Book picks similar to
Kissing the Hag: The Dark Goddess and the Unacceptable Nature of Women by Emma Restall Orr
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paganism
pagan
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High Magick: A Guide to the Spiritual Practices That Saved My Life on Death Row
Damien Echols - 2018
Magick is for those who feel the desire to peel away the surface of reality and see what lies beneath. Like various persecuted forms of mysticism, magick promotes direct contact with the source of creation.” —Damien Echols Discover a Powerful Practice for Transforming Yourself and Your Reality At age 18, Damien Echols was sentenced to death for a crime he didn’t commit. “I spent my years in prison training to be a true magician,” he recalls. “I used magick—the practice of reshaping reality through our intention and will—to stave off incredible pain, despair, and isolation. But the most amazing feat of all that practice and study was to manifest my freedom.” With High Magick, this bestselling author shares his first teaching book on the powerful spiritual techniques that helped him survive and transcend his ordeal on death row. Though our culture has consigned “magic” to fiction, stage illusions, or superstitions about dark practices, the magick Damien learned is an ancient Western tradition equal the Eastern practices of Buddhism, Taoism, and yoga in its wisdom and transformative power. Here he brings you an engaging and highly accessible guide for bringing magick into your own life, including: • What is High Magick? Damien clears away the stigma and reveals the history and core teachings of this extraordinary art. • The Four-Fold Breath—a foundational meditation practice to train your mind and body to channel subtle energies. • The Middle Pillar—how to bring divine energy into the central channel of your body for empowerment and healing. • The Qabalistic Cross—a centering technique to help you stay balanced and protected regardless of circumstances. • The Lesser Rituals of the Pentagram—powerful practices for banishing negative energies and invoking energy to manifest your goals. • Working with angelic beings and other spiritual allies to support your practice. • Creating thoughtforms to assist you in your ongoing magickal development. • Guidance for overcoming your doubts, enhancing your visualization skills, creating talismans, practicing magick ethically, and much more. “Magick is a journey,” writes Damien. “It’s a continuously unfolding path that has no end. You can study and practice magick for the rest of your life and you will still never learn everything that it has to teach you.” If you’re ready to discover your untapped potential for co-creating your reality with the energy of the divine, then join this extraordinary teacher to begin your training in High Magick.
Companion for the Apprentice Wizard
Oberon Zell-Ravenheart - 2006
Unlike his first best-selling book, Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard which focused on the lessons one must learn to become a Wizard, Oberon focuses on taking you to the next level by putting those lessons to use with hands-on magickal training.Chapters are based on the Departments of Oberon's Grey School of Wizardry:AlchemyBeast MasteryCeremonial MagickCosmology and MetaphysicsDivinationHealingLifewaysLoreMathemagicksMetapsychicsNaturePerformance MagicPracticeSorceryWizardryWortcunningInside you will find materials and exercises from the vaults of the Grey School, and instruction from the faculty. Step-by-step instructions are provided for:How to make a Wizard's wandHow to make your own runesHow to make a pocket sundialHow to make and use a firebowHow to make the milky way galaxyHow to make your own amulets and talismansPotions for all purposesHow to conjure illusions and create special effectsAnd many other amazing projects…Companion for the Apprentice Wizard also includes a number of hand-drawn, full-page diagrams of magickal objects to copy, cut out, and assemble, including:Spinners for psychokinesisA Planetary Hour CalculatorThe Mariner's AstrolabeA winged dragonA model of the mystic pyramidA model of Leonardo da Vinci's Ornithopter
Dancing in the Flames: The Dark Goddess in the Transformation of Consciousness
Marion Woodman - 1996
She embodies the energy of chaos and creativity, creation and destruction, death and rebirth. Images of Her, however, have been conspicuously missing in the Western world for centuries—until now, when awareness of the Goddess is re-arising in many spheres, from the women's movement to traditional religion, from the new discoveries of quantum physics to the dreams of ordinary men and women. Why now particularly? The answer provided by Marion Woodman and Elinor Dickson is bold and thrilling: the reemergence of the Divine Feminine in our time indicates our readiness to move to an entirely new level of consciousness. The reemerging Goddess calls for a shattering of rigid categories, a willingness to hold opposition. She calls us to marry reason and order to creativity, and to embrace the chaos that can ultimately lead to wisdom and transformation on personal and global levels.
Witchcraft for Tomorrow
Doreen Valiente - 1978
It tells you what the old religion of witchcraft has to offer the new age; how the ago-old Craft of the Wise can be practiced in the modern world; how to initiate yourself and start your own coven. The author has been a practicing witch since 1953, and in this book she gives a new Book of Shadows (the witch's handbook of rituals and instructions) based upon ancient magical tradition but geared to present times. Included are spells, incantations, witch songs, and practical advice on how to run a coven and how to acquire your own collection of magical implements.
Light Magic for Dark Times: More than 100 Spells, Rituals, and Practices for Coping in a Crisis
Lisa Marie Basile - 2018
They can be cast during a crisis or to help prevent one, to protect loved ones, to welcome new beginnings, to heal from grief, or to find strength. Feminist, easy-to-do, and accessible, this is the perfect guide for anyone looking to live an inspired life. Whether you're working with the earth, journaling for self-growth, healing with tinctures or crystals, meditating through grief, brewing, enchanting, or communing with your coven, Light Magic for Dark Times will help you tap into your inner witch in times of need.
