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.

    But the Native American and African peoples were not the only cultures to traditionally practice shamanism. For centuries, shamanism was practiced by the Europeans, as well - including the Celts.

    She is a Goddess of sex and battle, the Irish Bestower of Sovereignty, and it is she who shapes the land and rules the fairy as Queen. Her raw power manifests through the Irish myths and legends, a prophetess and shapeshifter who uses her potent magic to shapeshift, assuming the forms of numerous wild animals and delivering victory to her chosen heroes.Her manifold roles, titles and guises weave a rich and colourful tapestry showing the continued dominion of the Morrigan in mythology, folklore and literature. She was the tutelary goddess to the ill-fated hero Cu Chulainn, she was the Fairy Queen and the Washer at the Ford. She was also the wise crone the Cailleach, and the battle crow Badb, the frenzied Nemain and Warrior Queen Macha.Her roles and guises which are brought together for the first time in this carefully researched volume, the work of many years of study, demonstrate clearly the significant status that she held in the ancient Celtic world and continues to enjoy today.

    Rich with magic and achingly beautiful, they speak of a land of heroic battles, intense love and warrior ideals, in which the otherworld is explored and men mingle freely with the gods. From the vivid adventures of the great Celtic hero Cu Chulaind, to the stunning 'Exile of the Sons of Uisliu' - a tale of treachery, honour and romance - these are masterpieces of passion and vitality, and form the foundation for the Irish literary tradition: a mythic legacy that was a powerful influence on the work of Yeats, Synge and Joyce.

    Yeats wrote of his own people “...even a newspaperman, if you entice him into a cemetery at midnight, will believe in phantoms, for everyone is a visionary if you scratch him deep enough. But the Celt, unlike any other, is a visionary without scratching.” This introduction to Celtic Mythology will serve the novice well – for it is a complicated history with the earliest written records destroyed by the marauding Vikings. Inside you will read about... ✓ The Arrival of the Tuatha dé Danann ✓ Hibernia ✓ The Main Gods of the Celtic Pantheon ✓ Celtic Life and Rituals ✓ Sources of Celtic Mythology ✓ The Effect of Christianity and Beliefs and Superstitions The oral tradition harks back to 4000BCE and is a compilation of myths and cultures of many different peoples including the Indo-Iranians, Slavs, Greeks, Germans, Austrians and finally, the Gauls, who washed up on the shores of the Emerald Isle. Whatever aspect of this rich, mystical and lavishly embellished heritage you would like to investigate further you will find the author has supplied a marker to guide you on your way.

    This is a book I would be delighted to recommend to my students, to members of my Druid order, and to anyone interested in Celtic spirituality as a living path for today.” —John Michael Greer, former Grand Archdruid, Ancient Order of Druids in America and author of The Druidry Handbook The Druids were the mystics, philosophers, and magicians of the ancient Celtic world. Their spirituality was borne from their near-worship of poetry and music, their warrior prowess, and the world of nature. The Mysteries of Druidry reveals this mystical romanticism as it was in ancient times, and shows various ways to bring it to life today. It includes:A professionally researched survey of Druidic history, tradition, and customs.Detailed descriptions of the mysteries of Celtic spirituality, including the Sacred Truth, the Great Marriage, the Hero’s Journey, and the Otherworld.Practical guidance for meditation and ceremony, for individuals and for groups.The Celtic story of the creation of the world, presented together with a plan for re-enacting the story in ritual.

    

    The first part covers aspects of preparation, featuring deceptively simple processes such as the boiling method, the water vapor method, and the test tube method--all of which can be easily mastered by crystal healing enthusiasts. After outlining the correct methods to use and listing poisonous crystals as a safety precaution, the book examines more than 100 usable crystals and 34 special mixtures, revealing their intended uses and effects for the optimum in therapeutic results.

    He explains- The ancient history and inspiring beliefs of the ancient Druids- Druidic wild wisdom and their tree-, animal- and herb-lore- The mysteries of the Druids' seasonal celebrations- The Druids' use of magic and how their spirituality relates to paths such as WiccaThis guide will show how the wild wisdom of the Druids can help us to connect with our spirituality, our innate creativity, the natural world and our sense of ancestry. The life-enhancing beliefs and practices of this spiritual path have much to offer our 21st-century world.

