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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 Europe

Cunning folk and grimoires, alchemy, runes and seidr, the fairy faith, the witch trials, and the folk calendar of fire and fertility. 763 entries on EveryJaadu so far.

Places of magic

Rites of the region

Midsummer and St John's Eve herbs and fires Walpurgis Night and May Day fires Samhain and Halloween divination games First-footing at Hogmanay Witch bottle Knocking on wood and horseshoe customs The Sator square Icelandic galdrastafir Malocchio removal with oil and water Matiasma and ftou ftou

Countries

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

🇷🇸 Serbia and 5 moreVampire An undead creature from folklore that feeds on the blood or life force of the livingBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary

🇫🇷 France and 5 moreWerewolf A mythical shapeshifter that turns into a wolf, central to European witch-hunts and Gothic horror.Being · Cursing and harm · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇷🇺 Russia and 3 moreVodyanoyводяной A water spirit of Slavic folklore that dwells in rivers and lakesBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary

🇭🇷 Croatia and 5 moreVilavila (Serbian: вила), víla (Bulgarian: ви́ла) Slavic nature spirits known for healing, storms, and deadly dancesBeing · Protection · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇬🇧 United KingdomBrowniebrùnaidh A nocturnal household spirit from Scottish folklore that performs chores in exchange for offerings.Being · Protection · Luck and prosperity Legendary

🇷🇺 Russia and 2 moreDomovoyДомовой A household spirit in Slavic folklore that guards the family and home.Being · Protection · Seeing and foretelling Historical

🇷🇺 Russia and 1 moreLikhoЛихо A Slavic spirit of bad luck and misfortune, often depicted as a one-eyed creature.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇮🇸 Iceland and 1 moreNornsnornir Fate-weaving figures from Norse myth who shape human destiny and tend the world tree.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical

🇮🇪 IrelandPúca A shape-shifting spirit of Celtic folklore that brings fortune or mischiefBeing · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇬🇧 United KingdomBoggart A malevolent household spirit from northern English folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm Historical

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreChurch grim A guardian spirit of Christian churchyards, often appearing as a black dog or lamb.Being · Protection Historical 🇩🇪 Germany and 1 moreNachzehrer A German revenant believed to consume the living from beyond the graveBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇬🇷 GreeceCirceΚίρκη A Greek goddess and witch known for turning men into beasts with her potionsBeing · Cursing and harm · Love and attraction Legendary

🇮🇪 IrelandBadb An Irish war goddess who appears as a crow to sow fear and predict death in battle.Being · Cursing and harm · Seeing and foretelling Legendary 🇬🇧 United KingdomBlack dog A spectral hound from English folklore that signals death or guards the living.Being · Cursing and harm · Protection Legendary 🇷🇸 Serbia and 1 moreDrekavacДрекавац A South Slavic night creature born from unbaptised souls or sinnersBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇮🇸 Iceland and 1 moreHidden-folkhuldufólk Supernatural beings in Nordic folklore who live in a parallel world within the landscape.Being · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living

🇮🇸 Iceland and 3 moreDraugr A malevolent undead revenant from Nordic folklore, often guarding buried treasure.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreFuath A class of malevolent water spirits in Scottish and Irish folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇮🇸 Iceland and 2 moreValkyrievalkyrja Female figures in Norse myth who select fallen warriors and guide them to Odin's hallBeing · Speaking with spirits and the dead Legendary

🇬🇷 Greece and 3 moreHellhound A mythological canine that guards the underworld or serves demonic forces across global folkloreBeing · Protection · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇮🇪 Ireland and 1 moreLeprechaunlucharachán / leipreachán / luchorpán A solitary Irish fairy known for mischief and shoe-makingBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreKnocker A mine spirit of Cornwall and Devon that warns of danger and plays tricks on workersBeing · Protection · Luck and prosperity Historical

🇷🇺 Russia and 4 moreLady MiddayPoludnitsa A Slavic noon spirit who watches over fields and punishes those who work during the hottest hours.Being · Cursing and harm · Protection Historical

🇷🇺 Russia and 2 moreUpiórупіор A demonic spirit from Slavic and Turkic folklore that is believed to return from the dead to feed on the living.Being · Cursing and harm Historical 🇮🇪 IrelandFetch A spectral double of a living person, seen as an omen of death or long life.Being · Seeing and foretelling Historical 🇷🇴 Romania and 2 moreStrigoi A Romanian undead spirit linked to witchcraft and vampirismBeing · Cursing and harm Historical

🇬🇧 United KingdomCeridwenCerridwen A Welsh enchantress and modern goddess of poetic inspiration and transformation.Being · Change and initiation Revived

