Wicked Games - The Lore and Use of Occult Games and Play with Cory Hutcheson

Bloody Mary. Ouija boards. Cat Scratch. Light as a Feather, Stiff  as a Board. We grow up surrounded by occult practices that are often  framed as “games,” even if they are sometimes also presented to us as  potentially dangerous ones to play. Where do these rites and games come  from, and if they’re so dangerous and forbidden, why are they so much  fun? This course will examine a number of game forms, including:  Fortune-telling Games, Summoning Rites, Necromancy, Places/Spaces in  Play, Cursed Toys, Feats and Wonders, Masks of Misrule, and Digital  Demons. We will look at the stories, do some analysis of these rites and  their historical roots, and discuss practical elements and folkloric  connections to other examples of play. We will also see how occult  practices can be a part of everyday life for both the young and old, and  how imaginative engagement with magic can enhance our understanding…