    Bob Smith, founded Alcoholics Anonymous in 1935, his hope was that AA would become a safe haven for those who suffered from this disease. Thirty years after his death, AA continues to help millions of alcoholics recover from what had been commonly regarded as a hopeless addiction. Still, while Wilson was a visionary for millions, he was no saint. After cofounding Alcoholics Anonymous, he stayed sober for over thirty-five years, helping countless thousands rebuild their lives. But at the same time, Wilson suffered form debilitating bouts of clinical depression, was a womanizer, and experimented with LSD.Francis Hartigan, the former secretary and confidant to Wilson's wife, Lois, has exhaustively researched his subject, writing with a complete insider's knowledge. Drawing on extensive interviews with Lois Wilson and scores of early members of AA, he fully explores Wilson's organizational genius, his devotion to the cause, and almost martyr-like selflessness. That Wilson, like all of us, had to struggle with his own personal demons makes this biography all the more moving and inspirational. Hartigan reveals the story of Wilson's life to be as humorous, horrific, and powerful as any of the AA vignettes told daily around the world.

    In this tapestry of poetic and religious scholarship, Graves explores the stories behind the earliest of European deities—the White Goddess of Birth, Love, and Death—who was worshipped under countless titles. He also uncovers the obscure and mysterious power of "pure poetry" and its peculiar and mythic language.

    Mystics. Prophets and astrologers. The Celts were a dynamic and unique people who left not only a rich legacy of artifacts, archaeological treasures, and dramatic myths, but also a vast body of wisdom and mystical symbolism that reflect universal truths about life. "The Celtic Book of Living and Dying" is a masterfully adorned collection of this ancient Celtic wisdom, tracing life from birth through death and into the afterlife. Travel back in time to a world where druids and bards, saints and angels reign as guardians of the soul. Voyage between realms, the unexpected at every turn. With its mix of more than 40 Celtic-style full-color artworks, over 40 painterly landscape photographs, and a wealth of illuminating words, poetry, insights, and timeless tales of heroes and giants, unknown creatures and magical lands, "The Celtic Book of Living and Dying" is a window into a long-ago world that continues to shape the dreams, thoughts, and ideas of today.

    It covers topics such as how to attain and work with guides and allies, understanding the spirit realm and interaction with spirits of all kinds, accessing powers of place, traveling the world tree and working with the seven directions and exploring and navigating within the Celtic Otherworld. With practical techniques, exercises and core skills, The Druid Shaman can be used as a practical manual as well as a valuable resource for practicing shamans and druids as well as those new to the subject.

    I referred them to Doctor Who's Tardis.'Frank Skinner wants you to read more poetry. Wait, wait - don't stop reading. Whether you're a frequent poetry reader or haven't read any since sixth form, Frank's infectious passion for language, rhythm and metre will win you over and provide you with the basic tools you need to tackle any poem.In this short, easy-to-digest and delightful book, Frank guides us through the twists and turns of 'Pad, pad' by Stevie Smith, a short, seemingly simple poem that contains multitudes of meaning and a deceptive depth of emotion. Revel in the mastery of Stevie Smith's choice of words, consider the eternal mystery of the speaker of the poem and be moved by rhyming couplets like you never have before.Give it a go. You never know, you might even enjoy it.

    Llewellyn's 2019 Witches' Datebook features beautiful illustrations from award-winning artist Kathleen Edwards, a variety of ways to celebrate the Wheel of the Year, and powerful wisdom from practicing Witches.Find fresh ways to celebrate the sacred seasons and enhance your practice with sabbat musings (Raven Digitalis), tasty sabbat recipes (Estha McNevin), Witchy tips (Elizabeth Barrette), and the Witch's tools (Mickie Mueller). Also included are fascinating articles on connecting magically with birds (Monica Crosson), prioritizing spells and rituals (Diana Rajchel), ethically disposing of offering items (Blake Octavian Blair), visualizing with all five senses (Autumn Damiana), and changing your body to match the energy of your goal (Charlynn Walls). This indispensable, on-the-go tool will make all your days more magical.