The Weiser Concise Guide to Aleister Crowley


Richard Kaczynski - 2009
    A carefully chosen series of his instructions for concentration, meditation, magick, invocation, even sex magick are included. Crowley's descriptions of the teaching Orders A:.A:. and OTO are presented, along with the Creed of EGC. In addition, a suggested reading list of Crowley's "top-eleven" most important books is enhanced by an extensive bibliography for further in-depth research. This is the first and only introductory book that does not pretend to "improve" upon the Master's writings, but attempts to showcase them into a coherent introduction to his spiritual system. .A practicing occultist whose mastery of western magick and eastern mysticism was unsurpassed by any of his contemporaries, and who continues to be an icon for many of today's practicing magicians..The founder and prophet of the new religious movement of Thelema, best known by its oft-misunderstood catchphrase, "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.".A prolific poet whose Collected Works, by age thirty, filled three volumes, and whose last published work, Olla, was subtitled Sixty Years of Song..A maverick mountaineer whose numerous innovations and world records in the sport are acknowledged by even his most vocal critics..An adventurer whose exploits in the far east were serialized by Vanity Fair magazine as "A Burmese River.".An impresario who took the violin troupe, the Ragged Ragtime Girls, on a tour of Russia..A British secret agent who marshaled his literary and occult connections to the service of his country, including (reputedly) the invention of the "V for Victory" sign as a magical antidote to the swastika..A ranked chess master who could trounce many players without even looking at the chess board..A pioneering entheogenic explorer who conducted psychedelic experiments with mescaline..Producer and star of The Rites of Eleusis, a series of ritualistic plays featuring an innovative blend of magick, drama, music and poetry. .One of the most unjustly vilified men in the history of journalism, garnering headlines like "The Wickedest Man in the World" and "A Man We'd Like To Hang."More mistruth and rumor has circulated about Aleister Crowley than perhaps any other figure in recent history. When the reporter Henry Hall introduced him to readers of the New York World Sunday Magazine, he wrote, "Some said that he was a man of real attainments, others that he was a faker. All agreed that he was extraordinary." Crowley openly defied social conventions, challenging people to examine what they really believed, and why they believed it. He confronted blind faith with rational skepticism. Yet he likewise challenged the skeptic with scientific illuminism, a systematic approach to spirituality that he described as "The method of science, the aim of religion."

The Once and Future Goddess


Elinor W. Gadon - 1989
    In this beautifully illustrated and far-reaching history. Elinor Gadon vividly weaves words and images to demonstrate the powerful connections between ancient and contemporary art, between the Goddess of the Ice Age and the Goddess of today.This panoramic view of Goddess imagery extends from the prehistoric Goddess representations of Catal Huyuk, Malta, Avebury, and Crete, tot he more patriarchal images of the Sumerians, Greeks, and Christians, to the wide range of contemporary artists inspired by the Goddess, including Frida Kahlo, Mayumi Oda, and Judy Chicago.

Practical Magic: A Beginner's Guide to Crystals, Horoscopes, Psychics, and Spells


Nikki Van De Car - 2017
    Clear introductions on trending topics, like herbal tonics and astrological charts, are paired with home remedies, hands-on instructions, and suggested rituals in a chic, stylish format that will capture the imaginations of good witches of all ages.

Everyday Witchcraft: Making Time for Spirit in a Too-Busy World


Deborah Blake - 2015
    Simple, fun, and easy to follow, Everyday Witchcraft shows that, no matter how busy or hectic life is, even small acts can add meaning and depth to your life.This remarkable book is filled with creative ideas and a variety of quick yet significant ways to connect with the rhythms of nature each day, not just on sabbats or the full moon. Make your home into a magickal place, work with the God and Goddess on a regular basis, and discover the magickal power of animals. From five-minute rituals and hibernation vacations to mini daily divinations, you can easily make the wisdom and practice of Witchcraft an enriching part of everyday life.Praise: This is a book that deserves a place on all shelves for it is pertinent not only to the Pagan-inclined but to all who look to better their lives.--Raymond Buckland, author of Buckland's Complete Book of WitchcraftA must-have for any Witch looking to evolve their practice from a mere study of the Craft into a fully fledged lifestyle.--Melanie Marquis, author of A Witch's World of Magick and The Witch's Bag of Tricks

