Sounds Like A Cult – "The Cult of Etsy Witches"

Host: Amanda Montell
Guest: Maya Spalter (writer, poet, and witch)
Episode Date: October 21, 2025
Podcast Network: Studio71

Overview

This Halloween-themed episode of Sounds Like a Cult dives into the world of "Etsy witches"—practitioners of folk magic who sell spells, readings, and magical goods via Etsy and similar online platforms. Host Amanda Montell and guest Maya Spalter, an author and practicing witch, explore whether the "cult" of Etsy witches is genuinely cult-like, and interrogate the implications of commodifying spirituality, the unique culty dynamics of online magic, and the broader cultural hunger for hope, meaning, and community in our uncertain times.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction: What (and Who) Is an "Etsy Witch"?

[02:00] Amanda Montell

Amanda situates Etsy witches as a trend where "for the low, low price of $19.99 you can... have a love spell cast or hex your ex"—a development that's moved witchcraft from the fringe to the mainstream.
She notes viral stories like Mariners fans crediting a winning streak to an Etsy spell, and major publications exploring the trend.
Amanda highlights the tension: "Etsy witches have moved from fringe spirituality to full on pop culture... raising questions about belief, money, and meaning."

Witchcraft's Digital Ascent & Commercialization

[08:30] Amanda Montell

The flourishing of digital witchcraft communities is tied to broader disillusionment with traditional religion, especially among millennials and marginalized groups.
Trendiness comes with skepticism: "Whenever a trend starts trending, big business takes notice," leading to corporate missteps (e.g., Sephora and Starbucks appropriating witchy aesthetics).
Not all online witches are authentic: "There are definitely fake witches online, people mashing together spiritual jargon in order to get a sale."
Amanda: "The kind of cult-y, cult-esque part is that, like any belief system, this isn't just about what's being sold, but who has the authority to sell it, and whose rituals and wisdom are considered authentic." [14:35]

Introducing Maya Spalter – Witchcraft IRL and Online

[16:16] Maya Spalter

Maya shares her origin story: growing up as a “witchy teen,” she began working at Enchantments (NYC’s oldest witch shop) in college.
Her style was a mix of “goth and hippie,” but her approach is poetic: magic as metaphor, rhyming, and creative transformation.
She only "became a public person" in the witch world after publishing her book in 2018, preferring to share rituals and ideas rather than sell spells online.
"I never worked as a medium of any kind, didn't have or solicit clients for any services. I just tried to connect with people as an author." [19:05]

What Feels 'Cultish' about Etsy Witches?

[21:23] Maya Spalter

Maya is ambivalent about the idea of “cultiness,” saying it’s only really relevant when attached to sensational events or clickbait.
She compares the Etsy witch to historical "hedge witches": practical, accessible, everyday magic—“like all the other crafts you find on Etsy.”
But digital mediation can distort the dynamic: “When you get such a heavily edited version of anybody in their persona, it leads to a great distortion.” [23:49]
Real-life witchcraft, for her, was always collaborative and empowering for the client: “I’m going to prepare an item for you to stuff all of your meaning into… I’m going to give you the recipe, you’re going to cook it.” [24:25]

Power, Community & the Loss of “Hassle”

[25:32] Maya Spalter

Online magic removes IRL “hassle,” but Maya sees value in the inconvenience and friction of real community: “We feel like we’ve eliminated hassle from different parts of our lives, when hassle was our lives... that’s what was holding us together.”
Amanda riffs on this, likening spiritual seekers without real-life community to “single kitten syndrome”: missing social learning and context.

Commodification vs. Tradition

[28:43] Maya Spalter

Maya acknowledges the historical precedent for selling magical goods and services: “It doesn’t feel like we’re in a new moment of buying and selling these services... although the platforms are new.”
She draws a clear line between accessible pricing ("I’m down with $20 spells and not super down with $2000 spells... more money doesn’t mean something’s more powerful") and predatory pricing.
She sees the contemporary “mix and match” spirituality as a reflection of our entire culture: “We have sort of a cargo cult experience culturally... we instantaneously integrate [spiritual imports] into our own contemporary way.”

