Isobel Gowdie - Building the 'Evil Witch'

02/01/23 • 30 min

Isobel Gowdie is Scotland's most famous witch, giving the world the idea of a coven and that must contain 13 members. On trial as a witch, four infernally sensational confessions rocked the late medieval world, so much so that modern historians have described her confessions as ‘one of the most remarkable documents in the history of witchcraft.’ Todays episode is difficult to listen to in places in regards to how women and those labelled a witch were treated within the legal system. But the suffering Isobel endured wasn’t in vain, we have some powerful insights into how this talented woman practiced witchcraft. Ironic, considering the very system that sought to condemn and quell people like Isobel the documents from which are being pawed over and have the ability to empower a new generation of witches, the numbers of which haven’t been seen the world before. It’s very much the season of the Witch, and possessing powers over life and death - Isobel Gowdie is a blinding beacon.

All my links are here.

Get bonus content on Patreon

Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/themageswell.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All my links are here.

Get bonus content on Patreon

Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/themageswell.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

Guided Sleep Meditation

Sleep is vital for our wellbeing and mental health, but what do you do when your sleep schedule has gone awry? I’ve created a guided sleep meditation with sound beats technology to lull you into a deep and restful sleep where you wake up actually feeling re-energised. Sleep like you never have before.

All my links are here.

Get bonus content on Patreon

Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/themageswell.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Episode

Isobel Gowdie - Building the 'Evil Witch' II

Last week I looked at Scotland's most famous witch - Isobel Gowdie and her infernal, mind-boggling, (and quite saucy) confessions. But what is actually going on with the frankly bizarre and incredible account of her witchcraft practice, was she performing shamanic death divination, she did terrible things but was she redressing the imbalance of power in her society by donning the cloak of a witch, was she in a dream cult, the suggestion of this forces us to radically reassess what our dreams actually are, was she communing the devil or was it something else - a land spirit or a spirit helper conjured as a protective entity on account of her harsh life, were her coven being contracted by community members to perform death transference? What is really happening?

All my links are here.

Get bonus content on Patreon

Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/themageswell.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.