Book picks similar to
Sorcery by J. Finley Hurley


philosophy
chin-stroking
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magic-magick

The Power of Ritual: How to Create Meaning and Connection in Everything You Do


Casper ter Kuile - 2020
    He argues that, while formal religious affiliation may be waning, spiritual practices remain relevant because they can cultivate bonds to the self, others, the natural world, and the transcendent. Ter Kuile explains the significance of a variety of religious practices, including pilgrimage, prayer, and meditation, and proposes ways to capture their significance through everyday activities ("anything can become a spiritual practice--gardening, painting, singing, snuggling, sitting") by focusing on intention, attention, and repetition. This approach leads to inventive explorations of social trends; for instance, the famously cultish appeal of the Crossfit fitness program is explained in terms of vulnerability and community. In ter Kuile's understanding, religious traditions are "inherently creative" and therefore good starting points for considering personalized, meaningful spiritual practices.

Awakening Kundalini: The Path to Radical Freedom


Lawrence Edwards - 2012
    With its ability to connect us to the energy of creation and elevate us to a higher state of consciousness, Kundalini awakening is crucial to the deepening of our spiritual evolution. But the deep spiritual unfolding that Kundalini offers can also be confusing and difficult to grasp—so how can we approach this universal power with preparation and wisdom?An Essential Guide for Navigating the Kundalini ExperienceIn Awakening Kundalini, Dr. Lawrence Edwards, who has devoted his life to understanding and teaching about Kundalini, presents an essential guide to harnessing this boundless energy. In six in-depth sessions, he offers a comprehensive exploration from the physical, psychological, and spiritual perspectives, with insights and practices for recognizing what Kundalini is, how it manifests, and when your body and mind are ready to initiate an awakening of consciousness. "You are born with Kundalini," says Dr. Edwards. "You just need the right conditions to unfold it." Through seven hours of teachings, learn how to open to the freedom of awakening while avoiding the pitfalls, misunderstandings, and projections that are so often a part of the spiritual journey."Kundalini reveals the divine nature of the entire universe and every being within it-and shows us our true capacity for limitless compassion, connection, and love," Dr. Edwards teaches. Join him to discover how to tap into this profoundly transformative force, and through Awakening Kundalini, realize your ability to live "radically free."HighlightsThe soul's yearning for transcendence and freedom• The three upayas (means) that support Kundalini ascent• Cultivating "witness consciousness"—the ability to watch without judgment whatever arises and dissolves in our lives• Using the vibrational power of mantra to unfold Kundalini energy• The importance of discernment and healthy boundaries when it comes to spiritual practice• The unlimited ways in which shaktipat, the descent of grace, can reveal our true nature• The body's chakra system and its role in Kundalini awakening• Our shadow sides, and how Kundalini can illuminate the darkness that hides our talents and lures our ego-mind• Telling the difference between sat (what is true) and asat (what is not true)

The Golden Bough


James George Frazer - 1890
    The Golden Bough" describes our ancestors' primitive methods of worship, sex practices, strange rituals and festivals. Disproving the popular thought that primitive life was simple, this monumental survey shows that savage man was enmeshed in a tangle of magic, taboos, and superstitions. Revealed here is the evolution of man from savagery to civilization, from the modification of his weird and often bloodthirsty customs to the entry of lasting moral, ethical, and spiritual values.

The Art of the Occult: A Visual Sourcebook for the Modern Mystic


S. Elizabeth - 2020
    Mystical beliefs and practices have existed for millennia, but why do we still chase the esoteric? From the beginning of human creativity itself, image-makers have been drawn to these unknown spheres and have created curious artworks that transcend time and place – but what is it that attracts artists to these magical realms? From theosophy and kabbalah, to the zodiac and alchemy; spiritualism and ceremonial magic, to the elements and sacred geometry – The Art of the Occult introduces major occult themes and showcases the artists who have been influenced and led by them. Discover the symbolic and mythical images of the Pre-Raphaelites; the automatic drawing of Hilma af Klint and Madge Gill; Leonora Carrington's surrealist interpretation of myth, alchemy and kabbalah; and much more. Featuring prominent, marginalised and little-known artists, The Art of the Occult crosses mystical spheres in a bid to inspire and delight. Divided into thematic chapters (The Cosmos, Higher Beings, Practitioners), the book acts as an entertaining introduction to the art of mysticism – with essays examining each practice and over 175 artworks to discover. The art of the occult has always existed in the margins but inspired the masses, and this book will spark curiosity in all fans of magic, mysticism and the mysterious.

