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.

    Indeed, from childhood most of us develop some mental image of a witch--usually an old woman, mysterious and malignant. But why do witches still feature so heavily in our cultures and consciousness? From Halloween superstitions to literary references such as Faust and, of course, Harry Potter, witches seem ever-present in our lives. In this Very Short Introduction, Malcolm Gaskill takes a long historical perspective, from the ancient world to contemporary paganism. This is a book about the strangeness of the past, and about contrasts and change; but it's also about affinity and continuity. He reveals that witchcraft is multi-faceted, that it has always meant different things to different people, and that in every age it has raised questions about the distinction between fantasy and reality, faith and proof. Delving into court records, telling anecdotes, and challenging myths, Gaskill re-examines received wisdom, especially concerning the European witch-hunts of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. He also explores the modern memory and reinvention of witchcraft--as history, religion, fiction, and metaphor.

    The 19 lessons in the course cover the basics and then move gradually into more advanced concepts. Exercises and sample responses for each lesson help you learn and practice. For simplicity, only one easy layout is used throughout the course the Celtic Cross Spread. Learning the Tarot focuses in detail on the actual process of discovering meaning in the cards. Lessons cover topics such as how to consider one card by itself, how to look for card pairs, and how to create the "story" of a reading. A convenient reference section contains two pages of information for each card including a picture from the popular Waite deck, a description, keywords, action phrases and suggestions for cards with similar and opposite meanings.

    Since before recorded history, shamans and healers of all kinds have used fragrant oils in ritual, magic and medicine, knowing as we do that their use has the potential to transform lives on physical, emotional, and spiritual levels. Because of their unique effects on the mind of the practitioner, botanical oils provide a direct tie between the natural physical world and the spiritual plane. But what exactly are magical oils and where do they come from? Unlike other natural ingredients such as crystals and plant roots, oils don’t come fully-formed into the world on their own—instead, they are derived from processes developed by human beings. Many who are new to the Craft may have little understanding of just what it is they’re anointing their candles (or their own bodies) with, since unlike most other tools used in ritual and spellwork, oils aren’t exactly easy to examine close-up. This lack of familiarity can make working with oils seem daunting, or even create an unintentional energetic disconnect between the beginning magician and these otherwise-powerful substances. If you’ve ever wondered how or why to use botanical oils in your spellwork, this guide will serve you well. Essential Oil Magic was created to provide you with a comprehensive overview of magical botanical oils and their use in modern Witchcraft. Best-selling author Lisa Chamberlain explains the evolution of magical oils over time, from their rustic beginnings to their modern incarnations in the form of essential oils, giving you a clearer sense of how these unique substances came to be and why they greatly enhance your ritual and magical practice. In addition, you’ll be introduced to a Witch’s dozen of essential oils commonly used in both healing and contemporary magic, many with histories of magical use going back for thousands of years. These 13 oils represent a wide range of scents, plant types, and healing and magical properties, and are among the most affordable essential oils available today. What’s more, each of the blend recipes and spells utilize oils from this Witch’s dozen, making it easier for you to get your blending practice underway in no time. Foundations for Using Essential Oils in Your Magical Practice Knowing what goes into essential oils and how these ingredients contribute to magic is an excellent first step. But to create the highest quality magical blends, you’ll need to know what to look for when purchasing your oils, and how to properly care for them. Furthermore, you’ll need to get acquainted with each of your single oils on its own terms—its unique scent, its magical properties, and which oils to mix it with for a pleasing and powerful blend. Essential Oil Magic has all of this information and more, including: How our spiritual forbears in the Craft used botanical oils in ritual, magic and healing in ancient civilizations How the magical properties of oils add power to your spellwork Profiles of 13 of the most popular and readily available oils used by Witches today, including their magical properties and associations Need-to-know tips for selecting and storing essential oils Detailed instructions for creating your own magical blends Blend recipes, oil-oriented spells for you to try your hand at, and a few other ideas f

    It means challenging the assumptions of mainstream society and strengthening your relationships with the gods, the universe, your community, and your self. The Path of Paganism provides practical advice and support for honoring your values and living an authentic Pagan life in mainstream Western culture.Discover tips for establishing or deepening a regular practice. Explore how your spirituality can help you deal with life's inevitable hardships. Learn the basics of leadership roles and other steps to take as you gain experience and move into more advanced practices. With questions for contemplation as well as rituals to help you integrate new concepts, this book guides you through a profoundly meaningful way of life.Praise: "This is an absolute gem of a book! John's love of his Pagan path fills this book with incredible enthusiasm and confidence . . . I would recommend this book to beginners and experienced practitioners alike. Both will find many pearls of wisdom within these pages. Highly recommended."--Damh the Bard

    This is the foundation for the veneration of Santa Muerte, or "Holy Death." Considered to be the female personification of death, she is associated with protection and safe passage to the afterlife. She is also the patron saint of people who live on the fringes of society and often face violence and death. In recent years her constituency has expanded to include the LGBT community and people who are marginalized or whose jobs put them at significant risk of death such as military and police personnel. Santa Muerte is hailed as their potent and powerful protector, capable of delivering them from harm and even granting miracles.Santa Muerte is a complete ritual guide to working with this famous--and infamous!--Mexican folk saint. It takes us beyond the sensational headlines to reveal the truth about why Santa Muerte is so beloved by so many. Author Tracey Rollin presents simple, straightforward methods for working with Holy Death that may be used alone or easily incorporated into your own magical practice.