Sophia: Goddess of Wisdom, Bride of God
Caitlín Matthews - 1991
Caitlin Matthews' scholarship connects us to past, present, and future in the very depths of our femininity. ----Marion Woodman, Jungian analyst and author of Bone: Dying into Life. Sophia, or "wisdom" in Greek, has been revered in many forms throughout history--from the Dark Goddess of ancient Anatolia; to her Egyptian, Greek, Celtic, and Cabalistic manifestations; to her current forms as Mary and the orthodox St. Sophia. In the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas, Sophia sits with God until the creation. Then she falls into matter and becomes manifest in every atom, permeating all things "like the sparks that run through charcoal," as Matthews says. While God is "out there," the Goddess is "in here"-- the mother-wit of practical inspiration and compassion at the heart's core. This definitive work comprehensively establishes a realistic Goddess theology for Westerners in the twenty-first century: grounding spirituality in daily life and the natural world; learning to work playfully and play seriously; ending the gender war to enjoy sacred marriage.
Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom
John O'Donohue - 1996
In Anam Cara, Gaelic for soul friend, the ancient teachings, stories, and blessings of Celtic wisdom provide such profound insights on the universal themes of friendship, solitude, love, and death as: Light is generous The human heart is never completely born Love as ancient recognitionThe body is the angel of the soul Solitude is luminous Beauty likes neglected places The passionate heart never ages To benatural is to be holy Silence is the sister of the divine Death as an invitation to freedom
Practical Sigil Magic: Creating Personal Symbols for Success
Frater U∴D∴ - 1985
For the most part, it can be performed without complicated rituals, needs hardly any paraphernalia, is independent of philosophical and dogmatic premises and, due to its simplicity, can be learned easily and quickly. Most important of all, none of the magical techniques we know of today is more efficient and will give even beginners the immediate chance to convince themselves of its power and their own abilities. These reasons alone support a volume like the following to show the possibilities of this discipline and to explain its techniques and its rationale. The reader—the complete tyro and the advanced practitioner alike—will receive an introduction which will accompany him/her in his/her magical practice for a long time.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Paganism
Carl McColman - 2002
But finding the perfect expression of your spirituality can prove long and challenging. You might already be attracted to paganism, but considering the variety of traditions and paths that fall in this category, you need a spiritual guide. Seek no further! Whether you're interested in following the pagan path or just curious to know more, 'The Complete Idiot's Guide to Paganism' will enlighten you on this fascinating array of nature-based beliefs and practices. In this 'Complete Idiot's Guide', you'll learn about the basic principles of shamanism, druidism, Wicca and more. How to deepen your connection to the Goddess, the God, and nature. The fundamentals of meditation, magic, divination, and spiritual healing. Tips on incorporating pagan rituals into your modern lifestyle.
Shameless: A Sexual Reformation
Nadia Bolz-Weber - 2019
And that's why in Shameless, Pastor Nadia sets out to reclaim the conversation for a new generation. In the spirit of Martin Luther, Bolz-Weber calls for a reformation of the way believers understand and express their sexuality. To make her case, Bolz-Weber draws on experiences from her own life as well as her parishoners', then puts them side by side with biblical narrative and theology to explore what the church has taught and about sex, and the harm that has often come as a result. Along the way, Bolz-Weber reexamines patriarchy, gender, and sexual orientation with candor but also with hope--because, as she writes, "I believe that the Gospel can heal the pain that even the church has caused."
The Book of Tarot: A Guide for Modern Mystics
Danielle Noel - 2018
With both clarity and warmth, seasoned practitioner Danielle Noel instructs readers in using the Tarot as a tool for self-understanding, meditation, and soulful introspection.
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.
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.
Year of the Witch: Connecting with Nature's Seasons through Intuitive Magick
Temperance Alden - 2020
But what about a wheel of the year for the rest of us pagans and witches? As a witch living in sunny South Florida, longtime hereditary witch Temperance Alden has often felt at odds gearing up to celebrate Yule, for example, when it is 76 degrees and sunny outside.Year of the Witch will help readers create their own intuitive practices in harmony with the climate, culture, and local spirits where they live. It’s of interest to witches coming off the Wiccan path and looking for a more personal approach to celebrating the rhythms of nature. Year of the Witch covers all aspects of this new, seasonal practice: The origins of the neo-pagan wheel of the year and why it is still so relevant today Culture, historical facts, and traditions associated with the major ceremonies Basic principles of land-based magick How to intuitively connect to the nature below your feet and the local gods Being a custodian to the land and its impact on our spiritual practice
The Golden Dawn: The Original Account of the Teachings, Rites, and Ceremonies of the Hermetic Order
Israel Regardie - 1971
The original Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, which started in the late 1800s, borrowed from a wide variety of occult traditions ó Kabalah, Tarot, Geomancy, Enochian Magic, Theosophy, Freemasonry, Paganism, Astrology, and many more ó and created a unique and viable system of magic that is still being practiced today. Almost every contemporary occult writer and modern group has been influenced, directly or indirectly, by the Order or its members, making The Golden Dawn one of the most influential occult books of the past 100 years. The book is divided into several basic sections. First are the knowledge lectures, where you will learn the basics of the Kabalah, symbolism, meditation, geomancy and more. This is followed by the rituals of the Outer Order, consisting of five initiation rituals into the degrees of the Golden Dawn. The next section covers the rituals of the Inner Order including two initiation rituals, equinox ceremonies, and more. Then you will learn the basic rituals of magic and the construction, consecration, and means of using the magical tools. Once you have these you can go on to evocation rituals, talismans, and invocations. The book gives explanations for how to design talismans, do skrying and travel on the astral plane. You will also learn geomancy, the Tarot, and Enochian magic. Filled with numerous illustrations, lists, and tables, The Golden Dawn provides guidance for a lifetime of magic and life-changing transformation. Get your copy today.