ROCKET SCIENTIST KILLED IN PASADENA EXPLOSIONscreamed the headline of the Los Angeles Times. John Parsons, a maverick rocketeer who helped transform the rocket from a derided sci-fi plot line into a reality, was at first mourned as a scientific prodigy. But reporters soon uncovered a more shocking story: Parsons had been a devotee of black magic. George Pendle re-creates the world of John Parsons in this dazzling portrait of prewar superstition, cold war paranoia, and futuristic possibility. Fueled by childhood dreams of space flight, Parsons was a leader of the motley band of enthusiastic young men who founded the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a cornerstone of the American space program. But Parsons's wild imagination also led him into the occult- for if he could make rocketry a reality, why not magic? With a cast of characters including Howard Hughes, L. Ron Hubbard, and Robert Heinlein, Strange Angel explores the unruly consequences of genius.

    The result of sixteen years of research in Talmudic, gnostic, cabalistic, apocalyptic, patristic, and legendary texts, the classic reference work on angels is beautifully illustrated and its reissue coincides with the resurgence of belief in angels in America.

    What is certain is that this 1899 classic has become a foundational document of modern Wicca and neopaganism. Leland claimed his "witch informant," a fortune-teller named Maddalena, supplied him with the secret writings that he translated and combined with his research on Italian pagan tradition to create a gospel of pagan belief and practice. Here, in the story of the goddess Aradia, who came to Earth to champion oppressed peasants in their fight against their feudal overlords and the Catholic Church, are the chants, prayers, spells, and rituals that have become the centerpieces of contemporary pagan faiths. American journalist and folklorist CHARLES GODFREY LELAND (1824-1903) was editor of Continental Monthly during the Civil War and coined the term emancipation as an alternative to abolition, but he is best remembered for his books on ethnography, folklore, and language, including The Gypsies (1882), The Hundred Riddles of the Fairy Bellaria (1892), and Unpublished Legends of Virgil (1899).

    When you finish reading The Elements of Ritual, you'll know what each step of the circle-casting ceremony means, why it's there, and what it accomplishes. You'll learn several alternative approaches to each step, and you'll be empowered to write your own effective ceremonies using sound magical, theological, and pragmatic principles.Advanced, sophisticated Witchcraft philosophy and practice Delves further into the theology and theory of every phase of ritual, along with practical how-tos and how-not-tos, and much esoteric, hard-to-find information Every step of ritual has at least two sample scripts, including an avant-garde example Provides detailed instructions for writing your own ritual Includes meditations on the deeper meanings of each phase of ritual

    In Astrology for Happiness and Success, you’ll find new ways to be happier and more successful and learn to bring joy to those around you. Take an adventurous Aries to your next yoga class to help you both clear your minds, treat your busy Taurus friend to a relaxing evening at home, join Gemini in playing a new board game for fun—and more! With different activities, therapeutic techniques, and relaxation rituals for each sign, you’ll find the perfect path to becoming your happiest and healthiest self.

    Everyday Tarot takes a fresh approach to a timeless art, giving modern soul-seekers the tools they need to access their inner wisdom and create an inspired life, using the cards as their guide. This contemporary approach to Tarot is empowering, uplifting, powerful, and practical -- instead of seeking to tell the future, this method allows readers to unlock their full potential by connecting more deeply to their own instincts. This unique book draws on the knowledge of Brigit Esselmont, the founder of Biddy Tarot. Her distinctive approach blends Tarot with personal growth, creating an actionable wellness practice that speaks to contemporary readers. Beginning with Esselmont's personal story of leaving behind a corporate career to pursue a more grounded, passionate life, this beautiful and useful volume explains how Tarot really works, with a focus on how we approach the cards and draw on our inner wisdom for guidance. Everyday Tarot moves through concrete areas of life (career, romantic relationships, major goals) and incorporates exercises and sample spreads, alongside a quick-start guide to reading the cards that reinforces big picture concepts and builds confidence as readers begin creating powerful and positive change.

    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.

    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.

    You'll learn how each Moon phase affects your spellwork, including the seldom-discussed energies of the true Blue Moon, the Black Moon, the void-of-course moon, and the lunar eclipse. Follow the Moon as she traverses each sign of the zodiac, and discover how each astrological phase affects magic, mundane events, and gardening--and how your personal Moon sign affects your magical work. This guide by popular author Dorothy Morrison includes more than 140 spells, chants, and rituals, along with Esbat celebrations for the Full Moon.

