Once you learn to access the enormous depths of this life-giving and powerful element, it will enhance your magic and help you grow into a better version of yourself.Cleansing and strong, the power of water is all around you and in you. Lilith Dorsey presents many ways to incorporate water into your magic, from washes and baths to spells and rituals. Discover how to use the symbols of water in your magical workings. Learn the histories and wisdom of rivers, lakes, and oceans, as well as water's relationship to the wheel of the year. Explore water and its manifestations in mythology and lore and meet the gods and goddesses who rule over the element.

    A well-rounded introduction to Midsummer, this attractive book features rituals, recipes, lore, and correspondences. It includes hands-on information for modern celebrations, spells and divination, recipes and crafts, invocations and prayers, and more!

    Sticking out the tongue is still a polite sign of greeting in northern India and Tibet (see Body Parts).Cosmic Egg In ancient times the primeval universe-or the Great Mother-took the form of an egg. It carried all numbers and letters within an ellipse, to show that everything is contained within one form at the beginning (see Round and Oval Motifs).

    But what is it that has made these people turn their back on the formal, structured religions that encompass the majority of the Western world? In our modern, high-pressured world, many of us fail to take notice the sheer beauty of the natural world surrounding us. In many ways, this is a travesty: the world we live in today seems so completely distant from the one our ancestors lived in, a world where humans and nature were at one, their existence intertwined in the natural cycles of life. Wicca is a new way of life, a religion that takes you back to a more simple time, before the invention of the high-tech gadgetry we see all around us. You will learn to live and appreciate the natural world that surrounds you, celebrating the intricate changes in the seasons and everything they bring — from the bounties of the Summer harvest, to the cold and darkness of the Winter months, as Mother Nature rests in preparation for the next explosive cycle of life that Spring brings. Wicca is a re-incarnation of the very earliest religions, long pre-dating Christianity. Wiccans celebrate and share many of the same beliefs that these early people held, and try to embrace their way of life, all while remaining fully-functional in today's modern world. Getting Started as a Wiccan If you’re sold on this new, exciting, peaceful way of life, that’s great! Good to have you on-board. Unfortunately, and despite this commitment, this is where many people get stumped. One of the biggest questions I hear would-be Wiccans ask: “how do I start practicing Wicca?” The truth is, there is no right answer. If you endeavour to learn as much as possible about this religion, follow the core principals (for example, the Threefold Law), and revere the natural world surrounding you, as far as I’m concerned, you’re a Wiccan. If you’re just starting out, I’m sure this vague answer is of little help to you! That’s why I set out to write this mini-series of books, titled Practicing the Craft. In this particular book, you’ll learn everything you need to know about Wicca traditions – including covens, circles, solitary practitioners, and eclectic witches. Wicca Covens and Other Traditions Practicing magic isn’t compulsory for Wiccans, however many people are inevitably attracted to the religion by the potential to positively change their lives for the better. As such, spellwork is one of the most discussed parts of being Wiccan. If you want to start practicing magic, it can help to join like-minded individuals – also known as a coven. Covens allow you to be a part of a small Wiccan community. They meet regularly to perform rituals, especially on important Wiccan dates – notably the sabbats and esbats. As well as a sense of community, covens are also one of the best places to accelerate your learning. In this book, we’ll be looking at everything you need to know about covens – including the history of covens, their structures, and how to join one. Don’t worry, though – not everyone wants to be part of a coven, and that’s perfectly fine, too. In this book, we’ll be discussing all of your options, including circles and the solitary path. We'll also look at the main Wiccan traditions: Gardnerian, Alexandrian, and Dianic, as well as a handful of less common traditions.

    He regards her as one of the great thinker who has helped shape the thought of the Catholic Church.Today there are many websites and Hildegard groups that celebrate and honor Hildegard's teachings, philosophy, art, and music. Author Matthew Fox writes in Hildegard of Bingen about this amazing woman and what we can learn from her.In an era when women were marginalized, Hildegard was an outspoken, controversial figure. Yet so visionary was her insight that she was sought out by kings, popes, abbots, and bishops for advice. A sixteenth century follower of Martin Luther called her “the first Protestant” because of her appeals to reform the church.As a writer, composer, philosopher, Christian mystic, Benedictine abbess, healer, artist, feminist, and student of science, Hildegard was a pioneer in many fields in her day.For many centuries after her death Hildegard was ignored or even ridiculed but today is finally being recognized for her immense contribution to so many areas, including our understanding of our spiritual relationship to the earth—a contribution that touches on key issues faced by our planet in the 21st century, particularly with regard to the environment and ecology.

    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.

    At this time of equal day and night, we give thanks for the harvest that will sustain us through the dark winter months. This book explores the history, legends, and traditions of the season that is honored from the Far East to the Celtic Lands, and from Scandinavia to South America. Create your own Mabon tradition with the help of the book's many recipes, magical workings, equinox rituals, and crafts for all ages. -Part of Llewellyn's successful series on each of the eight Pagan sabbats, or holidays -The author is well-known throughout the Pagan community -For anyone who celebrates the turning of the seasons and the ancient holy days -Relevant to any culturally-based path

    It is a practical manual of instruction for those who choose the solo path of study and particularly stresses the importance of being in tune with nature. As there are approximately 13 moons each year – the book is divided into 13 parts. Each section is aimed at lasting from the new moon to the dark to make the student fully aware of the changing power in the tides of the sea and the tides of the self. The moon-long sections deal with a variety of taditional arts, skills and mental exercises which enables the aspiring witch to discover the inner world of magic inside him/herself.

    Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

    J. Conway. WICCA: THE COMPLETE CRAFT offers a comprehensive overview of Wiccan philosophy, dispels the common misconceptions, and is a useful primer for practicing Wicca as a spiritual lifestyle. Included are chapters on sacred space, ritual tools, holy days, meditations and visualizations, spells and the art of spell casting, as well as terminology.

    In this tapestry of poetic and religious scholarship, Graves explores the stories behind the earliest of European deities—the White Goddess of Birth, Love, and Death—who was worshipped under countless titles. He also uncovers the obscure and mysterious power of "pure poetry" and its peculiar and mythic language.

    What they don't know is that when you discover the universe is full of magic, you fall in love with the world."When high-powered Manhattan lawyer Phyllis Curott began exploring Witchcraft, she discovered a spiritual movement that defied all stereotypes. Encountering neither satanic rites nor eccentric spinsters, she came to know a clandestine religion of the Goddess that had been forced into hiding over the course of history. Book of Shadows recounts Curott's remarkable initiation into Wicca (meaning "wise one") and shares her insights as a high priestess of an elegant, ancient spirituality that celebrates the magic of being alive.An Ivy-league graduate and promising lawyer, Curott was a typical young woman in her twenties, determined to forge a law career within the burgeoning, male-dominated music industry. But when she began having prophetic dreams and mysterious visions of ancient female figures and unfamiliar symbols, she discovered an unexpected world of magic and began searching for a rational explanation. When her friend Sophia--a practicing Witch--suggested having her cards read by a Wiccan High Priestess, Curott instinctively dismissed the idea, but then forced her natural skepticism aside on the chance that this age-old practice might help her understand the unusual occurrences in her life.Thus begins her journey into the magical world of Witchcraft, a religion originally practiced by priestesses, shamans, and healers that empowers our lives by working with the natural cycles of nature. Fascinated by this pre-Judeo-Christian religion that honors women as the embodiment of the Goddess and emphasizes respect and love for the natural world, Curott began attending a local coven's weekly circle to learn the sacred arts. Her Book of Shadows chronicles her ascent to the position of Wiccan High Priestess and her efforts to reconcile her newfound spirituality with her struggles as a woman rising through the ranks of the corporate world. Along the way, Curott relates the history of Witchcraft and shares many traditional Wiccan practices, such as casting a circle, drawing down the Goddess, harnessing the powers of the natural world, and casting spells for health, prosperity, and love.Engagingly written and rich with detailed rituals and techniques, this inspirational book traces a modern woman's spiritual journey into a realm of extraordinary experience and enlightenment. Book of Shadows provides us with the keys to discover an enchanted world of divine empowerment so as to unlock the power that lies within us all

    Where the maiden, mother, crone archetypal system is tied to female biology and physical stages of life, the fivefold model liberates the female experience from the shackles of the reproductive model.In a woman's lifetime, she will go through several different cycles of beginnings, potential, creation, mastery, and wisdom. This fivefold model is not an adaption of the threefold. It is a new system that embraces the powerful, fluid nature of the lived experience of women today.Join Lasara Firefox Allen as she explores the nature of the five archetypes; gives examples of what areas of life each might preside over; lists goddesses that fit within each archetype; suggests ways to begin building relationship with the different archetypes; and provides simple rituals for recognition, transition, and invocation.

    Making remarkable connections across brain function, myth, and anthropology, Dr. Shlain shows why pre-literate cultures were principally informed by holistic, right-brain modes that venerated the Goddess, images, and feminine values. Writing drove cultures toward linear left-brain thinking and this shift upset the balance between men and women, initiating the decline of the feminine and ushering in patriarchal rule. Examining the cultures of the Israelites, Greeks, Christians, and Muslims, Shlain reinterprets ancient myths and parables in light of his theory. Provocative and inspiring, this book is a paradigm-shattering work that will transform your view of history and the mind.

    With this book, Ellen Cannon Reed a High Priestess of the Isian tradition brings the symbolism of the Qabala into a new light so pagans can see its value and use it to enhance the Great Work.Reed explains the Tree of Life the primary symbol used to represent the universal energies as "revealed" by the Qabala and how its spheres and paths correspond to elements in the pagan tradition. Teachers can use the Qabala to understand the growth of students and their problems, using the Vices and Virtues to recognize stages of growth. Reed also provides exercises, meditations, and encouragement to students who are studying without a teacher. She discusses the Qabala as it appears in everyday life, which spheres of the Tree of Life to use for specific workings, and details two rituals using the Tree: a Dedication to the Journey, and the Rite of mending Love. Reed's command of the material allows teachers and students alike to gain powerful insight into their own search for spirituality. First published in 1983 as Witches Qabala Book 1: The Goddess and the Tree, this revised and updated edition is enhanced with Reed's thirteen additional years of experience.