England - Stonehenge - Paganism - Celtic - Druidism

The Secret Knowledge Of The Age Of Druidism

In the writing world, we often use folklore and legends. But Druids are not part of the usual characters in novels. Their secrecy might be to blame.

Why Did I Fall Into The Rabbit Hole Of Druidism

Upon research as a medievalist enthusiast, looking for various types of witches, the word Druid popped into my head. Many associate druids with fantasy or games such as Magic The Gathering or Dungeons & Dragons. But there is much more to them.

Druids are not as known as other Celtic folkloric people, such as Leprechauns, Faeries, Elves, and Trolls, to only name a few. The influence of the Celtic culture in fantasy literature is significant and provides solid roots. But druids are different.

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Apothecary - Books - Magick - Witchcraft

Witchphobia Is Happening, Leading To Dangerous Hatred Toward Witches

The hate for witches goes back millennia and is still present in our time now, worse than it has been in centuries. Why are people so afraid of witches? Read to find out!

Is It The Fear Of The Unknown Or Something Else?

While I would like to believe it is only the fear of the unknown that drives people to hate witches, it’s more complicated than that. People who hate witches often are also religious. 

It’s part of those people’s education growing up to fear and hate witches. Some religious people find witches silly because they don’t know what it is to be a witch. However, others believe they know what a witch is and hate us for it.

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Yuletide

The Celebration Of Yuletide Is More Than A Decorated Tree

Many people love Christmas and for excellent reasons. However, we know it was stolen from pagans who celebrated the winter solstice. Was it? So, what is Yuletide?

An Overall Look Of Yuletide

Jól is the old Norse word for Yule; in Old English, they called it géohol. It signified the hunting season after the harvest time was over. It would happen in December. But Yule itself is an ancient tradition and celebration of the winter solstice going back thousands of years among the Norse and Germanic people.

Yule was stolen during the Christianisation of the Germanic and Norse people. Christmas happens at the heart of Yuletide to ensure that people observe the religious holiday celebrating the birth of their saviour. Christianisation was quite strict back in those times, and appropriating Pagan holidays would solidify a conversion.

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What Is The True Purpose Of Halloween

Pagans, witches and goths alike were all Hollywoodified and categorized as people who sacrifice for rituals and speak to the devil. Halloween is no exception to the rule. So, what is Halloween?

The Horrible Reality That We Live In

When scrolling around on social media, I came across one person who said she posted a picture of herself in a Halloween costume. Nothing alarming, but then she mentioned Christians trying to tell her that Halloween is a day of sacrifices for Pagans and witches.

I don’t take well to people who spread wrong information. That is because I know how much damage it could cause. The truth and solid facts are important because they can hurt a group of people or anything that isn’t responsible for the lies being spread.

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Mabon - Fall - Witchcraft

The September Equinox We Know As Mabon

Fall is many of us’ favourite seasons. We wait for the turning of colours, the temperatures lowering, the rain coming in, the smell of the earth swirling in the wind mixed with hot beverages and comforting perfumes of cinnamon and cloves. So, why not celebrate Mabon, too?

The Wheel Of The Year Stops On Mabon

The Wheel of the Year is a holiday calendar quite precious to us Witches who practice Nature celebrations. Many of us know Samhain due to many movies and Yuletide going through a revival with the Frozen franchise and Krampus.

But if we go in order and remain with the big eight celebrations it starts with the Winter Solstice called Yuletide, then Imbolc, followed by the Spring Equinox called Ostara.

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Church

The Reality Of Spiritual Cults In The 21st Century

Gothic Bite Magazine is not a place for religion. However, if we see people pulled in wrongful places we want to speak up. Cults are surfacing and using Gothic terminology and demonology. So what is a cult?

Let’s Talk About The Overall Dressing

The New Age Spiritualist movement has been a catalyst in the lives of society ever since Wicca became a broad spectrum in the 1960s. Earlier derived as Witchcraft by Gardner in the 1940s and 1950s.

Many societies and groups of people have been seeking enlightenment established within the last hundred years, including those seekers and societies that stem back to the Freemasons, the Templars, and the Illuminati.

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Pilgrims Going To Church by George Henry Boughton

The Contradictions Of Increase Mather in The Salem Witch Trials

It is the Fall season, and here at Gothic Bite Magazine, we celebrate the Witch Age early for our Fall season, from September 1st to November 30th. So, let’s start this Witch Age Season with Increase Mather, an enemy of Witches!