Magic, Aesthetics, and Self-Empowerment

[34:01] Maya Spalter

Maya distinguishes benign “performative” magic from exploitative practice: “It’s culty when you give your power away to anyone and to anything.” [01:40, 34:41]
Her personal rubric: “Am I empowering myself or some other entity?”
Amanda and Maya agree that spiritual frivolity and seriousness must coexist—danger arises when a practice demands total seriousness or power is surrendered.
“Frivolity is spiritual. Lightness is spiritual...” [35:31]

Magical Thinking, Empathy, and the Feminine

[36:53] Amanda Montell

Discusses how magical thinking and empathy might be disproportionately attractive to women due to socialization and cognitive styles.
Maya: “If you can identify outside of your experience, you realize that you’re not trapped in your experience... that’s the kind of manipulation of reality that is attractive about witchcraft.” [38:15]

The Darker Side: Charisma, Power, and Online Trends

[39:31] Amanda Montell & Maya Spalter

Amanda raises concerns about opportunists wielding influence over vulnerable seekers, especially in times of uncertainty or political upheaval.
Maya recounts a moment when witches were asked to “hex” Trump with orange candles: “It felt a little bit culty... all of a sudden, why does everyone want an orange candle?” [42:00]

Leadership, Rituals, and the Influence Economy

[41:21] Amanda Montell

Maya confirms no centralized “leader” among Etsy witches: “I have not heard of any Lord High Etsy Witch who is the ruler of them all. If they are out there, show yourself!” [41:31]
Online rituals (e.g., collective hexing) can feel cultish when viral trends create in-groups and out-groups.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

"It’s culty when you give your power away to anyone and to anything."
— Maya Spalter [01:40, 34:41]
“I’d hate to pay somebody else to feel powerful on my behalf. That doesn’t make much sense to me.”
— Maya Spalter [24:44]
"We feel like we've eliminated hassle from different parts of our lives, when hassle was our lives... that's what was holding us together."
— Maya Spalter [25:32]
“Etsy witches have moved from fringe spirituality to full on pop culture, all the while raising questions about belief, money, and meaning.”
— Amanda Montell [04:00]
"If you can identify outside of your experience, you realize that you're not trapped in your experience... and that's the kind of manipulation of reality that is attractive about witchcraft."
— Maya Spalter [38:15]
"There's nothing new under the sun. This is just a slightly newer iteration of something that's always been happening. Witchcraft has always been about adaptation."
— Amanda Montell [33:29]

Key Timestamps for Major Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |------------|----------------------------------------------------------| | 01:40 | Defining “culty” — power dynamics (Maya Spalter) | | 02:00 | Setting the stage: the Cult of Etsy Witches | | 08:30 | Witchcraft’s online flourishing and societal context | | 16:16 | Maya Spalter’s introduction and personal journey | | 19:05 | Maya’s social media presence and views on online magic | | 21:23 | What feels cultish or not about Etsy Witches | | 23:49 | Distortion of persona online vs. IRL witchcraft | | 24:44 | Real-life empowerment vs. online mystique | | 25:32 | Loss of “hassle” and community in online spiritual life | | 28:43 | Commodification of magic and cultural implications | | 34:01 | Magic as aesthetics, cultiness, and power exchange | | 36:53 | Magical thinking and empathy in witchcraft | | 39:31 | Endgames and dangers—exploitation during crisis | | 41:31 | Leadership and decentralization in the Etsy Witch world | | 42:00 | Collective rituals: orange candle “hexes” as culty trend | | 43:51 | “Would You Rather?” games: online magic edition | | 47:43 | Episode verdict: Live your life/watch your back |

Final Verdict: How “Culty” is the Cult of Etsy Witches?

Maya Spalter’s Verdict: “Live your life, but watch your back. But I say that about everything.” [47:43]
Amanda Montell’s Take: “It’s a live-your-life sun, a watch-your-back moon, and probably a live-your-life rising... there are some get-the-fuck-out scenarios, but [Etsy witches] are totally avoidable. Keep your power, keep your price point, and you’ll be okay.” [47:59]
Key takeaway: The cult of Etsy witches is mostly benign, playful, and empowering for those who approach it with intention and self-agency—yet, as with all things spiritual and commercial, beware of surrendering too much power or falling for exploitation masquerading as magic.

Where to Follow

Maya Spalter: @mayaspalter on Instagram, mayaspalter.com
Amanda Montell: @amanda_montell and the show at @soundslikeacultpod

Episode Tone & Style

Conversational, witty, self-aware—balancing skepticism, humor, and genuine curiosity. Listeners are invited to embrace both the lightness and seriousness of magical thinking and online spirituality, keeping power in their own hands while enjoying the ride.