    Renowned practitioner Madame Pamita guides you every step of the way as you perform spells and gain the confidence to create your own. The Book of Candle Magic empowers you to manifest more happiness, love, prosperity, and fulfillment. Learn to make candles from scratch, do candle readings, start your personal grimoire, add some pizzazz to your rituals, and much more. It's time to reclaim your birthright of using fire to reach your magical goals--this irresistible book shows you how.Includes a foreword by Judika Illes, author of Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells

    This ready-made, authentic grimoire is based on family tradition and actual magical experience, and is easily adaptable to any tradition of Witchcraft.Grimoire for the Green Witch offers a treasury of magical information--rituals for Esbats and Sabbats, correspondences, circle-casting techniques, sigils, symbols, recitations, spells, teas, oils, baths, and divinations. Every aspect of Craft practice is addressed, from the purely magical to the personally spiritual. It is a distillation of Green practice, with room for growth and new inspiration.2004 COVR Award First Runner Up

    The first section is a thoughtful examination of Wiccan ethics and philosophy that explores how to truly live Wicca. The second section includes devotional prayers and rituals that provide inspiration for group or solitary practice.Topics in this Wicca book include: cultivating an ongoing personal relationship with deity, ethics and standards of behavior, concepts of sacred space, elements of a daily practice, tuning into the Wheel of the Year and the elements, and creating meaningful personal Pagan rituals.Move beyond the basics of Wicca and enter the sacred space of the circle within.

    B.'s Guide to Household Witchery." Whether you're sweeping the floor, making a meal, or cleaning out that junk drawer, domestic witch Kris Bradley, creator of the popular blog, "Confessions of a Pagan Soccer Mom," will show you how to create spells and magic to bring happiness and balance into your home. Bradley offers ideas and solutions to make the most out of everyday items, activities, and obligations. From Anchovies to Broccoli, and Wine to Yeast, from sweeping the floor to blow-drying your hair, you can change your outlook on life with a pinch of knowledge and a dash of magic! The book includes simple rituals, spells, and ways to connect with the spirits that watch over your home and family. Includes an appendix of herbs and a complete materia magica from the kitchen pantry."Mrs. B's Guide to Household Witchery" features: Room by Room: How to create magic while you cook, set up a family altar in the living room, or do a junk drawer divination. The Elements for the Domestic Witch: a primer on the 4 elements and how to balance them in your home. The Domestic Witch's Herbal: Magical uses for every herb and food in your pantry, as well as instant magic with prepackaged spice mixes. Simple Sabbats for the Busy Witch: simple ways to celebrate the passing of the seasons. Magical Recipes: More than 100 recipes and spells.

    We have grown socially accustomed to looking for a magic pill to mask it, and all other symptoms of deeper unrest. Yet becoming intimate with pain, but not possessed by it, enables us to feel, sense, and hear the wise teachings held within it. Emotional, physical, mental, sexual, and psychic pain, as well as collective pain carried for Earth during this time of great transition, contains valuable wisdom.Shadow is a term for the discarded within ourselves that informs our lives. It offers the potential to reveal what we previously thought was unsuitable, so unsuitable that we imprisoned it and forgot it. The aim is to know the shadow well, appreciate it, seek to integrate it—not leave it neglected to rot in a cell beneath the surface, where it is inevitably clanging its tin cup against the bars asking for acknowledgement and honoring—to make a place for it as part of your life story, but not let it be the operating manual.In this book, we'll explore:The keys to working with your shadowsHow to engage your shadow to heal generational patternsThe acts of liberation for individuals and all members of society and cultureWhat it would look like to break the repetitive loop of sufferingLanguage prompts to help navigate the shadowsShadow work is one of many keys to breaking the cycles of suffering. It prioritizes healing and offers empathy for one another.

    Margot Adler attended ritual gatherings and interviewed a diverse, colorful gallery of people across the United States, people who find inspiration in ancient deities, nature, myth, even science fiction. In this new edition featuring an updated resource guide of newsletters, journals, books, groups, and festivals, Margot Adler takes a fascinating and honest look at the religious experiences, beliefs, and lifestyles of modern America's Pagan groups.

    Are such powers really possible? Science says yes.According to noted scientist and bestselling author of The Conscious Universe, Dean Radin, magic is a natural aspect of reality, and each of us can tap into this power with diligent practice.But wait, aren't things like ESP and telepathy just wishful thinking and flights of the imagination? Not according to the author, who worked on the US government's top secret psychic espionage program known as Stargate. Radin has spent the last forty years conducting controlled experiments that demonstrate that thoughts are things, that we can sense others' emotions and intentions from a distance, that intuition is more powerful than we thought, and that we can tap into the power of intention (think The Secret, only on a more realistic and scientific level). These dormant powers can help us to lead more interesting and fulfilling lives.Beginning with a brief history of magic over the centuries (what was called magic two thousand years ago is turning out to be scientific fact today), a review of the scientific evidence for magic, a series of simple but effective magical techniques (the key is mental focus, something elite athletes know a lot about), Radin then offers a vision of a scientifically-informed magic and explains why magic will play a key role in frontiers of science.

    It covers astrological basics: the planets, signs, houses, and aspects. It includes a chapter on putting it all together in interpreting a chart.

    In Witch: Magickal Journey, Fiona Horne reveals the intimate secrets and know-how of her spiritual calling, including rituals, spells and incantations; festivals and sacred sites; details about Goddesses, Gods and familiars; cyber-witchcraft; interviews with other witches and much more. Fiona also reveals all about the daily business of being a modern Witch at home, work and play.