Debo Mouloudji and Irene Lee collaborated to make Spell: Dreams under the publishing name, Boar Hair Books

Spells Magazine seeks to awaken understanding of the human experience by returning to our magical roots. Spells are ancient phrases that have been used as both medicine and tools over the ages. The words are human magic that when whispered bring about change: phrases like, "ring around the rosie," "once upon a time," "I love you." Over generations, we remember the tone and rhythm these words hold. The phrases have stories attached to them and endure despite all the changes in the world. By strange connection, spell is also a verb describing the action of putting letters themselves together, a practice of naming, which attempts to find the true nature of a thing. Spells is going to enlist both elements of its name, to find truth and transformation by upholding authentic, uncensored artifacts of humanity manifested in stories, music, art and design.

In our first issue we tackle the subject of Dreams. Throughout our lives dreams often provide solace and clarity, not to mention pleasure and entertainment. Some are haunting, some empowering, some just stay. The strangest thing about sleep is that we don’t know why we dream. Only recently in human history have dreams been considered refuse from the day’s thoughts and activities. In ancient cultures significant political decisions were based on dreams. Ghosts or spirits have been believed to enter our dimension through the sleeper and send messages of love or a feeling for connection. Since the work of psychoanalysts like Freud and Jung, dreams have become a belief system: do you believe in your dreams, as if they were unreal. The statement itself seems ludicrous because dreams are clearly not founded in the physical world. The actions in dreams may be ridiculous, but the emotions are visceral. For anyone who has endured nightmares, sleep paralysis, need we say wet dreams, the dream was experienced physically and emotionally. This is the point at which we insist upon the power of their impressions.

Spells: Dreams features work by internationally renowned artists: Julie Harrison; Astrid Nobel; Maya Quattropanni; Lena Hawkins; Randall Teeley; and Christine Yost alongside writing by: Irene Lee; Typhaine Charat; Rachel TonThat; Annabel Lee; and Pamela Pearce.

Featuring original quizzes, crosswords, poetry, art, and games by creators Irene Lee, and Debo Mouloudji.