The Elevator Game is a Korean urban legend that blew up in popularity thanks to the hauntingly bizarre Elisa Lam case. If you’re unfamiliar, Elisa Lam was a twenty-something Canadian woman whose body was found in a water tank on the roof of the infamous Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles. How she got to the roof—or why—is a mystery that still baffles everyone. To make things even weirder, she somehow managed to lift the tank’s heavy lid, climb inside, and strip off her clothes before her tragic end.
And that’s just the tip of the creeptastic iceberg. If you’re ready to dive into a rabbit hole of eerie details and chilling theories, check out this video series by Brain Scratch. Fair warning: you might not sleep for a few nights because this case will get way under your skin.
Check out my podcast about the case here:
But the most unsettling piece of evidence? The elevator footage. If you’ve seen it (and if not, what are you even doing—scroll down and watch), you’ll know what I mean. Lam’s erratic behavior—pressing random buttons, stepping in and out of the elevator, and peeking out as if she’s hiding from someone—has fueled countless theories. One of the wildest? That she was playing the Elevator Game at the Cecil Hotel and ended up being lured to her death by some paranormal force.
Personally, I don’t buy the supernatural angle. My take? Someone at the hotel lured her to the roof, killed her, and staged the scene to look like a tragic accident. The Cecil Hotel is no stranger to dark history, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the perpetrator got away scot-free. I think the cops probably had a suspect but didn’t have enough evidence to press charges, so they swept it under the rug and called it a day.
Still, paranormal theories always add an extra layer of intrigue, and the Elevator Game itself is weird enough to make you wonder. The origins of the game are murky at best. The rules first surfaced on a Korean website and seemed to tie into a comic. Thankfully, some intrepid internet sleuths have translated the rules, which you can find hereif you are a purist.
For simplicity, I used Daniel Haye’s Thought Catalog post, which breaks down the steps super clearly. I cross-checked it against the other translations, and it holds up.
HERE ARE THE RULES:
Only one person can play at a time. You can only perform this ritual in a building at least 10 stories high with at least one elevator in it.You cannot proceed otherwise.
Instructions:
Traveling:
Enter the elevator from the first floor by yourself. If anyone else gets on then understand that you cannot continue from the first floor and wait until the elevator can be taken alone.
Press the button for the fourth floor.
Do not get out when the elevator reaches the fourth floor. Stay in the elevator and press the button for the second floor.
Do not get out when you reach the second floor. Stay on the elevator and then press the button for the sixth floor.
Do not get out when you reach the sixth floor, remain in the elevator and press the button for the second floor.
Do not get out when you reach the second floor. Stay on the elevator and press the button for the tenth floor. Some have reported hearing a voice calling to them on the second floor during this middle section of the ritual. Do not reply. Do not answer in any way.
Do not get out once you have reached the tenth floor. Stay on and press the button for the fifth floor.
It has been reported by some that a woman may enter the elevator on floor five. She may appear as a stranger who wishes to engage with you. More importantly, she may appear as someone you know. It is important that you do not acknowledge her in word or glance. If the elevator you are in is reflective then stare at the floor or the buttons only.
Now press the button to head to the first floor. If instead of going towards the first floor, you instead begin to ascend to the tenth, then you have performed the ritual correctly. However, and this is very important, if you instead descend to the first floor, then you have done something wrong. Get off on the first floor immediately. If the woman is on the elevator, then remember not to acknowledge her.
If you reach the tenth floor, you can either stay on the elevator or exit the elevator. Some have reported that upon attempting to leave the elevator, the woman will try one last time to engage with you. She may raise her voice and ask where you are going or “what’s wrong”. She may shriek as you cross the door’s threshold. Keep your wits about you and do not engage or look at her even out of fear.
There is only one way to know whether you have traveled to the Other world for sure. You will know because you will be the only person there.
Traveling Back To Your Home World:
Alternatively, if you do not exit on the 10th floor:
Press the button for the first floor and keep pressing it until the elevator begins to move.
