The Society for Psychical Research was established in 1882 to further the scientific study of consciousness, but it arose in the surf of a larger cultural need. Victorians were on the hunt for self-understanding. Mesmerists, spiritualists, and other romantic seekers roamed sunken landscapes of entrancement, and when psychology was finally ready to confront these altered states, psychical research was adopted as an experimental vanguard. Far from a rejected science, it was a necessary heterodoxy, probing mysteries as diverse as telepathy, hypnosis, and even seance phenomena. Its investigators sought facts far afield of physical laws: evidence of a transcendent, irreducible mind. The New Prometheans traces the evolution of psychical research through the intertwining biographies of four men: chemist Sir William Crookes, depth psychologist Frederic Myers, ether physicist Sir Oliver Lodge, and anthropologist Andrew Lang. All past presidents of the society, these men brought psychical research beyond academic circles and into the public square, making it part of a shared, far-reaching examination of science and society. By layering their papers, textbooks, and lectures with more intimate texts like diaries, letters, and literary compositions, Courtenay Raia returns us to a critical juncture in the history of secularization, the last great gesture of reconciliation between science and sacred truths.

Invoke the Power of the Sea and Transform Your Life

Purifying, mesmerizing, and transformative--the sea has long been celebrated for its beauty and mysterious power. By connecting to the ocean's energies, you can deepen your experience of the natural world and enrich your life.

Whether you live near or far from the coast, Sea Magic takes you on a unique voyage of spiritual rejuvenation. Explore various types of shells and sea creatures, both real and mythical. Call upon sea deities and saints to amplify your spiritual practice, and try a wide array of relaxation exercises and meditative techniques:

- Set up a sea-themed altar to empower your intentions- Center your energy with a cosmic ocean-moon meditation and a conch-hand mudra- Release emotions with an ancient practice known as ocean breath to attune to the tides- Use shells for divination and positive visualization- Select a sea fetch (totem animal) to take you on a shamanic journey

Dive into your inner world of emotions, imagination, and creativity--and let the sea's timeless wisdom guide you on your life path.

The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz is one of the most important writings of esoteric Christianity, first published anonymously in German in 1616. It is an allegorical story divided into seven journeys about how Christian Rosenkreutz was invited to a castle to assist the 'chymical wedding' of the king and queen. 'Chymical' is an old form of the word chemical and refers to alchemy, whose aim is the uniting of opposites -- hence, the sacred wedding. It is a book concerned with the inner transformation of the soul. Bastiaan Baan's interpretation and commentary makes this work accessible to readers of today, and shows the special language Andreae used to express the meditative content of his text. He delves deep to uncover the original significance, combining images and concepts from alchemy with insights from Rudolf Steiner's teachings. He concludes that the content is as valuable today as it was hundreds of years ago. The book contains the complete text of the Chymical Wedding.

Druidry is a wonderful, spiritually fulfilling life path. Through the magic that is Druidry, we build deep and abiding relationships with the natural world around us, and through our connection to the natural environment we walk a path of truth, honour and service. We aim to immerse ourselves in the present moment, in the present environment, in order to share in the blessing that is the cycle of life. Throughout the ages, people have withdrawn from the world in order to connect more fully with it. This book is an introductory guide for those who wish to walk the Druid path alone, for however long a time. It is about exploration and connection with the natural world, and finding our place within it. It covers the basics of Druidry and how, when applied to the everyday life, enriches it with a sense of beauty, magic and mystery. This book is for those people who feel called to seek their own path, to use their wit and intelligence, compassion and honour to create their own tradition within Druidry.

After the execution of the Samuels family - known as the Witches of Warboys - on charges of witchcraft in 1593, Sir Henry Cromwell (grandfather of Oliver Cromwell) used their confiscated property to fund an annual sermon against witchcraft to be given in Huntingdon (Cambridgeshire) by a divinity scholar from Queens' College, Cambridge. Although beliefs about witchery had changed by the eighteenth century, the tradition persisted. Martin J. Naylor (c.1762-1843), a Fellow of Queens' College and the holder of incumbencies in Yorkshire, gave four of the sermons, on 25 March each year from 1792 to 1795. Although he called the subject 'antiquated', he hoped his 'feeble effort, levelled against the gloomy gothic mansion of superstition, may not be entirely without a beneficial effect'. This collection of the four sermons was published in 1795, and appended with an account of the original events in Warboys.

