# Leo Ruickbie

Leo Ruickbie is a British historian and sociologist of religion, specializing in exceptional experiences, paranormal beliefs, magic, witchcraft and Wicca. Born in Scotland, he is the author of several books and has contributed to numerous academic journals and periodicals, as well as making frequent appearances in the media. He has played a leading role in parapsychology in the UK through his work with the Society for Psychical Research., particularly as editor of the Magazine of the Society for Psychical Research. In 2021, he won third-prize in the Bigelow Institute for Consciousness Studies essay contest on the best evidence for life after death, and now lives and works in Las Vegas, Nevada.

## Education

Ruickbie studied at the University of Lancaster, taking a Master's degree in Sociology and Religion, supervised by Prof. Scott Lash. He went on to study at King's College London where he was awarded a PhD for his thesis entitled The Re-Enchanters: Theorising Re-Enchantment and Testing for its Presence in Modern Witchcraft. under the supervision of Prof. Peter B. Clarke and Prof. Vivianne Crowley, the well-known scholar and Wiccan High Priestess.

## Career

Ruickbie began a career in writing with the publication of Witchcraft Out of the Shadows, a 2004 publication outlining the history of witchcraft from ancient Greece until the modern day. Since then he has published prolifically. As well as writing, he has also created public exhibitions: in 2008 and 2009 he exhibited on the subject of witchcraft in France.
He has played a central role in the Society for Psychical Research as a member of its governing Council, a member of its Education and Publicity Committee, and a member of its Spontaneous Cases Committee. From 2014 to 2023, he was the editor of the Magazine of the Society for Psychical Research. and credited with substantially reinvigorating the publication.
He is also a professional member of the Parapsychological Association, and was on the governing committee of the Gesellschaft für Anomalistik.
In 2021, he won third-prize in the Bigelow Institute for Consciousness Studies essay contest on the best evidence for life after death, with "The Ghost in the Time Machine." The essay was published in a deluxe five-volume set with the other winning essays, and as a stand-alone ebook and audiobook; it is also available for download from the Bigelow Institute website.
In recognition of his work, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society in 2021 and a Fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute in 2022.

## Publications
### Witchcraft Out of the Shadows (2004)

Witchcraft Out of the Shadows begins with a survey of historical influences from classical times, northern European paganism, and medieval and early modern Europe. It then describes the roots of modern neopagan witchcraft in groups such as the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and individuals such as Aleister Crowley and Doreen Valiente. Particularly important is the critical analysis of the claims made by Gerald Gardner about Wicca, as well as a detailed discussion of the liturgical content of Gardner's Ye Bok of Ye Art Magical and its sources.
The final part of the book is an overview of modern neo-pagan witchcraft belief and practice, drawing principally on Ruickbie's own doctoral research. Using both original research and secondary analysis of a broad range of anthropological and sociological findings, Ruickbie gives estimates for the numbers of people involved in neo-pagan witchcraft in the UK, their age, gender and income distribution. He also asked participants in his own research about the nature of their religious experience, their relationship with the gods, their practice of magic and their beliefs about its effects.
Witchcraft Out of the Shadows was listed under 'Further Reading' in Owen Davies' 2009 book Grimoires: A History of Magic Books.

### The Re-Enchanters (2005)

The Re-Enchanters: Theorising Re-Enchantment and Testing for its Presence in Modern Witchcraft is a sociological analysis of modern witchcraft (including Wicca) that builds a theory of re-enchantment using Max Weber's famous disenchantment hypothesis and then tests this using a sample group drawn primarily from practitioners of modern witchcraft and other forms of contemporary paganism.

### Open Source Wicca: The Gardnerian Tradition (2007)

On Samhain 2007 he launched Open Source Wicca, a project inspired by the open-source software movement aimed at making the founding texts of Wicca more readily available by releasing them under a Creative Commons licence.

### Faustus: The Life and Times of a Renaissance Magician (2009)

Biography of Faustus (aka Faust) published by The History Press presents new information on the life and death of Faustus. Pagan Dawn magazine said of the book: 'Leo Ruickbie's solid tome does something unexpected. It rehabilitates someone with one of the worst reputations in history; Georgius Sabellicus Faustus Jnr, better known as Faust'.

### A Brief Guide to the Supernatural (2012)

An introduction to supernatural phenomena, beliefs and experiences published by Constable & Robinson.

### A Brief Guide to Ghost Hunting (2013)

A detailed examination of the history and practice of ghost hunting also published by Constable & Robinson. Reviewing the book for the Magonia Review of Books, Peter Rogerson called it 'comprehensive and remarkable good value for the price', adding that 'this is an interesting and useful book one can recommend to ghost hunters and psychical researchers'. It is recommended reading by the chairman of the Ghost Club and Rosemary Ellen Guiley.

### The Impossible Zoo: An Encyclopedia of Fabulous Beasts and Mythical Monsters (2016)

From the publisher's website: "The Impossible Zoo is a biology of the supernatural - a study of the life of things that never lived. This world of mermaids and unicorns, now confined to fantasy, but once believed to exist, is a world of the imagination that still affects us today. Wonderfully illustrated throughout, it also provides sources as a guide to further study and exploration." It is recommended by Dr Karl Shuker and Revd Lionel Fanthorpe, FRSA, author and president of the Association for the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena. The book has been translated into Estonian and is published by Tänapäev.

### Angels in the Trenches: Spiritualism, Superstition and the Supernatural During the First World War (2018)

A narrative history of the First World War examining paranormal beliefs and experiences both on the Home Front and the Frontline. Published by Robinson, an imprint of Little, Brown for the Centenary of the Armistice in November 2018.

### The Ghost in the Time Machine (2023 and 2024)

One of the top three winning essays in the essay contest on the best evidence for life after death organized by the Bigelow Institute for Consciousness Studies.

## Exhibitions
### La Sorcellerie en France

This public exhibition explored the history of witchcraft in France with a special focus on the Ardennes region. In a series of highly illustrated panels it covered topics such as what is witchcraft, where was witchcraft to be found, the Knights Templar, Joan of Arc, Gilles de Rais, the legal and theoretical writers on demonology, famous demonic possession cases, legends of the Ardennes, witch trials in the Ardennes, plants used in witchcraft and stones (precious and semi-precious) used in magic, popular superstitions like the horseshoe and Wicca.
It was held at the following locations:
* 15–29 June 2008, Bureau de Tourisme, Le Colombier, Place du Colombier, Mouzon, Ardennes, Champagne-Ardenne, France.
* 02 - 24 August 2008, Salle des Fêtes, Saint-Antoine, Gers, Midi-Pyrénées, France.
* 21–22 March 2009, Printemps des légendes, Monthermé, Ardennes.

## Television
### Mysteries at the Castle

Ruickbie has appeared in two episodes of Mysteries at the Castle, Season 3:
3.7: "Prince's Plight; Mad King Ludwig; Falling for Love". Here he talked about Dunrobin Castle, Scotland, said to be haunted by the ghost of 'Lady Margaret'
3.9: "Deadliest Chess Game; Gustav III Assassination; Shot in the Heart", in which he presented Ruthven Barracks, Scotland, where Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan was said to have played chess with the Devil.
He also appeared in one episode of Mysteries at the Castle, Season 2:
2.3: "Faust; Pirate Queen; First Versailles".