This collection of articles by distinguished scholars and experts in their particular fields of research is introduced by a chapter dealing with general matters of the current hermeneutics of magic: what is the nature of magic and what is the understanding of magic in the Western world-view and what - for instance - in the African world?
The oldest roots of the European concepts of witchcraft and magic lie in the Hebrew and other cultures of the ancient Near East and in the Celtic, Nordic and Germanic Societies of the North and West.
The oldest roots of the European concepts of witchcraft and magic lie in the Hebrew and other cultures of the ancient Near East and in the Celtic, Nordic and Germanic Societies of the North and West.
Original and comprehensive, Magic in the Ancient Greek World takes the reader inside both the social imagination and the ritual reality that made magic possible in ancient Greece.
Originally published in 1970, this book explores the role of concepts of disease in the social life of the Safwa of Tanzania, particularly through beliefs concerning witchcraft and sorcery.
Originally published in 1970, this book explores the role of concepts of disease in the social life of the Safwa of Tanzania, particularly through beliefs concerning witchcraft and sorcery.
Connect to the magic of the world around you for healing, empowerment and self-careNature is filled with hidden, elusive energies: the growth spirals of sunflowers, the electromagnetic spectrum of rainbows, the bio-energy of trees and the sound waves of thunder.
The essays in this Handbook, written by leading scholars working in the rapidly developing field of witchcraft studies, explore the historical literature regarding witch beliefs and witch trials in Europe and colonial America between the early fifteenth and early eighteenth centuries.
The essays in this Handbook, written by leading scholars working in the rapidly developing field of witchcraft studies, explore the historical literature regarding witch beliefs and witch trials in Europe and colonial America between the early fifteenth and early eighteenth centuries.
This fascinating and insightful tour through present-day meetings of Spiritualists, UFOlogists, and dowsers illuminates our obsession with the paranormal and challenges the misunderstanding of the paranormal as a marginal or inconsequential feature of America's religious landscape.
This two-volume text reviews spirit possession throughout history, analyzes case studies from a cognitive neuroscience perspective, and examines rites for exorcism.
Part of the enduring fascination of the Salem witch trials is the fact that, to date, no one theory has been able to fully explain the events that ravaged Salem in 1692.
In 1966, Anton LaVey introduced to the world the Church of Satan, an atheistic religion devoted to the philosophy of individualism and pitilessness often associated with Satan.
This comprehensive resource explores the intersection of religion, politics, and the supernatural that spawned the notorious witch hunts in Europe and the New World.
From early sorcery trials of the 14th century-associated primarily with French and Papal courts-to the witch executions of the late 18th century, this book's entries cover witch-hunting in individual countries, major witch trials from Chelmsford, England, to Salem, Massachusetts, and significant individuals from famous witches to the devout persecutors.
In October of 1563, 18-year old Anne Mylner was herding cows near her home when she was suddenly enveloped by a white cloud that precipitated a months-long illness characterized by sleeplessness, loss of appetite, convulsions, and bodily swelling.
Fast, informed answers to the challenges of false religions -- This is an age when countless groups and movements, new and old, mark the religious landscape in our culture.
*; Details the rise and fall of this famous and infamous Order, including its penetration of Bavarian society and its destruction by the Bavarian government *; Explains the Bavarian Illuminati's grades, rituals, ceremonies, and fundamental philosophies and examines the leaders of the Order *; Contains the only surviving record of documents that were destroyed during the two World Wars The Bavarian Order of the Illuminati is the most celebrated secret society in the world.
*; Details how the author and her boyfriend developed a close friendship with Manly Hall and how Hall at first mistook her boyfriend as his heir apparent *; Explains how Hall adopted the author as his ';girl Friday' and personal weirdo screener, giving her access to the inner circles of occult Los Angeles *; Richly depicts the characters who worked and gathered at Hall's Philosophical Research Society, including Hall's wife, the famed ';Mad Marie' In the early 1980s, underground musicians Tamra Lucid and her boyfriend Ronnie Pontiac discovered the book The Secret Teachings of All Ages at the Bodhi Tree bookstore in Los Angeles.
A detailed step-by-step program for building a magical practice*; Offers a full 12 months of activities, rituals, spells, and exercises to help you acquire magical skills and knowledge and achieve your goals*; Details the practice of Egyptian Soul Craft, including how to work with the KA and the BA and how to perform magical workings with Egyptian deities*; Shares spells for specific purposes, from manifesting wealth to summoning lost things to healing ailments, as well as providing templates to create your own rituals and custom spellsIn this practical training guide, Don Webb lays out a detailed step-by-step program for building and sustaining a magical practice.
