Wicca Wheel of the Year Magic: A Beginner's Guide to the Sabbats, with History, Symbolism, Celebration Ideas, and Dedicated Sabbat Spells
Lisa Chamberlain - 2017
Following the Wheel of the Year by honoring the eight Sabbats, or days of power as they’re often called, helps us integrate this concept of circular time into our daily lives. The Wheel provides a sense of rhythm to the year, as the equal increments of days and weeks between the Sabbats allow us to feel the seasons turning in a beautiful symmetry. The Sabbats also provide a context for honoring the dynamic relationship between the Goddess and the God. As the seasons turn, the divine pair shifts from mother and child to co-creative consorts and then back again. We honor these shifting roles and aspects throughout the year, with each Sabbat representing a point in the overarching story. This close participation with the cycles of the season is what some Wiccans refer to as “turning the Wheel.” Perhaps because it’s such a big topic all on its own, many introductory sources on Wicca tend to gloss over the Wheel, providing just a paragraph or two on each holiday. In Wheel of the Year Magic, best-selling author Lisa Chamberlain devotes a full chapter to each of the Sabbats: their significance within the context of the ever-changing seasons, the part they play in the mythological cycle of the Goddess and the God, and the spiritual themes they ask us to reflect upon as we celebrate them. So whether you’re just starting out in Wicca or you're a seasoned practitioner looking for new perspectives, this guide can support and inspire your journey. And while the information here is rooted in Wicca, much of it is applicable to Pagans of all stripes, as well as anyone who is simply curious about the rich traditions surrounding these milestones of the Old Religion. For those who include spellwork in their practice, the energies surrounding the Sabbats make them excellent opportunities to work magic. In fact, many Wiccans and other Witches like to incorporate spellwork and/or spellcraft (creating magical oils, incense, amulets, etc.) into their Sabbat celebrations. As with all of Lisa’s books, the spells and other workings included in this guide can be followed as-is or adapted to suit your individual style. They can also be a springboard for more ideas about how to approach magical work on these special occasions. Foundations in Celebrating the Days of Power A dynamic, creative and evolving approach to connecting with divine Nature is at the heart of Wicca and other forms of modern Paganism. Wheel of the Year Magic was written in this spirit, offering insight and information that will help you to build your own unique relationship with these eight days of power. Whatever your experience level, you can build on your knowledge with the information in this guide, including: The origins and development of the modern Wheel of the Year The seasonal and spiritual significance of each of the eight days of power: Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lammas, Mabon and Samhain The pagan history behind each Sabbat—the myths, beliefs and customs that have inspired our modern celebrations Suggestions for creating your own Sabbat celebrations, whether you’re a solitary practitioner or working with fellow Witches Spells and other magical workings aligned with the seasonal and divine energies of each Sabbat When you choose to mark the Sabbats, you are participating in a timeless tradition of honoring th
The Soul Searcher's Handbook: A Modern Girl's Guide to the New Age World
Emma Mildon - 2015
With something for every type of spiritual seeker, The Soul Searcher’s Handbook offers easy tips, tricks, and how-tos for incorporating everything from dreamology and astrology to mysticism and alternative healing into your everyday life. This handbook is your #1 go-to guide—handy, accessible, entertaining, and packed with all the wisdom you need in one place. Your destiny, gifted to you at birth, is waiting. So plug into the universe, dig your toes into the soil of Mother Earth, and open your soul to your full potential. Regardless of what you’re seeking, The Soul Searcher’s Handbook is your awakening to a more fulfilling and soulful life.
Life and Death in the Andes: On the Trail of Bandits, Heroes, and Revolutionaries
Kim MacQuarrie - 2015
Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Kim MacQuarrie takes us on a historical journey through this unique region, bringing fresh insight and contemporary connections to such fabled characters as Charles Darwin, Pablo Escobar, Che Guevara, and many others. He describes living on the floating islands of Lake Titicaca, where people still make sacrifices to the gods. He introduces us to a Patagonian woman who is the last living speaker of her language, as he explores the disappearance of indigenous cultures throughout the Andes. He meets a man whose grandfather witnessed Butch Cassidy’s last days in Bolivia and the school teacher who gave Che Guevara his final meal. MacQuarrie also meets the Colombian police officer who made it his mission to capture Pablo Escobar—the most dangerous cocaine king in the world.Through the stories he shares, MacQuarrie raises such questions as, where did the people of South America come from? Did they create or import their cultures? Why did the Incas sacrifice children on mountaintops—and how did these “ice mummies” remain so well preserved? Why did Peru’s Shining Path leader Guzmán nearly succeed in his revolutionary quest while Che Guevara in Bolivia so quickly failed? And what so astounded Charles Darwin in South America that led him to conceive the theory evolution? Deeply observed and beautifully written, Adventures in the Andes shows us this land as no one has before.