Circle, Coven & Grove: A Year of Magickal Practice


Deborah Blake - 2007
    No matter what kind of Witch you are, High Priestess Deborah Blake's guide to ritual has something for you.Part instruction manual, part personal journal, and part Book of Shadows, this all-in-one ritual handbook is an ideal tool for busy Witches, new covens, and new priestesses, priests, or coven leaders. Celebrate the Wheel of the Year with original group rituals that can be used as written, personalized to reflect your coven's unique style, or modified for solitary practitioners. Along with practical tips on ritual basics, there are beautifully written New Moon rituals, Full Moon rituals, and Sabbat celebrations for each month and season.Circle, Coven & Grove presents basic correspondences for magickal practice and coven work essentials such as circle etiquette. With seasonal spells, blessings, and rituals for celebrating holidays, increasing energy, giving thanks, healing, and more, this friendly book has everything you need.

Life Without Limits


Nick Vujicic - 2007
    Born without arms or legs, Nick Vujicic overcame his disability to live not just independently but a rich, fulfilling life, becoming a model for anyone seeking true happiness. Now an internationally successful motivational speaker, his central message is that the most important goal for anyone is to find their life’s purpose despite whatever difficulties or seemingly impossible odds stand in their way. Nick tells the story of his physical disabilities and the emotional battle he endured trying to deal with them as a child, a teen, and a young adult. “For the longest, loneliest time, I wondered if there was anyone on earth like me, and whether there was any purpose to my life other than pain and humiliation.” He shares how his faith in God has been his central source of strength and explains that once he found his own sense of purpose—inspiring others to make their lives and the world better—he found the confidence to build a rewarding and productive life without limits. Nick offers practical advice for realizing a life of fulfillment and happiness by building trust in others, developing supportive relationships, and gaining strength for the journey. He encourages the reader by showing how he learned to accept what he could not control and focus instead on what he could. “I do believe my life has no limits! I want you to feel the same way about your life, no matter what your challenges may be. As we begin our journey together, please take a moment to think about any limitations you’ve placed on your life or that you’ve allowed others to place on it. Now think about what it would be like to be free of those limitations. What would your life be if anything were possible?”—Nick Vujicic, from Life Without Limits

Whole Child, Whole Parent


Polly Berrien Berends - 1975
    This fourth edition includes new material for contemporary parents on anger, children's dreams, maintaining individual and family life, marital as well as parental life, and many new personal anecdotes. It is the perfect guide "not merely for parents who want to raise their children in the best manner possible, it is for all people, including adults who want to raise themselves." (M. Scott Peck, from the foreword).Whether exploring love and discipline or bedtime and storybook reading, Berends shows the practical relevance of spiritual insights to the most ordinary parental tasks.

Walking the Twilight Path: A Gothic Book of the Dead


Michelle Belanger - 2008
    Become familiar with this intrinsic, yet denied, aspect of our lives as you contact your spirit companion, meditate on gravestone sculptures, create a necromantic medicine bag, and keep a personal book of the dead. Drawing on the wisdom of shamans, magicians, Tibetan Buddhists, and ancient Egyptians, Michelle Belanger illuminates death as a gateway to change and regeneration. On this life-affirming journey, you will visit the “Otherside,” reach out to spirits, and become a walker between worlds to experience healing and empowerment.     “Walking the Twilight Path shows us that life is a wonderful experience that can only be fully appreciated once we accept our physical mortality. An excellent beginners guide.” —Leilah Wendell, author of The Necromantic Ritual Book

The Grand Grimoire: The Red Dragon


Tarl Warwick - 2015
     The Red Dragon however bears the title "Grand Grimoire" on its own. Multiple editions of it exist, some with material tacked on. It takes the form of a long ritualistic ceremony designed to secure communication with a demon known as "Lucifuge Rofocale" followed by various invocations and incantations and spells. The contents are heretical in the extreme, from rituals involving boiling a black cat to the use of toxic substances in ritual form. Small wonder, that this text has gained so much notoreity.

The Magus: A Complete System of Occult Philosophy


Francis Barrett - 1801
    The book contains a fascinating array of information drawn together by author Francis Barrett from several sources, such as Cornelius Agrippa's Three Books of Occult Philosophy. Areas explored include Natural Magic, Alchemy, Talismanic Magic, Cabalistic and Ceremonial Magic, as well as biographies of important figures such as Albertus Magnus, Roger Bacon and John Dee. Notable are the author's illustrations, derived from ancient and magical texts. This book remains much sought after by modern readers for the important source material it provides, and it continues to be drawn on heavily for information on many areas of occult philosophy.

