Occult studies

*; Explains how a Vampyre is not a blood-sucking mythical figure but a shaman who is skilled in gathering, using, and storing energy for magical power and personal liberation *; Reveals how to gather and store energy from the world around you and shares magical techniques, manifestation methods, and practices to utilize the energy you have collected *; Looks at servitors and familiars, vampyric runes, dream architecture, money magick practices, and sex magick techniques as well as advanced practices such as healing with vampyric magick In this initiatory guide, Don Webb explains how to learn from the myth of the vampire to gather, use, and store energy for magical power, manifestation, and personal liberation.

A guide to the history and practices of the Druids and the Celtic faith *; Reconstructs the Druidic faith from surviving remnants, parallels with other Indo-European traditions, and dedicated study of scholarly sources *; Details magical rites and ceremonies, methods for consecrating an outdoor temple, and customs for celebrating important festivals such as Beltaine and Samhain *; Discusses rules for firecraft, making offerings to deities and spirits, and the ancient Coligny calendar, including the names of the months in old Gaulish Druids and their magic, lore, and rituals have fascinated all those who encounter them, from the ancient Greeks and Romans onward.

A complete guide to working with the Birth Odus of your Orishas Birth Chart*; Offers step-by-step instructions to calculate your Birth Odus and cast your full Orisha Birth Chart*; Presents detailed interpretations of each of the 16 Birth Odus, showing how their energies manifest in an individual's personality, relationships, financial status, and general approach to life*; Shares self-transformation techniques to help you improve the positive qualities of your chart while embracing, integrating, and neutralizing negative energies and tendenciesMuch like the celestial influences revealed by a natal astrology chart or the numerology of your birth date, African spiritual traditions believe that every person has specific personal energies ruling how we relate to each other and the way we foresee and achieve life goals.

An exploration of our extraordinary shift away from materialism toward renewal of the numinous, mysterious, and uncertain*; Examines topics that evoke widespread misunderstanding, including the real history of secret societies, the wisdom of the Satanic, Gnosticism, Hermeticism, out-of-body experience, and the contemporary war on witches*; Looks at the influence of the founding lights of modern occultism, including mystic Neville Goddard, occult scholar Manly P.

An exploration of the traditional rites of auspicious building and crafting*; Explains the ceremonial beginnings and Hermetic principles in the laying out of foundations not only for sacred buildings like temples but also for homes and barns*; Examines the principles and ceremonies of electional astrology and details how to compute natural time, as opposed to clock time*; Shares examples from ancient Egypt, Iran, India, and Europe that range from the Stone Age to the Renaissance and include secret societiesWhen we make things--whether a building, a sacred space, or a magical object--there is a precise moment when the artifact comes into being as a separate entity.

A memoir of spiritual awakening and travel in the 60s and 70s, sacred dance in the 80s and 90s, and astrological insight in the 90s and 2000s*; Recounts the author's deep involvement with three spiritual community movements originating in the sixties which are still thriving today: the Ram Dass satsang, Lama Foundation, and Dances of Universal Peace*; Offers insights from his study of Vedic astrology, sacred dance, his search for love, and his personal work with past-life recordings, Jungian analysis, and trauma releaseAfter coming of age and graduating in the tumultuous sixties, Ahad Cobb found himself wandering without direction.

Examines Aleister Crowley's 30-year-long intimate association with Paris*; Investigates the tales of Crowley ';raising Pan,' going mad, and working gay sex magick in Paris*; Uncovers Crowley's involvement in the Belle poque with sculptor Auguste Rodin and other artists and in the 1920s with Berenice Abbott, Nancy Cunard, Man Ray, Andr Gide, and Aime Crocker*; Reveals Crowley's ';expulsion' from Paris in 1929 as a high-level conspiracy against CrowleyExploring occultist, magician, poet, painter, and writer Aleister Crowley's longstanding and intimate association with Paris, Tobias Churton provides the first detailed account of Crowley's activities in the City of Light.

