At the core of modern pagan witchcraft is a knowledge system concerning traditions of nature, connection and embodiment to the astrological planets. Throughout magical history, practitioners of magic have looked to the planets for inspiration and magical help. From the earliest beginnings of written magical texts - the grimoires - magical systems were based on the seven planetary powers that were visible in the night sky. This class introduces the pre-modern planetary powers - the Occult Mercury

In this entertaining and engaging lecture, Paul Bell guides us through the early history of Spiritualism, with special emphasis on London, and on the working class women empowered by the movement. The traditional history of Spiritualism states that it was born in the United States in 1848 with the Fox sisters; but in London ten years earlier, the Okey sisters had already peeled back the veil and communed with the dead in trance. As mediums, working class women in London and elsewhere entered the homes of the middle and upper classes and enraptured them, making for uncomfortable and fascinating negotiations of class, gender, and sometimes, even, sex.

Witch bottles have been made and used for protection against negative magic and ill-wishing since the Middle Ages, with rich evidence of them surviving from the archaeological and textual records. This class looks at historic examples and modern variants, and then Rebecca leads a practical exercise in which each participant makes their own personalised witch bottle at home. Rebecca Beattie is appreciated for her highly-informed approach, which she combines with a warm, inclusive style. Rebecca is a Wiccan priestess who apprenticed in her tradition over 15 years, and thus brings much lived experience to her teaching. A published author, her titles are Nature Mystics, Somewhere She is There, The Lychway, and many articles. She has a doctorate in Creative Writing (Middlesex), specialising in the modernist mystic Mary Webb.

Join us for a session exploring some of the Big Ideas in modern witchcraft, in a way that is open and approachable, inviting you to look at your own outlook. Rebecca looks at polytheism and pantheism, at polarity, at the concepts of 'high magic' and 'low magic'. Her illustrated talk is the introduction to Big Ideas we all have been waiting for. The rich two-hour session involves time for discussion and concludes with a guided meditation All invited to this welcoming and inclusive class in the 'Ways into Witchcraft' series. Rebecca Beattie brings almost two decades of experience; she is much-loved for her highly-informed approach, which she combines with a warm, inclusive style. She is a Wiccan priestess who apprenticed in her tradition over 15 years, and thus much lived experience to her teaching. A published author, her titles are Nature Mystics, Somewhere She is There, The Lychway, and many articles. She has an MA in literature (University of London) and a doctorate in Creative Writing (Middlesex), specialising in the modernist mystic Mary Webb