Memorable Closing Exchange:
Amanda: “Stay culty.”
Maya: “But not too culty.” [48:35]

This summary covers the episode’s crucial discussions, notable ideas, and captivating exchanges, priming newcomers on both the cultural phenomenon of Etsy witches and the podcast’s thoughtful, skeptical lens.

Sounds Like A Cult – "The Cult of Etsy Witches"

Host: Amanda Montell
Guest: Maya Spalter (writer, poet, and witch)
Episode Date: October 21, 2025
Podcast Network: Studio71

Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction: What (and Who) Is an "Etsy Witch"?

[02:00] Amanda Montell

Amanda situates Etsy witches as a trend where "for the low, low price of $19.99 you can... have a love spell cast or hex your ex"—a development that's moved witchcraft from the fringe to the mainstream.
She notes viral stories like Mariners fans crediting a winning streak to an Etsy spell, and major publications exploring the trend.
Amanda highlights the tension: "Etsy witches have moved from fringe spirituality to full on pop culture... raising questions about belief, money, and meaning."

Witchcraft's Digital Ascent & Commercialization

[08:30] Amanda Montell

The flourishing of digital witchcraft communities is tied to broader disillusionment with traditional religion, especially among millennials and marginalized groups.
Trendiness comes with skepticism: "Whenever a trend starts trending, big business takes notice," leading to corporate missteps (e.g., Sephora and Starbucks appropriating witchy aesthetics).
Not all online witches are authentic: "There are definitely fake witches online, people mashing together spiritual jargon in order to get a sale."
Amanda: "The kind of cult-y, cult-esque part is that, like any belief system, this isn't just about what's being sold, but who has the authority to sell it, and whose rituals and wisdom are considered authentic." [14:35]

Introducing Maya Spalter – Witchcraft IRL and Online

[16:16] Maya Spalter

Maya shares her origin story: growing up as a “witchy teen,” she began working at Enchantments (NYC’s oldest witch shop) in college.
Her style was a mix of “goth and hippie,” but her approach is poetic: magic as metaphor, rhyming, and creative transformation.
She only "became a public person" in the witch world after publishing her book in 2018, preferring to share rituals and ideas rather than sell spells online.
"I never worked as a medium of any kind, didn't have or solicit clients for any services. I just tried to connect with people as an author." [19:05]

What Feels 'Cultish' about Etsy Witches?

[21:23] Maya Spalter

Maya is ambivalent about the idea of “cultiness,” saying it’s only really relevant when attached to sensational events or clickbait.
She compares the Etsy witch to historical "hedge witches": practical, accessible, everyday magic—“like all the other crafts you find on Etsy.”
But digital mediation can distort the dynamic: “When you get such a heavily edited version of anybody in their persona, it leads to a great distortion.” [23:49]
Real-life witchcraft, for her, was always collaborative and empowering for the client: “I’m going to prepare an item for you to stuff all of your meaning into… I’m going to give you the recipe, you’re going to cook it.” [24:25]

Power, Community & the Loss of “Hassle”

[25:32] Maya Spalter

Online magic removes IRL “hassle,” but Maya sees value in the inconvenience and friction of real community: “We feel like we’ve eliminated hassle from different parts of our lives, when hassle was our lives... that’s what was holding us together.”
Amanda riffs on this, likening spiritual seekers without real-life community to “single kitten syndrome”: missing social learning and context.

Commodification vs. Tradition

[28:43] Maya Spalter

Maya acknowledges the historical precedent for selling magical goods and services: “It doesn’t feel like we’re in a new moment of buying and selling these services... although the platforms are new.”
She draws a clear line between accessible pricing ("I’m down with $20 spells and not super down with $2000 spells... more money doesn’t mean something’s more powerful") and predatory pricing.
She sees the contemporary “mix and match” spirituality as a reflection of our entire culture: “We have sort of a cargo cult experience culturally... we instantaneously integrate [spiritual imports] into our own contemporary way.”

