What it's All About:
Hey listeners!
By popular demand! This episode is a revisit to a classic from 2017, chosen by you in last month's listener poll. Back then, I explored the fascinating world of pagan influences in pop culture, with does include Harry Potter.
In this episode, you'll hear:
A deep dive into how pagan beliefs and practices are reflected in the themes and storylines of Harry Potter.
I also discuss Peter Bebergal's book Season of the Witch: How the Occult Saved Rock and Roll.
I also explore the broader conversation about pagan influences in popular media of 2017.
Looking Back & Looking Ahead:
While this episode is a throwback, the conversation about paganism's influence on pop culture continues to evolve! Let's chat in the comments! How do you see these connections today? Have you noticed any interesting new trends or examples?
Songs Featured:
Links Mentioned:
Poll:
Choose an Old Lughnasadh Episode for August:
Get in Touch Through Social Media:
Spirit Guide of the Week:
Transcript:
(03:32)
Welcome to another episode of the Music from the Goddess’ Vault Podcast. I am your host, Midnight Starr. You just heard Never Split the Party by Emerald Rose. Get ready for more of them coming up in this episode. You voted, and I listened! This episode, we're taking a trip back to 2017 and revisiting the Pop Culture Episode. Let's get started, but first, a few quick announcements. Feeling nostalgic? Head over to the show notes or scan the QR code on the blog or Substack to pick the next old episode to revisit! There are two questionnaires waiting for you! Want to help Music from the Goddess' Vault grow? Thinking about bringing back Patreon, and YOUR ideas for awesome perks matter! Head to the show notes to answer a quick question. Shape the future content! Curious about specific aspects of Spirit Guides or dream symbols? Have another show topic entirely in mind? The second questionnaire in the show notes is your chance to tell me what you'd love to hear more about. Let's explore what excites you. Let's keep the magic going! Head over to social media (Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Blue Sky, Mastodon) or visit my blog (goddessvault1.wixsite.com/home) to share your ideas and what ignites your spiritual fire! I can't wait to hear your thoughts and keep the conversation flowing! Love the show & want it first? Subscribe FREE at musicgoddessvault.substack.com for early access to new episodes. Plus, go deeper with paid tiers starting at $7/month or $70/year! Now for the topic: Revisiting the Pop Culture Episode of 2017.Thanks again to everyone who voted last month! As chosen by you, we're revisiting the Pop Culture Episode from 2017. Paganism and pop culture continue to be fascinatingly intertwined, even as both evolve. Want to go deeper? I've included some new links in the show notes that explore the connection between paganism and pop culture further. While I haven't been on a streaming binge lately, I did not enjoy the first season of Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches. Let me tell you, the book, The Witching Hour, which the first season is based on, is better. The cliffhanger is completely different and, in my opinion, much scarier than the TV show! Looking for a witchy show that is completely different? How about one that’s a murder mystery? Check out The Sanctuary of Witches, a captivating British drama on AMC and AMC+ (It only has one season). This small English town has a long history of witches living openly, but a modern-day murder disrupts the peace. Alright, that's enough about witches for now! This conversation reminds me of the fascinating connection between paganism and pop culture we explored in the 2017 episode you all voted for. Let's jump back to that show now!
(13:21)
Welcome to another episode of the Goddesses' Vault. I'm your host, Midnight Star. What you heard at the top of the show was Spiral Rhythm with Three Witches. Here's something weird, I planned the show topic months in advance. I didn't know that there was going to be A) another Harry Potter book and B) one of the articles related to the book. First off, the topic of today's episode is Pop Culture and Paganism. It's about how one influences the other. And it's not just about Harry Potter either. I'll explain other pop culture influences on paganism later, but first I have to mention an article I read and tweeted about that only got one response. It's from (Invalid URL), and the title of the article is A British Witchcraft Shop Is Banning Harry Potter Fans Because Its Wands Aren't Toys. The guy who owns the shop makes these wands with the help of his spirit guides, and they are mostly for healing and the law of attraction. Plus, this guy supposedly sees your aura and can tell if you're a Harry Potter fan or a true pagan. As I mentioned, I did get two responses. One comment thought that it wasn't right for the shop owner to ban Potter fans, but then I got another saying that they understand why this guy wanted to ban these people. I know there are some Harry Potter fans who are Pagan, and that's perfectly fine with me. I haven't read the books, but I've seen a few of the movies. The Harry Potter fans, who are already pagan, have done their research and found out that true paganism is not like that in Hawksworth. My issue is with Potter fans who automatically jump in without doing more research. They'll find themselves in a Skyclad coven, expected to be nude, and will cry rape, even though they are expected to be initiated by having sex with the priest or priestess. But that's not all pagan covens. Fortunately enough, there are those where clothes are on all the time, and it's family-friendly with an initiation that doesn't require sex. Plus, it's good for the shop owner to ban Potter fans in Britain. I know that he mentioned that Harry Potter is for the kids and paganism is for adults. Again, I know some kids who have both parents who are Pagan, and these kids go to the rituals all the time. But, I'm more concerned about the teens who don't know any better and join Paganism without thinking. I know that my current coven requires that someone under the age of 19 needs an adult to agree that they are going to be in our rituals, which I think is a good thing. So do you think that this British shop owner is doing the right thing? Please let me know. I'll be talking more about paganism and pop culture after the song Chocolate Frog by Emerald Rose.