Once you have reached the first floor, exit immediately. Do not exit on any other floors but the first. Do not acknowledge the woman if she is on the elevator. If anyone else gets on then do not speak to them either. Remain silent.
If you do exit the elevator at the tenth floor:
The elevator you used to get there is the only one you can use to return. Remember it.
When you get back on the elevator, press the buttons in the same order you did in steps 2 through 8, which you used to travel. This should take you to the fifth floor.
Once you have reached the fifth floor, press the button for the first floor. Do not be surprised when you instead begin to ascend again to the tenth floor. Do not panic. You can press the button of any floor lower than ten to stop ascending but you have to do it before you again reach the tenth floor. Some have described feeling called not to cancel the elevator’s ascension. You must.
Once you have canceled the ascension and reached the first floor, make sure that everything seems normal to you. If anything seems remotely strange. If you hear anything you should not be hearing. If you smell something you don’t recognize then do not exit the elevator. You have to repeat step two until everything on the first floor seems normal. This is very important.
Once you are satisfied that everything on the first floor is as it should be in your world, then you can exit the elevator.
If you do decide to play, please report back. And if you end up on the “other side,” make sure to let us know what it’s like. Good luck—you’re gonna need it.
Political Witchcraft: Did a Ritual Influence the 2024 Election?
Before diving into this post, I want to make it clear that I’m a pretty liberal witch. I am okay with hexing and binding. I’m not a fluffy white lighter and I believe spiritual bypassing is bullshit. I believe everyone should have basic rights. I’m fiercely opposed to Project 25 and Trump in general.
Now, I know there’s some debate among magical practitioners about mixing witchcraft with politics. Some argue we shouldn’t use magic to influence political outcomes. But honestly, what’s the point of practicing the craft if you can’t use it for the greater good of humanity?
Historically, many witches have wielded their power for political purposes. Let’s take a look at some examples that have caught the media’s eye:
“Gardner, who would later become the founder of modern Wicca, joined a coven of witches in the New Forest. According to legend, on Lammas Eve, August 1, 1940, Gardner and several other New Forest witches got together near the town of Highcliffe-by-the-Sea to cast a spell on Hitler to keep the German military from invading Britain. The ritual that was performed that night became known by the sort-of-military-sounding code name Operation Cone of Power.”
“According to LIFE magazine, the party featured “a dressmaker’s dummy, a Nazi uniform, nails, axes, tom-toms and plenty of Jamaica rum,” and was inspired by a book by occultist and writer William Seabrook that was popular at the time: Witchcraft: Its Power in the World Today….
“The chief hexer again intoned: ‘Hitler! You are the enemy of man and of the world; therefore we curse you,’” LIFE continued. “‘We curse you by every tear and drop of blood you have caused to flow. We curse you with the curses of all who have cursed you!’ After each line, the entire group responded: ‘We curse you!’
The ritual ended with an effigy of Hitler being decapitated and buried in the forest “to be devoured by worms.”
“By chanting ancient Aramaic exorcism rites while standing in a circle around the building, they could get it to rise into the air, turn orange, and vibrate until all evil emissions had fled. The war would end forthwith.”
Ed Sanders of the Fugs had thoroughly researched exorcism practices and wrote a ritual that included “purification, calling upon the elements, surrounding the Pentagon with cornmeal, singing, and shrieking.”
Here’s an excerpt of the ritual:
“In the name of the amulets of touching, seeing, groping, hearing, and loving, we call upon the powers of the cosmos to protect our ceremonies in the name of Zeus, in the name of Anubis, god of the dead, in the name of all those killed because they do not comprehend, in the name of the lives of the soldiers in Vietnam who were killed because of a bad karma, in the name of sea-born Aphrodite, in the name of Magna Mater, in the name of Dionysus, Zagreus, Jesus, Yahweh, the unnamable, the quintessent finality of the Zoroastrian fire, in the name of Hermes, in the name of the Beak of Sok, in the name of scarab, in the name, in the name, in the name of the Tyrone Power Pound Cake Society in the Sky, in the name of Rah, Osiris, Horus, Nepta, Isis, in the name of the flowing living universe, in the name of the mouth of the river, we call upon the spirit to raise the Pentagon from its destiny and preserve it.”