    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.

    Includes the teachings and a structural analysis.

    The Triumph of the Moon is the first full-scale study of the only religion England has ever given the world--modern pagan witchcraft, otherwise known as wicca. Meticulously researched, it provides a thorough account of an ancient religion that has spread from English shores across four continents. For centuries, pagan witchcraft has been linked with chilling images of blood rituals, ghostlike druids, and even human sacrifices. But while Robert Hutton explores this dark side of witchery, he stresses the positive, reminding us that devotion to art, the natural world, femininity, and the classical deities are also central to the practice of wicca. Indeed, the author shows how leading figures in English literature--W.B. Yeats, D.H. Lawrence, and Robert Graves, just to name a few--celebrated these positive aspects of the religion in their work, thereby softening the public perception of witchcraft in Victorian England. From cunning village folk to freemasons and from high magic to the black arts, Hutton chronicles the fascinating process by which actual wiccan practices evolved into what is now a viable modern religion. He also presents compelling biographies of wicca's principal figures, such as Gerald Gardner, who was inducted into a witch coven at the age of 53, and recorded many clandestine rituals and beliefs. Ronald Hutton is known for his colorful, provocative, and always thoroughly researched studies on original subjects. This work is no exception. It will appeal to anyone interested in witchcraft, paganism and alternative religions.

    By studying the Tarot, we connect ourselves with the mythical underpinnings of our lives; we contact the gods within. This book presents the Tarot in language that is plain and simple, devoid of extraneous philosophical, or metaphysical musings, for those who wish to learn an easy and reliable method of reading for themselves and for others.

    For those who know how to see and listen, the cards hold the potential to help us better navigate the full spectrum of the human experience.In Tarot for Change, Jessica Dore divulges years of hard-won secrets about how to work with tarot to better understand ourselves and live in alignment with what's precious. Dore shows readers how to choose a deck, interpret images, and build a relationship with the cards, while also demonstrating how the mythic imagery of tarot supports modern therapeutic concepts like mindfulness, acceptance, and compassion. Her reflections on each of the seventy-eight cards are a vibrant tapestry that weaves together ideas from psychology, behavioral science, spirituality, and old stories, breathing new language into ancient wisdoms about what it means to be human.This is as much a book for those who are new to tarot as it is for those who have worked with the cards for years. And it's a book for anyone interested in exploring what it means to experience joy, heartbreak, wonder, stagnation, grief, loneliness, love. A book of secrets, symbols, and stories, Tarot for Change is a charm for remembering that our problems are not new, we are never alone, and whether we know it or not, we are always in a process of change.

    You're one of the best 10 guests of all time.' - Chris Evans, The Chris Evans Show on Virgin RadioAre there certain days when you feel overly emotional for no apparent reason? Do you have days when you feel exhausted, close to burn out and like you want to hide away from the world? Lunar Living could be just the answer that you are looking for. Working with the constantly changing phases of the moon helps you to understand yourself like never before, to realign everything in your own life, to understand when you need to rest and self-care and when you need to shine and make things happen. Living back in tune with this natural flow and taking care of you and your needs, even if that's just twice a month will make the biggest difference to how you feel, act and react the rest of the month. Lunar Living will help you to: - Feel empowered to make big life decisions- Understand yourself better- Tune into your natural cycles- Improve your sleep, mental health and relationships- Live a happier, more intentional lifeA beautiful hardback, complete with a blue foil finish, this is the perfect toolkit for understanding the moon and the effects it has on us. Lunar Living helps us to work with the moons phases to understand the ever-changing landscape of our emotions and the inner world of our purpose, goals and dreams and tune into this deeper wisdom to make profound shifts in our lives. If you've ever felt stuck, meaningless, overly emotional for no apparent reason or want to come back into alignment with a natural cycle to help you to move forwards in life and achieve your dreams and goals this is the book for you.'One to watch. It's the perfect toolkit for understanding the moon.' - Cosmopolitan 'Could the moon change your life? How it holds the key to your health, happiness and even your wealth. Meet the expert who can prove it.' - You Magazine'In her new book ... Gallagher expands on the idea of using moon days for self-care, by exploring how by combining moon cycles with astrology, you can use the year's moon days to focus on specific issues in your life.' - The Independent'Absolutely fascinating. This is going to be worth giving to your kids.' - Chris Evans'This book has changed my life. I can't explain how much it's changed my perspective on work and views on my current lifestyle.' - Steph Elswood