The Magician's Companion: A Practical and Encyclopedic Guide to Magical and Religious Symbolism


Bill Whitcomb - 2002
    Over thirty-five magical models are compared and discussed. Begins with an introduction to magic, including a program of study so you can use any of the ninety-one systems described. Reveals the secrets of alchemy, magical alphabets, the chakras, the Tree of Life, astrology, and much more. It makes the ancient magical systems accessible, understandable and useful to modern magicians.

A Book of Pagan Prayer


Ceisiwr Serith - 2002
    A Book of Pagan Prayer provides the pagan community a comprehensive and thoughtful selection of prayers - and shows readers how they too can create their own. After an introduction on why to pray, author Ceisiwr Serith explores how to pray through words, posture, dance, and music. He explains how to prepare for and compose prayers, how to address and honor the deities, and how to conclude a prayer. Serith also answers important questions, such as: Why should pagans pray? Should prayers be spontaneous? What are offerings about? Is all this just trying to buy the gods off? Gathered from many traditions - including Celtic, Germanic, Egyptian, Greek, and Zoroastrian - this guide includes nearly 500 sample prayers organized by purpose: for the family and household; times of the day, month, and year; life passages; thanksgiving, grace, and petition; as well as litanies and mantras. Whether offering a blessing, celebrating new life, safeguarding travel, or honoring the seasons, readers will discover timeless pagan prayers for worship, spiritual connection, and personal relationship with the gods.

Odin's Gateways: A Practical Guide To The Wisdom Of The Runes Through Galdr, Sigils And Casting


Katie Gerrard - 2009
    Larrington)The runes are mysterious and powerful magical keys to the primal forces of nature that shaped Norse and Northern European culture. These twenty-four unique and inspiring symbols of the Elder Futhark (first runic alphabet) each possess powerful energies, identities, meanings, and sounds. The runes are invoked and harnessed to create change through inspiration, healing, protection, knowledge and divine wisdom from the Norse gods.Odin’s Gateways is a practical guide to using the runes in our lives, in magic and in divination – a unique journey into the mysteries hidden within the runes, filled with the information and practices necessary to developing a deep personal understanding and relationship with them. By focusing on how to directly harness and channel the energy of the individual runes, the author guides the reader along the path to self knowledge and empowerment. With a deft hand and lucid style, Katie Gerrard cuts to the heart of the runes, combining the wisdom of the Norse Sagas and Rune Poems with practical advice and techniques gained through living and experiencing their powers.The practical magic of the runes is demonstrated through numerous examples of Galdr (incantation), bindrunes (composite runic sigils) and spellcraft for purposes such as protection, healing, childbirth, creating a sacred space, fertility, sleep, battle and cursing. The divinatory meanings of the runes are given, with a range of different reading methods, and advice on how to cast and interpret them. Woven among the manifold techniques and practices contained in her work, the author also explores the history of rune use, providing the highlights from Tacitus and Snorri Sturluson to the modern European and American rune masters who have revived their use."Odin’s Gateways is a practical guide to using the runes in our lives, in magic and in divination – a unique journey into the mysteries hidden within the runes, filled with the information and practices necessary to developing a deep personal understanding and relationship with them. With a deft hand and lucid style, Katie Gerrard cuts to the heart of the runes, combining the wisdom of the Norse Sagas and rune poems with practical advice and techniques gained through living and experiencing their powers."