Puritans Leading To The Salem Witch Trials

We all know about the Salem Witch trials of 1692. The darkest and most horrifying Witch trial in North America. It is also one of the darkest pages in the history of the United States of America.

In the State of Massachusetts, Salem was a more considerable territory and differently shaped and Puritans populated the village. But what do we know about Puritans? The term isn’t often used or is linked to the thought of pilgrims and the first colonies of what would become the United States.

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Beltane - Pagan

Midsommar The Real Festivity And Not The Horror Movie

Midsommar is more than a horror movie taking place in Sweden but is a pagan practice going back centuries and is practised to this day, gaining popularity every year.

The Summer Solstice 

June twenty-first is the cross-quarter day of the Summer Solstice, or as some call it, Midsummer and Litha. It is the longest day of light in the year, with the shortest night of darkness as the northern pole of the Earth tips toward the sun. It marks the first day of summer astrologically and the midpoint of summer beginning in spring. 

The growing season is in full bloom as farmers tend to their summer crops. The Solar God and Goddess are sprinkling their blessings of fertility all across the land. The first day of Summer coincides with the sign of Cancer.

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Beltane - Pagan

Beltane, An Ancient Pagan And Wiccan Practice On The First Of May

The First of May is the Beltane Day for those who practise witchcraft or are Pagans. It is part of the Wheel of the Year. But what is Beltane, and how does one celebrate it?

A Little History

Beltane, also known as Cétshamhain and Lá Bealtaine, is the last of the spring fertility festivals. It is the mark of the end days of spring and the beginning of the summer days to come in June. 

People would douse and relight their household fires from the bonfires of Beltane. Beltane and Samhain divide the year into two primary seasons. Beltane is the summer—Light part, and Samhain is the winter—Dark part, marking the passage into the growing and resting seasons. 

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Microphone - Podcast - Interview

Gothic Bite Magazine Interviews Their Writer, Kasey Hill

At Gothic Bite Magazine we love welcoming new patients to become part of our asylum. We question them and learn about them. It doesn’t matter what creative field they are part of because they’re our patient now. This week, we welcome Kasey Hill

Patient Name: Kasey Hill

Greetings! My name is Kasey Hill, and I am married with three kids and two fur-babies. I was born in Beckley, West Virginia and raised in Franklin County, Virginia. I am a Pagan/Wiccan/Witch. My sun sign is Pisces.

I enjoy going camping and fishing with my family for vacations, as my family is the most important thing to me. When we aren’t camping, we are gardening or spending as much time outdoors with the kids as possible during the summer.

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Medieval — Plague Doctor

The Dancing Plague Of The Middle Ages

We all heard of the Bubonic Plague, Black Plague, the Plague, or the Black Death, all synonyms for the same illness that killed a third of the world’s population. But do you know about the Dancing Plague?

But First, The Black Plague!

Europe in the Middle Ages suffered from many illnesses and diseases as they developed in various societies. The popularity of trading ports expanded the horizons of kingdoms but also had them face new pathogens, bacteria and germs their lives did not accustom them to. 

Nothing prepared their immune system for the possibility of contagion. Their limited knowledge of medicine also led them to die in great numbers. The Church spread it was either God punishing them for their sinful ways or Satan spreading its diseases. Either way, the morale was down. 

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The Last Kingdom — BBC-Netflix

The Last Kingdom Is A Gothic, Historical Story

Sometimes history hides heroes deep in the art and leaves a battlefield without a name. The Last Kingdom is about one of those men.

Where It Came From

The Last Kingdom is a gothic, historical story. But where to begin? History is an infinite source of ideas for authors.

It is becoming a series that has people glued to their small screens. Netflix didn’t waste time and jumped on Bernard Cornwell‘s work of The Saxon Stories and called it The Last Kingdom.

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Medieval Dungeon - Torture

The First Witch Trial In The British Isles

In the history of witch trials, we can go as far back as the beginning of Christianity and later on Catholicism. Being part of the church didn’t even ensure your safety among your people. History is cruel to those who dare be just a little different.

Women And Witchcraft

Throughout history, we have read about the various women who, back in the early days, suffered persecution and accusation of witchcraft. When anything wrong seemed to happen, they were the ones to blame. 