*; Presents four loving, feisty old witches, one for each season, who share earth-honoring wisdom, rituals, and spells to help you embrace your journey through the sacred latter half of life *; Filled with magical recipes, inspiring ceremonies, playful activities, and meaningful meditations You are invited into the magical world of four loving, feisty old witches, one for each season, who share earth-honoring wisdom, rituals, and spells to help you embrace your journey through the sacred latter half of life.

*; Examines the significant figures and groups of Finland's occult world, including their esoteric practices and the secret societies to which they were connected *; Investigates the relationship of nationalism and esotericism in Finland as well as the history of Finnish parapsychology and the Finnish UFO craze *; Looks at the unique evolution of Freemasonry in Finland, showing how, when Finland was still part of Russia and the Masonic order was banned, adherents created a number of other secret societies Finland has long been viewed as the land of sorcerers and shamans.

A presentation of seven essential texts, central to the Hermetic Tradition, never before published together*; Includes Theogony, The Homeric Hymn to Hermes, The Poem of Parmenides, The Poimandres, The Chaldean Oracles, Hymn to Isis, and On Divine Virtue, each translated from the original Greek or Latin*; Presents interpretive commentary for each text to progressively weave them together historically, poetically, hermeneutically, and magicallyLinked to both the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth, Hermes Trismegistus is credited, through legend, with thousands of mystical and philosophical writings of high standing, each reputed to be of immense antiquity.

A guide to ancient beliefs including instructions for magic and spellcasting*; Describes the arcane rituals, ancient beliefs, and secret rites of the Welsh Marches, including those of the Sin Eaters, Eye Biters, and Spirit Hunters*; Shares extracts from ancient texts stored in the archives of the National Museum of Wales, along with many original photographs of related artifacts*; Includes a Grimoire of the Welsh Marches, a wide collection of spells and magical workings along with practical instruction on crafting and castingIn this collaboration between a Druid and a witchcraft researcher, Jon G.

*; Examines newer spiritual ';systems' of the modern era, from spiritism and theosophy, to parapsychic research and anthroposophism, to psychoanalysis and the Church of Satan *; Compares these newer spiritual ';systems' to the traditional spiritual path of the ancients and exposes the misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and occult dangers lurking in their practices *; Also examines important modern figures such as Nietzsche, Aleister Crowley, Rudolf Steiner, Dostoevsky, Freud, Jung, Gurdjieff, Krishnamurti, and Anton LaVey Written two years before his most prominent book Revolt Against the Modern World, Julius Evola's The Fall of Spirituality was originally published in Italian as Maschera e volto dello spiritualismo contemporaneo (The Mask and Face of Contemporary Spiritualism).

An illustrated reference book on a seminal figure of occult philosophy and Renaissance thought *; Explains Fludd's thoughts on cosmic harmonies, divination, the kabbalah, astrology, geomancy, alchemy, the Rosicrucians, and multiple levels of existence *; Includes more than 200 of Fludd's illustrations, representing the whole corpus of Fludd's iconography, each one accompanied by Godwin's expert commentary *; Explores Fludd's medical work as an esoteric Paracelsian physician and his theories on the macrocosm of elements, planets, stars, and subtle and divine beings and the microcosm of the human being and its creative activities, including material never before translated One of the last Renaissance men, Robert Fludd (1574-1637) was one of the great minds of the early modern period.

A detailed guide to the three successive initiatic archetypes: Craftsman, Warrior, and Magician *; Investigates the symbolism, rituals, and metaphysical aspects of each initiatic archetype, from the alchemy and shamanism of the craftsman, to the subtle energy work of the warrior, to the sex magic practices and Higher Self work of the magician *; Shares meditations, practices, and transformational techniques for each archetype *; Investigates the similarities between contemporary Western occultism, from Crowley to Chaos Magic, and the ';positive thinking' mind metaphysics movement Exploring the craftsman, warrior, and magician archetypes--three vocations that echo the traditional tripartite division of society--Angel Millar reveals how these archetypes represent the three successive stages of spiritual growth in an individual's life.

