The Witchcraft Reader offers a wide range of historical perspectives on the subject of witchcraft in a single, accessible volume, exploring the enduring hold that it has on human imagination.
*; Looks at the age-old spiritual principles, folklore, and esoteric traditions behind the creation of magical objects as well as the use of numbers, colors, sigils, geometric emblems, knots, crosses, pentagrams, and other symbols *; Explores hundreds of artifacts, such as hagstones, Norse directional amulets, car hood mascots, objects made from bones and teeth, those connected with plants and animals, charms associated with gambling, and religious relics *; Includes photos of artifacts from the author's extensive collection Offering an illustrated exploration of the origins and history of amulets, lucky charms, talismans, and mascots, including photos of unique and original artifacts from his extensive collection, Nigel Pennick examines these objects from a magical perspective, from ancient Egypt to the present.
A history of how mystical and spiritual influences have shaped Russia's identity and politics and what it means for the future of world civilization *; Examines Russia's spiritual history, from its pagan origins and Eastern Orthodox mysticism to secret societies, Rasputin, Roerich, Blavatsky, and Dostoyevsky *; Explains the visionary writings of the spiritual philosophers of Russia's Silver Age, which greatly influence Putin today *; Explores what Russia's unique identity and its history of messianic politics and apocalyptic thought mean for its future on the world stage At the turn of the 20th century, a period known as the Silver Age, Russia was undergoing a powerful spiritual and cultural rebirth.
Beyond Meetings with Remarkable Men into the truth behind the self-crafted mythology of Gurdjieff's life *; Reveals evidence that Gurdjieff was a secret Freemason, relying on hypnotism, psychic research and spiritualism*; Explores the profound influence of the Yezidis, esoteric Christianity, and the ';gnostics' of Islam, the Sufis, on Gurdjieff's Fourth Way teachings and the ';Work'*; Uncovers the truth behind Gurdjieff's relations with Aleister Crowley*; Accurately dates Gurdjieff's real activities, particularly his enigmatic early lifeIn November 1949, architect Frank Lloyd Wright announced the death of ';the greatest man in the world,' yet few knew who he was talking about.
2025 AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PUBLISHERS PROSE AWARDS WINNER: EUROPEAN HISTORYIn June 1609, two judges left Bordeaux for a territory at the very edge of their jurisdiction, a Basque-speaking province on the Atlantic coast called the Pays de Labourd.
On a foggy November day in 1589, when one of the five daughters of Robert and Elizabeth Throckmorton suddenly fell sick, no one in the small English village of Warboys could have predicted the terrifying events that would follow.
The result of a perfect storm of factors that culminated in a great moral catastrophe, the Salem witch trials of 1692 took a breathtaking toll on the young English colony of Massachusetts.
Slavic Witches and Social Media examines the role of social media in the spiritual practices of modern Slavic witches and draws a comparative analysis between contemporary neopaganism and Catholicism in Poland.
Sheds new light on the identity of the alchemist Fulcanelli*; Provides new understanding of the relationships between the most important figures of the esoteric milieu of Paris in the first half of the 20th century*; Includes a wealth of rarely seen documents, photos, and lettersFulcanelli, operative alchemist and author of The Mystery of the Cathedrals and The Dwellings of the Philosophers--two of the most important esoteric works of the twentieth century--remains himself a mystery.
*; Reveals Jim Morrison as a shamanic initiate and esoteric teacher who used his role as a rock singer to promote the adventure of the spirit and express the power of inner experience*; Examines Morrison's deep occult and artistic influences, including Kurt Seligmann's The Mirror of Magic, Colin Wilson's The Outsider, and the works of Jack Kerouac*; Draws on Morrison's lyrics and poems, his intimate writings, and the recollections of friends like photographer Paul Ferrara and Doors keyboard player Ray ManzarekThe groundbreaking 1960s band The Doors, named for Aldous Huxley's The Doors of Perception, achieved incredible acclaim and influence, ultimately serving as a key group in the development of psychedelic and progressive rock.
This monograph begins with a puzzle: a Babylonian text from late 5th century BCE Uruk associating various diseases with bodily organs, which has evaded interpretation.
*; Details hands-on techniques, spells, and rituals paired with personal stories from the author's decades of magical practice *; Presents teachings on working with each element in different ways--such as divination, communication, healing, protection, manifestation, and enchantment *; Explores elemental altars, scrying and reading the bones, undines and fairies, working with runes and crystals, ancestral healing, weather sensing, fire gazing, candle magic, sex magic, and communicating with the Otherworld A Book of Shadows is a witch's sacred journal, filled with personal experiences and the intimate working of spells.
A comprehensive study of the use of talismans and amulets in the Western Mystery Tradition *; Provides an in-depth look at the medieval and Renaissance use of amulets and talismans, including the work of Agrippa, Albertus Magnus, and Athanasius Kircher *; Provides a full summary of the magical knowledge required to make an amulet or talisman, including the invocations required to activate their powers *; Reviews different kinds of amulets and talismans, from ancient jewelry and magical objects to the modern rabbit's foot or lucky horseshoe The use of talismans and amulets stretches back nearly to the dawn of man, from everyday items magically prepared, such as horns or coins, to intricate and beautiful jewelry imbued with protective powers.
This accessible introduction by the world's leading expert explains why the study of esotericism is not a marginal pursuit but belongs at the center of modern research in the humanities.
In the febrile religious and political climate of late sixteenth-century England, when the grip of the Reformation was as yet fragile and insecure, and underground papism still perceived to be rife, Lancashire was felt by the Protestant authorities to be a sinister corner of superstition, lawlessness and popery.
A complete history of alchemy revealing the subject as much more than the attempts in early science of turning base metals into gold or silver, this book goes about intimating the mystical experience underlying hermetic symbolism.
Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility.
Ernesto de Martino was a major critical thinker in the study of vernacular religions, producing innovative analyses of key concepts such as 'folklore', 'magic' and 'ritual'.
Imagine yourself sitting on the cool damp earth, surrounded by deep night sky and fields full of fireflies, anticipating the ritual of initiation that you are about to undergo.
Linda Williamson, acclaimed medium and author of the bestselling Contacting the Spirit World, recounts her own experiences of living and working as a medium.
In 2013, when the state of Oklahoma erected a statue of the Ten Commandments on the grounds of the state capitol, a group calling themselves The Satanic Temple applied to erect a statue of Baphomet alongside the Judeo-Christian tablets.
Daughters of Hecate unites for the first time research on the problem of gender and magic in three ancient Mediterranean societies: early Judaism, Christianity, and Graeco-Roman culture.
A new translation of the classic magical text from the original Latin*; Learn how medieval magicians conducted the rituals of angelic magic for quickly learning scholastic knowledge by means of prayers and figures*; Provides a complete translation of Ars Notoria, both the short and long versions based on Julien Veronese's critical Latin edition*; Includes the first translation of The Work of Works (Opus Operum), The Short Art (Ars Brevis), the abridged version attributed to Thomas of Toledo, and The Pauline Art (Ars Paulina)*; Presents all of the original figures (notae), essential for inspection during ritualThe magical treatise Ars Notoria offers a secret account of how King Solomon gained his famed wisdom and learning through sacred magic, revealed to him by the angel Pamphilius, thereby expanding upon the biblical narrative of Solomon's vision from God.