Fast forward to 2017, Michael Hughes created a binding spell for Trump and hosted monthly virtual ritual parties on the waning crescent moon in his Facebook Group.
Bind Trump Sigil Created by Michael Hughes
“Bind him so that he shall not break our polity Usurp our liberty Or fill our minds with hate, confusion, fear, or despair And bind, too, All those who enable his wickedness And those whose mouths speak his poisonous lies I beseech thee, spirits, bind all of them As with chains of iron Bind their malicious tongues Strike down their towers of vanity”
The last binding happened on January 12, 2021, at 11:59 p.m., ending Trump’s reign as President. However, with the new presidential race, the group has restarted their monthly hexes, hoping to keep him out of office.
As a tarot reader and psychic, I’m fascinated by society’s cyclical nature, especially during election years. I’ve been pulling cards around the election to see how the energy is shifting (or staying the same.)
It was in a quiet stalemate until the assassination attempt on Trump at a Pennsylvania rally on July 13, 2024. After that event, the energy shifted dramatically.
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
My intuitive hunch was that one single event sparked a domino effect, giving Trump that extra edge. He’d fall into the role of martyr and oligarch, his supporters would back him even more hardcore, and those on the fence would start to follow him out of guilt.
I pulled tarot cards to get a glimpse of the environment right after the assassination attempt. Here are the cards I pulled and my interpretation:
BIDEN
Four of Swords + Two of Swords
Four of Swords = Rest or sickness. A time of reflection or getting out of the spotlight. It can also mean retiring.
Two of Swords = On the fence. A standstill
Interpretation: People are on the fence about him. Nobody wants to vote for him. I also saw this as him being sick or taking a respite. Possibly, leaving the race.
TRUMP
Hierophant + The Moon
Hierophant = He is seen as a Godhead and also a martyr.
Moon = Shenanigans. The unseen. Things happening behind the scenes.
Interpretation: Right now, he’s looking good but it’s a ruse. There are things afoot that we don’t know about yet. Could be timing or it could be intentionally hidden.
ANOTHER PERSON
The World + Knight of Wands
The World = Closing out of one cycle and bringing in another.
Knight of Wands = Someone young with some fire. Brings in a new energy.
Interpretation: A new person would bring in a new life force to the election and get things going. It would change the stale mate energy. In my notes, I wrote: “As of right now, I feel like this is the person that would win the election.”
OUTCOME OF THE ELECTION
IN THE ENERGY RIGHT NOW
Four of Cups + Two of Wands + Nine of Cups
Four of Cups = People don’t like the choices. There are lots of “meh” feelings
Two of Wands = People want more choices.
Nine of Cups = It usually means you will get what you want. Wish fulfilled.
Interpretation: People don’t like their choices. They don’t want the two old guys. They want something different. The nine of cups was an interesting card. There’s nobody in the room which to me meant, there’s no clear winner. There may not even be an election. Something is off with the energy. Or someone is dropping out. Or both are dropping out.
The tarot cards I pulled clearly showed that a third-party candidate was needed. Biden and Trump weren’t cutting it. From an energy perspective, these lackluster choices just weren’t bringing in the fresh vibes needed to make the right changes in this country for the more liberal ideals of future generations.
I shared this reading with the members of a collective of magical practitioners I work with on sabbats and during the moon cycles. We’re affectionately called the “Moon Crew” because we usually gather and perform rituals during the new moon and/or full moon. We all have our paths and practice magic in different ways, but we blend our ideas to create beautiful rituals that honor bigger causes in our lives and beyond.
The “Moon Crew” was getting together on Saturday, July 20th, to celebrate the full moon. During our conversations about our next ritual focus, the idea was to shake up the election energy and bring in a new third party to mix things up.