Hidden Gardens of Paris: A Guide to the Parks, Squares, and Woodlands of the City of Light
Susan Cahill - 2012
Away from the madding crowds, the gardens of Paris offer the balm of flowers, tall old trees, fountains, ponds, sculptures, with quiet Parisians reading Le Monde, taking the sun, relishing the peace.These places are often tucked away, off the beaten tourist track, and without a guide they're easy to miss: The Jardin de l'Atlantique, out of sight on the roof of Gare Montparnasse. The enchanting Jardin de la Vallée Suisse, invisible from the street, accessible only if you know how to find the path. The Square Boucicaut, its children's carousel hidden inside a grove of oak and maples. Square Batignolles, the shade of the old chestnut trees an inspiration to the painter édouard Manet and poet Paul Verlaine.Hidden Gardens of Paris features 40 such oases in quartiers both posh and plain, as well as dozens of others "Nearby" to the featured green space. It is arranged according to the geographic sections of the city—Île de la Cité, Left Bank, Right Bank, Western Paris, Eastern Paris—a lively and informative guide that focuses on each place as a site of passionate cultural memory.
Don't Shoot: One Man, A Street Fellowship, and the End of Violence in Inner-City America
David M. Kennedy - 2011
In some neighborhoods in America, one out of every two hundred young black men is shot to death every year, and few initiatives of government and law enforcement have made much difference. But when David Kennedy, a self-taught and then-unknown criminologist, engineered the "Boston Miracle" in the mid-1990s, he pointed the way toward what few had imagined: a solution.
Don't Shoot tells the story of Kennedy's long journey. Riding with beat cops, hanging with gang members, and stoop-sitting with grandmothers, Kennedy found that all parties misunderstood each other, caught in a spiral of racialized anger and distrust. He envisioned an approach in which everyone-gang members, cops, and community members-comes together in what is essentially a huge intervention. Offenders are told that the violence must stop, that even the cops want them to stay alive and out of prison, and that even their families support swift law enforcement if the violence continues. In city after city, the same miracle has followed: violence plummets, drug markets dry up, and the relationship between the police and the community is reset.
This is a landmark book, chronicling a paradigm shift in how we address one of America's most shameful social problems. A riveting, page-turning read, it combines the street vérité of The Wire, the social science of Gang Leader for a Day, and the moral urgency and personal journey of Fist Stick Knife Gun. But unlike anybody else, Kennedy shows that there could be an end in sight.
A Writer's Guide to Characterization: Archetypes, Heroic Journeys, and Other Elements of Dynamic Character Development
Victoria Lynn Schmidt - 2012
A Writer's Guide to Characterization shows you how to develop such meaningful character arcs in your own work--stories of transformation that will resonate with readers long after the story ends.In this comprehensive guide, author Victoria Lynn Schmidt examines cross-cultural archetypes to illustrate how they can make your work more powerful and compelling. Plus, you'll learn how to draw from Jungian psychology to add complexity and believability to your characters.Schmidt also provides:40 lessons on character development (with examples from well-known films and novels) that you can apply to your own workQuestionnaires and exercises to help you select male and female archetypes and adapt them to your story15 classic animal archetypes (including the coyote, snake, tiger, and butterfly) you can use to build convincing character profilesWith A Writer's Guide to Characterization, you'll have the information you need to infuse the development of your characters with drama and authenticity.