20 transformative stories and sexual healing practices from international pioneers in the sexual shamanism movement *; Reveals intimate details about how each sex shaman overcame personal struggles with heartache, jealousy, mental illness, or social shame to realize their calling as a sacred sexual healer *; Includes 20 in-depth embodiment exercises such as soul gazing, contacting your spirit guides, sexual divination, energetic sex, self-pleasuring, moon blood rituals, and sacred sexual storytelling *; Includes contributions from 20 diverse voices in the sexual shamanism community, all part of the mystery school ISTA: International School of Temple Arts Drawing on traditional and modern practices, a sex shaman uses the power of erotic energy as a healing medicine.

A classic initiatic primer for the serious magical aspirant, available now for the first time in English *; Details occult purification and preparations for the path of natural and divine magic *; Explains how initiation into the hermetic science transforms the novice not only mentally but also physically, altering even the very fluids of the body *; Offers a return to the original hermetic path of initiation, following the strict procedures and symbolism as defined in the spiritual practices of Pythagoras and his tradition The main purpose of the hermetic science, as seen by Giuliano Kremmerz (1861-1930), Italian alchemist, hermeticist, philosopher, and member of the Ur Group, is to allow the adept to concentrate on the natural and divine magic that will allow him or her to develop the latent powers innate in every human being.

An in-depth history of Rosicrucianism, its key members, and their roles in the formation and settling of America *; Explores Sir Francis Bacon and Dr.

An illustrated guide to the occult history, serpent magic, and practical application of the I Ching *; Reveals how the sacred language of the original eight trigrams of the I Ching was discovered by a wisdom serpent known as Fu Xi *; Explores how the I Ching formed the basis of the earliest Taoist philosophies, its complex correlation with human DNA, and its relationship with artificial intelligence *; Provides new contemporary analysis of each of the 64 hexagrams, their changing lines, and archetypes of the I Ching *; Includes original artwork highlighting the serpent magic within the system and tools to help you interpret the I Ching based on your own individual experience One of the oldest books in the world, the I Ching has been used in China for millennia to open a dialogue with divinity, gain insight and wisdom, and pull aside the curtain of reality to reveal the light of the heavens.

A rare look into the history, theory, and craft of the black mages and sorcerers of Russia *; Examines practical rituals and spells, the demonic pantheon, places of power, offerings and sacrifices, Hell Icons, and instructions for cemetery magic *; Provides insight into the fundamental ideology of black magic practitioners, from the universal laws of magic to the principles of morality *; Details how the Russian practice of black magic preserved ancient pagan traditions and evolved as the antithesis of Christianity Born in the Soviet Union and descended from a matrilineal line of witches, Natasha Helvin offers a rare look into the secret practices of Russian black magic, passed down from teacher to disciple for generations both orally and through their grimoires bound in black.

Learn to cultivate a traditional, beneficial relationship with the land by embracing the forgotten practices of our ancestors *; Details the ancient art of geomancy and Earth magic, including how to work with ley lines, astrology, and the four directions to honor a space and make it a place of power *; Explores the magic of the land around us and how our ancestors interacted with Earth energies and the forces of Nature *; Discusses the power of boundaries and magic circles, the proper ';feng shui' of graveyards and cemeteries, and magically powerful places such as crossroads, fairgrounds, and the mystic triangles found in ';no-man's lands' Our ancestors were deeply aware of the magical power of their local landscape, no matter where they lived.

Reveals the historical roots of the symbology of the Tarot in the Mithraic tradition of the Persian Magi and the Hermetic tradition *; Explores the Magian teachings on the Stoeicheia and how this magical alphabet was the template for the Tarot *; Explains how the sequencing of the Major Arcana is related to the images used in Mithraic initiation *; Looks at the original meanings of the Major Arcana using Mithraic symbolism, as well as the deep-level connections of the Tarot with Egypt, the Romani people, the Semitic tradition, and runes The Tarot is a mythic map of the world and of consciousness.