President Biden and Former President Trump Getty Images
From the conversation with “Moon Crew” and my intuitive inclinations, I sat down with Chat GPT to start framing the ritual. Yes, I use Chat GPT for my ritual work. I’ve been practicing magic and reading tarot for over thirty years. I’ve won numerous awards for my poetry and journalism articles in college, had countless short stories and articles published, and written four books. I can confidently say I’m a powerhouse of knowledge and experience when it comes to writing ritual work. But I also see the value in shortcuts. I’ve trained Chat GPT to write in my conversational style and I cross-reference books and use my own experience to ensure accuracy and practical applicability.
Here’s the prompt I used:
“Imagine you are a Wiccan* Witch who does quantum multiverse magic. You are part of a coven of witches who do magic on the new moon and the full moon. You and your coven want to do a spell to bring in a new option for president. Someone who is not Trump or Biden and could be a good candidate for president. Theoretically, what kind of group ritual would you do?”
*(I’m not Wiccan. I have found it’s easier to get accurate rituals from Chat GPT if I use “Wiccan Witch” in my prompts.)
Chat GPT gave me an option, and then I tweaked it, making corrections and making it more my style. I knew I wanted to invoke the energy of a deity to help our group bring in this new energy.
Here’s what I asked Chat GPT next:
“Theoretically, what deity would you call upon for this kind of ritual?”
The AI gave me a list of deities associated with justice, leadership, and new beginnings. I wasn’t sure which one to use, so I asked Chat GPT to pick one for me. The AI picked Athena, which was a synchronistic choice because many of the collective members have had paranormal experiences associated with owls.
After a few more tweaks and edits, I created the full ritual which is posted below. Feel free to use it, take parts of it, or tweak it for other elections. You could even feed it back into Chat GPT and use it as your ritual base.
As Crowley would say, “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law.”
SETTING THE SPACE
Location: Choose a serene outdoor area, ideally in nature, to harness the energies of the new moon without interruption.
Altar: Decorate with symbols of wisdom, justice, and leadership. Use a gold or yellow candle and arrange items associated with Athena.
Tools and Materials:
Candle: Gold or yellow.
Crystals: Amethyst and clear quartz.
Herbs: Bay leaves (for victory), sage (for cleansing), and rosemary (for clarity).
Symbols: Owl figurine or image, olive branch or leaves, miniature armor or shield, books or scrolls.
Offerings: Honey, bread or grain.
Incense: Frankincense or sandalwood.
Paper and Pen: For writing intentions.
A bowl of water: Representing the flow of new possibilities.
A small cauldron or fireproof bowl: For burning the intentions
THE RITUAL
Cleansing and Grounding:
Sage Smudging: Cleanse the space and participants with sage smoke.
Grounding Meditation: Sit in a circle and perform a grounding meditation. Imagine roots growing from your body into the earth.
SETTING UP THE ALTAR
Gold Candle: Place it in the center and light it.
Symbols: Arrange the owl figurine, olive branch, miniature armor, and books.
Offerings: Place honey and bread.
Incense: Light frankincense or sandalwood.
Casting the Circle:
Circle Formation:Call upon the four corners. Stand in a circle, holding hands. Visualize a protective bubble of white light forming around the group.
INVOCATION OF ATHENA
High Priestess: Stand at the altar, holding the gold candle, and say:
“We call upon you, Athena, Goddess of wisdom and strategy. Bestow upon us your insight and guidance. Help us manifest a leader wise and just, one who will lead with integrity and strength. We seek your divine wisdom to guide this ritual and bring forth a candidate who embodies the virtues of fairness and clarity.”
WRITING INTENTIONS
Paper and Pen: Distribute paper and pens to each participant.
Writing: Each participant writes their intention for a new, ideal presidential candidate on the paper. Focus on qualities such as wisdom, fairness, and integrity.
