In the past 500 years, millions of people have faced persecution, torture, and even death after being accused of practicing Witchcraft. For many people the word "Witch" still conjures up images of secret spells and diabolical midnight rituals. So what exactly is Witchcraft (also called Wica or Wicca), and how did it evolve into one of today's fastest-growing religions? "Witchcraft From the Inside "presents the history of Witchcraft—from its roots in ancient fertility religions, to the madness of the "Malleus Maleficarum" and the European Witch trials, to the growth of modern Wicca in Britain and the United States. Essays contributed by leading Wiccan authorities explore the present state of Wicca and provide a glimpse into the future of this peaceful nature religion. Author Ray Buckland studied Witchcraft under Gerald Gardner, the man largely credited for the revival of Witchcraft and the establishment of Wicca as a modern religion. Mr. Buckland was instrumental in bringing Gardnerian Witchcraft from England to the United States and is considered to be one of the leading American authorities on Witchcraft. In the following excerpt, Mr. Buckland explains the mundane truths behind the seemingly horrific ingredients of the legendary "witches' brews." We know, from Shakespeare and other sources, that the Witches threw into their pots the most gruesome ingredients, right? There were things like the tongue of a snake, bloody fingers, catgut, donkey's eyes, frog's foot, goat's beard, a Jew's ear, mouse tail, snake head, swine snout, wolf's foot, and so on. Pretty disgusting by the sound of it—if you take them at face value! In fact these were all the most innocuous of ingredients: normal plants and herbs. Today all plants have a Latin name, so that they may be distinct and positively identified. Yet years ago they were known only by common, local names. A plant or herb might be known by one name in one part of the country and a quite different name in another part of the country. And these names were colorful ones, frequently given to the plant because of its looks, color, or other attributes. In the above list, adder's tongue was a name given to the dogtooth violet ("Erythronium americanum"); bloody fingers was the foxglove ("Digitalis purpurea"); catgut was the hoary pea ("Tephrosia virginiana"); donkey's eyes were the seeds of the cowage plant ("Mucuna pruriens"); frog's foot was the bulbous buttercup ("Ranunculus bulbosus"); goat's beard was the vegetable oyster ("Tragopogon porrofolius"); Jew's ear was a fungus that grew on elder trees and elm trees ("Peziza auricula"); mouse tail was common stonecrop ("Sedum acre"); snake head was balmony ("Chelone glabra"); swine snout was the dandelion ("Taraxacum dens leonis"); and wolf's foot was bugle weed ("Lycopus virginicus"). So the seemingly fearsome concoctions that the Witches mixed up in their cauldrons were nothing more than simple herbs going into a cookpot!

    Living in the first part of the eighteenth century in Podolia and Wolhynia, the Baal-Shem braved scorn and rejection from the rabbinical establishment and attracted followers from among the common people, the poor, and the mystically inclined. Here Buber offers a sensitive and intuitive account of Hasidism, followed by twenty stories about the life of the Baal-Shem. This book is the earliest and one of the most delightful of Buber's seven volumes on Hasidism and can be read not only as a collection of myth but as a key to understanding the central theme of Buber's thought: the I-Thou, or dialogical, relationship.All positive religion rests on an enormous simplification of the manifold and wildly engulfing forces that invade us: it is the subduing of the fullness of existence. All myth, in contrast, is the expression of the fullness of existence, its image, its sign; it drinks incessantly from the gushing fountains of life.--Martin Buber, from the introduction

    Over a century old, the teachings of this once-secret society are considered the capstone of the Western Esoteric Tradition. Yet many of the available books on the subject are too complex or overwhelming for readers just beginning to explore alternative spiritual paths.The Essential Golden Dawn is for those who simply want to find out what the Golden Dawn is and what it has to offer. Written by recognized experts on the topic, this introduction to High Magic is both straightforward and succinct. It explores the origins of Hermeticism and the Western Esoteric Tradition, as well as the rich history of the Golden Dawn and its founders. This guide explains the laws of magic and magical philosophy, describes different areas of magical knowledge that a Golden Dawn magician can expect to learn, and presents basic rituals for the novice.If you have been curious about the Golden Dawn, but intimidated by its scope, this concise guide will shed light on this powerful system of practical magic and spiritual growth.COVR Award 2nd Runner-Up