A practical guide to using the sacred herbs of Samhain for healing, divination, purification, protection, magic, and as tools for contacting the Spirits *; Explores the identification, harvest, and safe practical and ritual use of more than 70 plants and trees sacred to the Celtic festival of Samhain, the origin of Halloween *; Details the most effective plants for protection from the mischief of Fairies, herbs for releasing the Dead, and visionary plants for divination and shamanic work *; Provides instructions and suggestions for a traditional Dumb Supper, offerings to the Land Spirits, Samhain rites, and recipes for the sacred foods of Samhain The ancient Celts separated the year into two halves, the light half and the dark half, summer and winter.

Julius Evola's masterful overview of the political and social manifestations of our time, the "e;age of decline"e; known to the Hindus as the Kali Yuga.

With unflinching gaze and uncompromising intensity Julius Evola analyzes the spiritual and cultural malaise at the heart of Western civilization and all that passes for progress in the modern world.

A comprehensive exploration of familiars and their many forms and powers *; Explores witch's familiars in folklore, shamanic, and magical traditions around the world, including Africa, India, Scandinavia, ancient Greece, and China *; Explains how familiars are related to shamanic power animals and how the witch draws on her personal sexual energy to give this creature its power *; Examines the familiar in alchemical, Hermetic, and Egyptian magical literature, including instructions for procuring a supernatural assistant Exploring the history and creation of a ';witch's familiar,' also known as a spirit double or guardian spirit, Maja D'Aoust shows how there is much more to these supernatural servant spirits and guardians than meets the eye.

A comprehensive look at the history and practices of rural English witchcraft *; Explores witch's familiars and fetches, animal magic, and the forms of witchcraft practiced by rural tradespeople, such as blacksmiths, herbalists, and artisans *; Offers practical insight into spells, charms, folk incantations, herbal medicine practices, amulets, sigils, and tools of the craft *; Details the evolution of public perception of witchcraft throughout England's history, including the laws against witchcraft in place until the 1950s and witchcraft's contentious relationship with the Christian church In this practical guide, Nigel Pennick takes the reader on a journey through the practice of operative witchcraft in the British Isles from the Middle Ages and the Elizabethan era to the decriminalization of witchcraft in the 1950s and its practice today.

A practical guide to the ancient magical tradition of Russian sorcery and Eastern Slavic magical rites *; Offers step-by-step instructions for more than 300 spells, incantations, charms, amulets, and practical rituals for love, career success, protection, healing, divination, communicating with spirits and ancestors, and other challenges and situations *; Reveals specific places of magical power in the natural world as well as the profound power of graveyards and churches for casting spells *; Explores the folk history of this ancient magical tradition, including how the pagan gods gained new life as Eastern Orthodox saints, and shares folktales of magical beings, including sorceresses shapeshifting into animals and household objects Passed down through generations, the Slavic practice of magic, witchcraft, and sorcery is still alive and well in Russia, the Ukraine, and Belarus, as well as the Balkans and the Baltic states.

A guide to using your Enneagram personality type to understand your approach to eating, dieting, and exercise *; Shows how the Enneagram system of personality types can explain your relationship to food, emotional triggers and childhood patterns around eating, food choices, best methods for weight loss or gain, possible addictions, love (or not) for entertaining, and the right exercise method to keep you motivated *; Includes an Enneagram food-personality test and explains how understanding your Enneagram type allows you to alter your subconscious programming and become not only physically, but emotionally healthier *; Provides examples of healthy and unhealthy expressions of each personality type's relationship to food and exercise Have you ever wondered why some people seem to adore food, while others find eating simply a need?

A comprehensive guide to the history and practice of Angular Magic *; Details the development of the magical system of the Nine Angles by the Church of Satan and the Temple of Set, as well as its internal body, the Order of the Trapezoid *; Analyzes the 3 key rites of Angular Magic: Die Elektrischen Vorspiele, the Ceremony of the Nine Angles, and the Call to Cthulhu *; Explores historical influences on Angular Magic, including Pythagorean number mysticism, John Dee's Enochian magic, and the writings of H.

