Book picks similar to
The Witch's Garden by Harold A. Hansen


want
herbalism
glossyloopholes
womens-history

A Daughter’s Return


Josephine Cox - 2021
    When she moves to Guisethorpe on the east coast of England, the townsfolk are intrigued by the glamorous and mysterious stranger, with her flame-red hair and abrupt manners.Florence doesn’t care about the gossips – she’s drawn to the peaceful seaside town by the pull of her childhood, when she lived for a brief but happy time with her beloved late mother. The riddle of those days remains and now Florence can only snatch at half-remembered memories and shadowy figures in her dreams.As Florence is reluctantly drawn into the lives of her new neighbours, the layers of her own life are revealed, though it’s clear not everyone wishes her well. Far from finding peace, Florence has found instead turmoil and secrets. Can she put the pieces of her past together, or will it remain a closed book forever…?

Hellebore #1: The Sacrifice Issue


Maria J. Pérez CuervoPaul Watson - 2019
    Associated with the water element, it is known for opening up portals to the Underworld and the subconscious.Hellebore is a collection of writings and essays devoted to British folk horror and the themes that inspire it: folklore, myth, history, archaeology, psychogeography, witches & the occult.The Sacrifice issue examines the role of human sacrifice in folk horror. From The Wicker Man to Blood on Satan's Claw. Delve into a world of witchcraft, megalithic monuments, and pagan survivals in hidden rural areas.Featuring words by Ronald Hutton, Katy Soar, Verity Holloway, David Southwell (Hookland), Dee Dee Chainey, Mercedes Miller, John Reppion, and Maria J. Pérez Cuervo. Artwork by Paul Watson and Eli John.

In the Heart of the Garden


Helene Wiggin - 1998
    She is unaware that around every corner myriad family secrets from the past unfold. From a Saxon clearing to a monastery, Tudor dwelling to the present day, this sacred plot has nurtured her ancestors. Generations of Bagshott women have found refuge and solace tending it through years of plague, civil war and beyond. This is their story.

Signs, Symbols & Omens: An Illustrated Guide to Magical & Spiritual Symbolism


Raymond Buckland - 2003
    From traffic signs to the very letters that comprise these words, symbols are woven into every aspect of daily life. Since prehistoric times humans have used symbolic representation to communicate with each other and with the divine.In Signs, Symbols & Omens, leading occult authority Ray Buckland describes the form and meaning of over 800 symbols from ancient and modern religions, magical traditions, and indigenous cultures around the world:Alchemy Ancient Egypt Astrology Australian Aborigines Aztec and Mayan Buddhist Celtic Ceremonial Magic Chinese Christian Freemasonry Gnostic Greek and Roman Hindu Islamic Judaic Magical Alphabets Native American Norse Rosicrucian Runic Shinto Sikh Travelers Voudoun Witchcraft Omens Understand the symbols used throughout human history and gain a deeper appreciation for the depth of the human experience and the vast uncharted realm of the collective unconscious.

America, but Better: The Canada Party Manifesto


Chris Cannon - 2012
    citizens are looking for a new leader. That leader is Canada, and they want your vote for president of the United States.Since launching their video campaign in January, the Canada Party has gone viral, with almost a million hits on YouTube and coverage ranging from CNN and the BBC to the Huffington Post and German State Television. Their new book, America, but Better: the Canada Party Manifesto, balances the doctrine of American exceptionalism with a dose of Canadian humility and common sense in an effort to secure Canada as the new leader of the free world, by proxy.Their promises: One gay couple will be allowed to marry for every straight couple that gets divorced. The phrase "job creators" will be changed to "job creationists," and they will be given seven days to actually create some. Corporations will still be people, but if they can't provide a birth certificate they will be legally obligated to care for your lawn. Corners will be installed in the Oval Office, and timeouts given to congressmen who can't play nice.Devoted to restoring America to its former glory, the Canada Party will soon have the whole world chanting, "Yes We Canada."

Love Magic


Laurie Cabot - 1992
    You don't have to be a Witch to use Love Magic. This enlightening book--a rich treasury of spells for men, women, and couples to attract, enhance, or end relationships--addresses both the novice and the experienced magic worker. Following an inspiring and informative overview on the meaning of love magic and on the craft of performing it, Love Magic offers an extensive array of rituals to bring warmth, affection, pleasure, and passion into your life and the lives of others. Told in Laurie Cabot's friendly voice and reflecting her many years of experience as a Witch, Love Magic promotes magic for the good of all and the harm of none, so readers can't hurt their chances at love, only increase them.

Hoodoo For Beginners: Working Magic Spells in Rootwork and Conjure with Roots, Herbs, Candles, and Oils (Hoodoo for Life Book 1)


Angelie Belard - 2020
    

The Tradition of Household Spirits: Ancestral Lore and Practices


Claude Lecouteux - 2000
    They show that a house is more than a building: it is a living being with a body and soul. Examining the extensive traditions surrounding houses from medieval times to the present, Claude Lecouteux reveals that, before we entered the current era of frequent moves and modular housing, moving largely from the countryside into cities, humanity had an extremely sacred relationship with their homes and all the spirits who lived there alongside them--from the spirit of the house itself to the mischievous elves, fairies, and imps who visited, invited or not. He shows how every aspect of constructing and keeping a house involved rites, ceremony, customs, and taboos to appease the spirits, including the choice of a building lot and the very materials with which it was built. Uncovering the lost meaning behind door and window placement, the hearth, and the threshold, Lecouteux shares many tales of house spirits, from the offerings used to cajole the local land spirit into becoming the domestic house spirit to the good and bad luck bestowed upon those who seek the help of the “Little Money Man.” He draws on studies and classic literature from old Europe--from Celtic lands and Scandinavia to France and Germany to the far eastern borders of Europe and into Russia--to explain the pagan roots behind many of these traditions. Revealing our ancestors’ charms, prayers, and practices to bestow happiness and prosperity upon their homes, Lecouteux shows that we can invite the spirits back into our houses, old or new, and restore the sacred bond between home and inhabitant.