    • Contains comprehensive sections full of interpretations for every planetary combination. • Concepts are explained through the use of actual birth charts and diagrams. • A core textbook at the Faculty of Astrological Studies in London.Aspects are an essential piece of the astrological puzzle when it comes to interpreting and using the information that astrology can give us. It is not enough to know the placement of the planets on the horoscope. It is the relationships between the stars and planets that let us grasp the destiny of the individual. Aspects describe the drama of our lives--the complex configurations that influence what will happen to us over time. Sue Tompkins, a fellow of the Faculty of Astrological Studies in London, shows how to interpret aspects when doing daily astrological readings. She uses the lives of real people to plot the aspects and offers examples of every possible planetary combination. Detailing the influence of oppositions, trines and elemental trines, and cardinal, mutable, and fixed crosses, Tompkins shows how aspects provide the energy in the chart that transforms the horoscope into something symbolizing an alive and vital human being. With Aspects in Astrology, Tompkins provides both the novice and the experienced astrologer the evidence and concrete methods needed to grasp the vast knowledge offered to us by our horoscope.

     For thousands of years, people have looked to the night sky for guidance. Yet these days it's so easy to lose touch with the universe and the important direction it can provide. In The Signs, astrologer and life coach Carolyne Faulkner reveals how the ancient wisdom of the stars can empower you to get the most out of life. Faulkner's method is not about nebulous predictions or fate. It's about discovering the qualities, good and bad, associated with your natal chart--the position of the planets at the time of your birth--and using that knowledge to inform your decisions and relationships. Easy to use and designed as both an introduction for the cosmically curious and a deep dive for experienced spiritual seekers, this guide shows you how to interpret your chart, find balance, and reconnect with yourself.Consult The Signs to learn what to do when:- You're an inflexible Taurus, resistant to change. (Create things. Even a home-cooked meal will heal you in wondrous ways.) - You live with an argumentative Aries. (Never fight fire with fire. Wait till your partner calms down to discuss your feelings.) - You have Capricorn influence. (Shed the need to conform. Structure is important, but it needs to be flexible enough to change as we grow.)

    The stars and the planets then are more like mirrors that show us who we are, that give us an understanding of how to be and how to move through the world; how certain people do it differently, and what we can learn by studying them.In Madame Clairevoyant’s Guide to the Stars, Claire Comstock-Gay brings the sky down to Earth and points to our popular “stars”—from Aretha Franklin to Mr. Rogers, from poets in Cancer to punk singers in Scorpio—to reveal what the sky has to teach us about being human. In this wise, lyrically written guide, she examines the twelve astrological signs, illuminating the ways each one is more complicated, beautiful, and surprising than you might have been told. Claire suggests that actually it’s okay, and even important, to be a seeker, to hunger for self-knowledge, and if astrology is the vehicle for that inquiry, so be it.Madame Clairevoyant’s Guide to the Stars offers a clear introduction to the basics and an innovative new framework for creatively using astrology to illuminate our lives on earth. It’s a road map to our internal world, yes, but Claire also reminds us that it’s still our job to navigate it. Combining both heavenly insights and the earthly wisdom of writers like Cheryl Strayed and Heather Havrilesky and the poetry of Patricia Lockwood and Mary Oliver, Madame Clairevoyant’s Guide to the Stars offers a fresh, profound, and fun way to look at ourselves and others, and perhaps see each more clearly. And in that way, this book is not just beautiful, but transformative.

    Develop a personal method of reading the cards while learning to use any Tarot deck for divination, pathworking, meditation, and spiritual reflection.

    This book presents 17 of the most popular tales, from the creation of the world to the death of the gods and the world’s destruction.Masterfully retold, the legends include Odin's trip to Mimer in search of knowledge, the making of Thor's hammer, the loss of Idun's wondrous apples, and the task of securing the dreaded Fenris-wolf with unbreakable silken twine devised from "the sound of a cat’s footsteps, the roots of the mountains, the breath of a fish, and the sinew of a bear." Here, too, are accounts of "The Wooing of Gerd," "Thor Goes a Fishing," "The Death of Balder," "How Loki Was Punished," "The Twilight of the Gods," and "The New Earth."

    Contents: What is Occultism? Is Occultism Worth While? Deeper Issues of Occultism; Credulity in Occult Research; Meditation & Psychism; Use & Abuse of Astrology; Records of Past Lives; Numerology & Prophecy; Group Karma; Authority & Obedience; Secrecy in Occult Fraternities; Left-hand Path; Occultism & Immorality; Psychic Pathologies; Mental Trespassing; Occultism & Vegetarianism; Eastern Methods & Western Bodies; Standards of Judgment; Ideals of Occultism.