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.

An intimate portrait of Evola and his wartime activities that rebuts many of the Fascist pseudo-myths about him *; Traces the Baron's activities in Italy, Germany, and Austria during World War II *; Clarifies Evola's relations with Nazism and Fascism and reveals how he passionately rejected both ideologies because they were totalitarian *; Draws on personal conversations with those who knew Evola, new documentation never before made public, and letters from the Hakl and Scaligero archives Baron Giulio Cesare Andrea Evola, known to the English-speaking world as Julius Evola (18981974), was an Italian philosopher, magician, painter, occultist, Orientalist, linguist, and champion mountain climber.

Follow Aleister Crowley through his mystical travels in India, which profoundly influenced his magical system as well as the larger occult world *; Shares excerpts from Crowley's unpublished diaries and details his travels in India, Burma, and Sri Lanka from 1901 to 1906 *; Reveals how Crowley incorporated what he learned in India--jnana yoga, Vedantist, Tantric, and Buddhist philosophy--into his own school of Magick *; Explores the world of Theosophy, yogis, Hindu traditions, and the first Buddhist sangha to the West as well as the first pioneering expeditions to K2 and Kangchenjunga in 1901 and 1905 Early in life, Aleister Crowley's dissociation from fundamentalist Christianity led him toward esoteric and magical spirituality.

A collector's edition of the classic, illustrated, and comprehensive history of magic and the occult *; Written by renowned Surrealist and magic scholar Kurt Seligmann (1900-1962) *; Includes all 250 illustrations from the original 1948 edition *; Explores magical practices and beliefs from their origins in the ancient world through the heyday of secret societies in the 18th century In the occult classic The Mirror of Magic, renowned Surrealist Kurt Seligmann (1900-1962) draws from his encyclopedic practitioner's knowledge and extensive antiquarian collection to offer a comprehensive, illustrated history of magic and the occult from Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt through the 18th century.

Reveals how the art of memory is the origin of the Masonic method *; Explains the classical techniques of the art of memory, how they were reworked by hermetic thinkers during the Renaissance, and how they contributed to the transformation of operative Freemasonry into speculative Freemasonry *; Traces the creation of speculative Freemasonry to 1637, one hundred years earlier than previously thought *; Explores how the ';memory palaces' created with the art of memory enabled access to universal knowledge as well as represented the Masonic temple in its imaginary state In Antiquity, the art of memory was a mnemonic device that allowed an orator, such as Cicero, to recall all the points he wished to make by associating each of them with an image or architectural element in the site he was speaking.

Reveals the occult wisdom and multidimensional layers of meaning hidden in the Nordic Rune stones *; Explores the practice of the Uthark divination system encoded within the traditional exoteric Futhark system of reading the runes *; Traces the relationship between the rune stones and numerology, the Cabbala, alchemy, Gothicism, and sigil magic *; Examines the history of the runes and the ancient spiritual mysticism of Odin Uncovering the dark side of the Nordic rune stones hidden beneath their traditional interpretation, Swedish scholar and runologist Thomas Karlsson examines the rune work of Swedish mystic and runologist Johannes Bureus (1568-1652) and professor Sigurd Agrell (1881-1937), both of whom devoted their lives to uncovering the secret uses of rune stones concealed from all but the highest initiates.

Reveals the origins and history of the New England witch hysteria, its continuing repercussions, and the multilayered practices of today's modern witches *; Shares the stories of 13 accused witches from the New England colonies through interviews with their living descendants *; Explores the positive role witches played in rural communities until the dawn of the industrial age, despite ongoing persecution *; Includes in-depth interviews with 25 modern witchcraft practitioners, interwoven with practical information on the sacred calendar, herb lore, spells, and magical practices New England has long been associated with witches.

