Folklore studies / Study of myth (mythology)

A comprehensive examination of the intertwined mythology, folklore, and literary history of the little people *; Explores the pagan roots of dwarfs and elves and their evolution in myth and literature *; Reveals the role the church played in changing them from fearless, shape-shifting warriors with magical powers into cheerful helpmates and cute garden gnomes *; Traces their history from ancient Celtic and Germanic lore through their emergence in the literature of the Middle Ages to their modern popularization by the Brothers Grimm and Walt Disney Most people are familiar with the popular image of elves as Santa's helpers and dwarfs as little bearded men wearing red caps, who are mischievous and playful, helpful and sly, industrious and dexterous.

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 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.

An in-depth collection of ancient spells and magic practices drawn from rare and newly discovered texts *; Presents more than 600 magical prescriptions for healing and protection from both pagan and Christian sources *; Examines the practice of diagnosing illness through magic and explores ancient beliefs about curses and other evil spells and about devils, demons, and ghosts *; Includes spells from the heavily guarded gypsy tradition of magic and healing, drawn from newly discovered materials Since the beginning of history, people have sought remedies for the many ills that have beset them, from illnesses afflicting the body to threats posed by evil and hostile individuals.

A comprehensive examination of the historical and mythological evidence for every major theory about King Arthur*; Explores the history of every Arthur candidate and the geographical arguments that have placed him in different locations*; Examines 1,800 years of evidence for Arthur's life and the famous series of 12 battles fought against the Saxons in the 6th century*; Reconstructs the history of the 6th century in Britain, when the first references to Arthur and the core events of his reign appearFew legends have had the enduring influence of those surrounding King Arthur.

A thorough reference to the many deities, magical beings, mythical places, and ancient customs of the Norse and Germanic regions of Europe *; Explores the legends and origins of well-known gods and figures such as Odin, Thor, Krampus, and the Valkyries, as well as a broad range of magical beings such as the Elf King, the Lorelei, the Perchten, dwarves, trolls, and giants *; Draws upon a wealth of well-known and rare sources, such as the Poetic Edda and The Deeds of the Danes by Saxo Grammaticus *; Examines folktales, myths, and magical beliefs from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, and England The legends of the Norse and Germanic regions of Europe--spanning from Germany and Austria across Scandinavia to Iceland and England--include a broad range of mythical characters and places, from Odin and Thor, to berserkers and Valhalla, to the Valkyries and Krampus.

Identifies the patterns of our planet's design within the natural landscape *; Explains the geometry inherent in the mountains and coasts on all continents *; Reveals how ancient monuments were built to reflect and enhance the Earth's design, often connecting sites around the world *; Includes detailed maps that show the simple geometrical relationships among the world's mountains, coastlines, islands, and ancient monuments From continent to continent across the globe, Mark Vidler and Catherine Young reveal that order is everywhere on Earth.

Discover the untamed paganism of the Vikings and the Germanic tribes prior to the complete Christianization of Europe *; Explores the different forms of magic practiced by these tribes, including runic magic, necromancy (death magic), soul-travel, and shape-shifting *; Examines their rites of passage and initiation rituals and their most important gods, such as Odin, Loki, and Thor *; Looks at barbarian magic in historical accounts, church and assembly records, and mythology as well as an eyewitness report from a 10th-century Muslim diplomat *; Reveals the use and abuse of this tradition's myths and magic by the Nazis Before the conversion of Europe to Christianity in the Middle Ages, Germanic tribes roamed the continent, plundering villages and waging battles to seek the favor of Odin, their god of war, ecstasy, and magic.

An exploration of the wild spirits that once roamed the lands and inhabited the waters and the pagan rites used to gain their good will *; Explores medieval stories and folk traditions of brownies, fairies, giants, dragons, will-o'-the-wisps, and demons *; Explains the specific rites performed to negotiate with the local spirits and ensure their permission before building on new land *; Shows how these beliefs carried through to modern times, especially in architecture Our pagan ancestors knew that every forest has brownies and fairies, every spring its lady, and every river malevolent beings in its depths.