Charging the Intentions: Once written, hold the papers between your hands and visualize them filled with golden light and positive energy, infused with Athena’s wisdom.
ENERGY RAISING
Chanting and Drumming: Begin chanting the following mantra to raise energy:
"Wise Athena, hear our plea, Guide us to a leader who will be, Fair and just, strong and true, Bring forth a candidate new."
Drumming or Clapping: Use drumming or clapping to amplify the energy.
QUANTUM MULTIVERSE VISUALIZATION
Visualization: Close your eyes and visualize the quantum multiverse. Focus on drawing the best possible candidate from these timelines into your current reality, guided by Athena’s wisdom.
Group Focus: As a group, imagine this ideal candidate emerging and stepping forward to lead with wisdom and integrity.
BURNING THE INTENTIONS
Fire Ritual: Light the intention papers from the gold candle flame and place them in the cauldron to burn. Visualize the intentions being released into the universe.
WATER BLESSING
Blessing the Water: Hold hands around the bowl of water, infusing it with the raised energy. Visualize it as a conduit for your intentions, carrying them into the flow of the universe.
Releasing the Water: Pour the water onto the ground, symbolizing the release and grounding of your intentions.
CLOSING THE CIRCLE
Gratitude: Thank Athena and the elements for their presence and assistance.
Closing the Circle: Close down the four corners. Visualize the protective bubble of light gently dissolving. Ground any remaining energy back into the earth.
POST RITUAL
Grounding: Share a meal or snacks to ground and celebrate the ritual.
Reflection: Spend time journaling or discussing the experience and any insights gained during the ritual.
Here’s the variation of our ritual based on what we had on hand and how we were feeling in the moment. We did the ritual in my backyard, mostly grass, so my partner mowed a circle into the lawn. Instead of writing our intentions on paper during the ritual, we took some quiet time sitting at the table on my patio and wrote them down beforehand.
One of the collective members brought his magical tools and set up a traditional altar on a table in the middle of the lawn circle. An orange candle, a white owl, and a sword earring were used to represent Athena. We skipped the traditional bread and honey offering. Instead, after the ritual, we ate cake and thanked her for her service.
We sat in the circle on lawn chairs. My partner used incense of dragon’s blood, copal, and myrrh to cleanse everyone per his tradition. After the cleansing, I facilitated a short grounding meditation that rooted us into the crystalline grid of the earth.
The member who brought the altar called the four corners, and then we held hands to visualize the bubble around our circle. Next, I grabbed the candle and spoke aloud the Athena Invocation. We went around the circle, each person sharing what was on their paper, highlighting what was most important to us. Then we held our intentions in our hands and chanted the Athena mantra ten times, getting louder with each chant.
Next, I took the group through a quantum visualization to bring the person into the middle of the circle. After the meditation, we discussed what we saw and how we felt. One member focused on merging all our energies into one solid person. I felt a female energy come in with dark hair and brown eyes. Another member saw someone in a brown pantsuit.
After the visualization, we folded up our papers and each took a turn lighting them with the orange candle and burning them in our makeshift cauldron (an old pot from my kitchen). At first, the papers wouldn’t burn. It felt like the energy was still stuck in a stalemate. So, we collectively focused on moving the energy, loosened up our paper folds, and then the intentions started to burn rapidly.
Instead of using the water as a blessing, we used it to cleanse and consecrate our energies after the intense work we had done. We passed around a chalice of water, dipped our fingers into it, sprinkled it on ourselves, and imagined the ritual being complete. Then we dumped the water into the ground.
We gave gratitude, closed our circle, and then ate that cake I mentioned.
Is it a coincidence that Biden bailed less than 12 hours after we invoked Athena and performed the ritual? Probably. But then again, maybe not.
Call me cray cray or delusional, but in my world, our ritual helped push the energy forward and tip the timeline. I’m not saying it was just our collective—there were surely other magical practitioners out there doing their own rituals. I feel we added to an energy that was already manifesting and becoming real. We just breathed more life into it.