Himalaya: Adventures, Meditations, Life
Ruskin Bond - 2016
Others find refuge and tranquility in the mountains, a place where they can seek their selves, perhaps even God. And over millennia, the mountains have cradled civilization itself and nurtured teeming, irrepressible life.With over fifty essays, this comprehensive volume brings together a dazzling range of voices—among others, Fa-Hsien, Pundit Nain Singh, Heinrich Harrer, Fanny Parkes, Dharamvir Bharati, Arundhathi Subramaniam, Rahul Sankrityayan, Amitav Ghosh, Jawaharlal Nehru, Frank Smythe, Paul Brunton, Edmund Hillary, Mark Twain, Sarat Chandra Das, Dom Moraes, Manjushree Thapa—and the two editors themselves—in an unparalleled panorama.Here you will find stories of great ascents and descents; The madness of war on the ‘world’s highest battlefield’; Tales of exploratory derring-do in Tibet and elsewhere; A drunken jaunt in Kumaon and even the probable sighting of an 'Abominable Snowman in the Valley of Flowers'. A seeker has an intense spiritual experience on Mount Kailas, another among shamans on a mountaintop in Nepal and looking for the snow leopard in Ladakh, an author finds himself. A resident of a Sherpa village writes a heartfelt account of the aftermath of an avalanche which killed porters and climbers on Everest and residents of Langtang record an oral history of the earthquake which wiped out their village. A matriarch describes her life and family in Almora of a bygone time; A prisoner in Dehra Dun jail draws solace from visits by birds and small animals and the fragrance of lime makes a traveler's night in a remote Garhwal village memorable for all time.Edited by Ruskin Bond, India’s most-loved writer and acclaimed novelist Namita Gokhale, this anthology spans the entire range, from the foothills to the highest peaks and from its easternmost to its westernmost ends. Himalaya will keep you riveted.
The New Camp Cookbook: Gourmet Grub for Campers, Road Trippers, and Adventurers
Linda Ly - 2017
Good food makes for great camping! The two can and should go hand in hand, and the recipes and tips in this book, an Editors’ Pick for Amazon Best Books of the Month of July 2017, will guide you along the way.The New Camp Cookbook is a book for day trippers, adventurers, campers, and anyone who enjoys cooking outdoors. You'll find organizational advice and cooking techniques, from planning your meals, packing a cooler, and stocking a camp pantry to building a fire, grilling in foil packs, and maintaining heat in a dutch oven. The recipes are presented by meal: breakfast, lunch, snacks, sweets, and all-out feasts. You can choose your own adventure for each occasion, with recipes as easy as Mexican Street Corn Salad and Tin Foil Seafood Boil to more involved dishes like Korean Flank Steak with Sriracha-Pickled Cucumbers and Dutch Oven Deep-Dish Soppressata and Fennel Pizza. All recipes use a standard set of cookware to streamline your cooking in camp, and are marked with icons to help you quickly find a suitable recipe for your cooking style. Whether you're an aspiring camp chef or a seasoned Scout, you'll find plenty of inspiration in these pages for getting outside and eating well under the open sky.
The Silence in the Garden
William Trevor - 1988
As governess to her wealthy cousins, the Rollestons, on the eve of World War I, Sarah Pollexfen is only vaguely aware of the dark rituals and painful secrets that haunt the seemingly tranquil garden.
Tasting Rome: Fresh Flavors and Forgotten Recipes from an Ancient City
Katie Parla - 2016
Each is a mirror of its city’s culture, history, and geography. But cucina romana is the country’s greatest standout. Tasting Rome provides a complete picture of a place that many love, but few know completely. In sharing Rome’s celebrated dishes, street food innovations, and forgotten recipes, journalist Katie Parla and photographer Kristina Gill capture its unique character and reveal its truly evolved food culture—a culmination of 2000 years of history. Their recipes acknowledge the foundations of Roman cuisine and demonstrate how it has transitioned to the variations found today. You’ll delight in the expected classics (cacio e pepe, pollo alla romana, fiore di zucca); the fascinating but largely undocumented Sephardic Jewish cuisine (hraimi con couscous, brodo di pesce, pizzarelle); the authentic and tasty offal (guanciale, simmenthal di coda, insalata di nervitti); and so much more. Studded with narrative features that capture the city’s history and gorgeous photography that highlights both the food and its hidden city, you’ll feel immediately inspired to start tasting Rome in your own kitchen.
The Story of the Irish Race: A Popular History of Ireland
Seumas MacManus - 1921
Sketches a rough and ready picture of the more prominent peaks that rise out of Ireland's past-the high spots in the story of the Irish race. Written especially for the American reader (whom the author found to be as unknowing about Ireland's past as about the past of Borneo)... --alibris ... 'Indispensable for anyone who wants to understand the Irish people--their political struggle, their magnificent literature, and their whole great contribution to Western Civilization, a contribution amazing in its richness and variety." --from jacket flap.