Grimoires: A History of Magic Books


Owen Davies - 2009
    In Grimoires: A History of Magic Books, Owen Davies illuminates the many fascinating forms these recondite books have taken and exactly what these books held. At their most benign, these repositories of forbidden knowledge revealed how to make powerful talismans and protective amulets, and provided charms and conjurations for healing illness, finding love, and warding off evil. But other books promised the power to control innocent victims, even to call up the devil. Davies traces the history of this remarkably resilient and adaptable genre, from the ancient Middle East to modern America, offering a new perspective on the fundamental developments of western civilization over the past two thousand years. Grimoires shows the influence magic and magical writing has had on the cultures of the world, richly demonstrating the role they have played in the spread of Christianity, the growth of literacy, and the influence of western traditions from colonial times to the present.

The Complete Medicinal Herbal: A Practical Guide to the Healing Properties of Herbs, with More Than 250 Remedies for Common Ailments


Penelope Ody - 1993
    35,000 first printing.

Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide


Rosemary Gladstar - 2012
    With Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide, Gladstar offers a fresh introduction for a new generation of gardeners and natural health and self-sufficiency enthusiasts.Thirty-three of the most common and versatile healing plants are profiled in depth to get the budding herbalist off on the right foot. Readers will learn how to grow, harvest, prepare, and use each herb. Step-by-step instructions explain how to prepare herbal teas, salves, syrups, tinctures, oils, and liniments to stock the home medicine chest. Simple recipes explore each plant's healing qualities - aloe lotion for poison ivy, dandelion-burdock tincture for sluggish digestion, and lavender-lemon balm tea for stress relief. Gladstar shows how easy it is to make safe, all-natural, low-cost healing remedies for common ailments.

Southern Folk Medicine: Healing Traditions from the Appalachian Fields and Forests


Phyllis D. Light - 2018
    One of the system's last active practitioners, Phyllis D. Light has studied and worked with herbs, foods, and other healing techniques for more than thirty years. In everyday language, she explains how Southern and Appalachian Folk Medicine was passed down orally through the generations by herbalists and healers who cared for people in their communities with the natural tools on hand. Several cultural and healing traditions merged together over a period of time to create Southern Folk Medicine, which draws from the medicine systems of the Greeks (humoral system, astrology), Native Americans (indigenous plant use, spiritual traditions, elements), African (spiritual traditions, foods), and the folk medicine of the British Isles (elements, humors, superstitions, herbs). Light shows that this is not a forgotten system, but an active, viable approach to herbalism that is readily understood and easily put into practice.  A fourth-generation herbalist and healer, the author began her studies in the deep woods of North Alabama with lessons from her grandmother, whose knowledge had its roots in her Creek/Cherokee heritage. Light continued as an apprentice with the late Tommie Bass, a nationally renowned folk herbalist, as well as other herbal Elders throughout the Appalachians and the Deep South. Light's extensive knowledge and experience informs her explanation of the Southern Blood Types, which is different from any other indigenous system. The four elements and four tastes form the energetic foundation of the principles and practices, which recognize each individual's uniqueness and the fact that people with the same disorder might have totally different symptoms and therefore might there need totally different herbal remedies. Not only an elucidating description of Southern Folk Medicine, but also a fascinating account of how a healthcare system evolved to meet the needs of the people of this country, this book presents a comprehensive look at a uniquely American concept of healing based on self-care and personal responsibility.

The Magic of Marie Laveau: Embracing the Spiritual Legacy of the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans


Denise Alvarado - 2020
    She is the subject of songs, films, and legends and the star of New Orleans ghost tours. Her grave in New Orleans ranks among the most popular spiritual pilgrimages in the US. Devotees venerate votive images of Laveau, who proclaimed herself the “Pope of Voodoo.” She is the subject of respected historical biographies and the inspiration for novels by Francine Prose and Jewell Parker Rhodes. She even appears in Marvel Comics and on the television show American Horror Story: Coven, where she was portrayed by Angela Bassett.Author Denise Alvarado explores Marie Laveau’s life and work—the fascinating history and mystery. This book gives an overview of New Orleans Voodoo, its origins, history, and practices. It contains spells, prayers, rituals, recipes, and instructions for constructing New Orleans voodoo-style altars and crafting a voodoo amulet known as a gris-gris.

Uncle John's Gigantic Bathroom Reader (Uncle John's Bathroom Reader #10 & 12)


Bathroom Readers' Institute - 2006
    Make that pretty huge. No, wait--it's GIGANTIC! Presenting Uncle John's Gigantic Bathroom Reader, featuring two of our best-selling and hard-to-find titles: Uncle John's Absolutely Absorbing Bathroom Reader and Uncle John's Giant 10th Anniversary Bathroom Reader, now bound together in this omnibus hardcover edition for your reading pleasure. Tipping the scales at more than 700 pages, this massive missive is guaranteed to boost your IQ! Packed with fun facts, tantalizing tidbits, and intriguing information, this is no book for the faint of heart. This gigantic volume has it all: entertainment, humor, forgotten history, science, origins of everyday things, strange lawsuits, and a great big pile of pop culture. So don't go to your throne alone -- take Uncle John with you!

Wicca Basics: Part 1


James Aten - 2014
    It's designed to give you a solid idea of what Wicca is about & an excellent base from which to practice spells, meditation, chakra balancing and much more.