The Triumph of the Moon is the first full-scale study of the only religion England has ever given the world--modern pagan witchcraft, otherwise known as wicca. Meticulously researched, it provides a thorough account of an ancient religion that has spread from English shores across four continents. For centuries, pagan witchcraft has been linked with chilling images of blood rituals, ghostlike druids, and even human sacrifices. But while Robert Hutton explores this dark side of witchery, he stresses the positive, reminding us that devotion to art, the natural world, femininity, and the classical deities are also central to the practice of wicca. Indeed, the author shows how leading figures in English literature--W.B. Yeats, D.H. Lawrence, and Robert Graves, just to name a few--celebrated these positive aspects of the religion in their work, thereby softening the public perception of witchcraft in Victorian England. From cunning village folk to freemasons and from high magic to the black arts, Hutton chronicles the fascinating process by which actual wiccan practices evolved into what is now a viable modern religion. He also presents compelling biographies of wicca's principal figures, such as Gerald Gardner, who was inducted into a witch coven at the age of 53, and recorded many clandestine rituals and beliefs. Ronald Hutton is known for his colorful, provocative, and always thoroughly researched studies on original subjects. This work is no exception. It will appeal to anyone interested in witchcraft, paganism and alternative religions.

    This distinctive book and deck of 52 beautifully illustrated cards celebrate the many faces of the Goddess as she has been worshipped around the world since the beginning of time. 52 cards Book is 208 pp, b&w illus., pb. Not sold separately.

    Mystics have studied the energies associated with names for centuries, but The Hidden Truth of Your Name is the first book to synthesize their fascinating findings into one compelling resource--offering in-depth profiles of 750 American names. Created by a team of linguistic experts and specialists, this beguiling reference guides you through the illuminating intricacies of three ancient systems of divination--and shows you how to apply them to create a subtly nuanced portrait of any name you choose.- KABBALAH--This ancient Hebrew system of letter-and-number analysis helps you discover what the mathematics of your name adds up to in terms of work, relationships, and spiritual energies.- THE RUNES--The letters of this old northern European alphabet, for centuries an honored source of religious and magical values, open surprising windows to self-discovery and change.- NUMEROLOGY--The key numbers of your name contain potent truths about the positive and negative aspects of your true nature--and your destiny.Complete with the principle colors, gemstones, and herbs that harmonize with each name, this delightfully accessible book at last gives you the means to uncover the hidden truth and unique traits of your name.

    Everyday Magic updates the ancient arts to fit your busy lifestyle. It promotes the use of modern convenience items as viable magical tools, and it incorporates the use of easy-to-find spell ingredients--most of which are already in your kitchen cabinet. It discusses the items and forces that boost magical work, as well as offering a multitude of time-saving tips and a large assortment of recipes for creating your own incenses, potions, and powders. More than 300 spells and rituals cover the everyday concerns of the modern practitioner.Set your spell into motion and speed up the results with "magical boosters" Magnify your focused intent and energy flow with herbs, flowers, trees, and stones Learn how to perform ancient arts with modern tools: your coffee maker, blender and crock pot Make your own magical powders, sachets, bath salts, potpourris, incenses and oils Discover the secret to success in magical workings Practical spells for more than 300 purposes 1999 COVR Award Winner

    Anyone caught by surprise in the open fields or depths of the woods would see a bizarre procession of demons, giants, hounds, ladies of the night, soldiers, and knights, some covered in blood and others carrying their heads beneath their arms. This was the Wild or Infernal Hunt, the host of the damned, the phantom army of the night--a theme that still inspires poets, writers, and painters to this day. Millennia older than Christianity, this pagan belief was employed by the church to spread their doctrine, with the shapeshifters' and giants of the pagan nightly processions becoming sinners led by demons seeking out unwary souls to add to their retinues. Myth or legend, it represents a belief that has deep roots in Europe, particularly Celtic and Scandinavian countries. The first scholar to fully examine this myth in each of its myriad forms, Claude Lecouteux strips away the Christian gloss and shows how the Wild Hunt was an integral part of the pagan worldview and the structure of their societies. Additionally, he looks at how secret societies of medieval Europe reenacted these ghostly processions through cult rituals culminating in masquerades and carnival-like cavalcades often associated with astral doubles, visions of the afterlife, belief in multiple souls, and prophecies of impending death. He reveals how the nearly infinite variations of this myth are a still living, evolving tradition that offers us a window into the world in which our ancestors lived.

