With this second edition bringing the books completely up to date with analysis of recent work in the area, A History of Pagan Europe is the first comprehensive study of its kind, and establishes Paganism as a persistent force in European history with a profound influence on modern thinking.From the serpent goddesses of ancient Crete to modern nature-worship and the restoration of the indigenous religions of Eastern Europe, this wide-ranging book offered a rewarding - often provocative - new perspective on European history.This second edition includes:expanded discussion of the significance of the Olympian pantheon and the interrelationship of Greece and the Near East, and of the synthesis of paganism and Christianity new analysis of twentieth-century paganism and the coherence of paganism across time a new glossary and chronology.A History of Pagan Europe is essential for all readers interested in the development of religions across the centuries and around the globe.

    In the only book written solely on this ancient Pagan festival, you'll explore the evolution of the May Pole and various folklore characters connected to May Day celebrations. Raven Grimassi reveals the history behind the revelry, and shows you how to welcome this sacred season of fertility, growth, and gain with:   -May Day magick and divination: Beltane spells to attract money, success, love, and serenity; scrying with a bowl or glass -Beltane goodies: Quick May Wine, Bacchus Pudding, May Serpent Cake, May Wreath Cake -Seasonal crafts: Maypole centerpiece, May wreath and garland, pentacle hair braids, May Day basket -Springtime rituals and traditions: the Maypole dance, May doll, the Mummer's Play, Beltane fires, May King and Queen -Myths, fairy and flower lore: Green Man, Jack-in-the-Green, Dusio, Hobby Horse; elves, trolls and fairies; spring flowers and their correspondences This well-researched book corrects many of the common misconceptions associated with May Day, and will help you appreciate the spirituality and connection to Nature that are intimate elements of May Day Celebrations. Welcome the season of fertility, flowers, and fairies with Beltane: Springtime Rituals, Lore & Celebration.

    "She is warrior, queen, death omen, mother, murderer, lover, spy, conspirator, faery, shape-shifter, healer, and sometimes the living earth itself. A captivating contradiction: a demonic female who both haunts and heals; benevolent in one moment, ghastly the next, and kind the moment after that.”The Morrigan is one of Pagan Ireland’s most famous—and notorious—goddesses. Her name translated as “phantom queen” or “great queen,” the Morrigan is famous for being a goddess of war, witchcraft and death, protection and retribution. This book also explores her patronage of motherhood, healing, shapeshifting, and the land. Classified among the Sidhe (fairies), the Morrigan dates back at least to Ireland’s Iron Age, but she is as modern as she is ancient―enjoying a growing contemporary and global following.Author Courtney Weber provides a guide for the modern devotee of this complex, mysterious goddess that encompasses practical veneration with modern devotionals, entwined with traditional lore and Irish-Celtic history.

    Based on a course in Paganism that the authors have taught for more than a decade, it is full of exercises, meditations, and discussion questions for group or individual study.This book presents the basic fundamentals of Paganism. It explores what Pagans are like; how the Pagan sacred year is arranged; what Pagans do in ritual; what magick is; and what Pagans believe about God, worship, human nature, and ethics.For those who are exploring their own spirituality, or who want a good book to give to non-Pagan family and friends A hands-on learning tool with magickal workings, meditations, discussion questions, and journal exercises Offers in-depth discussion of ethics and magick

    English, German, Dutch, Icelandic, Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish peoples are all directly descended from this ancient Germanic cultural stock. According to author Edred Thorsson, if you are interested in living a holistic life with unity of body-mind-spirit, a key to knowing your spiritual heritage is found in the heritage of your body-in the natural features which you have inherited from your distant ancestors. Most readers of this book already "speak the language" of the Teutonic tradition.Northern Magic contains material that has never before been discussed in a practical way. This book outlines the ways of Northern magic and the character of the Northern magician. It explores the theories of traditional Northern psychology (or the lore of the soul) in some depth, as well as the religious tradition of the Troth and the whole Germanic theology. The remaining chapters make up a series of "mini-grimoires" on four basic magical techniques in the Northern Way: Younger Futhark rune magic, Icelandic galdor staves, Pennsylvania hex signs, and "seith" (or shamanism). This is an excellent overview of the Teutonic tradition that will interest neophytes as well as long-time travelers along the Northern Way.Contains four complete handbooks of magical practice in one Gives practical instructions on how to carve runes and make hex-signs Provides the history of the Northern Renaissance Outlines the Germanic Gods and Goddesses

     Live life to the fullest using simply fabulous contemporary witchcraft! “Spiritual life coaches” and celebrity witches Shawn Robbins and Leanna Greenaway unlock the secrets of the Wicca universe, explaining what it means to become a “simply fabulous” twenty-first century witch. Newfound witches—and even more experienced ones—will learn how to tap into magic, re-empower themselves, and realize their dreams through a little witchy know-how.  With its stylish redesigned interior, Wiccapedia is better and giftier than ever!

    Create a stronger connection to the sacred world and your own divinity by welcoming these thirteen powerful Celtic and Nordic goddesses into your life. As you make your way through a transformative year, know that each goddess has a different energy and a unique lesson to teach you. Starting with the Winter Solstice, the eight seasonal Sabbats and five faces of the moon provide the guideposts along your path. Through ritual, invocation, guided meditations, and magical activities, you'll explore each goddess's unique mythology and discover her message for your life.

