Show Notes
Mitch Horowitz is one of today’s most literate voices of occultism, mysticism, and the unexplained. He has bylines in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Politico, Time, and The Wall Street Journal, and appearances in Sundance-premiering movies, popular TV docuseries, and award-winning documentaries, as well as on CBS Sunday Morning, Dateline NBC, NPR’s All Things Considered, and other major media. Mitch also worked for many years in publishing, including as a vice president at Penguin Random House where he was editor-in-chief of Tarcher/Penguin, an imprint dedicated to metaphysics. He now hosts the Discovery/HBO Max TV series, Alien Encounters: Fact or Fiction, and he appears regularly on seasons one and two of History’s The UnBelievable with Dan Ackroyd and in numerous docuseries including MGM+’s BEYOND: UFOs and the Unknown. He is also the host of the podcast series Extraordinary Evidence: ESP Is Real out from SpectreVision. Mitch also hosted, cowrote, and produced a feature documentary about the occult classic The Kybalion directed by Emmy-nominee Ronni Thomas and shot on location in Egypt. Mitch is a former writer-in-residence at the New York Public Library and the PEN Award-winning and wildly prolific author of many books including Occult America, One Simple Idea, The Miracle Club, Modern Occultism, and his newest offering, Practical Magick: Ancient Tradition and Modern Practice which is out on March 25th and available for preorder now. On this episode, Mitch discusses his dual roles as an occult historian and practitioner, why self-expression and true desire are the keys to effective spellcasting, and how his belief in “anarchic magick” has led him to a happier and more fulfilling life.
Pam also talks about the magic of wishes, and answers a listener question about staying protected as a public witch. Check out the video of this episode over on YouTube (and please like and subscribe to the channel while you’re at it!) Donate to Pam’s fundraiser for The ACLU here Get 20% off DeleteMe here (not an official sponsor, just a personal recommendation from Pam. Disclosure: Pam does get a small referral fee for each registration.) Our sponsors for this episode are The Witch Summit, Ritual + Shelter, Mithras Candle, BetterHelp, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, and The Alchemist and the Academic podcast We also have print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here, and all sorts of other bewitching goodies available in the Witch Wave shop. And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to detailed show notes, bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave
More from The Witch Wave
Cain Culto is a singer, rapper, producer, violinist, and visual artist whose genre-defying music is some of the most exciting being made today. This Kentucky-bred Latinx polymath writes songs about the occult, queerness, activism, and healing from religious trauma, and he describes his music as being “for anyone that can relate to the feeling of being rejected, being ostracized, being misunderstood.” Incorporating Appalachian strings with Afro-Latino beats, English and Spanish lyrics, and folk magic elements with avant-garde visuals, Cain Culto’s music is a study in alchemizing disparate energies to create something entirely new, world-shaking, and booty shaking. After a series of blisteringly catchy EPs, his first full-length album, CULTO, is out now, and it’s tremendous. Mark Pam’s words: it’s only a matter of time before Cain Culto is talked about in the same breath as Chappell Roan, Lady Gaga, Doechii, and other art pop royalty. On this episode, Cain discusses how music and magic helped liberate him from his fundamentalist roots, the healing power of authentically made art, and why he identifies with the witch/bruja archetype. Pam also talks about the importance of in-person magic making, and answers a listener question about crafting a witchy wedding. Cain Culto’s songs featured in the episode are all from his album CULTO: KFC Santeria a plague, a pestilence colita de rana Pam’s upcoming events: Oct 26: The Witch Wave with Pam Grossman LIVE! at Littlefield in Brooklyn!! Get tickets now Nov 1: Samhain Séance ritual workshop with Pam and Janaka Stucky (online) Donate to Pam’s fundraiser for the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund Check out the video of this episode over on YouTube (and please like and subscribe to the channel while you’re at it!) Our sponsors for this episode are Wheel of Fate, Llewellyn Books, Crystal Coffin Tarot, Horse Parsley Provisions, BetterHelp, Feral Eye, Blessed Be Magick, and Snowy Owl Tea We also have print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here, and all sorts of other bewitching goodies available in the Witch Wave shop. And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to detailed show notes, bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave
Bill Crisafi is an artist and illustrator and now author whose drawings of witches, ghouls, and magical toad ladies have amassed an enormous legion of fans. Campy, sexy, whimsical, and always full of flair, Bill’s supernatural creative world strikes a balance between the spooky and the joyfully absurd, appealing to everyone from magic practitioners to drag queens to horror buffs to taste-making art aficionados. His characters can be found populating his line of prints, clothing, stuffed animals, and housewares. Bill’s illustration and costume work has been commissioned by musicians, filmmakers, and institutions alike, including Chappell Roan, Chelsea Wolfe, the Peabody Essex Museum, Heretic Parfum, Boston Seaport, and Blumhouse Productions among others. His new book, The Glam Reaper’s Guide to Slaying: Life Lessons for Rebellious Souls, is available everywhere now. On this episode, Bill discusses his occult-camp illustrations, how he confronts creative burn-out, and how his new book helped him slay his inner demons with style. Pam also talks about why she loves spookiness mixed with silliness, and answers a listener question about Salem witchcraft tourism.