*; 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.
*; Explains in detail how the demotion or proved nonexistence of a planet marks the beginning of a roughly 30-year period in which that planet's influence wanes *; Explores Pluto's arc of influence on individual and collective life in depth, from its discovery in 1930 to the end of its influence in 2036 *; Offers examples from other demoted planets, such as Ceres, whose fifty-year reign as a planet corresponds very closely to the Romantic Era of history Recent research in astrology has shown that the discovery of a new planet correlates with the emergence of a new set of influences in individual and collective life.
*; 2023 Coalition of Visionary Resources Gold Award*; Provides detailed instructions for making single-flower essences and magickal and therapeutic essence blends *; Shares new magickal uses for flower essences, from creating sacred space to dressing candles to preparing incense, as well as how to use essences in meditation, potions, spells, spagyrics, and ritual *; Includes a detailed directory of 100 flower and plant essences, complete with astrological, elemental, and magickal correspondences In this practical guide to using flower essences in witchcraft, alchemy, and healing, Nicholas Pearson provides detailed instructions for making and using flower essences based on traditional Western magick practices.
*; Shows how the astrological cycle around the signs of the zodiac represents the alchemical transformation of consciousness and chakra awakening *; Expands the meaning of each astrological sign based on its association with the chakras and the alchemical transmutation cycle from lead to gold *; Offers sample chart analyses to show how you can discover your spiritual challenges and opportunities Demonstrating the connections between astrology, alchemy, and yoga, Frederick Baker reveals how he discovered their correspondences by rotating the natural order of the zodiac, placing Aquarius and Capricorn at the bottom and Cancer and Leo at the top, to reflect the alchemical order of metals from lead to gold.
*; Explores the archetypal and classical male ideal found in ancient societies around the world *; Examines some of the problems facing men in the world today and shares practices to develop yourself in the face of these problems *; Provides techniques for developing your thinking and focus, overcoming fear, relaxing tension in your body, and developing a self-image more appropriate to who you are and aspire to be Ancient and classical societies have always had an ideal of manhood.
*; Details the magical war that took place behind the scenes of the 2016 election *; Examines in detail the failed magical actions of Trump's opponents, with insights on political magic from Dion Fortune's war letters *; Reveals the influence of a number of occult forces from Julius Evola to chaos magick to show how the political and magical landscape of American society has permanently changed since the 2016 election Magic and politics seem like unlikely bedfellows, but in The King in Orange, author John Michael Greer goes beyond superficial memes and extreme partisanship to reveal the unmentionable realities that spawned the unexpected presidential victory of an elderly real-estate mogul turned reality-TV star and which continue to drive the deepening divide that is now the defining characteristic of American society.
*; Explains how Kimbanda's presiding deity Eshu embodies both masculine and feminine principles, both god and devil, and thus represents human nature itself with all its vices and virtues *; Discusses Kimbanda's magical practices, initiation rites, sacred knives, and sacrificial offerings *; Details the seven realms and the entities that inhabit and govern each of them Although it has been demonized as a form of Satanic cult, Kimbanda--the tradition of Afro-Brazilian black magic--is a spiritual practice that embraces both the light and dark aspects of life through worship of the entities known as Eshu and Pombajira.
*; 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.
*; Explores the five periods of runic revival: the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, the Romantic period, the early 20th century, and the late 20th century *; Examines the use of runes by the foremost magicians and scholars of each era, including mystic and scholar Johannes Bureus, who developed his own integrated system of runology known as Adalruna *; Reveals how the Nazi misguided use of the runes showed a lack of comprehension of what was being discovered by scientific rune scholars of the day In this exploration of the history of the runes from 1500 CE to the present day, Stephen Edred Flowers examines the five periods of runic revival: the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, the Romantic period, the early 20th century, and the late 20th century.
*; Offers commentary for each story, revealing its historical context, cultural and esoteric associations, and hidden pagan beliefs *; Explores how the tales transformed over the ages and their origins in Classical Antiquity, the Middle East, and India *; Includes stories never-before-translated from their original Latin and many purposely left in obscurity due to scandalous depictions of popes and other notables The Middle Ages witnessed the blossoming of oral traditions whose echoes can still be found in many legends, fables, and tales today.
