Aleister Crowley and the Practice of the Magical Diary


James Wasserman - 1993
    John and A Master of the Temple. These were the only two works regarding the magical diary published in Crowley's lifetime. Both were first published in Crowley's immense collection of magical instruction, The Equinox. John St. John chronicles Crowley's momentbymoment progress during a 13day magical working. Crowley referred to it as "a perfect model of what a magical record should be." A Master of the Temple is taken from the magical diary of Frater Achad at a time when he was Crowley's most valued and successful student. It provides an invaluable example of a student's record, plus direct commentary and instruction added by Crowley.With commentary and introductory material by editor James Wasserman, Aleister Crowley and the Practice of the Magical Diary is the most important and accessible instruction available to students of the occult regarding the practice of keeping a magical diary.This revised edition includes a new introduction by Wasserman, a foreword by noted occult scholar J. Daniel Gunther, revisions throughout the text, a revised reading list for further study, plus Crowley's instructions on banishing from Liber O.

S.S.O.T.B.M.E. Revised: An Essay on Magic


Ramsey Dukes - 1975
    Magical thought is described and contrasted with Science, Art and Religion. The dynamic relationship between them is explained. Modern magic and its role in the 21st century is outlined with respect to practices ranging from ritual magic, through alchemy to New Age therapies. Specific topics include: secrecy, initiation, sacrifice, cyber-animism, Crowleyanity, morality, pseudo-science, demonology, deity, miracles and divination.

The Black Arts: A Concise History of Witchcraft, Demonology, Astrology, and Other Mystical Practices Throughout the Ages


Richard Cavendish - 1967
    This text describes the practice, theory, and underlying rationale of black magic in all its branches - the summoning and control of evil spirits, necromancy, psychic attack, devil worship, witchcraft, evil charms and spells - as well as other branches of occult theory.

The Occult


Colin Wilson - 1971
    He produces a wonderfully skillful synthesis of the available material—one that sees the occult in the light of reason and reason in the light of the mystical and paranormal. The result is a wide-ranging survey of the subject that provides a comprehensive history of magic, an insightful exploration of our latent powers, and a journey of enlightenment. “I am very impressed by this book, not only by its erudition but…above all for the good-natured, unaffected charm of the author whose reasoning is never too far-fetched, who is never carried away by preposterous theories.”—Sunday Times

Paganism: An Introduction to Earth-Centered Religions


Joyce Higginbotham - 2002
    Based on a course in Paganism that the authors have taught for more than a decade, it is full of exercises, meditations, and discussion questions for group or individual study.This book presents the basic fundamentals of Paganism. It explores what Pagans are like; how the Pagan sacred year is arranged; what Pagans do in ritual; what magick is; and what Pagans believe about God, worship, human nature, and ethics.For those who are exploring their own spirituality, or who want a good book to give to non-Pagan family and friends A hands-on learning tool with magickal workings, meditations, discussion questions, and journal exercises Offers in-depth discussion of ethics and magick

A Year and a Day of Everyday Witchcraft: 366 Ways to Witchify Your Life


Deborah Blake - 2017
    This handy book features simple yet meaningful ways to integrate witchcraft into your daily life, inspiring you to take your magic to a new level whether you're a beginner or an experienced practitioner.Deborah Blake guides you on a journey through the Wheel of the Year, providing witchy wisdom, affirmations, spells, questions to ponder, and much more. From working with herbs and gemstones to connecting with deities, A Year and a Day of Everyday Witchcraft explores a variety of modern Pagan practices to help you get more in touch with your personal path of witchcraft.

Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America


Margot Adler - 1979
    Margot Adler attended ritual gatherings and interviewed a diverse, colorful gallery of people across the United States, people who find inspiration in ancient deities, nature, myth, even science fiction. In this new edition featuring an updated resource guide of newsletters, journals, books, groups, and festivals, Margot Adler takes a fascinating and honest look at the religious experiences, beliefs, and lifestyles of modern America's Pagan groups.

Circle for Hekate -Volume I, History & Mythology: Dedicated to the light-bearing Goddess of the crossroads in all her many faces, manifestations, and names. (The Circle for Hekate Project Book 1)