Explains the relevance of ancient myths to the awakening to higher states of consciousness and enlivened experience of the world *; Shows how higher consciousness can arise within each of us by following the guidance found in ancient myths *; Reveals how myths influence our personal development without our awareness through their influence on our core values and culture *; Examines ancient Sumerian, Egyptian, Babylonian, and Hebrew myths, such as the Epic of Gilgamesh and the story of Osiris and Isis In this study of ancient Sumerian, Egyptian, Babylonian, and Hebrew myths, authors Lloyd M.

A practical guide to the magical history, customs, and practices of pre-Christian Northern Europe *; Details the everyday magic of the Northern Tradition, including household magic, protection spells, and the significance of the days of the week *; Explores direct natural magic, such as shapeshifting and soul travel, and talismanic or sigil magic, including runes and rituals to unlock the power of crafted objects *; Explains how many of these customs continue to the present day In the pre-Christian societies of Northern Europe, magic was embedded in the practical skills of everyday life.

Examines how the ancient customs of constructing and keeping a house formed a sacred bond between homes and their inhabitants *; Shares many tales of house spirits, from cajoling the local land spirit into becoming one's house spirit to the good and bad luck bestowed by mischievous house elves *; Explains the meaning behind door and window placement, house orientation, horsehead gables, the fireplace or hearth, and the threshold *; Reveals the charms, chants, prayers, and building practices used by our ancestors to bestow happiness and prosperity upon their homes and their occupants Why do we hang horseshoes for good luck or place wreaths on our doors?

An exploration of the many forms of the ancient myth of the Wild Hunt and its influence in pagan and early Christian Europe *; Recounts the myriad variations of this legend, from the Cursed Huntsman and King Herla to phantom armies and vast processions of sinners and demons *; Explains how this belief was an integral part of the pagan worldview and was thus employed by the church to spread Christian doctrine *; Reveals how the secret societies of medieval Europe reenacted these ghostly processions for soul travel and prophecies of impending death Once upon a time a phenomenon existed in medieval Europe that continuously fueled local lore: during the long winter nights a strange and unknown troop could be heard passing outside over the land or through the air.

A look at the close resemblance between the creation and structure of matter in both Dogon mythology and modern science *; Reveals striking similarities between Dogon symbols and those used in both the Egyptian and Hebrew religions *; Demonstrates the parallels between Dogon mythical narratives and scientific concepts from atomic theory to quantum theory and string theory The Dogon people of Mali, West Africa, are famous for their unique art and advanced cosmology.

A comprehensive and practical guide to the ancient oracle based on the runic alphabet of the Norse*; Reveals the symbolism and divinatory significance of the 24 rune "e;staves"e;*; Provides clear instructions on how to craft your own rune stones*; Explains the role of runes in the Norse wisdom tradition and its influence on such works as Tolkien's Lord of the RingsNordic runes are a potent and profoundly transformative magic system that gives contemporary readers access to the ancient wisdom tradition of Northern European cultures.

The profound influence of ancient cosmologies on our ideas about the human spirit *; Shows how ancient myths contain a sophisticated understanding of our relationship to the cosmos, derived from thousands of years of observation of the night sky *; Explains how ideas of the mind and spirit are still entwined with these ancient cosmologies despite the disruptive effects of modern astronomy *; Reveals how ancient ideas and contemporary cosmology might be combined into a new model for spiritual meaning Thousands of years before the first written records, humans were turning to the night sky as a source of meaning for existence and their place within it.

An in-depth look at the history, herbal uses, and spiritual aspects of the sacred trees in the ancient Celtic Ogham Tree Alphabet *; Details the 20 trees of the ogham alphabet and their therapeutic and magical virtues *; Examines the Forest Druid practices associated with each tree as well as the traditional uses in Native American medicine *; Describes the Celtic Fire Festivals and how each tree is featured in these holy days *; By the author of A Druid's Herbal for the Sacred Earth YearThe Druids used the ancient Ogham Tree Alphabet to work magic and honor the dead, surrounding each letter with medicinal and spiritual lore.

