Hey swimmers! Welcome back to SITS! I hope you’ve had a sweet couple of weeks.
FOR THE CALENDAR 📅
Two things to stick on your calendar before we dive into today’s episode!
A FREE ONLINE WORKSHOP on THE WITCH’S BOOK OF NUMBERS
When? September 10th, 2022 @ 2:22 PM EST
Where? On Zoom! Link to come!
What? A 1-hour interactive workshop with me!
Why? Because it’s free & you’ll walk away with some tangible practices & things to reflect on for the remainder of 2022.
THE GATHERING OF THE WITCHES 2022
When? October 21-23, 2022
Where? Online through Insight Events USA! Purchase tickets HERE.
What? A whole witchy weekend of interactive workshops!
Why? Because you want to expand your self and your craft, and spend the equinox with other likeminded & magical pals!
DUNE DEEP DIVE 100-200 ✨
Babes, I realize that I’ve promised a lot of episodes at once, so while the deep dive is coming, it ain’t here yet! 😂 Instead, I share a couple fun synchronicities that’ve popped up since we started reading, as well as a few quick thoughts about the next 100 pages of DUNE.
If you haven’t yet listened to DUNE 0-100, check it out! It’s available to all.
SITS 1x02 MEME ROUND-UP 😛
The meme curator becomes the meme maker!
I had a little too much fun making these memes, which I think I’ll continue to do after each episode. Below are for SITS 1x02 - Five Funny Faith-Based Feuds.
Let me know which one made you LOL and pop over to my Instagram to share!
WITCHY FIRST LADIES ⚡️
Alright, it’s time to get a little witchy, a little political & a little occult-y!
This week on SITS, we’re taking a look at the 7 First Ladies who brought a little magic to the White House!
Let’s meet our gals:
Julia Gardiner Tyler — ESP
The wife of the tenth president, John Tyler, and served as the first lady from 1844 to 1845.
FUN FACT: She was the only of the women to claim she herself had spiritual gifts! ✨
Jane Pierce — Spiritualism
Wife of president Franklin Pierce and the first lady from 1853 to 1857.
Invited the Fox Sisters, leading members of the Spiritualist movement, to hold a seance in the White House!
Mary Todd Lincoln — Spiritualism
Served as the first lady from 1861 to 1865, when her husband, president Abraham Lincoln was assassinated while in office.
Hosted seances, which Abraham Lincoln attended, in the White House’s Red Room. Later joined a spiritualist commune, where this spirit picture was taken of her and Lincoln’s ghost 👻 :
Edith Wilson — Employed a Clairvoyant, Madame Marcia Champney
The second wife of president Woodrow Wilson, and the first lady from 1915 to 1921.
Was told that she would one day be the First Lady, and when that came to pass, Edith continued to bring Madame Champney into the White House—through the back door! 👀
Florence Harding — Also employed Madame Marcia Champney
The first lady from 1921 to 1923, when her husband Warren G. Harding died from a strange heart attack while in office.
Consulted Madame Champney throughout her husband’s bid for President, using the code name Jupiter to speak of him through more public channels. Promised upon his win to bring Madame Champney in through the White House front door… but ultimately used the side entrance, directly into the West Wing.
Nancy Reagan — Employed an Astrologer, Joan Quigley
American film actress and wife of president Ronald Reagan, Nancy was the first lady from 1981 to 1989.
When news of Quigley’s involvement in the White House became public, Nancy severely downplayed her role in the President’s affairs. However, Joan (pictured below) went on record stating that she participated in a more “intimate” way, assisting the President with timing of speeches, trips both long and short, and televised debates with both Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale.
Hillary Rodham Clinton — Conversed with Eleanor Roosevelt
Served as the first lady from 1993 to 2001 alongside her husband, president Bill Clinton.
Was advised to have imagined conversations with her idol, and former First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, which was publicized as “channeling.” Hillary’s team firmly disagrees, claiming it was a creative and therapeutic activity, not anything witchy 🙄
What do you make of the long and sordid history of the intersection of witchcraft and American politics? Do you see anything in the pattern or even the individual events? What’s striking your rabbit hole, deep dive fancy? Let me know!
SOURCES / CITATIONS
The First Ladies Who Brought the Occult to the White House (VICE)
First Ladies & The Occult: Seances and Spiritualists, Part 1 (First Ladies.Org)
The Fox Sisters and the Rap on Spiritualism (Smithsonian)
Nancy Reagan turned to astrology in White House to protect her husband (LA TImes)
Hillary Clinton to set out her vision by invoking her heroine Eleanor Roosevelt (The Guardian)
SITS 1x03: Witches in the White House