A comprehensive account of the rich folk culture preserved in the rural secret societies of the British Isles *; Describes the secret rites, ceremonies, and initiation rituals of guilds and rural fraternities such as the Shoemakers, Horsemen, Toadmen, Mummers, and Bonesmen *; Explains their use of masks, black face, and other disguises to avoid persecution *; Draws not only on scholarly research but also the author's personal contacts within these still living traditions Centuries ago the remote, marshy plains of eastern England--the Fens--were drained to create agricultural land.

Learn how to use the principles and practices of natural magic for personal development and spiritual empowerment *; Offers detailed descriptions of the magical properties of minerals, animals, plants, and the earth's cycles and how to use them in your own practice *; Explores the magical laws of nature and how to guide your inner energy to work in concert with cosmic energies *; Details how to design your own ceremonies, practice elemental meditations, and craft your own magical talismans, wands, and divining rods An expert on European rural folk magic traditions, author Nigel Pennick presents a comprehensive introduction to the principles, rituals, practices, and magical tools required to draw on the magic inherent in the natural world.

A practical guide to the Anglo-Saxon Futhark and how runes were used in Old England *; Examines the 33 Northumbrian runes of the Anglo-Saxon Futhark, providing the meanings, historical uses, symbolism, and related tree and plant spirits for each *; Explores geomancy divination practices, the role of sacred numbers, and the power of the eight airts, or directions *; Provides a magical history of Northumbria, as well as a look at the otherworldly beings who call these lands home, including boggarts, brownies, and dragons *; Shows how traditional spirituality is intimately tied to the landscape and the cycle of the seasons In the early Anglo-Saxon period, the region of Great Britain known as Northumbria was a kingdom in its own right.

A surrealist exploration of the marvelous in ancient, classic, and modern works from around the world *; Long considered one of the most significant and original books to have come out of the surrealist movement *; Reveals the ';marvelous' in works from William Blake, Edgar Allen Poe, William Shakespeare, Chrtien de Troyes, and Arthur Rimbaud; legends and folktales from around the world; classics from Ovid, Plato, and Apuleius; Masonic ritual texts, Mesopotamia's Epic of Gilgamesh, the Popol-Vuh, Lewis Caroll's Alice through the Looking Glass, Solomon's Song of Songs, and Goethe's Faust First published in French as Miroir du merveilleux in 1940, Mirror of the Marvelous has long been considered one of the most significant and original books to have come out of the surrealist movement and Anas Nin suggested it as a source of inspiration, far ahead of its time.

A controversial examination of the influence and presence of the Norse god Odin in contemporary history and culture *; Documents Odin's role in the rise of Nazi Germany, the 1960s counterculture revolution, nationalist and ecological political movements, and the occult revival *; Examines the spiritual influence of Odin in relation to Jesus Christ *; Profiles key individuals instrumental in the rise of the modern pagan renaissance Exploring the influence of the Norse god Odin in the modern world, Richard Rudgley reveals Odin's central role in the pagan revival and how this has fueled a wide range of cultural movements and phenomena, including Nazi Germany, the 1960s counterculture revolution, the Lord of the Rings, the ecology movement, and the occult underground.

A practical handbook to the history, exercises, and techniques of German rune work *; Explores the four traditional runic systems: the Older Futhark, the Anglo-Frisian Futhorc, the Younger Futhark, and the Armanic Futhork *; Details powerful rune work techniques and exercises, including rune yoga and dance, runic hand gestures (mudras), rune singing (mantras), runic healing, runic tantra and sex magic, rune rituals, runic divination, and the runic theory of crystals *; Examines the history of esoteric runology and the trailblazers of modern rune magic, including Guido von List, Friedrich Bernhard Marby, and Rudolf John Gorsleben Although the rune renaissance began blossoming in Anglo-American occult circles in the 1970s, the runes have been part of the occult revival in Germany since its beginning in the late 19th century, with roots that go back centuries further.