Magic, Aesthetics, and Self-Empowerment

[34:01] Maya Spalter

Maya distinguishes benign “performative” magic from exploitative practice: “It’s culty when you give your power away to anyone and to anything.” [01:40, 34:41]
Her personal rubric: “Am I empowering myself or some other entity?”
Amanda and Maya agree that spiritual frivolity and seriousness must coexist—danger arises when a practice demands total seriousness or power is surrendered.
“Frivolity is spiritual. Lightness is spiritual...” [35:31]

Magical Thinking, Empathy, and the Feminine

[36:53] Amanda Montell

Discusses how magical thinking and empathy might be disproportionately attractive to women due to socialization and cognitive styles.
Maya: “If you can identify outside of your experience, you realize that you’re not trapped in your experience... that’s the kind of manipulation of reality that is attractive about witchcraft.” [38:15]

The Darker Side: Charisma, Power, and Online Trends

[39:31] Amanda Montell & Maya Spalter

Amanda raises concerns about opportunists wielding influence over vulnerable seekers, especially in times of uncertainty or political upheaval.
Maya recounts a moment when witches were asked to “hex” Trump with orange candles: “It felt a little bit culty... all of a sudden, why does everyone want an orange candle?” [42:00]

Leadership, Rituals, and the Influence Economy

[41:21] Amanda Montell

Maya confirms no centralized “leader” among Etsy witches: “I have not heard of any Lord High Etsy Witch who is the ruler of them all. If they are out there, show yourself!” [41:31]
Online rituals (e.g., collective hexing) can feel cultish when viral trends create in-groups and out-groups.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

"It’s culty when you give your power away to anyone and to anything."
— Maya Spalter [01:40, 34:41]
“I’d hate to pay somebody else to feel powerful on my behalf. That doesn’t make much sense to me.”
— Maya Spalter [24:44]
"We feel like we've eliminated hassle from different parts of our lives, when hassle was our lives... that's what was holding us together."
— Maya Spalter [25:32]
“Etsy witches have moved from fringe spirituality to full on pop culture, all the while raising questions about belief, money, and meaning.”
— Amanda Montell [04:00]
"If you can identify outside of your experience, you realize that you're not trapped in your experience... and that's the kind of manipulation of reality that is attractive about witchcraft."
— Maya Spalter [38:15]
"There's nothing new under the sun. This is just a slightly newer iteration of something that's always been happening. Witchcraft has always been about adaptation."
— Amanda Montell [33:29]

Key Timestamps for Major Segments

Final Verdict: How “Culty” is the Cult of Etsy Witches?

Maya Spalter’s Verdict: “Live your life, but watch your back. But I say that about everything.” [47:43]
Amanda Montell’s Take: “It’s a live-your-life sun, a watch-your-back moon, and probably a live-your-life rising... there are some get-the-fuck-out scenarios, but [Etsy witches] are totally avoidable. Keep your power, keep your price point, and you’ll be okay.” [47:59]
Key takeaway: The cult of Etsy witches is mostly benign, playful, and empowering for those who approach it with intention and self-agency—yet, as with all things spiritual and commercial, beware of surrendering too much power or falling for exploitation masquerading as magic.

Where to Follow

Maya Spalter: @mayaspalter on Instagram, mayaspalter.com
Amanda Montell: @amanda_montell and the show at @soundslikeacultpod

Episode Tone & Style

Memorable Closing Exchange:
Amanda: “Stay culty.”
Maya: “But not too culty.” [48:35]

The Cult of Etsy Witches

Powered by Wave AI

Summary

Sounds Like A Cult – "The Cult of Etsy Witches"

Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction: What (and Who) Is an "Etsy Witch"?

Witchcraft's Digital Ascent & Commercialization

Introducing Maya Spalter – Witchcraft IRL and Online

What Feels 'Cultish' about Etsy Witches?

Power, Community & the Loss of “Hassle”

Commodification vs. Tradition

Magic, Aesthetics, and Self-Empowerment

Magical Thinking, Empathy, and the Feminine

The Darker Side: Charisma, Power, and Online Trends

Leadership, Rituals, and the Influence Economy

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Key Timestamps for Major Segments

Final Verdict: How “Culty” is the Cult of Etsy Witches?

Where to Follow

Episode Tone & Style

Summary

Sounds Like A Cult – "The Cult of Etsy Witches"

Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction: What (and Who) Is an "Etsy Witch"?

Witchcraft's Digital Ascent & Commercialization

Introducing Maya Spalter – Witchcraft IRL and Online

What Feels 'Cultish' about Etsy Witches?

Power, Community & the Loss of “Hassle”

Commodification vs. Tradition

Magic, Aesthetics, and Self-Empowerment

Magical Thinking, Empathy, and the Feminine

The Darker Side: Charisma, Power, and Online Trends

Leadership, Rituals, and the Influence Economy

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Key Timestamps for Major Segments

Final Verdict: How “Culty” is the Cult of Etsy Witches?

Where to Follow

Episode Tone & Style