It’s The Witch Wave Season 10 premiere!! Shannon Purser (she/they) is an Emmy-nominated actor, singer-songwriter, screenwriter, and director. They’ve played such iconic onscreen roles as Barb in Stranger Things (Netflix) and Ethel Muggs in Riverdale (CW), and they’ve starred in the Netflix film Sierra Burgess is a Loser. Shannon has written and directed the forthcoming short film, Sisters, and she also writes and performs music as sister seer. They’ve also appeared onstage in La Cages aux Folles directed by Sam Pinkleton at the Pasadena Playhouse in 2024, and they’re about to make their NYC Off-Broadway stage debut alongside Marilu Henner in The Ask, written by Matthew Freeman. The Ask will be up from Oct 6 – Nov 22 at Theater 555, and tickets are available now. On this episode, Shannon discusses their evolving witchly interests and gender identity, how tarot has guided their life, and the charmed magic behind her acting roles on stage and on screen.
Our Season Finale guest is Rachel Dratch, a comedy LEGEND who was a cast member of Saturday Night Live from 1999-2006, during which she developed and performed such iconic characters as Debbie Downer, “The Love-ahs” with Will Ferrell, and the Boston teen Denise "Zazu" McDenna. (And she still pops up there from time to time to play Senator Amy Klobuchar.) She’s appeared in countless TV shows including The King of Queens, Frasier, 30 Rock, and Broad City, and in films including Down with Love, Wine Country, and A Clüsterfünke Christmas which she co-wrote with her co-star and fellow SNL alum Ana Gasteyer. Rachel has starred in several Broadway shows, earning her two Tony nominations, the first for POTUS in 2022, and the second just this year in The Rocky Horror Show which she’s starring in now. She is also the author of the memoir Girl Walks into a Bar...: Comedy Calamities, Dating Disasters, and a Midlife Miracle, and she’s the host of the supernatural podcast, Woo Woo with Rachel Dratch.
Lindsay Mack is an intuitive tarot teacher, writer, and founder of Tarot for the Wild Soul, as well as the host of the popular podcast of the same name, which has been downloaded over ten million times. Lindsay’s new book Tarot for the Wild Soul: A Trauma-Informed Approach for Growth, Healing, and Grounding in the Present Moment is out now, as is their new tarot deck Soul Tarot, illustrated by Chelsea Granger. Through Lindsay’s beloved workshops, retreats, and online Tarot courses, they have taught Soul Tarot to many tens of thousands of students from all around the world. And as a queer, neurodivergent, and (now) joyful survivor of childhood abuse living with complex PTSD and chronic pain, Lindsay is passionately dedicated to honoring and helping to bring space, light, and healing to those who are experiencing any kind of suffering. On this episode, Lindsay discusses how to use tarot as a tool for understanding the present, why it’s OK to show up to your deck “messy,” and their gender-transcending interpretations of the cards.