    Francis of Assisi, "Water, Wind, Earth, and Fire" is the first book to consider the ways in which praying with the natural elements can enliven Christian spiritual life. Paintner offers concrete suggestions and guided contemplative exercises; for instance, Paintner suggests that readers take time to "watch the sunrise or sunset and breathe in the beauty of the fiery sky. Contemplate what those beginnings and endings have to say in your own life." Readers benefit from Paintner's extensive training in theology and Benedictine spirituality, as well as her unique work in bringing the expressive arts to spiritual direction.

    Featuring easy-to-follow instructions, inspirational teaching, and detailed illustrations, this authoritative guide covers every aspect of the yoga lifestyle—including relaxation, exercise, dietary guidelines, breathing, and meditation.A highly regarded organization for yoga studies and practices, the Sivananda Yoga Center created the first edition of The Sivananda Companion to Yoga in 1983. Since its publication, it has sold more than 700,000 copies worldwide and has become a standard text for both yoga students and teachers. Whether you're using it in conjunction with a class or on your own, The Sivananda Companion to Yoga can help you: -Develop a fit and beautiful body -Boost your energy and vitality at any stage of life -Reduce stress and experience greater peace of mind -Eat nutritiously and responsibly -Increase your powers of concentration and discipline Yoga is a journey toward physical and spiritual wellness. With this beautiful, bestselling guide in hand, you will experience the health, energy, and vibrancy that yoga can bring into your life.

    until now.In this Book Peter Paddon - Magister of Briar Rose and host of the popular Crooked Path podcast - covers his particular path of Witchcraft from scratch. He goes over the basics of his personal Path, along with examples of alternatives from other traditions, covering philosophy, lore and practical techniques.The Crooked Path is a way of Crafting based on experiencing the Mysteries of Ancestors and the Sacred Landscape first-hand, and Peter guides the seeker through the basics with competence and humor.

    Drawing on folktales and myths from many cultures and spiritual ideas from the East and West, he leads us to an undeniable truth: that the only story we came here to live is our own. Meade shows how the limitations of family and fate form the inner threads from which our individual destiny must emerge. He explains how our wounds can become doorways to our deepest gifts, and how our greatest efforts in the world are intended to lead us to a treasure divinely seeded within us before birth. Fate and Destiny speaks directly to young people looking to find a genuine path in life and trying to awaken to the dream they carry inside. It offers penetrating insights for those caught in life s inevitable struggles and shows how the wisdom of elders depends upon re-membering the spirit of eternal youth. As one story puts it, god has only one question to ask you at the end of life: did you become yourself? Weaving stories within stories, lacing pertinent psychology within cultural analysis, and mixing autobiography with myth, Meade opens the territory of fate and destiny to new interpretations and deeper meanings.

    He was usually credited as Camille Flammarion. He was a prolific author of more than fifty titles, including popular science works about astronomy, several notable early science fiction novels, and several works about Spiritualism and related topics. He also published the magazine L'Astronomie, starting in 1882. He maintained a private observatory at Juvisy-sur-Orge, France. He was a founder and the first president of the Socit Astronomique de France, which originally had its own independent journal, BSAF (Bulletin de la Socit Astronomique de France), first published in 1887. He was the first to suggest the names Triton and Amalthea for moons of Neptune and Jupiter, respectively, although these names were not officially adopted until many decades later. His spiritualism studies influenced also some of his science fiction. Other than that his writing about other worlds adhered fairly closely to then current ideas in evolutionary theory and astronomy. Amongst his other works are: The Atmosphere (1873), Popular Astronomy (1907), Astronomy for Amateurs (1904), Omega: The Last Days of the World and Death and its Mystery.

    the common and accepted doctrine of antiquity that the constellations were divine in origin and sacred in character. They are woven in with all the old ethnic religions. Much as heathenism has perverted them to false worship, it has ever held to the belief that they are from God... -from "Primeval Man" Did God arrange the stars in the sky to spell out his ultimate plans for the human race? Such is the conclusion of this curious book, first published in 1882 as an attempt to reconcile Christianity with the public fascination with astrology... a fascination that endures today. In this profusely illustrated volume, discover the connections between the signs of the Zodiac and Christian symbolism-Leo the lion represents Jesus, for instance; the Gemini twins signify both the relationship of Adam and Eve as well as God's relationship with his church. Building upon this language of the stars, the author demonstrates the truth of God's "one plan and purpose of Redemption for fallen man." American Lutheran pastor JOSEPH AUGUST SEISS (1823-1904) was born in Maryland and served congregations in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. In addition to numerous translations of hymns from the original German, he also authored numerous books, including The Apocalypse.