This book explores structured, coven-based styles of Wicca, in which the practitioners typically trace initiatory lineages back to Wicca's early founders. Discussing covens, initiations, lineages, practices, ethics, and more, Traditional Wicca shares tips and ideas on how to get the most from this profound approach to Witchcraft. Discover how to recognize healthy, reputable covens. Learn how to navigate the process of asking for training and succeeding in an outer court. Explore the spiritual strength of lineages, hierarchies, and initiation. This book also includes contributions from several practitioners, providing valuable first-person perspectives on what it's like to be on the traditional Wiccan path. Praise : "Like the bristles of a besom, Thorn Mooney's Traditional Wicca sweeps through the subject of Witchcraft removing the dust and dirt of ignorance and prejudice to reveal the true heart of Wicca. Thorn writes with obvious sincerity, with feeling, and from experience. Her book covers everything from defining Witchcraft, through the workings of a coven, to actual initiation and beyond. She warns that Wicca is not for everyone and—I am personally delighted to see—includes a chapter on recognizing 'Red Flags' when first contacting others...especially those who might claim to be more than they actually are. This book is the quintessential guide for the true, sincere seeker."—Raymond Buckland, author of Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft "Traditional Wicca is a unique and important book. It's amazing to me that in over 70 years of publishing on the subject of Wicca, nothing like this book has ever been written! I'm kind of jealous I didn't think to write it myself. The chapter on initiation is, by itself, worth the cover price. If you want to understand what people mean by 'traditional Wicca,' whether or not you're seeking it, this is the one book you must read."—Deborah Lipp, Wiccan high priestess and author of Merry Meet Again "Traditional Wicca is a topic that few actually understand despite its long and distinguished history. With passion and skill, Thorn delivers a book that many familiar with Wicca will wish they had had when they were studying it, and those who find themselves on the path for the first time will rejoice at having found. Whether you intend to seek initiation or not, this book is full of valuable gems that will enhance any practice at any level. Traditional Wicca is an all-inclusive tour through the history, practices, and lore of traditional Wicca that weaves voices from all over the tradition and challenges everything you think you know about it."—Devin Hunter, author of The Witch's Book of Power "A masterful gem of insight and wisdom,Traditional Wicca reveals the time-honored practices of initiatory Wicca, thought all but lost by many, but hidden like so many occult secrets in plain sight. Drawing a clear and respectful distinction between eclectic Wicca and its older more traditional sibling, Thorn Mooney takes us on a personal journey exploring the powers and the pitfalls of the initiatory inner court, revealing the persistence of a thriving and dynamic Craft that is at once orthopraxic and changing, traditional and experimental.

    But witches aren’t mere fairy book threats; American history is brimming with tales of their terror. From 19th-century murders to a bizarre monkey-faced creature straight from Hell to bewitched pigs hell-bent on revenge, American Witches: a Broomstick Tour through Four Centuries describes strange incidents that have long been banished to the margins of our history.On a tour through four centuries of American witchcraft that’s both whimsical and startling, we’ll encounter 17th-century children flying around inside their New England home “like geese.” We’ll meet a father-son tag-team of pious Puritans who embarked on an anti-witch mission that involved undressing young ladies and overseeing hangings. And on the eve of the Civil War, we’ll accompany a reporter as he dons a dress and goes searching for witches in New York City’s most dangerous neighborhoods.Entertainingly readable and rich in amazing details often left out of today’s texts, American Witches casts a flickering torchlight into the dark corners of American history. Shelf Awareness says: "American Witches is a delightful and thoughtful adventure into one of the darker superstitions that has plagued the country for centuries."

    Some know they can also be used as focal points in meditation. But those in the know have the secret--some incredibly powerful magic can be performed easily with the help of the Tarot. Now you can discover those secrets and use them to improve your life with Tarot Spells by Janina Renee!Techniques of using the Tarot cards for magic are fully explained in this book. Also covered are preparations and additions, such as how to add candles, gemstones, colors and crystals to enhance your spell.But mostly this book is about using the cards of the Tarot to cast spells that will change your life. You'll be able to cast spells to ease stress and increase psychic ability. You'll get a spell to encourage your debtors to finally pay you, and a spell to tap your unconscious mind for knowledge.There are spells for healing and job hunting, for finding a home and to get more friends. There are spells to bring peace between you and other family members. You'll find spells for business, for success in competition and for courage. The list of spells just goes on and on!If you have been using the Tarot, here is a chance to increase your knowledge of the power of the cards. The book is illustrated with beautiful designs from the Robin Wood Tarot, but you can use the spells with any Tarot deck. If you want to make changes in your life, here is a way to work magic with no tools other than your Tarot deck. For ease and power, you will want to work with the secrets revealed in this book.

    You know what you want in life. You're searching for a spiritual path that is deeply meaningful. You hunger for a closer connection with the Earth, the seasons, and the shifting energies of the moon. You long to weave beneficial magick into the very fabric of your life. You can do all this and more when you embrace the moon. "Embracing the Moon" is a guidebook to following your unique spiritual path as a Witch. Based on a non-traditional, eclectic approach to Witchcraft, this system of natural magick draws on many traditions. You can use this powerful, versatile magickal system exactly as created by the author—or you can customize it as you wish. "Embracing the Moon "describes a multitude of options so you can choose those most meaningful to you: -Faerie magick -Hex work -Goddess rituals -Earth healing rituals -Elements and deities -Magickal tools -Prosperity and abundance spells -Recipes for oils and powders -Love and beauty magick -Household magick -God rituals -Shapeshifting and animal magick -Candle and herb magick -Magickal life mapping -Protection and healing spells -Rune charts and symbols The author has developed and practiced her eclectic system for over 20 years. Now you can use her insights, exercises, and magickal techniques to create a system that is both within the traditions of Witchcraft and yet uniquely your own. Get "Embracing the Moon" today.

