Contemporary Paganism, Magic, and Online Worlds: Cyberhenge at 20

*Cyberhenge: Modern Pagans on the Internet* (2004) by Doug Cowan remains a foundational text in the fields of online religion and contemporary Pagan studies. We use this anniversary as occasion to reevaluate the digital culture and practices of contemporary Paganism over the last 20 years, gathering scholars to discuss the histories and futures of Paganism and broader magical cyber-communities, including those of BIPOC practitioners who may or may not embrace identification as Pagans. Collectively, participants will provide analysis of the book’s impact, share perspectives on the dynamics of online magic today, and strategize directions for future scholarship. We are honored to include Cowan as respondent. In addition, there will be time for conversation between panelists and discussion based on audience questions. Come celebrate and scheme with us! Individual panelists will speak on the following topics: *Magical Technologies, Technological Magic: Digital Praxis* Cyberhenge (2004) examines the parallels between online and offline Pagan life, noting the hyperbolic language surrounding nascent technologies. Twenty years later, similar rhetoric surrounds generative AI. While many magical practitioners identify as Pagan, not all Pagans practice magic. Today, focusing on magical practices (rather than Pagan practices) can reveal added facets of how some Pagans employ digital technologies. From digital tables of practice to digitally native divination systems, technologist-magicians demonstrate incredible creativity and technological savvy, which may be absent from online rituals. New research into the intersection of digital technologies and magically operant Paganism can provide insights into the evolving landscape of online religion, as well as magical practices within non-Pagan contexts. *Bruja Influencers: Crafting Digital Sacred Spaces* My research explores diasporic Latinx identities, specifically of Caribbean descent. Working at the intersection of Latinx spirituality and contemporary culture, my contribution explores the rising popularity of Instagram brujas, their social justice activism, and their creation of digital sacred space. The work of these brujas offers critical insights into the ways Latinx digital communities have become pathways for diasporic cultural expression, identity formation, as well as for the capitalist commodification of Latinidad. These practitioners and their audiences are crucial for understanding a more complete picture of magical communities online today. *Plus ça change: Online Religious Practice, from Cyberhenge to WitchTok* Twenty years ago when Douglas E. Cowan published Cyberhenge, his study of how modern Pagans engage with religion using technology, the internet looked remarkably different. Since 2004, countless websites have come and gone, each platform presenting opportunities for Pagans to connect with others, explore their beliefs, and practice their religion. And yet, despite changes in technology’s appearance and functionality, Cowan’s analysis of how Pagans and Witches engage with the internet remains remarkably prescient. Based on analysis of Pagans (and other practitioners) who are active on TikTok, this contribution explores the differences and similarities between Cowan’s findings and more contemporary online activity. Despite significant changes in how people consume content and transformations in the community itself, this discussion highlights several of Cowan’s lasting observations, including the trajectory of investment among users, how users claim authority, and the internet’s importance in maintaining and reinforcing Pagan identities. *“For All of Your Protection Needs”: Tracing the “witch-bottle” from the Early Modern Period to TikTok* Our discussion explores the “witch-bottle,” a magical-medical artifact from the Early Modern period, tracing its transition from the past to the digital present. Clearly no tradition survives unbroken or unaltered, and customs surrounding the making of witch-bottles are no exception. We examine what happens to the “witch-bottle” between its first appearance in the seventeenth century and its re-imagining on social media, with contemporary witches offering ‘how to make a witch-bottle’ tutorials on TikTok and YouTube. Contemporary fashioning of “witch-bottles” are relatively understudied in comparison to earlier historic finds, but we argue they have the ability to make those early finds more meaningful. *African Traditional Religions Online: Representations* This speaker hails from many magickal traditions, including Afro-Caribbean, Celtic, and Indigenous American spirituality. Their traditional education focused on Plant Science, Anthropology, and Film at the University of R.I, New York University, and the University of London, and their magickal training includes numerous initiations in Santeria also known as Lucumi, Haitian Vodoun, and New Orleans Voodoo. They are also a Voodoo Priestess and in that capacity has been doing successful magick since 1991 for patrons, is editor/publisher of Oshun-African Magickal Quarterly, filmmaker of the experimental documentary Bodies of Water: Voodoo Identity and Tranceformation,’ and choreographer/performer for jazz legend Dr. John’s “Night Tripper” Voodoo Show. They have long been committed to providing accurate and respectful information about the African Traditional Religions and are proud to be a published Black author. Their contribution will focus on Black Witchcraft as an important part of contemporary online magic culture. *Reimagining Cyberhenge: The Evolving Impact of Social Media on Contemporary Paganism and Esoteric Practices* In the two decades since Douglas Cowan's foundational work, Cyberhenge: Modern Pagans on the Internet (2004), the digital landscape has undergone profound transformations, particularly with the rise of social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. This discussion explores the evolving nature of Pagan and esoteric communities in the age of social media, focusing specifically on the phenomena of "WitchTok" and Instagram witches. Utilizing a qualitative analysis of digital rituals, community interactions, and the dissemination of esoteric knowledge, we assess the implications of these platforms for contemporary Pagan studies. The research highlights how social media has not only expanded the footprint of Pagan and esoteric practices but has also introduced new dynamics in the way these traditions are experienced, learned, and taught. By engaging with the concepts of digital identity, virtual communities, and the commodification of spirituality, this discussion contributes to a deeper understanding of the academic impact of social media on the field.