Book picks similar to
The Encyclopedia of Magic and Alchemy by Rosemary Ellen Guiley
reference
occult
nonfiction
magic
A Witches' Bible: The Complete Witches' Handbook
Janet Farrar - 1987
This collection includes two books in one volume, Eight Sabbats for Witches and The Witches' Way and is the most comprehensive and revealing work on the principles, rituals and beliefs of modern witchcraft.
Not In Kansas Anymore
Christine Wicker - 2005
From the moment she introduces a group of self-professed vampires, who challenge her as to whether she is a victim, she sweeps us into some seriously cobwebby corners of the American psyche. Impeccably researched and filled with details on the prevalence of magic throughout American history, the book could be ponderous and freaky, but that Wicker's delightfully self-abnegating tone never allows. When she attends a ritual in Salem, Massachusetts, where historic witch-burning is the basis of a profitable commercial cult, her over-the-top costume makes it hard for her even to walk. Offered a chance for some good mojo to spice up her sex life, she decides to let well enough alone. Wicker never mocks the magicians' and witches' beliefs or their sometimes-extreme personal habits but rather constantly seeks the reasons for belief and the context for personal choice.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Wicca and Witchcraft
Denise Zimmermann - 2000
€ With the integration of witchcraft into pop culture (e.g. Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Charmed on TV) interest in these topics is going ever more mainstream € According to FoxNews.com, Wicca is growing on college campuses...Lehigh and the University
The Mystical Qabalah
Dion Fortune - 1957
This Weiser Classics edition is newly re-typeset and include a new foreword by Judika Illes and a new afterword by Stuart R. Harrop, co-director of the Society of Inner Light (founded in 1924 by Dion Fortune).Dion Fortune's classic, The Mystical Qabalah, explores all aspects of the Qabalah, including the esoteric sciences of astrology and tarot, which form the basis of the Western Mystery Traditions. It provides a key to the practical working of this mystical system for both novice and initiate alike.
Creating Magickal Entities
David Michael Cunningham - 2003
This manual, written by three practicing occultists, reveals magickal and alchemical methods, many which have been lost and suppressed through the ages, in a refreshingly modern way that magickal practitioners of any tradition can understand.
Futhark: A Handbook of Rune Magic
Edred Thorsson - 1983
Both the spiritual heritage of ancient runic lore and the practical steps we can take to draw on rune power are present in "A Handbook of Rune Magic." This complete book of rune instruction includes rune history and lore, its basis in metaphysical thought and mysticism, complete definitions of the 24 runes of the Elder Futhark, and the etymology, phonetic value and interpretation of each rune. The reader is shown how to perform chants and rituals using runic energy, how to sign and send runes, and given suggestions for runic meditation. The author's presentation of this powerful system is lucid and profound, and provides a valuable tool for spiritual transformation and self-development.
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.
Techniques of High Magic: A Handbook of Divination, Alchemy, and the Evocation of Spirits
Francis X. King - 1976
• Explains various divination systems and how to perform ancient rituals that open the doorway to secret and arcane knowledge. True magic can be defined as the art and science of using little-known or forgotten natural forces in order to achieve changes in consciousness and the physical environment. It concerns a wide body of doctrines and techniques, including the conjuring of spirits and non-human entities; the manufacture and consecration of wands, swords, talismans, and other tools of the magus; ritual divination; and the exploration of universes other than that with which we are familiar. The masters who taught others these ancient arts are gone, but Techniques of High Magic provides the practical and lucid instruction necessary for self-initiation into these secret traditions. Emphasizing the ordered nature of the universe and the power of will directed by imagination, Francis King and Stephen Skinner introduce the reader to magical practices, rituals, and instruments that have been used for centuries. They explain systems of divination such as the I Ching, the Tarot, and geomancy, as well as techniques of astral projection and elementary alchemy. Their disciplined approach to magical practice includes easy formulas and diagrams that will help the initiate navigate an ancient and potent universe of gods, angels, and spirits--the world of High Magic.
Magick in Theory and Practice
Aleister Crowley - 1929
Many consider this work by Crowley to be the foremost book on ceremonial magic written in the twentieth century. It was written especially for beginners as Part 3 of Book 4 (Liber ABA). The original was privately printed in 1929 after Crowley failed to find a publisher in London.
Wicca: The Complete Craft
D.J. Conway - 2001
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.
The Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook
Denise Alvarado - 2009
The Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook is a rich compendium of more than 300 authentic Voodoo and Hoodoo recipes, rituals, and spells for love, justice, gambling luck, prosperity, health, and success.Cultural psychologist and root worker Denise Alvarado, who grew up in New Orleans, draws from a lifetime of recipes and spells learned from family, friends, and local practitioners. She traces the history of the African-based folk magic brought by slaves to New Orleans, and shows how it evolved over time to include influences from Native American spirituality, Catholicism, and Pentecostalism. She shares her research into folklore collections and 19th- and 20th- century formularies along with her own magical arts.The Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook includes more than 100 spells for Banishing, Binding, Fertility, Luck, Protection, Money, and more. Alvarado introduces readers to the Pantheon of Voodoo Spirits, the Seven African Powers, and other important Loas, Prayers, Novenas, and Psalms, and much, much more, including:* Oils and Potions: Attraction Love Oil, Dream Potion, Gambler's Luck Oil, Blessing Oil* Hoodoo Powders and Gris Gris: Algier's Fast Luck Powder, Controlling Powder, Money Drawing Powder* Talismans and Candle Magic* Curses and Hexes
Fairies: The Myths, Legends, Lore
Skye Alexander - 2014
Featuring folklore, mythology, and poetry from around the world, this lovely collection reveals these ethereal spirits' extraordinary powers and the history behind their existence. From the case of the Cottingley fairies in the early twentieth century, whose photographs fooled thousands (including Arthur Conan Doyle), to the mischievous fairies found in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, the fascinating stories surrounding these magical sprites are sure to captivate anyone who has ever dreamed of catching one hiding deep within her flowerbed. Whether you're interested in exploring the history and culture or just want to learn more about fairies' powers and trickery, you'll love plunging into the enchanting tales that bring these whimsical creatures to life.Complete with hundreds of lovely illustrations, Fairies reveals the magnificent beauty of these mesmerizing sprites as well as their knack for causing mischief.
Book of Shadows
Phyllis Curott - 1998
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
The History of Witchcraft and Demonology
Montague Summers - 1926
The definitive scholarly account on witchcraft, demonology, diabolic possession and modern spiritualism.
Breverton's Phantasmagoria: A Compendium of Monsters, Myths and Legends
Terry Breverton - 2011
People, Beings and BeastsWhere does the boogeyman come from?What creatures feast on faithful men?How do you defeat a minotaur?What really riles a dragon?Where would you find real-life werewolves?What happened to Atlantis?From dragons, vampires, werewolves and fairies to flying carpets, lost cities and modern-day mysteries,this delightful compendium of over 250 weird and wonderful legends, myths and monsters will entertain and astound anyone