The women were at fault, and they viewed it as suspicious if it happened more than once. The suspicion turned towards the idea that the female must be at fault and a witch.

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Is Cain The First Evil Of Earth Or A Self-Made Demon?

Some of us know the story of Cain and Abel, while others know the character better from the Netflix series Lucifer. What is fascinating about Cain’s character is his ambiguity regarding evil and demons.

The Origin Of Cain

From the Book of Genesis, Cain came as a biblical figure from ancient religions and made its place within King James’ Bible. Cain is Adam and Eve’s firstborn and so Abel’s older brother. We know Adam and Eve to be the first two humans created. 

Cain was a farmer, and all his crops were offerings to the Lord. However, despite his dedication, the Lord wasn’t happy. To make matters worse, the Lord displayed his favouritism toward Abel. This display of affection angered Cain and made him quite jealous of his younger brother.

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Angel Demon Wings

Moloch, One Of The Abominations Of Demon Kings

Moloch is a demon often used in horror for various reasons. However, he needs a representation of his identity and what he does. So, let’s dive into the history and folklore surrounding this deity.

Before We Start, Get Holy Water And Read! Seriously, Read It!

This is an entertaining article about the demon Moloch viewed by a professional demonologist. I have certification in the field, as well as vampirology and cryptozoology. All research contains hours of work and can still be subjective to my interpretation.

WARNING: This article contains possible gruesome facts about the demon Moloch.
AUDIENCE: 18+. Mature audience only.
ENTERTAINMENT: This article does not suggest summoning demons. You are warned.
BIBLE USED: For all my articles, I use King James’ rendition.
TRIGGERS: Child sacrifice | Hell | Religion | Catholicism | Trauma | Mental Disorders.

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Deer - Autumn

Paganism Is Growing, And So Is Mabon

We often put aside pagan practices for the commercial ones that spread throughout all stores and houses. However, after centuries, for the first time in forever, Paganism is pushing back and here’s a holiday for you!

How Holidays And Celebrations Happen In Paganism

The Wheel of the Year is split into eight segments called Sabbats. They honour the Moon Goddess and the Sun God while celebrating the cycle of life of the sun. They focused the eight Sabbats of the year on the Solar Rites of Wicca. As life comes and goes, the Wheel represents it.

The Sabbats comprise the four “quarter days” known as solstices and equinoxes. So, the other four days include the four midpoints in between, known as the “cross-quarter days.” The embryonic growth, the birth, the life, and then the death of the Sun God portray nature’s seasons and the life of a Wiccan.

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Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows

Do You Remember Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows?

I am not ashamed to say I am a big fan of the Blair Witch franchise. But everyone despises the sequel, and it had me want to revisit it. Here is my review!

* WARNING: Spoilers Ahead!*

The Official Summary!

Do you remember Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows? No? Let’s dig in!

As it follows the twisted path traveled by five people fixated on The Blair Witch Project, Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows journeys into a dark and dangerous place where the line between truth and fiction blurs and perhaps vanishes altogether.

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Crystal

What Is The Broom Closet? And Why Is It A Thing?

Broom Closet: a term used by the Pagan community for those who haven’t yet revealed their religion to others.

 Fear Of The Unknown

Quite a few years ago, I got an Awen tattoo on my index finger. When I returned to work a week later, a fellow employee—who was a Christian and was kind to me (before this incident)—asked what it stood for. 

When I told them it was a symbol for inspiration and divine illumination for poets, writers, artists, and creatives, they asked about God [Christian God] and what I believed. She interrogated me, and I felt I couldn’t be honest, so I said whatever she wanted me to say, and I’ve been trying to hide my tattoos ever since.

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Pagan - Altar - Witchcraft

The Witch’s Corner with L.A. Maciel

Welcome to our new weekly segment with L.A. Maciel and The Witch’s Corner! Here, you’ll find answer to questions about witchcraft you never thought about before!

A Witch’s Introduction

There’s a common phrase amongst writers that are writing about ourselves is difficult. I would have to agree. And it’s not just the concept of feeling narcissistic in this case.

It’s about self-preservation. You see, I am a witch. Well, I’m a pantheist pagan with animistic leanings, but I still practice witchcraft in one of its many forms. And this reality can cause problems.

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