The Salem Witch Podcast

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The Salem Witch Podcast, brought to you by ToSalem.com, is an interview and news show aimed at keeping you up-to-date with the goings-on in the Salem, witchcraft, esoteric, New England, historic, and spooky travel communities. The show is hosted by ToSalem owner and the all-around historical, paranormal, and esoterically-obsessed Joel Austin (aka Salem Joel). In addition to Joel’s ramblings, the show also features writers, artists, academics, and more! The show is usually recorded with video and segments from it, along with the full episodes, are released on ToSalem’s YouTube channel, so if you’d like to check that out, head to the link below. Find way more about all things Salem at https://tosalem.com/ Support ToSalem on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tosalem YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/tosalem Facebook: facebook.com/tosalemsite Instagram: instagram.com/tosalemsite Twitter: twitter.com/tosalemsite

Episodes

Wednesday Oct 14, 2020

Modern Wicca with Thorn Mooney - The Salem Witch Podcast Episode 3

Wednesday Oct 14, 2020

Thorn Mooney is among the most fascinating, intelligent Wiccans I’ve come across on the internet. I discovered her via her YouTube channel, where she explores what it’s like to actually live in both the ritualistic world of a practicing Wiccan and the very modern world of a content creator with a day job. While many shy away from exploring this strange space, Thorn instead dives headlong into the weirdness offering videos with titles like, “I’m Not a Professional Witch and That’s Fine with Me,” “Don’t Put Other Witches on Pedestals,” and “Experiences Being a Pagan Content Creator,” among many others.

We spoke a few months back and, after a lot of technical drama that’s not thankfully resolved, by the way, be very careful which podcast hosting provider you choose, I’m thrilled to release our conversation as it ranks, not just among the best on this show, but also as one of the more grounded esoteric conversations I’ve ever had. We explore a wide variety of topics, all circling around the convergence between what we might call modern life and Wicca or Witchcraft broadly.

She wrote Traditional Wicca, A Seeker’s Guide for Llewellyn, with whom she has another upcoming book tentatively titled Next Level Witchcraft. Links to that and all her social profiles below.

00:02:11 Skip to Interview

00:02:30 How did Thorn Mooney get interested in Witchcraft?

00:03:58 If Witchcraft becomes mainstream, does it lose its value?

00:07:19 How does Thorn feel when she comes across blatant commercialization in Witchcraft?

00:14:38 Is the Witch Aesthetic Necessary?

00:17:57 Has Wicca Overshadowed Other Forms of Witchcraft?

00:20:42 How Did the Formalized Study of Religion Impact Thorn’s Wiccan Faith?

00:27:01 How Does Living in the South Impact a Wiccan Practice?

00:37:29 How Does Skepticism Impact Practicing Wicca?

00:41:16 Does Having a Cosmological Framework Matter As Much As Personal Experience?

00:45:15 What Has Being a Pagan, Wiccan Content Creator on YouTube Been Like Over the Past Decade?

00:51:39 Is It Difficult to Navigate the Ethical Constraints Imposed By Social Media as a Wiccan Creator?