Witchery: Embrace the Witch Within


Juliet Diaz - 2019
    Are you ready to answer the call and embrace your own inner witch? In this book, third-generation Witch Juliet Diaz guides you on a journey to connect with the Magick within you. She explains how to cast off what doesn't serve you, unleash your authentic self, and become an embodiment of your truth. You'll also learn the skills and techniques you need to build your own Magickal craft. Within these enchanted pages you'll discover how to:  *  Connect with the power of your inner witch  *  Create spells, potions, and rituals for love, protection, healing, manifestation and more  *  Amplify your energy by working with a Book of Shadows  *  Create an altar and decorate it according to the seasons  *  Work with the Moon and the Seasons of the Witch  *  Connect with your ancestors to receive their wisdomFilled with Magick, inspiration, and love, Witchery is your guide and companion on a wickedly delicious journey to true self-empowerment.

Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality: Gay People in Western Europe from the Beginning of the Christian Era to the Fourteenth Century


John Boswell - 1980
    The historical breadth of Boswell's research (from the Greeks to Aquinas) and the variety of sources consulted (legal, literary, theological, artistic, and scientific) make this one of the most extensive treatments of any single aspect of Western social history. The product of ten years of research and analysis of records in a dozen languages, this book opens up a new area of historical inquiry and helps elucidate the origins and operations of intolerance as a social force.

Celtic Tree Magic: Ogham Lore and Druid Mysteries


Danu Forest - 2014
    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

Vested Interests: Cross-Dressing and Cultural Anxiety


Marjorie Garber - 1991
    Rich in anecdote and insight, Vested Interests offers a provocative and entertaining view of our ongoing obsession with dressing up--and with the power of clothes.

The Apple Branch: A Path to Celtic Ritual


Alexei Kondratiev - 1998
    The traditions of Celtic-speaking communities in particular offer a highly effective method, expressed through mythology (as in the symbolic apple branch) and implemented through seasonal rituals.Alexi Kondratiev outlines rules for Celtic-circle membership and shows how to become conversant with Celtic culture and mythology, and at least one of the surviving Celtic languages. He also provides the actual formula of words given for each of the Celtic rituals and visualization sequences. These rituals are closely connected with the passage of time, especially the four seasons, as well as other feast days. In this book the ancient traditions of all six Celtic nations are brought to life. Alexi Kondratiev, who knows sixty-four languages well enough to teach them, conducts classes in a variety of Celtic subjects at the Irish Arts Center in New York City, and has been a contributor to a number of magazines and journals, including Keltoi, Carn, and Keltria.

A Year Without a Name: A Memoir


Cyrus Grace Dunham - 2019
    But in a culture of relentless self-branding, and in a family subject to the intrusions and objectifications that attend fame, dissociation can come to feel normal.

Mysteries of the Dark Moon: The Healing Power of the Dark Goddess


Demetra George - 1992
    The mythical embodiment of these fears is the Dark Goddess. Known around the world by many names--Lilith, Kali, Hecate, and Morgana--the archetypal Dark Goddess represents death, sexuality, and the unconscious--the little understood, often feared aspects of life.Demetra George combines psychological, mythical, and spiritual perspective on the shadowy, feminine symbolism of the dark moon to reclaim the darkness from oppressive, fear-based images. George offers rites for rebirth and transformation that teach us to tap into the power of our dark times, maximizing the potential for renewal inherent in our inevitable periods of loss, depression, and anger.

Northern Mysteries and Magick: Runes & Feminine Powers


Freya Aswynn - 1998
    They comprise a powerful system of divination and a path to the subconscious forces operating in your life. Northern Mysteries & Magick is the only book of Nordic magick written by a woman, and it is the first to offer an extensive presentation of rune concepts, mythology, and magical applications inspired by Dutch/Friesian traditional lore.Also unique in this book is the inclusion of the feminine Mysteries of the North. You'll learn how they are represented in the runes. You will see how each of the major deities of Northern Europe still lives in the collective consciousness of people of Northern European descent.- A complete analysis of the Elder Futhark Runes and their meanings - How to use the runes for divination including several rune spreads - Using the runes in magick - Rune charms and power sigils - Shamanic drumming and chanting - Profiles of the eight major Gods - The Northern Feminine mysteries featuring four major goddessesThe first edition of this book was considered a classic. Now, revised and expanded, Northern Mysteries & Magick is one of the most amazing and important books ever on the Runes and the magick of Northern Europe.