesRing shout
A sacred circle dance of African American origin using rhythmic movement and call-and-response singingRite 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Power and authority Living
馃嚭馃嚫 United States and 5 moreFlorida Water
A citrus perfume used in spiritual cleansing and folk healing across the Americas.Substance 路 Protection 路 Cleansing and purification Living
馃嚞馃嚪 Greece and 5 moreCrossroads (folklore)
A junction between worlds where spirits are met and deals are madeBelief 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚭馃嚫 United StatesFolk healer
An unlicensed community member who provides healing care using local plants and traditional knowledge.Tradition 路 Healing 路 Protection Historical
馃嚭馃嚫 United States and 2 moreBlack Hebrew Israelites
A religious movement claiming African Americans are descendants of ancient IsraelitesTradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚭馃嚫 United States and 5 moreSpiritualist church
A worship service led by a medium to communicate with the deceasedTradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Healing Living
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Folk healer: calliopejen, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Ring shout: Attributed to John Rose, Public domain, source
- Black Hebrew Israelites: Elvert Barnes, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Florida Water: Unknown artist(s), Public domain, source
- Crossroads (folklore): MiddleOfAfrica, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Spiritualist church: Jim.henderson, CC0, source