TWH wishes its readers in the northern hemisphere a blessed Lughnasadh and Lammas and a blessed Imbolc to our readers in the southern half of the world.
Arts & Culture
The First Spell Is Silence: The Pagan Question of Withheld Knowledge
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“Almost every magical system in fiction has a rule about who is allowed to learn,” writes Beatrix Kondo. “What has been remarkable about fantasy over the past few decades is how many of those systems have stopped pretending this rule is natural.”
Opinion
Opinion: Will the Real “Mind-Virus” Please Stand Up?
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“The ‘Woke Mind Virus,’ as espoused by Elon Musk, is of course a work of fiction. Mostly. But don’t count the idea out just yet,” writes Storm Faerywolf. “I think those who promote it are so close to getting it, but they have failed to take any responsibility for their own sick hearts, resulting in a collective case of projection.”
Arts & Culture
Tarot! at the Morgan Library
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“If someone were trying to trap me,” writes Meg Elison in her review of the exhibit, “one of the surest ways would be to put up a sign to say there’s a show focused on tarot inside this building, this cardboard box, this tiger pit. This thing is a Witch magnet.”
Asia
Gold Votive Plaque Reveals Cult of Jupiter Dolichenus at Roman Fort on the Black Sea
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Archaeologists in Georgia have uncovered a gold votive plaque bearing the first direct inscription linking the Roman fort of Apsaros to the mystery cult of Jupiter Dolichenus, offering a rare glimpse into the religious life of Rome’s eastern frontier.
Culture
Arkansas Tops Religious Liberty Index; Report Reflects a Particular Vision of Religious Freedom
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Arkansas tops the 2026 Religious Liberty in the States index after expanding statutory conscience protections. While the report offers a detailed legal analysis, it also raises broader questions about how religious liberty is defined, and whose religious freedoms are being measured.