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 4 moreSelkie Mythical seal-people who shed their skin to walk as humans on landBeing · Love and attraction · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇬🇧 United KingdomAfanc A lake monster from Welsh mythology that dwells in dark waters and preys on the unwary.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇬🇧 United KingdomHob A small household spirit of Northern England and the Anglo-Scottish border.Being · Power and authority Historical

🇷🇺 Russia and 3 moreLeshyлеший A forest spirit from Slavic folklore who guards the woods and misleads travelers.Being · Protection · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇬🇧 United KingdomBarghest A mythical black dog from Northern England that foretells death and haunts the countryside.Being · Seeing and foretelling · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇮🇸 IcelandFylgja A Nordic guardian spirit that shadows a person and their fateBeing · Seeing and foretelling · Luck and prosperity Legendary

🇨🇿 Czech Republic and 4 moreGolemגּוֹלֶם An animated clay figure from Jewish folklore created to serve or protectBeing · Protection · Power and authority Legendary 🇬🇧 United KingdomGlaistig A Scottish shape-shifting spirit linked to cattle, deer, and haunted castles.Being · Protection · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇫🇷 France and 1 moreCernunnos An antlered Celtic deity depicted with torcs and serpents, known from Roman-era Gaul.Being · Power and authority · Luck and prosperity Historical 🇬🇧 United KingdomCŵn Annwn Spectral hounds of the Welsh otherworld that hunt souls and signal deathBeing · Cursing and harm · Speaking with spirits and the dead Legendary

🇬🇧 United KingdomPixie A mischievous sprite of British folklore from the southwest countiesBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇮🇪 Ireland and 5 moreFairy A European spirit with magical powers and human form found in folklore and artBeing · Protection · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇬🇧 United KingdomGwyllion Welsh spirits that lead travellers astray and are feared in mountain folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm Historical

🇳🇴 Norway and 1 moreHuldra A seductive forest spirit of Scandinavian folklore with a hidden animal tail.Being · Protection Legendary

🇩🇪 GermanyAlp A Germanic spirit that presses on sleepers and drinks milkBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical

🇮🇹 ItalyFortunaFortūna The Roman goddess of luck and fate, shown with a wheel and a horn of plentyBeing · Luck and prosperity · Seeing and foretelling Historical

🇬🇧 United KingdomCat-sìth A spectral feline from Celtic lore that haunts the Scottish Highlands and guards the dead.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary

🇮🇪 Ireland and 3 moreChangeling A substitute left by supernatural beings in place of a stolen human child or adultBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary

🇮🇪 Ireland and 1 moreAos Sí Supernatural beings of Irish and Scottish folklore, said to dwell in mounds and influence the human world.Being · Protection · Cursing and harm Living

🇬🇷 GreeceTriple Goddess A Neopagan deity representing three female life stages and lunar phasesBeing · Power and authority Living

Photo credits on this page

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

Pixie: John D. Batten, Public domain, source
Fortuna: Charles Samuel, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Selkie: Carolyn Emerick, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Golem: user Thander, Public domain, source
Werewolf: Mont Sudbury, Public domain, source
Huldra: Bernard Evans Ward, Public domain, source
Alp: Henry Fuseli, Public domain, source
Changeling: Henry Fuseli, Public domain, source
Vampire: Edvard Munch, Public domain, source
Triple Goddess: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Cernunnos: Nationalmuseet, Roberto Fortuna og Kira Ursem, Public domain, source
Hidden-folk: Schorle, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Upiór: Віщун, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Ceridwen: Chris Denny, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Circe: Wright Barker, Public domain, source
Hellhound: Louis Le Breton, Public domain, source
Cat-sìth: John D. Batten, Public domain, source
Badb: Commonists, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Draugr: Kim Diaz Holm, CC BY 4.0, source
Lady Midday: Віщун, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Norns: file: James Steakley ; artwork: Gustav Heidenreich, Public domain, source
Valkyrie: Lorenz Frølich, Public domain, source
Church grim: Inès Lee, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Leprechaun: Unknown author, FAL, source
Púca: Wirt Sikes, Public domain, source
Hob: Jo Turner, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Boggart: Katolophyromai, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Brownie: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
Domovoy: Ivan Bilibin, Public domain, source
Likho: Mhapon, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Leshy: Γραφέας, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Vila: Scan by NYPL, Public domain, source
Fairy: Henry Fuseli, Public domain, source
Aos Sí: AE [George William Russell] (1867-1935), CC BY 4.0, source
Vodyanoy: Ivan Bilibin, Public domain, 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.