A look at the forgotten ancestors of the modern-day vampire, many of which have very different characteristics *; Looks at the many ancestoral forms of the modern vampire, including shroud eaters, appesarts, and stafi *; Presents evidence for the reality of this phenomenon from pre-19th-century newspaper articles and judicial records Of all forms taken by the undead, the vampire wields the most powerful pull on the modern imagination.

How the ghost stories of pagan times reveal the seamless union existing between the world of the living and the afterlife *; Demonstrates how Medieval Christianity transformed the more corporeal ghost encountered in pagan cultures with the disembodied form known today *; Explains how the returning dead were once viewed as either troublemakers or guarantors of the social order The impermeable border the modern world sees existing between the world of the living and the afterlife was not visible to our ancestors.

Reveals the true nature of medieval belief in the Double of the Soul *; Demonstrates the survival of a pagan belief that each individual owns three souls, including a double that can journey outside the physical body *; Explains the nature of death and the Other World hidden beneath the monsters and superstitions in stories from the Middle Ages Monsters, werewolves, witches, and fairies remain a strong presence in our stories and dreams.

Filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky's insights into the Tarot as a spiritual path *; Works with the original Marseille Tarot to reveal the roots of Western wisdom *; Provides the key to the symbolic language of the Tarot's ';nomadic cathedral' *; Transforms a simple divination tool into a vehicle for self-realization and healing Alejandro Jodorowsky's profound study of the Tarot, which began in the early 1950s, reveals it to be far more than a simple divination device.

An introduction to the ancient kabbalistic origins and meanings of the tarot *; Reveals the intimate relationship of the tarot to the esoteric teachings of the Torah and the Kabbalah*; Provides kabbalistic interpretations for all 78 traditional tarot cards*; Includes a detailed kabbalistic reading and interpretation of the Tree of Life spreadWhen the Greeks invaded Israel and forbade study of the Torah, the Jewish people began a secret method of Toranic study that appeared to be merely a simple way to fill time: playing cards.

A detailed interpretive guide to the 16 ';face' cards of the tarot that reveals their core identities and special purpose in a person's life.

An exploration of 99 classic myths of India from an entirely non-Western paradigm that provides a fresh understanding of the Hindu spiritual landscape*; Compares and contrasts Indian mythology with the stories of the Bible, ancient Egypt, Greece, Scandinavia, and Mesopotamia*; Looks at the evolution of Indian narratives and their interpretations over the millennia*; Demonstrates how the mythology, rituals, and art of ancient India are still vibrant today and inform the contemporary generationFrom the blood-letting Kali to the mysterious Ganesha, the Hindu spiritual landscape is populated by characters that find no parallel in the Western spiritual world.

The first and only complete guide to tarot interpretation written specifically for teens.

Shares the spiritual wisdom of Rastafari through the stories, teachings, and traditions of practicing Rastas in Jamaica *; Includes the author's interviews with bush doctors, healers, and Rastafarians gathered during his 15 years of living in Jamaica *; Reveals the old ways of the Rastafarians and how their beliefs form an unbroken lineage tracing back to King Solomon *; Explains the connection of Rasta beliefs to important biblical passages Tracing their lineage back to King Solomon--the wisest man who ever lived--Rastafarians follow a spiritual tradition of peace and meditation that is more a way of life than an organized religion.

The first book to present the true identity of the mythic figure Merlin*; Uncovers historical evidence that the legend of Merlin was based on the life of a real man*; Reveals that Avalon, Merlin's final resting place, was an island in the United StatesThe legendary figure Merlin is known throughout the world as the wizard of Camelot who was counselor to King Arthur and helped that monarch create the Round Table.

An in-depth look at the therapeutic and transformative powers of storytelling in Native American and other cultures*; Explores how to create a healing state of mind using stories*; Includes healing stories from Native American traditions and other cultures from around the world*; By the author of the bestselling Coyote MedicineStories are powerful sources of meaning that shape and transform our lives.

The ancient origins and divinatory power of the runes *; Uncovers the original divinatory meaning of each rune through the myths of its corresponding Norse god or goddess *; Includes beautiful full-color illustrations of the runic gods and goddesses *; Presents rune-casting spreads for divination and character analysis *; Explores the controversial history of runes from the Paleolithic Stone Age to today Invented long before the appearance of the runic alphabet Futhark less than two thousand years ago, the runes were originally created as symbols for specific deities.

