With its reverence for all creation, it reflects our current concern for the planet. This introductory guide explains: • what Paganism is • the different Pagan paths • what Pagans do • how to live as a Pagan Paganism is one of the fastest growing spiritual movements in the West today. Pagans are those who worship the ancient pre-Christian Gods of our ancestors and of our lands. Originally, the word 'Pagan' was applied to those who worshipped the Gods of the pagus, which in Latin means 'locality'. Pagan was also used in another sense by Christians - to mean 'country dweller'. 'Heathen', of German origin, is also used by those who worship the Northern European Gods. Heathen means the someone of the heath who worships the Gods of the land. 'Paganism' is not a word that our ancestors would have used and it is seen by some as derogatory. Outside Europe, Pagans often reject it as an example of Western colonialism denigrating their traditional beliefs. In West Africa, the followers of indigenous spirituality refer to their beliefs as African Traditional Religion. In the West, the terms Native Spirituality, Celtic Spirituality, European Traditional Religion, the Elder Faith and the Old Religion are also used to describe the Pagan religions. Pagans have a variety of beliefs, but at their core are three which many would share: 1) The Divine has made itself manifest through many Deities in different places and at different times. No one Deity can express the totality of the Divine. This can be called polytheism - the Gods are many. 2) The Divine is present in Nature and in each one of us. This can be called pantheism - the Divine is everywhere. 3) Goddess and God: The Divine is represented as both female (Goddess) and male (God) while understanding that It is beyond the limitations of gender. 4) A fourth principle that some Pagans would share is called the Pagan Ethic: 'If it harms none, do what you will.'

    But what is it that has made these people turn their back on the formal, structured religions that encompass the majority of the Western world?In our modern, high-pressured world, many of us fail to take notice the sheer beauty of the natural world surrounding us. In many ways, this is a travesty: the world we live in today seems so completely distant from the one our ancestors lived in, a world where humans and nature were at one, their existence intertwined in the natural cycles of life.Wicca is a new way of life, a religion that takes you back to a more simple time, before the invention of the high-tech gadgetry we see all around us. You will learn to live and appreciate the natural world that surrounds you, celebrating the intricate changes in the seasons and everything they bring — from the bounties of the Summer harvest, to the cold and darkness of the Winter months, as Mother Nature rests in preparation for the next explosive cycle of life that Spring brings.Wicca is a re-incarnation of the very earliest religions, long pre-dating Christianity. Wiccans celebrate and share many of the same beliefs that these early people held, and try to embrace their way of life, all while remaining fully-functional in today's modern world. Foundations for Becoming a Practicing Wiccan Wicca differs from the highly structured religions that most people in the Western world are familiar with. There is no sacred text to follow, teaching you about the religion, and how to live your life to the fullest.Wiccans must take it upon themselves to piece together the many different aspects of this exciting, enchanting religion, and this can seem highly intimidating at first.Wicca for Beginners was created with these people in mind, acting as an entry point for anyone seeking information about the Wicca religion — whether you're just looking to learn more about the fascinating Wiccan way of life, or you want to start practicing Wicca yourself.You will learn all about the history of the religion, the many different beliefs held by Wiccans, and the significant dates and celebrations of the Wiccan calendar. You'll be introduced to the Wiccan deities, discover the Wiccan tools and altar, and learn the difference between a coven and a solitary practitioner.Finally, you will be introduced to the concepts of witchcraft and magic, learn the basics of rituals and spellwork, and will even be shown an example ritual, perfect for beginners.In other words, Wicca for Beginners will teach you everything you need to know to start practicing Wicca, today!So scroll to the top of the page and hit the buy button now, and you can also download my fantastic free gift!Blessed Be.

    With detailed reproductions and explanations, Eden Gray offers explicit advice about the three different methods of reading the cards, and using the tarot for divination and meditation. Both beginning students and advanced devotee will find in this book new insights into the ancient lore of the tarot.

    Hall's legendary The Secret Teachings of All Ages is a codex to the ancient occult and esoteric traditions of the world. Students of hidden wisdom, ancient symbols, and arcane practices treasure Hall's magnum opus above all other works.While many thousands of copies have sold since its initial publication in 1928, The Secret Teachings of All Ages has previously been available only in oversized, expensive editions. For the first time, Hall's celebrated classic is now published in an affordable trade paperback volume. Literally hundreds of entries shine a rare light on some of the most fascinating and closely held aspects of myth, religion, and philosophy from throughout the centuries.More than one hundred line drawings and a sixteen-page color insert reproduce some of the finest illustrations of the original book, while reset and reformatted text makes this edition of The Secret Teachings of All Ages newly accessible to readers everywhere.

    It includes what you need to know about magic and the Craft, including customs and traditions, visualizations, rituals, spells, divination techniques, circlework and coven etiquette. Full description

    It does more than make one healthy, it creates lust and knowledge, ecstasy and mythological insight. In Witchcraft Medicine the authors take the reader on a journey that examines the women who mix the potions and become the healers; the legacy of Hecate; the demonization of nature's healing powers and sensuousness; the sorceress as shaman; and the plants associated with witches and devils. They explore important seasonal festivals and the plants associated with them, such as wolf's claw and calendula as herbs of the solstice and alder as an herb of the time of the dead--Samhain or Halloween. They also look at the history of forbidden medicine from the Inquisition to current drug laws, with an eye toward how the sacred plants of our forebears can be used once again.