I Send a Voice is the gripping, first person account of what happens inside a Native American Sweat Lodge. Evelyn Eaton writes of her resolve to become worthy of participating in a Sweat Lodge healing ritual. She undergoes tests and ordeals inside and outside of the Lodge following the spiritual path to learn the shamanic secrets, and eventually daring to ask for a healing Pipe of her own. This classic book remains one of the definitive accounts of the training and work of a Pipe-carrier and provides a unique insight into Native American culture and their sacred and esoteric rites. It will be essential reading for everyone with an interest in Native American culture, shamanic rituals or holistic healing.

The English historian and antiquary Thomas Wright (1810 70) co-founded and joined a number of antiquarian and literary societies. He was greatly interested in Old English, Middle English and Anglo-Norman texts, and in the 1840s and 1850s he published widely within these areas. Gradually his focus shifted to the archaeology of Roman Britain and to Anglo-Saxon cemeteries. Although much of Wright's research has been completely superseded, his work is still considered worth consulting, as he collected material not readily available elsewhere. This two-volume 1851 publication is testimony to Wright's interest in folklore, sorcery and legend. In Volume 1 the author accounts of sorcery across Europe, and he considers the legendary Dr Faustus as an archetypal magician who called 'the demon'. Wright also discusses the place of the occult in England during and after the Reformation, writing about magicians such as John Dee, and describing King James I's views on witchcraft.

The English historian and antiquary Thomas Wright (1810 70) co-founded and joined a number of antiquarian and literary societies. He was greatly interested in Old English, Middle English and Anglo-Norman texts, and in the 1840s and 1850s he published widely within these areas. Gradually his focus shifted to the archaeology of Roman Britain and to Anglo-Saxon cemeteries. Although much of Wright's research has been completely superseded, his work is still considered worth consulting, as he collected material not readily available elsewhere. This two-volume 1851 publication is testimony to Wright's interest in folklore, sorcery and legend. In Volume 2, he maintains a broad perspective while surveying instances of witchcraft in the seventeenth century. Wright writes about such famous cases as the Earl of Somerset, the Ursuline nuns of Loudun, and the Mohra witches in Sweden, to whom the Devil appeared with a red beard and a high-crowned hat.

This examination of the connection between the belief in miracles and religious practices in ancient times was originally written by French politician and polymath Anne-Joseph-Eus be Baconni re de Salverte (1771 1839) and published in 1829. In 1846, it was translated into English by a Scottish physician and writer, Anthony Todd Thomson (1778 1849), and published in two volumes. Thomson explains that Salverte's work was an important study of miracles and the power of priests, and he had 'performed a beneficial service in throwing open the gates of ancient sanctuaries'. However, Thomson also states that he differed from Salverte over the idea of the miraculous, and that he had expunged or heavily edited any passages relating to Christianity, even changing 'miracles' in the original subtitle to 'apparent miracles'. Volume 1 begins with a consideration of human credulity before discussing magic in the ancient world, and offering explanations for supernatural phenomena.

This examination of the connection between the belief in miracles and religious practices in ancient times was originally written by French politician and polymath Anne-Joseph-Eus be Baconni re de Salverte (1771 1839) and published in 1829. In 1846, it was translated into English by a Scottish physician and writer, Anthony Todd Thomson (1778 1849), and published in two volumes. Thomson explains that Salverte's work was an important study of miracles and the power of priests, and he had 'performed a beneficial service in throwing open the gates of ancient sanctuaries'. However, Thomson also states that he differed from Salverte over the idea of the miraculous, and that he had expunged or heavily edited any passages relating to Christianity, even changing 'miracles' in the original subtitle to 'apparent miracles'. Volume 2 discusses the role of drugs and poison in magic, as well as the influence of weather on miraculous events.

Moncure Daniel Conway (1832 1907), the son of a Virginian plantation-owner, became a Unitarian minister but his anti-slavery views made him controversial. He later became a freethinker, and following the outbreak of the Civil War, which deeply divided his own family, he left the United States for England in 1863. He gained a reputation for being the 'least orthodox preacher in London', and was acquainted with many figures in the literary and scientific world, including Charles Dickens and Charles Darwin. In this two-volume work, first published in 1879, Conway draws from examples across the world to discuss the origins and decline of beliefs in demons. In Volume 2, he discusses the role that the Devil plays in Christianity (including analysis of the story of the Fall of Man), and that similar figures play in other religions, offering the view that such figures are personifications of certain human attributes.

