Acclaimed author and Archdruid John Michael Greer provides an in-depth beginner s guide to Druidry a modern tradition of nature spirituality with ancient roots in Celtic traditions. Although we know little about the ancient Druids, their reputation for wisdom and harmony with nature lives on. Today, Druidry is a vibrant, diverse movement with groups and practitioners on every continent but Antarctica. Spiritual rather than religious more an attitude than an ideology it can be embraced by people from different faiths and backgrounds. Archdruid John Michael Greer explores the history and basics of Druidry; how to perform Druidic rituals, meditation, and divination; elements of the lifestyle; and advice for placing less of a burden on the Earth. Includes a simple self-initiation ritual for starting on the Druid path, as well as exercises to help you tap into the elements and learn to pay attention to the natural world.

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 Throughout the ages, people have withdrawn from the world in order to connect more fully with it.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.

Before spoken language evolved, our ancestors communicated through images, drawn or carved onto the walls of caves. A vast proportion of the thousands of such images derive from the visionary insights of the first shamans, who either left them as reminders for themselves or as spiritual signposts for those who came after them.Created by practising shaman John Matthews and beautifully illustrated with evocative images of cave paintings by Wil Kinghan, this highly original deck contains 52 cards, which are divided into five groupings - Spirits, Ancestors, Hunters, Dancers and Shamans - each representing a different aspect of human experience. Two further cards - the Journeyer and the Helper - represent the person who is conducting the reading: the Seeker. As the cards are drawn, they reveal insights that will help to guide the Seeker on his or her quest for the answers to life's most vital questions.The images are not only beautiful, atmospheric and mysterious, but they also touch on the deepest memories we all possess - the unconscious archetypes that influence our thoughts, feelings and actions at the deepest level of being.

The role of a visionary is to help dream the future into life. Throughout the ages, shamans have played the role of visionary within their communities. Yet how does one open to visions and allow the messages we need to hear to come through? Exploring how to access your creative potential to shape and hold a strong vision for yourself and others, visionary teacher Carol Day shares hands-on tools and step-by-step shamanic practices to become more visionary and connected to the world around. She explains how to prepare for shamanic visioning and details Earth Whispering practices to expand the senses, set intentions, and connect deeply with intuition and spirit helpers. Detailing the visionary quest, the author offers exercises to open up to different dimensions and initiate a conscious relationship with the elements through the creativity wheel. Introducing animal and archetype support systems, she shares advice on working with guides and soul protectors, such as elemental spirits, birds, trees, and the fae. She presents visionary practices to help you connect, acknowledge, and honor the past, present, and future--each of which is connected with an element, a spirit animal, and a plant spirit. She shares a sacred time-travel journey in the symbolic form of a loop, taking you first through the present, then opening to an exploration of the realm of the past and the ancestors, continuing into the vision of the future ones, and ultimately back to the beginning of time. Taking you through the three pathways of time, this guide presents shamanic tools to help you prepare to receive visions, release the burdens of the past to heal your ancestral line, and bring clarity to your visions of the future.

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?

Clear and easy to follow, Spells for the Solitary Witch explains how to prepare and cast spells 87 spells in all together with the materials needed for each spell and the incantations to say that will ensure the best results. Tailored to the needs of solitary witches, Holland suggests alternatives to hard-to-find ingredients, as well as directions about where to find specific ingredients crucial to a spells success.

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.

The Crystal Bible, will help you to identify exactly the right crystal for your needs, whether for healing of 1mind, body, psyche or spirit, and will point you to useful stones for improving vitality and well-being, and for balancing the chakras. Listing over 1,200 ?symptoms?, it is a practical first-aid guide based on sound crystal healing principles that have been practised for millennia. Crystals are a gentle, non-invasive system of holistic healing with no side effects. Suitable for children and animals, crystals can also benefit the environment and your home.