    In Grimoires: A History of Magic Books, Owen Davies illuminates the many fascinating forms these recondite books have taken and exactly what these books held. At their most benign, these repositories of forbidden knowledge revealed how to make powerful talismans and protective amulets, and provided charms and conjurations for healing illness, finding love, and warding off evil. But other books promised the power to control innocent victims, even to call up the devil. Davies traces the history of this remarkably resilient and adaptable genre, from the ancient Middle East to modern America, offering a new perspective on the fundamental developments of western civilization over the past two thousand years. Grimoires shows the influence magic and magical writing has had on the cultures of the world, richly demonstrating the role they have played in the spread of Christianity, the growth of literacy, and the influence of western traditions from colonial times to the present.

    True high magic is the art (and science) of using little-known or long-forgotten forces and objects from nature to achieve benevolent changes in the individual's consciousness or in the surrounding physical environment. It encompasses a wide array of doctrines and techniques, including the conjuring of spirits and nonhuman entities, ritual divination, the making and consecration of wands, swords, and talismans, and exploration of other universes. The essence of high magic has been captured in this handsomely bound book. The author gives instructions for making a magic altar and creating tools of magic. He also gives basic instruction in divination methods that include geomancy, I-Ching, and tarot cards. He goes on to explain the pentagram, the hexagram, the ritual of the rose cross, and advanced techniques that are intended to invoke deities. Here is practical, lucid instruction in the methods of self-initiation to a wide array of occult traditions.

    These practices have existed as precise sciences for thousands of years. More importantly, every single person can learn to do witchcraft and magic. We are all born with the talents and abilities that empower us to do the rituals and spells in this book. In the distant past, studies in witchcraft and magic were just as important as math, science, or the arts. This book is the first in a three-part series dedicated to spreading the knowledge of practical witchcraft and magic around the planet. Because the books in this series can be studied individually or in sequence, the introductory material on practitioner safety and effectiveness is repeated in each book.In this book you will learn, step by step, to perform beginner rituals and spells with your bare hands:Contact Rituals for Sky and EarthHiring Parking and Other Unemployed AngelsTalking to the Spirit of Owl to Find Hidden InformationBathtub Litany for Relief from Negativity and PainWalking in the Rain by Running Water for Fresh InsightUsing the Water Bowl for Scrying and Psychic MessagesWalking Meditation for Those Who Can’t Sit StillWalking Litany for Invisibility and Other Magical EffectsRooting Yourself in Mother EarthBeginner Weather Working with CloudsProtection and Disconnection LitanyWith these rituals and spells, you will be able to understand the actual workings of the Universe through direct experience, and communicate with beings on all levels, such as angels, totems, and Sky and Earth beings. Begin your journey into witchcraft today!

    And you will Explore the Mysteries of Death and to Speak with the Dead.The Dark balances the Light. Do not fear it but equally embrace it.

    But wearing witchy jewelry and casting a few spells does not make one a witch, for Wicca is a lifestyle and those who walk its path have solemnly dedicated themselves to the service of the Goddess and God.Wiccan Beliefs and Practices was written for the solitary witch or non-traditional small coven. Written by a Wiccan High Priest and retired aerospace engineer, Wiccan Beliefs & Practices includes crucial information not found in other introductory Wiccan books, including:Ethics of a Witch, including the Code of Chivalry How to write and develop your own spells and rituals The physically-challenged Witch Out of the broom closet: is it right for you? Know your rights: the legal protection of Wicca as a legitimate religion Author Gary Cantrell speaks from personal experience with Wiccans of all ages and degrees of physical ability, bringing you an earnest examination of modern Wiccan beliefs and a practical guide to the Craft of the Wise.In the following excerpt, the author explains why he chose to come out of the broom closet.I elected to reveal my practice of witchcraft publicly simply because I personally feel that the time for intentionally hiding ourselves has come to an end. We are practitioners of a kind, gentle, and peace-loving religion. We are not the bloodthirsty or depraved, orgiastic fanatics all too often portrayed by the entertainment and news media. The general public has been misled about witchcraft for over a thousand years, and now with our numbers reaching an all-time high, possibly in excess of one million people worldwide, we need to stand up and set that record straight.We are out there by the hundreds upon hundreds of thousands. We are in the arts, the sciences, and the humanities. We are law enforcement officers, engineers, builders, doctors, and farmers. We are a legally recognized religion under the protection of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, and our isolation from the rest of the religious community should and must come to an end. With the phenomenal growth of witchcraft since the 1970s and with the free and easy interchange of information afforded to us by things like the Internet, that time will come to pass and it will happen soon. It may be happening now.

    Under her, women's roles were far more prominent than in patriarchal Judeo-Christian cultures. Stone describes this ancient system and, with its disintegration, the decline in women's status. Index, maps and illustrations.

    Watson discusses the principles that underlie magical practice in a veryeasytounderstand manner. She includes information on affirmations, visualization, spiritual practices, folk magic, and ritual. Safety measures and ethical considerations are stressed throughout.

    Discover the history, folklore and scientific evidence surrounding all psychic phenomena - from poltergeists, mediums, and haunted places, to clairvoyance, astrology, and teleportation. Lift the veil on a world of supernatural mysteries, ghost stories and methods of divinitation... and discover if you might be psychic yourself. With information to intrigue and fascinate both believer and sceptic, this is an indispensable map of the psychic world.

    It only has a little about hedge riding as this book has too small a scope to include it. Please read the accompanying book in the Pagan Portal series, Hedge Riding.