American Indian Myths and Legends
Richard Erdoes - 1984
From all across the continent come tales of creation and love, of heroes and war, of animals, tricksters, and the end of the world. Alfonso Ortiz, an eminent anthropologist, and Richard Erdoes, an artist and master storyteller, Indian voices in the best folkloric sources of the nineteenth century to make this the most comprehensive and authentic volume of American Indian myths available anywhere.With black-and-white drawings throughoutPart of the Pantheon Fairy Tale and Folklore Library
Guide to the Superior Hiking Trail: Exploring the 300-Mile Footpath on Minnesota's North Shore
Superior Hiking Trail Association - 1993
Much of the trail is on the rocky ridgeline overlooking Lake Superior with sweeping vistas of Lake Superior and inland forests, cascading waterfalls and remote lakes. Mile-by-mile descriptions lead the casual hiker or ardent backpacker through forests of birch, maple, spruce, pine and fir—a region thriving with spectacular wildflowers and diverse wildlife. Whether you have two hours or two weeks, an afternoon or a weekend, this guide will enhance your hiking experience. Provided is detailed information on trailhead parking, 90+ backcountry campsites located every five to ten miles that require no fees, permits, or reservations, and a mile-by-mile description of the trail as you hike along. The Superior Hiking Trail goes to numerous scenic spots including Ely's Peak, Hawk Ridge, Bean and Bear Lakes, Mount Trudee, Baptism High Falls, Egge Lake, Sonju Lake, Manitou River, Caribou Falls, Cross River, Carlton Peak, Britton Peak, Oberg Mountain, Cascade River, and Pincushion Mountain. The trail travels through eight Minnesota state parks: Jay Cooke, Gooseberry Falls, Split Rock Lighthouse, Tettegouche, Crosby-Manitou, Temperance River, Cascade River, and Judge Magney. Complete trail maps are included in each section. In addition, it includes a "how-to" chapter on backpacking the trail and a chart with services in the towns close to the trail. It also includes informational chapters on wildflowers, birds, geology, and area history. The trail starts south of Duluth, MN in Jay Cooke State Park, travels through Duluth for 43 miles, and then heads northeast along the North Shore for 255 miles to Canada. Backpacking opportunities with backcountry campsites start at the northern boundary of Duluth. The Guide is written so each section of 5-12 miles can be hiked separately, a longer segment can be hiked, or the entire trail can be thru-hiked.
Born with Wings: The Spiritual Journey of a Modern Muslim Woman
Daisy Khan - 2018
Ambitious and talented, she quickly climbed the corporate ladder after college as an architectural designer in New York City. Though she loved the freedom that came with being a career woman, she felt that something was missing from her life. One day a friend suggested that she visit a Sufi mosque in Tribeca. To her surprise, she discovered a home there, eventually marrying the mosque’s imam, Feisal Abdul Rauf, and finding herself, as his wife, at the center of a community in which women turned to her for advice. Guided by her faith, she embraced her role as a women’s advocate and has devised innovative ways to help end child marriage, fight against genital mutilation, and, most recently, educate young Muslims to resist the false promises of ISIS recruiters.Born with Wings is a powerful, moving, and eye-opening account of Daisy Khan’s inspiring journey—of her self-actualization and her success in opening doors for other Muslim women and building bridges between cultures. It powerfully demonstrates what one woman can do—with faith, love, and resilience.
At the Entrance to the Garden of Eden: A Jew's Search for Hope with Christians and Muslims in the Holy Land
Yossi Klein Halevi - 2001
Louis Post-Dispatch
While religion has fueled the often violent conflict plaguing the Holy Land, Yossi Klein Halevi wondered whether it could be a source of unity as well. To find the answer, this religious Israeli Jew began a two-year exploration to discover a common language with his Christian and Muslim neighbors. He followed their holiday cycles, befriended Christian monastics and Islamic mystics, and joined them in prayer in monasteries and mosques in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.At the Entrance to the Garden of Eden traces that remarkable spiritual journey. Halevi candidly reveals how he fought to reconcile his own fears and anger as a Jew to relate to Christians and Muslims as fellow spiritual seekers. He chronicles the difficulty of overcoming multiple obstacles—theological, political, historical, and psychological—that separate believers of the three monotheistic faiths. And he introduces a diverse range of people attempting to reconcile the dichotomous heart of this sacred place—a struggle central to Israel, but which resonates for us all.