Reveals how humanity's first advanced culture originated in the Altai-Baikal region of southern Siberia *; Explores how this prehistoric culture is the source of the pervasive mythic symbolism of the number 7, found in ancient cosmologies and myths around the world *; Traces the Altaic influence on the Rishis of India, the creation of the Vedas, and the origin of the sacred legend of Mount Meru *; Explains how the Hellenic cults of both Apollo and Artemis originated in southern Siberia as well as the pervasive bear symbolism found throughout the ancient world Myths of a Golden Age, a paradise at the beginning of human existence, are nearly universal in all cultures.

Based on the Netflix original animated film, this 2-color book retells the story of Over the Moon and includes original concept art!

From Carolyn Turgeon, editor in chief of Enchanted Living and author of The Faerie Handbook and The Mermaid Handbook, comes this exquisitely illustrated and beautifully designed lifestyle compendium, a complete guide to the world of unicorns covering fashion and beauty; arts and culture; and home, food, and entertaining with step-by-step crafts and recipes.

Answer the enchanting siren call of the mermaid with this comprehensive, lavishly illustrated and intricately designed one-of-a-kind lifestyle compendium from the editor in chief of Faerie Magazine and author of The Faerie Handbook and globally published novel Mermaid, packed with lore, legends, facts and trivia, beautiful illustrations, and numerous step-by-step projects and recipes.

This exquisite anthology welcomes you into an enchanted realm rich with myth, mystery, romance, and abounding natural beauty.

This classic exploration of the Goddess through time and throughout the world draws on religious, cultural, and archaeological sources to recreate the Goddess religion that is humanitys heritage.

The bestselling, widely heralded, Jungian introduction to the psychological foundation of a mature, authentic, and revitalized masculinity.

A comprehensive collection of creation stories ranging across widely varying times and cultures, including Ancient Egyptian, African, and Native American.

'A coming-of-age story filled with magic in language and plot: beautiful and devastating'Observer, Books of the Year'I felt consumed by this book.

Modern fairy tales of magic, outsiders and lost souls.

'Wondering and wonderful.

"e;Marvelously wise and expansive.

DISCOVER MULTI-MILLION-COPY BESTSELLING BOOK THAT TURNED HISTORY ON ITS HEAD Arresting and audacious Daily MailPart intellectual detective story, part history book, Fingerprints of the Gods directs probing questions at orthodox history, presenting disturbing new evidence that historians have tried - but failed - to explain.

In books lauded as brilliant, exhilarating and profound, Roberto Calasso has revealed the unexpected intersections of ancient and modern through topics ranging from Greek and Indian mythology to what a legendary African kingdom can tell us about the French Revolution.

Tales of enlightenment that stem from the centuries-old oral Tibetan tradition, collected by one of the foremost American Buddhist teachers and scholars.

The first in a four book series introducing the Rigante tribe, filled to the brim with epic and heroic battles, and mixing the intriguing worlds of Celtic Myth and ancient Earth Magic from the Sunday Times bestselling author David Gemmell.

If you like Bernard Cornwell and Conn Iggulden, you will love this second book in THE SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author Manda Scott's epic retelling of the story of Britain's great warrior queen.

From THE SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author Manda Scott, this the first instalment of a brilliantly imagined epic series that will leave you desperate for more.

STEP INTO ANOTHER WORLD - OF MAGIC, MAYHEM, MONSTERS AND MANIACAL GODS - IN STEPHEN FRY'S MOMENTOUS SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, MYTHOS'A romp through the lives of ancient Greek gods.

A diverse new anthology that traces the meaning and magic of the sorcerer's apprentice tale throughout history"e;The Sorcerer's Apprentice"e; might conjure up images of Mickey Mouse from the Disney film Fantasia, or of Harry Potter.

A richly nuanced cultural history of an enigmatic and controversial folktalePerhaps the best-known version of the tar baby story was published in 1880 by Joel Chandler Harris in Uncle Remus: His Songs and His Sayings, and popularized in Song of the South, the 1946 Disney movie.