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Living traditions‘Mystical shaman’ plans Wānaka temple FestivalsSIPA to hold Samhain at Gaia House on Oct. 24 Living traditions5 ancient bathing rituals across the world FestivalsMidtown venue hosts Day of the Dead dinner WitchcraftPaul Carus’ *The History of the Devil and the Idea of Evil* (1899)Stage magicHoudini historical marker dedication set for Halloween FestivalsCelebrating Oxi Day, Castanyada and Samhain Safely in 2026 Witch-huntsSNP councillors ignore potholes to demand apology for historic witch trials Witch-huntsSNP councillors ignore potholes to demand apology for historic witch trials FestivalsHalloween and Day of the Dead come together at Salinas’ Paper Tacos.Living traditions‘Mystical shaman’ plans Wānaka temple FestivalsSIPA to hold Samhain at Gaia House on Oct. 24 Living traditions5 ancient bathing rituals across the world FestivalsMidtown venue hosts Day of the Dead dinner WitchcraftPaul Carus’ *The History of the Devil and the Idea of Evil* (1899)Stage magicHoudini historical marker dedication set for Halloween FestivalsCelebrating Oxi Day, Castanyada and Samhain Safely in 2026 Witch-huntsSNP councillors ignore potholes to demand apology for historic witch trials Witch-huntsSNP councillors ignore potholes to demand apology for historic witch trials FestivalsHalloween and Day of the Dead come together at Salinas’ Paper Tacos.

EveryJaadu

Magic in Central Asia and the Caucasus

Steppe shamanism and Tengri, the bakhshi and the baksy, and the amulets and fire customs of the Caucasus. 25 entries on EveryJaadu so far.

KindTradition Rite Charm Oracle Substance Being Figure Text Illusion Belief

PurposeProtection Healing Seeing and foretelling Luck and prosperity Love and attraction Cursing and harm Cleansing and purification Speaking with spirits and the dead Change and initiation Binding and oaths Power and authority Wonder and entertainment

WhoShamans Folk healers Priests and ritual specialists Witches, sorcerers and cunning folk Diviners and readers Mediums and the possessed Ceremonial magicians and alchemists Households and ordinary people Stage magicians Scholars and sceptics

BeliefHindu and Tantric Buddhist Jain Muslim and Sufi Jewish Christian Sikh Zoroastrian Shinto and Taoist Indigenous and shamanic African and Afro-diasporic Pagan and Neopagan Esoteric and occult Folk and village custom Secular and stage Other traditions

OccasionWeddings and betrothal Festivals Birth and childhood Death and remembrance Harvest, farming and weather New year Initiation and coming of age Illness and misfortune Journeys and voyages Everyday use

StandingLiving Revived Fading Historical Legendary Performed

OrderBest known A to Z Newest Living first

🇲🇳 Mongolia and 2 moreMongolian shamanismBöö mörgöl The animistic and shamanic ethnic religion of the Mongol peoples, centered on sky worship and ancestral spirits.Tradition · Protection · Healing Living

🇷🇺 Russia and 3 moreSiberian shamanism The spirit-journey practices of North Asian peoples and their linguistic relativesTradition · Healing · Speaking with spirits and the dead Fading

🇲🇳 Mongolia and 1 moreOvooовоо A stone or branch cairn used as a shrine and boundary marker in Mongolic folk practice.Tradition · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living

🇮🇷 Iran and 3 moreIranian folkloreفولکلور ایرانی The oral legends, heroes, and spirits of Greater IranTradition · Protection · Seeing and foretelling Living

🇲🇳 Mongolia and 2 moreWind Horseརླུང་རྟ་ An East and Central Asian symbol of the soul, luck, and vital energyBeing · Luck and prosperity · Protection Living 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan and 2 moreAyaz AtaАяз Ата A Turkic winter spirit who brings snow and gifts during the cold seasonBeing · Luck and prosperity · Protection Living 🇷🇺 RussiaPitsen A shapeshifting forest spirit of the Siberian Tatars that brings luck or leads travelers astrayBeing · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇷🇺 RussiaYhyakhЫһыах A summer solstice festival of the Sakha people marking the new year and nature's returnTradition · Luck and prosperity · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living 🇲🇳 Mongolia and 1 moreYellow shamanismШар бөө A Mongolian and Siberian shamanic tradition blended with Buddhist ritualsTradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Protection Historical

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Yhyakh: Humano92, Public domain, source
Siberian shamanism: Аркадий Зарубин, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Ovoo: Bouette ., CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Iranian folklore: Hossein Mirkamali, CC BY 4.0, source
Wind Horse: Clemensmarabu, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Mongolian shamanism: Enrique Bendicho, CC BY-SA 4.0, source

The weekly digest

Every Monday: seven entries you may not know, what is on the calendar this week, and one rite drawn step by step.