Rituals can be transformational episodes that connect the initiand with other realms and higher cosmic plains. Thai Lanna Buddhist rituals

When you think of tarot cards, do you picture a fortune teller predicting your untimely end in a darkened room?

On Michaelmas Day the Devil takes possession of the blackberries and to eat one after that day would risk… well,

Of all the Chinese festivals, I love the Mooncake/Mid-Autumn Festival the most. Right after the scary Hungry Ghost Festival or

Since the dawn of mankind we have desired to leave our mark on the world around us. From grand monuments,

For thousands of years, physicians relied heavily on a single treatment for hysteria, heart disease and just about every other

Cats. It’s not just the internet that is obsessed with these (sometimes) mysterious creatures, it seems people have always been

Ship’s cats have been sailing the seven seas alongside humans for centuries. They were not usually taken along as

Until the 20th century, the inadequacies of orthodox medical services left a large proportion of the population dependent upon traditional

This article examines the myths and legends which have grown in the very short period since the incarnation of crypto-currencies.

nasyrma, or the lifting of one’s skirts to expose genitalia, has been used throughout history and mythology as a method

Up until the genocidal removal known as "the Trail of Tears" storytelling was an extremely important part of Cherokee culture.

Bees have been an ally to humankind since ancient times. Discover how even now we look to the wisdom of

A horse or a dragon? Anyone who has seen May Day's ‘Obby ‘Oss of Padstow may conclude that it looks

“Hat, cat, rat,” Umakant would shout at the top of his voice whenever he would see cowherds around the Peepal

Spring is the herald of new life, and throughout the animal world, spring is a time to forecast the weather

Stereotypes based on appearance are all too common, but redheads certainly seem to have a raw deal. Where might some

White blossom on the trees is one of the delights of springtime, but it masks a deeper magic in three

Daffodils are said to have dangerously toxic bulbs. Once, it’s claimed, they were used by Roman soldiers as a ‘go

St Patrick’s Day, 17th March, is a key fixture in the Irish calendar, and indeed in many other places throughout

The phrase "Tapping the Admiral" originates from a piece of folklore surrounding the death of Horatio Nelson at the Battle

Sending mean cards? Eating mashed earthworms? Using jack o’lanterns to light medieval love banquets? They’re all surprising yet vaguely sinister

The Folklore of Cornwall: The Oral Tradition of a Celtic Nation addresses everything from piskies – south west Britain’s fairies

If a cow lost her milk, it could prove disastrous for a hard-up family. Witches and fairies were often blamed

Wife selling is often claimed to be an ancient practice, carried out by brutish men to free themselves of unwanted

he legendary frost fairs on the River Thames are depicted in a number of works of art that show just

Christmas is over, New Year has been well and truly celebrated, and most of us are back at work by

Plant lore is the verdant heart of Scottish folk holidays and traditions. Nature’s gift and sacrifice is found in the

anukkah is one of the most celebrated holidays in the Jewish calendar. It’s known by some as the Festival of

Relentlessly sunny and known for a love of trend over tradition, Los Angeles is an unlikely home to a new

What unites bikers, punks, feminists and sewing? Scott Malthouse explores the social history of battle jackets.

The exhibition "Spellbound: Magic, Ritual & Witchcraft" at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford examines the history of magic over eight

October the season of death is here and soon comes Halloween with its cavalcade of ghosts and goblins together with

So, what is necromancy and what does it have to do with folklore? Come with me, and let’s enter the

A project cataloguing the archive of a renowned British palaeopathologist has revealed fascinating insights into how superstition and a belief

In some regions of Madagascar, it is considered fady to eat certain lemurs, meaning local taboos can actually act as

Incorporating folklore can add authenticity, richness and whole new layers of meaning to historical fiction. Novelist Melissa Harrison explores how

The Jack-in-the-Green was (and indeed is) a traditional participant in May celebrations and May Day parades in the UK.

The influences of folklore in the beliefs and rituals of exorcism are traced by Dr. Francis Young, who explores these

The narrative of witchcraft in Ireland is a subject often left out of major surveys of the wider history of