Foundations of Folk Magic Online Course

Foundations of Folk Magic starts December 13th 2026
***Discounted Early Registration is Available Before October 10th***

For the first time in almost five years we are returning to do a livestreamed and updated version of this course. *All Classes are Livestreamed Online and Recorded*

Foundations of Folk Magic is a 13 month course in Modern Conjure which has been designed to:
-Give students instruction and demonstration on practical, hands-on, and effective forms of Folk Magic and Conjure.
-Inspire and empower students towards developing a practical, personally relevant, and ancestrally aligned modern folk magical practice.
-Couple our firsthand experience along with historical resources in order to illuminate and demonstrate the role, importance, methodologies, and transmission of folk magical practices throughout various cultures, time periods, and locales. 

At its core ‘Folk Magic’ references practical and effective forms of magic which are culturally relevant and often draw upon easily accessible materials and common household objects in order to achieve miraculous results. This is the magic of everyday needs, desires, and survival which has been employed by common folks and magical specialists alike throughout history.

Far from being relics frozen in time, folk magical traditions adapt and persist in response to the changing needs of both individuals and the larger community. Many of these practices are still alive, still relevant, and still evolving in the current era.

In this course, informed by firsthand experience within conjuring traditions and extensive historical research we seek to explore what folk magic looks like to the modern practitioner. And further, to empower students with practical knowledge and hands on demonstrations to assist them in crafting a practice which is personally meaningful, ancestrally aligned, and magically effective.

After purchase of this course you will receive an email two weeks prior to the course beginning with info, the course syllabus, and a student agreement to sign.

Classes in this course will take place at 7pm Eastern on the second Sunday of each month.* Classes are livestreamed online via Zoom and are recorded and made available to students as recordings afterwards. 

Classes in this course will explore the following topics:

Session 1 (December 13th) – The Origins of Conjure. Introduction, Definitions, and History. The role of Folk Magic in the modern world. 

Session 2 (January 10th 2027) – Building Ancestral Practices. Working with Spirits and Saints.

Session 3 (February 7th 2027) – Books of Magic and Methods of Divination

Session 4 (March 14th 2027) –  Herbs, Charms, and Cures

Session 5 (April 11th 2027) – Crossroad and Graveyard Work. Dirts, Powders, and Foot Track Work

Session 6 (May 9th 2027) – Incense, Oils, and Perfumes

Session 7 (June 13th 2027) – Psalms, Name Papers, and Magical Seals

Session 8 (July 11th 2027) – The Evil Eye, Protection, Court Case and Justice work

Session 9 (August 8th 2027) –Witchcraft, Crossing and Cursing

Session 10 (September 12th 2027) – Effigies, Poppets, Doll Babies, and Image Magic

Session 11 (October 10th 2027) – Candle and Lamp Magic

Session 12 (November 14th 2027) – Charm Bags, Packets, and Mojo Hands

Session 13 (December 12th 2027) – Magic for Money and Love

This course will also provide:
- Suggested homework and reading materials for expanding their knowledge and experiences.
- Access to the course discord server to share and connect with other students

Cultural Preservation: In an effort to preserve cultural heritage and support communities which have been keepers of, and contributors to the rich tapestry of American folk magical traditions, a portion of the profits from this course will be split and donated to the following organizations:
Foxfire
African American Heritage Preservation Foundation

Though the breadth of what might be called folk magic inarguably spans many countries and continents, the historical focus of Foundations of Folk Magic is primarily centered upon the conjure and folk magical traditions of the United States, particularly those traditions from the Eastern to the Midwest regions of the country, as well as our personal experiences and study within them.

That said, this course is designed for the contemporary practitioner living within, and adapting traditional methods to the modern world. Focus will also be placed upon ways of applying practical magic to everyday life, as well as enriching our personal practice through the research and incorporation of ancestrally relevant and/or regional folk traditions.

About the Presenters:

Matthew Venus:
Matthew Venus an artist, folk magician, and traditional witch based in Salem, Massachusetts. He is the owner of Spiritus Arcanum and has been a student and practitioner of the magical arts for 30+ years. He has presented teachings on various magical subjects throughout the country publicly, privately, and online for over two decades.

With an animist approach towards spirit work and ancestral veneration at its center, his personal practice revolves primarily around folkloric traditional witchcraft and the folk magical, herbal, and conjure traditions of North America and the UK.. His practice is further enriched by his role as Tata Ndenge in a lineage of Quimbanda de Angola, and his experiences as an Aborisha in the Lucumí Orisha tradition. Over the past two decades Matthew has been sharing his teachings with students around the world through classes and courses which explore a diversity of topics related to witchcraft and folk magical traditions.

Matthew is the author of Ensouling the Effigy: The Witch's Arte of Inspirited Objects available through Crossed Crow Book as and through our website HERE

Devin McElderry:
Devin is an herbalist, spiritualist, amateur folklorist, and priest of Yemayá in the Lucumí Orisha tradition. Descended from a lineage of Appalachian coal miners, moonshiners, preachers, and granny women, Devin has devoted the past 20+ years to preserving the folk customs, spiritual practices, healing modalities, and witchcraft of Appalachia, the Ozarks, and the cultures that inform their traditions.