The most in-depth work in English on the most influential secret magic group of 20th-century Germany, the Fraternitas Saturni, or Brotherhood of Saturn *; Explores the history of the Order from its founding the late 1960s *; Transcribes many rituals and practices in such detail that readers will be able to undertake their own experiential work *; Examines the Order's teachings on cosmology, the Kabbalah, the Saturnian Sacraments, electrical magic, and sexual mysticism--the Yoga of the Dark Light *; Includes biographies of prominent members, including founder Gregor A.

Authentic initiatic practices, rituals, and wisdom collected by the UR Group *; Shares a rigorous selection of initiatory exercises, including instructions for creating the diaphanous body of the Opus magicum, establishing initiatic consciousness after death, and the construction of magical chains (the enchained awareness of initiates) *; Offers studies of mystery traditions throughout history, presenting not only the principles themselves but also witnesses to them and their continual validity today The ';Gruppo di UR' was a group of Italian esotericists who collaborated from 1927 to 1929.

Unveils the spiritual meaning that fueled the artistic, political, and social revolutions of the 1960s *; Investigates the spiritual principles that informed everything from the civil rights and anti-war movements, to the hippies' rejection of materialist culture, to the rise of feminism, gay rights, and environmentalism *; Reveals how medieval troubadours, Gnosticism, Renaissance hermetic magic, and the occult doctrines of Aleister Crowley helped shape the psychedelic Sixties *; Offers in-depth analysis of many of the era's most famous books, films, and music No decade in modern history has generated more controversy and divisiveness than the tumultuous 1960s.

Explores the role of magic and the occult in art and culture from ancient times to today *; Examines key figures behind esoteric cultural developments, such as Carl Jung, Anton LaVey, Paul Bowles, Aleister Crowley, and Rudolf Steiner *; Explores the history of magic as a source of genuine counter culture and compares it with our contemporary soulless, digital monoculture *; Reveals how the magic of art can be restored if art is employed as a means rather than an end and offers strategies to rekindle intuitive creativity Art, magic, and the occult have been intimately linked since our prehistoric ancestors created the first cave paintings some 50,000 years ago.

A comprehensive A-to-Z reconstruction of the oral tradition of the Rom--gypsies--based on sources never before available in English *; Presents the origin myths and magical traditions of the gypsies, including their legendary ties to Egypt, animal ancestors, and tree spirits *; Examines the three major settings of gypsy folktales--the forest, the waters, and the mountain--and shows how their world is full of spirits *; Shows how the religious concepts of the Rom testify to a profound syncretism of the pagan traditions and Christianity Although their own myths and their common name point to Egyptian origins for the gypsies, the Rom, as they call themselves, originated in India, as evidenced by studies of their language.

A tale of initiation, adventure, and romance set within the medieval Crusades*; Shares in novel form the mystical rituals and techniques of the Nizari Ismailis (the legendary Assassins) communicated to selected Knights Templar during the Crusades*; Shows how the Gnostic traditions of the Cathars and Nizaris were blended to become the core of the ';heretical' doctrines for which the Templars were later condemned*; Sheds light on the contemporary conflict between Islam and the West and offers a natural path of reconciliation between these disparate culturesSet within the dramatic tableau of the medieval Crusades, this story of initiation, adventure, and romance follows members of the Knights Templar and Assassins as they discover a mystical tradition with the potential to unify, protect, and liberate humankind--the very heresy for which the Knights Templar were later condemned.

A complete guide to the theory, practice, and history of Mazdan magic, the first organized system of magic *; Provides a complete curriculum of magical study and initiation centered on exercises keyed to the sacred Zoroastrian calendar *; Details advanced magical rituals and practices based on archaic Persian formulas, including fire rituals and divine invocations *; Explores the history and lore of Persian magic, explaining how the author reconstructed the original Mazdan system of magic Stephen Flowers explores the history, theory, practice, rituals, and initiations of the Mazdan magical system practiced by the Magi of ancient Persia, who were so skilled and famed for their effectiveness that their name came to mean what we today call ';magic.