    Fortunately, there are plenty of ways for a budding practitioner to make a start. Stroll down the forest path with Bree NicGarran, co-author of "The Sisters Grimmoire" and "The Witches' Cupboard," and discover the surprising ways you can practice your craft with commonplace items from the supermarket and the craft store. Build a travel kit for on-the-go magic. Create your own spells from scratch with a step-by-step guide. Learn how to make your own witch webs and magical powders. Uncover the secrets of walnut charms and witchballs and much, much more. Every page carries tricks of the trade and homegrown charms from the files of the Grovedaughter herself. From besoms to banishings to a bit of good advice, Grovedaughter Witchery is the ideal book for any witch with an inclination toward a practical, no-frills approach to witchcraft.

    They cover every conceivable desire, both big (health and healing) and more specific (like selling a house). Twenty different sections, ranging from fertility and travel to protection and justice, contain 50 spells each--culminating in an ultimate "spell to end all spells." Along with the spells, there's information on the colors, fragrances, crystals, angels, times of day, and phases of the moon that strengthen each type of magick.

    Coming into relationship with your ancestors empowers you to transform negative family patterns into blessings and encourages good health, self-esteem, clarity of purpose, and better relationships with your living relatives. Offering a practical guide to understanding and navigating relationships with the spirits of those who have passed, Daniel Foor, Ph.D., details how to relate safely and effectively with your ancestors for personal, family, and cultural healing. He provides exercises and rituals, grounded in ancient wisdom traditions, to help you initiate contact with your ancestors, find supportive ancestral guides, cultivate forgiveness and gratitude, harmonize your bloodlines, and assist the dead who are not yet at peace. He explains how to safely engage in lineage repair work by connecting with your more ancient ancestors before relating with the recently deceased. He shows how, by working with spiritually vibrant ancestors, individuals and families can understand and transform intergenerational patterns of pain and abuse and reclaim the full blessings and gifts of their bloodlines. Ancestral repair work can also catalyze healing breakthroughs among living family members and help children and future generations to live free from ancestral burdens. The author provides detailed instructions for ways to honor the ancestors of a place, address dream visits from the dead, and work with ancestor shrines and altars. The author offers guidance on preparing for death, funeral rites, handling the body after death, and joining the ancestors. He also explains how ancestor work can help us to transform problems such as racism, sexism, homophobia, and religious persecution.By learning the fundamentals of ancestor reverence and ritual, you will discover how to draw on the wisdom of supportive ancestral guides, heal family troubles, maintain connections with beloved family after their death, and better understand the complex and interconnected relationship between the living and the dead.

    With practical tips for incorporating Pagan spirituality into every aspect of life, To Walk a Pagan Path teaches readers how to:•Have a meaningful Pagan practice by following seven simple steps.•Develop a sacred calendar customized for your beliefs, lifestyle, and environment.•Make daily activities sacred with quick and easy rituals. Connect with the earth in a very real way by producing a portion of your own food—even if you live in an apartment!•Express Pagan spirituality through a variety of craft projects: candles, scrying mirrors, solar wreaths, recipes, and more.

    Enrich your spiritual practice with authentic Celtic wisdom and practical techniques. Written by a Druid witch and Celtic shaman, Celtic Tree Magic shows you how to:Practice ogham divination, charms, and spells Work with each tree's magical correspondences and healing attributes Make salves, tinctures, ointments, and green crafts Find tree spirit allies in nature and the otherworld Fashion wands and other magical tools With exercises, hands-on tips, and an accessible exploration of folklore and myth, this lovely and lyrical handbook provides practical skills and deeper understandings for beginners and intermediate practitioners.Praise: A trusted and guiding hand through the Celtic forests of wisdom and magic.--Kristoffer Hughes, author of The Book of Celtic Magic and founder of the Anglesey Druid OrderThis lovely work offers a truly experiential journey...It offers the reader a richer understanding of nature and self.--Philip Carr-Gomm, Chosen Chief of the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids and author of Druid MysteriesDanu Forest has made masterful use of the original sources...I heartily commend this book.--Nicholas R. Mann, author of Druid Magic

    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.

    Every year on October 31, when the children of the world parade through the streets dressed as monsters, skeletons, and witches, they reenact a sacred ceremony whose roots extend to the dawn of time. By receiving gifts of sweets from strangers, the children establish, on a symbolic plane that exceeds their understanding, a fraternal exchange between the visible world and the invisible world. Author Jean Markale meticulously examines the rituals and ceremonies of ancient festivities on this holiday and shows how they still shape the customs of today's celebration. During the night of Samhain, the Celtic precursor of today's holiday, the borders between life and death were no longer regarded as insurmountable barriers. Two-way traffic was temporarily permitted between this world and the Other World, and the wealth and wisdom of the sidhe, or fairy folk, were available to the intrepid individuals who dared to enter their realm. Markale enriches our understanding of how the transition from the light to the dark half of the year was a moment in which time stopped and allowed the participants in the week-long festival to attain a level of consciousness not possible in everyday life, an experience we honor in our modern celebrations of Halloween.