    

    

    Helps the reader experience the actual mindset of the shaman.Presents a cohesive view of the recurrent patterns of symbolism and visionary experience that underlie all religion.The human psyche contains archetypal patterns largely lost to contemporary society but which shamans have employed for over 30,000 years to gain access to the spiritual world. Shamanic symbols both affect and reflect these durative patterns that exist, with uncanny similarity, in civilizations separated by expanses of time and distance. The Strong Eye of Shamanism draws together the many facets of the art of shamanism, presenting a cohesive view of the recurrent patterns of symbolism and visionary experience that underlie its practice. The "strong eye" of the title refers to the archetypal symbolism that sits at the foundation of all human life--whether in Paleolithic caves or today's temples. The author asserts that society has become separated from the power of those symbols that lead us into deeper understanding of our spirituality. In today's world of splintered psyches, a world in which people are in search of their souls, shamanism survives as an age-old technology of soul recovery, a living Rosetta stone that reminds us of the shared foundation that exists beneath even the most radically different perspectives. Through its study of shamanism, archetypal psychology, and symbolism, The Strong Eye of Shamanism encourages individuals--and society--to look inward and remember that the deepest forms of awareness begin with the knowledge that the answers reside within us.

    

    In this book, two shamanic teachers provide the keys to realizing our full potential and help direct the journey to soul consciousness.

    Be inspired by the myth, magic and wisdom of trees This gift edition of Tree Wisdom is a beautifully illustrated pocket book that explores the world of trees.

    In addition, you'll find recipes designed for each holiday, spellwork for different seasons of the year, and ceremonies for such Pagan-oriented days as the Feast of the Fallen Warriors, Lupercalia, and Kamehameha Day.

    Here are the tools you need to understand yourself better, find your ideal partner, reach your true potential, enjoy happy and satisfying relationships, and even predict the future! Try this easy-to-use guide that includes comprehensive charts to enable you to quickly identify astrological information needed to get started. As you journey through the fascinating world of astrological knowledge you will: * examine the secrets of your Sun sign--the Zodiac sign that you are accustomed to checking in the newspaper--including what it says about your outlook on home, clothes, cars, food, money, career, and love * investigate the hidden side of your personality by seeing how the magic of your Moon sign makes you different from the other people with whom you share your Sun sign * plot a personal horoscope on your own "Wheel of Destiny" and use it to evaluate your love life and to predict the future * evaluate the astro-compatibility between yourself and your partner by testing your romantic rapport, emotional balance, physical attraction, and sexual compatibility * once you've discovered the remarkable insights astrology offers, you'll enjoy delving into your own personality as well as those of the people close to you. But be forewarned, you may be surprised by what you uncover! Internationally renowned astrologer Jonathan Cainer is the resident astrologer for numerous publications in Great Britain, Australia, and the United States where he writes for the magazine First for Women.

    This happened overall in Europe, the Baltic experience is unique in that the changes occurred later. Many centuries later. As a result, in Baltic cultures the evidence of the pagan foundation can be discerned more clearly.This book presents a collection of articles, which outline the structure of the Baltic religious systems, and describes the holidays that grew out of it. In a final section it is shown that in the Baltic lands the ancient religions have not vanished entirely. They have re-appeared in interesting forms and again assert their influences.

    One of the most interesting parts of the book is her recollections of her friendships with occultists and witches such as William Gray, R. J. Stewart, Ray Bone, Ruth Wynn-Owen, and, of course, Gerald Gardner.