(18:33)
Among all of us pagans, not everyone is a Harry Potter fan. I came into paganism because I like the idea of worshiping the goddess, but I just recently revealed to my coven that I am a goth at heart. I've never dressed the part, but I'm a big Anne Rice fan. Yes, I like The Vampire Chronicles, but she also has a series of books about the Mayfair Witches, starting with the book The Witching Hour. We pagans are also Trekkies, Star Wars fanatics, Doctor Who, Walking Dead, Lord of the Rings, and Game of Thrones fans, as well as fans of Japanese anime and other TV shows and movies. Some of us are into LARP (live action role-playing), cosplay, Dungeons and Dragons, and video games like Pokémon Go. You get the idea of what types of pagans there are, but I should say that not all fan girls and boys are pagans. Here's another song from Emerald Rose. For all you Trekkies out there, it's called Vulcan Rubdown.
(22:38)
Time for the Spirit Guide of the week. We're going back into Norse mythology for this week's Spirit Guide. He is a skilled inventor, artisan, and craftsman. He's also mysterious, contradictory, and has a vicious sense of humor. However, he is more known for being the ultimate trickster. If you haven't guessed already, this week's spirit guide is Loki. His name comes from the Old German word meaning "shooting star." Loki was conceived when his father, Lightning, struck his mother, a leafy oak. His blood brother is Odin. Loki lives among the Azure spirits and constantly leads them into danger, so he can proceed to rescue them with either the myth of (Inaudible)'s apple or by stealing Thor's hammer. Loki constantly conspires against Odin and Thor. He was responsible for Balder's death and made the God of (Inaudible) laugh following the death of their father. Loki also has a couple of children of his own, which include Hel, the goddess of death, and the Wolf of Doom. In the poem, "Luca Sana," the other deities try to keep Loki from entering Asgard Hall, but he got in anyway, abusing them publicly, exposing all their secrets, and calling them cowards until Thor enters with his hammer. That is it for now. Stay tuned for another Spirit Guide of the week.
(27:15)
That was Loki by the Shining Wheel Pagan Chorus. Can anyone give me the name of the book that is all about how to incorporate pop culture characters in a ritual? I don't know the author's name either, but it was a very controversial book among the pagan community, years ago. I tried to Google it and got nothing. I think it's a great idea because not everyone can relate to the ancient gods and goddesses. I've also mentioned that I have been to one ritual where it was totally Star Trek-based, with a picture of the starship Enterprise on the central altar. Not being a Star Trek fan, I did hear conversations among all the other pagans at this festival talking about doing a Star Wars-themed one. I haven't been to that one either, but if you are pagan and a Star Wars fan, it's best to do a ritual on Samhain or Beltane. The reason is Samhain is the start of the dark half of the year, or the Dark Forces in Star Wars, and Beltane, the light half of the year, or the Light Forces. You get the idea. All you Lord of the Rings fans and fans of thousands of other pop culture phenomena, you can do the same at your next ritual. So can someone please tell me the name of that book? You can leave it in the comments on the Music from the Goddesses Facebook page, or tweet me at Goddess Vault. Here's Brobdingnagian Bards with Legolas.
(30:54)
Just after the death of David Bowie, I started to read the book Season of the Witch: How the Occult Saved Rock and Roll by Peter Bebergal. In it, he talks about Wicca and its founder, Gerald Gardner. Bebergal also talked about the movie The Wicker Man, but there were two pagan bands from the late '60s and early '70s that I hadn't even heard of that Peter Bebergal mentioned: they are Coven and Black Widow. Both bands have the Parental Advisory ticker on them because of occult lyrics. So I'm going to play you a song from both bands, starting with White Witch of Rose Hall by Coven from their album Witchcraft, and then Come to the Sabbath by Black Widow.
(34:39)
It's time for a nice, deep, and relaxing meditation. This next meditation comes from PaganPath.com. This one is just called Past Life Meditation.
(51:26)
While that wraps up today's episode, I do have a few more thing for you before we go. I'm excited to share some exciting news with you... You get to pick what we listen to next month! Head to the show notes or scan the QR code on my blog or Substack to vote in the listener poll I've created. It's your chance to choose a old episode for a nostalgic listen next time around. The poll closes in a month, so cast your vote and let your voice be heard! Want to help make this show even better? Head over to the show notes, my blog, or Substack! Answer two quick questions: what dream Patreon perks would you love, and what episode episode ideas do you have? Your input shapes the future of this podcast, so don't be shy, let your voice be heard! We've been exploring some fascinating topics this season, but what else are you curious about? Do you have burning questions about dream symbols or spirit guides? Now's your chance to ask! Head over to the show notes, blog, or Substack to share your thoughts. You can also find me on social media – Facebook, TikTok, Instagram – let's chat and keep the conversation going! Don't miss a single spellbinding episode! Subscribe to my newsletter at musicgoddessvault.substack.com for early access to the latest pagan magic content. Be the first to hear new shows delivered straight to your inbox! To keep the positive vibes flowing, let's close out the episode with a song called Blessed Be by SONA. Blessed be.
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