    A GUIDE TO CELTIC SPELLS AND WISDOM FOR SELF-HEALING, PROSPERITY AND GREAT SEXProfessional Celtic Shaman Francesca De Grandis shows readers how to tap into their Goddess power and unveils the mysteries of magic as a tool for spiritual developmen

    It succeeds where many books have failed-fulfilling the longing for real Irish Witchcraft, while crafting the delicate balance between learning from the past and weaving a modern system based on truth and respect. Lora O'Brien is a genuine Irish Witch, making no claims of "fraudulent family traditions"-she is simply a woman who walks her path and shares her experiences, working closely with her heritage and land in a contemporary setting.Irish Witchcraft From an Irish Witch explores the past:Providing an investigation of the Witches' place in Irish mythology.Looking at Witchcraft and magic by examining the customs connected with the Sidhe.Examining historical evidence of the Witch trials that swept across the isle.And the present and beyond by:Working with Irish deities, landscapes, energies, and antiquities.Examining the wheel of the year, with its festivals, cycles, and seasons of Irish culture.Looking at ritual progression through a Witch's life: magical training, physical growth.Providing alternatives to the traditional stages of a child's life in modern Irish culture.

    Discover myths, rituals, recipes, and crafts for every month of theyear. Honor Saint Brigit with a prayer in February, or ensure a merry start to May with a bowl of frothy syllabub. Come together with friends and neighbors to celebrate community in the high days of August, then learn to weave a solstice wreath in snowy December.Traditional blessings, ancient lore, and guided meditations inspire you to reconnect with the rhythms of the natural world, and view the sacred as an integral part of every day. Rediscover the wisdom and healing power of nature, and cultivate and honor your soul as you would the earth. Let the spirit of the ancient Celts enchant you in every season, year after year.

    It gained popularity in the 1970s across Europe and North America and is still thriving today, sought out for its non-dogmatic structure and emphasis on individuality, hospitality, and community-based values. Ásatrú for Beginners is a newcomer’s guide to this spirituality. It breaks down everything from the history and traditions to the gods and goddesses, ancient texts, sacred rituals, and the use of runes with simple language anyone can dive into. It’s an inclusive and practical guide that makes it easy to apply Ásatrú in your modern-day life and find greater spiritual satisfaction. Ásatrú for Beginners offers: See yourself more clearly—Ásatrú centers around ideas like friendship, community, and sharing. Discover what’s important to you and how to worship in a way that fits your life. What’s old is new again—Explore the thousand-year-old roots of the original Ásatrú religion and what makes its recent rebirth so powerful. Gods and goddesses—Find wonder, purpose, and inspiration in the stories and poems about gods like Thor, Loki, and Frigg. Enter the world of Ásatrú with a simple guide that puts you on the path to spiritual health.

    A Journey to Fulfillment and RenewalIn Essential Asatru, renowned author and priestess Diana Paxson demystifies an ancient, rich, and often misunderstood religion, and offers a practical guide for its modern followers.Filled with clear, concise instructions on living Asatru every day, this truly accessible guide takes you on a journey from Asatru's origins in Scandinavian and German paganism to its acceptance as an official religion in the 1970s.Essential Asatru also includes:• A complete history of Asatru gods and goddesses, including Odin, Thor, and Ostara• The life values, such as honor, truth, fidelity, and hospitality, that shape Asatru's tenets• Indispensable information on rituals, rune casting, ethics, and divinationEssential Asatru is an elegant and splendid introduction to a centuries-old religion that continues to enrich and fascinate its followers today.

    Discover the hidden lessons and spiritual mysteries of the Dark Goddess as you perform guided pathworkings, rituals, and spells. Draw on the unique energies of her many expressions—her three main aspects of Macha, Anu, and Badb; the legendary Morgan Le Fay; and her other powerful guises.From shapeshifting and faery magic to summoning a lover and creating an Ogham oracle, the dynamic and multifaceted Dark Goddess will bring empowering wisdom and enchantment to your life and spiritual practice.

    But how do these images compare with the evidence revealed by the excavator's trowel? Recent archaeological research has transformed our understanding of the period. Reflecting this new generation of scholarship, Professor Barry Raftery presents the most convincing and up-to-date account yet published of Ireland in the millennium before the coming of Christianity.The transition from Bronze Age to Iron Age in Ireland brought many changes, not least the proliferation of imposing hillforts. Did these have a purely defensive role, or were they built for ceremonial or commercial purposes? When did the Celtic character of early Ireland emerge? New findings indicate that the construction of the country's great royal centers, such as Tara and Emain Macha, coincides with the first appearance in Ireland of the material culture of the European Celts - so-called La Tene artifacts. The author argues that these were the portable trappings of a rising aristocratic elite, which expressed its power by building highly visible monuments.Professor Raftery also discusses the significant advances that took place in travel and transport, including the creation of the largest roadway in prehistoric Europe; the elusive lives of the common people; the idiosyncratic genius of the local metalsmiths; and the complex religious beliefs exemplified by standing stones, and offerings in rivers and lakes. He presents fascinating new material about Ireland's contacts with the Roman world, and in a final chapter he reviewsthe whole question of whether La Tene culture spread to Ireland through invasion or peaceful diffusion. Pagan Celtic Ireland is the definitive statement of what we currently know about the country's shadowy, Celtic origins. Generously illustrated throughout, it will be read avidly

    All we need is the ability to see it, understand it, and apply it. Magic works because of nature's laws, not in spite of them, and Valiente shows how to practice the age-old white magic which has been familiar to the Wise Ones for centuries.