Goddesses in Everywoman


Jean Shinoda Bolen - 1984
    Psychoanalyst Jean Bolen's career soared in the early 1980s when Goddesses in Everywoman was published. Thousands of women readers became fascinated with identifying their own inner goddesses and using these archetypes to guide themselves to greater self–esteem, creativity, and happiness.Bolen's radical idea was that just as women used to be unconscious of the powerful effects that cultural stereotypes had on them, they were also unconscious of powerful archetypal forces within them that influence what they do and how they feel, and which account for major differences among them. Bolen believes that an understanding of these inner patterns and their interrelationships offers reassuring, true–to–life alternatives that take women far beyond such restrictive dichotomies as masculine/feminine, mother/lover, careerist/housewife. And she demonstrates in this book how understanding them can provide the key to self–knowledge and wholeness.Dr. Bolen introduced these patterns in the guise of seven archetypal goddesses, or personality types, with whom all women could identify, from the autonomous Artemis and the cool Athena to the nurturing Demeter and the creative Aphrodite, and explains how to decide which to cultivate and which to overcome, and how to tap the power of these enduring archetypes to become a better "heroine" in one's own life story.

In the Shadow of the Shaman: Connecting with Self, Nature, and Spirit


Amber Wolfe - 2002
    This guide to shamanism--filled with examples of guided journeys, secrets of shamanic divination, visualization techniques, healing practices, spells, rituals, and recipes--provides all one needs to begin dancing in the shadow of the shaman.

Practical Sigil Magic: Creating Personal Symbols for Success


Frater U∴D∴ - 1985
    For the most part, it can be performed without complicated rituals, needs hardly any paraphernalia, is independent of philosophical and dogmatic premises and, due to its simplicity, can be learned easily and quickly. Most important of all, none of the magical techniques we know of today is more efficient and will give even beginners the immediate chance to convince themselves of its power and their own abilities. These reasons alone support a volume like the following to show the possibilities of this discipline and to explain its techniques and its rationale. The reader—the complete tyro and the advanced practitioner alike—will receive an introduction which will accompany him/her in his/her magical practice for a long time.

The Tibetan Book of Yoga: Ancient Buddhist Teachings on the Philosophy and Practice of Yoga


Michael Roach - 2004
    In this small book readers will discover Heart Yoga, which developed over the centuries in the Gelukpa tradition of the Dalai Lamas. The program presented here combines popular yoga exercises wtih special Tibetan poses, and methods of working from the inside to give a healthy and a happy heart. Roach discovered a number of previously unknown Tibetan works on yoga in the course of his ongoing efforts to find and preserve ancient Tibetan Buddhist texts. He discusses the ideas and insights presented in these texts and places them within the context of the Buddhist tradition. To help readers incorporate this ancient wisdom in their daily lives, he provides a specific regime of yoga postures and meditations. Combining instructive illustrations with the unique philosophical underpinnings of the Buddhist approach, Geshe Roach has created a unique program for yoga on a physical and spiritual level.

The Magick Of Lilith: Calling Upon The Great Goddess of The Left Hand Path (Mesopotamian Magick Book 1)


Baal Kadmon - 2016
    She has been called the epitome of all that is evil in the world. She was considered wild, uninhibited, argumentative and sexually deviant. She has been called the temptress, the prostitute from hell and most popularly as the succubus that comes and not only steals the semen of men as they sleep but also killing them in the process. Some of these qualities might very well be true and some not so much. One thing we know for sure is that she is a very powerful and ancient goddess. In this book, we will discuss what we know of her from the Western traditions. I will present the information chronologically; I will start with the earliest known accounts of Lilith to the most recent. I must warn you however, much of the evidence we have about Lilith is very biased but despite this, I think we can learn much about her and put her “reputation” into the proper perspective. Although some may consider her evil, I consider her the quintessential goddess of the left-hand path. In this book, we will discuss the story of Lilith and more importantly; we will learn how to tap into her fierce energy so we too can walk the left hand path with her. She is not for the faint of heart…You have been warned. In this book we will preform 7 rituals: 1. To Place a curse on your enemy. 2. Bind someone to do your will. (It could be for any purpose) 3. To gain Seductive powers 4. To Gain Protection from Lilith (Read carefully) 5. To gain courage and Inner Strength 6. To Gain Occult Power and Wisdom. 7. Sexually Dedicate yourself to Lilith