Adherents of theosophy, the esoteric philosophy popular at the turn of the 20th century, believed that science and religion could be reconciled, and here, in this 1920 book, the renowned spiritualist Charles W. Leadbeater, a leader of theosophical thought, examines the Catholic Mass from a theosophical perspective, demonstrating how the rites and rituals of the Eucharist, Baptism, Holy Orders, and the other sacraments harness a mystical magic that unites worshippers in one divine spirit. Drawing on both traditional spiritual belief about the power at work during the Mass and modern concepts of a paranormal connection between the corporeal and the otherworldly, this is a work that will intrigue those of great faith as well as students of comparative mythology. British author CHARLES WEBSTER LEADBEATER (1854-1934) was ordained as an Anglican priest, but later joined the prominent Theosophical Society and traveled to India to study alternative spiritual and occult practices, eventually settling into his life as a clairvoyant and author. His other works include Man Visible and Invisible and The Science of the Sacrament.

J.R.R Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy is not only a seemingly inexhaustible source of wonder and excitement, it is also a profound tale, relevant to our times and to the vital question: what is it to be a human being? Why have these books proved so captivating since their publication, discovered anew by each generation? Is there a deeper aspect to the stories that speaks directly to something within us? Many scholars and commentators have asked these or similar questions, delving into his unique use of language, his deep knowledge of the aesthetics of story within the heritage of mythic storytelling, and his ability to weave together myriad themes. However, few if any have approached the deeper aspects of Tolkien's work with the spiritual esoteric insights of Rudolf Steiner's anthroposophy as their basis. Mark McGivern adopts this approach while also building upon the work of Tolkien scholars such as Verlyn Flieger. This is an illuminating guidebook to the forms and depths of Tolkien's master work.

Like no other book of the 20th century, Hall's legendary "The Secret Teachings of All Ages" is a codex to the ancient occult and esoteric traditions of the world.

Carry the Rock is a memoir for every spiritual seeker who signs on for a shamanic apprenticeship with their whole heart and soul, yet they find that something is wrong. The apprenticeship feels like a failure, but no one is talking. What's an apprentice to do if failure is not an option?

A revolution is underway. For the first time in human history, we are at the cusp of experiencing contact with nonhuman life-forms of all kinds due to technological innovations and research into the experiences of people at the forefront of this development.

In Encounters, author D.W. Pasulka takes readers to the forefront of this revolution, sharing the work of experts across a spectrum of fields who are working to connect humanity with unknown life-forms.

Most of us have visions of nonhuman encounters that are shaped far more by Hollywood than they are informed by the current research. Encounters rewrites our visions of nonhuman species by featuring the work and stories of contemporary innovators who are rethinking our most basic assumptions about life and its manifestations beyond our experience.

The author of American Cosmic, D.W. Pasulka is a professor of religion at UNC, Wilmington; her work as a scholar has given her the tools to systematically examine data that exceeds rational categories―exactly the skillset needed to parse the world of UFOs, angels, AI, dreams, and other dimensions, which exist at the edges of human understanding. Encounters is a riveting exploration of the leading science of nonhuman life and a bold glimpse of the future of humanity in a universe where we are far from alone.

This occult classic was written in 1888 by an 18 year old American boy, Frederick S Oliver. The author claimed that he was used as a channel by 'Phylos', an advanced being who had once lived in the fabled city of Atlantis. The advanced philosophy found in this book tells a remarkable, personal tale of achievement and temptation, of other planes of existence, reincarnation and the inexorable unfolding of Karma. Atlantean society is also described in detail, with its concept of the One Substance underlying all phenomena, and its advanced science and technology that include devices mirroring many of today's modern instruments. If the book is fiction, these accounts make Frederick Oliver's book a profound, almost inexplicable, achievement for one so young. If it is indeed a channeled message from a spiritually advanced being, 'A Dweller on Two Planets' provides copious esoteric information indispensable to all students of the occult.

Dragonflame is a new and powerful philosophical system that sets forth a magickal equation for achieving spiritual transformation and manifesting one's desires. From insightful meditations and visualisations to magickal exercises and rituals, this book offers spiritual guidance, with beginners' instructions and advanced practices that will help both novices and adepts achieve transformation in an understandable and reader-friendly format.