Sorita d'Este - 2017
    The book serves as a comprehensive introduction to her many myths and legends, viewed through the Divine Ancestry attributed to her in Hesiod’s Theogony (800-700BCE), as well as an exploration of her conflation with other goddesses, archaeology, literature, and iconography. Hekate’s worship was never limited to one geographical region. Her presence is well attested in Greece and Turkey, as well as Egypt, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Russia, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, Sicily and Southern Italy. She has possible links to Minoan Crete, her most famous temple stood in Lagina, and she was a popular goddess in ancient Athens. Her history reveals many fascinating stories: how Hekate Phosphoros saved ancient Byzantium from an invasion by Phillip II of Macedonia (father of Alexander the Great); and how a visit to her temple in Ephesus influenced Julian the Apostate, the last Pagan Emperor of Rome. Hekate was connected to Artemis, Demeter, Persephone, Isis, Diana, Despoina and other significant goddesses, appearing in single-and triple-bodied forms, as well as theriocephalic emanations with the heads of various animals. She shared the symbols of the torch, whip, snake and dagger with the Erinyes, and wielded the key to the Mysteries, wearing variously the modius, polos, kalathos and Phrygian cap. She shared paeans with Dionysos, stood with Hermes at the throne of the Phrygian Kybele, and sat next to Zeus in the cult of the Empty Throne. Far from being an obscure goddess, her torches illuminated the Mysteries at Eleusis, Samothrace, Aegina and Ephesus, leading the way for initiates. Suitable for reading as a standalone text by those fascinated in the history and myths related to Hekate, Circle for Hekate: History & Mythology also serves as background reading for those wishing to pursue a more practical understanding of the goddess, providing a clear contextual foundation for practice. Subsequent volumes in this series build upon the foundation provided in this first book to include devotional rites, meditations, contemplations and charms, giving readers the opportunity to develop their own personal understandings and relationships with this goddess.

Shadow Magick Compendium: Exploring Darker Aspects of Magickal Spirituality


Raven Digitalis - 2008
    Exploring the shadow self is not only safe, it's necessary for balance and healing. The author of Goth Craft invites you down a unique magical path for navigating inner and outer darkness and harnessing the shadow for spiritual growth.Shadow Magick Compendium sheds a positive light on this misunderstood and rarely discussed side of magical practice. There are ritual meditations for exploring past experiences, dispelling harmful behavior patterns, and healing a fractured soul. Learn how to safely fast and perform other methods of self-sacrifice, invoke a deity into yourself (godform assumption), get in touch with your Spirit Animal, take advantage of the Dark Moon and eclipses, and perform a unique ritual with your television for a new perspective on society. From astral journeys to sigils to dark herbs, you'll find an array of magical techniques to navigate the shadows and mysteries of yourself and the world at large.

Irish Witchcraft and Demonology


St. John D. Seymour - 1913
    At the outset the plan and scope of this book must be made clear. It will be noticed that the belief in fairies and suchlike beings is hardly touched upon at all, except in those instances where fairy lore and witchcraft become inextricably blended. When did witchcraft make its appearance in Ireland, and what was its progress therein? It seems probable that this belief, together with certain aspects of fairy lore previously unknown to the Irish, and ideas relative to milk and butter magic, may in the main be counted as results of the Anglo-Norman invasion, though it is possible that an earlier installment of these came in with the Scandinavians.

Forbidden Rites: A Necromancer's Manual of the Fifteenth Century


Richard Kieckhefer - 1998
    Forbidden Rites consists of an edition of this medieval Latin text with a full commentary, including detailed analysis of the text and its contents, discussion of the historical context, translation of representative sections of the text, and comparison with other necromantic texts of the late Middle Ages. The result is the most vivid and readable introduction to medieval magic now available.Like many medieval texts for the use of magicians, this handbook is a miscellany rather than a systematic treatise. It is exceptional, however, in the scope and variety of its contents--prayers and conjurations, rituals of sympathetic magic, procedures involving astral magic, a catalogue of spirits, lengthy ceremonies for consecrating a book of magic, and other materials.With more detail on particular experiments than the famous thirteenth-century Picatrix and more variety than the Thesaurus Necromantiae ascribed to Roger Bacon, the manual is one of the most interesting and important manuscripts of medieval magic that has yet come to light.

Honoring Your Ancestors: A Guide to Ancestral Veneration


Mallorie Vaudoise - 2019
    Filled with hands-on techniques and tips, Honoring Your Ancestors shows you how to create an ancestor altar so you can work with ancestors of all kinds. Author Mallorie Vaudoise also shares fascinating ideas for incorporating rituals, spells, family recipes, and even practices like music and dancing to help you open this wonderful new dimension of your spiritual journey.Ancestor veneration is one of the most widespread spiritual practices in the world. This book shares the important distinctions between working with blood ancestors, lineage ancestors, and affinity ancestors while helping you recognize the signs that your ancestors are responding to your petitions and offerings. You will also explore important topics like mediumship and ancestral trauma so you can be sure to develop a veneration practice that's uplifting and affirming for you.

To Walk a Pagan Path: Practical Spirituality for Every Day


Alaric Albertsson - 2013
    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.

Egyptian Magic


E.A. Wallis Budge - 1899
    Everything known about magic in ancient Egypt: the role of magic in controlling the gods, powerful amulets that warded off evil spirits, scarabs of immortality, use of wax images, formulas & spells, the secret name, etc.PrefaceAntiquity of magical practices in Egypt Magical stones or amulets Magical figures Magical pictures & formulæ, spells etc.Magical names Magical ceremonies Demoniacal possession, dreams, ghosts, lucky & unlucky days, horoscopes, prognostications, transformations & the worship of animals

England's Hidden Reverse: A Secret History of the Esoteric Underground


David Keenan - 2002
    Based on several years' worth of exclusive interviews and unprecedented access to all three bands' personal archives, 'England's Hidden Reverse' is the first, definitive, biography of Nurse With Wound, Coil and Current 93.