I had heard a lot about the series American Horror Story: Coven before I finally had a chance to see an episode. I didn’t have the fortune of seeing it from the beginning, and it wasn’t until about the seventh episode that I finally had a chance to sit down and see what I thought. Let me first say, I had to figure out what was going on. Since I didn’t see it from the beginning, I had to piece together some of the plot. Luckily I was able to record it and watch it again, and there are Web sites that provide summaries that I was able to refer to.
So it was indeed entertaining. I was able to determine that there was some type of feud between the Salem Witches and the New Orleans Voodoo practitioners. Personally, I’ve always been fascinated with both of those cultures and their place in history — The Salem Witch Trials and the world of Marie Laveau in New Orleans. If you know anything about Witchcraft, you know that this story is totally based on stereotypes and generalizations. Contrary to the belief of many, witches are some of the most peaceful spirits on Earth. However, the story does for Witches what True Blood does for Vampires: It gives us an excuse to indulge in our fascination with those things that we don’t understand, and it allows the many people who are afraid to get in touch with their metaphysical sides an opportunity to explore them without guilt.
I will say that I think the most brilliant part of the story is the sub-plot that deals with the feud between Marie Laveau and Delphine LaLaurie. Both of these were real women, and they were both very powerful for different reasons. Marie Laveau is considered one of the most powerful Voodoo practitioners to ever live, and she lived in New Orleans. Delphine LaLaurie was a serial killer who lived in New Orleans and tortured and murdered many slaves inside of her home, while the world saw her as a prominent socialite. While there’s nothing to prove that these two women had a feud in real life, it is believable that a modern-day Marie Laveau would want to see Ms. LaLaurie pay for her sins against society. If you want to learn more about Marie Laveau or Delphine LaLaurie, Google them one day. If you’re ever in New Orleans and go on one of the many ghost tours, you may be taken to the tomb of Marie Laveau or the house where Delphine LaLaurie committed her murders.
But back to American Horror Story: Coven. If you’ve been watching, chances are you have some interest in Witchcraft and learning a little bit about it. My introduction to Witchcraft came via an excellent book called To Ride A Silver Broomstick: New Generation Witchcraft
More Witchcraft Secrets
In the spirit of American Horror Story: Coven, if you’re interested in more of the woo-woo, secret side of Witchcraft, there are some resources out there that will give you the information you’re looking for. While I haven’t tried these personally, here’s a sampling of a few.
- WitchCraft Exposed: Claims to have more than 127 quick and easy magick spells and rituals, including information on astral projection, spell-casting and divination.
- Underground Witchcraft Secrets: Claims to offer the secrets about witchcraft that no one wants you to know.
- WitchCraft Secret Manual: Offers spells to help you attract love, make more money and protect you from envy.
As with every product mentioned on this site, use your intuition to determine whether this is something you want to download and explore further.
